Chapter 114: International Calls

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, we would see the Fairy Queen.

"Kyoko-chan? Hello, did I lose you?" Sho's mother's voice called from the speaker of her phone.

Kyoko quickly turned off the speaker setting and held the phone to her ear. "Hi, Yayoi-san. I'm sorry. It seems I was losing connection." She glared at him.

He looked at her innocently, wondering what he could possibly be doing wrong as he dried his wet hair with a towel.

Kyoko covered the mouthpiece on the phone and mouthed. Put some clothes on, Corn!

He smirked and strutted to his dresser. He purposely flexed as he pulled open his top drawer to pull out boxers. Kyoko watched his ass and back muscles ripple as he tightened them and threw a pillow at him, making him bump into the dresser. He turned around slowly, appalled by her action.

Sorry! She covered her mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

She shook her head, pointing to the phone when his smile turned feral. He held his hand up with all five fingers splayed out. Still naked.

His thumb went down while the remaining fingers stayed up. He was counting down. She had a bad feeling about what he had in mind.

Kyoko's eyes widened. "Yes, Yayoi-san, I'm fine. Thank you for your concern." His pointer finger went down. "Of course, I'll be sure to get in touch with Sho. It's so kind of him to worry." She wanted to gag on her words.

Kuon scowled at the mention of Sho. His middle finger went down.

Kyoko suddenly felt vulnerable just wearing his t-shirt over her underwear. She pulled the blanket to cover her legs and pulled a pillow in front of her. It was a poor excuse for a shield. "Yes, thank you for the call. Good night to you and Fuwa-san. Talk to you soon."

His ring finger went down. He was toying with her.

Kyoko cut the line and threw the phone on the mattress. She burrowed beneath the covers, which proved to be the wrong move because now she couldn't see the enemy. Steadying her breath, she tried to listen but heard nothing. How could he mask such a massive presence? Kyoko couldn't bear it anymore. She decided an escape to the door was her best bet. She moved under the assumption that he was still on the opposite side of the room since she didn't hear any movement. Kicking off the covers in an attempt to run for the door, Kyoko smacked into something solid with a loud oomph. She bounced flat on her back onto the massive bed.

"I've got you," he snarled. Kyoko tried to squirm her way to safety on the other side of the bed. He gripped her ankle and dragged her back to him. Kyoko squealed with laughter as she halfheartedly attempted to free herself. Easily distracted, her eyes roamed over his naked body appreciatively. He was cheating. Lust clouded her vision as her gaze settled perversely on his shaft.

Kyoko gave up fighting and let him pull her toward the edge of the bed. She smiled mischievously as an idea struck her. She lifted her other foot to run along the interior of his thigh, starting at his knee. His body tensed as a shuddering breath escaped him. Licking her lips, Kyoko inched her perfectly pedicured toes higher. His grip on her ankle tightened as he groaned. Her gaze lifted to watch him. She tilted her foot, brushing the top against his scrotum. His jaw tensed, inhaling sharply between clenched teeth.

To her surprise, he didn't back away but instead jerked his hips into her foot. Kyoko was fascinated by his reaction. Her toes teased gently along the hilt of his cock. She felt the deep tremble run through his body, sending waves of aftershocks to hers. He tilted his eyes down, making eye contact as a blissful smile played on his lips. His dark green eyes urged her to continue. Kyoko tucked her tongue between her lips and concentrated. She ran the pads of her toes down the length of his hardening penis. By the time she reached his tip, he was fully erect. She licked her lips at the sight of moisture dripping from the tiny slit. Kyoko steadied her foot to avoid hurting him and wicked the liquid away, gliding her foot back down. When she reached the base of his cock she paused to gauge him.

"Again," he growled hoarsely. The Emperor's eyes burned into hers, demanding she continue. His free hand joined the other, gripping her leg. As her foot stroked his cock again, his hand raked down the length of her leg, grazing the junction of her thighs before coming back up. Kyoko sighed with pleasure.

"More," he commanded. His mouth locked on to her foot, nipping it with his teeth. Kyoko gasped, losing control of her foot momentarily. She tried to tune out her pleasure and focus solely on him. She curled her toes and stroked once more. Kuon pushed her feet away and sank to the floor on his knees. He lowered his upper body over her and ravished her lips. Kyoko locked her legs around his torso, returning his kiss.

