CHAPTER 57

I do not own skip beat! Yoshiki Nakamura does.

Cozying around -part 4-

Song lyrics= IN BOLD. Italic+in bracketsflashback. Italic=thoughts

11 hour am, awakening of Ren.

Half past eleven, in some unknown café.

Manageress and waiters excitedly raced to through the tables of the clients to share the information and new recommendations, delighted they had made the decision to stay opened on day of Christmas.

The manager felt a new thrill bubbling inside but stuffed her joy in her guts to approach the customer reading upstairs with a cup of tea and some Christmas delights they were especially serving since yesterday.

"Miss", she softly interrupted, her professionalism recovered and once the young lady lifted her eyes to look at her, taking a serious tone, "I'm sorry to bother you in your reading but we need to warn all our customers on something" Explained the manager.

The woman simply waited for her to pursue and she guessed the youngster was impatient to go back to her book so she hurried in communicate the situation and the new rules.

"We just got a reservation from some client", the manager articulated trying to be as diplomate as possible, "that person is slightly famous and is used to have some arrangement with us". "You will be allowed to take a few pictures as long as there is no flash", she stretched, "But you won't post those online until he left the place neither bother that person without his explicit authorisation during his time here. Also, if or when you post those pictures, you will have to mislead people a bit and not stating straight the name of our place but give like a dozen a possibilities. It will have our name lost through it but won't be that easy to figure it out if something was to happen" the manager continued.

The woman arched a brow.

"Slightly famous, right?" she retorted, not stupid apparently.

The manager pulled out a grimacing smile and nodded under some constricted smile of the customer.

"Finally", she started again, "I know it will sound rude no matter how I present it but it's an emergency measure we settled on as some customers are far too interested in this matter to obey so we are going to make you sign an agreement paper stating that if you don't respect the rules of the shop, you won't be able to come again" the managed ended with a rushed of awkward air.

The customer looked a bit shocked before understanding settled in.

"Did your eminent client ask you to do that?" she inquired.

The manager shook her head.

"No, he isn't aware of this last rule and would most likely be against it if he knew"

The woman snorted and extended her hand.

The manager looked at her confusedly.

"The paper and a pen" she clarified.

"Right away miss, the manager said with a smile, glad to have a cooperative customer here. They weren't all like that. But technically they were just asking to respect the freedom and privacy of that client as they would have for any other and it was a necessary rule if they wanted him to able to come back after each visit.

Though he would be scandalized if he knew they were going that far. Even if it wasn't a legal paper and only threats to prevent any leak.

She gave her the very simple paper of rules in case of special guests or rude behaviour with merely a few lines on and signed it without looking much more at it.

"I'm not that interested in famous people and I come to read here, not to gossip", stated the young lady, "Plus everyone should be allowed some privacy".

The manager thanked her.

"If only all our customers could be like you" she side-noted to her.

The woman nodded and chuckled in response.

"True. Still", she said gazing around the shop pointedly, "you can't have that much problematic clients in this sort of place, no?"

The manager grinned.

"No, you're right", but she raised the paper the woman just signed as she said this, "But this is our safety net"

The woman shook her head in amusement.

"I'm surprised photos are allowed in these conditions" she commented.

"His rules, not ours" Grumbled the manager, still thinking it's far too risky but not able to go against anything. "As long as it doesn't bother him, he doesn't mind"

"Duly noted" the lady replied, pulling out a phone half-jokingly and dangling it under the manageress's eyes. "If I have sudden urges to take pictures and as long I don't blind the poor man, I will satisfied myself"

The manager couldn't help a side laugh at this. If only you knew…

Then once finished with warning the other customers, she chatted and laughed with this young woman some more.

Half past noon.

Ren was blissfully sipping his coffee at the counter, not really awake despite his best attempts. He was glad he recollected in time what he had planned because the night had been too brief to feel fresh in its full. Though he was used to short nights, usually they didn't start so late; or maybe soon would be more fitting. So he guessed his drowsy mind was more due to that rather than to the number of hours he had got.

