Chapter 205: That Ungodly Smile

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Kyoko & Kuon would always kiss and makeup.

"If you'll excuse me," Kuon said, shaking the tiny case between his fingers and escaping to the small bathroom equipped in this ridiculous bus. He sighed with relief when he shut the door behind him. It was cramped inside for a man of his stature, but it offered a small reprieve from the flashing lights and loud music.

Thanks to the onboard Karaoke entertainment, they managed to keep the president entertained so far. Kuon jealously thought of Yashiro tucked away with his girlfriend for the night, while he was stuck on the bus for another fifteen minutes until they reached the apartment. The upside to this ride was listening to his beautiful girlfriend singing and Lory not talking.

Kuon slid off his beanie and stared at his reflection, golden locks cascaded over natural green eyes glimmering in the light. Lory's jab earlier of him having an identity crisis echoed in his mind. He no longer had any clue how to go about achieving what he wanted. Could it be as easy as Lory rounding up the media for another reveal? Sighing, he turned on the tap and splashed his face with water, brushing his hair out of his eyes in the process. After drying up, he went to work and put on the lenses that would keep his secret.

It wasn't until he came out that he noticed the music had dulled to a tolerable volume and the lights in the bus were once again subdued. Kyoko was huddled close to Lory, laughing at something on her phone.

"What are you guys looking at?" Kuon asked, taking a seat beside Kyoko.

"I'm showing Takarada-san some of the pictures from our trip," Kyoko answered. Kuon leaned in to also see what she had on her phone. They were currently on their trip to the theme park with his parents dressed like cliché tourists.

"Such an elaborate and magical night you planned, yet you stopped at a tiara," Lory clucked at Kuon from over Kyoko's head.

"What do you mean, Takarada-san? The tiara alone was way too much," Kyoko huffed as Lory's intent went right over her head.

Lory nodded, "you'll have to show me in person sometime. I don't think the pictures do it justice."

Kyoko agreed and resumed going through the pictures, eventually coming across the image his father had taken of them kissing while the castle was alight with fireworks in the background.

Lory gave him another knowing look as Kyoko quickly swiped past the image, an adorable blush creeping on her cheeks. Kuon couldn't deny that the night would have been a perfect opportunity to pop the big question he had been dying to ask, but he knew the timing wasn't right.

Kyoko was still young, technically not even legal by most standards. He had been expecting more confrontation against him dating someone underage while in the States. Americans rarely held back their opinions. He could have been easily labeled a pedophile or accused of grooming by any of the big magazines. It probably helped that they were foreigners and not many knew their backgrounds; otherwise, he might have been arrested.

In Japan, he had a pass given his profession and status. His relationship with Kyoko was also sanctioned by her family. They had complete faith that he would always love and cherish her as she deserved. She was it for him, his forever and happily ever after. The question quietly lurking in the back of his mind was am I hers?

Aside from what she had with that bastard, Kyoko had never been in a relationship. She didn't have much experience with the opposite sex period to compare. He was taking all her firsts. What if there was someone out there more worthy of her everything and she was wasting it all on him? The thought of losing her to another man had his heart aching and made him gloomy. He had to make sure that she had no regrets. If she…

"Kuon?" Her angelic whisper cut through his spiraling thoughts. "What's wrong?" Large doe-eyes stared at him with concern.

Seeing Lory's frown over her head made him sit up and automatically smile. "I'm fine, just tired," he curled his lips and laced his fingers with the hand she had resting on his thigh. Hurt flashed in her eyes so fast that Kuon almost missed it. She schooled her features and nodded, not prodding any further.

Kuon couldn't understand what he said or did to make her upset. Before he could question her, the bus jerked to a stop. Kyoko quickly rose to her feet and bowed, thanking the president for the ride then rushed toward the open door.

"Looks like old habits die hard, eh Ren," Lory sighed, squeezing his shoulder in goodbye. "I'll call the therapist first thing in the morning."

"What do you…" Kuon's question trailed off as he heard his girlfriend's voice from outside greeting the late-night security to the building. Ruto had parked at the front entrance because the bus was too tall to clear the low ceiling of the parking garage.

"Have a good night, Ren. We'll talk soon," Lory winked and gestured to the exit. Kuon nodded and pulled his beanie low over his brows. Between the hat and the high collar of his jacket, his blond hair was perfectly hidden. He grabbed his bag, noticing that Kyoko had already picked up hers. He sighed deeply. She could be so stubborn. His questions would have to wait until they were tucked away into their love nest.

