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Desperate Measures

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Summary: Kyoko may have him wrapped around her thumb; but when the occasion called for it, Ren knew how to get what he wanted. Rated T for guest appearances by denizens of Hell. Set during the Karuizawa arc.

Disclaimer: Skip Beat belongs to Yoshiki Nakamura. I own nothing.

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"Tsuruga-san, I'm scared…"

The tearful words were enough to jolt Ren's brain into overdrive and set adrenaline pumping in panic. He had expected a cheery greeting followed by an enthusiastic description of the picturesque Karuizawa, not this quavering sniffle that would make even a kitten wince.

For Ren, who is usually chased by millions, to be at someone's beck and call was quite ironic; particularly when that special someone had no idea of her influence over him.

"Mogami-san… could it be that something happened?"

Ren's calm and measured voice jolted Kyoko out of her terror-induced hysteria, his deep melodious voice creating a temporary illusion of security. Immediately, she felt guilty for bothering the extremely busy actor for something as trivial as her childhood (ex-) crush or his spooky lowlife imitation. She had been frightened, and her body had moved on autopilot. She hadn't even realized who she was calling till his dulcet tone brought her out of the living-nightmare-induced stupor.

The fog in her brain cleared somewhat. She was suddenly aware that she was shivering, and that Tsuruga-san was waiting for a response.

"No, no, it's nothing, nothing at all, Tsuruga-san! Don't worry about it, you just take care and focus on your shoot. We're all fine here, there's no evil spirits or anything to worry about!"

Her eyes widened at the involuntary admission, and she clapped a hand over her mouth to avoid divulging anything else. Evidently, her return to relative sanity was only fleeting.

Really, she was such a terrible liar, Ren mused, an involuntary smile gracing his face. She became so flustered and high-pitched when trying to avoid a topic, anyone would be suspicious.

But evil spirits…only Kyoko would get emotional over something like that. Was this whole drama just a figment of her fairy-loving imagination?

He frowned. No, something was definitely wrong, something that went beyond malevolent apparitions which may or may not have been imagined. Kyoko was obviously (unsuccessfully) trying to keep it silent, probably out of reluctance to cause him any sort of trouble. It might have been cute if it weren't so damn puzzling.

Clearly, the events preceding her call had severely disturbed the normally cheery actress. Her voice was shaky, almost as if she was seconds away from full-on bawling.

As soon as the thought struck him, his eyes widened, and he enquired urgently, "Mogami-san, you aren't crying, are you?"

The blatant concern in Ren's voice almost brought Kyoko to tears (no, she hadn't been crying before), if the altercation with the two rival singers was not enough. Her first instinct was to sob her heart out to him. Tsuruga-san always exuded an aura of calm; he'd definitely help sort out her frazzled nerves and provide a reasonable solution to her misfortune.

But just because she wanted to unload her burdens unto his willing ears didn't mean she should act on her emotions. She couldn't let her predicament affect Ren's hectic schedule; it would be terribly unprofessional to derail his work with her personal issues.

Now regretting the impulse to call her senpai, Kyoko attempted to smooth over the whole controversial issue. Unfortunately, subtle wasn't exactly her forte.

"No, I'm not crying; in fact, I'm so happy and cheerful, I feel like singing! Karuizawa is such a beautiful place, full of trees…and I think I heard a river earlier! Perhaps there might even be fairies! So don't worry, Tsuruga-san! I'm perfectly fine and healthy and not in the least concerned about wraith-like banshees who converse with the dead!"

Kyoko bit her teeth at the last words, her tendency for running her mouth getting the better of her once again.

Too befuddled to make any sense of the forced and exaggerated declaration, Ren settled for pointing out her obvious panic, latching to the one fact he was absolutely sure of.

"Mogami-san…. are you lying to your senpai?"

His serious voice immediately silenced her feeble protests, and her apprehensive gulp was audible even on the other end of the line. He felt bad for bringing out the 'strict senpai' voice, particularly when his poor kouhai was so upset. But how could he help if she wouldn't tell him what the problem was?

