Chapter 18: Love Bento

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, RenKyo would have had an official first date by now.

Kyoko woke up refreshed and excited to start the day. Since it was early, she had enough time to make lunch for herself, Ren and Yashiro. Her face flushed as she put the final touches on Ren's bento. It was okay if she did this much occasionally. It wouldn't make her revert into a lovesick fool that slaved in the kitchen making his favorites only to not be appreciated. This time was different. Ren was different. She hoped her feelings could reach him.

Kyoko was waiting outside when they pulled up to the curb. She bowed in greeting and scanned the area making sure no one was around when Ren stepped out of the car. The coast was clear. He always insisted that she sit on that side of the car and never made her walk around to use the other door. He was stubborn but his consideration was sweet.

Once the car was on its way, Ren asked, "Did Fuwa try anything else?"

"Oh! He didn't," she replied. She was so engrossed with thoughts of school and Ren this morning that she completely forgot about Sho. She wasn't looking forward to eventually dealing with him.

"I made lunch," she blurted out, changing the subject before talk of Sho could sour their moods. "This one is for you, Ren." She pointed to the solid wrapped box. "And the other is for Yashiro-san."

"Me too?! Thank you, Kyoko-chan. I can't wait for lunchtime," Yashiro said from the front seat. His inner fangirl squealed when he saw Ren kiss Kyoko on the top of her head in thanks from his view in the mirror.

Kyoko blushed shyly but didn't pull away when Ren entwined their hands together. They made small talk throughout the ride about work. When they neared her school, Kyoko sat up straighter. Her head darted to and fro looking out the windows.

"Yashiro-san, please pull over here. I can walk the rest of the way."

"Ehhhh?! But it's still about two blocks," Yashiro protested but did as she requested. "Somehow I feel like a shunned father whose daughter is too embarrassed to be seen with him. Daddy is just so uncool?" He said with an exaggerated pout.

Kyoko giggled while Ren rolled his eyes at their dramatic manager.

"Yashiro-san, I'm sorry for the inconvenience. It's his fault. Ren's fans would mob us if we went any closer."

Kyoko did a cursory glance out the window and found the area clear of nearby pedestrians. This was her chance. She pecked Ren on the cheek and hopped out of the car. She dashed down the remaining blocks and ducked into the school gates without looking back. She thought she would die from embarrassment. She was so brazen this morning and in front of their manager.

She entered class short of breath and her face ablaze. Several of her classmates paused in conversation to look at her. Kyoko nodded a greeting and wound her way through the desks. As soon as she took her seat, the fine hairs on the back of her neck pricked up. The remaining brigade of grudges swirled around her gleefully. Slowly but surely they were being picked off one by one as she moved on from Sho's betrayal and embraced her relationship with Ren. Kyoko scanned the room searching for the source of the menacing aura. She made contact with Mimori's fiery eyes. Kyoko groaned turning back in her seat ignoring the girl.

Kyoko could only assume that her anger had something to do with Sho. Mimori knew their history. Perhaps, she was able to decipher Sho's cryptic responses last night. The "K" reference was a dead giveaway. She offered a silent prayer to the Gods that Mimori would leave her alone today.

…

For the first time in his life, Ren experienced one of Kyoko's brain malfunctions. Did she just kiss him? In front of Yashiro? In broad daylight? His fingers reached up tentatively to touch his cheek. A small smile played on lips as he fingered the spot. He could feel the residue of lip-gloss branded upon his skin.

Yashiro caught Ren's expression in the mirror and snickered. "It seems someone is having a wonderful sun shining day!" Yashiro bounced in the driver's seat unable to contain his joy. "I'm happy for you, Ren. I can already hear the wedding bells and soon after there will be little Ren's running aro…"

Yashiro made the grave error of glancing into his rearview mirror. His happy tirade came to a stuttering halt as he struggled to keep the car on the road. The reflection of Ren's ultra-gentleman smile was blinding.

Yashiro cleared his throat regaining his composure. "Do you plan to make an announcement?"

Ren sighed and shook his head. Things were fine. The media frenzy had somewhat died down from the club night. He didn't want to get in the way of her career. They had talked it over and her positivity left him surprised. He thought she would want to hide their relationship as much as possible.

