Chapter 141: Interrogation

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, we would see Julie in her element!

"Look who came to visit," Regina, the housekeeper, announced as he followed her into the kitchen.

"Last night kicked off LA fashion week where the world's leading and upcoming designers have gathered to display…" the host on the television reported.

"Ceddy, my boy," his grandfather greeted warmly. Eltra was in the middle of breakfast while watching the entertainment news channel. "Did we have plans this morning?" he asked, confused.

Cedric didn't return the greeting and sat down on the chair opposite Eltra. He was hesitant and moody. The courage he had built up on the drive over was fading quickly. The questions he rehearsed fled his mind at the sight of his grandfather's warm smile. This man had always been his confidant. Since he was a young boy, he could always count on him to be on his side no matter how royally he fucked up. He had no idea where this sense of betrayal was coming from when he hadn't even confirmed anything yet.

"Did you have a fight with your father again?" Eltra asked with a concerned tone. Cedric sighed and turned weary blue eyes to the man he loved and trusted the most.

"The fashion mogul, Donatella Ver…."

Cedric reached for the remote and lowered down the volume on the television so as not to be distracted. He probably should turn it off but the soft murmur of the voices was better than silence.

"No, sorry to come unannounced but there's something I need to talk to you about."

"Can I get you anything, Mr. Cedric?" Regina interrupted from the kitchen.

"No, thank you," Cedric responded, flashing her an appreciative smile.

"Okay, I'll be upstairs if you need anything."

"Thank you, Regina," they replied in unison. Cedric waited to hear her footsteps on the stairs before he proceeded to interrogate his grandfather.

"What's this all about, Cedric?" Eltra asked warily.

"Why have I never worked with Kuu Hizuri before?" Cedric asked accusingly.

Eltra's eyes widened. "And please don't insult me by making up some bullshit excuse like there's never been an opportunity for such a pairing. I'm asking for your reason, the true reason," Cedric continued. He held his grandfather's gaze waiting for his answer. He would be able to tell if he was lying, wouldn't he?

Eltra put down his fork and wiped his mouth with the cloth napkin before he spoke. "Because I know you were there that night Cedric and he doesn't. Many young lives were already ruined. I didn't want to add yours to it if I could help it."

He broke eye contact and turned away in shame. For a second, Cedric almost reverted into his old habits of self-preservation. His first instinct was to lie and act like he had no clue what his grandfather was talking about, but then that would make him a hypocrite. He just asked his grandfather to cut the bullshit and here he was about to start laying it on thick.

"Y-you know what happened? D-does he know?" Cedric stammered out. His grandfather would understand who he was.

"If Cal knew, he never let it be known. I made sure to take care of everything."

"What did you do, grandpa?"

"You don't need to concern yourself with the details. It's handled. Go on with your life Cedric, don't waste this second chance," Eltra said trying to reassure him that there was no problem.

"That's the thing, grandpa, I can't move on from this. The incident in Japan triggered me and I can't stop dwelling on the past. I totally fucked up that night and yet somehow here I am living the good life while others are suffering."

Cedric stood up abruptly and began pacing the kitchen. "I don't know...I can't explain my feelings but I need to make it right," he insisted, raking his hands through his hair. "I want to make it right!"

"Have you spoken to your doctor about this?" Eltra asked cautiously.

He stopped pacing and glared at his grandfather. "Don't patronize me."

"Sorry, kiddo," Eltra replied. "I didn't mean to imply anything."

"I know, grandpa," Cedric said exasperatedly and sank back into his seat.

"I'm going to tell Kuu Hizuri what I did to his son. I hope he'll let me live long enough to apologize," he added sarcastically.

"I'm proud of you, Ceddy," Eltra declared.

"How is that possible? There's nothing to be proud of...I'm nothing but a selfish spoiled brat."

"You're more than that and I hope someday soon you'll see that," Eltra told him taking hold of his hand. "You do what's best for you okay. I'll be here to support you no matter what...and believe it or not so will your parents."

Cedric let out a sarcastic laugh but didn't comment. His grandfather was right. Even begrudgingly, his dad always helped him out of a bind and his mother always protected him. Now that he was older he realized her methods were downright repulsive. The way she treated other kids that got in his way made him shudder.

"This is my problem. I don't want to drag anyone else into this. I need to take responsibility for my actions."

"I understand but I just wanted to assure you that we're here."

