Chapter 190: Put the Past Away

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Kuon would get his chance to confront Cedric.

Fucking delicious. His eyes fluttered closed and he had to bite back a moan as he savored the amazing flavors caressing his tongue. He wanted to cry. He did cry. He sniffled trying to rein in his emotions. When had he become such a sniveling emotional mess? Yeah, there were nights in prison where he cried himself to sleep, but for some reason this hit harder.

It had been a long time since Charles had enjoyed this level of high-grade sushi. Every single piece of fish that slid down his throat was butter soft and the roe was fresh compared to the cheap shit he picked up on 5 dollar Wednesdays at the local grocery store. The wasabi had to be made from authentic Japanese horseradish because it tasted ten times better than the cheap stuff he endured. He refused to look up at the lawyer, his lawyer, sitting across from him as he ate. The expression on him would probably be one of pity and Charles didn't need to see that shit to know he was pathetic. It would have made him lose his appetite.

After chewing on another roll, Charles surveyed the containers and made a conscious decision to stop eating. As a growing guy with a healthy appetite, he could have packed this all away and still had room for more. He laid the chopsticks on the table and began closing the containers before he changed his mind.

"You didn't eat much," Tim commented, watching his every move as he covered the food. "Was it not to your liking? We can stop somewhere else on the way to your home."

"N-no, i- it was the best meal I've had in a very long time," he stammered while closing the lid on another container. Charles glanced up and caught Tim's curious gaze.

"Um, well, do you mind if I bring this home...to share with my mom and sister," he asked sheepishly. Fuck, this is embarrassing.

Tim smiled without judgment. "How about I do them one better and we can order takeout from the same place? We can pick it up on the drive to your home." Tim grabbed his phone and began tapping away.

"No, that's not necessary! There's still so much here," Charles protested. All he could think about was his tab increasing. He didn't know how much Tim was getting paid, but he would feel awful if the lawyer tacked this expense onto the bill for whoever was footing it. It was a mystery who had hired him or why but Charles didn't want to offend Tim by refusing.

I wonder if my... Charles shook that absurd thought off before he could finish it.

"Think of it as a mini celebration for your release...here take a look at the menu. Order anything you want." Tim pushed his phone insistently into Charles' hand, claiming that he knew what his family liked best.

Charles took the phone reluctantly, a lump forming in his throat. While Tim rattled off suggestions, Charles perused the online menu. There were no prices besides the dishes which meant one thing; the place was expensive. At Tim's persistence, he ignored that aspect and chose a 12 piece assortment to add to the cart in hope that the combination made it cheaper. Together with what he already had, it would be more than enough for them.

He sat awkwardly while he waited for Tim to complete the order.

"All done," Tim smiled and put his phone back in his pocket.

"Thank you," Charles replied softly looking down at the table.

"So now—" Tim began. "If yo—" Charles started at the same time.

"Go ahead," Tim acquiesced, gesturing for Charles to speak first.

He cleared his throat to cover up his nervousness and spoke again, "If you're helping me, does this mean Cedric is okay?"

"All I know is that he's stable, but he hasn't woken up yet."

"Oh," Charles replied numbly as another wave of guilt washed over him. His old friend was still battling for his life and it was all his fault. If he had not suggested going out that way to avoid the reporters, he wouldn't be lying in a hospital bed right now. Wait! If Cedric is still in a coma, how am I out? Who hired this man?

"I'm sure it's just a matter of time before he wakes up. He's young, healthy, and strong," Tim assured him.

"If he's still...why, no, how are you helping me? Anyone would automatically assume I'm guilty as charged. Who would want to waste their money on a deadbeat like me?"

"That's where you're wrong. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty in this country and the couple that hired me, believe you're innocent."

Charles' eyes widened. A couple. For a hot second earlier, he had thought by some miracle maybe his mother had tracked down his father and begged him for help. He should have known better. That greedy bastard wouldn't care if he lived or died. But a couple? Charles wracked his brain to figure out who could they possibly be until it hit him.

"You mean the Japanese couple from last night? I don't even know them. Why would they..." Charles' words trailed off, baffled by the revelation of his benefactors' identities. If they knew about his past would they still be willing to help? Was it okay to accept their kindness when he was a horrible hypocrite?

