Chapter 206: Holy Cannoli!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Kyoko would have people that keep their promises.

Kyoko blinked again hoping the time on her screen was just a figment of her imagination. Two hours. That was how much sleep she managed to get after having mind-blowing sex with Kuon.

Kyoko sighed and placed her phone back on the end table. She stretched her lithe body, smiling at the dull ache rippling through her limbs, a tender reminder of the intimacy they shared only hours ago.

Turning to her side, she faced Kuon snoring softly beside her. The sight of him still nearly took her breath away. The little bit of light coming from the slit in the curtains made her able to gaze upon his masculine features softened from sleep, giving him an angelic countenance. Her eyes traced over what she could see of his face, mesmerized by his beauty. Kyoko lifted her hand and gingerly brushed away the flowy golden locks obstructing her view.

Kuon snorted in his sleep, scrunching up his face, making her suppress a giggle as his steady breathing returned. Seeing him relaxed again, she fought the urge to caress his face, fearful of disturbing his slumber. He already didn't get enough sleep in her opinion.

She had not meant to be so callous earlier, knowing full well how difficult it was for him to return and pretend. After their conversation, verbally and physically, Kyoko understood that he was going to slip. And yes it was going to hurt whenever he slipped with her. That was something she would need to handle better instead of provoking him like she shamefully did. It wasn't her proudest moment. As soon as she had the chance, she was going to apologize for her terrible behavior.

Satisfied with her decision, she closed her eyes, willing herself to fall back to sleep. A few minutes passed before Kyoko snapped her eyes back open. It was no use, she was wide awake. Jet lag was no joke. It would probably take a day or two for her body to get used to the time difference. Rather than lay there, though her boyfriend's warmth was comforting, Kyoko decided to get a jump start on her day.

She snuck another peek at Kuon and then decided to quietly get out of bed. Luckily, he didn't have her completely wrapped in his limbs, allowing her to shimmy away. She had just made it to the end of the massive bed when her boyfriend engulfed her in his arms and pulled her back against him.

"Where are you going?" He murmured into her hair and twisted, draping her over his broad chest.

"I didn't mean to wake you," she replied, keeping her voice hushed.

"You didn't. I was already awake."

"You were snoring a second ago…loudly," she giggled, lying through her teeth. His breathing could hardly be considered snoring.

"It's hard to sleep with someone fondling me?" He chuckled and squeezed her against him.

Kyoko gasped. If he wasn't holding her so tightly she would have smacked him.

"Heyyyy," she cried defensively. "All I did was move your hair out of your face."

"And don't forget the ogling," he added smugly.

"You must have been dreaming," she replied innocently without missing a beat. Kuon burst out laughing and Kyoko joined in.

"Why are you awake?" She asked, resting her chin on his chest to stare at him.

"Probably the same reason you are. Jet lag is always worse coming back for some reason," he answered. Kyoko nodded and tried to twist out of his arms.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked, locking her in place.

"To the bathroom," she replied exasperatedly.

"Fine," he grumbled. Kuon released his hold, allowing her to finally get up. Kyoko laughed her way to the bathroom, did her business, and brushed her teeth. He never seemed to mind morning breath, but she wasn't risking it if she could help it. She came out to find Kuon sitting up in bed with the lamp on, tapping away on his laptop. Instead of joining him, she went to the closet to find something to wear.

"Do you want anything to eat or drink," she asked, emerging while pulling on one of his t-shirts. Kuon's eyes flitted toward her, flashing with approval at her attire.

"Just some tea, thank you," he smiled. Kyoko felt the heat of his eyes following her outside the room.

While the water boiled, she went in search of her laptop, following Kuon's lead. She could catch up on email and some of her assignments with all the extra time on her hands. The computer was where she left it, charging on the desk in the other room before she went abroad.

The sound of the kettle caught her attention as she made her way back to the kitchen. Pouring the water into the mugs, the package from New York caught her eye. Curious, she opened the box while the tea was steeping.