His phone began vibrating violently on the nightstand, interrupting their pleasure. Kyoko broke from his kiss and glanced at the phone. There were only two callers they could be expecting at this late hour.

"Ignore it," Kuon growled and claimed her lips again. His mouth trailed hot kisses from her jawline down her neck. He grunted when the ringing stopped, only to begin anew. This time, the bed vibrated from Kyoko's phone going off. Kuon whimpered pathetically and dropped his head on her chest.

"Why does this keep happening? Should we change our phone numbers?"

Kyoko scowled at his suggestion and then pushed at him to give her some wiggle room.

"I was joking."

"That's cruel, Corn," she admonished and shimmied from under him to reach for her phone. Even with the two of them in it, the bed was too big. The ringing ended before she could get to it. She looked at the screen and turned it toward him.

Missed video call at 22:21: Fairy Queen

…

Meanwhile, in the City of Angels.

Julie hurried down the stairs to the first floor, clutching her phone. Her white silk robe hung open, billowing behind her by the wind her long strides generated. Her slipper-clad feet were quiet as she burst into the large open kitchen to confront her husband.

"They aren't answering my calls, Kuu," Julie moaned, pacing behind her husband as he cooked their breakfast.

"Jules, I'm sure they are busy with work. They'll call when they have the chance. You can't smother them."

"Smother?! You think I'm smothering them?! My concern for their wellbeing is smothering?! They could have died! Did you forget that?! We could have lost them both without ever seeing them again!"

Kuu sighed and turned off the stove.

"Honey, you know the doctor said not to dwell on the 'could haves' and the 'what ifs.' It would only upset you. Let's focus on the positives."

Julie pouted and plopped onto a stool as she watched her husband finish plating their breakfast. He placed the avocado spread over the toast and then topped it with egg whites.

Julie's eyes landed on his phone sitting on the counter. "Kuu, I'm borrowing your phone."

"Okay, dear," he said, placing a plate in front of her compared to his three plates of various breakfast items of meats and carbs.

Julie snatched up his phone, went to the messages, and found the group text to both Kyoko and Kuon. She made sure never to use his real name in a message.

One of you call us immediately! Emergency! 911!

She hit send. If they responded immediately, she would know they were avoiding her calls.

Kuu and Julie's phones both lit up with a response: Sorry, trying to get situated we'll call in a few.

"That's too calm! Didn't I say emergency?!" Julie huffed, taking a bite of her breakfast.

"The kids just know how you act, dear. Eat your food before it gets cold."

"But I used your phone."

"They know it's you, honey. Be proud of that."

Hmph! She went back to eating. She didn't want to have food in her mouth when they called.

"I'm still angry! The kidnapper downplayed the danger!"

Kuu nodded. Lory had held out on them. He had half a mind to call his friend and let Julie vent to her heart's content. If he had seen those videos earlier, there was no doubt in his mind that he would have been on a plane to Tokyo immediately. Thankfully, the young women were punished accordingly.

Julie's phone rang with an incoming video call. She went into a frenzy, fixing her appearance before answering.

"It's about time you two called. Are you trying to kill your mother?!"

Kuu cringed. No, hello. No, how are you? Just straight to the guilt trip.

Their faces looked crestfallen as they accepted the reprimand. "Hi, kids," Kuu greeted lightheartedly. He smiled and took his place closer to Julie to crowd around the camera.

"Hi mom, hi dad!" They greeted with a slight bow. "Sorry, we were preparing for the night when Mom called earlier. We wanted to get settled in so we could take our time talking to you."

Julie's anger and fears melted away at his words. Kuon still knew how to placate her.

"Sorry for being unreasonable," Julie mumbled. "I had to see for myself that you were both okay. Text messages tell me nothing. You're both okay, right? You would tell us if you need us?" Julie gave a weak smile with tears glistening in her eyes.

"Yes, everything is fine. It's a little chaotic, but we can handle it," Kuon responded to avoid the waterworks threatening to fall from his mother's eyes.

"Thank you, Julie-san, for being so caring."

"There's nothing to thank me for, Kyoko-chan. It comes with the territory of motherhood. Your time will come."

Kyoko nodded, her face heating up.

"Now that I'm satisfied that you are both healthy and strong, let me get a good look at the little ring he gave you."