"As usual, the kick-off party held by the luxury Italian brand was the talk of the town. The soiree has always served as a sneak peek for designers to show off…"

Cedric turned off the TV. It was distracting him and somehow things seemed to bypass the important topics.

"I appreciate that, Grandpa. And I'm sorry I had to put you in that position in the first place but I don't want to be left in the dark like this. Please tell me everything."

Eltra sighed deeply. It was the mother of all sighs and for the first time in his brief life, Cedric thought his grandfather looked old.

…

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Cedric slammed the front door to his apartment and headed straight for his minibar not caring that it wasn't even close to noon. He grabbed a tumbler and filled it with bourbon. He took a big gulp before throwing it across the room. The glass shattered and the amber liquid splattered the wall and ground. That was stupid! He thought, looking at the mess. He just couldn't believe his grandfather would go through such lengths for him. Cedric didn't know how to come back from this, he almost wished he never insisted on Eltra telling him the truth. He felt like he was drowning.

He ignored the mess and went into his bedroom to lie down. He hardly got any sleep last night and now everything was a total mess. The clarity he found last night was gone. He took off his watch and placed it along with his wallet on the nightstand. He stared at the table for several moments then opened the top drawer. He rummaged through it for the article Liam gave him after his mother's dinner. That night he couldn't understand the correlation between Liam's words and the article. Contrary to his grandfather's belief that he had it contained, Liam knew something about that night and he wasn't even there.

He pulled out the article and read the headline, Over 6-years later, Japanese woman outs herself in hit and run case. This reporter somehow caught wind of the details of the trial in Japan and managed to publish an article in the L.A. Times. Unfortunately, since it was an old case it didn't receive the traction it deserved. People didn't care and went about their lives. He wasn't sure how the law worked but he wondered if Yuri would ever be extradited to the States.

After looking over the article, he went out to grab his phone off the kitchen counter. He didn't know what time it would be there but figured he could leave a message. He found his cellphone on the counter and switched the power on. He had turned it off after hanging up abruptly on his agent. Once booted, his phone lit up as messages from Jacob popped up one after the other.

The last one was time-stamped almost twenty minutes ago. At least let me know you're okay.

Cedric felt a twinge of guilt pierce his heart. The poor guy was just trying to make a living and he was being difficult again. He ignored the messages for now and thumbed through his contacts until he found the one he was looking for.

It was shocking to find out that a few of his so-called friends were caught that night by police and taken into custody. He figured they all wanted to lay low after that incident when he never heard from them but quite frankly he didn't care enough to look into it. It wasn't surprising to him that Eltra was friends with the Police Chief. As soon as Cedric's name was dropped, they were isolated and Eltra was notified. According to his grandfather, Kuu flipped out at the state of his son and demanded they be charged for assault and battery on a minor. In other words, what they did to him was child abuse. Cedric forgot that despite his mature appearance the guy was only fifteen. Plea deals were made. Kuu never even knew Eltra was involved in securing the families' silence with money. Two of the guys captured were eighteen and charged as adults while the other one was sent to a juvenile facility. The other guys that were there, like Cedric, escaped and never peeped a word of their involvement.

As he suspected, Cedric had to leave a voicemail. He was preparing to call his agent when his phone rang. He answered right away, "Liam?"

"Yeah, who's this?"

"It's Cedric."

"Oh, hey man. I thought you were ghosting me."

"I was," Cedric replied honestly.

Liam chuckled. "Well, that kinda sucks. What changed your mind?"

"Why did you give me that article?"

"Who knows. I think I watched too many mysteries."

Cedric didn't comment and kept silent.

"It was brought up at a gathering while I was there. I knew it couldn't have been a coincidence. Not with that guy's friend's involvement. Then there was a rumor that Chuck and Martin were in prison then they got out. Which didn't surprise me? I mean those guys would do anything you asked them to...hell we all did. Then the conversation turned to how much you've changed. When I met your mother at Miranda's shop I became curious."

"Did you just say they were out?" Cedric asked as the hair on the back of his neck pricked up.

"That's what I heard man. You didn't know?"

"I didn't even know they were in prison until thirty minutes ago."

"As I said, you never did give a shit about us."

"That's n-," Cedric began to argue then realized it would be a blatant lie. He didn't care then and that's why he was already at a crossroads in his life.

