Heels 18

Kyoko woke up in the guestroom she had used a few times before. After a moment's confusion she remembered the night before and a complicated smile colored her lips. She had reached her goal by the end of the night, but her heart had taken some serious abuse.

The heavenly smile hadn't left his lips since their last hug. Ren's face had been relaxed and carefree and it had tormented her heart like an endless cluster bomb. The grudges had been forced into their UV-protective suits but still shriveled up slowly as the night dragged on.

'I didn't realize how much his smile could evolve. It has turned into something beyond heavenly.' Kyoko shrugged her body to push some blood around the system and hopefully drain some from her face. She decided there was no point in waiting for the alarm to sound and got up.

She found her way into the kitchen and pulled together a few light dishes. She put on some coffee and then found that it was only minutes before Ren's alarm would sound.

She poured a cup and decided to wake him up in a gentler way.

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Ren floated on the surface of sleep and knew that it soon would end. His happy heart protested against leaving the land of dreams but his mind slowly eager him on when the smell of coffee filled his nose.

"Good morning, Ren." A gentle voice called for him and his heart made a happy double take in his chest. A cool hand lifted his fringe and moved it to the side. He couldn't fight the smile on his lips for even a second.

"Good morning, Kyoko." He turned towards her voice and opened his eyes. The protest of his lenses made him blink a few times before he could focus.

"Breakfast is ready." Kyoko sat on the edge of the bed with a cup in one hand and the other still arranging his hair.

"Mmm." Ren smiled even if food was the last thing on his mind at the moment.

"Did you sleep well?" She asked and finished pulling the last strands out of his eyes. He almost whined in protest when she retracted her hand.

"Yes, but I liked the way I woke up even more." Ren felt his heart make some ridiculous happy twitches when his words put a blush on her cheeks. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes." She nodded and glanced at the phone on his nightstand in a try to hide her embarrassed expression. "I don't remember much of the movie. I feel safe when you are close, so I suddenly fell asleep. Thank you for carrying me to bed."

'I'm such an easy man.' Ren thought as her words filled his body with endorphins.

"Thank you for staying with me." Ren smiled a bit wickedly as her blush flushed again and he slowly sat up while he scooted back against the headrest. "Is that for me?" He asked and gestured towards the cup in her hand. She nodded and handed it to him carefully.

"It's warm." She warned and Ren nodded. He pulled a deep breath of the steam and felt his body react even before the caffeine passed his lips.

Both jumped when the alarm suddenly sounded but Kyoko quickly killed it and they chuckled a bit instead.

"How about you take a shower while I wake up completely and then we will eat together?" Ren asked and Kyoko nodded without a word. She disappeared for a moment and then slipped into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

Ren stayed in bed, waiting for the coffee to cool enough for him to drink.

'I could really get used to hearing her voice waking me up every morning.' Ren smiled. He had some time to spare so he spent it going through the memories from the night before. He now knew that she had someone she loved; someone he knew. They had met at LME and it was a one-sided love. She had no intention to confess as the person already had someone dear to them.

She also told him it was only a matter of time before she would fall for him, Ren. Ren couldn't help but grin widely at that. She thought he would be amazing and good enough for her. And it seemed like she had made her heart ready to fall for him during their drama with Kurosaki.

A ridiculous amount of happiness flooded his heart. There was for once, solid hope lighting up his love-starved heart.

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Ren couldn't help the wide grin on his face when he looked into the bathroom mirror and saw her standing next to him. They had already eaten, and he had managed a quick shower while Kyoko put away everything in the kitchen. She had then joined him in the bathroom as they brushed their teeth and the cozy feeling made them linger for longer than necessary.

They only moved when Yashiro texted that he would be there in a few minutes. Ren dressed quickly and joined her out the front door. The elevator ride was silent as they both tried to harden their hearts to be able to ignore the smirk they knew would be on their managers' face.

They quickly jumped into the car when it pulled up and both ended up in the backseat. Yashiro didn't comment but snuck amused glances at them through the rear-view mirror after his greeting.

Kyoko was let off at LME and she turned towards the men with a smile.

"Thank you. I hope you have a nice day." Yashiro smiled back but Ren couldn't help but tease her enough to make her think of him a bit more. He leaned over and met her eyes directly with the more-than-heavenly smile.

"After our amazing morning I feel full of vigor. I'm convinced that it will be a beautiful day as your presence already has brighten it tremendously." He smiled and was greeted with a bright blush and a stammering 'Ren!' before the young talent quickly bowed and then ran to her next appointment.

Ren's good mood couldn't even be disturbed by Yashiro's snickering from the front seat.

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Kyoko skid to a stop outside the dress room for the Love me section and pouted when she found it empty. It was a slight chance of running into the other two members nowadays as they both had several projects outside the cursed department. She however had held her hopes up.

Kyoko quickly changed into the overall and grabbed her bag before running to the President's office. She had received a notice early in the morning that she should report to him as soon as possible about another love me mission.

Prim and proper as always, Kyoko bowed when the doors opened and Sebastian/Rudi gestured for her to step inside. She was led into the office and saw that Lory wasn't alone. Another man stood beside her and as he didn't seem to mind the Presidents samurai attire, they seemed to be familiar with each other.

"Mogami-kun!" The president greeted far too joyful for Kyoko's taste. If the man was that happy, it would mean a world of trouble for her. She however didn't fear the assignment as she had done the first times this had happened. Both Father and Cain Heel had turned out to be very pleasant to work with.

Kyoko's cheeks burned with the last thought, but she repressed it and hurried forward.

"Verdani-san, this is the one I spoke to you about." Lory said and Kyoko quickly snuck a peek at the man that stood beside the president and she had to hold back the surprise from coloring her face as she bowed again.

"Pleasure to meet you, Verdani-san. This junior is named Kyoko." Kyoko said as her chock brought back her super proper manners. A pleasant laugh sounded from the man and Kyoko dared to lift her head.

