It wasn't far into the filming of 'The Sacred Lotus in the Mire' before Ren finally had the chance to visit the set. Though Kyoko had successfully nailed the role of Momiji, both she and Yashiro had seemed tense the last time he spoke to them. Perhaps the director was still causing problems … or someone in the cast? Ren was eager to investigate – purely out of professional curiosity, of course. So when Yashiro invited him on site to work though some schedule changes, he quickly took up the offer.

Ren had worked on the huge premises a few years back while filming 'Mars Cluster,' but hadn't been back since. Now, as he drove between the pristine buildings, he marveled at the new additions, including cabins for the long-term cast and crew. Ren smiled at that – Kyoko had regaled him with how much fun it was to sleep over with 'Moko-san!'

The central parking lot was fairly empty when he reached it, so Ren easily spotted Yashiro standing at the far end, waving in Ren's direction. However, it wasn't until Ren had parked his car and was halfway out that he realized something wasn't quite right.

The first thing he noticed was Yashiro calling his name frantically, "-en! Ren! Ren!" He was gesturing wildly at Ren, a panicked look upon his face.

The second thing he noticed was Hiromune Koga striding determinedly towards him from across the parking lot.

The third thing he noticed was Kyoko, several meters behind Hiromune, and running in his direction as though her life depended on it.

Yashiro called his name again, and Ren, feet frozen to the pavement, turned towards his manager. Yashiro's arms were still waving at him to – what? Move away? Come closer?

He opened his mouth to ask Yashiro what was going on, when suddenly, there was a muffled thump to his left. Ren quickly turned, only to see Hiromune fall flat onto the asphalt. Kyoko landed on top of him, an arm pressed to the base of his neck, having apparently tackled him from behind.

Hiromune began to struggle, "Hey, let me go! What do you think you're doing!?"

Ren wanted to ask the same question. Was this really Kyoko – respectful, professional Kyoko – tackling a fellow actor to the ground? And a senpai, no less?

After a moment of futile struggling, Hiromune stilled abruptly. Turning as best he could, he said sharply, "Momiji! What are you doing?"

Kyoko's eyes flashed and she faltered, loosening the pressure on Hiromune's neck.

Hiromune used the distraction to roll out of her hold. Huffing, he stood and adjusted his rumpled clothing. He looked towards Ren with an unreadable look. "Tsuruga Ren," he said. It was neither question nor greeting. It was a simple acknowledgement of the man who held the position he vied for.

Ren nodded, "Hiromune-san."

Hiromune's mouth twisted as though he had tasted something sour. "You …" he began, "Kyoko-san is your kohai, right?"

Ren stole a glance at Kyoko. She was kneeling on the ground where she had tackled Hiromune, looking defeated. Was this guy the cause for her and Yashiro's tension the past few weeks? Was he bothering Kyoko, or worse, making her doubt herself?

"Yes," Ren said firmly, "She is."

Hiromune gave a short laugh, "Right. Then, I'm sure you know by now –"

"No!" Kyoko yelled suddenly. Her eyes were filled with desperate tears as she looked up at Ren. "Tsuruga-san, don't listen to him! Please! I would … I would never!"

Hiromune shot a scathing look in her direction before continuing, "As I'm sure you know – "

"Hiromune-san," Ren interrupted.

" – this girl – "

"If there is an issue – " Ren said, a bit louder.

" – has feelings – "

"Perhaps it would be better if – "

" – for you." Hiromune finished.

Ren paused as Hiromune's words caught up with him.

'This girl has feelings for you.'

Feelings for you. Feelings … for you. Ren wanted to laugh. Was he seriously suggesting something like that? Concerning Kyoko!? She would be the last person to have anything to do with 'that' emotion. In fact …

Ren turned to Kyoko, fully expecting to find 'Mio' in full form. What he found instead nearly made him gasp.

Fear. Of him.

It was worse than when Cain scared Setsu on set; worse than when he scared Kyoko at the train station. For, this was not something that 'Tsuruga Ren' could simply act his way out of. Because somehow, in some way, it was Tsuruga Ren that had caused this fear.

"Mogami-san …" Ren didn't know what to say.

She turned away, refusing to answer his call.

Beside them, Hiromune sighed, "I'm not a cruel person, you know. It's for your own good. Especially since I've seen you act, Kyoko-san. You don't need someone like – "

"Hiromune-san," Ren interrupted with a dark look. "I'm not sure what you were implying just now, but I can assure you that Mogami-san is not someone who would allow personal feelings to interrupt her work."

Kyoko shrank at his words, recalling the disastrous route her audition could have taken, had it not been for Kanae's help. All because of her personal feelings.

"Is that so?" Hiromune looked at him appraisingly, "Then you don't care about what I just told you, at all?"

Ren ignored him, turning to Kyoko, "Are you alright, Mogami-san?"

She looked up at him with large, hopeful eyes, "You don't care about what he said, Tsuruga-san?"