"Beats me, kid. The young lady saw you in the line-up and had this overwhelming urge to help. She even challenged the police chief about your arrest. I was there when she gave her witness statement, so I know everything you did from their point of view. If I'm going to represent you, I need to know the whole truth about your involvement last night."

Charles breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly to calm his frazzled nerves before he began to tell Tim about his encounter with Cedric last night. Tim pulled out a legal pad from his briefcase and started jotting notes while asking questions along the way. Charles started with how angry he felt at seeing Cedric enjoying the good life and spent the night avoiding him so he wouldn't do anything stupid. Yet I still did.

It was only after Cedric's speech that he calmed down enough and discovered the actor hiding backstage with a bloody nose. With no room for pride, Charles explained the verbal agreement he had made with Cedric and the decision to lead him out by the service corridor to avoid the press. It was harder to recount the fight since everything happened so fast and eventually he was knocked out.

The rest of the night was fuzzy thanks to his throbbing head. He remembered the couple that came to help. It wasn't the girl's exotic beauty that had struck him, but her poise. After the initial shock wore off, she was so calm and observant, like she was studying the scene, soaking it all in. She even kept her composure when Leo had threatened her. Any other woman would have broken down into hysterics immediately, but not her. She was brave. The guy seemed to exude similar qualities. He went into protective mode and moved like a professional fighter, taking on those two meatheads at once. Since he was preoccupied with his fight against Martin, he wasn't able to comment much on what happened around him. He remembered thinking there was something very familiar about the guy.

Charles had tried his best to help. His best just wasn't good enough. In the end, because of him, Cedric was severely injured. When he finished his story, Tim put his pen down and remained silent for several minutes. The silence in the room was so heavy that Charles swore he could hear the clock, hanging above the door frame, ticking. It was driving him insane.

"I'm going to level with you, Charles. This is going to be a tough case. Unless the charges against you are dropped. With your rap sheet, we might be looking at some jail time."

Charles' heart sank but accepted his possible fate with a nod. He deserved jail time.

"I'm going to do my best to get your name cleared. Unfortunately, the police have confiscated your phone and filed your text messages to Martin as evidence. It's pretty damning, but I have a plan."

Charles hung his head in shame while Tim discussed his strategic plan to not only get the charges on him dismissed but paint him as one of Cedric's champions. His stomach churned, threatening to spew all the delicious fish he just ate out at the idea. He was no hero, no champion. It was his fault all this happened in the first place.

"In my line of work, I've seen my fair share of these types of guys: angry, resentful, unremorseful. I hate to say it… but they're nothing but ticking time bombs. Eventually, they would have exploded and hurt someone else. Their future victim probably would not have faired as lucky."

His lawyer's words sank in and made him feel a tiny bit better. From the moment Martin introduced him to those guys, he knew they were bad news. They were just the kind of guys he avoided in prison. With a little less guilt resting on his shoulders, Charles nodded with acceptance.

As if on cue, a sharp knock at the door drew their attention.

"Come in," Tim called curtly.

A uniformed sergeant entered holding a small box followed by Detective Espinoza, her partner Gaylen holding a laptop, and an older man dressed in a suit.

"You really think all this is necessary, Chief? He's not a flight risk," Tim argued. Charles was at a loss. Were they here to take him back? He knew getting released was too good to be true.

"We can't take that chance. His friends wasted a lot of police resources on the manhunt," the man in the suit replied.

"They aren't my friends," Charles declared, hands curling into tight fists.

"It's okay, Charles. Don't say anything else. I'll need some time to get this squared away," Tim assured him. He could only nod and trust in the high-priced lawyer to do his job.

The female detective that had spent a long time grueling him the night before began opened the box and pulled out a device that reminded him of an oversize smartwatch. It was an ankle monitor, used to track him at all times. Espinoza powered on the device and made sure it synched with whatever application Gaylen had on his computer. She squatted on the ground to attach it securely to his ankle which the chief explained the rules. In a nutshell, Charles couldn't tamper with the device or leave the city. Any violation could lead to being hauled right back to jail. He didn't think it was so bad. At least he could go back to work. If I still have one!

Charles sat annoyed as they slipped the monitor loosely around his ankle and activated it with a distinct beep. Thankfully, the thing could be hidden under his jeans where no one could see it. After they left, Tim packed his documents back into his briefcase while Charles put the food containers into the take-out bag.