"Hiding could be fun but in the end, it would be very stressful. All the secrets…," she admitted. He nodded in understanding. He knew all about secrets. He also knew what it felt like the moment he came clean with her. It was liberating. It was like rays of sunshine finally peeking through the clouds after a long rainy season. The vice-like grip that squeezed his heart every time he manipulated a situation or lied to her was gone. That pain was particularly strong in Guam. He could have told her the truth then but instead, his insecurities won out. He continued to lie to her. He was relieved by her optimism. The thought of hiding his love for her like it was some dirty little secret he should be ashamed of did not sit well with him.

"I'm worried. I told my dad about us." The shock on her face was instantaneous.

"Y-you told Otousan about m-me, u-us?" She stuttered nervously. "W-hat did he say?"

"He's supportive but he mentioned something unsettling." Ren paused, deciding how best to break this information to her.

"Please, don't do that," She scolded. "Don't try to choose your words carefully. Tell it to me straight. I can handle whatever Otousan had to say."

"I'm sorry. It's a habit. It will take some adjusting on my part," he said weakly.

"It's okay, we both need to work on being more open with one another," Kyoko assured him.

"He said the media, the fans, they may accuse you of sleeping your way to the top." He held his breath as he waited for his words to sink in.

"That's it? No one can get anywhere if they're being lazy…" Kyoko halted her reply as she stared into his imploring eyes. He watched her face turn to horror finally understanding the meaning of his words. Her blush extended down her neck and dipped into the flowy blouse she wore.

"B- but I didn't. W-we haven't. I mean I dreamed it! How could they think that?! It would be an outright lie! I would never take advantage of you like that." Kyoko paced around the room, furiously.

Ren felt his cheeks heat up. 'Did I hear her right? She dreamed it? What exactly does she mean by that? Is she satisfied? Could I even live up to her dreams when the time came?'

"Corn? You believe me, right?" She asked breaking through his thoughts. 'Shit! I missed what she said.'

He followed his instinct and took a chance. "Of course I do but the media can be cruel. All they care about is selling stories," he told her with a slight bitterness to his tone.

She smiled at him with renewed determination.

"Even if I'm accused of something so outlandish, I'll show them through my hard work. I'll squash any lies they can come up with."

He frowned as he watched the fight leave her eyes. She looked down at her hands as she rung them nervously. The look in her golden eyes when she glanced back up at him made his heart squeeze painfully.

"What about you Corn? Are you okay with someone like me? Your fans, your ratings. I don't want to ruin your reputation." Her voice was thick with apprehension.

He pulled her onto his lap holding her tightly against him. He wanted nothing more than to hide her, to protect her from the cruelty of the showbiz world. He knew that was a selfish solution. The world deserved to watch her blossom into the fine actress he knew she could be. They sat for a few moments as he ran his hand up and down her back in a soothing gesture.

With his other hand, he tilted her chin up to gaze into her eyes. "I can afford to lose a few fans and my reputation could take a hit if it means having you in my arms. I love you, Kyoko." He leaned down and sealed her lips with a soft kiss.

During lunch at school, Kyoko wondered if Ren was eating too. An angry Mimori interrupted her dreamy thoughts. She slipped into the empty seat next to Kyokomaking her shift uneasily in her seat. What now? Conversations with Mimori were never pleasant.

The busty model leaned in close and hissed, "What have you done to Sho-chan, you evil woman? What kind of enchantment are you using to make him pay attention to you? Mimori loves Sho-chan the most, so why would he dedicate a song to you?"

She knew it. Mimori had caught on to his performance last night. Kyoko sighed trying to keep her grudges in check; this girl was a constant reminder of her blind devotion to Sho. She turned sympathetic eyes on her classmate.

"Nanakura-san. There's nothing more that I want than for him to leave me alone. We were childhood friends while in Kyoto because his parents were my guardians. I have no romantic interest in him whatsoever. Everything is his doing."

Mimori huffed with frustration. "You're telling me you have no feelings for him!"

"Zero, nada, nothing!"

"Do you think you're too good for him just because you're a little famous? Sho-chan is way more talented and gorgeous than Tsuruga Ren."