"The same, Kyoko." He said in English and Kyoko took a moment to inspect the man closer. His hair was silver-grey but he didn't look a day over thirty five. His face was chiseled with sharp angles and his eyebrows was shaped like elegant swords. His skin was fair and his eyes were ice blue. It was such a contrast against the top-knotted samurai beside him that it almost hurt her eyes.

"Mogami-kun. Verdani is a respected designer. He is organizing a show in Tokyo and has asked me to provide an assistant. I noticed you had a free day tomorrow and have offered your service." The president said and Kyoko couldn't help the smile on her face. Beautiful people dressed in beautiful clothes. How could she say no to spend a day surrounded by princesses?

"I will help to the best of my ability." Kyoko assured the man in English and positive surprise colored his face.

"Your English is very proper and you speak it well. I believe you won't have any problems fitting into the crew." Verdani's sharp features soften for a moment as they began to discuss the arrangements for the upcoming day.

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"Good evening, Kyoko." The voice sent trembles into her gut and Kyoko blushed in the cover of her comforter.

"Good evening, Ren." The clock on her nightstand showed a minute past midnight and Kyoko felt slightly tired after her meeting and then shooting for Kimagure Rock until late.

"How was your day?" She could hear the smile in his voice.

"Busy but fun. I got another love me mission." Kyoko said and connected the cord securely to her phone.

"You sound excited. What are you to do this time?" Ren sounded honestly interested and Kyoko told him about the designer and the place Rudi had showed her after the meeting that would be her workplace the next day.

"I will be surrounded by beautiful princesses and princes and assist the talented Verdani."

"Verdani?" Ren's surprised voice caught her off guard and her excitement stilled.

"Do you know him, Ren?"

"Yes, or rather, my mother knows him. I met him many years ago when he visited my mother. " As usual did Kyoko pulse quicken when she learnt more about Ren's past.

"Then, do you have any suggestions for me?" Kyoko asked as something in Ren's voice kept her pulse high.

"Not about Verdani, he is a kind honest man, but I need something else from you." Ren's voice trembled but Kyoko could almost swear is was of excitement.

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Kyoko arrived with half an hour to spare at the studio and after asking around she stood ready by the side of a photoset.

There was already a lot of movement around her and she followed the crew with her eyes to see if anyone would need her help.

Everyone seemed experienced with their tasks and she stood workless as the minutes passed.

"Wow. The stick is lodged so far up your ass that you can't even relax when waiting." A bored voice came from her side and Kyoko turned only to see a young man with his eyes trailing her from feet to head. It took a moment for his words to register to her and she realized she had been standing on attention like the Nakai she been taught to be.

"I'm sorry. It's a bad habit of mine." Kyoko flustered red and pulled Natsu to the front. Her stance changed in a moment and a little bit of Natsu also colored her face. She turned to the man and bowed just enough to show respect. When she lifted her head again she saw his confusion.

'Oh he spoke English, and he looks English. I should shake his hand.'

She reached out her hand towards him but the man stayed still, staring at her like you would a rare animal.

"Kyoko dear." A kind voice called for her and she turned towards the man she recognized.

"Verdani-sama." Kyoko turned and bowed again.

"No no no. In this business we greet those we met before by kissing on the cheeks." Verdani said even more joyful than the day before. He reached out and put his hand on her shoulder before placing two featherlight kisses on her cheeks. Kyoko smiled and let him, but her insides was boiling.

'He wasn't lying! Ren wasn't lying when he kissed my cheek on Valentine's day.' Kyoko didn't want to admit that it made her feel a bit disappointed. 'It wasn't anything special in his eyes.' She shook the feeling off before it rooted too deeply.

"Good. I see you have met Jim Hansen already." Verdani said and gestured toward the young man that stood beside them, still staring at Kyoko like she was a mystery he needed to solve.

"Sir. This is the girl your friend told you about?" Jim asked and turned his gaze away from Kyoko for the first time since he had spoken before.

"Yes, Kyoko will assist us today." Verdani said with a glimmer in his eyes. Kyoko felt like something else was said but as they didn't tell her, she didn't ask.

"What is my task today, Verdani-sama?" Kyoko asked and slipped back into the Nakai stand as she readied herself for work.

"Nothing for the moment, dear. I will require your service later." Verdani smiled kindly and gestured for her to wait by the set. Kyoko stayed put after bowing towards him again. Jim Hansen walked with Verdani and left her by herself.

More and more people flooded the set and Kyoko couldn't help but to get dreamy eyes when the makeup team pulled out their tools and got ready to work. She eyed all the makeup with a happy smile and she was soon noticed.

"Hello, can I help you?" One of the men finally asked her in broken Japanese when she was almost hovering over their table. Kyoko startled out of her dreamland of fairies and magic.

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you!" She flustered in English as she recognized his accent and bowed three times. Their small exchange had pulled the attention of the rest of the beauticians and they moved closer.

"You didn't disturb. I'm bored out of my mind so I wondered if you wanted anything that would distract me for a while." The man admitted in English and let out a loud sigh. Kyoko straighten her back again and exhaled when she knew she hadn't made any trouble for them. She took a moment to make sure his face didn't show any dislike but only found kindness. The man wasn't handsome in any way, but he had a face you couldn't help but trust. His dark brown hair was styled into something fitting an anime character and spoke about his playful side.

"I'm Kyoko from LME, I'm here to assist Verdani-sama today but he didn't have anything for me to do at the moment. Then I saw your beautiful makeup and I unconsciously moved here." Kyoko admitted and bowed again.

"For a girl that likes makeup, you have very little put on yourself." A red-haired woman said kindly towards her and Kyoko blushed a bit.

"I'm not good at putting it on." Kyoko shook her head and the woman smiled towards her.

"At least you know your limits and admits them. In this business it's refreshing to hear." The man said and gave her a run over from top to toe. It was twice in an hour and Kyoko folded her hands in front of her to stop herself from fidgeting.