So, despite technically standing for a little more than an hour, he had just made a call since then and he stuck in his kitchen as he gulped coffee in lengths. He lost his eyes in the dark blurry blend of his cup with a sigh and tried with interminable and admittedly admirable tenacity to keep it there. But his persistence was tested with his inner desires and the soft sounds coming from the guest room as time passed. And his gaze ended up lingering more than once on the door of it until he stopped to care.

He poured himself a fifth cup, bathing in the comforted and safeness he felt at the moment. Just knowing she was present in his flat, however short it would be, gave such a sense of belonging and homely sensation he felt dizzy, not expecting the magnitude his elation would have reached.

And even if he knew it was impossible, he even thought he could feel the difference, the presence of hers in his flat. As if she was right beside him rather than in metres away in the guest room.

At this very moment he heard the door creaked open and an apparition walked in his living room looking dishevelled and barely awake as it was.

She was wearing his old tee far too large for her frame and apparently had had need to tighten the cordon of the worn-out jogging pants to manage to keep it on her. And it was still hardly holding up, her legs drowning into it. In fact, her all figure seemed to be engulfed in his clothes no matter how much taller she was from the past.

Her lids were thinly letting her eyes pierced through as she padded barefoot toward him, yawning and obviously in not better state than him after the short night. But even mostly sleeping and buried in too large clothes, to him, she still had more charm and elegance than anyone. He strengthened his hold on his coffee cup. She looked absolutely adorable. The counter wince as his other hand hold tightened too when he realized what other feeling bloomed into him at this sight.

He didn't expect that. It was too generous clothes for god's sake, just that. It didn't show anything. Maybe it was because it was his clothes? No way. It was ridiculous.

Cute was understandable. She was always cute. And Beautiful.

But-

He tilted his head to the side.

Sexy?

He tilted his head to the other side, unnoticed by the person in question, too sleepy.

She brushed some hair away from her face then and yawned making the tee fall off one of her shoulders and reached him without a care, not really noticing him in fact. That raise made very noticeable she wasn't wearing anything under the tee- if the cute nipples peeking through were any indication- but also provoked a flaring swirl of the clothes around her members.

Hell!

Damn! Coffee is hot!

He held back the choke on that sip as he nearly strangled himself with his nearly boiling coffee. His thoughts turned to a messy jumble then as he tried to keep himself in check.

Damn sexy even!

When did this happen?

Suddenly he really wished he could have been there to see the change…

He huffed internally. What was he sprouting, it wasn't sudden.

And for whatever odd and mad reason, yes, no matter ridiculous the things he could think of to deny it, seeing her in his own clothes was making her even racier to him she would already have been in random too large clothes.

He stepped back as Kyoko, right beside him now, sniffed out from afar. He didn't think he smelled but he hadn't showered yet.

"Is that coffee?" she mumbled, full expectations lacing her voice.

He chuckled.

"It is."

He grabbed the handle of the coffee pitcher and poured her a cup silently fulfilling her wish and handed it to her.

Leaning her back against his fridge, he saw her eagerly took hold of the cup, narrowly avoiding the burning liquid to spill over and breathing heavily over the aroma emitted by the brown bitter beverage.

Her eyes remained closed as she sipped at her cup and seeing the near empty recipient, he restarted the machine to make some more. She wasn't usually fond of bitterness so he knew she should really need it. But in the light of when they went to sleep, he couldn't say he felt astound.

It took two other cups before her lids deigned to lift- to his turmoil; he hated not being able to look into her dazzling amber eyes- and her lips managed a hello and a thank you to him.

But in spite of his frustration when she shut her lids back, amusement crept in and pulled at his face at the sound of the throaty wailing groan escaping her. He was prompt by this sound to watch her again and followed the curves and valleys of her lean figure with a deep appreciative look. His gaze turned scorching as it fell back to those shapely lengthy legs engulfed in his old pants before rising again to burn at the sight of her pointing bust with envy.

Realizing what he was doing, he leant at the counter, crossed his legs and ensuring his over-willing erection stayed out of eyesight, he kept his response and painful hunger at bay, seemingly unbothered.

"Slept well?" he enquired, pinching his lips in a weak attempt to contain his true urges but not able to regret teasing her.

"Ugh, I hate mornings", merely came as an answer while he watched rubbing her rumpled face in some attempt to make disappear sleepiness from it. He also carefully- and even greedily- set aside the new titbit on her for later.

