Chapter one of the Valentine's Day special.

Lory sat back to admire his handiwork. It was technically the efforts of people obeying his instructions that had created these masterpieces, but it had been his idea and he loved seeing his thoughts become reality. This had been a brilliant plan of his, and he was looking forward to how everyone would deal with it.

Especially Ren.

The day after Ren's birthday, Kyoko was in the LoveMe room, working diligently on a small list. It was her lunch break, and she was using the time to try and figure out who she would be giving obligation chocolate to this year. She did not have the means to give chocolate to too many people this time, and she was working very hard on keeping the list short.

Moko-san was on there, along with Maria-chan, Amamiya-san, the Taisho and his wife, and Tsuruga-san, although he would not actually be getting chocolate. If she was giving Tsuruga-san something, she would have to get Yashiro-san something as well. She should give something to Sawara-san, since she owed him a great debt again this year. And she felt as though she should try and get something for the president and for Jelly-san, since both of them had played such a large part in her life this past year. And she had never felt like she had properly thanked the president for the beautiful Christmas gift he had given her.

She paused for a minute before adding the Ishibashi boys. She knew if she tried to include everyone from all of her jobs, she would have too many people. But the Ishibashis needed to be on the list. They had really been a big help to her, especially this past week.

She was tapping her pen on her mouth when there was a knock on the door and Ren stepped in, followed by Yashiro.

"Good afternoon, Mogami-san."

"Ah, Tsuruga-san, Yashiro-san, good afternoon. What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to stop by and thank you for the gift that you gave me. I really appreciate it."

"You liked it?"

"Very much. It was… incredible. I'm shocked that you found time to finish it for yesterday."

"Oh, that's a relief. I was worried that it was a little silly." Ren smiled.

"It wasn't silly at all. I really enjoyed it."

He had enjoyed it a great deal. The only complaint that he had was that she had glued all the figures in place. Logically, this made sense, since the perfect models would have had a hard time standing on their own. But he had discovered this feature when he had woken up this morning and tried to move the miniature Kyoko from her place next to the president to the spot that the mini Momose-san occupied. He was disappointed that he could not make the change, but figured Kyoko would probably have a fit if she ever saw it again and he had moved anything. It was probably for the best.

"I'm glad," Kyoko smiled.

"Would you believe it?" Yashiro interposed. "He won't even show me a picture."

"Oh, did you not see it?" Kyoko asked in surprise.

"He opened it at home. All he'll tell me is that you made him a model of the Dark Moon set from the day of the president's test of Katsuki."

"Oh. Well, that's really all that it is," she admitted, blushing slightly with embarrassment. Yashiro sighed.

"Oh well, I'm sure it's amazing. After all, the doll you made for Maria's birthday last year was incredible. You're really good about perfecting your projects," he complimented with a kind smile, causing Kyoko to blush even more. Then his grin turned mischievous. "Well, except for Ren's eating habits."

Kyoko's eyes snapped over to the guilty party.

"I thought you were doing better," she growled at her victim. "You said you were using your Christmas present. Yashiro-san suffers too when you don't eat!" she scolded, jabbing her finger at him in a threatening manner.

"I'm not-"

"Don't listen to him, Kyoko-chan," Yashiro interrupted. "He'll tell you all kinds of lies about doing better, but once he gets busy, he forgets about his food again. He's been eating junk food all week, and he even said that he skipped dinner last night. Skipped dinner. On his birthday!"

"Tsuruga-san!" Kyoko groaned, shaking her head. "You can't skip meals!" Then she looked guilty. "You… didn't have anything nice? On your birthday?"

Ren sighed and glared at his manager. The other man just smiled.

"Kyoko-chan, while you finish scolding Ren, I'm going to go run an errand. Take care of him?"

Kyoko nodded, but without any real enthusiasm. Yashiro escaped, leaving his charge with a suddenly depressed LoveMe member.

"Mogami-san-"

"I'm sorry!" she wailed, throwing herself to the ground so quickly Ren could not stop her. "If I hadn't made plans with Moko-san I could have made dinner for you! You were all alone and you didn't have anything good to eat!"

"Mogami-san-"

"I didn't even remember Moko-san and then I promised to cook for you and then I couldn't!"

"Mogami-san-" he tried again, kneeling down and pulled on her arm, to no avail.

"And then I couldn't get you a good birthday present because I'm stupid and I don't have any skills or any money-"

"Kyoko!"

She looked up then, surprised by the anger on his face. He pulled her to her feet and tried to relax.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have used your name like that," he stated as he brushed a stray tear off of her face. Kyoko shook her head and mumbled something along the lines of a dismissal, but she was not really paying attention. There was tiny feeling of warmth in her chest and on her cheek where he had touched her.

"It- it's fine," she finally got out, her face turning pink again. Why was she blushing so much today?

"In any event, it isn't your fault that I didn't eat dinner last night," Ren told her, looking her in the eye to enforce the point.

"But-" Ren's finger on her mouth stopped her.