"I have no idea who put you in that horrible color but if you are to follow Verdani today I can at least make your makeup in case paparazzi capture you on film. LME is an entertainment company, right? If you want to make it into the business, you have to make an impression." The guy said and pulled another set of brushes out of his bag.

"That coverall will make you stand out. I can make it work your advantage." He said and turned the chair until it faced her.

"You will put makeup on me?" Kyoko brimmed with happiness and the beauticians smiled at her excitement.

"Yes, sit down and let me work my magic." The man said firmly and Kyoko dared not question his motive. She quickly checked if anyone seemed to be on their way to call for her and then sat down.

"Mike, you want some coffee?" The redhaired woman asked and the man apparently named Mike shooed her away with a no.

Mike turned the chair to face the mirror and then pulled out a cape to protect her clothes.

"Kyoko was it?"

"Yes." She could barely contain her happiness when she once again was seated in a makeup chair.

"'tis your first time in a makeup chair?"

"No, I have had the privilege a few times before."

"Oh, and you haven't picked up any tips?" Mike said what was on his mind without filter. It threw her around for a bit but she couldn't help but like it. It reminded her of Setsuka.

"I tried. But the characters I have played has been very strong and I couldn't look like them in my everyday life. I've learned how to do one of them by myself, but I can't use anything of hers."

'You can look like me just fine.' Setsu snorted a bit cranky from her mind.

"So, you have been casted before then?" He asked and Kyoko smiled.

"Yes."

"Well then. Let's start." He said and pulled a hairband over her head. As soon as her hair was out of the way Mike stilled again.

"You have nice features." He said suddenly but didn't wait for her answer before he began.

Mike was a teacher out to his fingertips. He explained everything he did and his thought process as they moved along. The beauticians returned with cups of coffee and they soon surrounded the two of them. Kyoko had had the privilege of having Jelly put makeup on her before so she could recognize an expert at work. Every flick of his fingers left beautiful lines on her skin.

Kyoko enjoyed every moment of it and tried to remember the words he said and the steps he took.

It wasn't more than 20 minutes later that she looked in the mirror and was met with another person.

The people around them had been quiet until then but when Mike put down the last brush, Kyoko could hear them talking. Their comments made her blush with embarrassment as it was only compliments about her look.

"Nice work Mike. I don't even recognize her." The woman who had spoken before said and gave Kyoko a warm smile. "You were cute before but now you are stunning."

"I had so many ideas. I didn't plan for this, but it happened. You have excellent features to work with." Mike said with a bit of wonder in his voice.

"What do you mean Mike?" One of the beauticians asked and Mike turned the chair around towards them. Kyoko didn't follow their conversation fully but she grew redder and redder when she was faced with the people that had called her beautiful only moments before.

"Look. If I was asked to make her 5 years younger or ten years older, kind, mean or even Caucasian... I could make it happen easily without prosthetics. It's rare to find such a clean canvas."

Mike turned to her again and smiled. "You are what we beauticians call a fairy."

"Thank you." Kyoko stammered as she didn't know what else to say. Mike seemed to pick up her mood and turned around to the others. "Now shoo. Do your own things." Mike gestured and he got a few eyerolls but the area cleared in a few moments.

"I will fix your hairstyle slightly, then you are done." Mike said calmingly towards her and Kyoko smiled again. The day had turned even better than she had hoped for and it had barely been a couple of hours.

She thanked Mike and walked back to the spot she had occupied before. Models were dropping in one after another and Kyoko soon floated off to La-la-land. She was just admiring a pair of beautiful girls with long golden hair when a voice sounded beside her again.

"So, you knew English?" The male voice asked a bit annoyed and Kyoko turned towards the model Jim Hansen. She didn't notice what her change did to him other than that he was staring again. "Who are you?" He exhaled in chock and Kyoko tilted her head for a moment before it hit her.

'We didn't greet before!' She extended her hand again towards him.

"I'm Kyoko from LME. Nice to meet you and please take care of me." She said and he took the hand on pure reflex.

"Kyoko..." Jim shook his head and a wrinkle appeared between his brow. "Verdani needs you." He gestured behind him and Kyoko bowed quickly.

"Thank you. I will hurry then." Kyoko put her bag on her shoulder and hurried the way Jim had pointed.

She left the model behind, looking at her back with growing interest.

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Kyoko saw Verdani's silver hair from far and moved towards it.

"Verdani-sama." She greeted and the designer turned towards her and stilled.

"Kyoko dear," he gasped. "you look absolutely gorgeous. What happened?" The designer looked completely smitten with her looks and Kyoko blushed.

"The make-up artist Mike bestowed me this magic." Her eyes got halfway into la-la land before she managed to pull back.

"I wouldn't recognize you if not for your clothes." Verdani smiled and took a step back. Kyoko stayed still and tilted her head to the side when he pulled out his phone and took a picture.

She wasn't used to the attention she was getting but blamed it all on the magic of makeup. She promptly ignored the groan from the characters in her head.

Verdani was all smiles when he gestured for her to follow him to a rack with clothes.

"These are my designs. What do you think?" Verdani asked and Kyoko's mouth fell open. The clothes were flowy and elegant. Like liquid silver and greens. Kyoko was mercilessly thrown inside la-la land and saw forest fairies dance around a meadow dressed in those clothes.

"A fairy queen would wear this with pride." Kyoko said and her eyes sparkled like a million stars.

A chuckle brought her back to reality and the blush exploded on her face.

"I'm sorry for saying something weird."

"I'm not upset. I like your compliment." Verdani continued to chuckle.

"Could you be a dear and take this rack over to the models?" Verdani asked and gestured toward another corner of the studio.

"Of course." Kyoko pulled a pair of freshly cleaned gloves out of her bag and put them on. Verdani nodded with approval. "Return to the set once you are done."

She finished the task quickly and returned to the set where Verdani was talking with a man that seemed to be the photographer.

She waited out of hearing and observed everything that happened around them. It had transformed into a warzone during her time at the makeup and her quick little task.

Tens of people were in movement and she couldn't tell what half of them were doing but it seemed important.