Kyoko took off the ring and held it between her fingers as she put it closer to the camera. "He's always spoiling me. I suppose he gets that generous part of him from you two."

A harmonious sound filled the room and lifted the spirits of those near as Julie laughed. "He gets that from his father. It's useless fighting it."

Kyoko smiled and slipped the ring back on her pinky finger.

"It's one of my greatest joys! And I'm happy he picked up one decent habit of mine," Kuu beamed.

"Awe, this reminds me of when Kuon was younger. We used to go for walks in the park. You probably don't remember Kuon. You were only a toddler." Julie's face took on a dreamy countenance, recalling the happy memory.

"I remember," Kuon told her with a smile. "It was that memory that made me want to give her a flower ring. Dad used to make you one whenever we went on walks. I tried to copy Dad, but mine didn't come out well."

"You remember? Amazing! You were only about four at the time. Maybe we can do that again, the four of us, someday soon," Julie hinted.

On the phone screen, Kuon looked at Kyoko and smiled. "We'd like that."

Julie beamed at Kuu with hope. This was positive. "If it gets too much over there and...and you need a place to lie low. You can always come home."

Kuu placed a hand over Julie's and shook his head. They couldn't afford to be pushy right now. Their son was talking to them again and even hinted at someday rejoining them. They couldn't force it.

"But Kuu, I'm not getting any younger!" Julie argued stubbornly.

Julie's eyes swam with tears. "Ah, it was great talking to you both. I have to get ready for an early shoot. I'll let you continue with Dad." She blew kisses to them and left the room.

"I'm sorry," Kuon mumbled to his dad in Japanese.

"Don't be. She's just overwhelmed by the news. It made her impatient." Kuu looked over his shoulder to make sure Julie wasn't eavesdropping. He approached the phone and whispered, "She's been going through a thing."

"A thing?" Kyoko asked in concern. "Is it serious?"

"Oh no, no, no, it's not serious, but if you ask her, it's a matter of life or death." Kuu covered the side of his mouth as if to keep some unknown person in the room from reading his lips. "She claims to have wrinkles forming here." He pointed to the outer corner of his eye with his free hand.

"Wrinkles?" Kyoko rolled the word around her tongue and then looked at Kuon. He explained the word in Japanese.

"Dad's talking about the fine lines that form on faces as people grow old," Kuon emphasized so she wouldn't confuse it with the wrinkles in clothing.

Kyoko mouthed a big "O" in understanding, but her face scrunched up in confusion. It was impossible to imagine. The Fairy Queen always looked radiant and timeless to her.

"Shhhhh! She'll hear you!" Kuu whispered loudly. His face contorted comically to keep from being heard. "She'll kill me if she knows I said anything. She nearly took my head off when I told her she needed glasses because I couldn't see whatever she was trying to show me. I kid you not, she has one of those fancy mirrors that light up and magnify your face. Of course, at ten times magnification, you're going to see flaws that no human eye can see. It's practically a microscope. It's meant to see things at a cellular level!"

Kuon coughed to hide his laughter, but Kyoko could not suppress her giggle.

"Sorry, I got carried away," he said, smoothing his hair. "But you see what I'm dealing with now. Anyway, I kept you two up too long. You should get your rest. What your mom said was the truth. You're both welcome here at any time. Take care, kiddos. Love you guys."

Kyoko and Kuon returned the sentiments and hung up. Kuu pocketed his phone and placed the breakfast dishes in the sink. He would leave clean up to the housekeeper when she arrived.

Maybe calling Lory would help her blow off some steam. He took the steps two at a time, imagining Lory's bewilderment when his wife confronted him.

Cedric moaned. His body felt heavy, and his head pounded. Lying on his stomach, he attempted to twist in bed. He assumed he was in a bed but could barely move. He could feel the softness beneath him and the texture of smooth sheets surrounding him. He opened his eyes and blinked several times until the room came into focus. His eyes opened to see gold tendrils splayed across the pillow beside him. He cursed as a stabbing pain shot between his eyes while trying to lift his head. What was her name, Ana? Bea? Fuck, it hurts to remember. It felt like his head was splitting in two. He bit back bile and laid his head back down, trying to recall the night's events.

He met up with Koga. The guy had a small harem of international models surrounding him.

