Surprises

A/N: I got requests for a Ren/Kyoko getting together story. I didn't really want to write one, but I guess I got inspiration. They'll already (technically) be together, and Kyoko will already know he's Kuon if only because I feel like I couldn't write that part out well. To remedy that, I've written a prologue covering it quickly. Otherwise this will start later(ish).

This goes along with A Life in Headlines chapter 4(?), so it will elaborate on Kyoko and Ren's side of those headlines.

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat.


Prologue: Surprising Feelings

Kuon was nervous at the now annual Grateful Party. He had told Kyoko about his identity only a few months before. Slowly he had let more details of his past come to light, but he had not told her about his feelings for her. Even after accepting his past through disclosing it to Kyoko, he couldn't see himself worthy of her. Tonight he would be disclosing that to her. While she originally felt betrayed by his admission, they repaired the damage to their friendship with his admissions about his past. Kyoko would now comfort him and help him work through his issues, though he was worried she was ignoring some of hers.

He was hidden away in a lavish back room of Lory's estate, waiting for Lory to bring her back to see him. Because he was wearing a wig that mimicked his natural hair so he could be Kyoko's fairy prince for her birthday he did not want to go to the party. He would make a late appearance after taking the wig off. He hoped she wasn't too hurt by his decision not to show up for the whole party.

In the main hall, Kyoko was bustling around the party greeting her guests and checking on food. As was typically the case, Kyoko was stressed but happy. She thrived on being busy, and that was even more the case when she was making those around her happy. An hour before midnight, after celebrating Maria's birthday so she could go to bed, Sebastian dragged Kyoko into a room. She felt almost annoyed to be taken away from her work, so she protested Sebastian's actions, but couldn't hold off the excitement and nervousness that came with a potential surprise. Kanae and Chiori were content in helping to put Maria to bed outside of the hall and did not see their friend's protests. They had no worries she would be harmed anyways.

Once Kyoko was dragged into the lavish side room by Sebastian Jelly appeared out of the woodwork to strip her working clothes off (much to Kyoko's protests). She could handle being taken away from her work due to her jitters, but being forced to stop her duties so she could be waited on was near unacceptable. Jelly carefully re-did her hair and make-up before putting Kyoko into a dress that would make Kyoko look like a perfect princess. Kyoko couldn't help feeling a bit happier now that she had seen the results of Jelly's work. Jelly appraised her work, and once she was pleased with it managed to get Kyoko down to the room in which Kuon was waiting by midnight. She left Kyoko alone at the door so she could return to the party. Jelly was nervous to see what would happen: if this went well, her beloved would be happy; if it didn't, she would face his brooding for the next month. That certainly didn't make her happy.

Kyoko looked around in confusion before knocking at the door slowly. Suddenly she was scared about what awaited her on the other side. If the fuss hadn't been to wait on her hand and foot, what could it be for?

Kuon's heart sped up as his masculine voice called for her to come in. The man sat down on one of Lory's large chairs in a perfect and controlled posture to cover any nerves he had. The door slowly opened to reveal Kyoko. She looked beautiful in the green dress he had picked out for her, and Jelly had done her make-up in just the right way. If he hadn't known why he'd loved her before, this reminded him and warmed his heart. Still, that didn't stop the nervousness that came with the potential to lose her with his confession.

"C- Corn!" She squealed happily upon seeing him.

"Happy Birthday, Mogami-san," he greeted her with a warm smile. To his surprise, she walked over to hug him. "I'm sorry I wasn't at the party. I had something more important to attend to."

Kyoko pulled back with a sad look in her eyes and backed away before turning to the door. He had something – or someone – more important than her. Was it the high school girl he told Bo about? She felt like shrinking up and crawling her way back to the party and out the kitchen door never to be seen again. Her foot moved a step backwards.

Kuon knew he had messed up, so he began to backtrack. He didn't want to lose her. "I needed to get ready to see you tonight. It was important to me to make you feel like a princess tonight," he explained slowly. To make sure she understood he carefully recited every new sentence in his head before speaking it. "I couldn't be at the party to make sure that would happen."