A vein twitched at her temple as Kyoko stamped down her anger. She used to sound this stupid. She wanted nothing more than to knock some sense into this girl. There was no way an arrogant, spoiled, selfish brat like Sho could ever compete on the same level as her esteemed Senpai.

"I'm saying that I've moved on and there's nothing between us nor will there ever be. I wish you all the best with him Nanakura-san. He's all yours!"

Mimori stood up and left the room.

Kyoko sighed with relief. That stupid Sho was once again screwing with her wonderful school life and he didn't even attend class here.

Kyoko's body suddenly vibrated shaking her desk noisily. She reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out her cellphone. She smiled reading the incoming text.

Yashiro carried the bentos Kyoko made for them over to the lunch table. He was always excited when Kyoko cooked because her food was five-star restaurant quality. He took this opportunity to tease Ren a bit.

"Ah, I'm so happy to eat a home-cooked meal made from such a cute girl. I'm sure you're doubly happy since it's from Kyoko-chan!" Yashiro squealed. Ren ignored him and reached out to grab a box.

Yashiro swatted at his hand. "Now, now, Ren. You know Kyoko-chan specifically prepared this one for you." He placed the other box in front of his charge.

Ren felt invisible beads of sweat pool at his hairline. Why were they specific? He could only conclude that she filled his box with more food. He groaned inwardly at the prospect. Although he loved her cooking, he couldn't eat the amount she expected. His eyes flicked toward his manager. The man looked at him expectantly. Yashiro would tattletale on him if he didn't finish every morsel.

"Ooh Tsuruga-san, you brought your lunch? Impressive," said a costar as he settled down to sit at their table. Several more of his costars joined their table, curiosity drawing them over. Ren nodded and unwrapped his food. He removed the lid from the box and froze looking at the meal before him. His face turned a vibrant shade of red as he stared down at his food. Yashiro noticed and stopped eating. He followed Ren's line of sight down to his food and almost choked.

The rest of the people peeked over to see what he was looking at. Some gasped while others giggled as they caught a glimpse of the contents in the box. Ren covered his face with embarrassment but not before everyone at the table caught sight of his Godly smile. He was so happy Kyoko had not overfilled his box but left him a pleasant surprise.

"A love bento?" A crewmember exclaimed as he passed by the table. "How lucky to be young again."

This one meal managed to dash away any doubts he might have had concerning her feelings. The nori sitting over his rice was cut to spell out the letter "I", a heart shape, and the letter "U" in English. A pretty arrangement of heart and flower-shaped fruits and veggies decorated the meal.

Ren was so surprised by his bento, he could not contain his smile throughout the meal. He even failed to notice that Yashiro took a picture of him while he ate.

Yashiro decided not to remind him that his face was slipping. He could feel the happiness radiating from his friend.

Ren ate every bite in his box with a slight blush on his cheeks and a distant look in his eyes. Many women and several men on site swooned that day reaffirming his title as the "costar killer."

That evening a blonde-haired, green-eyed Ren knocked on the back door of Darumaya. Okami's eyes widened with surprise as he bowed in greeting.

"Tsuruga-kun?" She questioned when he stood back up. He smiled at her and nodded.

"I almost didn't recognize you."

"That's the plan. I hope this way we can go out in public without interruption." He told her with a wink.

Okami gave him an understanding smile and beckoned him inside.

Thanks to Kyoko, he had no problems donning his true appearance. He was slowly accepting himself. Out of habit, he glanced at his ticking watch, Rick's watch. He now wore it in remembrance of his friend's sacrifice. Unfortunately, it took Rick's death to turn his life around. He owed it to his friend to live his life to its fullest even if he still wished he would never be forgiven.

"Kyoko-chan is in her room. Please go ahead."

He thanked Okami and stopped in the kitchen to greet Taisho. Taisho didn't even look in his direction as he expertly sharpened his sushi knife.

"Please have Kyoko home by eleven."

Ren gulped but bowed. "I will have her home on time. Thank you."

Taisho grunted in dismissal. Ren quickly left the kitchen but not before he caught Okami reprimanding Taisho. He chuckled to himself and took the narrow steps three at a time eager to see Kyoko.

