The Voodoo Curse

Ren was strolling down LME's now empty hallway on his way to check and see if Kyoko might happen to be in the Love Me Section's change room and hopefully required a ride home. He checked his watch and confirmed that she might still be here. Yashiro had slyly hinted he had heard she was working till the end of the day in the LME offices. Coming up to the door of the room in question he noticed it was ajar and raised his hand to deliver a discreet knock but halted when he heard Kyoko's voice mumbling.

Crouching furtively behind the bench in the Love Me change room, in deep concentration, Kyoko was in an intense conversation with an, as yet, unknown recipient. A look of contempt was on her face as she spoke in a low tone.

"Oh ho ho! You really think that you could play the role of Sumire to the satisfaction of the director? Look what you've got yourself into! You? From the Love Me group? How conceited!" In front of her staring at her balefully was a perfect miniature of Japan's most adored actor and model the one and only Tsuruga Ren! The arm and finger of the replica, maneuvered by Kyoko, was wagging at her in a scolding gesture.

Ren recalled hearing that voice in the recent past and recognized it as Kyoko's exaggerated version of his own. Taken aback and his face red with embarrassment and anger he slipped into the room and quietly approached Kyoko's hunched form. So deep was she in her fantasy dialogue, she was entirely unaware of Ren's presence until he was inches from her ear. "Mogame-san!" He whispered menacingly.

Kyoko glanced over her shoulder as sudden goose-bumps ran a line up her neck. "GyAAA!" She jumped up in surprise as Ren's super smiling face was suddenly just inches from hers. A flash of déjà vu passed through her as his breath in her ear sent bolts of electricity directly to her scalp. She was sure her hair was standing on end!

She sweat dropped. "Damn him!" She thought. "Why is he always in the right place at the wrong time?"

Ren looking effortlessly handsome, as always, loomed above Kyoko in the middle of the Love Me locker room impeccably dressed with his trench coat slung over his shoulder. He had, very inconveniently interrupted her very dramatic Ren impersonation, via the stern looking replica. Momentarily disconcerted, he had quickly recovered himself and lazily leaned against a locker. He arched one eyebrow sardonically and oozing with sarcasm voiced his resentment. "Really, Mogami-san, I guess I was right about you fantasizing about me when you made that doll of me!"

"H….how long have you been there Tsuruga-san?" Kyoko, rigid with shock, turned around to face him. She had been so engrossed in her imaginary conversation with Ren her normally excellent Ren Radar failed to kick in to save her from being caught mid-sentence.

"Long enough to bear witness to the most ridiculous display of ventriloquism I've ever encountered!"

Kyoko had been muttering a simulated conversation, between herself and Ren, about the upcoming romance drama that President Lory had forced on her. Not wanting to seek advice from her adored senpai, Kyoko had been very creatively voice acting both her and Ren's character with the mute voodoo doll likeness of Ren.

Kyoko's face rapidly changed colours like a chameleon; white at the shock of suddenly having Ren inches away from her, then quickly to varying shades of pink blush from her romantic crush on him and finally the deep tomato red of shame and embarrassment at being caught red handed talking to the mini-me of Ren while doing a deadly accurate mimic of him scolding. She was wishing the floor would swallow her alive.

Wide eyed with horror and paralyzed with dread, a stone faced Kyoko was stunned speechless. Ren calmly reached over and removed his uncanny likeness from her limp grasp, gave it a quick derogatory glance with a contemptuous laugh and then looked pointedly into her eyes. "I'm insulted, Kyoko." Ren said levelly. "Do you know why?"

Kyoko, averted her eyes, dropped her head and shook it numbly.

"It's because you always seem to assume the worst in me! Why didn't you ask ME for advice instead of that weird doll you have made - it's so creepy!" Ren's eyes were steely as he glared at her. "You realize, don't you, that it's only yourself who is replying back, only YOURSELF who is criticizing your own choices? How dare you put words I would NEVER say to you into my mouth! It would be funny if you were just joking, but you're serious aren't you?"

Kyoko cringed and glanced back at Ren and after a puzzled moment. "Wow! He's really mad. Why?" She suddenly realized she was seeing hurt in his expression as well, which might explain the sharp anger in his tone. It reminded her of the time when they were on location and he found out he was the last to know that Sho had saved her from Reino. "Why is he hurt?" Kyoko was stumped. "Ren always bullies and teases me doesn't he? Why is he so mad? He's heard me imitate him before and he was just amused by it."

"Gomenasai! Tsuruga-San, I was confused and I had to envision you scolding me because I didn't know what to do and I never should have accepted the role! "Gomen!" An apologetic Kyoko bowed repeatedly and, to stop her, Ren flicked her forehead on her way up from the fourth one.

Another déjà vu flitted through Kyoko's mind. "Why is this so familiar?"

"Enough!" Ren snapped impatiently. "Why should you not have taken the role?"

"Because I've never even dated! I have no clue how to go on! But it was such a juicy role it's about a rich girl and a young master whose families are feuding!" She started to go off in la-la land all hearts in her eyes. "It's just like Romeo and Juliet!" Catching herself drifting off, she checked herself back into reality. "Only I didn't look at the whole script and they have to kiss – aargh! It's a close up and, and I've never had to kiss someone back before! I know you wouldn't think me capable of being a convincing heroine who's in love. What am I going to do? I can't back out now!"

"Kyoko, have you been made aware of the male lead in this drama?"

"No! When I accepted the role they hadn't secured the actor yet."

Ren's eyes gleamed with mischief. "What would you say if it was me?"

Kyoko paled. "Oh no! I'm sorry, Tsuruga-San, I can't back out now, I signed the contract. You must be so embarrassed to have a lowly Kohai like me be your co-star!"

"Why would you think like that?" Ren had hoped that she would show signs of thinking about kissing him in the drama, but apparently all she was worried about was achieving acting skills to match his, which was ludicrous as he knew she had the ability to surpass him! He was also crushed by the fact that she thought he would criticize her for accepting the role. His temper along with his patience was wearing thin and his alter ego was beginning to surface. Feeling his ire rising, Kuon couldn't (or wouldn't) stop himself. Every time he thought he saw a glimmer of hope, an opening or an opportunity for her to make a connection, she was never even fazed. Frustrated and tired of hinting, Kuon wanted her to react to him as a man and he didn't care how.

The Emperor's eyes were piercing as he took a couple of steps closer into Kyoko's personal space. Ren looked down at her and smirked a little cruelly. "Well, since you've signed the contract, I guess I'll have to accept even a newbie like you. I'll be happy to bring you up to my acting level – how about we start right now?"