Loveless (Book 1) [Completed]

EXTRA CHAPTER: Ren's Birthday Present.

Kyoko had always been a keen student. Nothing could distract her from her studies. However, when her schedule became too tight playing Setsuka Heel, and with her ambivalent heart constantly battling against her dilemma, this time turned out to be an exception.

To her horror, she actually forgot about studying and preparing for her exams. Fortunately, President Takarada reminded her about them, and with her heart suffering in an emotional turmoil, she graciously welcomed the pressure and drowned herself in her studies to keep her mind off from the thoughts of a certain someone.

It was actually nice to not have to think about Ren for a while. For starters, it hurt a lot less since she was not constantly reminded of how much her heart longed for him, specially when she could never have him.

When her exams were only a couple days away, Kyoko went out to the supermarket to buy some groceries after pulling an all nighter. Spending five whole days facing her books, it was a welcome change of pace to go out.

Being done shopping, she waited in line to pay the cashier before filing out when she noticed a couple of girls peeking into a gossip magazine while giggling and squealing.

Fangirls! Kyoko rolled her eyes. No matter the time or place, they were always the same. The reason Kyoko pitied them so much was because how much they reminded her of her past self.

Her turn came and Kyoko payed the cashier, but before she could leave, something one of those girls said captured her undivided attention and she turned back.

"Ren in my soulmate, but this is so out of character for him! It's almost hilarious!"

"I know! Who knew he would have a soft side for stuff toys? It's so funny! Would you look at that pillow?" They both giggled.

Ren? Stuff toys? Pillow? Letting her curiousity get the best of her, Kyoko instinctively reached for another copy of the same magazine they were holding. It was then she noticed the close up picture of Ren on the cover with the words 'Special Interview on page 7' written over it.

Without waiting, Kyoko frantically skimmed through the pages until she found what she was looking for. And there it was, what she had been dreading to see.

A picture of Ren sitting in his apartment holding up a stuffed toy pillow in the shape of a baby sheep. The very same pillow she had make the mistake of giving to him as a present on his birthday and then regretted the horrible decision over and over again. 

At the time, it had seemed like a good idea, because she remembered Ren mentioning to her in Karuizawa how he couldn't rest without a pillow before he asked to use her lap as one (the memory made her blush), and also because when she saw that stuffed toy pillow on display, Kyoko had her heart set on buying it since the baby sheep was so adorably cute.

It was only after she gave it to him, a million thoughts ran in her head about how silly and childish that was, and how Ren must have laughed at her stupidity. She was so embarrassed that she swore never to choose presents alone for anyone else!

Above the picture, there was a hypothetical question written which the interviewer had asked Ren. It said: If you were to be stranded on a deserted island, and you could only bring three things with you, what would they be?

Kyoko's eyes scrolled below the picture until they landed on Ren's answer which was: A knife, my wristwatch, and this, my favorite pillow.

Slapping her forehead, Kyoko asked the picture of Ren silently, why? Why would you parade my awful choice out in the open? They're making fun of you because of me!

The pillow reminded her of another similar incident that had happened at the Dark Moon set and her mind drifted back crossing the memory lane. It was the day when Kyoko had realized her blunder in giving that awful present to Ren. A week or so later after she gave him the pillow, she couldn't find him on the set one day. Yashiro told her Ren was taking a nap in his dressing room.

To check up on him if he was now awake, Kyoko went there without knocking. Turned out, he was still sleeping. When she noticed he was actually using the same pillow she had given him, she felt a giddy smile cracking on her face, until she finally saw it. How odd it looked to see a full grown man using a stuff toy for a pillow, and she finally realized her blunder.

As embarrassed as she felt for her awful choice, Kyoko still couldn't help a giggle because of how ridiculous he looked. An idea sparked in her mind, and she silently switched on the camera on her cell phone. Since it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Ren actually looking stupid for once, she decided to seize this memory by taking a picture of him sleeping on that pillow.

In the present, being reminded of that day, she fished her cellphone out of her pocket and opened the same image, and once again a giggle bubbled out of her throat. Though now everyone knew about Ren having a stuff toy for a pillow, this picture was a part of him only she had seen. Like it was something that existed only between the two them.

Kyoko pressed her phone to her face, thinking how this image was her treasure.

****

There were a few more extra chapters in the manga, but I never included them because they were always irrelevant to the story. However, this chapter was an exception. I had been dying to know what was in that giant box Kyoko gave to Ren on his birthday, and I thought you guys would be equally curious. So I decided to share this one.