The door to her room was slightly ajar so he knocked respectfully.

"Come in," she called out, allowing him entrance. Ren stepped in while she adjusted the long blonde wig. Her glimmering sapphire eyes caught his emerald gems in the reflection of the mirror. Kyoko stopped fidgeting with the wig and gaped at him.

"Hi Corn," she greeted. Her face split into a beautiful smile as her fairy prince approached. He was so gorgeous. He looked carefree in his natural form. She glanced at his casual outfit. He could pass as a student in his jeans and t-shirt. The only remaining pieces of Ren were his watch and necklace.

He strolled up and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Hi beautiful," he said kissing the top of her head.

"Corn, do I look okay? I wasn't sure what to wear."

He took in her outfit using the mirror. She wore a pair of high waist skinny jeans with a loose-fitting hello kitty crop tee. She could wear a paper bag and he would still find her adorable.

"You look cute," he said grinning. Her outfit showed off her curves and long slim legs. If she moved just right her shirt would sway revealing the porcelain skin of her midsection.

Kyoko huffed. She didn't want to look cute. She wanted to be pretty and feminine like she belonged at his side. She was thinking like an American tourist when she got dressed even though Kuon told her to be herself. "I think it's too juvenile. I don't want you looking like a Loli-," she bit her tongue before finishing her words.

He chuckled. She clearly meant to call him a lolicon, in other words, a pedophile. Her words stung a bit, reminding him of the age difference between them. It wasn't that drastic either so he needed to get over it.

Kyoko nibbled on her bottom lip worried she had ruined the evening before it had begun. She saw her words troubled him. Even if he looked younger than his age in his true form, she didn't want to look younger than her seventeen years.

"I'm going to change," she said decidedly. She absentmindedly yanked her top off and scoured her sparse closet to find a suitable blouse. She plucked a black laced peplum top from the hanger that was more sophisticated. When she finished dressing she turned around to find Ren looking in the opposite direction with a blush on his cheeks.

Kyoko's face flamed up realizing her blunder. Oh God, he saw me topless! Well not quite topless. He saw my bra. Wait, what bra was I wearing? God, I hope it was a cute one at least! She couldn't remember and was holding back the urge to check.

She couldn't face him just yet. Trying to get over her mortification, she turned to the mirror fiddling with her wig once more until she regained her composure. Finally, she turned ready to face him.

"I'm ready."

The emperor gazed at her appreciatively. His eyes lingered on her chest a moment longer than was appropriate. The bra she wore was pink, trimmed in black lace, and little matching bows on the straps. I wonder if her underwear matches.

Kyoko folded her arms over her chest. "Corn, you pervert!" She exclaimed.

He was startled by her accusation. "Kyoko, I'm sorry-," he began his apology until he was interrupted by the tinkling bells of her laughter. She was teasing him.

His expression turned predatorial once more closing the gap between them. "You shouldn't tempt me like that," he said tracing his finger over her jawline. A sound down below startled them.

Kyoko stepped back quickly. "Sh-should we go. We don't have much time."

"One minute. I have something for you."

He pulled out a flat box from his back pocket and held it out to her.

"Corn, you don't have to keep buying me things," she scolded but took the box. Kuon's green eyes with the puppy dog expression were merciless. Her room was already filled with little trinkets he sent her over the weeks. She opened the box and found a set of iridescent blue earrings that looked like a pair of butterfly wings. She squealed with delight as she danced around the room holding them up to the light. They were so beautiful. She threw her arms around him and kissed him soundly on the lips. She released him and bounded to the mirror to put them on.

"I knew they would suit you," he said grinning when she turned around to show them off.

The couple said goodbye with Ren assuring Taisho that he would have her home on time. They walked to his car hand in hand down the back alley. Kyoko decided that since he was Kuon, the American, she also wanted to practice her English. It was decided that they would be American tourists. When in public, they would speak Americanized English. It didn't take Kyoko long to adopt his accent.

For dinner, he took her to a whimsical themed cafe in Harajuku that he thought she would appreciate. Kyoko was giddy as the hostess led them to a booth that resembled a colorful layered cake. The booth's surroundings were so high that it afforded them privacy from the other diners. The food and desserts they passed were a work of art; Kyoko thought she couldn't possibly eat them.

