Chapter 65

I do not own skip beat. Yoshiki Nakamura does.

Quest of the living: part 4.

Having barely walked down the stairs and stepped into the snug area which wasn't part of the homemade fake nightclub set, Ren greeted a few members of the staff crew he knew from past roles directed by Shingai director. Sluggishly, he directed his attempts at making his way to the main crew, his eyes restless in gliding over the overly crowded set-the scene they were about to film required it so it could not be helped- to find the tall feminine figure.

Oga-san approached him as he was still looking around and greeted him.

"Hi, Ren-kun", She chirped happily.

"Hello Oga-san", he greeted.

She falsely pouted at him.

"Come on, Ren-kun", she protested, "I already told you to call me Sakura. No need to be so formal."

He finally spotted the director when he waved at him from closer to the set, and seeing a glimpse of golden locks, he tilted his head as discreetly as possible to see what he couldn't if he remained frontal with Oga-san.

He vaguely heard his current interlocutor sermon about his too-formal-for-her-taste speech, and apologized by automatism.

"…So call me Sakura for now on and-", her babble blacked out as he stared.

What is that outfit?!

Where is the shirt supposed to go under? He lamented. His gaze entranced by the racy apparition, even from afar, followed every little curves and spot of skin unveiled to him like a famished man. He knew it was not that revealing. He knew.

But the shoulders and neck mostly nude, the unfastened top button, the swell of firm breasts peaking in the center and that wonderful displayed belly button he craved to kiss and tickle. It was tastefully chosen, it wasn't plastering her like a piece of meat. It wasn't modest but it was not vulgar.

And it made it so far worse for his depraved mind and libido. Because it suggested so much more that what was shown. Making his imagination filled the blanks of what he couldn't see, of what he desperately wanted to see. It was like asking any man to go into the gutter.

He watched as Shingai-san hailed him and as he made his way to them how she twisted around with her gorgeous smile showing, and those blazing eyes. The lower part of his anatomy throbbed, bloody hard now, and he cursed.

The cloth moved a tiny around her hips and bust, making it clear it was more supple and less rigid than he thought. It had gave off a floating impression, yet drawing her curves and fitting. Maybe it was close to some shirt' s compositions.

That damn tuxedo blazer.

I want to claw it apart!

Tear it to shreds. Be able to see this tantalizing body without any obstacles to his eyes; to have no more secrets, no more shields between them.

Easy to say he focused a lot on cooling off with each step he took but a weird sound still managed to make its way out of his throat when he reached them and saw her up-close.

Shingai-san arched a brow in curiosity but she looked at him, puzzled and inquired if he was fine.

"I'm great", He grunted out as airily as he could, but she kept her eyes on him, studying him until he reassured her with a smile that he wasn't angry. Just fucking horny.

She still tapped in his moods too easily.

They quickly retold him what they expected, though Kyoko looked embarrassed and assured him she hadn't shared the detail of the event, but it was certainly not what was bothering him.

He knew she wouldn't reveal anything too privy, and though what the director wanted was a bit embarrassing in itself, he did thought he would feel more comfortable too, to be able to point out her limits before starting to train on their fight scenes. He should have remember this sort of thing happened anyway, he would have relaxed him but he had just been too drunk at that time, and had barely some fuzzy memory of that night years ago. So it should not be a surprise he hadn't jumped right back to that night for reference purpose.

He nodded his approval at both of them and shot a faked doubtful glance at Kyoko.

"Do your best."

"I could already do it when I was seventeen, you don't seriously think I wouldn't be able to do it again?", She inquired with a fake angriness of her own plastered. Snorting and tempting him.

He saw the director smiled as he pretended to wave her away with more contempt.

"I don't know", He started carefully. "The only recall I have of what happened on that event is what Kijima told me, maybe you bought him to say that", He proposed with suspicion and crossed arms as he faced her. He knew damn well it was not the case, if only for the song that has haunted him still up until today about a potato sack. He arched her brow at her to support his comment.

