Advent '09 [19/25]
Advent 09
December 19th - 6 days to go
Sho was having a hard time.
He still wasn't up to his full strength and it was increasingly painful to walk. Never having been in prolonged pain before, it was wearying.
What he really wanted to do was curl up back in bed with something warm and sleep for a week, maybe take a few more of those painkillers he had in the hospital.
Though, by what Shoko told him about the things he said and did in said hospital...
Maybe he would keep the painkillers for when he was alone and no one could possibly gather blackmail material from him. Because there were a few people who would and one person definitely stuck out in his mind as someone who would take advantage of his vulnerability.
Though, now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen Reino in a few days. That was worrying...but he couldn't focus on what the man may or may not be up to right now because he was already focusing all his attention on trying to find Kyoko.
And his tired brain could not multitask like normal.
He hadn't seen her since yesterday morning when she called him a zombie and ran away.
He hadn't actually thought that he looked that bad but, of course, when he got checked in and looked in his bathroom mirror he could only wince. Okay, so maybe he had looked that bad.
But still...zombie?
That would imply that she thought he was dead.
His heart clenched at the thought. He knew that they didn't have the best of relationships lately...but they did grow up together. To think that someone you knew was dead was always horrible and he hoped that she hadn't truly suffered for it.
But what if she was happy?
The thought was unbidden but it still made him pause in his tracks, an icy cold dagger plunging into his stomach.
What if she had been happy at the thought that he was out of her life for good? Could she have been? Had what they had between them degenerated so much that she would be thankful for his death?
She certainly didn't look grief-stricken when he saw her yesterday - instead she just looked shocked.
He didn't want to think on this any further but the thoughts wouldn't leave him alone.
If that was the case then could he ever salvage anything between them? Did Kyoko want to salvage anything between them?
Should he just give up now and leave her to her life in peace?
He snorted to himself, what the hell was he thinking? Obviously those painkillers were still in his system if he was thinking like this. It didn't sound like him at all!
He straightened his spine and started to move forward again, searching through the hotel. Kyoko was his. No matter what she thought he would always be a part of her life, always have a claim on her time and mind.
Just like she had a claim on his own.
He wouldn't just give up like this, it wasn't him. And pity the poor fool who tried to talk him out of it.
-/-
Ren had not been having a good few days.
After the confrontation with Yashiro he had kept himself separate from the rest of the group. Only looking after Maria when the President asked him to for a few hours.
Maria had spent the whole time talking to him about what she had been up to in school the past year and what she was enjoying. Ren had been lulled into a false sense of security. It was then that she started asking questions about Yashiro and where he was.
Ren had found them awkward to answer. Mainly because he didn't know where Yashiro was or what he was up to. Nor did he really care. He was still smarting over what Yashiro had revealed to him, the plan he had concocted.
So Ren had deflected Maria's comments as best he could and tried to lead the conversation onto other topics.
Maria was relentless though. It almost seemed like the only reason she was with Ren at that moment was to get him to talk about Yashiro. It was the most exhausting three hours of Ren's life so far.
And considering the schedule that he had been keeping since becoming a teenager - that said a lot.
He had never been so grateful when Lory showed back up to take Maria away.
Now he was wandering the corridors of the hotel, trying to find clarity and figure out what he should do. Footsteps distracted him and he looked up, prepared to give a cursory greeting to the other hotel guest when he froze.
Sho stared back at him, surprise visible for a moment before he blanked his face.
"Tsuruga." Sho said shortly.
"...Fuwa." Ren returned, not really wanting to speak to him. The flash of guilt dampened down quickly when Ren realised that Sho didn't seem to be in any difficulty at all. In fact, the way he held himself spoke only of confidence and ease.
Ren felt a surge of annoyance. He had been feeling guilty over Sho being injured for a few days when it was obvious that he wasn't!
"What do you want?" Ren asked, a little rudely. His annoyance making the words sharper than they needed to be.
Sho leaned back a little, his lips twitched into a lazy smirk. "Oh...nothing really, just looking for Kyoko."
Ren gritted his teeth. Not only was Sho not injured but he was rubbing the fact that he was closer to Kyoko than him in his face.
This would not do at all.
Ren looked back at the blond teenager and crossed his arms over his chest. "She doesn't want to see you."
Sho blinked, taken slightly off guard. "Excuse me?" He asked.
Ren raised an eyebrow. "She doesn't want to see you." He repeated.
"And did she tell you that herself?" Sho scoffed, sceptically.