"Kyoko-chan." Verdani called for her with another task.

She managed to complete her tasks without any trouble and about an hour later, she saw the models in fairy dresses pose in front of the camera. Verdani looked especially amused every time he caught her staring at the set with dreamy eyes.

They shifted models many times for an hour and Kyoko, that was between tasks, stood beside Verdani as he commanded the assistants to make the models clothes flow perfectly for the photos.

"Julie, my Queen." Verdani suddenly called out as another model stepped on set. "You know what to do, dear."

Kyoko almost received whiplash when she was abruptly called out of La-la-land by the model's name and then thrown hard back into it when she laid eyes on the woman that had earned the nickname Queen. She was a stranger to her but alas so familiar.

"Verdi, you have outdone yourself once again." Julie said as she made a slow twirl in the dress. The camera already sounded and Kyoko's mouth fell open. She had never seen a woman so Queenlike in her life. The gentleness of her movements and the confidence in her back spoke more than any words.

Her long blond hair was perfection and Kyoko felt the blush rise on her cheeks as she recognized the exact shade.

"Kuon." She silently gasped and her heart hummed in her chest until it felt like it would burst out of it.

Kyoko didn't notice the amused glance Verdani gave her.

Julie smiled towards the camera and Kyoko shivered. She was spellbound. She couldn't help but to picture this woman beside Kuu and Kuon. Her mind couldn't handle it and the spirits wailed in pain when the mental image exploded with heavenly sunlight.

Kyoko could only stare when the woman worked. It looked like a slow dance as she moved from pose to pose. Everything else blurred out.

It was over too soon and Kyoko jumped a feet when Verdani suddenly clapped his hands together.

"Amazing, my Queen. I believe you are done for now." He said and Kyoko snapped his way.

'No, I-I want to see her more. I-I want to meet her.' Kyoko almost managed to say the words out loud.

"There is someone here I like you to meet." Verdani smiled towards her and Kyoko felt her heart jump. 'Did I say it out loud?'

Julie didn't hesitate but moved towards them. The lights blinded her for a moment before she stepped up beside Verdani with a curious look Kyoko's way.

"Kyoko dear, this is my good old friend from the states. Julie Hizuri, this is Kyoko." Verdani made the greetings and Kyoko's eyes once again glimmered with stars.

'It's really her. I have to..'

"Nice to meet you Kyoko-chan." Julie smiled and began to extend her hand.

"Hizuri-sama!" Kyoko folded her hands together in excitement. "I have a message for you. I don't know what it means but I have promised to deliver it to you." Kyoko's face burned warm as the two stared at her.

"What is the message?" Julie questioned curiously and Kyoko pulled a deep breath to steady herself.

"Привет мама. Это девушка, которую я люблю, пожалуйста, будь добр к ней. До скорой встречи, любовь Kuon." Kyoko recited from memory with her eyes closed. She had no idea what it meant but when she lifted her gaze again, she saw Julie with an open mouth and tears in her eyes.

"Wonderful pronunciation." Verdani whispered in stunned amazement.

"I practiced a hundred times." Kyoko said with a smile.

"Kyoko. Kyoko." Julie began to speak like if she realized something. "You are my daughter, right!?" Julie said with excitement and took a few steps forward. Kyoko's blush burned her whole face.

"Is father well?" Kyoko asked shyly and Julie laughed out loud while she embraced Kyoko with surprising strength.

"That man is never ill." She laughed as she crushed Kyoko to her frame. Kyoko didn't know what to do as she never really been in a similar situation before. She let out an embarrassed chuckled and hugged her back.

"Verdani! Why didn't you bring her earlier?" Julie grinned a oh so familiar smile towards her friend as she kissed the top of Kyoko's head. Seeing Ren's smile, while being hugged like something precious made Kyoko feel like it all was surreal.

Verdani chuckled.

"Kyoko complimented my dresses." The middle-aged man pouted and Kyoko's feeling of being in an alternative universe reached new heights. A universe where she was hugged by a queen and men like Verdani could make silly faces. "I wanted to keep her to myself for a bit longer." Verdani smiled towards the blushing teen as Julie snorted.

"Never mind. Later is better than never." Julie released Kyoko from her grip but immediately hooked their arms together. Kyoko felt herself swoon a bit when the tall beautiful lady acted so familiar with her.

"Do you have any clothes for my daughter? I love the boss, but he has never been one to decide what to wear." Julie squinted a fraction when she eyed Kyoko's coverall closer.

"Yes. The silver one with green buttons." Verdani smiled and gestured towards the clothing rack that Kyoko had moved earlier. It took a moment before she realized what he had said, and fear suddenly gripped her heart.

"No! It's too beautiful!" Kyoko protested with all her being.

'I will break it. Or Verdani will be so disillusioned that he never would be able to make dresses again.' Kyoko thought while Setsu groaned loudly in her head.

"Nonsense." Verdani chuckled. "I made it for you." He slapped a hand over his own mouth when the words slipped out. Kyoko felt her mouth fall open.

"Y-you made it for me?" She couldn't understand what was happening. 'Why would a world-famous designer make her a dress?'

"Kyoko. Let's change. You will understand later." Julie smiled and Kyoko couldn't help but relax when she saw the familiar green eyes and smile beam her way. She felt the blush climb on her cheeks and she felt the insecurities break havoc inside her mind but she couldn't say no.

Julie lead her to the models' area and helped her put on the dress without touching the makeup on her face.

The silky fabric hugged her every curve and Kyoko couldn't help but marvel when Julie fastened the buttons on her back and not a single wrinkle remained on the fabric. It fitted her better than her own skin. It was form-fitted on the top and transformed into a beautiful flowy dress at the bottom. Additional fabric had been fastened with beautiful light green jewels and the fabric flowed off her hips down to just beneath her knees into an uneven hem. The neckline revealed her collarbones all the way to her shoulders. The arms were equally fitted as the bodice and reached her wrists. Julie fastened the last button in her neck and ushered Kyoko outside towards a full body mirror. The girl made a sharp inhale when she saw the girl reflected on the glass.