"Me? Why me?" Kyoko turned and asked him. She couldn't believe those words - not with his words to Bo. He was a playboy, anyways, she concluded. He could lie easily to girls. "Don't you have another girl you should be spending Christmas with?"

"Who else could it be but you?" He asked in reply. If he hadn't known how convoluted Kyoko's logic could get, he would have been much more confused. That didn't mean her logic hurt him any less.

"That… that high school girl." She turned away once again. Somehow she felt shame bubble to the surface, perhaps because she was beginning to realize he really did love her. Of course, Ren figured it was more likely that she felt she was imposing herself on his personal life.

"What high school girl?" He asked. How convoluted could her logic get?

"The one you told Bo about."

"Mogami-san – Kyoko. Listen!" She was shocked to hear him call her by her first name; he was shocked to hear that she knew about his crush. Was she Bo? "The high school girl is you. It's always been you. Ever since I met you at the river in Kyoto, it's been you. Kyoko, I love you." He got up to grab her hand, hoping it would compel her to stay. He couldn't help but doubt she would. She had wormed herself out of clearer situations before.

"That's impossible. You're too good for me! You're Japan's top actor," she whispered. At this point she was too conflicted to say this in a loud, confident voice. Was it possible he did love her after all?

"It doesn't matter who I am," Kuon said, "I will still love you more than anyone." Kyoko began to cry. Out of relief or happiness she didn't know. Kuon didn't either, so he hugged her, figuring it would be the best reaction to any explanation. "Even if I'm not good enough for you," he added quietly. That always weighed on his mind when talking to Kyoko - the thought of his past hurting her.

Kyoko looked up at him, confused. She thought he had forgiven himself, that he knew she would still be his friend.

"After what happened to Rick… I don't deserve happiness. I took his away. I took Tina's away," he said. While he could accept Kyoko's bad logic; he ignored his own. Perhaps that was his mistake, but one he wasn't ready to fix.

"He would want you to be happy. It's not your fault," Kyoko said, comforting him. She had no idea how to make him feel better, so she let her instincts kick in. "I love you too," she confessed with a massive blush on her face. Instant regret filled her at that admission. Kuon squeezed her even tighter and began to cry along with her, but he knew why: this was the most at home he had felt in some time, here with Kyoko. They stood like that, content to be in each other's arms, until a knock at the door pulled them out of their spell.

"If you two aren't too busy with each other," Lory's voice boomed through the door, "Kyoko's wanted in the hall for her birthday celebration." Kyoko moved to open the door as Kuon took his wig off to put on a side table. They knew instinctively if they waited too long that Lory would assume the worst and announce to the whole world that they were not only dating, but also 'exploring the true depths of their love.' Kuon knew it would also come with some conversation with Lory about not getting Kyoko pregnant. He was the dirty one, so he would be the only one Lory would worry about in that respect. He watched as Lory looked around the room for any evidence of a romantic encounter between Kuon and Kyoko. He felt a slight victory when Lory found nothing and began to stroll of dejectedly. Still he felt the need to remind Ren on his way out that there were condoms in his old room. A glare from an angry (and only slightly humiliated) Kuon sent Lory striding ahead of them to the hall, while the couple took their time savoring their place out of the spotlight.


Ren made sure to spend another private moment on a balcony with Kyoko before she left the party with her landlords. This year he had gotten her a custom set of earrings and a necklace from his mother's jeweler. The heartache he felt from her departure was soon overshadowed by his excitement to spend the year, and hopefully the rest of his life, at his side.

They also made sure to spend dinners together every Tuesday. Most weeks, Kyoko would come to cook for him, but sometimes he would take her out for a fancy dinner. Kisses were few and far between. Certainly Kuon had wanted more, but he was afraid to scare Kyoko away by doing anything too mature. Any kisses they did have were initiated by Kyoko. They found a way to be happy despite their schedules, but neither was prepared for the major shake-up about to come.


A/N: So that's my derpy them getting together prologue stuff. Next will be more closely linked to ALiH Chapter 4.