Chapter 100: Girl's Date
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, we would see more friendship interactions.
Kuon halted for a moment when he glimpsed his girlfriend in the kitchen. Sirens went off in his head as his whole body shifted to high alert mode. She was standing at the stove, cooking. Nothing strange with that picture, wrong! In that instant, he knew he was in trouble. He could smell the jasmine in her body soap above the scent of breakfast, which meant she had taken her morning shower. What had him on high alert was her apparel. She was only wearing his t-shirt: no sweatpants, not a hint of shorts, just his shirt. That could only mean one thing to Kuon after seeing her bundled up the last few days. The one thing that kept him sane, Aunt Flow, had concluded her monthly visit. Easy Kuon, you knew it was temporary. Get your shit together. You can still find physical pleasure with her without going all the way.
Once he felt in control, he moved in to test the waters. "Good morning," Kuon whispered, wrapping his arms around her and kissing behind her ear. Fuck, she smells even better up close!
Kyoko sighed, leaning against his bare chest while she rolled the tomagoyaki with a pair of chopsticks and enjoyed having him hold her. He had been a bit distracted these last few days, so for him to be so affectionate this morning was a relief. Now that her cycle was over, she hoped they could get a little frisky again.
"Can I help with anything?" He asked, glancing around the kitchen to see what else she had planned for breakfast as a good distraction.
"You can make us some toast and coffee." She had already prepared their meal and was finishing up with the omelet.
"I can definitely handle that, my lady."
Kyoko giggled, watching him work with enthusiasm. When he was through, he began setting the coffee table with the dishes she had made.
He turned on the television while he waited for her to sit down. It was nice having a day off after such a harrowing week. Who would have predicted that their combined page would lead to so many problems? The biggest one was a determined paparazzi actually following him home and camping outside their complex. The reporter had enough sense to keep this information to himself, hoping to catch a big break solo. Lucky for them, the building's security was top-notch and alerted all the residents of the intruder lurking across the street from the parking gate.
It was a wonder how they managed to keep the fact that they had been living together a secret for so long. The cat was still in the bag. Kyoko had to hide in the back seat whenever she left the building now. She thought it was exciting, Kuon found it a nuisance, and Tadashi had casually asked if they wanted him to handle it, which they both protested against. Neither of them wanted to chance exactly how Tadashi would take care of the reporter. They didn't think he would do physical harm to the guy; however, they weren't taking any chances. Both suspected that her father would be ruthless when it came to her well-being.
Kyoko sat next to Kuon, placing the egg roll on the table just as the commercial ended and the news resumed.
"Japan's most popular social media site has announced its completion of upgrading its servers after the site took a dive several days ago when the combined profile of Japan's darling couple, actor Tsuruga Ren-san and actress Kyoko-san, went active. The single picture posted of what looked like a new project for the couple as the Heel siblings, in a sense, literally 'broke the internet.' The site was down for hours while the administrators worked to restore it to normal operations. Apparently, they could not accommodate the massive influx of users flocking to catch a glimpse of their profile with their own eyes. The president of the site explained that although their servers could handle the numbers, they failed to anticipate the network traffic problem with all those numbers occurring simultaneously. He assures his users that there wouldn't be any further interruptions in the near future."
"I can't believe that happened," Kyoko giggled while the news transitioned to other topics occurring in Tokyo.
"People are unbelievable," Kuon responded as he ate his food. He wondered if Lory had anticipated such a reaction.
"So, what do you guys have planned today before we meet?" Kyoko asked, eating a bite of her fish.
"Well, I plan on driving you to LME and using the gym there. Yashiro said he would join me. After that, I'll just be lonely until I see you again," he sighed.
"Please make sure you eat lunch," she said, ignoring the puppy face he was casting her way.
"If I must," he pouted. Kyoko glared at him. "I'm kidding. I promise I'll eat. By the way, what do you girls have planned?" He asked, changing the subject.
"Oh, we're going shopping, then getting pampered by professionals. We haven't had a spa day since before Moko went to America," she gushed enthusiastically.
