Disclaimer: I will only say this once. I do not own Skip Beat.

Summary: I have always known him as just Tsuruga-san. I never could have imagined what he has been suffering for so long, all from his unknown past. I will help him stop running away. I'll do anything to help him. To help Tsuruga-san . . . to help Kuon.

Okay! Here is thus chapter one! I hope you like this story; I had actually thought of it during science class XD But in my defense it was the most boring movie I have ever seen. Anyways, on to reading! Oh, and in case you don't already know, flores means flowers in Spanish. Okay, I have distracted you far enough; I will shut up now. Happy Reading!

-LIA

Chapter 1

Kyoko

I stared down at the slip of paper in my hand, wondering why it had been put in my locker. There were elaborate designs on the borders, and the elegant writing made it seem more like a formal invitation than a note. There in the elegant writing was a simple two-sentenced note.

Mogami-kun, please meet me at my office today as soon as you receive this message. The password is "Flores."

President Takadara.

The intention was obvious, but I couldn't help but wonder why it was in my locker. Why did he want me in his office? I glanced over at Kanae-san, who had arrived a few minutes before me and was getting ready to go to a job.

"Um, Moko-san? Did you receive a note in your locker today?" I asked. Moko-san turned to me, a strange look on her face. "No, I didn't. Why?" she asked.

"Nothing, just that I wanted to know if they wanted both of us to talk to President Takadara." I said, waving it off. "Okay, well I better be going." And with that I left Moko-san, walking towards the elevator that would take me to the top floor of the building, which was Takadara-san's office. I wonder what Takadara-san needs to talk to me about. I thought as the elevator arrived at the top floor with a clear ding!

A long hallway that led to two large double doors at the end greeted me as the doors opened. A lush carpet was on the floor, and beautiful vases of flowers and pictures of what I could only guess to be Spain.

It seemed that the President had decided on a Spaniard theme that day.

As I walked calmly to the other end of the hallway I was greeted by the president's secretary, Ando-san, who wore a black outfit with red pads on the shoulders, a white lace shirt popping through the front of his jacket, and a red scarf around his waist.

"What is the password?" he asked as soon as I arrived.

"Flores." I said, trying to pronounce the foreign word.

Ando-san nodded his head and opened one of the doors.

I thanked him and slipped past the door, hearing as it closed behind me. I was met with another hallway, this one shorter, that led to another two doors that led to what was the president's office.

I walked towards the doors, glancing at and admiring the decorations on the walls. I made it to the doors to find one slightly ajar. I raised a hand to knock, but froze when I heard the president talking to someone. I was about to turn back when I heard something that caught my attention.

"Ren, you cannot keep on running away."

I froze, and turned back in the direction of the sound. It was obviously the president's voice that I heard. But the mention of my sempai threw me off. Running away? I thought. I knew it wasn't any of my business, but my body seemed to react on it's own and I was soon standing right next to the door, managing to be able to make out most of what was being said. There was a silence.

"It has been seven years." President Takadara continued.

Is he on the phone? I wondered.

"Yes, I know. But you have to confront your past. You cannot continue to live like this forever, Kuon."

Wait . . . what? I pressed myself closer.

The president continued to talk, but I knew what I heard. The question was why he would call Tsuruga-san 'Kuon.'

"It is your birth name, and I will call you by it . . . I have not forgotten. You are twenty-one years old, you cannot continue to run from your past forever. Your father and mother miss you . . . The reason why I did that, Kuon, was because you wanted to make a life for yourself, and you did. You have to go back, otherwise you will never be able to move forward . . ."

A sigh, and then the sound of a phone shutting.

I was immobile as a statue, my mind slowly processing what I heard. Tsuruga-san . . . running away . . . 'Kuon?'

As I thought this, I had only a second's notice before the door opened fully, revealing President Takadara wearing an extravagant outfit as always, and a mobile in his hand.

Oh no.

"Good morning Mogami-kun. Please, come in." Seemingly unfazed by finding me practically spying on him, he turned and calmly walked over to his desk on the other end of the room, fully expecting me to follow him.