"So what now?" he asked, ready to get out of here before the cops changed their mind. He had more questions for Tim, but those could wait.

"Now, we get you back to your family and I get to work."

Finally! A small smile graced Charles' lips. Returning to the rundown apartment he shared with his family didn't seem so bad after the night he had. He couldn't wait to go home; however, his guilty conscience once again clouded his joy.

"Mr. Moore, can you please give the couple a note from me?" Charles had no idea what the repercussions of this decision might bring, but he needed to be upfront and honest with his past to move forward.

"Sure, you can write in the car."

"Thanks."

One thing he didn't miss about his home city was the traffic. It was like everyone was out to lunch at this hour, making the meager eighteen-mile drive to the hospital take longer than necessary. The only upside to the delay was Kyoko getting some much-needed rest tucked against his side. The sound of their manager's soft snores from behind told him that Yashiro had also succumbed to a carb coma. It had been a long night and an even longer morning for all of them, add a succulent meal to the mix and they were goners.

The restaurant Tim had recommended was a fusion of traditional and modern Japanese elements. It made him happy to see Kyoko and Yashiro enjoying the food of their homeland. The head chef, a Japanese sushi master, made a special appearance in their private room to make sure they were enjoying their meal. Kyoko had a wonderful time chatting in her native tongue with him about his technique. Ren beamed proudly at his girlfriend's ability to hold her own against a top chef, leaving the man equally impressed with her vast knowledge of Japanese cuisine.

While they ate, Tim had questioned them more thoroughly than the cops did regarding their decision to help Charles. The smile on Kyoko's face following his decision to help one of his old bullies left him no room to think twice. He witnessed Charles fighting and the way he tried to help Cedric afterward. There was no doubt in his mind that the guy had turned over a new leaf and deserved this second chance. Tim had left them early to finish their meal with the promise that everything was paid for and order anything on the menu to their heart's content. He wanted to get a jump on his new case and get the poor guy out of jail as soon as possible. At Kyoko's behest, Tim left with a bag of carry-out from the swanky restaurant for Charles. Ren was sure he fell a little more in love with her at that moment. It was so like her to remember those tiny little details that would mean the world to someone down on their luck. He decided not to tell her the truth about his connection to Charles, wanting to protect the positive outlook she saw in others.

All they were doing was providing the resources to give him a fair chance. It would be up to Charles to clear his name. Tim warned that he wouldn't be able to breach the confidentiality agreement he would have with his client, meaning Ren would have no insider access to information on the case unless his client allowed it. Ren saw no problem with this arrangement. His parents' trust in their lawyer was good enough for him. He didn't care about the money, he had plenty of it.

Our exit is coming up, you can switch in 3, 2, 1...now.

Ren's focus shifted to the hired bodyguards sitting in the front as Nicole quietly directed Clint through the traffic. Glancing around their surroundings, Ren knew they were less than fifteen minutes away from their destination. He wished they were in a limo right about now, the need to down some liquid courage had never been so strong. In just a short while, he would have to come face to face with his childhood tormentor.

By the time they pulled into the hospital, Kyoko and Yashiro were wide awake. The crowd outside had not diminished. If anything, it had grown considerably since last night. Clint navigated the vehicle away from the crowd toward the general admission entrance where it was significantly less crowded. He dropped them off at the curb and went to park while they headed inside.

The group hung back while Ren stepped up to the receptionist at the front desk and waited his turn while she spoke to someone on the phone.

"How can I help you?" She asked sweetly.

"Yes, my name is Ren Tsuruga. I and a few in my party should be on the list of approved visitors for Cedric Bennett."

Her eyes widened at the patient's name. "J-just a second please, sir," she stuttered and snatched up her phone. Not wanting to eavesdrop on her call, Ren scanned the room. Most of the people waiting in the area appeared to be older except for a disheveled man about his age leaning against the far wall and glancing between his phone and Kyoko.

Damn, he must have recognized her!

As Ren continued to stare at the guy, his perception of him changed. Everything he was wearing appeared to be designer just haphazardly thrown together. If it wasn't for his hair standing on end like he ran his fingers through it one too many times and the dark circles under his eyes, Ren thought he could be a model.

