Disclaimer: Skip Beat! does not belong to me.

Nor will it ever.

Chapter 3- A Happy Natsu is a Scary Natsu

Reino had said yes, of course. He just couldn't turn this girl down--even if she was hard to read now in her current acting persona. From what he had gathered from their conversation on the way to the Dark Moon shoot, she casually hinted at what role she played.

"Yes, I tend to think that the role that I play is the most essential one to the drama," she casually exclaimed.

"Oh, really,"he murmured, " Why is that?" She only grinned at him and shook her head.

"You don't deserve a treat yet, Beagle-kun," she exclaimed. Reino decided to refrain from asking anymore questions, and just leave the issue at that. He would get his answer soon enough anyway. The calm smile he had plastered on his face soon turned to one of shock as he saw two men in the distance looking at him with surprised expressions on their faces.

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Natsu looked at her new toy, then saw why he looked so terrified. Tsuruga Ren was approaching them at an incredibly fast speed as Mr. Yashiro called out to him in the background. Ren didn't seem to register that his manager was shouting his name at all. The gentleman's smile at full strength, he reached them in no time flat. He eyed Natsu up and down, taking in her fashionable attire and smooth posture. He had a look of approval on his face, though it immediately turned back into the gentleman's smile. Natsu was very aware what was behind that fake smile. This was going to be great fun because she was getting a little bored of Beagle-kun.

"Ah...Tsuruga Ren. The man who helped to create me,"she said, her sugary "good girl" smile on at full strength.

"No, no! You flatter me Ms. Kitagawa--you are in that role at this moment, correct,"he replied, his heavenly gentleman's smile on at maximum strength.

"Yes, a stray puppy couldn't help but want to follow me, she sweetly exclaimed, pointing to Beagle-kun.

To add fire to the situation, she then added, "He was also the one that said he would torture me if I didn't make him Valentines chocolates."

Ren looked at her, a bit surprised, and asked,"I assumed you were giving those to Fuwa."

She scoffed at the mention of Shoutaro and retorted,"Like I would give chocolates to it. It hasn't even done anything for me worthy of getting even one chocolate."

She gazed at her toy and calmly said,"That person ,however, has tortured me enough for one chocolate."

Her toy stiffened as Ren looked at him, his gentleman's smile slowly melting into a look of anger.

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"Why didn't you tell me that he was here, Kyouko,"Reino asked, panting as images of Tsuruga's past went through his head. He backed away as quickly as he could so that the images going through his head wouldn't cause him any pain. His chest started to throb as he looked at Tsuruga and Kyouko. His princess only smiled her persona's malicious, cold smile and put her finger to her lips.

"Wait, so you brought him up here of your own accord, Ms. Mogami," the actor asked, his voice becoming angrier. She only grinned at him and shook her head.

"He followed me up here, Mr. Tsuruga,"she murmured.

She then went on to explain--or rather, lie--that he had told her if she didn't make the chocolate for him then he would have his way with her. Unlike with Kyouko, this one seemed to be a master manipulator because Tsuruga seemed to believe her lies.

What the? Is she trying to cause me pain?! I never said that...Although I have tried having my way with her.

Reino looked back at Kyouko and then at Tsuruga, both of their expressions equally terrifying. It was at that moment when his life seemed to flash before his eyes. Images of the talent agent approaching him and Miroku, Miroku confessing that it had always been his dream to be a star--and torture Fuwa Shou, reluctantly agreeing, meeting the other members, plagiarizing their way to overnight success, and only staying in the band because his best friend asked him to.

I'm going to experience serious pain, aren't I?

By now, his princess had somehow managed to convince Tsuruga was she was telling the truth. He had better hurry and escape, or else he would be forced to endure the lion's wrath.

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Beagle tried to run away, but a strong hand prevented him from going more than a foot. Natsu eyed her new minion and smiled at his expression. It was just as she had imagined it would be when they had come up to the studio earlier. Joy washed over her as her lone sheep said something to her toy that was worthy of Level 3 play . If he hit Beagle, it would move up to Level 4. However, Natsu wanted to see some Level 5 play--perhaps serious, bleeding wounds or like what Yumika had done to her old toy. Either way, it was very obvious that Tsuruga Ren had reached his breaking point and wasn't going to hold back. His hand held far back, the other still grasping Beagle, Ren swiftly went to hit her toy in the face.

All the while, her expression changed from one of amusement to pure, transcendent bliss as she witnessed the Level 5 play about to take place.