She gulped a new cup, yawned some more and eventually looked up at him.

"Want me to cook something for breakfast?" she proposed while she stretched herself and he eyed the move shamelessly for a second before tucking his awed gaze back. He would need to keep an iron watch on himself in the future.

But sometimes he was so stunned and enraptured by this new Kyoko he would stop with a starting realization or drown in the new feelings he was experimenting. When she wasn't reigniting some already existing emotions to push them to further lands or light them tenfold from their original force, of course.

He smiled as he saw the object of all his troubles stopping him with a hand as he was about to reply and turning around to breach open his fridge and glance inside.

He saw her sigh and turn back to him, dejected but resigned and halted her before she could comment an nth time about his alimentary habits.

"I'm going to stop you there", he said, "I think it's far too late for call it breakfast. It should be a brunch."

She waved at the ensemble of his kitchen, nonplussed.

"Doesn't change the fact you have nothing to put in our stomachs" She stated with a pinched sleepy smile.

"Not a problem" He said with a bright grin.

Her brow arched indignantly at the statement but he only grinned further.

"We are going to grocery shopping then", she guessed.

He shook his head.

"I'm not letting you prepare anything with your hands today", he asserted, "And we aren't eating here."

She parted her lips, on the verge of uttering a strong protestation but he raised his hand before she could voice any of her objections.

"It's still your birthday."

She gaped at him.

"I don't get how it's link to eating…"

A corner of his lips hooked on the right side making him look devilishly sexy in her opinion and he dangled his phone in front of her.

"I'm treating you", he explained, "I already made the arrangement with an establishment I've known for a while."

She crossed her arms.

"Since when do you go out to eat and know places to do that?" She demanded, "It's highly suspicious."

He mimicked her stance.

"Hey, it's not my fault if I had no one to watch over my health for years", he asserted, "I had promise to try to look over my diet a bit so I needed to at least try. Plus after I met Take and Kaï and the others we were faced with the problem of place to meet when one of us had time."

Though if he was being honest, they had ended up not going there but somewhere else and it became one of the rare seclude places where he would go to relax when he didn't want to stay at his flat.

"I don't remember it being only a bit", she corrected with a crooked smile, "but okay. What sort of place is it?"

He grinned.

"You'll see."

She gesture weakly at the kitchen.

"I can-

"Out of question."

Sighing she finished her last cup of coffee.

"And do you plan to go there without being mobbed by crowd of people?"

"I will wear sunglasses and casual attire." He replied nonchalantly as if he had suspected her questions from the start.

She cough at his answer, glad she didn't have any coffee left to drink and stared at him with disbelief on display on her face.

"You're kidding"

"I'm not." He said all too serious for her tastes.

"We are eating in."

"We are not." He stubbornly countered.

"We are."

"Not."

"Of course we are", she fought back again, "How can you expect to not get molested if we go in a public place with a poor excuse of a disguise?"

"We are not and it will be fine", he protested, "It's a concealed area and I have an arrangement with the place."

She frowned, he was delusional.

"What about pictures?"

He smiled, triumphant.

"Forbidden to be posted as long as we are here."

"If you already went there, fans must know you could come back and-

"The arrangement stipulates the name of the place can't be divulged clearly either", he countered again, his new glowing smile spreading.

"It's all too much", she attempted, "If it's about my birthday, you already spoiled me far too much with the presents and-

"I won't let you serve anything to eat today, Kyoko", Ren stated with finality, "If you want me to eat today, it's that or nothing."

She pinched her lips in annoyance. He could be so hard-headed sometimes.

"It's not really prudent, Ren", she tried to reason him one last time without any fight left though, "Seriously."

Carefully swathing her hand in some of his dexterous elongated fingers, he brought about the puppy-eyes and pleaded with her with that deep charming gaze which, she noticed with a start, wasn't covered from their true forest green this norming.

"It will be fine", he reaffirmed, "Trust me."

She was forfeited.

She brushed her locks away and nodded.

"I will have to make a stop to feed Snow though and for some bottom clothes at least" she informed him, hoping it would deter him from his plans.

