Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat!

Mogami Kyoko had just finished shooting her latest scenes in Box'R when the news reached her. It wasn't what she expected, not that it ever crossed her mind. Or felt. Or actually wanted. She burst out of her trailer and left the set in haste, not even bothering to change clothes, still wearing Natsu's school uniform.

The staffs were baffled and left equally dumbfounded at the young actress. It was unlike of her to do so. Not to mention she would have eventually give a reason and bow helplessly on the ground asking for everyone's forgiveness, individually. But she didn't. She rushed out mumbling incoherently, not the way she usually do but the kind coming from deep anxiety.

Kyoko didn't know why. Why did she run? She absently crossed the street without looking at the stoplight and almost got hit by a car. The curses fly off and trailed off. The driver had recognized her. But she vanished in the crowd of people easily. Her heart racing frantically. What was she doing? Her mind has no control over her body anymore. She didn't know where she was going. She had a feeling she do but why? Why? Her mind was filled with thoughts. Thoughts of only one thing. Nothing else mattered. Her chest tightened. Why? It was hurting her to dwell on it. There was no time. She walked even faster. She let her body carry her.

She dashed around the group of people forming outside the entrance of the hospital. Photographs were being taken. The paparazzi swarmed. Kyoko pushed her way in. No. No. No. No! No! Unwanted thoughts began to spread throughout her mind. So it was true! She had to see him. Something inside her broke free. Kyoko blacked out. Only fragments of what occurred resurfaced to her. She remembered getting mugged by fans, getting flashed at by dozens of cameras that her vision was painfully spotted. That would have meant front news. Kyoko could not care less.

She had managed to reach the information booth where a lot of people, undoubtedly for him, were waiting. Like the others, the nurse had told her off. Kyoko vaguely recalls shouting. To no avail she was forced to move back. She shook her head, finding a reason not to be there when she heard them. She heard them all. Concert. A car accident. Fuwa Sho. Sho. Her Shotaro…

Kyoko pleaded to the nurse this time. She had to know. Where was he? Kyoko's eyes were desperate. The nurse looked at her as one might with every patient, false sympathy. Gradually the nurse realized something. This woman, this actress is someone close to the famous singer. The nurse was weakened. The other fans would walk up if she told her right then. Kyoko received a slipped message instead. A minute later in a quiet corner the nurse gave her the current information of Fuwa Sho's condition. He had been recently moved out of the ER and is gravely incapacitated along with his manager.

Kyoko took it badly. She tried to hold it in front of the nurse. She couldn't help it. She didn't want this. Not this. "Go to him, Mogami-san," those words stopped her. Kyoko looked up teary eyed. She thanked the nurse many times before catching the elevator empty but not before calling Sho's parents to inform them. They knew and were heading to Tokyo as soon as possible.

The elevator door opened. The floor was blocked by security since it was necessary.

"You can't pass, miss." one of them said.

But she wasn't listening. Kyoko kneed the man on her right and kicked the other's shin. She broke into a run and evaded them. Her light footsteps echoed in the silent corridor. Nothing made sense except the number, the number of Sho's room. She perceived the beige coloured door and trembled. The actress bit her lip and turned the doorknob. She burst in.

Her heart gave in at the spectacle. There he was, strapped with IV fluids, and unconscious. She wanted to scream at him for being reckless and stupid. For being a jerk. For always hurting her. But she couldn't.

Next to his hospital bed was Shoko, out cold as well. Her face was pallid yet her brown hair cascaded gracefully on the side. She looks better compared to Sho. Sho had his forehead, his arms, and half his body in a cast. His blond hair barely seen under the sterile bandage and his face was bruised. Kyoko dragged herself in.

"Shotaro…you." she uttered, her hand cupped to her mouth. Tears started falling down her cheeks. She never thought she would cry over him again. Stupid Shotaro. She took small measured steps towards him. He was breathing slowly with the help of the oxygen mask. Even if she despised him. Wished him dead even. After all the things he did. He still carries a part of her with him.

"Not like this, you idiot."

Kyoko carefully reached for his hand. She felt his soft palm and long slender fingers. It was cold. It sent a chill down her spine. Something made her let go immediately. A bitter memory of him holding her hand vanished resurfaced.

She looked at him, battered and helpless. How could she hate him like this? Kyoko's knees wobbled. She started crying uncontrollably. Guilt and anguish. Anguish and guilt. Her conscience could not take it. She hadn't done anything to him, yet she felt inclined to be there when he needed her. This time she wasn't there.

