Chapter 2

"The number you have reached has been disconnected or no longer in service. Please hang up and try again." This is the message that four people had received when they dialed the number for a particular person. Lory Takarada had given her a new phone and number for her travels and promised to give the new number to her friends and new manager that would be waiting for her in America. He had told her not to worry so much about it; however, he didn't tell her that they would have to ask him for it. He wasn't being mean, he was just being Lory. He wanted to see for himself if they would actually make the effort.

The first to get her message was Kanae Kotonami. As soon as she heard Kyoko's voice tell her she had important news and to call her back, she blew it off as Kyoko probably overreacting to something trivial and fantasy related. She shoved it to the back of her mind for a later time when she was more tolerant and awake to deal with it. To her shock, she received the disconnect notice days later when she tried to call Kyoko. She worriedly called Sawara-san to find out if he had Kyoko's new phone number and that's when he told her he couldn't find record of Kyoko or her number in his database. He told her she would need to contact Takarada-san for more information. She was confused, but really couldn't do anything about this new development at the moment. She wouldn't have the time to deal with it until she returned to Tokyo the next week.

Ren and Yashiro were a different case altogether. They had been out of the cell phone service area for a week and didn't get her message until, almost exactly a week later when they finally checked into their hotel room in Okinawa. Ren saw that he had one message from Kyoko and another from an unknown number days apart. The first message was an excited Kyoko telling him she had important news and for him to call her back as soon as he could. The second message, from the unknown number was from her, but she sounded distant. She had told him that it was okay if he decided not to call her and that she understood. That she really didn't have the right to expect to hear from him and that she hoped to see him in the future. She wished him luck on his future projects and hung up.

Ren immediately told Yashiro, which caused him to look through his messages for the calls from Kyoko-chan. He discovered that he had the same type of messages from her. Instantly Yashiro was on the phone to Sawara-san, her section head, to find out what was going on. He was told to contact Lory for more information. After leaving several messages and some digging he had discovered that Kyoko was no longer with LME Japan, she had been transferred to LME International. At least it was some kind of lead.

Shotaro Fuwa received the same disconnect message as the others in her life, but he was able to get just a little further. He had been told to contact LME International. In turn, he had contacted them under the guise of a job offer for her, only to be directed to her agent to be told by said agent that she no longer worked out of Japan and would therefore not accept any work for that area. He had asked her agent what area she would work out of and he was told Los Angeles, California. He would only be able to speak to her by appointment only.

"Kotonami-kun... I want to make it very clear to you. You are not to give out her number to anyone. Do you understand?" Her eccentric boss warned.

She nodded.

"Thus far, you have been the only one to come to me for her new information. If others come to you... You either don't have the information or, send them to me." He instructed.

"I understand Takarada-san." This was such a burden. She really didn't want that man coming to her for this information. If he wanted her best friend, he would need to prove to her that he was going to work for her. She had it all worked out in her mind how her reactions were going to be when asked and she had a hunch that he would definitely ask. Hopefully, Yuki wouldn't ask. Sometimes that man could melt her like butter, although she wasn't going to let him know that.

"Oh and Kotonami-kun... I'm going to clear your schedule for a week next month for a special LoveMe assignment." He added as she started to leave.

She sighed. Hopefully, it wasn't another Dirty Mission. She nodded. "Yes Sir." She gritted her teeth.

Lory chuckled. "Don't worry... I think you may like this one. Oh and don't dial that number I gave you until you're at home." He told her as she left the room.

Today was going to be a long day. It was the first free day he had since he returned to Tokyo and he was determined to find out what Kyoko's messages meant. Unfortunately the LME parking garage had a cockroach infestation and he was the focus of it. He sighed in irritation as he exited his car and locked the door.

The blond looked pained and angry. "Why did you let her go by herself Tsuruga?" Sho was staring at the ground as he asked. He didn't want his hated rival to see what was in his eyes.

Ren looked at him in confusion. "I don't know what you're talking about Fuwa."

"You know how she is. Why did you let her go to Los Angeles by herself? She won't be safe there alone!" He spat out.

Ren was stunned. The only thing he had known is that her contract had been transferred. Was she really gone? He hid his distress. "She'll be fine Fuwa... She's a big girl. She's taken care of herself until now. I doubt she'll have any problems doing so there." He told him casually and began to walk off.

"If anything happens to her there... It's your fault!" Sho yelled at him as he walked away.

Ren let out a sigh of relief when he entered the empty elevator. He didn't need to fight off the urge to hit something when he was alone. Maybe the ride up to the floor that contained a hideously pink room would calm his nerves.

The elevator dinged, and he found his destination. He approached the familiar room, knocked and was granted entry by an ice cold ravenette.

"Kotonami-san? How are you doing today?" He asked cordially.

She had been expecting this. Here we go, she thought. "Fine Tsuruga-san, and you?" So far so good.

"Fine. Have you seen Mogami-san lately?" He asked not believing what Sho had told him.

"No, I haven't." She answered.

"Has she called you lately?" He asked.

She saw the tiny storm brewing beneath his facade. So it begins. "No she hasn't." She lied.

He recoiled a tiny bit. "She hasn't called you?"

"No, she hasn't." Well, technically it isn't a lie... I called her. She inwardly smirked. "Sorry I couldn't help Tsuruga-san. Excuse me; I have a photo-shoot to get to." She nodded to him and left.

Ren stood in the middle of the empty room, sighed deeply and raked his fingers through his hair. "I'm not getting anywhere with this." He said in frustration. He really didn't want to go to the person he knew would have all of the answers. He rolled his eyes and made his decision.

This was big! He was so incredibly proud of her. He bubbled with excitement.

"Yukihito... You are not to give that phone number to anyone... Am I clear on this?" Lory warned.

Yashiro nodded vigorously. "Absolutely Takarada-san. It won't be leaked by me." He pledged.

Lory nodded. "Good. Ren needs to come to me himself if he wishes to contact her. I want no interference from you this time. He needs to do this himself." He warned. There was a reason for his commands on this. It wasn't to hurt Kyoko or, to keep them apart. It was time for this baby bird to spread his wings and take that leap from the nest. Ren needed to take that first step on his own.

"Thank you. I'll have those new offers for Ren sent down to your office later." Lory told him as they ended their meeting.

"Yes, thank you very much Takarada-san." Yukihito gave him wave and left, passing Ren on the way out. "Ah Ren... I have some of your new offers being sent down to the office if you want to stop by later to take a look." He told him on the way out.

Ren nodded. "Thanks, I'll see you then."

"Ren... Have a seat." Lory waved him to the sofa and poured him some tea.

Ren plopped down on the sofa and sighed.

"Something bothering you, Kuon?" Lory asked with a raised eyebrow as he sipped his tea and pulled out a cigar.

Kuon looked up at him with a pained look on his face. "Where is she Boss?"

Lory cocked his head as he lit his cigar and took a deep drag. "Where is who?"

"Where is Kyoko?" Kuon ground out irritably.

Lory gave him a knowing look. "Ah... So you've finally come to me for that information."

"Well?" Kuon asked expectantly.

"Oh... She's in LA working on her debut." Lory told him casually. "Really Kuon. I thought for sure it would take you less than two weeks to ask me this. I'm disappointed." Lory said sadly.