Chapter 136: New Skill

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Senpai would teach Kyoko some of his other skills.

Kuon's hand snaked out from beneath the warm covers to shut off the alarm on his phone. He gently untwined Kyoko's leg from his and slipped out of her arms. He stifled a chuckle while pulling on a t-shirt as her sleeping form encircled around his pillow tightly. She was so possessive in her sleep.

After using the bathroom, he left the bedroom in search of his father. He crossed to the other side of the bottom floor to check the study before heading upstairs to the kitchen. He was guaranteed to find his father in either place at this hour.

"Good morning, son," Kuu smiled up at him as he clicked rapidly on his mouse. "Sleep well?"

"Morning," Kuon said, yawning and scratching the scalp of his dark hair. His head was always a little sensitive after Ten finished with it.

"Yeah, it was a good night," he smiled, recalling the perfect evening they shared if he looked past Yashiro's unique tendencies.

"It was. I'm glad everything turned out well with your friends."

Kuon hummed. "Have you checked the surf cams already?"

"Yeah, they aren't very big but they're clean. About one to two feet...three if we're lucky. Not bad with a longboard." Kuu twisted his monitor to show Kuon the waves.

"Good, I have a surprise for Kyoko," Kuon told him eagerly. "I'm going to wake her up. I'll be right back."

"I'll go get dressed and tell your mother about our plans." Kuon nodded to his father and left the room.

...

A half-hour later, Kyoko's toes dug into the cold coarse sand as she walked unsteadily on the shadowed shore at the bottom of the cliff of the Hizuri residence under the strain of her new toy.

Kuon had returned to the room to rouse her by whispering in her ear and shaking her gently. At first, Kyoko thought she was dreaming and sighed contentedly then her fairy prince became insistent. It was so warm and relaxing here that she didn't want to leave.

"Baby...wake up." She heard again. Kyoko groaned and buried her head deeper with the pillow muffling the sound of his laughter.

He stuck his head underneath the pillow to join her. Kyoko got a strong whiff of minty fresh toothpaste. She held her breath knowing how rancid her morning breath must be in comparison. "Do you want to go surfing? The swells are perfect for you to learn on."

He didn't have to say anymore, she was out of bed in a flash. His laughter trailed after her as she headed for the bathroom. She wasn't about to miss this opportunity to see the Hizuri men in action and possibly learn a new skill.

"First, the basics," Kuon said, reaching up to take the longboard that she had securely perched on her head and put it on the ground. She unconsciously stretched her neck and arms to remove the kinks. It wasn't as heavy as it was awkward and found balancing it on her head as Kuu suggested to be the easiest way to carry it. Her arms felt like jelly at the moment but she refused to let him carry it for her. She grumbled slightly at how he managed to keep himself busy yesterday. Kuon was dangerous on his wallet whenever he was idle. She was too excited to use it to be angry and was happy he purchased one for himself. It was like he was leaving a hopeful sign to his parents ensuring that he would visit again.

"I'm marking the center of the board with wax so you know where the balancing spot is. It'll help you position your feet." He looked at her up and down before marking the board again and told her that was roughly where her eyes would rest when lying on the board.

He laid across the board getting sand on his clothes in the process to demonstrate the moves. Unfortunately, he wouldn't be surfing with them today. She would have to rely on Kuu to show her how it's done once she was out in the water but they didn't want to forego this opportunity for her to learn.

Julie reminded him that his newly colored hair shouldn't be exposed to water this quickly. Kuon argued that he had a beach shoot scheduled so it wouldn't matter if it was now or then. Eventually, he conceded to his mother when Kyoko tagged in. Their guilt trip was enough for him to stand down. He didn't want Ten to have to redo his hair after all her hard work.

He showed her how to paddle and pop up on the board emphasizing the importance of foot placement and posture. She was reminded of the time she ambushed him at his apartment and challenged him to help her finalize her Natsu role by teaching her how to walk like a model. She felt the butterflies fluttering in the pit of her stomach remembering that night. She glanced at the woman that he had imitated, awestruck by the memory. Julie would also be on the catwalk this week and luckily on a different night than Fuji. Kyoko couldn't wait to see the supermodel in action.