While waiting for the waitress to appear, they looked over the menu.

"Kuon, are you okay to eat at a place like this?" She asked him nervously.

"Hmmm," he asked slowly looking up at her over the menu. "Do you not see anything you like? It had a good rating online."

"No, no, this place is magical. I'm worried about you. It looks like there's candy in everything," she whispered.

"I'm sure I can find something. This chicken with chocolate sauce looks promising."

They deliberated over the menu a few more minutes until the waitress appeared at their table smiling. Kyoko smiled brightly at her attire. Much like the hostess she was so cute with her blue-colored hair, outrageous makeup, and candied themed dress.

"Hello, welcome. Are you ready to order?"

Kuon took command. Kyoko bit her lip to keep from giggling out loud as he placed their order using a combination of English and terrible Japanese. Their waitress could barely function as she relayed their order. Kyoko couldn't blame her. She was another victim to Kuon's foreign charm and dazzling green eyes. The hostess' shy replies grated on her nerves so much as she answered Kuon's questions that Kyoko kicked him underneath the table after the waitress left.

"Ow! What was that for?" he asked, leaning down to rub at the sore spot. He was shocked that she had actually hit him.

"Oops, I'm so sorry," she said, covering her mouth. "Are you okay? I was adjusting my feet. You're so tall and your legs are so long I misjudged the space." Her eyes radiated with insincerity.

Kuon's eyes narrowed knowingly at her. He wasn't buying it but he smiled. He was happy that she was jealous. Kyoko looked away from him innocently focusing on their surroundings. She was in awe of how far they took their theme, especially with the lighting. They kept up an easy flow of conversation until their order arrived.

As they ate, Kuon asked, "Do you have any favorite spots in Tokyo? Anywhere you want to go next time?"

"Eh, well...I haven't been able to explore the city," she told him quietly. "I never thought about it."

Kuon shoved his anger aside. She didn't have to explain further.

"I'm the same. Since I came here, I threw everything into acting. Aside from work or work-related functions, I never really ventured out to enjoy the city. How about you think of places you would like to go and we can experience them for the first time together?" He told her reaching across the table to clasp her hand.

Kyoko brightened at the idea of exploring the city together. It saddened her to know that he lived here for so long and had yet to experience the area to its fullest. He had the adoration of the whole country yet he had remained alone. She squeezed his hand back and smiled. He happily laced his fingers through hers as they finished their meal.

Kuon checked out while Kyoko waited outside. He returned with one of the cafe's signature plushies. "To commemorate our first date," he said with a smile handing it to her.

They walked around the area checking out the shops. As usual, Harajuku was teeming with life. Many tourists, domestic and foreign, flocked to this district of Shibuya to experience its unique shops and fashion culture. They came across a couple of teen girls cosplaying in frilly dresses similar to Maria's style. Ella insisted that she needed a picture of her boyfriend with them.

Using an exaggerated American accent Ella said, "Come on babe, when will we ever get the chance again?"

Kuon rolled his eyes at his girlfriend's audacity but posed between the giggling girls.

Kuon put a protective arm over her shoulder and pulled her close while they continued to walk. He didn't want to lose her in the sea of pedestrians. If it wasn't for her blonde hair he would have lost her easily. He, however, stood a good ten centimeters above most of the crowd like a lighthouse with his golden hair. He was hard to miss.

Kyoko learned not to get overly excited about anything that caught her eye in the shop windows the hard way. Kuon pulled her into the first shop that caught her attention and ended up purchasing a pretty hairpin with cherry blossoms and crystals for her. He would have bought more but she simply left him behind.

They stopped at a crepe stand where after posing for a picture with Kuon in front of the large pink heart and angel mascot sign, Kyoko ordered a vanilla with strawberry crepe drizzled with chocolate.

She had no qualms about sharing the treat with her boyfriend. Kuon leaned down and licked some cream she had off the side of her lip.

"Mmmm, my kind of sweet."

Her heart threatened to beat out of her chest as she avoided Kuon's smoldering gaze. He chuckled as her cheeks heated up.

