1. Commencer (1/2)
my first skip beat ficcie! well actually i am truly hooked on the emperor of the night *-nosebleeds-* i'm really surprised kyoko haven't jumped him yet. -.- well i hoped you all enjoy this little shot of my take on this couple!:) and i would have loads of fun poking at ren's hormones, ohohoho! on the side note, i tweaked it a little bit and taking place around right after kyoko turned seventeen (see manga chapters 115-120) and ren had to film a movie overseas. again critcisms, suggestions and advices are much loveth!:) further explanations at the end of this chappie :3
newsflash: skip beat now on anime! 10/28/08
excuse to find
stage one: commencer
summary: his excuse: she was a high school student. her excuse: no more heart
eaks. the problem? she just turned eighteen. can he keep her hands off her? kyoren one sided/snippets of shokyo.
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shrouded in white puffs of clouds and rushing wispy winds created moisture at the clear window pane of the plane, obscuring his vision of a land never forgotten. little droplets of water webbing and winding about the surface of the otherwise smooth plate, twining themselves together as it formed little patterns spiraling downward, downward, downward and towards the edge.
it had been…almost a year in a half.
a year in a half of working overseas for an epic movie...or rather, a trilogy movie that nearly drained half of his life (not that it already wasn't, he mused).
he sighed dejectedly, slumping further in his seat in boredom, and admittedly, exhaustion. but to the untrained eye, he was merely reclining rather gracefully. of course, nothing less they'd take him for. a professional, a prodigy, a picture of perfection by which no one would ever dare think less of him.
he was just…finally glad he was home.
home.
to most, it was associated with coming home to a family, a group of friends, a warm house and a ready meal. but to him…home means—
"kyoko…i miss you so much."
a fine
ow twitched, annoyance clearly mirrored at his window as tsuruga ren didn't dare glanced at his companion…a rather annoying one too.
not to mention his manager even managed to put on the fake and mocking look when it came to her (more like when it comes to guessing about his thoughts of her) and completing the statement with heart-filled eyes (really, like otaku heart-filled eyes) and disgustingly blushing cheeks. he wondered if the elder male somehow had too much free 'drinks' in his system.
"i bet that's what you're thinking." yashiro nodded gaily at his silence which proves the current thoughts of his charge. really, it was all over his face and it wasn't hard to figure out what "that look" was for, especially now that they were coming back after almost a year and a half of separation. the older man admired the young actor for his patience…let alone the feelings that he kept buried underneath an exterior of cool and collected professionalism.
"and what exactly," it was a futile and fairly stupid attempt on his part to ask why, but ren wasn't about to admit his thoughts or even give a chance to let his nosy manager triumphed over the fact that he was thinking of her. "makes you think that i was thinking about her?"
and when he turned to look, he was rewarded with the infamous 'like-i'm-buying-that' look of his manager, who successfully again pointed out his stupidity to question such an obvious subject without the use of words.
"you had this love struck look—"
"i do not." he rubbed at his face.
"your face is slipping into that blissful—"
"why don't you drink some more wine, eh?" the thousand watt smile, also translated to: leave-me-the-hell-alone smile was directed at his (maybe) ine
iated manager.
"don't change the subject, ren." the exasperated sigh was accompanied with an eye roll, already immune and knowledgeable that that particular smile was nothing to be scared of, at least not that smile.
'damn, he's sober.' the dark-haired male muttered to himself. he was half-wishing he really was drunk, that way his stupid manager wouldn't bother him and increase his already twisted anxiety that kept looping in and out of consciousness. maybe he could chug a bottle down his throat and tie him up next to the cockpit or even duck tape his mouth—
"…see her and yet here you are! wallowing in self-pity over things you've missed together. it really is sad that…"
"…"
"ren, were you listening to me?" yashiro gave him an annoyed look. a look that ren often visualize to a mother haranguing her children, it almost amused him.
"ren!"
"what?"
"are you thinking of her, again?"
"no."
really he wasn't. and he wasn't about to divulge him the details of his current…murderous thoughts on his meddlesome manager.
"don't deny it." the bespectacled manager didn't know why of all people he had to serve such a difficult person! every normal male his age would be getting it over with and jumping at the idea of declaring their love for the girl of their dreams. sadly, this wasn't the case for tsuruga ren.
"it is perfectly normal that you miss the girl you love." yashiro nodded somberly with an all-knowing visage. "why i think she'd be missing you too! thinking back on it now…"
"hn…"
he turned back towards his window, half-listening to yashiro's rants and predictions of the on-goings and news that circulated in the past year. although during their separation, they still kept in close touch, and he was partly grateful (partly because he once listened in on their conversation and hounded him every chance he could get when it involved her) to yashiro on that.
the occasional mails were used for stories or happenings in their side of the planet. and warm little messages of comfort and encouragement was enough to put him through another day of work. sometimes, in moments of complete abandonment, they would call each other at least once or twice a month, or even more when she desperately needed help on her acting skills. it always
ought him great pleasure just by hearing her voice, the excited tones sometimes almost lulling him to sleep as if she was just right there. and the memory of her lending her lap to him for seemingly such a long time ago would resurface and give him a sense of happiness and relief.