"Shopping, huh? Are you going to buy something sexy this time?"
"Would that please you?"
"If it's for my eyes only, I would be very pleased," the Emperor responded seductively and caught her mouth in a passionate kiss that threatened to set her hair aflame. He had resigned himself to only the simplest of touches over the last few days, refusing to take things too far and using her period as an excuse not to touch her too deeply.
He had meant to use that night he tried to avoid her as a lesson learned to quell his lust, but it didn't have any lasting effects. Every day his need for her grew stronger and somehow he managed to get it under control long enough to get through the workday. It was at night with her in his arms when he felt the most tortured as sleep escaped him until the wee hours of the morning. He told himself it was because he had abstained from holding her that made him feel like this. If he could just taste her sweet nectar again, he could endure a little longer. He was akin to a junky anticipating his next fix or, in Yashiro's words, a starving man refusing to eat even though a banquet lays before him for his consumption.
Kyoko returned the kiss hungrily, longing for his touch just as much as he, but they didn't have time this morning. Kyoko feared that once they went down that path she would be unable to leave him to meet up with her friends. With great reluctance, she pulled away from him.
"We can't. Not now, or I'll be late, then Moko will be angry."
"I'm sure Kotonami-san will understand the circumstances," he replied, leaning in to kiss her again.
"Eat, buster," she commanded, holding a piece of sausage to his lips. He opened his mouth and closed his sensual lips over the meat on her chopsticks. Kuon smirked when Kyoko stared at his mouth with a deep blush.
Once again their attention turned towards the TV, when the familiar music of the American artist, Beastie Boys' song Brass Monkey filled the apartment. As they suspected, the video of Ren running through the parkour course at the Funkee Monkee gym was displayed on the television. The guys he worked with at the gym held or wore Go Pros once Ren got the hang of the stunts pulled on the course, putting together this compilation of the "Beast's" best tricks. Oki had asked Yashiro for permission to post this edited version on their website. The manager consulted the PR department before authorizing them. Ren had kindly posted the picture taken with the crew on their shared media page, thanking them for their patience and professionalism.
"LME has confirmed that the video posted yesterday on Funkee Monkee's website was indeed actual footage of Tsuruga-san training for a future role. The video received thousands of hits and twice as many shares. Many people were convinced that Tsuruga-san had a very realistic-looking stunt double pulling off these maneuvers. Surely Tsuruga-san wouldn't put himself in such a precarious position by performing death-defying stunts. The footage of him following some professional runners leaping across rooftops left fans fearing for his safety. Fans speculated that this was connected to the photo the couple posted days earlier. We received word that there is a press conference regarding the new drama, Ryu, where Tsuruga-san has been cast as the male lead. Perhaps we will get more insight into the hints he's been dropping in the recent photos"
Kuon bowed his head as he concentrated on stuffing his face with food. He had shared his experience with her at the gym that same night and couldn't imagine the level of danger until he showed her the video a day later. She wasn't happy about it, but as a fellow actress, she understood his need to perform his stunts. It still vexed her to no end that he did something so dangerous. At least on set, there were safety harnesses and crash pads to keep from serious injury; he had none of that there.
Kyoko clucked her tongue at the news but said nothing more. She already voiced her fears regarding the situation and left it at that. It moved on to report on other entertainment news as they continued to eat and chat about the evening they had planned.
...
Kyoko had parted ways with Ren when she stepped off the elevator on the LoveMe floor and made her way down the hall. Her low heels clacked against the tile floor, making the place sound eerily quiet. It was a Sunday, only a skeleton crew was working today. They decided to meet at the office since it was centrally located near their homes. From there, they could head out together. She smiled when she heard her friends talking as she neared the room.
"Mo! Will she be okay wearing these? Won't she break her neck if she tries to walk?"
"That's the price of fashion, unfortunately."
Kyoko opened the door curiously, wondering what her friends were talking about.
"Moko-saaaaannnn," Kyoko screeched as she came barreling into the room. Kanae faltered and fell flat on her ass from surprise, making Kyoko pause mid-attack.
