Hello fellow fanfiction lovers! This is my first Skip Beat fic and I have to say that I never expected it to turn out like this. Before I explain the reason for this crazy plot I need to establish that I am a firm believer in the Kyoko/Ren pairing. I think that the two of them are perfect for each other and I love the way they interact.

This is one of my more random plot bunnies since I've never really thought of Kyoko with anyone other than Ren. So imagine my surprise when as I wash dishes this totally random thought of "I wonder what SkipBeat would look like if Ren competed his goal and went to America for a few years, leaving Kyoko and his handsome, kind and supportive manager Yashiro behind together?"

Yeah, kinda random right? I though so to. And since I'm working on so many other stories I decided to ignore this plot idea. That failed since I spent the entire night lying on my bed staring at the ceiling as the evil plot bunny ran circles in my mind. So the next morning I admitted defeat and wrote the story.

You'd think that once I've finished the story I would be free to work on the other stories. Nope. Once I finished my story I celebrated by reading a little bit of Skip Beat fanfiction and wouldn't you know it, another plot bunny showed up! Another sleepless night and one rather crabby writer later my first plot bunny is now being published and I am quite reluctantly going to work on the second plot bunny of evilness.


Disclaimer:

Don't own Skip Beat or the characters:(

Just a quick age breakdown since I'm sure that some of you lovely readers might not be aware of their specific ages.

Kyoko: 21

Yashiro: 29

Ren: 25

Sho: 21

Shoko: 27 (Shoko doesn't have a set age in the manga so I chose a random one)


Ren, or rather Kuon now, stepped out of the car alongside his father with a smile. His mother had insisted on coming along with them but was currently resting at the hotel. This was his first time back to Japan in four years and he was planning on surprising Yashiro his old manager and Yashiro's new charge Kyoko.

Yashiro had promised to watch over Kyoko while he was gone. Kuon's intense feelings of love for the girl had faded into a crush, but he hoped that after seeing her again he could regain that burning feeling.

Kuu smiled and slung a arm around Kuon's shoulders as they strolled towards the LME building. In the distance he could see Sho's limo which dampened his cheerful mood ever so slightly.

As they got closer they saw Yashiro, Sho and Shoko chatting, clearly waiting for someone. Suddenly a cheer burst through the air and both Kuon and Kuu jerked to look in the direction of the voice.

"I GOT THE PART!" Kyoko's voice shrieked."

All three of the people waiting turned to her with matching amused looks and Yashiro stepped forward with a bright grin. The blur that was Kyoko rocketed across the beach and into Yashiro causing the tall man to stumble back several steps with a rich laugh as he wrapped his arms around the girl.

"I got the part Yukihito-san, just like you said!" Kyoko told him as he spun her around lightly.

He chuckled and put her down and the excited girl waltzed over to Shoko to give her a tight hug and then she jumped onto Sho's back with a laugh.

"Hey idiot! You were right! I was given the part as soon as I tried for it, I guess I owe you 200 yen." She said with a radiant smile.

She dropped off his back and he turned and gave her a quick bear hug.

"Told ya. Now pay up baby!"

Kyoko stuck her tongue out at him and plunked the money in his outstretched palm.

"Why don't we all go to the restaurant now. We don't want to miss the reservations." Shoko suggested.

"Sounds good to me. Do you have anything you need to grab Kyoko-chan?" Yashiro asked.

Kuon stood next to his dad and watched the group chat with slightly widened eyes. Never in his life did he think he would see Sho and Kyoko interacting like that. They made him think of siblings.

But that wasn't the thing that caught his attention the most. As he watched them climb into the limo and drive away he turned to his dad.

"She called him by his first name."

Kuu didn't have to ask who he was talking about.

"Yes she did."

"Was it just me or did they act a little bit more like a couple then like manager and charge?"


Kyoko was grinning and she participated in light banter with Sho. Yashiro watched his charge with a fond smile and exchanged amused looks with Shoko, Sho's manager and girlfriend.