"Ren Tsuruga aka Cain Heel...it's bloody amazing to finally meet you, mate. I'm a huge fan of you in Tragic Marker," a man sitting in the lounge area stood and greeted him when he walked into the small suite with Yashiro.

"My name is Parker Evans and...this lovely creature is my wife and assistant, Gwen." He announced as a pretty woman entered the room carrying a tray with tea and biscuits.

Ren and Yashiro bowed before taking the offered seats opposite Parker and his wife.

"She's the beauty and the brains of this whole operation," Parker confessed looking at her fondly. Gwen blushed and told him to hush.

"Pleased to meet you both," Ren replied. "This is my manager whom you are already acquainted with, Yukihito Yashiro. Thank you for having me on your show. This is my first podcast so I'm not sure how it works."

"I'm rather pleased to hear this, mate. Did you hear that darling? We get to pop his podcast cherry!" Parker laughed heartily while his wife scolded him.

"This is actually why we asked you here early Mr. Tsuruga."

"Please feel free to call me Ren, Ms. Gwen," he said, flashing his professional smile.

"Oh boy," she replied blushing profusely. "Would anyone like a spot of tea?" She asked as a distraction.

"She's a huge fan of yours. Of course, it was Cain Heel that stole her heart with his prickliness but she converted once your real identity was revealed. She watches a lot of your country's anime and I found that she has a type. She always roots for the brooding bad boys that like to push the cute girls away at first since they think they're undeserving of love. Then the bloke finally gives in and falls madly in love with said girls. She's a hopeless romantic this one."

Yashiro snickered next to Ren then turned it into a cough and cleared his throat.

"Are you okay, Yukihito?" Ren asked concernedly as he turned up the wattage of the ultra gentleman smile directed at his friend.

"Shall I get you some water, Mr. Yashiro?" Gwen asked worriedly.

"Oh no, I'm fine and please call me Yuki. The tea is perfect," he said, taking a sip from the cup in front of him. "I'm just amazed Ms. Gwen that you are a fan of anime. I know that storyline and genre very well. It's one of my favorites. My girlfriend makes fun of me all the time. In our relationship, I'm the hopeless romantic."

"That's adorable. If you don't mind me asking, it's not often I would have this chance but as a fellow fan could I get a list of recommendations."

"Of course, I'll be glad to compile a list for you."

"Now that that's settled let's talk about the podcast. Our friend Miles is in the back prepping the equipment. Not very much to production when it's a live broadcast. It's like a radio interview which I know you've done many times so there's no editing once we go live...what's said is said, unlike a traditional podcast. I also use video which is why I have a large following. Normally, I release the show on Saturdays but I couldn't pass up this rare opportunity. Fans are excited to have you on this special broadcast. I know I've sent you the read-ahead questions that were cleared by Mr. Yashiro but sometimes we tend to veer off-script depending on the conversation...are you okay with that?"

"Yes, I'm perfectly fine with that."

"Great, anything you aren't comfortable answering just feel free to shut me down. Shall we head back to the studio?"

…

So far the questions asked of Ren had been fairly straight forward fan questions which he answered with ease but also led to some lengthy discussions.

Have you visited Britain before? What did you find most charming about Britain? What did you dislike about it? Did being in the place actually help with the development of Cain Heel? How was Cain Heel the right man to play BJ but not Ren Tsuruga? Does Cain have a backstory? What were some of the challenges you faced playing BJ? As a method actor, did you ever find yourself stuck in the role of BJ or Cain?

"We have about ten minutes left on the show and one of the most popular requests from viewers is that I interview you as Cain Heel. Would that be possible?"

Ren chuckled. "I guess I can let him out for a while. Are you sure about this?"

"You bet mate!"

Ren stepped out of frame for a minute and when he returned his jacket collar was popped and his hair was in disarray but the biggest change was the overall menacing aura radiating off of him.

"Incredible! You viewers can't feel it but I have goosebumps on my arms," Parker exclaimed holding up his arm. "It's like the bloody exorcist here. I feel like I'm sitting next to a whole different person."

Cain propped his feet on the table in front of him, not giving two shits that he just kicked the microphone out of his way.

"Right, let's get to it," Parker said, righting the displaced mic.

"Can I bum a fag?" Cain asked with his very convincing British accent.

"Brilliant!" Parker laughed but Cain only glared at him unamused. He stopped laughing and gulped.