Chiori burst into a fit of laughter, ended up losing her balance and collapsing in an ungraceful heap next to Kanae.
"Ha! Serves you right," Kanae mocked while Chiori groaned in pain, rubbing her bruised backside.
"What are you guys doing?" Kyoko asked, curiously. Normally, they weren't this clumsy. She reached out an arm to each friend and hoisted them to their feet.
"Mo, I blame this all on you! Why do you have to be so loud?" Kanae scolded as she tried to stay on her feet.
"What are you guys wearing?" Kyoko asked astonishedly and eyed the sky-high black strappy heels the girls were wearing. They hobbled to the sofa using her for stability.
Kanae's feet were, unfortunately, bigger than Kyoko's. Her toes pinched inside them, making it painful to walk. Chiori's feet were smaller and slipped out the back of the shoes with each step.
"These are yours," Kanae answered, propping one foot on her opposite knee so she could unbuckle the straps from the heels and nodding towards the box on the table. Chiori was removing the same pair of heels but with studs on them.
Kyoko approached the table where a white paper sat next to the box. "We got curious. I hope you don't mind. It's not every day we get to wear R'Mandy shoes. These babies go for thousands in the store. I can't fathom anyone paying good money for something so uncomfortable."
Kyoko picked up the handwritten note: My darling Kyoko-chan, please get used to wearing these. Use the included inserts and tape to make them as comfortable as you can. Contact me right away if they are not the right size. Hugs and Kisses, Fuji!
"Eh? Get used to them? Does this mean I would have to wear them in LA?" Kyoko asked the girls.
"It appears so," Kanae said holding the shoes out to her. "Here try them on. Today seems like the best time to start."
"You're kidding, right? I can't be expected to walk around Ginza in these shoes. I would be as slow as a turtle."
"You have a point. Okay, how about baby steps? We'll pick a dress to go with them for tonight. Try them on. We'll help you figure out the inserts."
Kyoko looked at the suede platform heels Kanae handed to her, it had to be at least 15 cm tall. Fuji-San wants me to wear these all day!
She sat down and removed the shoes she was wearing. She folded up her skinny jeans to make space for the ankle straps. Once she had them on she stood but didn't wobble. She had practiced wearing tall heels as Setsuka the problem was prolonged wear. She adjusted her posture and walked the length of the room without any problems.
"God, I hate you," Chiroi grumbled. "How do you make it look so easy?"
"Setsuka is a fan of heels," Kyoko explained. "My problem is wearing them for too long. My feet would scream if I had to go hours at this steep angle."
"Mo, then add some of these cushions then let's get going," Kanae ordered. They spent fifteen minutes attaching sticky cushions and tape to both pairs until Kyoko's feet felt comfortable.
"Before we go put this on!" Kanae said, pulling out a long chestnut-colored wig and hair cap from her locker. It reminded Kyoko of the color she used to dye her hair. She arranged her hair in the cap and placed the wig on her head.
"Why aren't you guys wearing any disguises?"
"This girl, does she have to rub it in our faces that we aren't popular?" Chiori huffed, writing vigorously in her notebook.
"Aiiiii! I'm very sorry! Please don't curse me, Chiori-san. I didn't mean it like that at all," Kyoko exclaimed, bowing repeatedly.
Chiori laughed, "You're messing up your wig. I was just giving you a hard time. Friends tease each other, Kyoko-san. I've learned that as a regular on the variety show. Taichirou-san is always making fun of me."
Kyoko and Kanae gave each other knowing looks. Once they were ready, they headed down to the parking garage. Kanae said a car waited to take them around today. Kyoko was surprised to find her father's driver waiting for them downstairs.
"Didn't he tell you? He thought it would be a nice distraction, and we were overdue for some girl time anyway. Who was I to refuse a free spa day," Kanae commented with a flick of her hair.
...
The girl's hit the boutiques looking for outfits to wear to dinner tonight first. They thought it was best to get that out of the way and then move on to more leisure shopping. While Kyoko and Kane tried on dresses, Chiori went around the store, pulling out dresses for her friends to try. The dresses ranged from over-the-top ridiculous to outrageously sexy. Kyoko felt like a hostess with a flat chest in a skin-tight red dress that was baggy in the bosom. She would never wear such a thing, but they were having fun modeling the outfits. When Kyoko stepped out, Chiori was ready with her phone to snap pictures.
