Chapter 177: Old Times

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, there would be some mother-son dancing moments.

After relieving himself in the restroom, Charles rinsed his hands and bent down to splash cool water over his face. Now that the dinner rush was over, he was allowed a much-needed break while the dishes were being cleared and drinks refilled. The hardest part of the night was over. He managed to get through it with a few mishaps that normally occur at events of this grandeur with an open bar and boisterous guests. They were having such a good time, they failed to notice the blunders. He barely managed to keep his rising anxiety at bay and do his job.

He reached for the paper towels with his right hand, snatching it back and clutching it close to his body. Ignoring the throbbing in his hand and the loud beating of his heart, he retrieved the paper towels using his left hand and dried himself off. He flexed his right hand, opening and closing it, stretching the muscles like the physical therapist had instructed him all those years ago.

Out there he had been distracted, the pain in his hand nothing more than a minor discomfort which he attributed to holding the heavy trays of drinks and food. "Phantom pain," the doctor had said back then, "brought on by stress." He had mentioned the pain to the doctor responsible for conducting physicals on the inmates. A quick review of his chart garnered a routine response since the pain wasn't consistent. To appease Charles or relieve himself from the monotony of his job, the physician ended up examining his hand thoroughly, confirming that the pins were still in place. It didn't hurt when the doctor prodded and kneaded the old injury, trying to get a reaction out of him; hence, the phantom pain diagnosis.

Charles shook his head in disgust at his reflection and rubbed his hand. Why did it have to come back tonight of all nights? He remembered the doctor's words, brought on by stress. He laughed bitterly at his predicament. There was nothing more stressful than being in the vicinity of the Hizuris and Cedric and his grandfather. Charles stared at his reflection, trying to find any resemblance of the teenager before things went to shit. Physically, he had changed so much during his incarceration. Martin had dragged him to work out whenever they were free from their assigned tasks. They made a silent agreement to avoid watching television. Eating the shitty food at the prison made him leaner and his muscles more prominent. What little fat he had left on his body vanished within a year.

It wasn't easy in there, but being fit and strong increased the chances to live another day. There were riots and fights and no matter how much a person wanted to keep their head down and do their time, something always fucked that up. Sometimes he had to flex those muscles and most of the time the other guy won. He was no stranger to waking up in the infirmary thanks to Martin's big mouth. To his friend's credit, he no longer went looking for fights he just couldn't back down when someone came at him. "That's how you get fucked in the ass, Chuck. You gotta show them you're not going down easily. Not in here, you'll die if you do." As annoying as Martin was, he always had Charles' back. He shuddered thinking what his time in prison would have been like if Martin wasn't with him. I probably would have been somebody's bitch. Thanks to Martin, they got out of there relatively unscathed with their assholes intact.

The main door to the bathroom swung open startling him out of his thoughts.

"Hey, Chuck," didn't mean to scare you," his colleague laughed and walked to a urinal.

"Fuck you," Charles scowled, causing the guy to laugh harder. He threw his dirty paper towels in the trash as he stalked out the door, ignoring whatever the guy said as he left.

"Damn!" he cursed under his breath, massaging the pain out of his hand. He checked the clock on his phone to make sure he still had time. Since he was still on a break, he turned away from the ballroom and headed toward the rear exit for some fresh air. The throbbing was a stark reminder of that fateful night when everything went to shit. He had passed out from the excruciating pain in his hand which left him as easy pickings for the cops since the rest of their so-called friends bailed on them. It took over twelve hours and seven pins to set it back to right with the best surgeon money could buy thanks to Eltra Duris. There was hardly a scar where the incision was made.

He pushed open the door and was greeted with the cool night air and the sound of laughter that abruptly halted with his presence.

"Sup, Chuck," one of the three guys huddled outside greeted him.

"Hey," he nodded, forgetting their names. "Can I bum a smoke?" He asked, joining them.

"Yeah sure, man. I didn't know you smoked," the guy commented, holding his pack and a zippo lighter out to him.

"I quit," he deadpanned, causing them to laugh while he grabbed a stick and lit it. Taking a deep drag, Charles let the old pleasure of the nicotine seep into his system and felt the pain in his hand subside. Smoking was a bad habit he had picked up in prison, and "easily" did without given his current money situation. The withdrawal sucked.