The blazing smile returned and he nodded with understanding.

"We can drop by before going" he said.

Last attempt: Failure.

They went to shower and change after Ren had assure her it was a casual setting and she picked one piece of clothes from his presents to her, suddenly very happy it was long enough to wear as a dress though it would be a bit cold, it would do until their stop at her apartment.

The violet ribbed dress-pull would be perfect for today and she would just have to grab some leggings, socks and booths at her flat.

The change was quick as long with the drive and stop to her flat and soon they found themselves parking one street away from the place Ren was bringing them.

They leisurely pulled out from the car and Kyoko kept well-warmed in her comfy dress took the time to enjoy the festive lights around them as Ren led them through the small street. He too was wearing comfortable clothes. A dark grey high-fitting knitted pull with a low plunging collar and some faded jeans by far too well-cut to be anything but of the highest texture and brand.

But regardless of that he had managed to look more laid-back that any other time.

She eyed him up once more and true, he did look relaxed. It wasn't just the casual clothes. There was this air of happy loosened at atmosphere surrounding him.

She grinned. It was a good sight. It was so rare to see him so light, it looked really charming.

They reached some book-lunch store and Ren stopped them making her realize it was the place.

He smiled at her and pointed at the second floor barely visible from where they stood outside, explaining it was one of the reason it was so safe for him to come him.

Then he pulled at the door making rang the tiny bell hanging above and Kyoko freaked out.

She patted her sides frantically.

"Damn! Where is it? Where is it?" she exclaimed, "Sorry Ren, think I forgot my phone in your car, I can find it."

"If you can wait for-

"Let me go look for it", he proposed, cutting her before she could go.

"But-

He hushed her.

"It's cold. Wait for me inside, I'll go look for it" he affirmed and turned around before she could protest more.

She waited until he was out of sight and walked in, thanking her stars her fairy was ever the gentleman. Closing the door quietly, she breathed out the frazzle that had started to seize her. The mellow ambiance and the sugary pastries assaulted her senses but she was too tense to assimilate them.

That was close!

The song continued in the background, bringing her back to that time as she discreetly fetched for her phone in her handbag.

...

The seeds of keep dropping apart as

Days, months & years fly by.

& to each second escaping me,

I'm wondering, wondering,

Where you are and what you see,

So much vagrancy in my own mind it's maddening.

I wonder,

What are the new masks you assumed and perfected,

I wonder,

To which highs you rose again,

I wonder.

In which sky did you fly away,

Out of my reach,

Arising with your beautiful wings,

& dreaming I could fly with you,

Dreaming.

& to each second escaping me,

I'm wondering, wondering,

Where you are and what you see,

So much vagrancy in my own mind it's maddening.

I'm wondering,

On which new ground are you setting foot,

What surface are you touching with your fingers,

How your act moved people this time.

& I'm dreaming,

Dreaming,

We could fly together

In the same world

& to each second escaping me,

I'm wondering, wondering,

Where you are and what you see,

So much vagrancy in my own mind it's maddening.

I want to be in your world.

(But) In this big world,

An infinity of prisms,

& it's unfortunate,

But yours and mine do not cross.

I want to fly by your side.

But Lands, oceans, reality and hearts keep us apart.

Too separated and different to blend in,

Unregarding of my soul & carnal desires.

"She is walking by through countless people hurrying on the paved sidewalk. Windy cold morning. Her legs feel numb. The frost is biting at her fingers and burning on her cheeks and nose. Her feet feel as lost as her heart in that sea of people bright in happy colours and her mood turns even sourer. Her mind is seated and circling in grey blurry merry-go-round and despite knowing very well where she is going she wishes to fade as one of the immutable brick walls.

More people move and jostle her bringing pines scents in the frosty air and shining balls dangling above some shoulders but she still can't see any colour.

Ohhh, it's so cold outside and she sees people heating their hands up with their breath and couples hugging close to keep the warm to them.

And all of sudden, fury seize her again, the remains of the festive world blur into void and the soles of her feet move up a gear, rushing with sorrow and anger through the crowd of excited shoes until they reach their target.

It's another one of those horrendous mornings. Another one where she woke up in sweat. Another one where only lay grey, black and darker than black spectres. Those haunting shadows.