Kuon disembarked the bus and strolled over to the rear of the vehicle where Ruto was removing their luggage. The doorman to the building had rolled out a trolley to help move all their bags inside. Kyoko sounded chipper as she made small talk with the guards, sharing a few of her experiences while in California. Thankfully, they were professional enough not to ask anything about the incident with Cedric.

It amazed him how she easily befriended everyone and learned their names in the short time she'd been living together. He, on the other hand, rarely made contact with the staff, preferring to use the resident's elevator directly from the garage. He paused momentarily to greet them, then moved to help place the bags on the cart so he could get Kyoko inside much quicker.

After their bags were loaded, he thanked Ruto. "Ruto-san, I owe you a huge debt of gratitude. If there's ever anything I can do to repay you, please do not hesitate to ask me."

"Tsuruga-san, there is no need. It was my honor to be of service," Ruto humbly replied.

"I appreciate it, but if there is ever a time you need me, please do let me know," Ren insisted.

"As you wish," Ruto bowed.

Ren would have to settle with that answer for now. Meanwhile, he would take a chapter out of Kyoko's book and get him a thank you gift. He just wasn't quite sure what kind of gift would be good for him. Even after six years, the man was still a total mystery to him. Ren would need to think outside of the box.

Kyoko took a moment to thank him, a cute blush dusting her cheeks. They stood for a moment and watch the bus leave. The shades were still drawn over the windows so they couldn't see what Lory was doing inside, no doubt, probably back to singing his heart out.

They followed the guards into the building and stopped at the front desk where the trolley with their stuff sat.

"Welcome home, Tsuruga-san, Kyoko-san," the night concierge greeted them with a bow.

"Thank you," they replied, returning his bow.

"If you give us a moment we'll have the rest of your stuff sorted out shortly," he stated and disappeared into the security office located behind the counter, returning quickly with a small parcel.

"This came just yesterday for Kyoko-san. The porter went to retrieve the rest out of the staff break room. He should be back," the concierge said, handing the box to Kyoko.

Kyoko and Ren leaned in to read the shipping label. It originated in New York City from a familiar company. The only person they knew that would send a package from there would be Kyoko's father. Her face radiated pure joy, excited to find out what Tadashi had sent.

"Ah, here he comes now," the concierge exclaimed. The doorman returned, his arms laden with what appeared to be several plastic bags.

"This arrived for you about fifteen minutes ago. I wasn't sure when to expect you, so we placed them in the refrigerator to keep them from spoiling," the concierge explained and directed the man to hang them from the bag hooks on the cart.

"Groceries!" Kyoko beamed excitedly while inspecting the bags.

"It had to be the president," Ren replied, grateful for Lory's thoughtfulness. They had made it a point to remove all perishable items from the refrigerator before they left for L.A. It had not crossed his mind that they would have nothing substantial to eat in the morning. Somebody generous had the foresight to mitigate that dilemma.

They bid everyone a good night except for the porter rolling the luggage rack along. Although he had wished to decline his help, Ren couldn't deny the man his job. Kyoko was friendly and kept up a steady stream of conversation with the man until they reached their floor. He wasn't worried that their secret of living together would get out to the public by any of the staff members in the complex. They were all loyal and trustworthy. For added measure, they were bound by contract to keep their residents' lives private unless it jeopardized their safety.

To Ren, the elevator ride to their floor took an eternity. He was anxious to get his girlfriend alone and clear up any kind of problem he might have caused on the bus. Finally, the lift lurched to a stop and opened onto their private floor. Ren moved fast, forcing the man to hasten his steps to keep up. By the time the trolley arrived, he had already opened the door. The cart was unloaded quickly and the porter was on his merry way, 5000 yen richer.

"Home, sweet home," he chirped, locking the front door and setting the alarm. He turned around to find Kyoko had already moved to the kitchen with the bags of groceries.

Oh, fuck no! He kicked off his shoes and emptied his pockets onto the entry table to go after her. Shedding his jacket and his hat and tossing them on the floor, he made a beeline for the kitchen. He had walked in there with a purpose but was unprepared to find Kyoko bent over placing groceries in the fridge. One glance at her backside, which was entirely too shrouded for his taste in a long skirt, had the horny teenager in him creeping up directly behind her. It didn't take long for her to back up and connect her sweet spot with the uncomfortable bulge sprouting in his now too-tight jeans. Bingo!

She yelped, twirling around while shutting the door. "Ren!" She shouted in surprise once she identified the source of her collision.

Ren?! Oh, hell to the fuck, no! His amusement from the immature prank dissipated immediately.

"S-sorry, I didn't see you there," she stammered.