An outraged gasp escape and she mimicked his posture, crossing her arms herself, a deadly expression on the face.

"No money can keep Kijima's mouth closed, as if it would have worked in the first place!", She countered, voice hard.

They glared at each other for a good fifteen seconds before their expressions cracked apart and laughs chimed out of them as they couldn't hold it more. They grinned at each other.

They turned back to the director who was looking like the Cheshire's cat after founding the most deliciously looking cheese and having just taken the first bite. Pure satisfaction and a touch of excitement what's to come.

Ren chose to ignore it.

"Joke aside, director, even if I don't really remember it, I believe it really happened", he admit, "and I would be curious myself to experience it again and see how much time Kyoko can hold on." Teasing her further with the last bit.

"I already shared what my thoughts were on this with the director" she replied, but purposely avoiding to share the same details with me.

"It's whenever you want you two", interned the director with a amused shake of his head, "we have a few scenes to shoot still, you know."

"Right", Ren said. "Sorry director. I'm guilty of loving to tease Kyoko a bit too much", he admitted.

"That you are", Woman concerned grumbled out.

"Indeed", Shingai-san added.

He smiled and turned back to Kyoko, opening his arms.

"I'm all yours to hold."

Kyoko gaped at him, blushed, lifted her index before dropping back her arm, then pinched her nose. She sighed her next words in a irritated caress of her voice, and he shuddered.

"Seriously, Ren…"

Why did it not sound fully annoyed? Those words had nearly sound like a tender plea. A frustrated tone imploring. But for what?

The director cackled besides them and he came back to earth, though he kept his gaze on her. Pleading with his eyes for her to tell him what that tone had meant. She smiled innocently and he second-guessed himself. Had he imagine it?

"Well, this is really promising", Shingai-san uttered when he eventually caught his breath, "But we don't have all day, come on you two."

Kyoko nodded, asked him with the eyes one last time and when she got his avail, she stepped close to him. Her sweet subtle fruity scent invaded him, his senses, relaxing him by her intoxication, yet straining all of his being into a buzzing sense of excitement.

Then she plastered her body against his own as she grabbed at the back of his knees, and he stopped to breath as his world turned upside-down. She lifted him in the generic fireman-carry with agile ease, and he found himself completely immobilized with his knees circled by one of her arm and his arms by her other, while his torso rested on her shoulders. He was worried he was heavy and wanted to tense but force himself to stay relaxed, afraid he would hurt Kyoko if he did so. He peeked up through his bangs first at Kyoko's face, and saw her looking perfectly comfortable in the position of not for her embarrassment. Then, at the stunned director staring at them and noticed the void of silence that had filled the place as people fixed them. Shingai-san Whistled and turned around them to inspect her posture. He would not find any flaws, Ren was sure of it. She was steady on her feet.

He tried to control any discomfort he might be feeling. After all, technically, he was in Kyoko's arms. Even though he felt a bit like a rabbit after a game hunt tied up at back and front paws.

Well, a tint too much of a happy rabbit. His legs were sticked against her left side, and they were grazing against curves he refused to name in his head in fear of his biological reaction. Though his nerves endings still got the chance to pick up how soft yet firm those felt. He tried to black out any physical feeling as the director started to merrily discuss with Kyoko, uncaring of the looks they were getting. Not that he cared, and he had agreed to make the experience. But he thought a director should care in this situation. And Kyoko had just unnecessarily cleared up things to the press and his fans too.

He would not mind people getting the wrong idea but she had went through a lot of efforts to do it, so he wanted to respect it a minimum.

She moved around a bit when Shingai-san asked her how easily she could walk with him and he focused all his attention on the discussion, ignoring any rubbing, any flushing against any part. Ignoring absolutely everything but him.

He heard a few laughs in some corner of the room but again, dismissed them.

"Wait", said the director in shock, "you kept your heels."

She nodded meekly and Ren dropped back his head. It hurt his neck to keep it up.

"Yes, I did", she said, "But it was only possible because it's block heels, I don't think I would last as long on those as on barefoot or flats."