"Yeah, course, give us a minute," he said nervously. He stepped away for a second as Gwen handed him a pack.

"Glad, I didn't quit." Parker joked and held out the pack to Cain. Cain slipped one out of the package and tucked it between his lips. He leaned forward as Parker offered to light it for him. For a second, he thought his hair would catch on fire with how badly the man's hand shook.

Parker sat back down and gazed warily at him. Cain ignored the man and took a long drag of his cigarette letting the nicotine settle into his system before blowing it out slowly into tiny little rings. This was such a pain in the ass. He missed Setsu.

"Oh bollocks," Parker resigned and grabbed a smoke from the pack for himself.

"You know," Parker began, taking a quick puff of his cigarette. "I can see now why the cast and crew failed to recognize you as Ren Tsuruga. You're already bloody frightening and you're not even BJ."

Cain snorted in response but kept smoking.

"I'm serious. I know you're Tsuruga. I saw you with my own eyes and yet I seriously feel like I'm with a completely different person. How did you do that?"

Cain shrugged. He supposed he could answer this man's annoying questions if it would get him out of there sooner. "Hard work, talent, my sister."

"You're sister?! You mean Setsuka Heel!" Parker exclaimed with surprise.

"You got a problem with my sister!" Cain growled, righting himself up in his chair. His hostility increased tenfold and froze the man in place.

"No, no, no problems. It's good that families support each other. I was just surprised, is all."

He grunted and relaxed back into his seat. He took another long drag of his cigarette. "You got any beer?" Cain deadpanned.

Kyoko smacked her palm to her forehead. She just watched her amazing boyfriend unleash Cain on this live broadcast. Did he have to be so sensitive when it came to his precious Setsuka? Yashiro had sent her the link earlier so she could watch the interview. As a viewer, she was privy to reading all the comments fans posted as they watched. The place erupted when he transformed into Cain and the number of people watching was over 10K already and continued to rise. This was a simple way to get him exposure outside of Japan and foreigners were eating it up. She was glad she convinced him to show up in person.

Setsu pouted within her. She was angry that her nii-san had run off to play without her. She was jealous yet proud that so many people found her brother attractive. She lost count at how many people wanted him to spank them...in bed. Was that a thing? Their suggestions did give her some wild ideas for the future.

"Kyoko-chan, were you able to grab lunch?" An assistant asked. She nodded and put her phone back into her pocket. "Could I ask you to help the sound and lighting techs? They could use an extra hand loading the smaller equipment." Kyoko cleaned up her mess and went back to work.

...

Passing by the runway at the venue, Kyoko felt relieved that she wasn't walking it and held every model that would in high regard. The sheer size of it was intimidating and the rows of empty chairs on the side and in between made her gulp nervously. So much could go wrong with such a long walk and there would be a lot of people watching.

Kyoko was stretched every which way trying to complete tasks. They only had a short time at the location to wring out all the bugs for tomorrow's show. Even the models were helping in some way. As chaotic as it all was, it was exciting to watch and be a part of this whole process as it came together. Kyoko was glad for the hands-on experience. She finished aiding the techs then moved on to helping Fuji and his assistants organize all the models. Kyoko found herself on the runway that she just prayed she wouldn't have to walk demonstrating for the models what Fuji expected during the show. Naturally, every model and outfit was different so they would have to incorporate the designer's preferences into their personal walk.

"You looked very natural up there," Ren complimented holding his hand out to help her down the steps backstage.

"It's all thanks to you and a scary supermodel that I didn't fall flat on my face," Kyoko whispered. "And it helps that I'm not wearing ankle breakers," she laughed using the new word Kuu had taught her.

"Ankle breakers?" Ren laughed at her use of the term to describe high heels. It was an accurate description and a crying shame. Runway shows guaranteed that someone would be tripping on their heels and before the week was over there would probably be a few sprained or worse broken ankles.

"Okay, ladies and gentlemen, we're going to take it from the top with the music," Fuji hollered.

…

Later that evening, Kyoko sat excitedly between Ren and Fuji clutching the brochure for the night's show. Seeing everything firsthand, she now understood all the preparations necessary to put on a good show. It was interesting to watch how creatively each designer showcased their work.