One of those mornings when she cannot see the colours of the day.

Days where she can only see black and red.

Bumping in clanging fashion the thick glass door, she urges through the opening like a mare on a death mission, put on some appropriate wearing and only comes to an halt when her hand grasp the sandbag. She stands rigid as she lets in a breath and let out an hollow of a rasping air. Once. Twice. Thrice.

Fists sink in the leather. Little dips showing then retracting. Fast and firing. But each time slightly more prominent. The tense arms gunning and plunging to meet their destination. Pure blaze of energy.

Of frustration and resent hitting.

Fierce rage coiling as the legs join in and the figure throw punts, return kicks, jump kicks and anything really it can use to strike against the target.

Until there is nothing but exhaustion. Red drops tearing apart from her hands abraded by an overuse of exertion. Tired tears.

On those mornings as on so many others she wonders what he is doing and where he is; she sees his face smiling at her instead of the sand-back and wish he was there.

Holidays are the worst she thinks"

She surfaced from the harrowing rusty memories the song brought back to shore once more, feeling sore and foreign as if she had try to slip back into an old too tight skin but also acknowledging it was hers.

She was far past that gruelling period. The state of mind she had been at the time was well, very low and it was an understatement. Her six-months stage had barely finished and she was fighting what happened before she left to the States. She felt so powerless at the time and wanting nothing more than to get back at those people for what they had done to her.

She had fought against this feeling of helplessness for the two following years after the incident and trained so much until she could defend herself in mostly every situation. Not just defend her but have the upper hand even. She hadn't wanted to ever be that incapacitated ever again.

She had fought countless of taxing emotions at the time. Guilt, desire of murder, dirtiness. And though she wasn't successful in making a clean slate for each of them, she had been able to deal with most of them with time. She got rid of the guilt when she finally accepted that though you could consider strength as a plus-value, being weak was something every human was sometimes and it didn't make you the responsible for the acts of others. That and the knowledge she was allowed to be weak but didn't have to be in front the wrong people once she became stronger.

Concerning her bloodbath's desires against her aggressors, it would rise again time to time but it had settled down, mostly, though it might be just for the sake of not stooping as low as them. What sometimes remains was disgust, for them and for her for having been touched by them.

She stretched her shoulders and tried to shackle off the subdued feelings. She didn't like that song. Though it was still about him-who else really- it brought back too many memories of that awful period. And it was without counting how much strain that song being played while she was with the main subject of her all her songs cost her. She felt all jumpy since the minute she had heard her voice when Ren had pulled the door open.

& to each second escaping me,

I'm wondering, wondering,

Where you are and what you see,

So much vagrancy in my own mind it's maddening;

Wishing you were with me in my sky…

Kyoko breathed a sigh when the song ended and tried to rub it off her but she was so preoccupied by her thoughts she didn't notice her surroundings.

Swiftly walking back to the store, he wondered if she left it in his flat. He had searched in vain in his car but no sight of any phone inside and he prayed she hadn't lost it at the masquerade last night.

Hoping she hadn't waited too much, he quickly made his way back and entered the store, his glasses glued to the nose. He spotted her instantly. Tall feminine figure resting against the old stylish wood banister of the ground floor platform, to which just the other side resided the downstairs tables. But for once, her elegant profile seemed crouched and he was quick to decipher that something was wrong when he caught the shadows waltzing in her eyes, fading the usually bright colour.

He envisioned asking for a second but quickly thought it back. It didn't look like meagre troubles he could intrude on.

He grabbed her hand on instinct. Not poking around for now was one thing but he wouldn't let her dive either.

"You okay?" he asked and she jumped a good ten centimetres at the touch.

He grinned.

"Sorry for the scare", he said, "You seemed lost in thoughts but I didn't want to startle you."

She shook her head, looking even relieved.

"It's okay", she told him, "it wasn't good thoughts anyway" she mumbled barely above a whisper and he nodded without commenting.

He stretched his spidery fingers on the low of her back and led her upstairs after an agreed nod from the manageress. They made their path to the stairs between people whispering excitably and gasping all around and he regretted the lack of anonymity celebrity granted. Though he also noticed a few smiles from people that had seen him coming here in the past but no one came to him as agreed. Some were taking pictures, some others talking but no one still approached; he was glad.

