Hi! I've not been on for a while, life has a way of distracting you, but I'm back now, I may struggle to continue with my other Skip Beat! stories as it has been a while in terms of the manga's storylines and they have evolved quite a bit. I will try to update them, maybe even edit first and then update if I can.

Same message as on every other story: I do not own the rights to Skip Beat! or any of the characters.

Kyoko fluffed her hair as she looked into the dressing room mirror, her hair was a dark, rich brown now, long and luscious. The years had been kind to her, far from the young, inexperienced rising star Kyoko was now a household name, the years had matured not only her career but her appearance. She'd gained the curves that she'd always lacked, though not curvaceous she was slim with a soft feminine figure. Kyoko grinned as she looked into her amber eyes framed with dark eyelashes emphasised with black mascara and a light coating of eyeliner. She had a date tonight, her shooting of the latest romantic drama was finished and she was sitting with her co-star for a meal, he was attractive with a nice laugh, he appreciated the traditional aspects of Japanese culture. Respected her slightly backwards opinion of what was and was not appropriate for a Japanese lady to do unmarried.

As she hooked her shoulder through her bag strap she checked her phone, skimming through the unread messages, smiling at a message asking for her finish time from Jun-san. As she clicked on his message she noticed a message from an unknown number, she pressed back to click on the message, her mind winding back to the last person who regularly sent her messages from an unknown number. Tsuruga-san had been in America for the last 5 years, he'd left when she'd turned him down romantically, a choice she regretted as an adult. It had probably been the correct decision, she'd been only 19 when he'd asked her out, her heart still wounded and too young to hold a mature relationship with an older man. As she opened the message her eyes widened with shock. "Kyoko, I'm back from the USA, would you like to meet? Ren Tsuruga (Your Ren)" Typical of him, before he'd left he'd liked to tease her, hinting, suggesting that he was hers, how he could still do that when turned down she did not know. Kyoko frowned checking her watch, she was running late but she found she cared very little for her dinner date her mind now filled with the idea of seeing the man she had admired up close and from afar.

Ren flung his hand up to protect his eyes from the glare of the sun as he stepped off the plane onto the tarmac, he slung his carry on over his shoulder, before flipping his sun-glasses open and onto his face.
"Glad to be back, Ren?" Yashiro's grinning voice greeted him as he walked over. "You have no idea. I think my father tried to make me put on double my weight." Ren grinned at his long time friend and previous manager. "Have you been looking after Kyoko well?"
"Oh like you don't know! I know you've been getting updates from Lory." Yashiro's tone was already taking on that teasing edge, he never changed even at 30 odd and now happily married he still acted like a young girl.

"Can't hide anything from you. You really are a super-manager." A sardonic smile showing white teeth plastered Ren's face, if his eyes had not been covered they would have been glinting bitterly.

"Come on, Ren. I know you've missed her and I know she's missed you." Yashiro paused and pulled Ren's sunglasses down. "She's been on a few dates since you've left, even done some romance dramas. She's matured and she's ready now, she's considering having relationships, not running away from them now." He didn't want to hear this, did not want to hear that the woman she loved was out in the dating world whilst he had spent the last 5 years living like a monk with his parents. Yes, the years had been therapeutic, had brought his family back together and helped him grow his international career. But he'd missed her, missed her bright smile and polite manners, how she could suddenly turn into a completely different person when needed.

"Actually she has a date tonight, with her costar, he's nice, attractive, if not a bit boring. He's a safe option." Yashiro really was an amazing manager, an excellent judge of character.

"So whilst she's matured she's still not taking risks?" Ren muttered. "I'll be too much of a risk to her, I am not the safe option, Yashiro." Once again that bitterness crept in, Kuon wanting out at the injustice that the woman he loved did not see him as a viable option.

"No you're not, but you are the man she wants. She is settling for second best because she turned down the best as a child. Now she is an adult, she realises that she does not want to be alone but the man she loves is in another country." How he always knew so much Ren would never know but he was glad that Yashiro was on his side.

"Here's her new phone number, give her a text, invite her out. She won't say no."

So, I hope you enjoyed this.

I'm sorry for being away for so long, but I am back (I will continue writing as my boyfriend keeps reminding me to :P) and I will try and update as often as possible.

If you are interested in any of my original writings, I do upload on wattpad (infrequently) and me and my friend also have a website for our writing, if you want to read any stories or our website then drop me a PM for the links. I don't want to possibly break any rules so I won't advertise here.

Thank you for reading!