She was beautiful. There was no other word for it. Kyoko's pixie cut complimented the dress and made her neck look slim and beautiful. The only piece wrong with the picture was the color of her shoes. She had small flats, but they were dark. But even that little flaw was not enough to bring down the stunning picture. Kyoko lifted her hand to feel the fabric over her stomach and the girl in front of her mirrored her movements.

"Is that me?" She couldn't help but gasp when she found no other explanation to the impossible picture in front of her.

"I knew it would fit you well." Verdani's voice sounded to her right and Kyoko couldn't help but turn towards him.

"It's so beautiful."

"No, you make it beautiful. It's just fabric. The person inside it makes it what it is." Verdani said and Kyoko felt the burn of tears in her eyes.

Julie walked up behind her and a gentle smile sat on her lips. She quietly gestured to one of the staff and whispered something to her and the girl hurried off.

She returned only moments later and Julie received a pair of low silver heels from her. She moved in front of Kyoko and bent down to carefully switch the shoes.

Kyoko reached down to stop her but Julie just gave her a stern glance, not to far off the "Demon Lord", and Kyoko froze in her tracks. Tears pooled in her eyes when she felt overwhelmed with their care of her.

Julie got back up on her feet when she was finished and walked to stand behind her again.

"Could you tell me the message again?" Julie said and Kyoko tried to hinder the tears from falling.

She recited the message once more and Julie smiled while her eyes glimmered with happy tears.

"You are so beautiful." She said and walked closer so that she could whisper into her ear.

"Kuon would faint if he saw you now." She smiled while Kyoko blushed brightly.

"Oh my god!" A voice called out to their side and the three of them turned their heads.

"Kyoko!" Mike stood a few meters to her left and Kyoko noticed that a lot of people had gathered around them without her noticing. "Girl! Your body is smoking!" The beautician smiled widely and gave her two thumbs up. Kyoko felt her jaw drop slightly before Julie put a finger on it and lifted it up again. A frown had began to form on her brow.

"Don't look so surprised." Julie said a bit bummed and Kyoko's blush only burned brighter. A sigh escaped the woman called queen.

"Okay listen. I've been told you do assignments to get points?" Julie said with some fire to her words.

"Y-yes." Kyoko nodded.

"Then I will give you one right now. You are to stand in front of this mirror for an hour. I will then ask you what you think about how you look. I will score you on your response." Julie said with fervor and moved Kyoko a few steps closer to the mirror until she filled the whole frame.

"What?" Kyoko shivered in embarrassment but didn't dare move.

"You begin now! Mike!" Julie turned and pointed at the beautician that made a little jump of surprise.

"Yes Mrs. Hizuri?" He tensed when she suddenly pulled him closer to Kyoko.

"Explain what you said to her." Julie smiled and whispered something in his ear. Kyoko felt the blush burn bright again and felt herself fidget on her place. Mike however only saluted Julie with a smile and turned towards Kyoko.

"Look in the mirror." He said and Kyoko opened and closed her mouth twice while she searched for some way to refuse the task politely. She ended up with nothing and turned slowly towards the bright red girl in the mirror.

"Start from the bottom. See how long your legs are and how proportional they are to your hips." He instructed and Kyoko felt a bit of Deja vu from when she had done the same in the changing room in Guam.

She listened to him either way as she figured the embarrassment would be over quicker that way. She focused her eyes closely on the girl in front of her. She did the math in her head and quickly glanced to her side to confirm what she was seeing.

'I'm not far off Julie's proportions.' She realized and her frown lessened.

"Now compare your hip, waist and shoulder ratio." Mike instructed and Kyoko once again took in the dress and how well it fitted her body. She cropped out her own face for the moment and Natsu began to stir in her mind.

'That's the body of a fashionable woman. I would not be surprised to see her in a magazine.' The girl provided and Kyoko felt something change in her. It was a subtle shift but something happened to her expression and Julie waved at Mike that he could stop.

Kyoko stood still for the whole hour. Moving her eyes from the bottom up so many times that the mental picture of herself gradually changed. The nakai with dull eyes got replaced with a fairy. She spent the last twenty minutes to imprint her face onto her mental image. The dull eyes brightened and the slack mouth soon replaced with a smile.

Her stance slowly changed meanwhile. From a girl brought up in a ryokan to something closer to Julie. Not fully there but everyone that knew her would notice the difference.

Julie checked in on her every other minute and the smile on her face grew for every time.

Verdani had moved back to instruct at the set but he couldn't help but glance Kyoko's way between shots. He also had a mission today and it seemed that it would unfold without a hitch.

Julie stayed by Kyoko's side for the last ten minutes and then only walked up to the girl and began adjusting her pose. Kyoko smiled and the blush stayed absent. Julie explained the purpose of every angle and Kyoko absorbed the information like a sponge.

"Now you are ready." Julie said and Kyoko turned towards the green eyes. Julie's smile grew even wider when she noticed how Kyoko's movements had changed.

"Ready for what, Julie-sama?"

"Our shoot." She smiled and pulled the stunned girl with her.

"Our shoot?" Kyoko stumbled after her for a few steps but soon mirrored the queen's stride. Her steps were a bit longer than Kyoko's but she could speed them up slightly and when she took three steps for every two Julie took, they keep an even pace. The queen smiled as she noticed Kyoko's actions.

"You sure are a delight to teach." She grinned Kyoko's way and the girl chuckled. To walk like Julie was an easy thing as it wasn't her first time.

"I have learned your walk before. Ren taught me the walk of the most beautiful woman on earth." Kyoko smiled when Natsu hummed pleased in her mind.

"Oh my, he called me that? It was many years ago." Julie grew a faint heat on her cheeks and Kyoko giggled. They reached the set when Jim Hansen walked off and the poor model stumbled slightly when he caught eye of the stunning pair. Kyoko bent her head slightly in a greeting and then followed Julie in front of the camera.