She slid down on the floor, her head resting on the side of the bed crying her eyes out. Kyoko stayed in that position for a while listening to the beeping sounds of the hospital apparatus. Every hour, every minute, every second. He hadn't shown signs of awaking but he was alive. That truth calmed her down a bit.

"What will your parents say you bastard? Why do you always do this?"

She found a chair and sat beside him. Her eyes were puffy though it didn't matter what form she is right now. Her phone was ringing for half an hour now. It was Tsuruga Ren, Momose, the President and Maria. They each took turns but it was mostly Ren. She watched the blinking lights and the vibrations it made on the table. She didn't answer them. She couldn't. She was afraid. Afraid of Ren. What will he say? She gulped and decided to switch it off. For a moment there she thought she saw Sho's hand twitched from the corner of her eye. She blinked once, twice. He did.

He groaned. Kyoko quickly got up ready to call the doctor when she stopped. Sho's eyes fluttered. It was unfocused and moving as if he could not see.

"K…"

He was half asleep. His head lolled slightly to the side. His eyes shut sudden tight. "K…"

"What?" Kyoko leaned to hear what he was saying. Sho shifted. "Sho what is it? Tell me what is it?"

"…S-sorry…"

Kyoko was startled. That couldn't be right. She must've heard wrong.

Sho groaned some more. "I… I'm sorry…" he mumbled again and again. She stood there stunned. Kyoko bit her lip. It couldn't be for her. Never.

She decided to wash up and leave him for a moment. Kyoko was heading for the bathroom when she stopped dead on her tracks.

"Kyoko… I'm sorry…I'm sorry," he moaned.

Kyoko slowly turned around. Sho's blue eyes opened to look for her. He could not see. She couldn't move. Though he was hallucinating it seemed real. "…sorry…Kyo…ko…" then, he fell right back to sleeping.

She forced herself to look away. To look at something that isn't him. Kyoko found Shoko's eyes instead, staring back at her. "Sh-Shoko-san!"

"Mogami-san, what are you… doing here?" Shoko noted her attire. "Did you run all the way here… in that?" her eyes scrutinizing.

Kyoko felt embarrassed. She apologized and asked if she could use the bathroom. Once in there she didn't want to go out anymore. She felt nervous and tensed. How would she say that she came for Sho?

"Mogami-san did you drown in there?" Shoko called.

She stepped out trembling. Shoko smiled pleasantly at her then glanced at Sho. "Well you look a lot better. You've been crying quite a lot you woke me."

"I'm sorry Shoko-san, I-I'll try to be quiet… " Kyoko reassured her. "Please don't be bothered by my presence. I-I won't stay long. Please try to rest."

"No its fine, Kyoko, stay as long as you like. Obviously, you are here for Sho,"

"No! I…" Kyoko trailed off.

"You are." Shoko sighed and looked out the window. Kyoko's eyes were cast down. She was contemplating whether to confide to her or not.

"He's sorry you know,"

The actress looked up. "Huh?"

"Sho," Shoko gestured at the singer, "He's been struggling for a long time to humble himself and apologize to you. I guess he still does, consciously."

Kyoko fiddled with the hem of her skirt, averting her gaze. "I-I can't forgive him."

"I believe he expects that answer."

"Can you blame me? Because of him I never had a friend. I stopped school, worked until my bones break, and supported him in every way but was I special? No, for him I'm just a maid. Because of him I lost the ability to love." she was tearing up.

Shoko kept her expression straight. "Mogami-san, are you tired of looking after him?"

"I am."

"Then why are you here?"

"I don't know. Because he's my responsibility."

"It's because you care for him."

"I promised his parents I-"

"You still love him."

Kyoko's eyes widened.

"You proved him wrong. You showed him how worthy you are. He did. Kyoko, you were his only friend. Haven't you ever thought about that? Even if he did take you for granted, that was how he was because he didn't know how to love. But you put up with it."

"But…"

The manager shook her head as if Kyoko was a five year old. "Love is not a feeling. If hatred is what you feel towards him Mogami-san, it is no different than love itself. Hate is not the opposite of love. It's the two sides of a coin."

"I-I don't understand Shoko-san..." she said getting puzzled than ever.

"If you could hate, you can love, Kyoko-chan. That's what it means." Shoko squeezed her hand.

The actress glanced at the still unconscious singer. "I don't know…"

"You know it in yourself, you still love him."

"I…I… why Shoko-san? Why?" Kyoko buried her face in her lap. Shoko caressed her dyed brown hair soothingly.

"That's just the way it is, Kyoko-chan…that's just the way it is. Once he wakes up I hope you can have a better understanding of it."

AN: Should I have a sequel or something? I mean, one-shots are awesome…but whatever.

-midnightgamin