"Chiroi-san, how could you? That better not end up on the internet!" Kyoko scolded. "Please delete it."
"I wouldn't post this. These are our memories for today."
"Are you really not going to try any dresses on?" Kyoko questioned, worried that her friend wasn't enjoying herself.
"No point. I'm not going out to dinner with you guys."
"You're more than welcome to come with us. You know that?" Kanae frowned, emerging in the same dress Kyoko was wearing but in a deep green color that hugged her body in all the right places. Next to each other, they looked like they were attending a Christmas party.
"No thanks, I'd rather not be a fifth wheel," Chiori grumbled.
Kyoko felt terrible. She didn't like Chiori feeling left out just because she was single.
"What if you invited what's his name, Taichirou-san? Would that be better?" Kanae teased.
"What, no! He'll only find it a nuisance!" Chiori denied with a blush.
"It's just dinner. He's a guy. I'm sure he likes to eat," Kyoko supplied, trying to convince her friend to come along.
"You have his contact information, right," Kanae asked, snatching the phone out of Chiori's hand and scrolling rapidly through her contacts. "Oh look, 'Taichirou-senpai' texted you recently. How convenient?" Kanae teased while Kyoko blocked Chiori from interrupting her.
"Here, text him!" Kanae said, handing Chiori back the phone.
"The worst he can say is no, or would you prefer someone like Kijima-san?" Kanae asked, remembering how well they got along at the nightclub.
"Ugh, no. He's fun to dance with but to sit through a whole dinner trying to make conversation with him…" Chiori shook her head at the thought. "No, I don't think I can handle his one-liners."
"What about someone like Hiromune Koga-san? I'm sure if I asked him he would come out," Kyoko offered hopefully.
"You girls sound like my mother. Always trying to hook me up with random men."
"Eh? Your mother is like that?" Kyoko asked, wondering if that was how mothers behaved.
"I guess there really are some mothers like that, but it's surprising that yours is, given your per-" Kanae cut off her sentence.
"Thanks to my time in the LoveMe section, I was able to repair my relationship with my mother. It was a bit strained for a time when I was so frustrated with my lack of progress. Now that we're back to good she's the typical mother. I'm glad I met you two," Chiori confessed.
Kyoko sniffled, moved by Chiori's words, but Kanae refused to be deterred from the task at hand.
"Don't change the subject. Text him, or we'll have Yuki or Tsuruga-san find you a date. It will be a blind date if you don't do it."
"Fine! So bossy!" Chiori conceded and tapped out a message. She received an instant response making her eyes open wide in surprise.
"What did he say?" Kyoko asked as they closed around her phone.
Who? Where? When?
Chiori typed out the details he had asked for and hit the send button.
Pass!
All three girls' hearts dropped at his response, but her phone buzzed again.
If it's just you, I'm willing to meet up.
Kyoko squealed with excitement. Although their original intentions wouldn't be me, they urged Chiori to agree. Kyoko and Kanae left Chiori as she figured out the details of her "date" and cased the store for a dress for their friend.
After a successful shopping spree, all three girls walked away with new dresses and accessories for the night. They purchased refreshing drinks from a nearby café then headed to their appointments at the posh spa in one of Tokyo's prestigious hotels.
"Father? Why are you here?" Kyoko asked, giving her father a quick hug when she saw him in the lobby. Tadashi smiled and greeted the girls. They looked like they were having a good time to him. His daughter's amber eyes shone with happiness, enjoying the time off with her friends.
"I just wanted to make sure you girls were well taken care of here. Mya-chan gave me a list of details to follow to make your time most enjoyable."
"You didn't have to do that. This is more than enough. Thank you so much, father!" Kyoko smiled.
"Yes, thank you, Morimoto-san," Kanae and Chiori said in unison with a bow.