Inside the box, Kyoko found a note confirming that it was indeed sent by her father. He wanted her to have a taste of one of his favorite dessert places in the city. It seemed the package was a backup plan in case the shipment to California didn't arrive on time. Excited, Kyoko removed the tissue paper to reveal a pair of matching t-shirts— one small enough to fit her and a larger one for Kuon.

The print had her giggling immediately, especially if she imagined Kuon wearing such a funny shirt. It read Holy Cannoli in large red, white, and green bold font. Above it was the image of an Italian cannoli pastry sitting on a bed of clouds with a golden halo above it. A recipe book filled with more Italian pastries was also included. Kyoko recognized a few of the desserts she ate at the Hizuris house and was thrilled to discover that it was from the same bakery in Little Italy, New York.

Kyoko gathered the shirts with her laptop and brought them into the room.

"Put this on," Kyoko instructed, tossing the new shirt at Kuon who was comfortably lounging in just his boxer briefs. It was a sin to cover that body with clothes, but he needed to appear decent. She stripped off the shirt she was wearing and pulled on the new shirt. It fit her perfectly but stopped at her waist, leaving her underwear exposed.

Kyoko contemplated putting on a pair of shorts then decided against it since she would be pulling the covers over her legs anyway.

"What are you doing?" Kyoko asked, catching Kuon staring at her in a daze.

Kuon grinned, ogling her from head to toe. His heated gaze made her whole body flush. Kyoko shook her head and took pity on her boyfriend. She walked to the dresser to put on a pair of pajama pants in an attempt to be less tempting.

"What's this?" Kuon questioned and inspected the shirt.

"It's from my father. It came in that little package. If you don't mind I'm going to call him."

Kuon chuckled at the shirt and put it on like a good sport. It was a little snug on the shoulders, but for the most part, it fit him.

"Why do I feel like I've heard this before?" She asked Kuon, reading the words on the shirt slowly.

"Holy Cannoli?" Kuon raised his brows at her. Kyoko nodded. People praised her often for her grasp of the English language, but there was always something new to learn.

Kuon cutely took a moment to consider her question then replied, "it's a saying…like holy cow, or like holy shit, I mean crap!"

Kyoko laughed. She had heard the latter used several times before, especially in America.

"It's pretty much the same thing," Kuon explained. "Since this bakery serves cannolis, it's a play on the saying. Did that answer your question?"

"Yes, thank you, senpai." Kyoko leaned in and pecked his cheek. "I'll be right back with our tea." Kyoko scampered out of the room and returned a few minutes later with their tea.

She settled next to Kuon as they sipped their hot drink and proceeded to call her father for a video chat.

The phone rang so long that Kyoko was worried she was interrupting his work day. She was about to hang up when the call finally connected.

"Sweetheart!" Tadashi's worn and drawn-out face filled the screen.

"Hey, Dad! I'm not interrupting you or anything, am I? I can call back later if I am."

"No, no, I'm not busy. I'm so glad you called," he assured her, running his hands through his disheveled hair and attempting to smooth it down. Kyoko pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. She glanced at Kuon, the concern etched on his face mirroring her own. Her father looked tired. The bags under his red-rimmed eyes were prominent, his hair looked like she interrupted his nap, there was more than a five o'clock shadow on his face, and his dress shirt was lined with wrinkles. What is going on?

"Is everything okay over there, Dad?" She questioned, furrowing her brows worriedly. It was disconcerting to see him so unkempt. The background on the screen told her that he was in the office today so his present state was even more alarming. Is this my fault? He appeared exhausted and overworked. The promise he made to be done and moved to Tokyo before her birthday echoed through her mind. As much as she missed him, she would never want him to risk his health.

"That bad, huh," he chuckled and roughly ran his hand over his face, making Kyoko wince. "Mya, already scolded me earlier and I quote 'You're not in your twenties anymore, Tadashi. You can't pull all-nighters in the office and come out unscathed.'"