The guys returned to joking around about the night which had Charles occasionally laughing, but he didn't add anything to the conversation. His phone buzzed in his pocket alerting him to a new text.

Martin had sent him a message, You still good? It made Charles smile internally knowing that his friend still had his back no matter what.

He tucked his cigarette between his lips to tap out a reply and hit the send button. The moment he pressed send, Charles instantly regretted it. Maybe it was being around the friendly banter of his gossiping coworkers that prompted him to share the news with his concerned friend. Perhaps, old habits really did die hard and he was that troublesome teen again. He stared at his phone screen watching the three little dots blinking for what felt like hours waiting for Martin to reply. He never did. Charles reluctantly shut off his phone and put it back in his pocket, praying that his friend didn't do anything stupid.

"Break time's over, boys," one of the guy's announced. The guy that shared his smokes started handing out gum and even offered one to Charles.

"Chuck, wait," the guy hollered before he could head back inside.

"What?" he asked, turning around only to be spritz on the chest with cologne. "What the fuck?" Charles asked coughing at the fumes and waving frantically to clear the air.

"They don't like us smelling like smoke around the guests."

"Right...ugh..thanks," he mumbled, getting used to the scent. It was better than smelling like he just returned from a seedy bar.

"Make sure you wash your hands too!" he shouted after him.

Charles waved a hand and headed inside. He was a little annoyed by the pushy guy, but he would have bypassed washing his hands if it wasn't for the reminder. As he walked back into the ballroom, his eyes instinctively sought out Cedric across the room as he had done throughout dinner. Oh, fuck! His mind screamed as he seemingly locked eyes with his old ring leader.

Kyoko sighed contentedly as she swayed to the music in her boyfriend's warm embrace. She felt like a princess at a ball dancing with her prince. It would have been more than perfect if she could have leaned her head against his chest without the fear of rubbing her face on his crisp white shirt, wondering if his heart was beating as fast as hers. A thrill ran up her spine, as his dexterous hands rested dangerously above the swell of her ass, teasingly. The smirk on his face told her he was enjoying every second of it.

"Excuse me," a sultry voice purred to the side of them. Kyoko turned toward the voice and her eyes narrowed as her grudges stirred. A drop-dead gorgeous redhead with the curves any woman would envy stood there wearing a glittering red hip-hugging gown and purple gloves. She smiled seductively at Ren, ignoring Kyoko. "May I cut in?"

Ren spared her a glance and looked at her coldly. "No, thanks. I prefer to dance with my girlfriend," he replied curtly and turned his loving gaze back on Kyoko executing most of the grudges that manifested. Thankfully, the woman left in a huff without causing a scene. She didn't want to have to stab a bitch.

"That wasn't very nice," Kyoko teased, quite pleased that her boyfriend didn't give the sexy woman the time of day.

"I'm not a nice guy," he whispered into her ear and nipped at her lobe. She shivered again, but this time a tiny little moan escaped her lips. "Behave," he rasped into her ear, pulling her closer to him. He was asking too much of her being held like this wrapped up in his arms and surrounded by his scent. Kamisama, he smells so good! She had to bite back another moan.

"She was awfully pretty," Kyoko murmured, choosing to focus on the woman to keep her mind off his excitement pressing into her abdomen. If they weren't careful, the evening might be cut short, returning them to the privacy of their room.

"All plastic, I'm sure," he muttered, uninterested.

"What do you mean?" She asked, lifting her head curiously. The lusty thoughts she was having thoroughly pushed to the back of her mind to be revisited later.

"By plastic?" He asked, confused. Kyoko nodded gazing into those deep chocolate eyes of her senpai. "It's very common here for women to have undergone some sort of plastic surgery to enhance their idea of beauty. Many tend to take things too far."

"Oh," she replied, understanding now, and observed some of the other guests. It was no different than the women in Japan or Korea that were obsessed with permanent beauty solutions. She glanced down at her chest wondering what it would be like to be a full cup larger. Would he like that?