Verdani greeted them with a smile.

"My queen, Kyoko-dear. Let's begin." He quickly ordered the photographer to begin and Julie took charge. She guided Kyoko around the set and there were few delays. Her shooting the Demon ad helped her and Julie's instructions were clear. They took some separate pictures but mostly they posed together.

They shot seriously for a while but Julie then began to grin and her instructions turned more bizarre. Kyoko soon realized what she aimed for and began to laugh with her. Their poses turned sillier and Verdani was chuckling as he watched. They finished with a grin and Julie embraced Kyoko once more.

"This will be an epic birthday gift for both my son and husband." Julie chuckled and threw a pointed look at Verdani.

"Of course, my queen. I will send them to your home." He grinned and turned to Kyoko.

"Would you like one too?"

"Could I really?"

"Of course." Verdani said and scratched his neck. "Actually, it was the goal for today. I owed Takarada a favor and he asked me if I could help you produce some pictures for a portfolio. He sent me some of your data and I got inspired. I made that dress for you after watching the interview at the dark moon party and Box R." Verdani confessed and Kyoko stared at him with wide eyes.

"What!?" A sudden voice cut into their conversation. Kyoko turned around to see Jim and Mike together with some other beauticians gape her way. She glanced around to see if anyone else was behind her but found their gazes locked on her.

"The only person that played in both Dark moon and Box R is… Oh my god!" Mike gasped and gripped the nearest beautician as support. Julie and Verdani looked a bit surprised at the sudden interruption but didn't interfere. Kyoko couldn't be more surprised as they all seemed to suddenly know her.

"Kyoko! You said you only played strong roles! You meant Mio and Natsu right?!" Mike suddenly moved towards her while pulling the unfortunate living support with him.

"Yes." Kyoko didn't know what else to say. She hadn't told him what roles she played before as she figured foreigners wouldn't know the dramas.

"I can't believe I put makeup on the True Fairy!" Mike suddenly brimmed with happiness and Kyoko saw several mouths of the make-up team fall open.

"Mike. What are you talking about?" Verdani couldn't help but ask as Kyoko seemed too surprised to talk. Mike let go of the person beside him and turned to Verdani with a wide smile Kyoko's way.

"A few months ago there was an online post on a make-up forum." Mike smiled. "It was a thread about special people that was a joy to paint. Someone posted a picture of Kyoko from LME's website and then a picture of Mio and then Natsu. The thread went viral when people realized it wasn't CG. More pictures were added, from the dark moon party and from a PV of some artist." Mike said and Kyoko felt her heart make several loops inside her chest. Not only did these people know about her. It seemed that a lot of people knew. "They began to call Kyoko the True Fairy."

"I can't believe it! I have seen your pictures, but I didn't recognize you!" Mike wailed but soon glowed with a smile again. "During the flight here, we watched a few episodes of the dramas and the PV. Jim also watched with us but even he didn't recognize you." Mike said with admiring glance her way. Julie moved up behind Kyoko and gripped her shoulders in a reassuring gesture as the girl looked like she would either go up in flames or faint.

"Hear that Kyoko. You are famous for your looks." Julie said with a triumphant smile on her face. Kyoko stammered but couldn't make a fluent sentence form. In the end she only bowed with a bright blush.

"No need to bow Kyoko!" Mike said and patted her once on the arm when she straightened. "However, may I get your autograph? No one will believe me otherwise."

Kyoko's fingers shook when she wrote her name on the backside of Mike's business-card. Mary-Ann finally stepped out and helped her by also writing a thank you note for the beautiful make-up. Mike almost swooned when he saw her words and she agreed on a picture with him to give him proof.

The other beauticians lined up after Mike and she signed something for every one of them. Even Jim took a place in the line and Kyoko singed his cellphone-case.

Julie watched over them the whole time and no one dared to make a move on her daughter and they soon finished.

.

"Are you okay?" Julie asked when the girl sat down in front of her with a blank expression on her face.

"I-I. Yes, I'm just surprised." Kyoko began to blush again and focused her gaze forward again.

"I can understand. But all publicity is good publicity and for now it seems that it is mostly beauticians." Julie said and Kyoko nodded.

She was used to move around without worrying about being recognized. She didn't know how to behave when people suddenly began to shout her name.

"It's good that it happened in a closed set." Verdani said as he joined them and held out a bottle of water towards Kyoko. She accepted it and nodded her head as a thank.

"But you have to steel your heart Kyoko. It will happen even more in the future."

"I know. I just didn't expect it to be this soon." Kyoko smiled and Julie fought a shiver when the insecure girl slowly melted away and her body shifted to show a bit of confidence. The reformed Kyoko stepped forward again and Julie and Verdani quickly glanced at each other to confirm that the other noticed it too. Verdani saw Kyoko pull a sip of the bottle and then secure the lid again.

.

.

'Even if they know me, they didn't recognize me until Verdani told them.' Kyoko thought and smiled when she realized that her days of peace wasn't over yet.

'Still, it's only a matter of time before it happens again. You should prepare for it in your heart.' Mary-Ann pointed out and the other characters nodded their approval.

'I know a Senpai that might give me some pointers.' Kyoko pulled another sip of water, careful to not spill anything on her dress. A slight chuckle pulled her focus and Kyoko turned towards Verdani.

"I have to finish your portfolio earlier than I expected. I want you to have it before it is unnecessary." He said with crooked grin.

Kyoko widen her eyes when she remembered he had said something about it before they got interrupted.

"I thought my task was to assist you." Kyoko said when she suddenly recalled his earlier confession. Julie leaned forward and grasped her hand gently.

"Boss believed you would be nervous if you knew what would happen." Julie said and Kyoko couldn't argue with his thinking. If she had known that she would dress into a custom dress made by a world leading designer, only to pose with the world's most beautiful woman, that also was the mother to the man she loved…

Kyoko laughed when she felt Natsu and Setsu groan inside her head.

"Thank you for taking care of me." Kyoko smiled from the bottom of her heart.