"You're most welcome, ladies," Tadashi nodded to the girls.
Tadashi turned to the manager waiting for him. "This is my daughter and her friends. Please take care of them."
"Of course, sir!" The manager bowed stiffly. Her father had been polite, but Kyoko heard the or else in his tone that made the manager tremble.
"I'll leave you, girls, to it. I'll see you tomorrow, sweetie," he told Kyoko with a quick kiss on her forehead.
"Please follow me, ladies. We have tea and a luncheon prepared for you in our VVIP room." The manager informed them, guiding them through the spa. The girls stared at the spacious room in wonder as they looked out the large windows giving them a breathtaking view of the Tokyo Skyline. It didn't take them long to realize that this private area of the spa was for the elite of the elite and probably cost a bundle. The place was compartmentalized into sections between the salon, massage parlor, and indoor onsen. She handed them each a menu of the services they provided. The girls had six hours dedicated to getting pampered today. They took their seats at the little sitting area by the window while small servings of salad, salmon, caviar, dainty sandwiches, tea, desserts, and much more were carted in from the hotel's five-star restaurant.
"If there's anything you would like to eat, please let us know. We take pride in accommodating our VVIP," The manager relayed before leaving them with a menu of the services offered.
The girls had been acting properly the whole time the manager was with them, but as soon as she closed the door, they exploded with rapture.
"Oh my God! I can't believe this place!" Chiori exclaimed, running to look at the view.
"I know! Everything looks so expensive. I don't even want to sit on this white leather. I might make it dirty," Kyoko cried, spinning in circles.
"If we don't enjoy this, your father's generosity will go to waste," Kanae gushed, sampling the salmon and looking over the menus. "Hurry up and eat so we can get started."
While they nibbled on everything, the girls decided on the package called the Nourishing Journey, according to the menu. It began with a body scrub and wrap, then a nourishing massage ritual, followed by a facial. Once they had their fill, they rested their bellies before contacting the manager to start their regiment.
Kyoko giggled as they lay there like mummies after the technicians left the room while they "incubated." She had never experienced such a thing before.
"Why did I agree to this? I feel claustrophobic right now," Kanae moaned.
"I have an itch on my face," Chiori wailed, scrunching her face to relieve it.
"We have to lay here for another half hour," Kyoko chirped merrily, enjoying every moment. There was no clock in the room, only the soft sounds of relaxing music and the smell of aroma therapy candles burning. Both of her friends groaned.
"Since we have time, let's catch up. I want to know if you and Tsuruga-san have done it yet," Chiori chimed in mischievously.
"Chiori-san, what if someone hears you?" Kyoko scolded. She had removed her wig before they began; if the staff recognized her, she wouldn't know. They were professional enough to look indifferent.
"Is that a yes or a no?" Chiori asked in a loud whisper.
"No! We haven't done it!"
"Really?!" both girls cried out in horror.
Kyoko blushed deeply.
"I knew it! He's impotent! That's why he never had a girlfriend before!" Kanae concluded, making Chiori cackle.
"He is not!" Kyoko exclaimed, defending her boyfriend. "He's j-just pure-hearted!"
"What?" Kanae snorted, and Chiori's laughter intensified.
Kyoko went into a tirade of all the reasons why they haven't taken their physical relationship to the next level. The promise of a fairytale wedding and a magical night.
"So all I have heard from you are his reasons and what he wants. What do you want?" Chiori asked curiously.
"I want?" Kyoko replied then went quiet as she thought about it. I always wanted to respect his wishes, but I never thought about what I really wanted.
"Yes, what do you want? Do you want to wait? He's more surprising than I thought, but do you really want to wait until marriage? Do you plan on marrying at such a young age? You're just getting started as an actress?" Kanae asked, turning to look over at her friend.
"That's easy. I would marry him if he asked, and I'll still pursue my career in acting. I guess that…" As she continued talking, the past few days floated in her mind. He had been a little distant physically. Whenever she tried to touch him more intimately, he would come up with the excuse that it wasn't fair if he couldn't return the favor. Her menstruating had never stopped him from receiving pleasure before, so she wondered what could be bothering him. He did act more like his usual self this morning. She could just be worrying over nothing, yet Kyoko couldn't shake the thought from her mind, I want him.