"You're perfect the way you are," he assured her. Her head shot up to gaze at him with wide eyes and finding a smirk resting on his lips. It shouldn't have surprised her that he knew what she was thinking. He leaned down and gave her a peck on the lips. Kyoko smiled and pulled him down for another long chaste kiss. It was the most they could do without ruining her makeup, but it felt pretty perfect.

...

"Mind if we cut in?" Kuu asked dancing up beside Ren and Kyoko with his beautiful wife on his arm when a new song started.

"Of course, Mr. Kuu," Ren's gentleman smile peeking as he peeled himself away, reluctantly, from the warmth of his girlfriend.

"I leave my darling in your capable hands, Ren," Kuu told him releasing his wife and taking Kyoko's hand. Normally he would be nervous being so close to his mother here, but the fact that her makeup resembled a black laced mask covering half her face would make it difficult for people to make any type of correlation between them.

"May I have this dance, Ms. Julie," Ren asked with a slight bow. Julie accepted and placed her left hand into the hand he held out and her other hand on his shoulder.

"Just like old times," Julie smiled misty-eyed as Ren integrated them seamlessly with the other guests already waltzing around the dance floor. He kept pace with the music and even managed to throw in a few twirls to his mother's delight.

"My mother taught me well," he praised as the tempo increased. It had been so long since he danced like this that he prayed he didn't trip. From the corner of his eye, he saw Kyoko gawking at him so he winked at her the next time they passed by.

"I really misjudged Kyoko's dress. I should have taken dancing into consideration," Julie commented a little upset.

"I'm not complaining," he smiled mischievously. He thoroughly enjoyed having her tucked in his arms.

"Of course, you aren't," Julie laughed. "You were practically smothering her. It was all I could do to keep Dad under control, but watching her kiss you for so long was the last straw."

Ren rolled his eyes at his father's ridiculous behavior. Kyoko's laughter caught their attention as Kuu spun her out then back in. The action caused her dress to twist around her feet resulting in her almost toppling over which Kuu smoothly turned into a dip. Naturally, a photographer was there to capture the moment making him groan. He could already imagine the headlines.

As the song came to a close, he danced Julie back in the direction of Kyoko and Kuu, stopping once they reached them.

"You both were wonderful. I didn't know you could dance like that Ren," Kyoko gushed dreamily.

"My mother taught me everything I know," he smiled, giving his mother a wink then pulling his girlfriend close to his side. "I can teach you."

"Really?" Her eyes brightened with hope.

He kissed her temple then leaned toward her ear and whispered seductively, "We can start tonight once you're out of that dress." He couldn't see too clearly in the dim light, but he would bet money that she was blushing.

"Hello, Mr. Hizuri, can I take a picture of the four of you?" One of several photographers covering the event asked.

"Is that okay with you guys?" Kuu asked, turning toward him and Kyoko making sure that they were comfortable with being photographed together. He nodded his assent and tucked his girlfriend into his side next to Julie. He couldn't help but notice how tiny she was in comparison to him and his parents. So cute!

While posing for the picture, over the photographer's head, he caught sight of Cedric sitting at the table, his gaze fixated on something...or someone that Ren couldn't pinpoint. He came! Was this the proof that he needed to fully accept that Cedric had changed for the better? He watched his old nemesis shake out of his stupor and turn his gaze to one of the other guests at his table. Ren's eyes shifted when he recognized the back of a familiar brown-haired man and a pair of white wings on the woman beside him. What the hell? He thought panicking. Why are they together?

"Corn," Kyoko whispered, her voice laced with concern, sensing the change in his demeanor. He gave her waist a little squeeze reassuring her that he was okay. At least for now. There was no telling how things would be after he told Tina the truth about Cedric. She'd probably end up hating him again for withholding that information from her and probably Kyoko by association. He didn't know how he could have screwed this up so bad. Never in a million years did he think their paths would cross.

"Ren, could you please smile this way?" The photographer politely asked while he repositioned his camera.

"Sorry," he apologized, anxious for the first time all evening.

When the photographer was finally satisfied, Ren excused himself with Kyoko still attached to him.

"Corn, what is it?" Kyoko asked, following along quickly to keep up with his long strides.

"Bennett-san is here," he answered without slowing down his pace.

"He is?" Kyoko gasped and began searching the room. "Oh, no," she exclaimed. "Why is he here and why are they together?"