She focused as he showed her how shifting her weight on the board and using her arm as a guide would turn it. With his upper body leaning forward, knees bent, and arms splayed out for balance, he was once again her Senpai teaching her a new skill. And just like last time, he was a drill sergeant. She was thankful she was barefoot this time, guaranteeing she would be blister-free. He got into his role as a surfing instructor.

Kyoko laid on the board for her turn. "A wave is coming...paddle, paddle, paddle...go, go, go!" Sand kicked up everywhere whenever her fingers got too close to the ground. "Now pop-up quickly!" he exclaimed. She flattened her palms on the board, pushed herself into an up dog position using yoga terms she was familiar with to remember the move, and stood with her left foot near the marked centerline. She stood there for a few seconds in a squat position holding her arms out while he checked her over. "Better! Try to do it quicker...more fluidly."

He had her run through the drills a couple of times before he was satisfied. It was a good thing because her arms were exhausted after barely ten minutes of exercise. She wondered if she would be okay to go out peering at the churning sea, more excited than nervous.

"The waves are small enough that you can paddle right over them without going under the water. We'll save the turtle roll and duck dive lesson for another day," he said scanning the ocean.

Kyoko found herself giggling again at the cute terminology he used to describe how to get the big board past larger waves. The entire rough ride down had been filled with similar tricks and tips on surfing by the male Hizuris but Kyoko barely retained what she heard. It was a little nerve-wracking being so close to the edge on the small cart path. She felt guilty for letting Julie sit on the outside of the side by side ATV but the stubborn mother insisted on putting Kyoko's safety first. She didn't have a fear of heights but being in a moving vehicle near a sheer drop off was unnerving. It wasn't until they were halfway down that she relaxed.

"Looking good kiddo," Kuu praised, giving her a thumbs up. "That's just how Kuon learned when he was a little grom. I'm going to head out to catch a few while I wait for you."

"Be careful honey," Julie called after him, blowing a kiss to her husband. Kuu waved back to her while charging into the ocean.

"Grom?" she asked curiously, watching Kuu paddle his way out to the other surfers. She never heard the word before.

Kuon chuckled, "It's what surfers call young surfers. I think it originated in Australia or something. Hey, come help me with this."

Kyoko kneeled in the sand beside Kuon as he explained the purpose of rubbing wax on the board. He handed her a white package similar in shape to a hockey puck. "Open that up and help me out. We'll get it done quicker if we work together."

"Sex wax?" She quirked a brow in amusement after glancing at the label.

"The best for your stick," Kuon replied wickedly without missing a beat.

"Did you just make that up? I swear you're such a pervert!"

"What? It says so right there on the label," he told her defensively.

Kyoko laughed after confirming the smaller print on the packaging. It was baffling that a company put that slogan on their product. She opened the package, careful not to litter, and began the meticulous task of covering the deck of the nine-foot-four behemoth under Kuon's guidance.

They entertained their mother hen clucking around them with her cellphone. "I will have my home videos," she demanded while she filmed and took pictures as they worked.

A piercing whistle from Julie caught their attention. "Go, honey!" She cheered, pointing her phone toward the ocean. They looked in the direction of her gaze and found Kuu on a wave. Kyoko had no idea that surfing could defy physics. While standing, Kuu traveled to the front of the longboard and stood there with his toes right at the tip. She held her breath the whole time thinking he was going to tip over. She relaxed when he moved back to a position Kyoko could understand. He did a few turns making the most of the wave then dropped flat on the board riding it the rest of the way in on his belly.

Can I do that? Kyoko wondered.

"We'll stick with learning to stand. Those tricks can come later," Kuon said beside her.

Kuu picked up the board and ran toward them with a whoop. "I forgot how much fun small waves are," he said with delight and brushed back the wet sandy blonde hair out of his eyes.

"You were wonderful honey, "Julie exclaimed and took another picture of her husband. "Get together with Dad kids." Kyoko posed with an excited smile and her signature peace sign. "This is to commemorate our girl's first day of surfing. I'll try to find the photos of Kuon's first time."

"Ooh yes please!" Kyoko clapped at the prospect.

"Are you ready baby girl?" Kuu asked her.

"Yes!" she shouted then apologized for being so loud. It was still early so the beach was deserted except for a few runners and surfers in the water.