"As a matter of fact, yes."
Sho was silent for a moment. "I don't care; I still need to speak to her."
Ren smiled politely at Sho, who didn't seem to be fazed in the least. "I have spoken to Kyoko-chan," he stressed, "and she asked me to keep you as far away from her as possible."
Sho was taken aback.
Ren pressed forward in his achievement. "So, no matter who you ask, you will never get close to her whilst I am around."
Ren watched as Sho pressed his lips together, his hands clenching into fists at his side. "Fine." He spat out, "I can see when I'm not wanted here." He turned on his heel and walked away. Ren mentally celebrated a victory as he also turned and walked back the way he came.
Now all he had to do was find Kyoko.
As soon as both the men had disappeared Kanae stepped around from behind the corner. She hadn't meant to eavesdrop at all but the conversation was loud.
Besides, it was also very worrying as she had been with Kyoko all yesterday and all last night and she had never seen Ren come and talk to her friend about anything, never mind Sho.
Her mind ran through the possibilities. It seemed that Ren was playing a different ball game to the rest of them and that he was up to something.
And she was determined to find out what.
-/-
Kyoko had fallen into a deep sleep yesterday, completely drained.
She awoke only when Kanae made a move to get up and ready. Even so she made no move to follow in her friends footsteps. She was quite comfortable where she was thank you very much.
When the door clicked closed and she was alone Kyoko rolled over, staring at the ceiling.
She felt much better now that she had actually had some sleep, but the sleep didn't help sort out any of the problems she had created for herself.
The first thing she needed to do, she decided, was to find Sho and apologise for shouting at him and then running away yesterday. After that she'd thank him for practically saving her life.
The she could ask him if he was at all conscious when she kissed him.
Or not! Nooooooo! That was a bad idea.
She would leave that thought alone.
Ok, so, plan of action. Number one, find Sho. Number two, apologise, number three, thank him.
She sat up and immediately grimaced. Ok, new plan of action. Number one, shower...
-/-
Clean and dressed, Kyoko made her way down the corridor, intent on going to the front desk to find out what room Sho was staying in. It was purely by coincidence that she ran into Ren on the way.
She smiled at him. "Good afternoon Tsuruga-san."
Ren looked at her a little oddly, which she brushed off. "Kyoko-chan. How are you feeling?"
"I'm doing ok, a little sore but the doctor warned against that."
Ren nodded, "I'm glad you're doing ok. I haven't seen you in a few days and was starting to get worried."
"Oh!" Kyoko exclaimed, "You don't need to worry about me! I've been with Moko, she's been helping me. If there had been anything wrong she would have immediately told President Takarada. I was completely safe."
"That's good." Ren said, scrutinising her, "If I may ask, what are you doing here?"
Kyoko bit her lip, "Actually, I was heading down to the front desk."
"Why?" Ren asked.
"I wanted to find out which room Sho was staying in. I need to talk to him. Thank him."
A dark look passed over Ren's face that concerned Kyoko for a moment. "I wouldn't bother with him, Kyoko-chan."
Kyoko blinked, "Why not?"
Ren grimaced, "I ran into him earlier," he explained, "He was talking about how he couldn't believe that he risked him life in that cave."
"W-what?" Kyoko asked, hurt.
Ren looked at her pityingly, "He said some other stuff as well but I don't think you need to know..."
"No." Kyoko said numbly, "Please tell me what he said."
Ren hesitated for a moment. "Well, it was mostly that he didn't know what had come over him and that he wouldn't have tried so hard under normal circumstances because he'd...get nothing out of it."
Kyoko flinched and took a step back, her mind whirling. Had Sho actually said that? Did he mean it?
It cut too close to the first wound he had dealt her all those months ago for it to be a complete coincidence. Had he really not changed at all?
And what about where he asked her to forgive him? Where did that come into it?
She had forgiven him! And he completely didn't deserve it! He deserved to burn instead.
Urgh! And she couldn't believe she had kissed him as well.
Sho had just played her the entire time; she didn't even know why she was surprised anymore. He was always like this.
"Excuse me Tsuruga-san, but I think I need to go." He voice sounded hollow in her own ears and she watched as Ren nodded to her.
"I'm sorry that I was the one to bring you this piece of news, Kyoko-chan. If there is anything I can do, please let me know."
Kyoko nodded jerkily at him before turning back the way she had come.
She knew something like this would happen...
But it didn't explain why it felt like her heart was breaking all over again.