"It's a short story, but apparently Dad invited him." They had to dodge a few more guests that recognized them and several of the staff before making it to their target.

Eltra saw them first since his seat faced the direction of their approach.

"Kyoko-chan, Tsuruga-san, it's so wonderful to see you both," Eltra greeted in Japanese. He stood and bowed slightly while Kyoko and Ren bowed deeper. Cedric stood and bowed too. The couple said a quick hi to their friends before focusing on Cedric and his grandfather.

"You two have been causing quite a stir here. I have to apologize for my daughter's stubborn behavior, Karina can be a bit overbearing, please don't take anything to heart. Yukihito has shared with us that you're both starring in a music video."

"Congratulations to both of you. They're a good band," Cedric added.

While Kyoko had them occupied, Ren took the opportunity to engage Tina. "How are you doing? Are you having fun?"

"Yes, what your parents are doing is amazing. It would help so many kids and I can't believe all the famous people here willing to help." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "And I'm sitting at the same table as the Hollywood prince. How did that happen? Celebrities keep dropping by to talk to him and his grandfather."

"You have no idea," he mumbled solemnly.

"Did you say something?" She asked and Ren shook his head in denial.

"This time I was smart enough to get his autograph," she continued, showing him the cocktail napkin with Cedric's signature.

"You met him before?" Ren frowned, glancing at Cedric still engaged in conversation with Kyoko and Yashiro.

"Yeah, at the fashion show, remember?" Her brow furrowed with concern. "Everything, okay?"

"Right, slipped my mind. I didn't know you were a fan."

"I haven't seen any of his movies, but even I know he's popular," she laughed. "Plus it's nice that his grandfather is a fan of my work. Mr. Duris bought the ones I donated tonight so I'm happy I could make a small contribution. Even Cedric came by the exhibit looking for a gift for him, but he ended up getting a picture for his mother."

Ren frowned again as he processed everything that Tina had just revealed to him. Did they know she was Rick's fianceé or was it purely coincidental? His eyes wandered back toward Cedric and this time he caught the actor disengaged from the conversation and staring intently at a waiter. The man looked vaguely familiar, but Ren couldn't quite place where he saw his face.

"Yes, Ren decided to audition for the supporting role of Ivan," Yashiro said, the sound of his name gaining his and Cedric's attention.

"Really!" Kyoko gasped, quickly masking the look of horror that had momentarily crossed her features.

"What did I miss?" Ren asked, stepping closer.

"It sounds like we may be costars soon if all goes well for us," Cedric announced. "I'm auditioning for the lead role, Trevor."

"Oh," he replied, his gaze narrowing on Cedric. It never occurred to him to think that Cedric could be a part of this production. It could be a good chance for him to observe, firsthand, whether or not the guy had changed for the better. He used to be such a dick during auditions and on the set. Cedric may not have shown his true nature in Japan by choice, since he held no clout in the foreign country. Maybe the truth would come out now that he was on his home turf with unlimited resources at his disposal.

"Ladies and gentlemen, could I have your attention," the MC announced as the final notes of the string quartet receded. He waited several minutes while guests returned to their seats. Ren had no clue what was happening but decided it was best they found their seats too.

Before escorting Kyoko back to their seats, he leaned down to Tina and said urgently. "There's something I need to talk to you about later. Do you have time after?"

"I'm meeting Damien later, so I can spare a few minutes," Tina answered. Ren nodded and interlaced his fingers with Kyoko's as they headed back to their seats. He could feel all eyes on them as they walked back to their seats at the front table while the MC continued to speak.

"We are at the point of the evening where our hosts would like to drown you with information regarding tonight's gala. Since the beautiful and talented Julienna Hizuri took the stage last year, it is her husband, Kuu's duty, to take up the mantel this year and get us started. Let's all welcome Kuu Hizuir."

A thunderous amount of applause filled up the ballroom as Kuu took his place behind the podium under the spotlight.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming tonight and showing your support to raise awareness to a problem that many brush off as nothing. School bullying is very real and it is a very real problem with life and death consequences of our most vulnerable. My wife and I started this charity event three years ago when we first heard the story of Laura Michelle Trent. She was fourteen years old and aspiring to be an Astronaut. She literally wanted to reach for the stars," Kuu smiled sadly. "Unfortunately, her parents had no idea she was being bullied by a bunch of her peers at school until it was too late. Laura Michelle took her life, no longer able to handle the abuse after a vicious rumor was spread about her via social media."