"Ladies, Ric! Ric, ladies," Koga introduced him with a clap on the back. "Drink?" Koga's English had improved exponentially since befriending Cedric. That and he upped his lessons after learning that both Kyoko and Ren were fluent.

"I'll have…" Cedric paused, trying to think of the Japanese equivalent of the term. When he couldn't find it, he just said, "Scotch?"

Koga laughed and signaled the bartender. Two of the four models latched on to Cedric, flirting and making small talk. They stayed at the bar for an hour until the women began chanting for karaoke when Cedric admitted he had never been.

They went to a Karaoke bar that catered to the elite with VIP lounges. The private lounge they were in came with a personal bartender. It was their private little bar with bad singing and a lot of grinding. He remembered disco lights, American pop songs, and shots. Way too many shots.

Some memories of the night drifted through his mind. He remembered sleeping with the woman softly snoring beside him and… He twisted his head painfully, in the other direction. Sun-kissed skin and curly black hair entered his vision. He got an eyeful of her glorious breasts uncovered by the sheets. He groaned as he started to harden. He pushed himself out of bed, removing limbs draped over him. He needed to take a leak. The women moaned at the disturbance. He had to stand still a moment until the room stopped spinning. Judging by the excessive amount of feminine clothing strewn about, he assumed he was in their hotel room.

He stumbled to the bathroom and cursed. Two used condoms floated in the toilet, and a third stuck to his foot. Gross but not bad for drunk, he thought smugly. It was disgusting, but he gave himself a mental attaboy on his back. At least I was smart enough to wrap my shit up. He sighed loudly, relieving himself. He flushed and put the seat down out of habit. My mama taught me well, he thought bitterly.

He stood in front of the large mirror and looked himself over. Shit! He had love bites all over him, including his dick. Were they leeches? He closed his eyes to wash his face. Flashbacks of one woman riding his cock and the other riding his face danced behind his eyelids. He slurped water into his mouth and rinsed vigorously, then took generous sips. He eyed the shower but decided against it. He needed to get out of there. He turned off the tap and dried up.

He paused with the towel on his face. He could hear the women bickering in English with strong accents.

"For fuck's sake, shut the damn thing off!"

"Shut your whore mouth, Nat!"

Nat? Natalia? Cedric slowly opened the door. He looked between both women curiously. He didn't need any more trouble and just wanted to get his shit to leave.

"Your phone was buzzing," the naked brunette said with a wicked smile. She held up the phone. "Grandpa?"

Cedric stalked across the room and snatched his phone from her, annoyed that she touched his phone.

"I didn't try to snoop. Don't get testy," she responded, stretching her arms over her head. She arched her back, pushing her perky breasts out, successfully catching his attention.

"Yeah, sorry. I have to go." Cedric said, shaking his head to clear it. He looked around the room for his pants.

"Are you sure? It looks painful," she teased, eyeing his growing erection. "You can stay…" she offered, trailing her finger from her chest to her mouth seductively.

"I'll live," he replied with a roguish smile and winked at her. He was amazed that he could still get a hard-on when he felt like shit. "Thanks for the offer, but no time. You ladies were remarkable."

He found his pants but no boxers. He pulled them on anyway, careful not to get his bits caught in the zipper.

"That's cool. Will we see you in LA?" Asked the gorgeous blonde, Nat.

He pulled on his shirt, buttoning it up quickly, then threw on his jacket.

"Well, LA is a big up in the air right now. I pissed off some people, so we'll see. I'll call when I get there," he said, pulling on his shoes. He kissed both women on the cheek and walked to the door.

He found his watch and wallet on the table nearby. "Until we meet again, ladies. Thank you for the delightful evening." He saluted. Both girls gave a forlorn wave before he closed the door.

Cedric had no clue where he was in Tokyo. He pushed through his headache and walked out of the building. The sidewalk was busy with pedestrians trying to get to work. He successfully hailed a cab at the end of the street and relayed his address. He winced at the sheer volume of missed calls on his phone, 17 in total: one from his grandfather, thirteen from his father, and three from Koga. He had four voicemails. One was from his grandfather, and the other three were from Koga. His father could never be bothered by leaving a message on international calls for him. He thought the missed call notification was enough to prompt Cedric to return his call.

Cedric held the phone to his ear, playing his grandfather's message. Good morning, my boy. Call your old pops once in a while. I miss hearing from you!