Kyoko pursed her lips to keep from laughing as he impersonated his old assistant and made a mental note to message Mya later. His friend would tell her the truth. He was trying to lighten the mood and make her feel better, but she wasn't having it.

"Tough crowd," he muttered. "I'm fine, sweetie. If it makes you feel better, Mya has been mothering me all day. She has kept me fed and hydrated. I have a deal I'm trying to wrap up tonight and want to make sure I'm fully prepared."

Kyoko relaxed…a little. That did make her feel better, now if he would just get some sleep. She couldn't fault him for wanting to do a thorough job and do it well. She was guilty of doing the same.

"Hi, Kuon-kun," Tadashi waved to her boyfriend and Kuon greeted him in return like it was the most natural thing in the world. Sure, her father knew the truth about Ren's origins and he did meet the Hizuris, but he never actually had the chance to see Kuon's true form. She was astonished he didn't even question it.

"Tadashi-san, please be more considerate with your health. Kyoko only just found you. She will do nothing but worry if you continue like this," Kuon chided.

Kyoko gaped at her boyfriend. It must have been his American roots coming out for him to be so bold. Kuon put his arm around her shoulder and winked at her.

"Ouch!" Tadashi gasped. Kyoko turned to the screen as her father feigned being stabbed in the heart. He wasn't at all offended by Kuon's scolding.

"You kids aren't pulling any punches on this old man today," Tadashi chuckled. The sound allowed Kyoko to ease herself into Kuon's side.

"I'm sorry, father. If this is about you returning in December then please don't stress yourself for my sake. Take your time to finish your work."

"Don't worry about me, sweetie. I know I'm new to being a father, but I want to be the kind that always keeps his promises."

Kyoko acquiesced. There was no arguing when he had that familiar stubborn look in his eye.

"In that case, please promise me that you will take better care of yourself."

To Kyoko's relief, he replied without hesitation, "I promise."

"I take it you two are having trouble sleeping," he assumed.

"We slept for a few hours," Kuon answered.

"But now we're wide awake," Kyoko finished. "And we received your package. See, we're wearing the shirts," Kyoko gushed and moved her phone away so he could get a better view of their t-shirts. "Thank you for thinking of us. Do you have a favorite dessert that you like from the bakery? If it's in the recipe book, I would like to make it for you when you get here."

"You're welcome. I wanted you guys to have something in case the dessert didn't arrive before you left. I'm glad it all worked out," Tadashi replied. "And a favorite…" He tapped his chin a moment as he pondered his answer. "That's a tough one. I've liked everything on their menu so far, but…If I have to choose just one I liked above the rest, I would say the Tiramisu cake."

Kyoko quickly flipped through the cookbook and found the recipe for that dessert. She turned the page toward the camera so he could confirm that it was the right one.

"Yes, that's it." Tadashi nodded. "I know you would be able to make it just as good as the original, if not better."

"I'll do my best," Kyoko replied modestly.

"I can't wait to—"

A sharp knock at the door on her father's end interrupted his response. He looked away from the camera as the sound of a door opening and closing filtered through the speaker.

"Tadashi," Mya scolded. "I left you over an hour ago. Why are you still a hot mess? You said you would clean up."

"I said I would after I finished up here."

"Are you telling me you still aren't finished," Mya demanded?

"I'm taking a little break and talking to my kids."

"Oh," Mya squeaked. " I'd love to say hello to Kyoko-chan and Tsuruga-kun."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just got off with them," he explained, disconnecting the call.

"Eh? He hung up," Kyoko exclaimed, staring at the home screen.

"Your father scares me with how fast he thinks on his feet," Kuon replied.

No sooner than Kuon said the words, Kyoko received a text from Tadashi.

I apologize, Princess. I panicked. Mya would have wanted to see Ren. We'll catch up later. Try to get some rest. XOXO

"You were right," Kyoko said, showing Kuon the message. Her father had hung up so Mya wouldn't discover Kuon's secret. She tapped out a reply and sent it.

I will as long as you promise not to overwork yourself again and get some rest. *heart emoji*

It's a promise! *wink emoji* Came his swift reply.