They arrived at the restaurant and Yashiro helped Kyoko out of the limo, offering his arm to her with a smile. She accepted and the four of them headed inside. As she scanned the menu Yashiro took that opportunity to really look at the young woman in front of him.

It was funny. When he had first met Kyoko she had been seventeen and as clumsy as they come. Awkward and was the first girl to aggravate Ren to the point of ranting. He had watched as she went from someone Ren couldn't stand to Ren's love. Then on Kyoko's nineteenth birthday Ren got the call that his TV show had reached the top of the polls in America.

Ren had then told him and Kyoko about his past and gone home to America. He had been gone for the last four and a bit years leaving Yashiro alone as Kyoko's new manager to watch Kyoko grow from girl to woman. Long gone was Kyoko's lack of confidence and habit of tearing herself down and in it's place was a quiet strength and a strong confidence in both her looks and her worth.

And somehow, somewhere, while Yashiro worked alongside Kyoko his feelings of friendship for her and transformed into a quiet love. He had fallen for this girl who changed every single life she touched and he had fallen hard.

Yashiro first discovered this newfound feeling only two years after Ren's departure to America and had nearly had a heart attack. Kyoko had been Ren's love and he was a horrid person to have feelings other than friendship for Kyoko.

However, once the three year mark had passed since Ren had come back to Japan even for a visit the feelings of guilt began to fade. Kyoko and Ren had only exchanged casual emails for the first year and a bit before dropping off all contact. Ren had in essence abandoned his place in the young actresses heart and Yashiro was more an willing to take that place himself.

"Is there something on my face Yukihito-san?"

Kyoko's voice broke through his musings.

"Pardon?"

"Your staring at my face. Is there something on it?" Kyoko asked curiously, head tilted adorably.

"No. Sorry, I just got lost in thought." He said quietly, looking down at his menus again.

"Ok..." She trailed off, clearly not believing him.

Yashiro smiled at her and focused intently on his menu. It wouldn't do any good to make her uncomfortable or worried now, not when they were celebrating.


Sho exchanged a look that was half amusement, half exasperation with Shoko as they watched Kyoko and Yashiro peek at each other over their menus. Those two just needed to confess and get together already!

It was still crazy that he was sitting in the booth next to his once crush/enemy now as her friend and pseudo-brother. Shortly after Ren left Japan to further his career in America he had finally come the the realization that his crush on Kyoko was because she was now unattainable to him. He had done a little growing up and then sat down with Kyoko and Yashiro with Shoko at his side and addressed the situation like a man instead of a child.

It had taken a year and a bit before they were able to even start picking up the pieces of their old friendship but the time had served them well. Kyoko no longer hated him for his actions and they were able to develop a healthy relationship that meant the world to him. Deep down, even when he had that crush on Kyoko who knew that they would never work together, their relationship was better off as just close childhood friends.

One thing Sho was glad about though was that Ren wasn't the one she was in love with. He wasn't jealous of Ren anymore but that guy was to unpredictable in his emotions. There was to much darkness hiding beneath the surface and he didn't want Kyoko getting hurt.


Kyoko was woken up the next morning by her evil alarm clock. She groaned and slapped the off button before grudgingly getting ready to go for work. Changed and eaten in thirty minutes she made her way downstairs to her car and headed off to pick up Yashiro. She had learned to drive a couple of years ago and had discover that she loved it.

Yashiro was waiting outside his apartment building when she arrived and climbed into the passenger seat.

"Good morning Kyoko-chan!" He said cheerfully as he buckled up.

"Good morning Yukihito-San. Where are we headed?"

"The president called and asked us to stop by. The newest member of Love-me has arrived and he's not to happy about it." Yashiro told her.

"He? Hmm this could be interesting."

Yashiro nodded and the rest of the drive was done in a comfortable silence. They arrived at LME and Kyoko managed to encourage the boy and calm his initial fury about being assigned to the Love-me group.

As she walked down the hall next to Yashiro she heard a familiar voice call her name.