"You made my task easy. You even got makeup on before I told you anything." Verdani smiled and Kyoko felt her eyes moisten again. Her life was filled with so many happy things.

"Do you have anything else today, Kyoko?" Julie asked and the girl shook her head. It was one of her last completely task free days. Her schedule would soon turn crazy and she had only planned to finish a few assignments from school. However, if Julie considered spending more time with her, it triumphed everything else.

"Wonderful! Join me then!" Julie pulled her up from her seat and linked their arms again.

.

.

They changed and Kyoko almost cried when Verdani handed her the dress with a shy smile.

Julie pulled on a pair of sunglasses and a sunhat that matched her light beige pencil skirt and white blouse. Kyoko pulled on her pink coverall again but Julie soon got tired of it and bought her a sundress and a hat so they could match.

They had a kind driver that seemed used to Julie's whims and he drove them across town. She demanded to eat at a place Kyoko wanted and they ended up at the Darumaya. Kyoko introduced Julie as a coworker, and they ate themselves full.

Julie was easy to speak with. They touched most topics except Kuon as there always were around other people.

After eating and hanging the dress, they went back out again and Julie brought them to a spa. They paid for their stay and went to change.

"I always wanted to visit a spa with my daughter." Julie confessed while she cleaned off her makeup and tied her hair in a high bun.

Kyoko felt her heart tremble a bit but tried to not make it show.

Julie glanced at her through the mirror and Kyoko knew she had been unsuccessful.

"I heard from Kuu that you most likely didn't have the best relationship with your mother." She said and Kyoko could only smile a bit crooked at that.

"We have spoken. And I know that she cared for me in her own way. She sent me to another family because she realized she couldn't give me the love I needed. And I was mostly happy with the other family." Kyoko said and felt that her heart thumped steadily. She was a bit surprised when she realized that it didn't hurt anymore.

Julie turned around and patted her head.

"You did well." She smiled and Kyoko lifted her gaze. "I know you call my husband Father, but I don't expect you to call me Mother or Mom before you are ready. I just hope I may still call you my daughter." Julie said and let her hand caressed Kyoko's cheek. Tears filled Kyoko's eyes and she slipped a confused chuckled.

"What's wrong?" Julie asked carefully as she continued to stroke Kyoko's cheek with her thumb.

"You and your husband have already given me so much. And HE has given me even more." Kyoko said and dried the first tears rolling down her cheeks. "I don't know what I have done to deserve this."

"You deserve it because you are you." Julie said with a warm smile. "You are the young woman that my son has chosen to open his heart for. I'm very proud of my son and I know how we raised him. He would only pick a person that he knew would be approved by the standards that we have raised him by. So, when my son and husband approved of you with all their hearts, I immediately found you in my heart as well."

Kyoko found it hard to accept and soon realized why.

"Julie, didn't my father tell you about my feelings for… HIM?" She asked worriedly and Julie beamed her way.

"He most certainly did."

"Won't it be hard.. If he brings another woman home… knowing my feelings?" Kyoko stumbled over the words as every one of them slammed a nail into her soul.

Julie smiled a bit and a light began to shine in her eyes.

"Even if he would bring another woman than you home, it still doesn't change that you are very dear to him and the first person he opened up for. No matter what happens, you will always have my heart." Julie pulled her into a warm hug and Kyoko felt the smile on her lips.

"I have a Mother already. But I don't have a Mom. If you let me…" Kyoko felt too greedy but there was no wall between them. Julie had opened up completely to Kyoko and she couldn't help but do the same.

"Oh, I would love that!" Julie smiled and hugged her closer. "I have so many things I want to do together with you! Well, let's begin with this, shall we?" Julie chuckled and after drying the remaining tears off Kyoko's face, they moved on to the baths.

.

.

.

Kyoko crumbled on her comforter just minutes before midnight. Her mind was drained and her body both relaxed and high wired. The spa had turned into facial treatments and then a massage side by side. Then shopping again and then dinner at a fancy restaurant. Julie asked her about every little detail of her life and soon knew more than even Moko. Julie had dropped her off at the Darumaya only minutes earlier with a promise to meet in a few days.

Kyoko slowly shifted into her nightgown and pulled the toothbrush through her mouth before crawling under the comforter. She gripped her phone and connected it to the cord. Her fingers hovered over the number pad and she almost choked on her heart when it suddenly began to vibrate.

She couldn't help her smile when she saw the name on the screen.

"Good evening, Kyoko." Ren greeted the moment the call connected.

"Good evening, Ren." She felt her body relax completely and she trapped the phone under her ear.

"How was your day?" Ren shuffled around some on the other end and she waited for him to get settled.

"I delivered your message." Kyoko said with a smile. She heard a sharp inhale on the other end and her smile grew wider.

"Mother… She really..." Ren sounded conflicted.

"She was really happy when I left the message. Father must have spoken about me because she immediately hugged me and asked me if I were her daughter." Kyoko chuckled slightly.

"Did she tell you what the message was?" Ren sounded tense and Kyoko frowned slightly.

"No. I thought that you would have told me if you wanted me to know, so I didn't ask." Kyoko hesitated when she felt confused.

'Why would he tell me to bring a message if he was that concerned that I would find out what it was?'

"Thank you." Ren said with clear relief in his voice. Kyoko didn't know what to say. Her curiosity burned strong and she repeated the message in her head. She could only figure out two words, mom and Kuon. That didn't help her in the slightest.

"I will tell you one day." Ren suddenly said in the other end. Kyoko snapped her focus his way again.

"I will wait for you then." Kyoko smiled and dropped the question for the moment. She could give Ren that at least.

"Thank you." Ren's voice was soft like a caress in her ear. "So, what do you think about my dear mother Julie?" Ren chuckled and Kyoko perked up.

"Mom is wonderful!" She smiled widely and began to tell him about her day with Julie.

.

.

"Mom is wonderful!" Kyoko said with a voice full of admiration.

Ren felt his heart clench hard in his chest.