Kuon tugged on the zipper of her wetsuit one more time then strapped the board's leash to her ankle. "If you fall and you feel like the board is holding you under the water, rip off the leash, okay? It's just velcro." Kyoko gulped but nodded. He went into a tirade of safety tips reminding her to always push the board away from her toward the shore if she's about to fall and to protect her head when breaching the surface. He didn't want her to get hit by it.

"Dad will be out there and I'll be watching from here." He reassured her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear in a gentle caress. "Go have fun," he smiled and smacked her bottom. Kyoko yelped and glowered at him.

"Athletes do it all the time to get pumped up," he told her with an innocent shrug.

Hmph! Still glaring at him, she carried the board awkwardly under her arm and followed Kuu. Her teeth instantly chattered as the cold water touched her feet but her overall body in the wetsuit was tolerable. Once they were in waist-deep water, Kuu had her lay on the board. She didn't have to paddle since he walked her out a little further.

"This looks like a good spot. We'll start with the whitewash. It's the small end of the wave but it should still give you enough momentum to ride. I'll give you a push but you still have to paddle. You can stay on your stomach if you like for the first time. I just want you to get the feel of the wave and do what you think is comfortable," he explained.

"Are you ready?" Kuu asked, moving to the back of the board and pointing her toward the shore. Kyoko looked over her shoulder in anticipation. Kuu also looked over his shoulder waiting for the wave to break. "Here we go!" He cried excitedly and shoved the board.

Kyoko felt the adrenaline spike the moment her hands plunged into the water taking quick short strokes like a poor excuse of a wannabe Olympic swimmer. It could have been her imagination but she vaguely heard someone yelling for her to stand over the hammering of her beating heart and the crashing waves. Up dog! Up dog! She pushed her torso off the deck and felt the board wobble when she tried to get her feet under her. She resorted to riding the wave to the shore crouched on one knee with a death grip on the board. Disappointed, she hopped into the water when her momentum slowed and guided the board's rails.

Kuon and his mother were there encouraging her to try again. It was a lot easier when she was on the sand. She waved to them and headed back out to where Kuu waited. She was determined to stand on one of the larger waves further out before this session was over.

...

Kuon caught his mother gazing at him intently and smiled at her. "Is there something on my face?"

She shook her head no but her eyes glistened in the early morning light. He ran his fingers through his dark hair anxiously. "Is it my hair? Does it bother you?"

"No silly! You can change your physical appearance all you want, you'll always be my son. Nothing can change that. Seeing you like this makes me happy. I love you, Kuon."

"I love you too, mom," he said, pulling her into a tight hug. He never did have the heart to heart talks with her as he did with his dad. He needed to change that. They pulled apart when they heard Kuu cheering.

"Oh! Oh!" Julie panicked trying to get her phone camera back on. Kyoko was at it again and this time she was standing. She pumped her hands into the air in victory which led to her downfall. Her arms flailed trying to regain her balance but she still ended up splashing into the water. He was proud that she remembered to push the board away from her when she did. Kyoko resurfaced sputtering but in good spirits.

"Shoot! Well, I got a really good video of her falling," she said, showing the video to Kuon. He covered his mouth to minimize his laughter. The alarm on her face as she went down was priceless.

"You were right there babe! You got this!" Kuon called out to her cupping his hands over his mouth to amplify his voice.

"The water's so cold," she yelled back breathlessly but headed back out. Her paddling form looked good from where he stood. She's got that part down.

He moved back to where his mother stood but kept his eyes trained on his girlfriend. "Mom, would it be possible for you to accompany me to my tux fitting? I was thinking we could spend some time together, maybe grab a bite?"

"I- I would love that, sweetie," Julie replied misty-eyed again. She took hold of his arm and leaned her head on his shoulder. He smiled down at his mother and placed his hand over hers. They stayed like that waiting for Kyoko to take her next ride.

When Kyoko was up again, Julie was ready to film her. This time around his girlfriend nailed it. Kyoko waited until after she hopped off the board to do her fist pump. Kuon clapped and cheered for her success.

"She could pass as a Cali girl with those skills," Kuu said proudly. He picked up his board to accompany Kyoko further out.