The director nodded, and Ren agreed. That much was obvious. To say she had been able to hoist him on those was already pretty great.

"But besides that parameter, you are positive you could last an hour?" Shingai-san.

"In sneakers or on barefoot, yes."

Ren whooshed out air, impressed.

"Really?", He asked, lifting his head to see her face again. "You could stay like this and walk even, for a full hour?"

She grinned and nodded. Damn, that woman had some strength.

Well, he did could feel the solid muscles in her shoulders but to say she could do that.

"What about the other holds?", the director inquired.

What other holds?!

She seemed to ponder it for a second, letting her fingers mindlessly stroke the place of her holds on both his wrists and his knees, and Ren strenuously kept his trepidation and groans hidden. The intolerable awareness she was granting him those brushes naturally-without a thought about them- made him nearly resentful, but the hope it also brought him snuffed out that feeling. Sometimes-it was not often- but sometimes, he thought he spotted something deeper in how soft she could act around him. Something that could tap from some feeling. But on the other hand, she always acted friendly, she never showed she was attracted. Or that she was especially affected by him, emotionally speaking. So he couldn't help but dismiss his wishful thinking.

If only he could be right.

"Well, for the stability, I would much prefer not wearing heels if I have to then you would have to divide the time by two, I think?", Kyoko replied eventually.

He questioned about the other positions, not really comprehending how it was possible in the first place. He had thought it was only because it was a special carry she had been able to do so.

"Well, on barefoot, I told the director that I thought I could manage to carry you on a shoulder for something around thirty minutes", she elaborated, "and between ten and twenty' in the usual front carry."

His eyes grew in size.

"You means like in your arms?", he asked and when she nodded, he demanded she'd show him.

"Ren, you just spent a quarter head upside down, I don't want to make you sick", she argued and looking at the director she added, "It was supposed to prove and show my limits so that you'd have a clearer idea for fight scenes. Is there any point pushing it further?"

"Please Kyoko, I feel fine", he just had to see that. He lifted his arms and looked at her with pleading eyes.

She took a step back and looked to Shingai-san for support who ignored her before calling the cameraman to come.

"I want this to be in the behind the scenes bonus", he told Ren, "Do you agree, Ren?"

"Director!", Kyoko protested.

"Sure", he said.

"He looks good, Kyoko-san. Plus I wanna see it and it's fun don't you think?", Shingai-san said and Ren saw her cave when she recognized other actors and staff that had stopped to watch before and that came even closer to look and gossip.

"What? You don't think I'll be safe in your arms?", He teased.

She rolled her eyes, and he lifted back his arms.

"Carry me."

She shook her head, but obliged. She removed her heels first, loosing a few inches and approached him barefoot, making flowing steps on those sexy nude feet. Bending the knees, she grabbed him behind the knees and around the waist and he felt the ground erased from under his feet as she lifted his body and took him in her arms. It was much slower and not as easy for her it had been for the fireman carry, but still as fluid and steady.

He playfully slipped his arms around her neck, playing the part of the damsel in distress being rescued and flapping his lashes, laughing when she scoffed. And grinning when she finally ended in a fit of giggles over his silliness.

"Idiot."

People laughed at the image they made and flashes sound in the set.

The director took a few pictures too, checking with the cameraman he had recorded this.

"It's going into posterity, Ren."

Ren laughed.

"I bet."

She put him down after a few more minutes. Not at her limit but preferring to focus on the scene ahead.

Needless to say, the director found a way to incorporate this new factor already in the scene coming, and modified a few elements. They listened attentively and prepared to the scene that would resume when Ren's character would spot her fighting against the thugs who had been harassing her waiter.

Ren studied how Kyoko and the extras repositioned themselves and planned his entry. He stared at how much control she had, admiring her standing and form.

He forced himself to focus and stepped in on the go of the technician.