He growled, moving closer, not liking it one bit that she called him Ren when they were alone in their home. Whether it was deliberate or by accident, she seemed to need reminding of his name. He took another step forward. Kyoko instinctively took a step back only to end up bumping into the fridge and hissing at the coolness of the surface at her back. She had removed her jacket and was only wearing a sleeveless blouse that paired cutely with the flower-printed maxi skirt she had on. The little sound drew his attention to her luscious red lips. Claiming those lips suddenly became his utmost priority as he moved closer.

"Wait," she murmured breathlessly, placing her delicate palms on his chest as if that could stop him. The noticeable shiver that ran through her body after making contact had him smirking. The heat of her hands easily passed through the thin cotton of his t-shirt, igniting his skin to supernova temperatures.

Wrapping his hands around her delicate wrists, he lifted them over her head, trapping them against the cool surface, and leaned closer so his lips caressed her ear, making her shudder again.

"I think I misheard you, baby. What's my name?" He whispered making sure she felt the heat of his breath, the brush of his lips, and the flick of his tongue against the soft skin.

Kyoko hissed and arched her back, angling her body closer to his. "Not fair," she grumbled when she couldn't reach him. Her cuteness made him chuckle.

"Say my name and I'll give you what you want," he teased, pecking his way along her jaw.

"Aren't you Ren now?" she snapped.

He let her go, thrown by her question. The heat between them simmered and cooled to a temperature that could rival Siberia.

"What do you mean?" He asked, searching her face for clues.

"It doesn't matter," Kyoko sighed. "I'm sorry. It's been a long day…night…I don't even know anymore," she said, throwing her hands up and moving around him to go out.

"It does matter. Talk to me. Tell me what I did wrong before you revert to calling me senpai in the way I don't like," he joked, trying to relieve some of the tension.

"Like you talked to me? You put on your mask and you shut me out. I thought we were through keeping secrets from each other."

"Secrets? What secrets?"

"Are you doing this on purpose," Kyoko asked exasperatedly with a shake of her head.

"I promise. I'm not, baby. I'm just trying to understand where I went wrong."

"On the bus," Kyoko replied like that should have prompted his understanding. It didn't. He had an inkling when she got upset, but he still wasn't sure what he had said or did to trigger it.

"Yes, we came on a bus," he began slowly, hoping she would give him more hints.

She arched her brow and drew her sweet lips in a tight line, giving him her best are you kidding me look. "In the bus, you were lost in thought and seemed upset."

Understanding dawned on him. His thoughts had gone dark about their relationship, but she easily brought him out of that funk.

His delayed response prompted her to speak again, "Have you changed your mind about being in Japan? Do you wish you stayed in America with your family?"

"What?" He yelped, appalled that she could even think that he was having second thoughts about returning to Japan.

"I do miss my parents, but I'm happy to be home. I'm happy to be home with you," he emphasized, gathering her petite form into his arms. He loved the way she fit perfectly within his grasp. "I'm sorry for whatever I did or said on the bus to upset you. Will you please accept my apology?"

Kyoko huffed and pulled out of his embrace. She folded her arms over her chest and glared at him.

"I can't believe you're just going to apologize like that," Kyoko chided, making Kuon purse his lips to keep from smirking. She looked damn sexy when she was all feisty. Her scowl coupled with flashing golden eyes was doing phenomenal things to his libido.

"You're right," he replied, contritely. "Can you please tell me what I did wrong so I can apologize properly?" He pleaded and attacked her with Cain's puppy eye attack.

"You smiled at me," she complained, struggling to hold her glare.

"Wait, what?" Kuon scratched his head in confusion. "You're upset because I smiled at you," he clarified with a chuckle.

"Yes…no… yes. Don't do it again!"

Kuon frowned. "So, you don't want me smiling at you? That's going to be pretty difficult even with my acting skills. I didn't realize my smile was so terrible," he stated, covering his mouth insecurely.

"That's not what I meant! You have a gorgeous smile. Millions of women around the world could attest to that," she assured him and yanked his hand away from his mouth.

"I don't care what millions of women think about me. All that matters to me is what you think," he declared, his brown eyes softening.

Kyoko shook her head. "I love your smile. I love it even more when it's directed at me, filled with warmth and tenderness," she confessed.

"Baby, now you're confusing me. Do you love it or do you hate it," Kuon laughed, happy that he didn't have to suppress the joy he felt in her presence.

"Don't laugh! I asked you what was wrong and you responded with that awful smile."

She had him scratching his head again, completely lost.