Kyoko smiled but stared at her phone for another moment, nibbling on her bottom lip. She was still worried about her father overdoing it. All she could do was trust that he would keep his promise.

"He'll be okay." Kuon gave her a reassuring squeeze.

Kyoko nodded, putting her phone away and switching it with her computer. Kuon settled back with his computer too. They spent another hour tapping away at their keys, sharing now and then something on their screens. Kyoko was quite surprised that she didn't have a pile of school work waiting for her. It didn't take her long to finish a math assignment and a mock test for English she found pending in her class account. She would have to ask the teachers of her other subjects if she missed anything.

Their study session was eventually interrupted by the angry growl of a stomach rumbling hungrily. Kyoko instinctively placed a hand over her belly to muffle the sound; however, the rumble persisted just as loudly. It took her a long moment to realize the sound came from the blushing man sitting beside her. The foreign noise shouldn't have shocked her since his appetite had improved tremendously.

"You must be hungry," Kyoko laughed. "I can go make us something," she offered, moving her laptop to the nightstand.

"I can do it." Kuon stopped her. Kyoko arched her brow at him. "I promise I won't burn down the house." He kissed her cheek and hopped out of bed, taking their dirty mugs with him. Kyoko pervertedly followed his retreating form, admiring the view the whole way.

Kyoko couldn't concentrate. The noise filtering through the open doorway tempted her inclination to help him. She battled against every fiber of her being not to go outside, doing her best to wait for her boyfriend. Truthfully, good or bad, she loved it when he cooked for her. There was something incredibly sexy about him being in the kitchen. For the next twenty minutes, Kyoko immersed herself into the script she had sorely neglected while in Los Angeles. It wasn't fair to the president, Director Shingai, or any of the future cast and crew if she showed up unprepared, but at the rate she was going, that just might be the case.

Kuon entered the room with a serving tray and carefully placed it in the middle of the bed. Kyoko had expected to be called outside when the food was ready, not to be served like an Ojou-sama with breakfast in bed by Japan's hottest man. He motioned for Kyoko to scoot closer so they could share the tray filled with two plates of scrambled eggs, buttered toast with jam, fresh-sliced oranges, and two steaming mugs of coffee. It was a simple meal and Kyoko enjoyed every bite of it. Her boyfriend did well, his skills in the kitchen improving.

"If I'm not careful, I might be out of a job cooking for you," Kyoko said, only half teasing.

"I highly doubt that," Kuon retorted. "But thank you for the compliment." He leaned in and pecked her on the lips. Kyoko reached for the tray intending to clean up just as Kuon pulled on his side.

"You can help," she compromised, not wanting to battle him over cleaning dishes.

"I insist," he argued, prying the tray gently from her hands. Kyoko's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he tried to rush out the door.

Before he could cross the threshold, she called out to him, "You made a mess, didn't you?" She laughed as he stopped and hung his head in shame. "Thank you for breakfast. It was delicious," she praised, hugging him from behind. "Come on, baby. We'll get it done faster if we work together."

The kitchen wasn't even that bad. There were more used dishes in the sink than she would have expected given the meal he served, but she decided to keep quiet. While he tackled the dishes, she worked on cleaning the stove and wiping down the countertops. Since they were gone for so long, the kitchen would have needed a deep cleaning from disuse anyway. Together, they had the place sparkling in no time.

Feeling like they were on a roll, the next chore they tackled was unpacking their suitcases. Kyoko was extremely embarrassed at all the stuff she brought abroad. It did help that some of it were souvenirs for her best friends and friends from school. They managed to have everything back in order before Kuon swept her into his arms and made a beeline for the bathroom.

"I need you," he insisted, pushing her up against the cool tiles once they were in the steamy shower. Kyoko trailed her palms up his chest to encircle his neck, permitting him to continue. His hand cupped behind her thighs and lifted. Familiar with the position, Kyoko wrapped her legs around his hips, reaching between them to align his tip with her entrance.