Scene resuming:

Toga set foot in the nightclub containing a sigh and rubbing at his bursting headache. He spotted his friends chatting up girls on dance floor, waved at them, and decided to go for a drink instead. Unceremoniously, he dropped his backside in the worn-out couch of the of the booths siding the bar. He was glad he had obtained a "grace period" from his parents, but he also knew it wouldn't last. They would come bickering at him all too soon. He really did not get his folks. Such an old-fashioned view. It was Twenty-One Century for goddamns' sake. In what housing did you still impose an arranged marriage on your children. It was maybe traditional and proper in a way. And also, in the past! But to him, it just sounded barbaric. He had dreams he wanted to discover. One he was on the verge of determining, and he was not ready to give that up. Ever. Not even if that dream happened to not be fulfilled. And he knew that he just caved on the marriage part, the next order would be on his career choice.

And that, he could not have. Plus, if he was being honest, he would rather feel something for the person he was supposed to stay with for the rest of his life.

Stupid folks.

'If they had just talk to me, for once…Explained why it was important, or something…But no, they had to stay silent and impose me their will once again…'

He was ruminating some somber thoughts- thinking he would have to hire bodyguards if he wanted to be able to escape his parents' grip without too much bruises or time spent in their golden cage- when he heard a commotion not so far from where he was.

Four dudes were in the middle of fighting -or at the very least harassing- a woman and the nice waiter who had served him barely a minute ago.

He stood on an impulse, running to them, when reaching their place, he finally saw who was in control.

The woman sent flying one of the dude with a sidekick in the middle of the torso while she kept another guy's arm securely twisted in her clutch. The dude didn't rise back.

Another man sent his fist to her face and she expertly avoided it with a fluid move of her head, blocked another punch coming and kneed him in his sides, making a second man drop to the floor.

She was also swearing like a sailor at them.

Eventually, the man she had in her hand tried to attack her too and she sent him to the floor with a new hook and twist before firmly putting her heel in the middle of his back when he tried to lift himself back. The man's air escaped him in a whoosh and he stayed there without no more tentatives of struggle when he saw the venom in the woman's eyes. That woman really could fight was basically the thoughts going through Toga's mind at that moment.

"God, that is fucking hot!" couldn't help to thought Ren for a second. His character definitively shared the same thought.

That's at the moment, while she was focusing on the man on the ground Toga saw the fourth man coming from behind her. Not even thinking he went straight into the tumult and used his superior height and strength to knock him out. Sometimes he really was thankful to be taller, because even while not knowing how to fight he could still get the superior hand in some situations.

Unfortunately for him, the woman he just helped and who was in fact the bartender -he could see it now- , did not see his move and perceived him as a threat.

His world suddenly tumbled as he was lifted on some feminine strong shoulder before being sent flying too, to the nearest couch, a meter away barely, but still. He remained laying there, finding it safer than to stand back in front of the enraged but beautiful creature.

"Wait, woman, calm down,", he mumbled out when he saw her coming back at him to finish to throttle him out he thought, "Don't side me with the other scums. I just removed the last guy about to land a dirty back move on you!"

Her heels snapped on the ground as she ended in front of him, scrutinizing him before counting the guys out on the ground, assuringly checking numbers.

She seemed to hear the truth in his words then because he saw her relax a bit and faintly smiled at him. He blinked at the vision. That smile was something. Vibrant and alive. Tainted with distance, loneliness but also warmer that any he had received in the past. Rooted in kindness and strength. At that moment; he got blinded. He wanted to see that smile again.

A Whirl of thoughts was rumbling around in his mind. Some far less sane and pure about what that tiny smile had inspired in him, and what he wouldn't do to keep it in place, and to see other expressions mare that charming face of hers.

More rational thoughts were also buzzing and he eventually blurted out some thoughtless words.

"Girl, you have to teach me how to fight like this…," said Toga with mild awe and the girl arched a brow, questionably at this, though she still grinned further. God, she had to stop doing that. Now, he wanted to flush that smile with his lips.

He sat up, trying to sound as nonchalant as one could go, and stretched both elbows against the backside of the tired-leather-but-still-posh couch.