"Sir," the receptionist called to him, pulling his attention back to her. "Mr. Duris will be down shortly."

"Thank you very much." Ren side-eyed the suspicious guy as he rejoined Kyoko and the others standing in a secluded area. By now, Clint was with them.

"Ren, Kyoko," Clint whispered. "Do you know that man?" He tilted his head toward the guy Ren had been previously eyeing. The couple shook their heads after glancing in the guy's direction.

"He keeps staring over here...more importantly, he keeps staring at Kyoko," Clint stated. Nicole took a protective stance beside Kyoko just in case.

"Maybe he recognized us," Kyoko suggested, drawing Ren's curiosity back to the man. This time he appeared agitated. The suspicious guy paced the tiled area in front of him and ran his fingers roughly through his dark hair, frustrated by something.

The man paused his steps and shot his head up in their direction. It was too late to react differently; he caught them staring. The guy seemed to take their nosiness as an invitation and began walking toward them. He even attempted to fix his appearance. Realizing his efforts at taming his hair were futile, he gave up and continued to cross the lobby. By the time he stood in front of them, Kyoko was surrounded and protected by them.

"Excuse m-me," he stammered, frightened by the menacing aura Ren was pumping out. If this man thought he could hurt his Kyoko he had another thing coming.

"Can I help you?" Ren asked, beaming the guy with one of his ultra gentleman smiles.

"Y-you're Ren Tsuruga, the Japanese model, right? From L.A. fashion week?"

"Yeah, that's me," he surly replied, still not letting his guard down.

"Fuck me, now I know what he was talking about...I'm going to get creamed by this guy... I feel like I'm going to piss myself," the guy rambled nervously. Ren cocked an eyebrow and cleared his throat impatiently.

"Oh, right, sorry," his gaze flicked to Kyoko, barely visible behind her human barricade. Ren and Clint shifted their stance to block her from him.

"Can I help you?" Ren snapped. Call it overprotectiveness or jealousy, he didn't like this weirdo staring at his girlfriend.

"My name's Flynn Mateo," he announced loudly, trying to get Kyoko's attention. "I'm a friend of Cedric's. He told me all about his time with you in The Sacred Lotus and how you repeatedly kicked his butt," he chuckled nervously.

To Ren's dismay, Kyoko shoved her way forward to talk to the guy.

"Are you really friends with Cedric?" Kyoko asked eagerly, making Ren groan.

"Yeah, at least I'd like to think so," Flynn gulped, squirming as his fearful eyes met Ren's cold glare. Ren patted himself internally for scaring this piss out of this man.

"It's so good to meet one of Cedric's American friends." Kyoko held her hand out to him for a shake. Before Flynn could consider taking it, Ren pulled her hand away. This guy had no business touching her.

"Ren, don't be rude," Kyoko chided, pulling her hand out of his and holding it out again for this Flynn to shake.

Flynn lifted his hands in defense. "I don't think I should," he apologized.

"Smart man," Ren smirked, earning him a light smack on the arm from Kyoko.

"Anyway, how can we help you, Mr. Mateo?" Ren asked, struggling to be civil.

"As I mentioned, I'm a friend of Cedric's but I'm not on the list and they won't even call his grandpa for me. I've been trying since last night. I thought if I tried here, I would get somewhere, but it's more of the same. I've been waiting for Mr. Duris to come out all this time. I know you guys were there. I saw it on the news. Can you just tell me if he's going to be okay?" Flynn pleaded, distraughtly dashing tears away from his eyes. "I won't be able to live with myself… it'll be all my fault if he dies."

Ren and the rest of his party were now thoroughly confused.

"Why would you think it's all your fault?" Kyoko asked cautiously. "Those men attacked him...unless."

He watched the little gears turning in his girlfriend's head until she drew to the same conclusion. Did Flynn plan the attack?

"It's my fault because I believed him when he told me...he promised," Flynn explained, cryptically.

"What did he promise?" Ren questioned, observing the man.

"That he wasn't going to die," Flynn answered faintly.

A gasp sounded behind Flynn.

"Why would he promise you he wasn't going to die?" An overly emotional Eltra demanded. Flynn paled, the tile on the floor suddenly becoming so interesting.