"Mogami-San!"

Both Kyoko and Yashiro spun in shock and came face to face with Ren and Kuu.

"Tsukuba-San?! Father!" Kyoko cheered, grabbing Yashiro and hurrying towards the two men.

She stopped short causing Yashiro to bump into her and send her into Kuu. She eeped and Kuu caught her to steady her. Once she was stable he pulled her into a tight hug.

"Hi!" She squeaked.

She was released and she stumbled backwards into Yashiro who steadied her while she caught her breath. She then turned to Ren and bowed with a smile.

"It's very good to see you again! I didn't know that you were back already!" She said, her smile bright.

It was good to see her sempi again. Much to her relief her feelings for him had long since gone away while he was gone. Now she saw him as a close friend. Unfortunately his place in her heart had been replaced with her manager. She had horrid luck when it came to love.

"How are you Mogami-San? It's been several years since I've seen you." He said with a warm smile that no longer sent her heart into palpitations.

"Four years to be exact. I'm doing quite well thanks. Did I tell you that I graduated from Love-me?"

"Really? How?" He enquired.

"Sho and I patched things up and rekindled our old friendship about a year and a half after you left. He recognized that he was a jerk and apologized. As we picked up our old friendship I realized that I felt a type of love for him, the kind of love that siblings feel for each other. Instead of having a panic attack about it the way I would have before I accepted it. When the president found out he was over the moon and declared that I had learned what e was trying to teach. That love is not a bad thing. He's still nagging and harassing me about my love life, or lack thereof but I can ignore that." She told him.

Ren blinked in surprise. "Your friends with that...guy?"

Kyoko nodded. "After being close for seventeen years it was kind of hard to completely cut off all ties to him. Now I'm glad I didn't. He's one of my closest friends now."

Ren smiled his gentlemanly smile and Kyoko winced. Great, now he was mad.

"Kyoko-chan. We need to get going to your first set for today." Yashiro said from behind her.

"Oh! Right, sorry Yukihito-San. Sorry but I need to leave now. Perhaps we can all get together for dinner sometime before you all leave?" She asked hopefully.

Ren smiled and nodded and she gave the two men another bow before turning and running after her manager who was currently taking a call. Time to go to work.


They were on their way home from a photo shoot that was several towns away from theirs. Kyoko pulled into a nice little restaurant that was her and Yashiro's favourite when on out of town shoots. Once inside and settled in their regular booth she brought something up to her friend and manager.

"Hey Yukihito-San?"

"Hmm?"

"Was it just me or was Tsuruga-San acting strange today?"

"I was wondering if you had noticed."

"Do you have any idea why?" She asked.

Yashiro was silent. Kyoko was starting to get nervous.

"Yukihito-San?"

"Do you have feelings for Ren? He told you that he was Corn your fairy prince." He asked after another moment of silence.

"No. I used to but...after he left I realized that it was because he was so kind to me and he was also my idea of a perfect actor. Space away from him made me realize that my feelings for him were just a combo of friendship and hero worship. Having spent so much time around phenomenal actors and actresses since he left for America I no longer hero worship him. He's simply a talented friend to me now. Why?"

Yashiro was silent. Kyoko fidgeted uncomfortably under his intense gaze.

"Do you think you'll ever develop feelings for him now?"

"No. Um...is that a bad thing? You've got a odd look on your face."

Yashiro blinked and then shook his head. "No, not a bad thing. Sorry, I was just thinking."

Kyoko nodded and looked at her menu. Her mind wasn't focused on it though. Instead it was focused on a certain brown eyed man.


Yashiro was walking down the street towards his apartment, finishing his walk when he saw a familiar blond man standing in front of a sleek sliver car.

"Kuu?"

"Hello Yashiro. Do you have a moment?" The blond actor asked seriously.

"Yes...what can I do for you?"

"I'll explain in a moment. Would you like to go for coffee?"

Sure."

