Dear Readers!

A lot of you said I 'didn't finish it' . . . Well, I'll finish it then! This is the second to last chapter! PLEASE PLEAS PLEASE review!

nakima-chan!


It was a Monday morning at the end of June. Kyoko was staring out of a window of the 'Love Me Section Headquarters' when her beloved Moko-chan came striding through the door.

"Kyoko-chan, how many times have I told you not to stare out the window like that?" Moko chastised, "It's a bad habit of yours, and you need to nip it in the bud. Honestly, you never used to do that before, what happened?"

Kyoko had been asking herself that lately. It wasn't like she was being absent-minded. In fact there was something that was on her mind all the time.

It was the scene of last Thanksgiving replaying over and over again in her head. She loved the part of the memory when he called her 'Kyoko-chan' when he said it, it sounded as smooth as fine silk linen. And when she said 'Ren-kun' it felt better than putting on the most expensive make-up in the world.

But right after she kissed him he was whisked away by Maria-chan. Since then, she hadn't seen him.

He was always busy shooting one drama or another. And if he wasn't shooting a drama he was busy promoting one, which was the reason for his absence from the Christmas and New Years parties. Instead of singing Christmas carols with him or standing next to him at the New Years countdown, she watched him on television, along with everyone else.

Even though she couldn't see him, she would call Yoshiro-san daily, reminding him to have Ren eat something healthy or to make sure he didn't over work himself.

She never directly called Ren, she didn't want to ruin their senpai-kohai relationship anymore than she already had. So instead of trying in earnest to see him, she swallowed her feelings and watched him from afar.

Although she missed him, she continued her hard work. Now-a-days she was getting less 'Love-Me' assignments and more requests for Mio-like roles.

"yoko . . . Kyoko!" Moko-chan screamed once more. Kyoko came back to her senses and found none other than Takarada Maria standing in front of her.

"Maria-chan, I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention," she felt flustered in Maria's presence. True, they were extremely close, but she couldn't help but feel a slight bit jealous that Maria got to see Ren, when she did not, "Were you going to say something?"

"Yes," Maria smiled warmly, "I just wanted to know if you were free on Friday."

Kyoko thought back to her meeting with Sawara-san the day before, going over her months' schedule.

"Ano . . . I do seem to have a read through of a new drama I'm working on," Kyoko massaged her temples thoughtfully, trying not to forget anything important, "Why do you ask?"

"New drama . . . the one that they haven't decided most of the characters yet?" Maria twirled and spun as if she wasn't really listening. But Kyoko knew this is just how Maria was, never being able to stay still, always moving.

"Yes, that is the one!" Kyoko was extremely excited about this role. It was her first non-Mio role; for the most part anyway. She was supposed to play the main character for one episode. She was a girl who was an ex-yanki, but fell in love with her teacher. But sadly he dies early in their marriage and she was left with a baby girl, who is the main character of the drama.

"You know that they haven't decided who they are going to cast as the teacher yet, but do you want to know a secret?" Maria put her lips close to Kyoko's ear, "I heard that Sho Fuwa was one of the candidates to be your sensei."

Kyoko's eyes bulged in shock, could this really be happening to her? Would she really have to act out that scene with Sho? Would she have to 'fall in love' with his character?

"Really Maria-san?" Kyoko tried in vain not to show her shock, this was just too much for her.

"Aren't all the candidates showing up at the read through on Friday?" Maria asked again, still in her own world, twirling like a sakura petal falling to the ground.

"Yes," she groaned.

If only there were a way I could get out of this.

"To bad you have that reading to go to," Maria finally stopped spinning and sighed, "I really wanted you to come out with me this Friday. We're going to celebrate the Fourth of July."

"Fourth of July, what is that?" Kyoko was interested, ever since Thanksgiving she wanted to learn more about foreign holidays. So another way she filled the 'Ren gap' was to celebrate random holidays: Pi Day, Saint Patrick's Day, Arbor day, and other such holidays, she celebrated them all.

"Yes, it is America's Independence Day. They have barbeque-picnics, shoot off fireworks, and all kinds of neat things!" Maria explained excitedly with exaggerated hand gestures, getting Kyoko all riled up.

"Really?!" Kyoko's eyes widened.

"Yup, we're celebrating it in Kyoto, because I refuse to go on a plane. And guess what? My daddy will be there too!" suddenly all of the excitement left her face, and she was only left with a disappointed expression, "Too bad you have that read through."

By that point Kyoko was play-dough in Maria's hands. She was losing to her puppy dog eyes.

"I'm so sorry Maria-chan, but there isn't any way I can cancel it!" Kyko cried, "But I really want to go!"

"Really?" Maria betrayed herself for a second, and in that moment Kyoko saw a demonic glint in Maria's eyes, "What if I can get you out of it?"

Before she could answer Maria gave out a loud cry.

"SAWARA-SAN, GET OVER TO THE 'LOVE-ME SECTION OFFICE NOW!" her call could literally be heard throughout the entire building.

And like a trained circus monkey, Sawara-san was racing through the door in an instant. The difference between Sawara-san and a circus monkey, is that a circus monkey gets rewarded for his tircks. Sawara-san only gets to keep his job.

"You called Maria-san?" he was panting, obviously he took the stairs.

"Yes, I did, I want you to excuse Kyoko-chan from 'Love-me' duties on Friday on, until I say she can come back," Maria spoke as if she was a dictator of a large country.

"Of couse," Sawara-san gave her a ninety-degree bow, "It isn't a problem at all."

"Good, you may go now!" Maria's work was done. She turned and smiled at Kyoko, "Guess what Kyoko? Sawara-san said you can come on Friday!"

"That's great," Kyoko replied, careful not to disturb that dormant Pandora inside of the little girl.

Tsuzuki


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