"Answer me!" Eltra ordered. "Why would my Ceddy make such a promise to you?"

"Mr. Duris," Ren interrupted, breaking the tension. "Perhaps we can take this someplace more private."

"Yes, you're right," Eltra agreed, noticing all the curious eyes trained on them. "Let's get some visitors badges."

It took some time to get all their names in the database and badges issued. The wait allowed everyone time to cool off. Now they were situated in the sitting area adjacent to Cedric's private room while Nicole and Clint stood guard in the corridor with the rest of Cedric's security detail. Flynn shared his observations of Cedric's irrational behavior over the past few days. He had flat out accused Cedric of having suicidal tendencies yesterday morning and tried to help. Flynn thought that Cedric's confession last night was his final act before ending his life. The revelation stunned everyone in the room to speechlessness.

Is Flynn right? Would the news headlines have read differently if those men hadn't interfered?

Flynn's story weighed heavily on Ren as he stepped into Cedric's private room with Kyoko leading the way. The place was fancy with its sleek wooden floors and modern finishings. If it wasn't for the hospital bed and machines, the place could pass as a five-star hotel room. His girlfriend flocked to the actor's side without hesitation while Ren hung back unable to move closer. The first thing he noticed was the steady beep of the heart monitor. The sound was eerily comforting.

"Oh, Bennett-san," Kyoko murmured, causing Ren to focus on the still form laying on the bed. The tears in her voice were undeniable. He wanted to go and comfort her but his body was slow to obey as his heart thudded in his chest. Before he could step away from the safety of the door, her next words stunned him.

"You look like shit!" she exclaimed, remembering to use her English. Her outburst nearly caused him to laugh and hold his ground. Bossy Kyoko was on a tirade and Ren didn't want to get caught in the crossfire.

"Everyone is worried about you so hurry and wake up! Do you know that there are hundreds of adoring fans ready to storm this place for you? That kind of stress puts a lot of burden on the people working here trying to do their jobs. You can't keep being selfish and pretending to be asleep. You have to open your eyes and face reality! A lot of people are depending on you. Your family and friends are barely holding it together. I've never seen your grandfather look so heartbroken. Your parents were thankfully taking a lunch break when we came up. I know your mother would be wringing my neck right about now if she heard the way I was talking to you. You waking up would probably be the only thing that could save me!" Kyoko gushed out all in one breath.

Ren watched her take a deep breath, wondering if she would continue. She turned to look at the heart monitor and waited for several beats, then resigned to step away. With one final glance at Cedric, she twisted on her heel and walked away. Her vibrant eyes locked on to Ren's and held it.

"Was I too mean?" Kyoko asked meekly when she stopped in front of him.

The urge to laugh again came back, but her sad face wouldn't allow it.

"Only because you care," he replied truthfully and tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear.

"It's up to you now, Corn," she encouraged, taking his raised hand gently in hers and kissing his bandaged knuckles. They held eye contact for another moment then she left him all alone with Cedric.

A part of him was tempted to ask her to stay but knew he had to face him alone. Could this even be considered facing him? Doctors believe that speaking to patients in a comatose state helps with recovery.

"I got this," he mumbled to himself, shaking his limbs like an athlete to remove the tension from his body. Rolling his shoulders, he took a few stabbing jabs at the air and caught himself. He was acting like he was gearing up for a fight yet Cedric was in no position to defend himself. A nervous rake through his hair ended his unnecessary preparations. Thank God, no one saw him making a fool of himself.

Quit stalling, Kuon! Just rip the bandaid off!

He took several deep breaths before taking that difficult step forward. Since he never visited anyone in the hospital, the urge to pull from his acting experiences was overwhelming. The last time he was in a hospital as himself was the night that changed everything. The final visual he had of Rick was his bloodied body sprawled on the pavement. Kuon couldn't bring himself to enter the hospital room let alone attend his best friend's wake.

With his heart thudding in his chest, Kuon somehow made it toward Cedric's bedside. Kyoko was right; he did look like shit. Those cowards beat him up good! His blood boiled as he examined every cut, every bruise, and every puckered surface of the skin that rendered Cedric's face unrecognizable. He was glad the men that did this were now in jail and would get the punishment they deserved. The strong reaction he had to Cedric's condition surprised him. It wasn't long ago that he was on the receiving end of such an attack. The night that had always been simmering just below the surface, ready to remind him at a moment's notice of its horrible outcome, was slowly fading with time.