He sighed; dealing with this girl was never simple. She took everyone's troubles on her shoulders, but refused their assistance during times of her own distress. So selfish, and yet so selfless.

Irritation melting into concern, he continued in a slightly softer voice, "Did something happen on the set today, Mogami-san? Did someone say something that offended you, perhaps; or are you facing difficulties with your character?"

Ren desperately hoped it wasn't the last one. There was nothing anybody in the cast or crew could do against a Mio-rampage.

"Ren! It's time for your change of clothes!" Yashiro called out, startling the tall actor. Coming to his senses, Ren realized he had forgotten all about his current shooting, his mind still far away in Karuizawa.

"Senpai?" came Kyoko's hesitant voice on the line, small and lonely. There was no way he could just leave her like this.

"Ah, it's nothing. That was just Yashiro-san calling for the end of snack break. We're going to resume the shooting now."

"Eehh? Tsuruga-san, did you waste your entire break talking to this worthless kouhai? I'm so sorry; I never would have bothered you if I knew you were resting! Please punish me for this outrageous disrespect! I shall be prepared for whatever-"

"That's hardly necessary, Mogami-san" he interrupted smoothly, before she could launch a full-blown tirade of how utterly undeserving she was of his 'kindness'. "I was free, and more than happy you called, though I must confess that I am now extremely concerned."

Suddenly, an idea struck, one which, if executed properly, would leave Kyoko with no option but to spill the beans. Carefully framing his response, Ren modulated his voice into a suitably serious tone, taking a deep breath and adopting an impromptu persona.

"In fact" he began haughtily,"It is your deliberate concealment of facts that I find disrespectful. Your senpai has asked you to share your current problem, and you decline?"

Going with the mood, he continued, "Perhaps you no longer find this senpai's advice worthwhile?" He almost smirked, predicted the passionate denial that was soon to come.

Kyoko's long-controlled tears burst forth, and she began stammering out frantic apologies, groveling on the floor and whimpering like a small cute animal. A torrent of incoherent mumbling followed, but Ren could vaguely make out the words 'punish', 'worthless' and more murmurs of self-depreciating nature.

But Ren was a man on a mission, and no soft words could soothe his character-immersed ire. "If you truly wished to show remorse, Mogami-san, you would not waste my time with worthless apologies. Instead, you would satisfy my measly request for information."

"But Tsuruga-san, nothing really happened! There's nothing to tell! No one is in danger from demon beagles! Everyone's safe and sound and waiting for you, and it will all be alright!"

Ren's eyes narrowed. He had mistaken her state of mind for disappointment, but 'fear' seemed to drive this unusual phone call. If someone was out to hurt her, then the matter was much more serious than she had initially let on. And what was that about hell-hounds?

He cursed himself for not noticing it before. She had said that she was scared… but of what? Or whom? Who could possibly want to hurt sweet, innocent, adorable Kyoko?

Immediately, a certain bleached-blond singer came to mind. Ren winced. Could such a coincidence be possible? Did she somehow encounter Fuwa at Karuizawa?

Ren was so appalled at the prospect of the (former) childhood friends meeting, that he utterly failed to notice Kyoko's admission of 'waiting for him'. (Though to be fair, his beloved had only mentioned a generic 'everyone')

No good. He had to know what was going on, or he'll have no peace for the rest of the shooting. "Did someone try to hurt you, Mogami-san?"

His voice no longer held the previous mock-anger; there was real steel behind his words now. A deadly Kuon had risen to the threat of someone hurting his precious girl. Controlling himself with effort, Ren persisted, "Are you sick? Injured? Was it someone from Dark Moon, or someone else in the hotel? Did they do anything to you?"

Tiring of the silence, he burst out, "Tell me Kyoko!"

Instinctively, both parties flinched. They were no strangers to arguments, particularly back when they had been unfamiliar with each other. They had exchanged nasty words in the past (going so far as a rude gesture on Kyoko's part). Yet, they had never actually raised their voice in such a manner.