Kyoko found herself asking the most absurd question she could ever think of out loud, but curiosity got the best of her, "How do I get him to not stop?"
Kanae and Chiori whipped their heads toward Kyoko to see if they heard her correctly. Their sweet innocent Kyoko had seriously just asked that question. If Kyoko wasn't bundled up, she would have covered her red face from asking such a bold question.
"You're serious, aren't you?" Chiori asked.
Kyoko nodded, avoiding eye contact with her friends. She was at her limit and knew he had to be as well. She didn't know how to convince him that this was what she wanted of her own volition. When neither girl spoke, Kyoko turned towards them and held Kanae's eyes.
Kanae's face naturally blushed. Of course, she would look at me. She knows I slept with Yuki!
Chiori followed Kyoko's gaze as it held Kanae's before it clicked into place. "Kanae-san, did you and Yashiro-san sleep with each other already?" Kanae's face bloomed a deeper shade of red, making Chiori snigger.
"Best girl date ever!" Chiori declared. "Tell us everything!"
"There's nothing to tell!" Kanae countered, but Kyoko's begging eyes made her bite her lower lip.
"We had a connection, okay, and our mutual feelings led to it. I don't regret it for a second. He made me feel loved and cherished, which I'm sure Tsuruga-san would do the same. It's up to you, Kyoko. You need to tell him exactly how you feel, or he will never know. He's the king of cluelessness when it comes to you! How long did you guys dance around each other until you both finally admitted your feelings….too long, that's how long."
Kyoko laid her head back on the lounger, mulling over Kanae's words, lost in her thoughts. It wasn't too long later that the technicians returned to continue their treatment. After three-plus hours of nourishing therapy, the girls spent some time in the onsen that overlooked Tokyo. Afterward, they moved on to get their hair, makeup, and nails done. When they left the spa, they were completely relaxed and looked like they stepped out of a magazine. Passing by a lingerie boutique in the shopping area of the hotel made Kanae stop. She had an idea. Kanae grabbed Kyoko by the hand and pulled her inside the shop.
Meanwhile, back at LME, Kijima strolled up to the trainer working the front desk of the LME gym to sign in and check out a basketball. Looking up, he caught sight of Ren and Yashiro working out in the weight room. It was his first time seeing them here on a Sunday. A quick scan of the sign-in sheet showed him they had been here for hours.
"What have those two been doing here?" he asked the trainer, nodding toward the lonely pair in the room.
"They said they were killing time until they had to meet their girlfriends. Lucky SOBs!"
"Girlfriends? Yashiro-san is dating someone too?"
"You didn't hear? People have been gossiping. They've been spotted a few times around the office together. She's an actress here, the cool ice beauty, Kotonami-san."
Kijima let out a low whistle. He remembered them being close that night at the club but didn't think much of it. It was interesting that they were an item now.
"How long have they been in that room?" Kijima asked before barging in on them. He liked that the gym wasn't as busy on Sundays; it allowed him free rein on the courts.
"It's been over an hour. I understand Tsuruga-san, but I can't believe his manager can keep up with him too. Before they went in there, they swam laps in the pool. Before that, they were sparring on the mats. Did you know that Yashiro has a black belt in karate? I forget his rank, but he seemed pretty skilled."
"Wow, I learned something new. I guess that's why he was able to protect them during that Morizumi incident. Thanks for this, man," Kijima said, picking up the ball and heading toward the weight room.
"Yo, Kijima, are we gonna play?" A guy shouted from across the room. Kijima held up his hand to give him five minutes and ducked into the weight room.
Ren spotted Yashiro as he pushed the barbell away from his chest, then brought it back down. He did a set of eight reps and then placed it on the rack.
"Hey, you guys want to play some two on two," Kijima asked, approaching the duo while twirling the basketball on his index finger.
"Hey, Kijima-san, long time no see," Ren greeted, taking his place on the bench and performing the same exercise as Yashiro with a little more weight added.