They walked up upstairs through the elegant mahogany steps and handrail and Ren led them to a remote corner of the floor. Roaming in-between aisles of numerous bookshelves and the tables installed here and there, he hindered a smile as he saw Kyoko's face to the walls of books surrounding them. They eventually settled down at Ren's favourite spot: A small L-couch graced with a low table by its side just beside the back window of the shop with a clear view on the backyard garden of the building.

Bonus was the tales area was only two aisles from that spot, he knew of it as he appreciated to wander there and it has always reminded of Kyoko and their childhood.

Once sat, he removed his sun-glasses under Kyoko critical gaze until she eyed the area some more and relaxed. There was more than one reason he had chosen this place. The accommodating manager and shop. The secluded areas available. But most of all it was about the people. The clients setting foot here were coming to be left alone and able to relax. They wanted quiet and non-stressful atmosphere. They just wanted to chill in peace. They didn't come here to gossip or for drama. By cause of consequence, most customers here wouldn't care the least about who would push the door of the book-café. They were too busy minding their own business.

"Now I see why you chose that place", commented Kyoko to him, "I'm glad you picked it up wisely" she added with a relaxing expression.

"You say this as if I wouldn't capable to do so normally…" he said with a frown.

She didn't try denying it and his cheek twitched between a smile and a grimace.

He inclined in her direction more and leaned his upper body forward, resting his elbows on his thighs before crossing the deft fingers of his hands together.

"I find myself completely capable to be careful about the places I decide to relax in" he said, protesting against her blatant opinion of him on this.

She pinched her lips, to contain her amusement if he had to guess, and edged forward too but crossed her arms against her bust distracting him.

"Unless you changed tremendously from the you I knew in the past", she started, "you are as aware of your popularity and of what crazy fans can pull out as a tiny lone girl in the middle of the night in some infamous dark alley", she stated with final and an arched brow.

Huffing at the outrage and feeling slightly vexed, he grumbled under his breath.

"I'm not that helpless!"

"Yes, you are. Completely even"

"A tiny girl in the night?"

She nodded with aggravation.

"You are a workaholic and you aren't going out most of the times, how would you know what places are safes…" she said with another nod, agreeing to her own point even more.

"I let you know that I'm spending time outside, with Kaï and Take and the others", Ren protested though he had to admit it wasn't that often either and he still liked to chill out at his flat more often than not.

"Right, I know", she easily admitted, "But, are you the one proposing or are your friends usually the ones pulling you to come or find time for seeing each other?" she inquired.

She got him there but he was surprised she had him that much figured it out after so many years apart.

"How would you know?" he asked in return.

She smiled, comprehensive.

"Because I'm the same" She said.

"I turned out in a loner too, remember?" she said, "And Kayla is most often the one to drag me here and there when I would stay at home without her prompt."

He did remember. Though the concept of her being as withdrawn as him still felt like a foreign concept. She used to like to go out with her friends and be overjoyed at the possibility. He wouldn't have categorized her as a party girl but at the same time she was too young to full embrace some sides of the outgoing thing so it was a bit misleading which was the truth.

He also reminded himself she used to spend a lot of time helping out at the restaurant she lived before, simply staying in or, when she did go out, she would enjoy herself in the nature on her own. So maybe she did have this tendency already.

And people could change. He always had to remember there might be ton of things that happened to her in five years. She might be very different from her past self. She didn't look that way. But maybe it was an illusion. Oh yeah, her outside appearance had changed much and she was mature but he got the impression the big side of her personality didn't waver.

She was still as kind and caring. She was still as stubborn and hardworking. She was as endearing as in the past if not more though it a slightly modified way. She was still oblivious of her own charm to others.

So Ren wondered from where came the new lone aspect into her. What provoked it? Was it a good or a bad thing? He had mixed feelings about it though he shouldn't judge. He was happy and felt kind of more connected to her as it seemed like they share another common point. It made him feel of how things could be if they were together. But at the same time he was worried. Worried she wasn't having as much fun as she deserved. Worried she wasn't really okay with it but dealing with something that was making her recluse herself for others. Or that something bad happened. As she wasn't always like that, he could only wonder if it was a natural change or she internally was lonely.