When they finished their dessert, they headed to the movie. He let her pick and said next time it would be his choice. She chose the movie, "The Lies She Loved." She was intrigued by the title. The main character's lover of five years had a brain aneurysm and fell into a coma. It was then that she learned that all this time, living together, he was using an alias. She hired a private investigator to find out the truth. What they discovered was heartbreaking? He had been a successful young surgeon up until his wife, unbeknownst to him, suffered from postpartum depression and killed both their baby and herself.

By the end of the movie, she was in tears. Kuon sat there silently watching her. That movie hit so close to home. He was glad he told her everything about him. He could never have imagined pursuing a relationship with her if she didn't know his past. He pulled her into his arms as she quietly sobbed into his chest.

"I'm sorry. It was just so sad and yet so beautiful. All this time she was anxious but it was her. It was always her." The character thought the worse of him only to find out this tragic truth. In the end, she chose to stay with him despite his lies. The movie ended suddenly with him waking up from his coma.

Kuon kissed her tears away and trailed his way to her lips. They sat in the dim-lit theater in their little world. Kyoko wrapped her arms around his neck returning his kisses. When they pulled apart she was smiling again.

On the drive home, Kuon turned the music volume down as they continued to discuss the movie.

"I hope someday I could move people with my performance like that on the big screen."

Kuon reached for her hand. "Me too, let's work hard together!" He said gracing her with his divine smile. She squeezed his hand in return and nodded.

As they sat in silence, the beat of the low music caught her attention. "Can I raise this?" She asked looking at Kuon. He released her hand and turned up the volume.

The electronic music filled the car. She tapped her hand on her thigh to the beat of the music. The female vocalist came on and repetitively sang, "I don't eat, I don't sleep, I do nothing but think of you..."

She turned wide eyes on her boyfriend. Was this the kind of music he listened too? He kept his eyes focused on the road avoiding her as a slight blush crept on to his cheeks.

"You keep me under your spell...You keep me under your spell..."

Her shoulders started to shake as laughter bubbled from deep within her gut. A small chuckle escaped his lips as he glanced at her. He gripped her hand again. She found another side to her cool senpai.

When Kuon pulled over a couple of blocks down from the Darumaya, he turned serious eyes on her and crushed his mouth to hers. The song reminded him of the yearning he felt for her over the past year. The longing had been unbearable. The need to kiss her, touch her but unable to do so for fear of tainting her with his darkness had left him lonely. She was here, solely his, in his arms accepting his flaws and all. He wanted to make up for the lost time.

He ran his tongue over the seam of her lips. She parted them knowing what he wanted her to do. Her tongue snaked out and touched his tentatively. Soon they were passionately exchanging kisses. She moaned into his mouth increasing his desire for her. Kuon knew he had to be the sensible one. He was getting too excited over the little sounds she made. He felt her shiver in his arms and knew they needed to stop. She was sensitive to his every touch and every kiss made him burn with need. He was the first to pull away ending their makeout session with tiny pecks. He stepped out of the car and took deep calming breaths of the cool night air before heading over to her side. It was nearing her curfew. He didn't want to get on the bad side of her landlords. He opened the door and helped her out of the car.

They walked hand in hand toward the entrance of the Darumaya. Kuon stopped her right outside the door and pulled her in for a passionate kiss goodbye.

She smiled in a daze and said good night against his lips.

"I love you, baby. Get some sleep. We have an early shoot."

She groaned at the reminder that her first photoshoot with R'Mandy was tomorrow.

"You'll be fine. Your esteem senpai will be right beside you."

With one final peck on the lips, he let her go inside. Kuon walked a few meters then turned back toward the restaurant. He watched her bedroom light up. She opened her curtains and waved. He kissed his hand and waved back.

He walked to his car like he was on a cloud. He didn't notice that two separate pairs of eyes watched him leave. The darker pair was steeped in hatred while the lighter pair blurred with moisture.

AN: Thanks again everyone for sticking with me and taking the time to read and review this chapter. I appreciate all your reviews! I'll be honest, I've been bombarded with so many updates of FFs I'm following that I chose to read those instead rather than finish this chapter. I'm all caught up and back on track.

The song they were listening to in the car was "Under Your Spell," by Desire.

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^