while it filled him with joy to see that she would confide in him about advice in the showbiz world and the portrayal of her blinding trust and admiration, there was still that fearful and lingering doubt that that was all she thought of him.
a sempai.
and that never fails to prick at his heart whenever the thought occurred that she only calls him for purposes that clearly connects to the improvement of her own success. of course, he was glad in helping her to develop her talent and rise in the showbiz world…but there was still that nagging thought that all that, all her work and dreams to become big one day was to someday…somehow, defeat him.
fuwa sho.
his name alone seemed a bigger significant than he, tsuruga ren of the big showbiz world. the mere mention of his name always, and never fails to
ing her past, to change her demeanor to that of pure unadulterated determination of revenge.
even though he had confronted her long ago for her purpose of entering the show business was sufficed enough that it was reasonable and honest, he still couldn't help but think that there was also more to it than doing for herself. and that includes proving herself better than fuwa sho.
but no matter, it wasn't like she would bump into him, at least not willingly, and there was no indication in the past year that she had met him again. and even if she did…even if she did, it was highly unlikely that it would make any impact. more or less, any encounters of him would just make it worse.
'or even strengthen that bind in her heart.' he mused. ren was all too aware of kyoko's fear. her fright over letting anyone in, on what was once a loving and accepting heart now chained behind a dark and tall tower that fortified and barricaded anyone that dared knock or come through. one of the reasons why he hesitated to even try and "seduce" her in his own way was because it doesn't feel right…and because she was kyoko.
the girl he truthfully and intensely cared for.
"your face is slipping again." his fair-haired companion pointed out.
"do you enjoy being my mirror or mocking me?"
"both. but it's true!" yashiro beamed happily! "oh i'm so excited! i miss everyone so much! i've
ought everyone a souvenir! do you think they'd like it?"
"hn."
"i can't wait until we land! finally…the first think i'm going to do is eat some gyudon or maybe yakitori and sumonomo," the bespectacled man held an almost hopefully solemn look as light came down out of nowhere. "but more importantly! i'm excited how everyone had changed!" an evil glint came into his eyes, that alerted ren too late.
"kyoko surely had grown more beautiful." yashiro inwardly laughed in glee as he envisioned himself to bait his
ooding charge and start him off with a more excited flair at the prospect of seeing her again. he knew he was excited…but this was all layered with mounds of trepidation and uncertainty.
"she must've gotten more popular now. with all her talent and skill, i wouldn't be surprised if she got some lead role!"
"yeah."
yashiro froze,
ows ticking. what the hell kind of reaction was that?
it was a resignation of acceptance…no, wait…defeat! he cringed back in disbelief. w-was this man…t-t-truly nervous to see her? th-this was completely opposite effect of what he wanted! he expected ren to…well, at least express more than cool nonchalance about the matter, especially concerning his own love life.
most love struck men would be yipping (okay yipping cannot be associated with tsuruga ren, but at least he wasn't saying it out loud) with anticipation to see the girl they love for such a loooong, long time! alright maybe looooong time would be exaggerating it, but for a love sick man he should at least feel the effects of "separation makes the heart grow fonder" phrase, right?
right?
"can't you feel at least enthusiastic about coming home?" yashiro gave up, hoping he'd just get his grip together before they land. there was no use teasing a bundled up nerves of a man.
"mhm."
leaving him to his thoughts, the dark-haired male propped his hands over the armrest and leaned again towards the window. tiny specks of red lights visibly shown through the fog and haze that signaled their near landing, as the city loomed and grew closer and their plane to its designated place. whirls of questions flooded his mind. he did thought of what she'd look like…he really was excited to see how much she had grown, but knowing her…she was still probably into fairies and magical lands.
a small smile flitted in his lips. no doubt…she hadn't changed, because that's the way she was…and how he loves her for. innocent, nave and—
"ah! oh yeah, hey ren," yashiro suddenly turned to him, "i know this may be late, but do you think we could stop by a gift shop in the airport?"
the younger male tipped his head in curiosity, "why?"
"well, i just remembered," his manager grinned nervously, "i was so caught up in buying souvenirs i forgot to buy kyoko-chan a birthday present…" at this the taller male froze.
"i mean it had been like at least five months since her birthday and—"
"h-how old is she?"
he knew…but of course, there was no harm in playing dumb, right? i mean december 25th was after all, a universal date to remember. but since he was so busy with work and schedules, and he purposely ignored the matter, and it was forgotten.
a choir and orchestra of victory were played in yashiro's head complete with chopin no. 9. he really wasn't planning to shed some light in this little tidbit of info, but he just couldn't help but strive to push the young actor to take some romantic action. he knew that ren didn't want to be reminded of it. while the occasion doesn't call for it now, he thought it would be easier and even better to tell him sooner than later, which would also give him an ample amount of time to digest and possibly prepare himself.
that and he was aching to tease him about her.
besides, wasn't ren the one who argued that she was just a high school girl? with that chain of adulthood and adolescence came unbound, ren would have a hard time finding another excuse.