A big frown was marring his face when her voice startled him back to the present and he saw the three raise fingers of her as she enumerated.

"But it's different for me because of 3 things", she stated, "One, I'm aware of the need to be careful, you even reminded me several times in the past when you aren't even taking your own advise. Two, I wasn't always that way so I can still spot the safe places concerning those easily. Three, I'm not as famous or recognized as you so I'm mostly safe wherever I go", she ended pointedly.

"I wasn't that quiet put in my teen years", he protested.

Her eyes softened and she nodded.

"I'm sure you weren't but did you used to mingle into parties and spend a lot of time with people, still?" she inquired.

He crossed him arms in thought, trying to remember what he spent most of his time beside Rick and acting.

Eventually, he shook his head and rubbed his brow.

"I would spend time with Rick and Tina or I would be auditioning for parts and acting. Or I would be at home by my own to either work scripts or on studying on the accelerated home school courses I had at the time" he had as an after-thought.

"I wasn't especially wary of where I would go as I knew I would be recognized as Hizuri Kuu's son no matter where I went so I was uncaring of those things" he added, a bittersweet smile taking hold of his expression. He was jolted from the sad memory when Kyoko grazed his hand laying back on the table again, with hers and offered him a supporting smile.

"Parties were rare occurrences and like you now" –he continued smiled at that- when those would happen it would be because some old friends or acquaintances dragged me there" He admitted. He didn't tell her that for most of those rare times it had been one of his exes pushing him to go to one of those crazy parties. Those weren't good souvenirs.

He sighed in defeat.

"You're absolutely right", he said.

She tightened the hold of her soft fingers on the back on his hand.

"It wasn't a reproach", she said, "I can understand. I was just expressing why I was doubtful of you understanding what a secured area is meant to be considering it all."

He narrowed his eyes at that.

"It doesn't mean I'm not able to pick a right place."

"It explained why I had doubts" She corrected.

He huffed and swiftly turned over his hand to take hold of hers and pulled her towards him ready to strike with whatever way he would find.

Sensing the danger, she grinned but raised her hands in surrender, barely holding it in.

"So, starting now", she began, "I will give you the benefice of doubts on picking up a safe."

She saw him letting go and relaxing and added.

"I will still be wary and it's only concerning that", she added with summersaults in her lips, "as I still don't trust your ability to take care of yourself "she finished.

"I can do", he argued.

"It's highly debatable", she said as she pushed on the palms of her hands resting on the couch's cushion to lean forward. "One does not lose weight with excess when they are responsible with their human life", she affirmed with one of her highest superior expressions.

Showing an unaffected look, he purposely crossed his arms in a smooth motion.

"It could be voluntary."

She snorted.

"You, the oh-sooo-professional Tsuruga Ren…" Kyoko dragged on softly and tilted her head in amusement at the mere suggestion, "Not a chance, not if you can avoid it."

Ren tried to repress the small impression of unbalance he was under. He was so not used to all this poking coming from her. She wouldn't have dared in the past. Still, she was mocking him plenty.

"I know too well how serious you are concerning your job", she added with a smile that started soft before switching to teasing, "Even if you are a baby duck when it comes to caring for your health."

His cheek twitched. That was it.

Rough tickling fell upon her as his nimble hands grabbed at her sides with passion. His vivacious fingers moving quick, they dove to every ticklish nick and cradles, making the urge to guffaw nearly irrepressible for Kyoko.

She taped her palm to her mouth to contain the loud laugh to escape.

"Wha-…arff…hahaha…stop" -she caught one his hands at the wrist- "What is that for..?"

"Punishment." He swiftly tore his wrist free from her hold and went back to it.

"Buahahaha…stop…stop…", she begged for mercy and dropped her face on his shoulder unable to breath anymore so much he was tickling her and twisting to escape from his hands. Sensing a new laugh was going to pop out, she concentrated on pulling on hand and reached out to his right side.

"Ow!" he let out, finally stopping the assault on her sides to rub his own. "Why do that?" he grumbled. She had actually pinched him.

"To stop you."