That Tsuruga-san had lashed now showed just how much he was concerned about her. He really cared, more than a senpai, perhaps like….a friend? A brother?Or something…more?

Calming down somewhat, Ren repeated with soft insistence. "Please tell me, Mogami-san. I'll do whatever I can to help. I only want you to be okay…"

In a small voice, Kyoko replied, "I wasn't hurt, Tsuruga-san. Nobody actually did anything. It was just….a warning of sorts, you could say?"

Ren's eyes widened. "A warning? Kyoko, did someone THREATEN you?"

LoveMe Number One winced as her senpai unerringly hit the bulls-eye. And he had taken it in the worst possible way!

She attempted to laugh it off, but her voice came out hoarse and bitter. "Eto…. not a warning, not really… and of course no one threatened me! Erm well, not directly, at least… it's more of a bad vibe, like an evil denizen of hell…or maybe it was just a twisted joke?" she ended hopefully, praying that her astute senpai would just accept her weak explanation and be done with it.

Little did she realize that the stress of dealing with Ren's stubbornness had completely washed away her fear of the beagles and their no-doubt-unpleasant scheming.

"Denizen of hell… You mentioned this before, banshees and demon…beagles… am I correct? Forgive me, Mogami-san, but I don't understand."

"I can't tell you, Tsuruga-san. You won't believe me, or worse, you'll laugh."

Ren sighed, and managed to express his sincerity while keeping his growing frustration at bay. "Don't worry, Kyoko. I promise I won't laugh, no matter what you say."

Kyoko groaned softly. So much for keeping the matter from her senpai. Really, that man was so headstrong sometimes! She shrugged her shoulders in mild annoyance. After all, one couldn't become Japan's Number One without a great deal of perseverance.

Opting for a half-truth, she explained awkwardly, "You see Tsuruga-san….the hotel is haunted by an evil spirit who takes pleasure in tormenting those he deems interesting. And, I think…well, I think I've been cursed…."

In Okinawa, Ren smacked his forehead as he received yet another roundabout answer. It seemed that Kyoko was unusually reluctant to confide the matter. Very well then, he would resort to extreme measures.

A polite young stagehand approached the famous actor, informing him that it was time for his makeup. Ren nodded distractedly, "I'll be on my way." Meanwhile, Kyoko once more began to wail out apologies for taking up his precious time.

"Mogami-san, I have to go now; but do not think that this topic is closed. I shall expect a full description of the upsetting events when I call you at dinnertime."

"I'm sorry Tsuruga-san, but I cannot tell you. I was merely being fanciful and jumping to conclusions; there really is nothing to worry about. I wouldn't want to take up your precious dinner time, seeing you already eat much too less for your workload."

Anxious to end the call as soon as possible, she hurried out a polite goodbye. "Please take care and good luck for the rest of your shoot, though you probably don't need it-"

"Not so fast, Kyoko" Ren admonished. "You might be able to escape now, but I will call you during my next break, and at dinner, and afterwards as well. I'll keep calling all through the night if need be. I'd probably be too worried to sleep anyway."

An indignant squawk was heard, but was immediately shot down. "And I'll call tomorrow as well; every break, even during the shoot if I can make it."

Kyoko was aghast. "Tsuruga-san, that's completely unprofessional! Please be reasonable! Your reputation-"

Ren snorted, but coming from him, even a pig's grunt would sound refined. "I'll bother you during breakfast, and dinner, and whatever is supposed to come between; I'm not much of an eater anyway. The dessert here is quite good; I'm sure Yashiro would be more than happy to have my share."