"You know…that ungodly smile you've perfected when you're trying to mask your true feelings," Kyoko pouted.

"Oh," Kuon gaped. He didn't realize he had done it. Maybe that extra beer was a bad idea, impairing his judgment.

"If you weren't upset about leaving your family what was wrong?"

Kuon sighed. She was not backing down on this one and he loved her all the more for it. With him, Kyoko dropped all formalities and inserted herself, most adorably, into his life.

"I wanted to save you from my thoughts which is why I didn't want to say anything, especially in front of the president."

She nodded her head as understanding lit up her eyes. If at all possible, one had to avoid giving their boss too much information for him to use as ammunition against them. Lory's words now made sense to him. He had slipped into old habits. Kyoko watched him patiently, waiting for him to continue. Kuon decided to just tell her.

"I was thinking of us and how unworthy I am of your lo-."

Kyoko pressed her fingers to his lips, cutting off his words.

"Don't," she shook her head vigorously. "Don't think like that. I love YOU, Kuon. You are worthy. You are deserving. I should be the one sayi-."

"Don't," he interrupted and mimicked her action by covering her mouth with his hand so she couldn't finish her sentence. Her words filled him with warmth. She loves me. That was all the assurance he needed to let go of that train of thought.

"I love you too," he mumbled against the hand still covering his mouth.

Kyoko giggled, "that tickles." Kuon grabbed her hand before she could move it and kissed the tips of her fingers. Kyoko gasped and the little tongue that darted out of her mouth to wet her lips was his undoing.

Using the hand he still held, Kuon tugged her closer until she was molded against him. He held her hand over his heart as a reminder of how it beats for her and snaked his other arm around her slim waist, securing her in place. Kuon leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers.

"This is where we kiss and makeup," he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Kyoko giggled and slipped her arms around his neck, lifting onto her tiptoes to kiss him gently on the lips. Kuon groaned and moved to cup her ass, deepening the kiss. He squeezed the supple flesh and lifted her. Her long skirt rode up to allow her to wrap her legs around his hips, exposing her thighs and heating him with her core.

"Fuck, yes," he rasped against her lips and kneaded her cheeks on the way to their room. Sex was not on his agenda. He had planned to get her showered and tucked in bed so she would be ready to start the day fresh. Discovering his girlfriend bent over blew all his plans out of the water…which reminded him. He didn't like her answer. Kuon stopped just outside of the master suite and braced her against the wall. His lips tore away from her mouth and trailed little kisses across her cheek to her ear.

"What's my name?" He asked in a tortured whisper, desperate to hear the correct answer. It still annoyed him that she had called him Ren in the privacy of their home to spite him.

"Ku-on," she panted without hesitation, her voice heavy with desire as she squirmed to grind her hips against his abs.

"That's right, baby. Don't ever forget." He sucked in her lobe, nibbling the delicate skin between his teeth. He was rewarded with a desperate plea and the sound of his given name once more.

Using the wall to keep her up, his hand searched through the voluminous material of the skirt gathered between them until they made contact with bare skin. Kuon skimmed his fingers up her thigh reaching the flimsy lace covering her sex and stroked.

"Mmmm," Kyoko moaned, her legs crushing him in a vice-like grip. She rocked her hips against his hand impatiently, urging him to give her more.

Kuon chuckled, enjoying the power he had over her. Kyoko yanked on his hair, pulling his face back to hers and devouring his lips. There was nothing gentle about her kiss.

Taking the hint, Kuon stumbled into their bedroom only to discover that they had stripped their bed bare. He didn't care and tumbled with her onto the cool mattress. With her still clinging to him, he maneuvered their bodies to the center of the large bed. Once she was settled, he threw up her skirt and dove in, expertly pulling the lace to the side and delving his tongue into her depths to taste her sweet nectar. She was already soaking wet for him.

"Kuon," she gasped, digging her nails into his scalp and jerking her hips in time with his tongue. He loved that she ground her pussy into his face unabashedly, demanding her pleasure. A few flicks of her clit and she was coming apart at the seams, shuddering violently and screaming his name.

"More," her sweet lips demanded when she came back down to earth after that orgasm.

Kuon swiped at his mouth and smiled smugly. The horn dog in him was tempted to throw up her skirts and take her with their clothes on; however, he wanted to see and caress her smooth skin against him, remembering how their garments had hindered them on the plane.

"Get naked," he demanded, pulling off his t-shirt and removing his jeans in a matter of seconds. Kyoko wasn't nearly as fast, so he moved to help. While she worked on unclasping her bra, Kuon eagerly yanked her skirt and underwear off in one fell swoop.