"You could have asked."

She glared at him and he couldn't help the smile to bloom. She had been so beautiful laughing like that, it was totally worth a little pinch. Even now, looking outraged, red and tearing up from embarrassment and too much laughs, dishevelled and completely confused; she looked gorgeous.

"We are-…huff…We are in public!" She reminded him in a whisper that she meant to be harsh but as she wasn't really angry, just embarrassed, so it failed. That and his soft radiant smile short-circuited what little anger she had been feeling. She straightened up and brushed her hair away, ready to demand extensive explanations.

He shrugged, unapologetic.

Damn man.

"You were mocking me too much", he said looking amused, "Punishment was in order."

She gaped at him and taking a gulp of air, she pointed at her painful sides.

"It's completely disproportionate", she stated in a grumble before a half-smile made its way on her face. "That much abused sides for just a little tease…"

He grinned and arched a brow. "Careful. My hands aren't tired."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me", he murmured and his voice tumbled in low-honey tone making it sounds so full innuendos she had to roll her eyes at the new kind of tease while the low of her belly made a tight knot at that intonation. Though what provoke most of her internal shakes was the searing eyes directed at her. Or so it had seemed. She couldn't be sure as she had adverted her eyes as soon as it was acceptable without creation suspicion from his side.

Her muscles had tensed at she had repressed the natural reaction he was pulling from her, suddenly very glad of the thick pullover-dress. She still crossed her arms in front of her to hide the hardened nipples and tightly closed her legs. Such a tone and eyes…Couldn't be direct at her! Especially if it was just teasing…

She sighed internally. She would have to train her body better. He was too good at driving her to the walls. It just happened naturally. One falsely heated look and her body would react. What a betrayal. What would she do if she had to act closely alongside him?

Not in hell!

She would need to take drastic actions to tired her up or anything, really, to prevent those reactions.

She looked back again at him swiftly once she knew she had herself under control again.

"My sides hurt too much for that", she asserted, matter of fact and looking deadly serious. Though a smirk eventually made its way to one corner of her lips as she finished of saying this, making it clear she had understood the double meaning. His eyes enlarged and zeroed at the move before swiftly shifting again to a normal though a bit intense stare.

They stared at each other soundly. One serious, the other pondering the last words emitted. But then it was too much and their happy laughs bubbled out at once relieving the tension.

"Ouch…ouch..haha…ouch-couch", eventually said Kyoko, "Don't make me laugh", she nearly begged making her companion laugh some more. "Seriously, it hurts…those damn deadly tickles…"

Ren held back another laugh at her grumbles. Once they finally calmed down, the waitress, who hadn't found an appropriate moment to come by and was waiting on the side slightly amused, finally approached them to take their order.

They ate after that and Ren told her about the fairy tales section in the store, radiating with pleasure when he saw her eyes shine in wonder at the mention. He was very glad his guess had been on spot and she still liked those as much as in the past. They chatted easily and even picked a few books to skim through once he showed her that tales aisle and he carefully took note of the names of the ones she had took an interest the most.

They were able to feel eyes on them sometimes but the other customers never bothered them so they eventually forgot about it. The felt tired fast, the short certainly not helping and envisioned to leave soon as Ren proposed Kyoko to drop her to her flat.

Meanwhile, on the same floor as them, one woman at a coffee table rose her phone to take a few pictures, before moving them to safely-keep on her phone. She tightened her hold on the mobile, somehow out of breath. She didn't know how or why but she had a foreboding feeling.

She grinned to herself as she stared at her screen.

So precious.

She was glad she came here. Those sorts of things weren't the ones you wanted to miss to see.

End of chapter.

PS: Here you go. I'm finally finished with this monster. Sorry I took so long. It was a complicate chapter for me and I had ton of things to do beside this. Hope you will like it a lot. It's a long fulfilling one I'd say. You have a flashback, a song, kyoko and Ren time, fluff, drama. All that. Hahaha. Enjoy!

The song is again written by myself.

I'm planning a Christmas oneshot normally and next chapter so if things go well, you will hear from me again this month.

I wish you joy and happiness and merry beginning of holidays season.

Kisses to you all.

Mimagfan.

AUTHOR OUT.