Kuu climbed into his car and Yashiro took a seat next to him. The ride to the coffee shop was silent and once they sat down Yashiro was getting rather edgy.

"Yashiro I'm going to cut straight to the point. You are aware of my sons feelings for your charge Kyoko right?"

"Yes sir."

"And you have feelings for her?"

Yashiro took a deep breath. "Yes."

"I thought so. And have you acted on them?"

"Not yet. I want to give her and Ren a chance to talk before I start testing the waters with her. However, if he leaves again without doing anything I will begin to explore where the relationship can go. I'm sorry Kuu, but in this situation I refuse to step out of the way unless they get involved with each other."

Kuu stared at him and Yashiro shifted under his gaze.

"I see. To be honest I agree with you. I love my son but if he leaves her behind again without saying anything and keeps up this emotional limbo he doesn't deserve her. You have been a steady rock in her life since he left and if I was being fully impartial I would say that you were better for her than them. But because he's my son I'm asking you to wait until Ren's spoken to her or left the city to speak to her."


Kyoko was lying on her bed reading when her phone rang. She smiled and grabbed the phone to answer. It was going to be Yashiro with her schedule. No one else called her at this time.

"Yukihito-San, did he finally contact you about the part?"

"Sorry Mogami-San, wrong person."

"Tsuruga-San!"

A deep chuckle came through her speaker. "That would be me, yes. Are you busy?"

"Nope, what can I do for you?"

"Would you like to meet me for coffee?"

"Right now?"

"If that works for you."

Kyoko smiled. "Sure! Where are we meeting?"

"Second chance coffee shop sound good to you?"

"Sure! Be there in five."

True to her word five minutes later she was parking outside her favourite coffee shop and headed in. She saw Sho sitting at a table near the door with his song book. He looked up and shot her a distracted smile before gesturing to the far wall and then returning to his notebook Ren, blond and without his usual coloured contacts, sat a a booth in the far corner. She ordered a water and took a seat at the table.

"Glad you could make it Mogami-San." He said with a warm smile.

"Thank you for inviting me. Was there a reason for meeting or did you just was to talk?"

"Actually there is a reason." He said, his tone unusually serious and his eyes filled with a hidden depth.

"Oh?"

"Mogami-san, I..." His voice faltered and he closed his eyes for a brief second before reopening them to reveal a smouldering gaze. It was the Emperor of the Night!

"Kyoko-chan, I need to ask you a very blunt question. What are your feelings for me?"

"Feelings?! I..uh..." Kyoko stuttered with her wide eyes.

Ren smiled and reached a hand forward to cup her cheek.

"Perhaps I'm approaching this the wrong way. Kyoko Mogami, I do believe that I'm in love with you."


Sho's focus on his song went out the window when Kyoko took a seat at Ren's table. He had a bad feeling that Ren's reasons for inviting his friend to coffee weren't to just chat.

He listened to them talk and so heard Ren's dramatic confession quite clearly. His head shot up and he watched from his spot able to see both faces to see what happened next.

Kyoko's eyes went impossibly wide and Ren began to lean forward. Kyoko gasped and shoved her chair back from the table, her face moving out of his hand and her arms pushed back from the table as far as they could go.

"Kyoko, what...?"

"I'm sorry, I...I don't..."

Sho felt himself wince as Ren's face went from a smouldering look to shock and heartbreak. He knew that feeling.

"You..." He couldn't finish his sentence.

Kyoko's eyes filled with tears and she raised her hand to cover her mouth.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered as tears began to stream from her cheeks. Before Rem could say a word she stood and bolted towards the exit. Sho stood and shoved his notebook into his bag.

Kyoko wasn't paying attention to where she was going and ran directly into his chest. She moved to run away but he wrapped one arm around her shoulders and guided her out and into her car. Luckily he knew how to drive so once she was safely in the passenger seat he climbed into the other side and started driving away.

He pressed a couple of buttons and called Yoshiro.

"What is it Sho? I'm currently having coffee with someone and I don't have time to chat." Yoshiro's voice came over the line impatiently.