Kuon stamped down the familiar tinge of jealousy creeping up against his father. It was absurd and uncalled for and meant he still had some lingering issues to work on. He was just pouting since he wanted to be out there with Kyoko. There would be plenty of opportunities with her in the future.

"Good morning," Cedric greeted, sliding into the empty side of the leather booth.

"Good morning. I see we're channeling our inner diva today," Eltra said wryly glancing up at him. Cedric sighed and took off his dark sunglasses. He blinked and squinted uncomfortably against the bright morning light.

"Everything okay with work?"

"Yeah, work is going smoothly." Work was always fine. He was a Bennett after all and before that a Duris. He could probably throw a tantrum on set right now and still not suffer any backlash. People still kissed his ass which was annoying but as long as they did their job he ignored it. It was after work when things became problematic. He thought he might be becoming paranoid. Ever since that night on the street with Ava, he continued to get that prickly sensation on the back of his neck at the end of the day.

"Sally," Eltra called out to the nearby waitress in the busy diner.

"Yes, sweetheart? Do you want the usual?" The plump waitress shimmied over to their table carrying a mug and a decanter of steaming coffee. She placed the cup down on the table for Cedric and filled it. Cedric had been here a few times while Eltra was a regular. It was unexpected in a little dive like this but this place had good coffee.

"Are you ready to order?" She asked looking at Cedric expectantly.

"Sure, I'll have the special with eggs over easy." He had no clue what the special was but Sally seemed to know what he was talking about. Besides weren't all specials the same at these kinds of places. He liked breakfast food the best anyway so he couldn't go wrong with his order.

"And I'll have my usual," he winked at her. She walked away chuckling to put in their order. "Did you have a rough night?" Eltra asked, focusing on Cedric once again.

"If you call having trouble sleeping rough, then I guess I did," he said flashing his grandfather a lopsided grin.

Last night he found some of Viola's clothes that she forgot tucked among his in the closet. It was a stark reminder of her betrayal. Could he still consider it betrayal if he knew that Kimiko had a hand in it? He was up wrestling with guilt. Maybe he needed some closure. He tried reaching out to her so-called friends. He thought they wouldn't answer his call because of the negative way the media painted his treatment of her but to his disbelief, not only did they answer, every one of them wanted to hook up. He gave up after the fourth woman invited him over to her place so they could talk more privately. They refused to give him any information on her otherwise. He sure as hell couldn't ask his father for her contact information that would be like shooting himself in the foot. Sorry Pops! He couldn't tell his grandfather the true reason for the bags under his eyes. He didn't want to see the sympathy from a man that had had a great love.

"Insomnia aside. I finally heard back from the Japanese couple dad was interested in...well from their manager at least. He wants to set up a meeting here. Preferably morning." Cedric was excited to see the email in his inbox this morning that he responded immediately without consulting his father. They were open to whatever time they could spare. His father had to deal with clearing his schedule to make it happen. It would be nice to see Kyoko again...and her boyfriend.

"Oh, a couple? You never told me any of this? Who is Cal interested in?" Eltra asked excitedly. Cedric smirked. His grandfather might have been retired but he still actively participated in the business during family dinners or social gatherings. His opinion in the industry was extremely valuable.

"Her stage name is Kyoko. She was my costar when I was in Japan. And the guy's name is Ren Tsuruga. I met him through Kyoko and have been fascinated by his work ever since I learned he was the actor in that slasher flick."

"I've met them. They're in L.A.?" Eltra asked genuinely surprised. "Lory never said anything about it."

"Wait! When did you meet them and who's Lory?" Cedric asked incredulously.

"I met them when I took that business trip with Kouki last Christmas."

"You mean that same trip that resulted in mother not talking to you for four days after your return because you chose not to spend the holidays with your family."

Eltra groaned, "God, you sound just like your mother." Cedric chuckled. He was only rehashing the drama that ensued in his parents' house when his grandfather returned from his trip.

Sally interrupted with their order. Cedric's eyes widened at the variety of his meal. His plates, not plate, consisted of two types of potatoes, bacon, ham, and buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy on the side. She left and returned with pancakes and eggs for Cedric. He seriously miscalculated the special. His grandfather's plate looked modest compared to his. All he had was stuffed french toast, eggs, and bacon.

"Can I get you, boys, anything else?" She asked while topping off their coffee.