"Fuuuuck," he moaned as he slid slowly into her. Kyoko expected hard and fast, but surprisingly, Kuon had other plans. His strokes were slow, deliberate as if making sure Kyoko felt every centimeter of him. Kissing his way to her ear, he whispered, "you're beautiful, baby. You feel so fucking amazing." His compliments had her body trembling with every long torturous thrust. The familiar feeling of being poised at the edge of a cliff, ready to jump, snuck up on her.

Kuon must have sensed it because he delivered the final blow that sent her over. "I love you, Kyoko," he declared with the next thrust.

"Kuon," she cried and shattered around him. The contractions of her orgasm must have set him off because his release soon followed. He continued to pump inside her, drawing out her pleasure. Kuon groaned and slumped against her, their foreheads touching while trying to catch his breath.

"Are you okay?" He asked, pulling back slightly from her to search her face.

"Perfect," she smiled, pressing her lips to his. Still inside her, his cock stirred as they deepened the kiss. His tongue delved into her mouth very much the same way he had just made love to her. With languid strokes, he explored every corner of her mouth, fanning the flames of desire with every passing second. Kyoko rocked into him, swallowing his moan.

"Holy Cannoli," he gasped, ending their kiss and making Kyoko laugh. He pecked her lips and squeezed her ass one final time before pulling out and placing her down on her feet. "We'll be late on our first day back at this rate."

Kyoko grumbled, surely they had time for a quickie.

"Stop it," Kuon warned, tugging on her bottom lip. "There's no time." He turned her around so her back was to him and cursed, rotating her to face him again. Kyoko was getting whiplash from him spinning her to and fro.

"What are you doing?" She laughed again at his cute frown.

"Trying to find an angle where you're not so tempting," he mumbled and started washing her hair with his eyes closed. She tried to catch him peeking a few times, but to her surprise, he never did. Kyoko was amused and impressed that he got her perfectly cleaned without ever looking.

Eventually, their time together came to an end. Kyoko donned her school uniform while Kuon wore a navy suit with a black t-shirt for a dressy yet casual look. She helped him secure the Ren wig over his netted hair so a stylist wouldn't discover the difference without looking too hard.

"I'll see you later," he kissed her goodbye in the resident parking lot. He got in Yashiro's vehicle while she entered Linh's car. Normally, Yashiro would drop her to school with Ren, but today it was decided to use the ride to school to reconnect with her manager.

Kyoko felt guilty for not communicating better with Linh while she was abroad. It turned out her manager was more informed than Kyoko had expected. Yashiro had kept her and the president abreast of everything from his point of view. The rest was supplemented by the news and social media. By the time they reached the school, they were on the same page. Kyoko waved goodbye to her manager as she drove away. Turning toward the school gates, she squared her shoulders and prepared herself for anything.

When she passed through the gates, Kyoko was bewildered to discover no one paying attention to her. She scolded herself internally for being arrogant and must have hit her head on the shower tiles this morning for thinking people would overwhelm her at school. The courtyard was abuzz with students; their attention focused on the sheets in their hands.

"Good morning, here you go," a female student dressed in a navy tracksuit greeted and handed her a flyer.

"Thank you," Kyoko bowed slightly and stopped to glance at the sheet. The content made her body vibrate with excitement. She couldn't wait.

Tokyo Metropolitan Shinzo High School presents its 11th Annual Autumn Sports Day!

AN: After weeks of having my head filled with work contracts, I was able to come up for air. Thank you for not giving up on me, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's been so long between chapters that I'm over here thinking it's been so long since I perv'd, so I did...XD *covers eyes in shame for making them screw every chance they get* LOL

I spent considerable time flipping through the manga to find out if Sensei gave a name to Kyoko's high school. Since I gave up searching, I decided on a small nod to Abe-san. Kyoko is getting a Sports Day.

Can you believe the latest artwork Sensei has blessed us with? I can't help but personally think she has answered my prayers with a Samurai/Mafia Ren...LOL. More Ryu coming up in the next chapter.

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

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^