"Tsuruga-san, skipping meals is bad for-"

"And if that doesn't work, I can always call director Ogata and Momoi-san. I'm sure they would be willing to halt the filming and arrange for your safety, at least till I get there. In fact, I had better call them now-"

Kyoko began to writhe and flail, mindless of the fact that her unreasonable senpai was miles away and couldn't see her. "No! Don't call anyone Tsuruga-san! Why should you make everyone worry simply because of me? You'd better not put down the phone, or else-"

Kyoko was rapidly turning purple with rage, conveniently forgetting her modest upbringing and inbred politeness. The events of the past few hours were simply too much. First the beagles and Sho; now even Tsuruga-san was determined to torture her!

It was a complete turn of the tables. She had initially been trying to cut the call as soon as possible, but now she was desperate to continue the conversation, if only to prevent a second disastrous phone call.

But really, what did Tsuruga-san expect the director to do? Kyoko couldn't point fingers at the beagles since they technically hadn't done anything (except making a few creepy statements). If she (or rather, Tsuruga-san) made any false accusations, both parties' reputations would be at stake. What if the hotel management evicted them for allegations against Vie Ghoul? What if-

As if reading her mind, Ren suggested slyly, "I think the best thing would be to contact hotel security. They can assign a bodyguard to watch you around the clock, and they have the authority to remove any suspicious characters-"

"Senpai! You can't! There must be-"

Smirking, Ren unveiled the grand finale with a theatrical flourish. "True, perhaps that's a bit too much… Instead, I think I should come down there and see for myself."

"What? But Tsuruga-san, your shoot…"

"Look at it this way. I am going to call you during every break, so I'll probably be unable to eat a single meal. Also, I'll be on the phone all through the night, meaning that I won't get any rest either. I'll probably get plenty of NGs tomorrow, because I'll be exhausted and malnourished. I might even collapse at work."

Ren continued reasonably, "Rather than causing a nuisance at set, I should simply explain to the director here that there is a matter of extreme urgency in Karuizawa, and that I need to hurry over immediately to deal with things myself. And if he sees fit to cancel my contract, then so be it."

Kyoko let out a strangled moan, halfway between a scream and a whimper. Other than that, she seemed to have lost the ability to articulate her utter despair.

Ren was aware that he was deeply exaggerating, but it was only fair recompense for the 'demon beagles' and other outlandish things his pink-clad belle came up with.

Now for the killing blow. "Really Kyoko, It's entirely your fault. If you weren't so stubborn and uncooperative, I wouldn't have to involve anyone else."

Kyoko belatedly realized that sometime during their cat-and-mouse conversation, her senpai had picked up an embarrassing habit of calling her by first name, especially when agitated. And he did it so naturally, as if there was absolutely no issue with such an intimate form of address! What a playboy; he had no modesty at all!

Never mind that now; she had greater problems to deal with. Tsuruga-san was planning to drop his entire shoot to come see her! She badly wanted him with her in these traumatic circumstances, true. But not at the cost of his job!

Meanwhile, Ren had begun making elaborate plans (faked, of course). "In that case, I should instruct Yashiro-san to book the tickets-"

"No! No, no, absolutely not! There's no way you can jeopardize your career for the sake of something so trivial! I'll tell you, I'll tell you!Whatever you want to know, I'll tell you everything! Just stay there, finish your job properly, and eat all your food. And don't call anyone. Please Tsuruga-san, please just listen to reason!"

Ren chuckled deviously. Maybe he was at her beck and call, but when the occasion called for it, he could be just as beguiling as she.

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I put both POVs as a sort of messy medley; I hope the thinker was clear. This did not come out as well as I expected it to, so I'd really appreciate your suggestions and recommendations.

I understand if you find Kyoko OOC, but remember that in Karuizawa, Kyoko was still a fledging actress with only a commercial and a PV to her name. In light of this, her deception skills are sadly lacking.

I think 'banshee' is kinda appropriate alternative for 'beagle'. After all, when someone sings badly, they say he/she 'wailed like a banshee'.

About my other stories: I know I promised to revise Dark Moon Party, and I might do it... someday! I'd also like to completely rewrite Whimper's last 6 chapters, but I'm out of ideas. I'll listen to any plot bunnies you have!

Thank you all for reading and reviewing!