Hey there, thanks for all of you who have been subscribing, favorite-ing, and reviewing this story. I have to say it got more attention than I predicted. Please enjoy this next installment and I hope that it was worth the wait.

DISCLAIMER: I will never, ever, ever own Skip Beat!

Chapter 3: Change of Plans

Kyoko sat on her bed occasionally glancing at the clock on the far wall. She had been watching the hands go by, listening to the tick-tock-ing that announced the time passing away. Seconds, minutes, nearly two hours had gone by and still not a single peep came from the bathroom as she sat there nervously fidgeting. She had to once again fight the urge to go put her ears to the door just in case she was to get caught snooping at whatever her revered senpai didn't want her involved in. Many times she had gotten up to clean the non-existent mess that was in the kitchen. Other times she had flitted about asking Sebastian, who was waiting patiently by the door, if he wanted something to eat or drink. The man would just shake his head then continue standing there like a statue. The soup she made earlier for Ren sat covered on the counter forgotten since the door hadn't been opened as of yet.

The clock struck midnight and Kyoko fell backwards on the bed with a huff, trying to banish all of the terrible images that her ever creative brain conjured up in the deafening silence. Some had her shaking in fear imagining that Ren had taken a nasty fall and got terribly hurt. Others – though less convincing – had her thinking Ren had finally cracked under the words of Murasame. So many thoughts were going through her head, she thought it may explode.

- Inside the Bathroom -

Lory leaned against the counter across from Ren as he studied the actor. He looked shaken up and so unlike the calm and composed Ren that it was almost amusing to say the least. He kept glancing up at the mirror almost like he was expecting to see his old self again instead of what always stared back at him. Honestly, it's quite something to actually become his 16 year old self again without so much as a clue how. It was just out of this world.

"As puzzling and strange as it is, would you please stop acting like a kicked puppy?! You're still mentally the same age, act like it boy! And until we can figure this out, we have to come up with a plan." Lory began pacing the short expanse of the bathroom as his brain whirled in an attempt to come up with a good enough plan to hide Ren until this thing can be solved. We can't even do a little make-up and call it a day. He looks difference physically and no doubt he'd be paranoid. He's at least a good half-foot shorter and his hair is blonde again. "Ren, did you take off the contacts before you got in the shower? And did you dye your hair at all?"

"No, I didn't do anything to my hair. And I was so tired I forgot to take my contacts off but I don't feel them in there now… How in the world could this have happened? What am I going to tell Kyoko? I can't just avoid her until this thing goes away and what about my work? I have too much lined up to be rescheduled on such short notice! Boss what do we do?" At this point, Ren was whispering feverishly, desperately trying to cling to some sanity while wracking his brains for ideas.

"Ok Ren, well you look too different to actually continue to work. I will contact everyone to let them know that you are extremely ill and will not be able to work for a while. I don't know what else to do, what with the height difference and all. Now it is your choice whether you want to include Mogami-kun or Yashiro in this. I'll call Jelly and have her see to your new contacts and hair again. In the meantime, there is an extremely worried Kyoko out there who has not heard anything from us for a good while. What do you want me to tell her?"

The dread in Ren's eyes spoke volumes but in the end he heaved a heavy sign. "I suppose it would be best to tell her. Better that than have her in hysterics about what could possibly be wrong with me." Lory smiled as he turned to go out the door.

"Ok then, I'll let her know what's going to happen to your schedule and then I'll go. Jelly will be waiting downstairs in about a half hour and I will have a car there as well. Whatever you do Ren, don't go overboard ok? You never know what is going to happen with that girl." With that he carefully walked out of the bathroom and closed the door behind him.

Kyoko sat up when she heard the bathroom door open but was disappointed that only the President walked out. "President-san, is everything ok? What happened to Tsuruga-san?" At this point she was standing up with her hands clasped to her chest, eyes gleaming with some kind of hope.

Lory chuckled at her seemingly desperate plea saying, "Sorry to have kept you waiting Mogami-kun, Ren is all right. Just had a little scare with his reflection, *chuckles* not to worry my girl, all is well. In a half hour Jelly will be down in the basement waiting for you guys as well as a car to take you two to his apartment. I hope I can count on you to take care of Ren until he is feeling better. He will be out in a bit to explain everything to you in a little bit. But for now, please tell me you will accept this job for me? As he is now, Ren will not be able to do any work much less leave his apartment until we get this situation figured out. I will work with Yashiro to clear his schedule until further notice. You will continue your own schedule as is of course, however I will clear you for this weekend so that Ren can thoroughly explain things to you and you can have some time to think about it. Well, do you accept?"

Kyoko stood there dumbly for a second, trying to process just how bad it might be that the President would clear Ren's schedule for an unmentionable amount of time. "Uh… h-hai, I'll take care of Tsuruga-san!"

Satisfied with her answer, Lory waved a goodbye and walked out of the door with Sebastian right behind him. She went and closed the door behind them and then hurried to the kitchen to reheat the near forgotten soup. While it was heating she set out the utensils on a small table near the beds and put some water to boil for tea. When the soup was done she placed that on the table as well and went to make a cup of tea for herself and a cup of coffee for Ren.

As she set the cups down on the table she heard the bathroom door open. Kyoko's head snapped up immediately and couldn't help but gape at what she assumed was her senpai coming out dejectedly from the bathroom with his robe on looking a tad bit larger on him than she last remembered. Wait a minute! These measurements aren't right, who is this? What happened to Tsuruga-san?! This person is too short and not as muscular. What is going on here?

Thank you for taking the time to read my work! Advice and creative criticism is appreciated. I would love to hear all of your opinions, suggestions, and anything you would like to see happen with our favorite love-stupid couple =]