"Ren confessed to Kyoko and she said no." Sho reported as he drove.

"What?!" Two voices echoed over the line. Sho didn't recognize the second one.

"Waaa I'm sorry father! But-but I couldn't lie and say I loved him! I'm such a horrid person!" Kyoko clearly recognized the second voice and she burst into tears after finished her statement.

"No...Kyoko, I'm not angry. It's ok." The voice said softly with pain in the tone.

Kyoko only cried harder.

"Take her to her apartment Sho, I'll be there as soon as I can be." The line disconnected and Sho looked over at the crying girl in the seat next to his.

He reached one hand over and grasped hers. She looked over, startled and he gave a comforting squeeze.

"You didn't do anything wrong. Lying and saying yes would have only delayed the inevitable and the pain when the truth came out would have only been worse. It hurts but it's better now then while in a relationship." Sho told her with a quick glance.

"I know..." She exhaled.

Sho parked her car and walked with her to the door of her apartment complex before starting the long walk back to the coffee shop to pick up is car. Poor girl, this was going to be hard for her.

He hoped that Yashiro would be there for her like she needed him to be.


Kyoko went inside the doors of the complex and there stood Yashiro. He didn't say a word but simply walked up the stairs and to her apartment in silence. They went inside and Kyoko locked the door and sat down on the couch without saying anything.

"What happened?" Yashiro said, breaking the silence.

"He called me to meet him for coffee and I did and then he asked my what I felt for him. I didn't know what to say and then he confessed and I was in shock and then he leaned forward to kiss me and I knew that I couldn't let him and I stopped him and told him that I didn't have feelings for him and he looked so hurt and broken and then I started crying and-and..."

Kyoko started crying again.

"Crap. I'm sorry Yukihito-San, I thought I was done with the waterworks." She mumbled through the tears.

Suddenly two warm arms wrapped tightly around her and pulled Kyoko into a equally warm chest.

"Just let it out Kyoko. This is just as hard for you as it is for him. Just cry." Yashiro said gently.

Kyoko wrapped her arms around his middle and obeyed his order. She just cried.


Almost a week after the incident and Kyoko had dived into work with a vengeance. They had met with Kuu and his wife Julia even though Ren wasn't able to attend.

Both of them were encouraging even though Julia hadn't even met her before the night, telling her that she hadn't done anything wrong and that they would consider her their daughter no matter what.

The family had returned to America several days ago with the parting words to Kyoko that she needed to follow her heart. Kuu had also told Yashiro that "it was his time". Whatever that meant.

Kyoko had her first day off in a long time and was just arriving home from grocery shopping when her cell phone rang.

"Hello?" She called into the phone, attempting to juggle her groceries and her phone as she hopped into the lobby of her apartment building.

"Kyoko. Where are you?" It was Yashiro. Since he had comforted her after the Ren incident he had dropped the honorific off the end of her name.

"I'm at my apartment juggling grocery bags. Can I call you back?"

"No need." His voice sounded right next to hers.

She yelped and nearly dropped her bags but he caught them just in time.

"What are you doing here?!" She gasped.

He laughed. "Hello to you to. I wanted to stop by and take you to dinner."

"Me? Dinner?"

Yashiro grinned and walked her into the elevator.

"That was the plan, yes."

"Oh...that sounds nice then."

He grinned and unlocked her door for her before helping her put away her groceries.

"Glad you agree. You might want to get a dress a little bit more formal though."

Kyoko smiled and nodded before quickly getting dressed. She was going to dinner!


Kyoko sat in a booth lit with a soft ambiance across from Yashiro. They had ordered and we're waiting for their food.

"Yukihito-San, why did you invite me to dinner? Not that I'm complaining."

Yashiro smiled. "Because I wanted to have dinner with you."

Kyoko blushed and smiled. They ate while chatting and once they were done Yashiro payed the bill even though Kyoko protested violently. Once they got outside he suggested a walk through the garden.