Loud gasps, Kyoko's included, resonated throughout the ballroom at the shocking revelation. Ren could only sit there clenching his jaw with a lump in his throat. He noticed the boxes of tissues on the table when the couple beside him took a few from the box to dab at their eyes. He pulled out a couple from another box and slipped them to his girlfriend. She had to be near tears after hearing this young girl's story. He reached forward and easily plucked her out of her seat and placed her on his lap, letting the comfort of having her in his arms seep into his soul. She didn't protest and sagged against his chest while dabbing carefully at the corner of her eyes. He didn't know how he could have faced coming home without her with him.

"It was shocking to find that it wasn't the bullies alone that had hurt Laura Micelle, but the betrayal by the school administration which she admired added to it. They had suspended her along with the culprits putting a blight on her school record."

Guests began to murmur among themselves about the injustice done to the poor innocent girl.

"Many of you have heard this story before and have been supporting this event from the start, but for those that are new thank you. We appreciate every one of you for your selfless contributions. Your donations tonight would go toward local schools in the area that could benefit from a program that not only addresses the issues of school bullying among students but also trains the educators with the proper skills necessary to effectively tackle the problem. I would like to turn the podium over to the amazing child psychologist and best-selling author, Dr. Taylor Floyd. It is through her research that she was able to develop a successful and engaging method meant to empower students to also stand up for their peers and raise awareness. I'd like to add that there has been a reported decrease in school bullying incidents where the program has been fully implemented. Let's give her a round of applause."

An average-sized middle-aged woman smiled and waved as she walked to the podium. The curtains behind her opened revealing a large screen with a PowerPoint presentation on display. He was impressed by the amount of information Dr. Floyd presented to them in a short amount of time. It was only a few slides, but it was concise and informative. She proposed an outreach program that would eventually extend to communities so parents would have the resources they need to recognize the warning signs in their children's behavior and get them the help they needed before it was too late. Glancing around the room, he could tell that the other guests were thrilled with the program's direction and appreciated the transparency Dr. Floyd's presentation provided on funding usage. She even opened the floor to take questions while the MC handed a wireless mic to any guests on the floor with a question. Between his parents and Dr. Floyd, they were able to answer all the questions until everyone was satisfied.

"Just like last year, for those returning. I would like to bring up a couple of families to share their stories in honor of their children, Mr. and Mrs. Trago and Mr. and Mrs. Phillips" Kuu announced as he took over the podium.

Ren turned to find the couples sitting at their table stand and head for the stage. Their story was unique and completely unexpected. Mr. and Mrs. Trago's son was the bully that emotionally tormented Mr. and Mrs. Phillips' son for the past year. While the Phillips' son tried to run away from his tormentors, he ended up suffering a critical head injury. The Trago's son was so remorseful he devoted his life to helping the Phillips' son in any way that he could. Their sons were both ambassadors for Teens Against Bullying. They now travel up and down the west coast sharing their story hoping it would inspire change.

The change of heart in the Trago's son made his thoughts wander to Cedric. Is it possible the guy was for real? He did mention a few times about wanting to apologize to Kuon. If given the chance, would he end up devoting his life to helping Kuon? He didn't even want to think about having Cedric hovering around him all the time. That would get old fast.

Kuu got back up to the podium. "Well, that concludes the serious business of tonight's agenda. I hope you all have it in you to continue to enjoy the eve-."

"Excuse me!" A familiar voice hollered, cutting off Kuu.

"Yes?" His dad squinted into the crowd looking for the source. Everyone up front turned around to see who had interrupted Kuu.

"Oh, no," Kyoko yelped from his lap. "Oh, shit!" He cursed at the same time they both spotted Cedric rushing forward to get to the stage. This can't be good!

AN: Ahhh I did that! I wrote all this just so I can get Cedric talking and then I cut it off...lol. Oh boy, I'm tired. I hope you enjoyed it.

Thanks for continuing to read and for the reviews of the last chapter. I appreciate it.

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^