He held his breath as his eyes raked along her exquisite body, committing every dip and swell to memory.

"Kuon," she growled, sitting up and reaching to curl her fingers around his erection. Kuon moaned as she slid her hand up and down his length, pausing at his tip to swirl the bead of precum with her thumb. He let her stroke him, loving the sexy glint in her eyes as she worked to please him. He closed his eyes and shuddered, on the verge of coming. If he didn't stop her soon, Kuon would blow his load all over her hand. The idea was tempting.

He covered her hand and reluctantly removed it from his cock. Kissing her fingers, he laid her back and parted her thighs wide, exposing her glistening sex to him. Kuon slid his cock along her slit, lubricating himself with her juices.

"Kuon," she mewled and squirmed under him.

"Shhh," he cooed, adjusting himself at her entrance and sliding in slowly. No matter how much sex they had, her core was always a snug fit for his large size. It was amazing how her small frame could take every inch of him without protest. He started with long, languishing strokes, lost in the euphoria of her heat and smell, waiting for her to adjust to his girth.

When Kuon thought he would die a thousand deaths before he could ravage her, his sweet girlfriend screamed out those magical words.

"Harder!" She dug her heels into his flanks, demanding he go faster like he was some prized stud. Kuon didn't need to be told twice. He snapped his hips in forceful thrusts that had them both panting for air. "More," she pleaded, jerking her hips to take him deeper and deeper.

Kuon aimed to please. Without missing a beat, he hooked one of her legs over his shoulder and pounded into her.

"Yes, yes…Kamisama, yes!"

Kuon's ego soared as Kyoko screamed her approval over and over to God, clearly enjoying what he was doing to her body. He contorted, leaned down, and kissed her hard, intertwining their tongues to the rhythm of his thrusts.

Kuon groaned as Kyoko's inner walls contracted around his cock, letting him know that she was close. Her scream was muffled by his kiss and her body vibrated as she came again. It took Kuon a few more deep thrusts for his release to follow and it was, for lack of a better word, amazing. His body tensed and his cock let loose. His movements slowed, pumping in and out until he filled her with every last drop.

Spent, he collapsed, rolling to the side and pulling his girlfriend along so she was draped over him like a warm blanket.

Above him, Kyoko sighed contentedly and snuggled into his chest while he wrapped his arms around her.

"Did I hurt you?" He asked, caressing her back with the tips of his fingers. Now that he was coming down from his high, Kuon regretted being too rough with her. She felt so tiny and fragile in his arms.

She shook her head against his chest and replied, "it was the best kind of hurt." Kuon heard the lilt in her voice and knew she was teasing, but it still made him wince. He shouldn't have been so rough.

"I'm so—."

Kyoko fused her lips to his before he could finish his apology.

"I wanted it and I loved it. You don't ever have to hold yourself back with me, Kuon."

"Okay," he smiled and pecked the tip of her nose. Kuon tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear and stared into her loving eyes. His dick twitched…again. He was suddenly hyper-aware of her very warm and very naked body lying on top of him.

"Let's go," he said, swooping her into his arms and carrying her to the bathroom with ease. "Bath or shower?"

"Shower," she yawned, wiggling her eyebrows as he had done earlier. Kuon groaned.

He placed her on the floor and moved to turn on the water. While he messed with the settings, Kyoko popped into the toilet room to relieve herself.

"It's all set," he informed her when she came out. After drying his hands, he headed for the exit.

"Aren't you coming in?" She asked, confused about where he was going.

Oh, how he wanted to join her. Kuon knew that if he got in that shower he would be pounding her against the cold tiles in seconds, judging by the semi he was sporting.

"No, you go ahead. I want to make the bed so it's ready for when you come out."

"Okay," she agreed, albeit a little disappointed.

While Kyoko was in the shower, Kuon placed the silk sheets on the bed. The remedial task only served to enhance his libido as his imagination went wild. He couldn't wait until the laundered bedding smelled of her once again. By the time Kyoko came out squeaky clean, Kuon had a raging boner. He slipped past his girlfriend, giving her a quick kiss good night, and proceeded to take the coldest shower he had in a long while.

AN: Fluff and smut, fluff and smut. Thanks for always coming back and sticking with me. They really weren't supposed to smut in this chapter, but the perv in me couldn't help it after spending the last weeks writing contract evaluations and reports. It's the kind of writing I despise and yet it pays the bills. I needed a dose of smutting with our OTP to pick me up so I hope you enjoyed it.

Thank you for always reading and for the reviews. I appreciate your patience with me.

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^