"Shall we?" Yashiro asked, offering a arm.

"Let's." Kyoko smiled and gently accepted the offered arm.

They strolled through the gardens in a companionable silence before arriving at a cheerfully burbling fountain. Yashiro stopped and turned to face her, taking her hands in his and holding her gaze with his own warm brown one.

"Yukihito-San?"

"I want to tell you something. Before I do I want to make a promise to you. No matter your answer we will remain the closest friends and I will always be there for you. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

He took a half step closer and smiled reassuringly.

"We have been friends for a very long time. I enjoyed spending time with you and I counted me among my closest friends. When Ren left and I became your manager and I got the privilege of watching you grow as a actress and and as a person."

Kyoko went pink at his words.

"Since becoming your manager I've begun to see you in a different light and much to my shock I found my feelings towards you changing from friends to something more."

He paused for a second and waited. He was giving her the chance to stop him before he said the final words.

"Kyoko, I don't know where or when it happened but somehow some very strange feelings have snuck up on me without my permission and I now find myself very much in love with you."

Kyoko stared at the man in front of her. He loved her? Like she loved him?!

He took another step towards her.

"If you don't tell me otherwise I'm going to kiss you now." He warned softly.

Kyoko's blush deepened but she didn't say a word. This time, she had no need to run from this kiss. He waited for her to say something with a slightly worried look in his eye.

"I love you Yukihito." Was all Kyoko had to offer.

Yashiro-no, Yukihito smiled and leaned forward and Kyoko met him halfway as they pressed their lips together in a gentle kiss.


Two years later:

"Kuon, I've been hearing rumours that you've been getting close to a singer that works at the same talent agency as you. Is that true?"

Kuon sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Yes it is. Her name is Bethany and she's a really neat person. Find myself talking with her for hours on end without getting bored and I'm pretty sure that she shares my romantic interest in her."

Kuu smiled knowingly. "I told you that you would eventually recover from the incident with Kyoko."

"Yeah. And now that I can look mostly impartiality on the situation I'm realizing that he's a hundred times better for her than I am."

"How so?"

"Any girl I date and marry is going to have to deal with my crazy schedules that make my time at home very inconsistent, girls that if I were in a relationship while acting with them would do anything in there power to break us up, paparazzi who would rip apart anyone they see me with, as well as my past. As much as a hate to admit it Kyoko would never last in that kind of unsure environment."

Kuu nodded and prompted Kuon to keep going.

"Yashiro on the other hand is a individual that you can rely on. He's steady in who he is and is a solid rock for his friends. He doesn't have to worry about girls obsessing over him in droves which lends a sense of comfort of his and Kyoko's relationship that she wouldn't have had with me. His schedule is only as crazy as hers is and once they're married they'll be home and together at the same time. Not to mention that had I been dating her when she was trying to repair her relationship with Sho I would have done anything in my power to stop her whereas Yoshiro was able to be friends with Sho and his manager Shoko. He really is perfect for her in a way I couldn't be."

"Good for you for seeing that Kuon. I agree totally." Kuu encouraged.

The two men lapsed into silence. Suddenly a shriek filled the air and Julie burst into the room with a cheer, grabbing the tv remote and turning the tv on. The men watched as Julie giggled and danced around with excitement on her face as she changed the channel.

"LOOKIT!"

Everyone's attention turned to the pretty lady who was giving a report with a clear picture of the very couple they had just been discussing as they held hands and walked through the park.

"And in our latest entertainment story a actress that has wrapped both male and female alike around her finger in Japan and North America is officially engaged to her boyfriend of two years, the love of her life and her manager, Yukihito Yashiro! It was announced on her facebook page this morning and I believe I speak for most of her fans when I congratulate her on her upcoming wedding. We wish you all the best Kyoko and Yukihito!"


So what did you think? Reviews are welcome! Flames shall be laughed at, posted for others to laugh, and ignored while I bang my head on the table as I write my other plot bunny of evilness.