Ren's eyebrows rose in surprise at her question. Was it possible Hiromune had been telling the truth? That she … had feelings, for him? All those signs from before – Setsu's behavior after Guam, her words after she received the Love Me stamp. 'It's meaningful because I received it from Tsuruga-san.' It would be so easy, to allow himself to hope … but he could just as easily be deluding himself again.

He stepped closer and squatted in front of her. "Will you come with me?" he asked quietly.

Kyoko didn't respond, staring down at her lap. She couldn't bring herself to look at him and hear his condemnation. It was too late already, but acknowledging the man before her would mean it was really over.

"Mogami-san," he said, reaching for her hands.

Kyoko flinched away from his touch. Was this his way of gently turning her down? Was he punishing her for betraying his trust?

"Mogami-san … will you look at me?."

She sniffed, steeling herself, before lifting her head to meet his eyes. It was written on her face, she knew, what had just been revealed, so she was surprised when he inhaled sharply and pulled her into his arms.

"Please, trust me," he whispered in her ear. After a moment, he rose to his feet, pulling her up with him and onto unsteady feet. "Come with me?" he asked again.

She didn't need to see his face to know that his expression rivaled that of puppy dog Cain. And, unprotected from the power of his beseeching tone, she nodded in response.

He let out a deep breath and released her from his hold. He turned to their audience, "Yashiro-san?"

Their manager snapped to attention, hurrying forward.

"I'll contact you later, regarding that matter," Ren told him, "Will you take care of things here?"

Yashiro pushed his glasses up his nose, clearly suppressing the urge to celebrate the progress of his favorite couple. "Of course," he said, "Leave it to me."

Ren turned back to Kyoko, who hadn't moved since he had release her. "Mogami-san?" he called, moving towards his car.

She followed him silently, leaving behind a dumbstruck Hiromune and a satisfied Yashiro.

Once they were seated in the car, Kyoko spoke up, "Tsuruga-san …" what do you want from me? She looked away, unable to complete the thought. A warm hand over hers brought her attention back to him.

"Sorry," he apologized, removing his hand. "Just – we need to talk, properly."

Kyoko let out a shaky breath, willing the tears not to fall. This was it, surely. The moment he rejected her and severed their senpai-kohai relationship.

Ren reached out to her again, "Please, trust me." 'I won't hurt you,' he seemed to be saying with his eyes.

They were quiet on the drive to Ren's apartment, and maintained the oppressive silence as they made their way up to Ren's floor. Kyoko wondered what he could possibly need to come to his apartment to say. Surely he didn't reject every girl who confessed to him at his place. But then, she had never actually said the words …

"Tsuruga-san," she said once they reached his door, "I'm sorry, but this isn't necessary."

He turned back to her with a reassuring look, "I just want to talk, so don't worry."

"But!" Kyoko exclaimed loudly, startling him into fumbling his key card, "I already understand, so there's no need …" She took a few steps away from him and repeated softly, "There's no need."

Ren averted his eyes from her trembling figure. "Why do you think I brought you here, Mogami-san?" he asked.

How could he be so cruel, asking her that? "Because," she whimpered, "You don't want to speak to me again, outside of work."

Ren sighed and held open the door, "That's definitely not the case. Please, come inside. I want to talk so that I can make sure I understand things properly."

Certain she would be heading towards her inevitable demise, yet unable to refuse him, she let out a whispered, "Okay." As she walked past him, he brushed a hand over the top of her head. Embarrassed, she hurried forward and into the kitchen. "I can make something first," she offered hopefully as Ren followed her inside.

"It's only four in the afternoon," he told her and she faltered. "Do you want something to drink though?"

Relieved at the distraction, Kyoko nodded.

Ren busied himself with filling two glasses of water, before carrying them out to the living room where Kyoko was waiting. "Was Hiromune-san troubling you on set?" he asked as he handed her a glass. "If he is, you could talk to – "

"That's not it!" she exclaimed.

"… okay. Then my next question would be, are you afraid of me? Did I do something to scare you?"

Startled by the question, Kyoko looked up to meet his tortured gaze. It was so much like that time when they had omurice … he seemed to be upset with himself for failing at something … "I'm not afraid of Tsuruga-san!" she quickly assured him.

"Then, just now in the parking lot, you were afraid – "

Kyoko shook her head, "I could never be afraid of you. But … when I thought that you might believe him, and become disgusted in me …"

"Mogami-san," he said after a long pause, "You should know, whether Hiromune-san was right or wrong, I would not be disgusted."

"That's … good then," Kyoko mumbled before jumping to her feet, "I should be heading back now!"

"Wait!" Ren called before she could leave the room, and she stilled, shoulders hunched together. "Could it be," he asked, "That … he was right?"

"…"

"Mogami-san."

She took a long, shuddering breath, "Why … why would you ask, something like that?"

"Why?" he repeated, stepping closer to her with a tender expression, "Because I – "

"You said it didn't matter, if Hiromune-san was right or wrong."

"No," Ren corrected her, "I said I wouldn't be disgusted." He paused, "… do you want it to matter?"

"Don't say ridiculous things," Kyoko said darkly, stepping around him to return to the couch. She sat down hard.