Confronting Cedric had always been the final step for Kuon to put the past away. It appeared that he would have to wait until Cedric made a full recovery from his injuries to get closure on this part of his life.

Kuon dropped down into the seat beside him, exhausted but not defeated. He planned to return to Japan, trusting that Cedric was a changed man and meant every word of his confession. And not to have to lie to his girlfriend later, he decided to talk to his old nemesis.

"You know...I admire you," Kuon admitted after several quiet seconds. His eyes widened at the words he just uttered. He stared at the man lying in front of him, not at all disturbed by the remarkable words he just confessed to him.

Fuck! How do I do this? Clearly, I'm beyond exhausted and I'm not thinking straight. After everything he did to me, can I honestly say I admire this guy?

A long list of shitty things this guy and his goons had ever done to him began to run through his mind. The bullying, the alienation, the physical torment. It was all a stark reminder of how this man used to treat him.

Used to...

Kuon's internal movie reel began highlighting Cedric's admirable moments from the night before. The way he courageously stood before a ballroom full of his peers and Hollywood elites, confessing all his sins and apologizing for his wrongdoings shined brightly in Kuon's mind.

Yeah, that shit was epic. It deserved a standing ovation and one of those slow claps.

The reel fast-forwarded to the moment Cedric threw himself into danger, not once but twice, without regard for his life so he and Kyoko could escape to safety. Kuon got the picture.

He's changed...like I've changed.

"She wasn't even yours to protect, but you did it anyway," Kuon declared, leaning forward and dropping his head in his hands. He fell silent again, letting the machines in the room fill the quiet space for a few minutes.

Kuon stared at the wooden floor and said, "I don't know what else to say. I was hoping you'd be awake by now and we can hash this out. I come clean with who I am. We roast marshmallows and sing kumbaya, and maybe, just maybe, we can find some closure and move on with our lives."

Silence ensued once again as he tried to think of what else to say. He lifted his eyes to check if anything had changed in Cedric's condition. Nothing seemed out of place. It was narcissistic of him to think that hearing his voice would have made a difference. Seeing Cedric dead-still like this had Kuon's thoughts wandering back to Rick and that awful night again. It obviously had left an impression on him too since he brought it up at the gala.

Frustrated by this one-sided conversation, Kuon scrubbed his face with his hands to shake off the memories and stood to leave. He took two steps to the door and stopped, turning to address his childhood bully a final time before he left.

"I want you to know I take full responsibility for my life. It was my poor decisions that led me here just like you decided that...well…" Kuon paused, considering his next words. "I miss my best friend. What happened that night was an accident. It took me a long time to come to terms with that fact. It wasn't my fault and it wasn't yours either. I don't blame you for what happened to Rick."

Kuon sighed as the silence ensued. "I've taken up enough of your time. Your friend Flynn is going to be pissed that I took so long. He's a good guy, you should cherish him...well, to be continued, yeah?"

As Kuon's hand landed on the doorknob, he heard a faint sound. Turning, he rushed back to Cedric's side to examine the man and the machines. When nothing looked amiss he began to walk away again.

"Wait..." he heard a distinct voice whisper. Kuon whipped around and was by the bed in a nanosecond.

"Cedric?" Kuon gasped and leaned down. "Are you awake? Can you hear me?"

There was a slight movement of his bandaged head that Kuon chose to interpret as a nod. Cedric began whispering, but his words were so quiet and slurred Kuon could barely make them out. He lowered his head with his ear hovering above Cedric's lips so he could make out the words.

Holy Fuck!

"I'll be right back!"

Kuon ran to the door to alert everyone that Cedric was awake or at least talking in his sleep. He didn't know which he wasn't a doctor. All he knew was that the doctors' theories were right— patients in a comatose state do hear you.

AN: Hi! Hi! I'm here, thank you for sticking with me! I had the bulk of this chapter done on Monday and thought I was good on time. I started reading it and ended up tweaking it then read it some more and you got it, tweaked it some more. I kept messing with it that I had to keep walking away from the chapter and coming back to it until I was satisfied enough to share. I hope it wasn't a dud.

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

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^