"Mogami-san, are you listening to me?" Kyoko nodded since the finger had not been removed. "It is not your fault that I did not eat dinner last night. It's mine. Do you understand?" He removed his finger when she nodded again. "Good girl."

Kanae had by this point, arrived at LME and was making her way to the LoveMe room to get dressed into her cursed uniform. She paused outside when she heard voices in the room.

"Did you enjoy yourself at Kotonami-san's last night?"

"Oh, yes! We had all kinds of fun. We talked about all sorts of things and she ate all the food that I made!"

Kanae heard Ren chuckle.

"Sounds like you had a good evening." There was a slight pause. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, it's just- I made dinner for Moko-san, but you didn't have anything."

"I thought that we already established that this was my fault."

"Well, yes," she grumbled, clearly not pleased with his bad habits. "But it was your birthday, and you didn't do anything special. It's just… sad."

Kanae wanted to groan at her friend's idiocy. She could picture that sad, wistful face right now, and it was probably driving Kyoko's companion insane.

There was another silence, this one a bit heavier than the last.

"Mogami-san, you don't have to feel so bad about it. It was my choice to not share my birthday with anyone."

"That's probably true." Kanae wondered at what exactlyher friend could be thinking of if she was using that tone of voice. Kanae was not used to thinking of Kyoko as a jealous woman, but the particular tone she had used just then... Kanae would have given anything to see Tsuruga Ren's face.

She would have been disappointed. Ren had heard a similar tone before when he was being scolded for being a playboy. It was not a topic that Kyoko thought on much, but when it did show up, it amused Ren to see her so irritated at him.

"In any event, you can stop worrying about it," he told her in his strictest tones, confusing Kanae out in the hall.

"I should," she sighed, and Kanae heard him chuckle again.

"You know, you can always come over and cook for me some other time. I won't mind."

"Oh, you don't mind having your birthday dinner late!" Kyoko's voice brimmed with excitement and Kanae heard Ren laugh.

"Sure, we can do a late birthday dinner. But not tonight. I have too much work."

"Oh well in that case-"

But Kanae did not hear the rest. She might have to share Kyoko with this man, but she was not letting him endanger her best friend. She started forward with the intention of interrupting, but was grabbed from behind and flung ungracefully into a nearby room. The door was shut with a decisive click and Kanae faced her kidnapper with a growl.

"What are you doing?" she demanded of the man next to the door. The president met her glare with a frown and stepped away from the door to sit down in a chair.

"Have a seat, Kotonami-san."

"I don't want to."

"Sit. Now."

She had never heard him use that tone before and chose to obey, but her glare did not lessen. She took in his costume, some sort of secret agent getup, and flopped into a seat, decidedly angry.

"What?"

"Someday," he commented dryly, "Mogami-san is going to have so much influence over you, she'll actually be able to teach you some manners. Until then, I'll just remind you that I am the only reason you got hired here." Kanae grimaced.

"Was there something you wanted to talk about, sir."

"Stop getting in the way," he told her flatly. Kanae froze in shock.

"I… beg your pardon?"

"Mogami-san is your friend, and it's hard sharing her with so many people that care about her at least as much as you do. It probably isn't fair how little time you get with her, but you need to stop getting in her way."

"You mean in his way," Kanae snapped. "You couldn't care less what happens to her as long as you get to play in your own little world where everyone 'loves' each other. As long as he gets to 'love' her, nothing else matters, right? Since everyone knows he's your favorite!"

The expression Lory showed her was beyond frightening. Kanae suddenly felt guilty and a little sick.

"I hope," the president said slowly and in a frozen voice, "that you really don't mean that. In fact, I'm going to pretend that you didn't even say it. I think we are both better off that way."

"Yes sir," she responded in a quiet voice.

"But, to address your concern, this isn't just about Ren. Or just about Mogami-san. Or just you, or just anyone. I've let things go this far because real life has plenty of interruptions. But I said this before and I'll say it again. You're ruining each other. As LoveMe members, being friends is a good thing. Trusting each other is good. But the three of you share a hatred for risking your heart on anyone."

"That isn't-"

"You can't escape the fact that Mogami-san is your friend and that you care about what happens to her," Lory stated. "In fact, you're still adjusting to this. Sharing with Amamiya-san isn't too hard, because the two of you think the same way and since you're all LoveMe members it isn't hard to share. But you need to learn to share her with other people."

"I don't have a problem with your granddaughter," Kanae pointed out. "And I didn't have problems when she made plans with the other Box R girls, or when she went out with the other girls that she worked with.

Lory smiled.

"And boys?" Kanae stiffened.

"She only associates with them at work. She doesn't have any guy friends."

"Except Ren," he suggested.

"He's her senpai," Kanae retorted.

"And the Ishibashi boys in Bridge Rock?"

"The who?"

"The chicken suit job you gave to her back at the beginning of your careers. The boys she works with there."

"She isn't friends with them. She never talks about them."

"Which is why she went out to dinner with them a few nights ago."

"She what?" Lory sighed.