"Anyway,"Toga tried again when she didn't say anything but starring at him, "Should I not get a drink for the free help provided?"he asked with his own grin.

She crossed her arms in front of her, not impressed but nodded.

"Taking advantage of the situation, aren't you?"

Pushing his nose up, he inched his head to the side, faking ignorance and abashment:

"It's my first time being wrongly tossed in the air. I'm a bruised innocent, who even played white knight" He pointed out and she had the politeness to pretend to be ashamed though he could still see the mirth in her eyes. Clearly she was having fun at his expense. And as long as those gorgeous eyes kept looking at him, he didn't care one bit. "Am I no allowed some indulgence?", he inquired, letting some of his newly-founded admiration seep into his eyes as he gazed intensely at her.

The grin stayed there but new understanding crept in her eyes.

"Sure, you can," She nodded with the determination of someone knowing what is right and serious face. "What about two free drinks then?" She proposed with a grin when he pouted.

"Or had you something else in mind?" She asked innocently and he smirked.

"Only if this war-deity woman in front of me is willing to put down her sword to come closer" He replied.

Her molested waiter came by at that moment, preventing her to give an answer to him and he told her they needed her at the bar.

But then-

"Ask Saki to fill in for me for the rest of the night," she told him, her lips quirking up when she eyed Toga, to discover the delighted surprise in his eyes- he hadn't thought she would accept, quite honestly- , "I have a knight to properly thank tonight."

Her waiter left and she placed a hand on Toga's shoulder, and she looked at him, serious for a second.

"As long as it's clear it's only about fun?"

He nodded. He wasn't about to say no. Plus she didn't say for how long. So, who said after several nights of fun, he couldn't convince her of more? And he also wanted her as his personal trainer.

He wanted in every way.

She climbed and straddled his lap without a warning and he warmed her uncovered hips with his hands.

Ren nearly lost it there. As his thump against her tattoo, keenly memorizing it. He had saw it, briefly, before. It was just a peek from her tee during the painting session. But this was different. He hadn't expect the director to let it be seen. And seeing it so close-…It's so-…

"Then I'm all yours for tonight."

His hands tightened their hold on her hips and he felt her nails at his shoulders for a second. Had he hurt her?

"CUT"

"Perfect," shouted Shingai-san and Ren could decipher even more excitement in his voice, "I don't think we will have to make another try. It was a one-take shot."

He felt Kyoko started to move but the director continued.

"Stay like that, both of you," he shouted again, "Staff, bring some water to them!"

"I don't want to loose the momentum,", he explained, "we will resume in ten minutes since it's going so well, so you are forbidden to move."

He left in front of them to retrieve next scene script Ren thought, and he could have sworn Shingai-san had a little skip in his step.

They stared at each other for a second, and he felt like they were both trying to disregard hard the position they were in.

Ren even pondered proposing to stay in their roles to ease things but considering the scene they were about to shout, what they were about to portrait and the personalities of their characters; he discharged the option. Toga and Jen were much more free-spirited and liberated people compared to them.

But, the other possibility of remaining like this, even if it was just ten minutes -trying to ignore the feels of her skin under his palms, their busts a breath away from touching, her thighs nearly curled around his hips, barely a inch enough so that she wouldn't detect the obvious hardness-, it was torture.

He tried to think how to distract themselves while they waited for the scene to resume-because thinking about the scene was far worse-, and unconsciously brushed the side of her hips with his fingers while he was pondering, making Kyoko jumped a little at the move.

"Sorry. It was involuntary" He told her.

She shook her hands- whose still had been on his shoulders- at him, looking embarrassed.

"I just didn't expect it and got surprised, don't worry" She reassured.

He kept his gaze on her- what else could he do do, really, when looking down was so dangerous with the vest she was wearing and he couldn't help his eyes wanting to look at her-, and noticed she looked a little red on the face.

He knew this was not the sort of scene that made you the most comfortable, and it was actually worse if you knew the actors, but was it just embarrassment?