"I don't know much about basketball. I might not be any good," Yashiro admitted. He had never been one for team sports.
"It's simple. You bounce the ball like so." Kijima demonstrated dribbling the ball on the floor a few times and then raised the ball over his head to mimic a shot to the hoop. "Then just try to get it in the basket."
When Ren finished his set, he sat up from the bench to catch his breath. "I don't know the rules either, but I don't mind trying. What about you, Yukihito?" Ren asked, turning to his friend.
Yashiro let an audible groan. Just how much steam did this guy need to blow off today? He might seriously injure himself if he didn't pace himself. How frustrated could the guy be?
"Well, we still have several hours before dinner, so why not." Yashiro thought about the countless other things he could be doing at home right now. Who was he kidding? All he would be doing was working on his rest day. At least, that's what he would have done before, but now that he had Kanae, he wasn't so sure.
It came as no surprise to anyone on the court that Ren was a bona fide natural athlete. For not playing the game, Ren and Yashiro gave Kijima and his friend a run for their money; however, Ren's height and long reach were no match for Kijima's skill. The other actor seemed at home on the court with his ability to shoot the ball accurately. A few patrons in the gym had stopped to watch their game, cheering on both teams. The game ended in a tie when Ren stuffed Kijima's attempt at the last second. Kijima's timer went off on his phone, marking the end of the game.
Ren laid down on the cool floor, heaving from exhaustion. He was officially spent and could do no more after this. Kijima threw a clean towel on him, which Ren accepted gratefully. He sat up to dry the sweat from his neck and arms since, like usual, his face was completely devoid of sweat. The guys hit the mini café in the gym for a meal replacement shake.
This definitely counts as a proper meal, no? Ren thought as he drank his peanut butter and chocolate protein shake.
"That was a fun game. We should do it again sometime," Kijima quipped with a wide grin. "Next time I'll definitely win."
"Where did you learn to play so well, Kijima-san?" Yashiro asked, drinking his nourishment. He admired the guy's skill. He managed to hang with Ren's height and tenacity.
"I was captain of my basketball club in high school. Surprising, right? I'm not cut out for conventional exercise. I just run and play basketball to try to stay in shape."
The men sat and talked for a few more minutes before heading to the locker room. Ren picked up his bag and told Yashiro he would see him later. He couldn't exactly get naked in front of these guys since he was overdue for some much-needed 'manscaping' below the belt.
…
Lory smiled mischievously as a new mail notification popped up on the website he was perusing. He typed out a quick post under the picture his LoveMe girls had just added to Chiori's page.
It looks like Morimoto-san spared no expense in pampering the girls today, he thought, looking at the luxurious space around them. He closed the site down and opened the email. He clicked through the contents and played the video as a broad smile spread across his face. He knew a few people that would appreciate the pictures and video Ruto had captured in the gym today. It was fate that Lory had forgotten to bring home the files he needed to prepare for his meeting tomorrow. Of course, when Ruto had informed the president that he had spotted Ren, Lory became curious and instructed his right-hand man to report his actions. He was glad he did so; otherwise, he would have missed something wonderful.
"Is that Ren-sama?" Maria asked, startling her grandfather out of his thoughts. Lory had not heard his granddaughter enter his study. He pushed back on his chair so she could sit on his lap and clicked through the files again.
"He looks like he's having a lot of fun."
"He does indeed," Lory responded, contemplating the changes that had overcome him since Kyoko came into his life. He was ready. Kuu had called him whining about how his son still didn't want to come home even though he received lucrative offers to act in America. Lory was tempted to spill the beans. Their prodigal son was coming home. Somehow, he managed to keep that to himself as he let his friend vent to his heart's content.
AN: Ah, shit! I don't know what I did here, but thanks for sticking with me. I had specific scenes in my head for this chapter, but as usual, I got carried away with the details. I don't know how this word count escalated, but I had to cut it off and put the double date in the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it either way!
Thanks for always reading and for the reviews of the last chapter! I appreciate it.
Until next time, ja ne! ^_^