Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat!

AN: Hello. I hope you enjoy this one-shot.

"I love you."

"No."

"I'm not joking nor am I teasing you. I love you."

"No..."

"Kyo—"

"No! You can't... I can't ..." She said, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Kyouko, I really love you." Ren pleaded with her.

"No!" she shook hear head more frantically.

He grabbed her hands, and forced her to look him in the eyes.

"Kyouko!"

"No! No! No!" She continued to shake her head, refusing eye contact. Tears started to stream freely down her cheeks.

"Please!" There could be only one word to describe his whole person: desperate. Even he himself felt like crying.

"No!" She finally pulled away and ran off.

In a deserted hallway, Ren was left all alone; abandoned.

"Why can't you understand" he whispered. His heart clenched painfully.

The confession that day was the last blow for her heart. No matter how many times she tried to put the locks all over her heart again, her feelings for him would just come out overflowing her heart and break the locks. Her locks were all too rusty and weak due to the multiple blows she had received from him for the past two years.

After she had ran away from him that day, she was back in her apartment that LME provided her. Due to her increasing popularity, she couldn't stay in the Darumaya anymore, because the fans would always crowd the restaurant and hinder the business. It was a sophisticated condo, simple yet elegant. Granted, she was only a block away from Ren's.

She closed the door behind her. Her heart still beating so hard that it hurt. Not that she didn't feel pain already. She slowly slid down from her position leaning against the door. She sat down and hugged her knees. Flashes of earlier events passed through her mind, his pained face... his eyes... She clutched her heart, hoping that it would ease the pain. "Sorry... I'm sorry..." she sobbed, tears falling from her beautiful eyes. "Sorry...I love you ...Ren.. sorry...".

She spent the rest of her day sitting there and crying her heart out.

She avoided him. Every time he would try to talk to her, she would find any excuse to get away from him.

One day they met on the street, when Kyouko was heading back to her condo. It was late so there was less people. Ren was driving home when he saw her, determined to catch her, he parked his car and walked to her.

He called out to her. She stopped and glanced over her shoulder, upon seeing who had just called her, she immediately turned around and broke into a run. Ren chased after her. Blinded by her fear, she didn't know where she was going until—

*HONK!*

"KYOUKO!" With his long legs he caught up to her and grabbed her just in the last minute.

She was trembling, her hands clutched Ren's shirt for dear life. Ren was trembling too, fear clouded him, various thoughts ran through his mind, what if he was too late, what if the car had gone too fast, what if... he hugged her tighter.

They were sitting on the sidewalk, frozen to the spot. A few minutes later, Kyouko finally realized what she was doing and struggled to get out of his embrace but Ren just hugged her tighter. He pulled away slightly but still held her firmly, hands on her shoulders.

"What were you thinking?" he yelled, surprising her. "I understand if you don't want to see me. But please..." his breath hitched, body still trembling. Kyouko tried to look at his face but he had buried his head on her shoulder.

Ren let out another shaky breath.

"But please..." he tried again in what he thought was a calm voice, "Just please... uh.." he let go of her. "Please don't put yourself in danger.."

Feeling his grip loosen, Kyouko pushed at his shoulders so that she could see his face. Ren sat up, facing away from her, one hand covering his eyes. Kyoko saw something moist slide down his cheek.

Feeling the need to comfort him, Kyouko reached out her hands without her knowing. She enveloped him in her arms.

"I'm sorry" she began, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.." she cried. "Ren, I'm sorry..." she hugged him tighter.

They just sat there hugging, confirming that they were still there, together.

Ren turned in her embrace and hugged her. "Please don't ever do that again.." he tightened his hold on her. "I..hhh... I can't bear the thought of losing you." He said in shaky voice, not trusting it, he just held her. "Please stay safe.." he tried again.

Tears streamed more heavily, she held him just as tight, "Yes," she nodded against his chest, "Yes, I promise. I'm sorry. So sorry, Ren..." She sobbed.

"Kyouko..." He pulled away slightly from their embrace. He caressed her face, "Kyouko..." his hand, still slightly shaky, traced the outline of her eyebrow, eyes, nose, lips, jaws; he needed to confirm that it was reality, that he was not dreaming, that she was indeed there with him. "Kyouko... my Kyouko..." he breathed out. He held her face in between his hands and looked straight into her eyes, her golden eyes that were so expressive, the eyes he loved so much. He leaned in.

Her eyes fluttered closed as his face came closer. Their lips touched and entangled in a passionate kiss. They were out of breathe when they pulled away. Ren touched his forehead to hers, hands still cupping her face.

"I love you... I love you so much that it hurts.." He let out a breath. "If you don't want to see me outside of work, if you want to avoid me... if..." He said hastily, "whatever you do.. I .. it's okay for me.." No, I am not okay without you by my side! I can barely pass a day without seeing you or hearing your voice! His heart screamed. "It.. It's fine for me if you don't feel the same way as I am. I—" He was cut off by soft lips pressing to his own.

He was stunned. So shocked that he didn't know what to think. When she pulled away, he regained his sense.

"Kyouko?"

"I love you." She said

"Huh? Say that again?" He must be dreaming. Kyouko kissed him... She said she loved him ... It's too good to be true.

"I love you." She repeated more firmly.

"Wh..y?" He was confused. That day she had ran away when he confessed, saying that she couldn't, though he didn't really know whether she meant she couldn't love him back or not. He had thought of it at first. And now here she was, saying that she loved him. Ren needed to know the reason.

"I love you. I have for a long while." She took one of his hands and put it against her cheek. "I'm sorry it took me so long to admit it." She leaned her cheek to the warm palm of his hand, eyes closed. "I was afraid, afraid of what will become of me if I let myself indulge into those feelings again. I was so blinded by my fear that I didn't – I refused to acknowledge your feelings for me." She opened her eyes to see his own brown orbs staring back at her, new light shining in them. "But this feeling won't go away. I tried to turn around, I asked myself a lot of questions, but in the end it would always turn out to be you." Still holding his hand against her cheek, she moved her other hand to caress his face.

"Kyouko..." He cupped her hand that was on his cheek and moved his hand that was on hers, caressing her too.

"I'm sorry... I will make it up to you even if it takes my whole life ti...me..." She glanced at him, hesitating, "If you want.. that is.." She looked down, suddenly feeling sad over her own words.

He grabbed her chin and lifted her face to look her in the eyes. His eyes shone with affection and hope for the future. "I would never reject you. Even if one day you wanted to leave me, I will hold you tightly and never let you go. I will keep you by my side forever."

She smiled, reached up and kissed him again. She pulled away, and Ren grabbed her hands.

"It is a pity that I'm not your first love nor your first kiss, but I promise you my eternity to make you happy." He said again and leaned down to her.

"Yes." She said, eyes fluttering closed.

"I love you." They both said simultaneously.

And they kissed.

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AN: Thank you for clicking this link. I hope it's not a waste of your time to read this. :D

Thanks to GeekInTehPink for beta-reading and for the summary. Also thanks to her for helping me deciding the title.

Also review is much appreciated if you would like to tell me what's on your mind. :D
See you next time!