Which I did.

"Please, take a seat." He said, motioning to the lavish couch in front of his desk with his hand as he himself sat down. I silently did so, staring down at my hands as color stained my cheeks. He simply got right to the point and spoke calmly, as though discussing something as mundane and common like if I had a good morning instead of the accusatory tone I most definitely deserved. "Mogami-kun, would you mind telling me exactly how much of my conversation you heard?"

My cheeks burned a brighter red.

"I'm so sorry for eavesdropping on you!" I said, getting on the ground and kneeling before him. "I shouldn't have done that, it was not in any way excusable! I give my deepest apologies! I am so sorry!"

"Mogami-kun, please sit, there is no need to bow. I would prefer to see your face when talking to you as well, instead of having to look over my desk."

Silently I stood up and sat down once more, my hands clasped in my lap.

"Now Mogami-kun, I will ask again, please tell me how much of my conversation you heard." President Takadara said patiently.

I bit my lip.

"Quite a bit." I admitted. " . . . Something about Tsuruga-san running away, of having to face his past, and . . . you kept on calling him Kuon." I said, finally looking up on the last word.

For some reason the name set bells ringing in my head. I remembered the name from somewhere, but I couldn't remember where exactly.

"Well, that is quite a bit. Actually it is almost all I was going to tell you about." President Takadara said, bringing his hands together in front of him on the desk.

I stared at him in shock.

"You see Mogami-kun, Ren–or rather, Kuon–is facing a lot of problems with himself. Ren's real name is Kuon, and when he was fifteen I helped him make a life out of himself, to stop from being in the life he held. He has a dark past, and even after seven years he has yet to be able to face it. He has been running away from it, in a sense." He explained.

I was utterly silent.

"But . . . President, why are you telling me this?" I asked when I was finally able to somewhat compose myself.

"Because Mogami-kun, you hold a special place in Ren's heart. You are his kohai, and I know that if anyone can convince him to do it, it's you. Please, Mogami-kun, would you do me the favor of helping that idiot to be able to face his past?"

I was amazed. Astounded. Overwhelmed. Startled. Stupefied. Only these words could describe the state of supreme shock I was in. So much information the past of my sempai was given to me in such a short time. I never knew of his past. I never knew that he was running away. Even less that he had another name . . .

I was only frozen for a few moments before I nodded my head.

"Yes. I'll do it." I said, gaining more determination as each word passed my lips.

The president simply smiled.

"Thank you Mogami-kun." He said.

"But . . ." I started. "How do I get him to face his past? How can I make him do it?"

"Well that is left up to you." Takadara-san said, sitting back in his throne-like chair. "Although, I suggest you wait a bit first. Get close to him, and then convince him."

"But how do I do that?" I asked.

"I cannot really help you with this, although . . ." a grin appeared on his features. "As for getting close to him, I can take care of that."

I internally grew wary of the look in his eyes. That look only appeared when he was planning something extravagant. Should I be worried? I wondered. I opened my mouth to say something, when he cut me off.

"Well that was all I wished to talk to you about Mogami-kun. You may go back to work now, we both have quite a bit to do."

And with that I was dismissed.

As I walked over to the elevator to go to another floor of the building, my mind was whirling with what I had learned. Unbeknownst to me, a certain odd president was already planning something as he sat in his desk.

President Takadara stared longingly at the bright red flamenco dress he had bought beforehand. With a small sigh he looked away and mulled over his thoughts. I guess sending Mogami-kun to Ren wearing a flamenco dress as a present is going to have to wait for another time. He thought. I had planned on getting those two together first, but this isn't so bad either.

Ren . . . this is the opportunity of a lifetime. You have to face your past, and if anyone is going to convince you to do it . . . it's that girl. Don't mess it up.

And thus is the end of chapter one! In case you noticed, I called the president's secretary Ando-san. I have no idea what his real name is, and haven't been able to find it, so this is what I shall call him from now on. If you know what his real name is though, feel free to tell me! I hope you enjoyed reading this, and please review and tell me what you think!

-LIA