Cedric smiled at hearing his grandfather's friendly voice. No matter how many times Cedric let him down in the past, his grandfather's love never wavered. He sighed and looked out the window. I fucked up big time, gramps.

His phone buzzed with an incoming text.

Dude, are you alive?

Still Kicking!

Brunch?

Cedric laughed out loud. It was one of his mother's favorite pastimes. Was brunch a thing in Japan?

Are you some kept white woman?

Huh?

Cedric entertained the idea of joining him for a hot minute until he caught a whiff of himself. Booze and Budussy! He suddenly felt sorry for the driver. He would have to give him a generous tip.

Nothing, forget it. I reek. I need a hot shower.

Gotcha! I'll see you on set later, then.

See you then.

...

Before taking a shower, Cedric returned his grandfather's call but got his voicemail.

"Hey, Grandpa. Sorry, I missed your call. I had an eventful night. I know why you're calling, and I have no excuses. I'll call again soon. Love you, pops!"

He plugged in his phone to charge and went to the kitchen. He grabbed a bottle of water and some pills. He looked at the time. He wasn't due for set until late afternoon. They were back-filming the scenes he missed in the beginning while he was still in the States. Next week, he should be on an airplane back to LA after the Sacred Lotus wrap-party.

He chugged some more water and rubbed at his temples. He could use some more sleep but first, he needed a shower.

Cedric took a long, hot shower while brooding over the phone call he needed to make. There was no talking his way out of this one. His father hated bad publicity. It reflected poorly on him. If he couldn't manage his son, how could he possibly be good enough to represent top actors?

Cedric got dressed and picked up his phone. First and foremost, some sustenance. He called the ramen shop down the street and ordered his usual. His food was delivered within fifteen minutes. As he slurped the broth, his phone rang. He stood to retrieve it from the counter.

"Hey, Dad," he greeted. "I was just about to call yo-."

"What the fuck is going on Cedric? I've been calling you for the last twelve hours. I have Japanese press calling the agency! You were supposed to lay low! We had a deal.

"I know, I'm sorry. I didn't see this coming. She was my friend."

"Have you learned nothing from your past mistakes with women, Cedric?"

Cedric cringed. He loathed how his father always said his name with that condescending tone. It was the reason he only went by Ric now when introducing himself. When he was younger, he felt entitled and enjoyed the pleasures that his name brought. Now that he was older, he saw the true face of those around him. He thought Viola was different. He tried to help her, but she was unwilling to put in the work.

"Yeah, I fucked up."

"Is anyone suing you? Do I need to consult my lawyers?"

This was new. His father almost sounded concerned. Cedric knew better than to read too much into it. His father was a professional con man.

"No, there's nothing for you to do."

"Good! I guess you have to let the gossip run its course. When are you coming home?

"Filming wraps next week. I'll be back soon."

"I want you to do something for me. That Japanese actor in that video with you. That's Ren Tsuruga, isn't it?"

"Yes, that was him."

"I want you to befriend him before you leave. Get a feel for what kind of films he's interested in as an actor. His skill is astounding for a foreigner. I want to promote him here in Hollywood. I haven't felt this excited over someone in years...and that actress. She's your costar, right? I want more info on her, too. Give me this, and maybe I'll be lenient."

Cedric felt the familiar feelings of anger and envy digging its claws into his heart. It was always someone else in his father's eyes, never him. No matter how hard he worked or was recognized by his peers, it was never enough for this man.

"I'll see what I can do," Cedric replied through clenched teeth. "If there's nothing else. I have to get back to work." It took all his acting skills to keep the resentment out of his voice.

"No, we're done." Cedric heard the dial tone. His father ended the call without so much as a goodbye or word of thanks.

Cedric balled his hands tightly and raged inside. He was red with anger before he could calm down again, chanting the words for me and no one else.

His father's request was simple enough. I'll get him the info he wants and continue to strive for the top actor for no one else but myself.

AN: Thank you for sticking with me, my dear readers. I went ridiculous in this chapter and got carried away with Cedric XDD. All I wanted to get at was his father's proposition and all that excess spewed forth. Oh, and if you have yet to notice, I am trying to work Uncle Tiger (Cedric's grandfather only) into this. I hope it worked. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it.

Thanks for all the lovely reviews of the last chapter. I heart you all!

Until next time, Ja ne! ^_^