She also understood the importance of being able to work through a crisis. An earlier show experienced some technical difficulties which made it start later than what was originally planned. No one noticed the inconvenience since all the attendees were milling about and catching up with old acquaintances. Kyoko was glad Ren was with her even though they stayed by Fuji's side. The outfit he had her in tonight was a black tailored blazer dress that stopped mid-thigh and hugged what little curves she did have.

She was braless...again. It couldn't be helped with the design of the plunging neckline. The gold layered chain adorning her chest only served to highlight the missing garment. It was obvious to her that Ren was not thrilled by the design. Rather than say anything, he trapped her against the bedroom door like a hungry wolf and devoured her lips. She wasn't even annoyed by the little smirk playing on his lips when he pulled away abruptly and she nearly fell. The unexpected passionate kiss left her unsteady in so many ways. His little bout of jealousy made her feel powerful and gave her an idea.

To help build her confidence, Kyoko imagined herself as a sexy boss lady taking Wall Street by the balls. Ms. Morimoto would use her sparkly designer stilettos to crush the ego of any man that dared underestimate her ability because she was of the fairer sex. It helped her get over her embarrassment easily. That and many of the other guests in attendance wore much, much less. This was the world of fashion she had to get used to. She childishly wanted to cover Ren's eyes so he wouldn't see all the attractive flesh surrounding them but peeking at him told her that it was unnecessary. His eyes barely strayed from her and he was always there to answer her questions about the industry before she could even ask.

Kyoko gripped Ren's hand in one and held her phone in the other when it was finally time for the collection they've been waiting for. This was by far her favorite collection. There were sparkles, gold filigree, large white lace, pastels, puffy sleeves, dramatic bows, and a good mixture of long gowns, short dresses, and wide-leg pants adorned with capes. This designer hired one model per outfit so there was a long parade of models to get through.

There was a long pause after the last model came through that Kyoko thought she might have mistaken the collection until she heard the gasps echoing through the crowds. She looked up when Ren squeezed her hand. Kyoko gasped herself. Beginning her walk at the start of the runway was the Fairy Queen in all her glory. Kyoko squealed internally and glanced at Ren. The tenderness in his expression as he looked on at his mother made Kyoko's heart melt. He had to be so proud to be her son. He bestowed his godly smile upon her then turned back as the beautiful supermodel continued the long trek. Kyoko followed his gaze. She could only see from Julie's shoulders and up over the crowd sitting in the middle of the runway but what she could see rendered her speechless.

The white intricate headdress rose about a foot off her head with a long veil cascading over her face. Kyoko couldn't see how far down it went but through the sheer material she could make out the large gems sparkling on her forehead and matching oversized chandelier earrings dangling from her lobes. To her, only Julie had the beauty to pull off such an elaborate design.

"She is a queen. I worship her," Fuji awed at the sight of the woman approaching them on the other side of the runway. They had front row seats on the second half of the runway right in the area where the models came around the bend.

Kyoko nodded her head ferociously in agreement. She had no idea. Julie never told her what kind of outfit she would be wearing tonight but once Kyoko fully laid eyes on it she knew it was the most beautiful royal wedding dress she had ever seen. She confirmed that the veil went all the way down to the floor and trailed in the back with the long train of the dress. Kyoko loved that the whole ball gown sparkled from head to toe. She tried to take a video as Julie rounded the bend but she was too distracted looking with her eyes to pay attention to what she was recording.

..

Throughout the procession, Julie held her head rigid. One wrong move and the whole headdress would come tumbling down; however, that still didn't stop her from winking at her kids when she finally caught sight of them. Kyoko's darling face was priceless. She was pleased she kept the dress a surprise. In the future, if her son ever got off his ass to pop the big question, Julie would commission her designer friend for a dress that would rival this one.

Meanwhile, at a coffee shop a few blocks away, super manager Yashiro was working diligently on creating another opportunity for his charges while they were here in America but there was another task just as pressing. He clicked on the link and logged in. There was a British podcast and a certain fashion news clip he needed to make their fellow Japanese fans aware of tonight so they could enjoy it during their lunch break.

AN: Hiya everyone! Thanks for sticking with me. I finally found time to edit and post though I'm sure my grammar is still atrocious. I am very curious to learn how Cedric got away with everything he did to Kuon. I can't wait for Sensei to show us. I hope my take was somewhat believable for this story. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it!

Thank you for always reading and for the reviews of the last chapter! I HEART reading them!

Until next time, Ja ne! ^_^