"You okay? Comfortable?" He asked and tried to relax more and lay back in the couch a bit more and giving her a bit more space, despite how tense he was feeling himself.

She seemed to thought her words.

"Well,…You aren't uncomfortable, if that's the question."

He lips trembled in amusement.

"I meant, am I not too h-…wrong choice of word-…too stiff of a surface?" He eventually finished poorly.

She chuckled at this, told him he was alright, and patted his right pectoral, sending a jolt all through his body and down south.

She mumbled her own apologize and lifted her head carefully, clearly persuaded she had done something wrong, he could just see it.

"Just surprised"He replied back in the same voice's volume she had and mimicking her own words of before.

She nodded and thankfully, the director was fast to come back and gave the go for the scene resuming.

He was not ready for this scene. He knew what he had to do, done it in the past but had no confidence he would cling to his character if it was with Kyoko.

Scene resuming:

She climbed and straddled his lap without a warning and he warmed her uncovered hips with his hands. The wonder of a woman then seductively waved her hands behind his neck and smirked.

Ren fought hard to stay in character as Toga tucked Jen closer, snaking his arms around her body a little.

"All me, really?" He questioned, rubbing her back twice with his fingers.

"Doubting me, already?" She said with amusement.

"Well, I do not know your name…Is it nor understandable to not trust someone you don't even know the name?"He said with such an arrogance attitude it made Ren a bit sick inside.

"You do have a point, I guess…" She said and tickled his neck with the top of her fingers before letting them tangle a little at the back in his hair.

Toga pressed a hand to her cheek, looking straight in those confident eyes.

"And I have another question to resolve…" He implied and she arched a brow, letting him continue.

"How much of you can I have this night?" He inquired with intense eyes, while internally Ren wished things would switch and that somehow it would be real, and not just a role.

A vibrant spark went through her eyes as her face became all serious but mellower and she asked with an odd softness on the tips of her words as she murmured with kind passion:

"As much as you will want of me…"

The strangeness in the way she said it shook Ren to the core for a second-making him doubt who was talking-, and pushed his heart to an even faster beat as he was pulled out of the role to gaze into her eyes.

He just had time to bring back Toga's soul when she made her next move, and knowing what was to come make it even harder to maintain his spirit in the role.

"My name is Jen Kagio…" She told him and she pressed her lips against his. Soft yet anchored at first, the kiss soon morphed, and whatever little act and role he had still been able to maintain evaporated as only remained the crash of senses.

The collision of their chests as their arms groped at each other. Around her neck. Tied around her waist. Her arm around his shoulders. Another hand at his back, gripping between his blades. And those thighs squeezing his hips as she crossed it behind, in-between couch-back and his own. Like a pulse, tightening, and relaxing. And again.

If he had been turned on before, it was nothing compared to the sensations she was ricocheting in his body.

But nothing, nothing could have prepared him to this, this handle of his lips. The token it was impressing on his heart. The arouse those undulations of her lips fondling, tickling his, was igniting.

Once brushing, once abusing his lips with no relent as she poured incandescent tingles through her lips' deep strokes; he was lost.

Shock. Amazement. It was not even words anymore.

Tiny shudders quaked everywhere in his body, giving him goosebumps. Yet, he was not cold.

He was burning.

He was clinging.

'Just don't ever stop…' He thought.

She tentatively glided her tongue in his mouth, sending another delight, and pressed her body even closer until there was not even a millimeter separating them wherever you looked. He was sure she should be able to detect how fucking hard he was, though he couldn't really spare it a thought.

His hips tensed and kicked forward in a reflex at the first brush of the tip of her tongue and lightly grounded into her. If anything, she just clang tighter and a sweet moan escaped.

The agony was perfect. He sank deeper into her.

"C-CU-UT!"

PS: Hello everyone. This is the new chapter. I hope you will like this slightly more steamy chapter, lol. It was really fun to write. Sorry if precedent chapter seemed like a filler. Enjoy. Kisses.

Love you.

Reviews are food.

Mimagfan.

AUTHOR OUT.