This last chapter was part Greek until Runadaemon got to it. I wish I could show all the red corrections she made. If you like it, thank her. She's the one who shamed me into writing more. (I want Banana & Black Sesame Pocky Runadaemon!) If you want me to write, bribes with sweets always work! I have to admit after she beta'd it I tweaked it even more, so any errors you might find are mine.

Ren pulled away from her gradually, slowly, not sure what to expect from his kohai. In fact, the mere realization that she hadn't struck him with something, or sped through a window or wall (he wouldn't put it past her) was astonishing enough. His hands, grasping her body, released her like a leaf being set free by a tree. It was slow, reluctant, and he made no other move to push her away. Ren's body stayed just as close to her own, except without the contact of his hands, body or lips.

Her eyes were closed, and her lips were full and lush from his kiss; its rosy hue more saturated than usual. She had long black lashes, silky sun stroked skin, and her breath tasted faintly of the green tea she had sipped during dinner.

Any second, she would open her eyes. He would lose this closeness that he had yearned for so much and fought hard to let go. Any second Kyoko would open her eyes and the moment would be gone. Any moment now, she'd return back to reality.

Opening her eyes, Kyoko looked up at her prince, fully transformed from his beastly curse. Refusing to admit the contact was anything more than a stage kiss, she goes around to the random furniture pieces, hugging them and exclaiming out French names in glee at their return to humanity.

"Jacque!" "Francis!" "Mrs. Potts!"

In order to gloss over the issue, he'd spin her and they'd dance one last waltz to the ending theme of the movie (only in their heads). After that, the imaginary soundboard would end the movie, separating the two actors. After a nervous goodnight, Kyoko would go to bed, and he would drink away his liquor cabinet. He would attempt to wash away her captivating lips with gin, brandy, vodka, or anything else. They'd never bring the night up again.

Kyoko opened her eyes slowly, but they were wide and bright, like a golden-eyed doe in the way of an approaching truck. Her mouth agape, her eyes round with terror. She could only manage squeaks of the letter T.

Like a slowly rising volcanic eruption, the red of her embarrassment rose from her exposed legs, to behind the dress shirt, to her delicate neck, and finally to her matching hairline.

"NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOO" The scream of horror she releases almost blows out the windows, as Kyoko scuttles back almost comically against the wall. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THAT TSUGURA! I KNEW YOU WERE A PLAYBOY! YOU'RE JUST LIKE GASTON!"

And with the flurry of frightened feet, she'd storm to some door, either behind a guest room door to cower in fear of her fellow actor, or through the front door into the actual storm. Then they would both be out there fighting the elements: her to escape, and him to retrieve.

"I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SO SORRY!" Kyoko repeatedly banged her head on his bamboo floors as she bowed, leaving a widening crater which would cost a fortune to replace. "I KNOW YOU TOLD ME TO GUARD MY LIPS AND TO BE A PROFESSIONAL, AND I LET YOU DOWN AGAIN! I'M SO SORRY!"

Again, this would lead to her storming off in some direction, with him following outside or to the cabinet.

The reactions in his mind were instantaneous formed, and he readied himself to turn into Senpai Tsugura Ren, the one Kohai Kyoko would always draw out of him. Kohai Kyoko would freak out and Senpai Ren would respond to smooth things over.

Simply the way she opened her eyes warned Ren that he was entirely wrong. All of his hypothetical situations crumbled in his mind, merely by the way her lashes sparkled and her golden eyes opened. Not in fear, or anger, or self inflicted hysteria, but simply surprise. A surprise that had, instead of stoking the fearful angry demons, soothed them.

She didn't move away. Neither did he. The moment lingered on for a while before he watched her lips finally separate. To speak. He was glad he wasn't leaning against her, because for the first time, he was truly fearful of what she would say. Ren knew she would have felt his maddening heartbeat.

"Ren…?" Kyoko's voice asked, soft and meek. It was the sound of a child who wanted to believe, but had been crushed too many times. "…Is that… my first kiss?"

She had been purposefully dense to his flirting before: the lap pillow, the proposal to teach her how to kiss, the offer to shower together when she accidentally walked in on him. He had pushed her lightly to consider him as a man, but she had unwaveringly refused and pushed back. This kiss, that last frontier, had finally broken through her wall of emotionally protective delusions.

The straightforward question would tell Kyoko everything. He knew it. She knew it. He was the one who told her that only she could come to a decision when a kiss is really a kiss. She was asking him whether his kiss was a sign of real passion, or of overzealous Disney acting, as her confession had been. Kyoko gave Ren the option to decide whether she would continue to delfde herself, or to accept the kiss as what it was meant to express.

His arms slipped around her waist again, and this time, he simply held her to his madly beating heart.

"I consider you to be my first true kiss, Kyoko. Do you want to think of mine the same way?"

Her heartbeat was just as fast. Kyoko raised her arms, and slipped them around Ren hesitantly. She buried herself into his chest, and felt their hearts begin to calm.

"I do…Ren…"

It was that simple.

THE END

It's much better than the alternative (Shou and Mailman man) - right? *lol* I thought my ending was confirmation enough, but since everyone complained *sniff* I hope this end is more complete than last chapter. NOW it's over. No complaining.