They thanked her and dug into their meal. "You never answered me. Who's Lory?" Eltra frowned at his question.

"He's Kouki's father and my good friend in Tokyo. He owns the agency that represents your Japanese couple," Eltra explained between bites. "I told you about him many times."

"Sorry, the name must have slipped my mind." Cedric ducked his head in shame and continued to eat.

"Ms. Kyoko has a great future ahead of her. Not only is she a talented actress, but she has the potential to become a culinary genius. The food she prepared for a party she threw with Kouki's daughter was divine. If she honed in her skills, she could be a world-renowned chef."

"I had no idea she could cook that well. If you're praising her she must be good."

Eltra nodded in agreement. "The man is also talented. He comes from good stock."

Cedric paused while eating and frowned. "Do you know his family?"

"Oh, not personally, I can just tell. You tend to pick up on some of this stuff when you've worked the showbiz industry for so long. He has a reputation for good ethics and his talent on screen speaks volumes."

Cedric understood. His grandfather did have a knack for reading people. It's what made him successful in the first place. He never said it but Cedric had a feeling that his grandfather didn't much care for Viola. They continued to eat their breakfast and talk more about the Japanese actors. The conversation led to critiquing the couple's work.

After cleaning up, Kyoko and Kuon relaxed on the living room couch. His parents already left for work but they had another hour to kill before leaving to pick up their manager. Kuon reviewed the highlighted areas of the manual for Yashiro's electric car while Kyoko laid on his lap and fiddled with her phone.

"Kuon, look," she said, showing him her screen. "The fans are going crazy over your picture." He posted the picture from yesterday when they were out on the bike ride.

"Our picture, baby," he corrected and gave her his full attention.

"A few fans are demanding a drama where we are part of a biker gang," she giggled. "That could be fun...ooh this person says I should be the leader of a rival gang to yours. A kind of Shakespearean homage to Romeo and Juliet with me as an ABG but without all the tragedy in the end."

"That sounds interesting. You in tight leather again like the Setsu days. I could get on board with this," he told her while licking his lips.

"You would, Mr. Pervert…" she chuckled.

"Perverted and proud," he responded making her laugh again.

"What does ABG mean? Do you know?"

"I'm not in tune with the latest internet slang. Let me look it up." He picked up his phone and typed in What does ABG stand for? into the search bar. Kyoko sat up to view his screen.

"Aznbbygrl? Oh, Asian baby girl...gangster!" Kyoko exclaimed. Kuon clicked on the image link. The Asian women that popped up on his phone wore heavy makeup and had piercings and tattoos. Setsu in a nutshell down to the ombré colored hair minus the tattoos.

"I'm definitely on board with this," he said, ogling her body. "This Senpai could even teach you how to ride a motorcycle. After all, you do have the basics down already."

Kyoko couldn't tell if he was talking about how he took her for a ride or how she took him for a ride. His Emperor-like smirk made her believe she was right on the money with her second thought.

She settled back down refusing to take the bait and continued to scroll through their media page. She stopped on a post and gave him a sidelong glance then read the caption again.

My every day is magical now that I have you in my life! I'm the lucky one, Kyoko!

The picture he attached with it was of her staring off into the distance with the sun's rays casting an ethereal glow upon her. Kyoko had to admit she did look magical in the image. She looked at the date and saw he posted it yesterday around the time he was home alone. The number of likes and shares on his post was staggering.

Her heart was doing that strange thing again where it felt like it was overflowing. She caught him by surprise with a kiss on the cheek.

"What was that for?"

"Because I think you're adorable," she replied, stealing his favorite remark.

"Not as adorable as you," he replied, kissing her back. They spent the rest of their free time kissing and competing over who was the most adorable one in the relationship.

AN: And just like that, 3K words later I finally finished a scene. As usual, I got caught up in the details *slaps palm to forehead*. Thanks for sticking with me! I was so close to getting this out yesterday but I've been binging the Ozark series on Netflix during my usual writing time XD. Ruth is so far my favorite character. Anyway, thank you for always reading and I hope you enjoyed it.

I want to see Kyoko as an ABG so hard right now. I think I may have to attempt some fanfic fanart again.

Thank you for the reviews of the last chapter. I HEART you!

P.S. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Until next time, Ja ne! ^_^