'They have both accepted her.' Ren thought and felt how his heart swelled with happiness. He knew how stubborn his mom could be and how she easily turned into a beast when she feared that something was out to harm her family. 'But if Kyoko was allowed to call her mom…' Ren knew that she had accepted the girl fully.

The light spread around his mind and erased a lot of insecurities he hadn't realized festered in his soul. He listened with half his focus and spent the remaining picturing his life with both his parents and Kyoko by his side.

Slowly he was lulled to sleep by her voice. He only hoped that his daydream would follow him into the night.

.

.

.

Kyoko woke up slowly half an hour before her alarm would sound. The call was still ongoing and deep breaths sounded on the other end.

A smile grew on her lips as she could picture Ren sleeping just beside her. She hadn't realized how familiar she had grown to the sound of him sleeping until when she had sat beside him for a moment before she woke him up. She was almost sure she would be able to pick his sounds out from a crowd of a hundred without trouble.

She stayed still for a while, just soaking in the feeling of intimacy.

"Kyoko." A mumble broke the evenness of his breaths and Kyoko tensed like if she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. However, he didn't say anything else and the slow breathing continued. A smile began to grow on her face.

'I didn't know he talked in his sleep.' She thought as she put it onto the growing list of things she knew about him. Things that probably very few people in this world knew.

The time moved too fast for her liking, but she decided to wake him up before the alarm sounded.

"Good morning, Ren." She said softly into the phone and the breathing turned shallower. She heard a little whine like if he stretched and smiled. Her voice was soft like a caress.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Mmmm." A sleep drunken voice sounded in her ear. She chuckled and decided to start over.

"Good morning, Ren." A soft happy moan sounded from the other end.

"Morning, beautiful." Ren greeted and Kyoko exploded in red. His voice was deep and husky.

"Reeeeen." Kyoko said with a complicated look on her face. "Are you still dreaming?" She asked with a slightly condemning voice.

"I believe so. I dreamt about you and then your voice woke me up. It's hard to know when one dream ended and the next one began." He answered with far too much humor in his rough voice.

"Ren." She couldn't help but laugh a bit from his teasing. Swallowing the compliment turned out to be easier than she thought.

"It's almost 7 o'clock, are you late?"

"No, I should be fine. What are you doing today?"

"Finding an outfit for breakfast with Mom tomorrow and School. I'm a bit behind on my schoolwork."

"By your standards or the school's?" Ren asked and a bit of shuffling on the other end made her guess that he had gotten out of bed. She followed his example.

"Mine. I didn't plan for another large project, so I want to work ahead a bit to be able to shoot the film without worry."

"I won't stop you then. We will spend a lot of time together for the next month and I wouldn't like to see you work yourself tired." His words made her stop in her tracks. They WOULD spend a LOT of time together soon. Their father's words suddenly sounded in her head.

'Envy the future you that would have spent even more time with the one you love.' He had been right.

"I look forward to it." Kyoko couldn't help but say and she smiled sweetly at the thought.

"Me too." Ren sounded as happy as her and she could almost feel his heavenly smile through the phone. They soaked in the feeling for a little while but soon had to return to reality.

"I have to get going. I'm off around eight today." Ren said and she heard hope in his voice.

"I should finish everything by then. I want an early evening before I see Mom again."

"She might look like a proper lady but she is in a horrible mood before 9. You shouldn't worry if she asks you to meet around ten." Ren chuckled and Kyoko tried to fit the image he gave with the one she had.

"I guess she would be needed at late night parties but still needs her beauty sleep." She thought out loud and Ren laughed suddenly on the other end.

"You two will get along great." He gasped when the fit ended. His voice sounded as usual and Kyoko felt herself relax a bit when his words didn't directly find their way into her gut.

"Why?" She couldn't help but pout when he sounded like he made fun of her.

"That was the excuse she used my whole childhood when I woke her up early." He chuckled and Kyoko couldn't fight the amusing picture that popped up in her head. She saw fairy Kuon trying to pull the sleeping beauty from her bed only to fail.

"It must have been hard." Kyoko chuckled and walked up to the mirror in her bathroom. Her hair was in disorder, but the face was gentle and 'Beautiful'. Her mind completed the sentence and all the characters in her head began to sing in happiness.

"Ren?" Kyoko asked as she saw the smile grow on her face. She heard him still on the other end.

"Yes?"

"If it's not too much of a bother. Instead of a phone call tonight…" Kyoko smirked as she realized what she was about to say. Her tone made Ren swallow loudly on the other end.

"Yes?"

"I would rather spend the night at your place."

.

.

Ren froze in his tracks and turned the phone to double-check the name on the display. It still spelled Kyoko and he returned it to his ear.

"I will ask Yashiro about my schedule in detail." Ren heard himself say without a tremble in his voice.

"Good." Kyoko's voice lowered slightly, and Ren closed his eyes and shivered.

"I will message you the details later." Ren said but didn't manage to sound as confident as he wished. He knew she didn't mean anything other than dinner and to sleep in his guestroom, but he somehow knew that she was teasing him on purpose. That knowledge made all the difference.

'Kyoko is teasing me by flirting.' Ren felt like some higher power laughed at him as he had done just the same before. It was an all too sweet revenge.

"Bye, Ren." Kyoko's slightly thicker voice greeted him and he stammered out a response before ending the call.

Ren would deny it later, but he needed a really cold shower before heading out for the day.

Authors note:

Not as long of a chapter as the one before but still a good 9700 words. I promised one of you to involve Julie and here she is!

I used her to give Kyoko some confidence :) As a model and with that message I figured Julie was up for the task!

The message by the way is in Russian.

Привет мама. Это девушка, которую я люблю, пожалуйста, будь добр к ней. До скорой встречи, любовь Kuon

Should translate to:

Hi, Mom. This is the girl I love, please be kind to her. See you soon, love Kuon.

I hope you forgive my new way of writing. It's a bit stiffer than before but I'm getting the hang of it again, soon….