"You and I both know that Kyoko has a very strict scale of familiarity. Unless she is given very express permission, she keeps most people at a proverbial arms' length. She might call them senpais, but you and I wouldn't, and neither would anyone else. The same issue applies to Ren, and you know it."

"But he's interested in her," Kanae stated. "It's different."

Lory smiled.

"Ishibashi Hikaru has a crush on Mogami-san," he told her. Kanae stared at him in disbelief.

"He does not-" Lory's grin grew. "How do you know these things?" she groaned.

"I make my business knowing these things."

"I think you mean 'I make it my business to know these things.'"

"Not really."

Kanae sighed.

"It isn't safe," she told him. "Spending time with him might seem nice and cute and fluffy, but it isn't safe for her."

"You're wrong."

"He might hurt her!" Kanae insisted. "Even if you don't think he would, he could! She's young, and stupid, and she doesn't think she's in danger! You put them together in any circumstances for long enough and she'll get hurt!"

Lory regarded her for a moment.

"How long is too long?"

"How should I know?" she retorted.

"You really don't know. No, don't make that face at me. You have no idea how much control Ren has over himself, or how he really feels about Mogami-san."

"And you do?"

"I don't know where the limit of his control is," Lory admitted. "because I've never seen him reach it. But I have an incredibly good idea of where it isn't, and it's further than you would think."

"I'm almost afraid to ask you how you know that," Kanae stated, suspicious.

"Well, I won't tell you how I know, but that isn't important."

"I don't think so," she retorted.

"Well, setting aside its importance, you do need to let go, Kotonami-san. Mogami-san needs to be able to make her own choices without worrying about losing her best friend."

"You're not going to let me out of here until I promise, are you?"

"Oh no, I'll let you out. You have work that you need to do. And I can't force you into being a good friend. You'll have to learn how to do that yourself."

"So if I don't encourage her to let him stalk her, I'm not a good friend?"

Lory sighed in frustration.

"Kotonami-san, why do you admire Mogami-san?"

"Because she's a scary good actress."

"But why are you friends with her?"

"Because I didn't run fast enough," she grumbled.

"Oh never mind," came the irate response of the president. "You're not thinking about this."

"What are you looking for?" Kanae snapped. "Some mystical, magical power that I think she has? It isn't like that! She just showed up, and she wouldn't go away! She kept pushing, over and over and over! She never gave up! Not after the auditions, not at your stupid little acting test, and not at the Kyurara commercial! Even when she didn't have a prayer of winning she didn't give up!" Kanae sagged suddenly, hanging her head. "And she didn't let me give up either."

"So I've been told," the president replied. "So… why are you letting her give up?"

Kanae looked up, confused.

"She isn't giving up."

"Isn't she?"

"No. She hasn't given up on anything. She's still working hard, still trying to become a great actress."

"So she's not missing anything? She's completely normal?"

Kanae paused.

"Oh." Lory stood and walked over to his second LoveMe member and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You're a good friend, Kotonami-san."

He left her to think about what he had told her. He had said what he wanted to, prevented her from interrupting Ren and Kyoko, and now he had business to attend to. Oh, he could not wait for Valentine's Day…

Back in the LoveMe room, Ren and Kyoko were both sighing over their schedules.

"It really does have to be that day, doesn't it," Kyoko grumbled.

"Well, the president has been playing with everyone's schedules, making sure that the evening of Valentine's Day is free."

"Is he planning another party then?"

"Unlikely. I have no idea what insanity will happen during the day, but he won't keep anyone away from their loved one on the annual celebration of true love. It would be against his very nature." Kyoko giggled.

"That's true. Then I'll make you dinner for your birthday on Valentine's Day?"

"That would be great."

"Having fun?" Yashiro asked as he stepped back into the room.

"Oh, we were just talking," Kyoko told him. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be keeping you two. I'm sure you have work."

"We should be going," Ren conceded.

"Alright. We'll see you around, Kyoko-chan."

"Goodbye Yashiro-san. Ah, Tsuruga-san."

"Hmm?"

"Did you skip lunch to come down here and talk to me?" Her aura was suddenly threatening.

"We have time to grab something before I have to be on set for my next job."

"What something?"

"Your book is in the bag. Yashiro gets to pick."

"Fine. Yashiro-san, don't let him change his mind."

"I'll do my best Kyoko-chan."

"Goodbye, Mogami-san."

"Goodbye, Tsuruga-san."

"Oh, and Mogami-san."

"Yes?"

"Thank you again for the present."

Yashiro smirked at his charge as they made their way to the car. Sometimes Ren just could not control that tender smile of his. Yashiro would have been giddy if he could have known the heartwarming effect it had had on Kyoko.

Well, there it is, chapter one. Chapter two will be out on Monday, and I hope that you are all enjoying the story. Thanks for all of the reviews that I have gotten. And if you are waiting on Broken Slipper, I haven't forgotten it. But my beta can only handle so much at once

Speaking of betas, I'm sorry, Will. I know, I'm killing you slowly. Demands for edits in less than twelve hours are evil. I'll, uh, try and give you more of a heads up in the future. Don't kill me.