"You're right. I'm sorry," he apologized, kneeling on the ground to face her, "I shouldn't force you." He watched her for a moment before sighing, "I won't stop you from leaving." Yet as he said this, he looked so sad and confused in a way he had never expressed to her before. To Setsu or Bo, yes. But never to Kyoko.

"Tsuruga-san," she said, placing her hands on his cheeks. He looked up, seemingly as surprised as she by her actions. "Tsuruga-san," she said again, "Why are you asking this, now?"

His expression cleared. "If I told you," he said carefully, "Would it matter?"

His eyes bore into hers, communicating a message she couldn't bring herself to believe. He was giving her the power to decide where things should go. Did it matter why Ren was asking about her feelings? Of course it did, even if it was only to reject her. And it seemed that he already knew the answer, too. Didn't she owe it to him – and herself – to be honest at this point?

Kyoko's eyes welled with tears. "Yes!" she wailed, "It matters!" She covered her face in her hands.

She was suddenly engulfed by a soothing warmth. "It matters to me too," he told her, "So much."

She shook her head against his shoulder, "That's not possible."

He squeezed her tighter in response. "Kyoko," he whispered into her ear, and she stiffened at his intimate use of her given name. "I love you."

"No," she sobbed into his shirt, clutching at the fabric against his chest, "You can't say something like that!"

He held her close, rubbing soothing circles on her back. As her sobs began to subside, he continued haltingly, "I – told you before, didn't I? … I love, Kyoko-chan."

She gasped and pushed away from him. "What did you say?"

"I love," he repeated, cradling her cheek in his hand, "Kyoko-chan."

"You – you – don't tell me – "

"I'm sorry," he said, much as he had done when she mistook him for Corn outside the Darumaya, "I wanted to tell you, all this time, but –mmph!"

Kyoko covered his mouth with her hands. "Wait!" she exclaimed, "This is too much. Just – wait." She retracted her hands and he waited silently as she took several deep breaths. "You," she eventually said, "Are you Corn?"

Slowly, he nodded his head in response.

Defeated, Kyoko let her head drop forward onto his chest, unable to handle his earnest gaze. "Why?" she asked in a small voice.

Holding her head against his racing heart, he finally spoke, "It's … a long story. Will you listen?"

Reluctantly, Kyoko pulled away to address him seriously, "Corn, I promised to hear your stories before, didn't I? Won't you continue, and let me be your refuge?"

He let out a short laugh, "Even now, you worry about me. Are you fine, though?"

She nodded, "I want to hear your story. Just – just don't lie, okay?"

"Oh, Kyoko," he said, and she blushed. "If you're the one asking, I'll obey. I'll answer any question from you."

"Then … if you are Corn," she began uncertainly, "… are you not a fairy?"

"Sorry," he grimaced, "You misunderstood all those years ago, and I didn't want to spoil your fun …"

"I see," Kyoko bowed her head.

"I'm sorry," Ren said, "For taking that magic away from you."

Kyoko shook her head, still gazing at her knees. "I'm not upset," she told him.

"You're not?"

Kyoko looked up wistfully, "I always thought that Tsuruga-san had some magic of his own. Whether it's because of fairy blood or not, Tsuruga-san, Corn, always cheers me up and makes me feel safe." She smiled slightly at Ren's stunned expression.

He covered her hands with his. "When you say something like that," he said slowly, "It makes me want to hope, that maybe … ?"

Kyoko looked down at their hands on her lap. She turned her hands over and entwined her fingers with his. "When I found out Shotaro was using me as a maid," she began, "I decided to give up on that emotion."

"I understand," Ren said, squeezing her palms before beginning to pull away.

Kyoko held tight to his hands before he could retreat. She continued, "I closed it all away. I made sure to secure my heart with chains and locks. I refused to become so stupid again. But Tsuruga-san," she said tearfully, "I never stood a chance, to your magic! I – against myself, I – "

Ren reached up to brush the tears from her cheeks with a gentle smile, silently providing her with the courage to continue.

"I – I love you," she breathed.

Ren's answering smile was blinding, but she forced herself not to look away. "I love you, too," he said earnestly, "Kyoko, I love you."

Looking into his eyes, it all came together at that moment. His open, honest expression left no room for doubt in her mind. Somehow, this man – Tsuruga-san, her Corn – loved her.

She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him close. He rose from his position on the floor to sit beside her on the couch, sliding his own arms around her waist. Wrapped in each other's arms, they held their position for several long minutes, taking comfort from the knowledge that their love was, at last, returned.

Finally, Ren pulled away to face her. "There's still, so much, I need to tell you." He sighed, "And I hope, once you know, you can still …"

"Wait a minute!" Kyoko said, pointing at him with an accusing finger, "You're human!"

"… yes?"

"YOU JUMPED OFF THE ROOF! YOU – YOU BAKA!"

A/N: A bit of an abrupt ending, but oh well. I started to continue their conversation, but it began to ramble, so: THE END. I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless!

Thanks for reading, and let me know your thoughts!

Also, I don't think Hiromune is as much of a villain as I made him out to be - I just needed someone to give them a push!