AN: I don't own Skip Beat, and so on and so forth.

("Let me handle this, if you don't mind, Manager-kun," the president intoned. Looking directly at Ren, he said, "You were in a near collision. You blanked out. Apparently you only come to your senses when Mogami-kun is holding your hand." Ignoring the shocked look on both their faces, he shifted his gaze to Kyoko, "I leave him in you care."

Without looking back, Greek emperor Lory regally leaves the hospital room, dragging a maniacally grinning Yashiro behind him. Closing the door, Lory counts down, "Three, two, one." That same moment, they hear a deafening female voice behind them.

"EEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHH?")

Ren removed the hand not holding Kyoko's from his ear and gave his head a little shake. Now that the ringing had stopped, he tried to make sense of what the president just told him. Thinking back, the only thing that came to mind at first was the terrible darkness, then memories that he didn't wish to think about. Ren shook his head again.

"Are you okay?"

Ren turned to see the concerned face of Kyoko, who apparently was his only lifeline to reality at the moment. Looking down to where their hands were still joined, he gave a rueful smirk. "I'm not sure." Raising his head, he gazed into Kyoko's eyes. All other feelings aside, he saw a genuine willingness to help. It was that look that let him be vulnerable with her. "Kyoko-chan, can you tell me what happened?"

Kyoko felt her face flush at his use of her name. She had seen this side of him once before, changing ice when he had a fever. "I'm a little fuzzy on many of the details myself, but. . ." She told him everything she knew from hearing the accident to seeing him put in the ambulance. "When Director Ogata and I got here, Yashiro-san and the president were already in the room with you. The director stepped out just before you woke up."

"Hmmn," Ren contemplated as he leaned back on the pillows. Lifting the hand that held her's, he said, "Now what are we to do about this?"

Kyoko blushed and looked down at his question, but didn't answer. Somehow, she didn't think he wanted one. Instead she contemplated her shoes. They were brown loafers. The brown loafers that she wears with her school uniform. Or, more accurately, the brown loafers Natsu wears with her school uniform. I forgot to return my costume. I wonder when I'll be back on set again. Maybe the director left me a voicemail with the new schedule. I should check my cellphone.

Ren was watching Kyoko's face. He saw it go from embarrassed to thoughtful, alert to contemplative. She then moved suddenly towards the chairs against the opposite wall. Fighting a sense of panic? desperation? he clung to her hand when she tried to walk away. Jerking back suddenly, Kyoko looked at Ren. He could see the moment she realized what she had almost done.

"AAAAAHHHHHHH! I AM SO SORRY! What have I done!" Kyoko tried to bow in shame, but was stopped partway down by the hand still trapped by Ren. "EEEEEEEEE! I almost did it again!" Kyoko continued to bob up and down, trying to find a way to apologize that did not tear her hand from his. Soon she was turning this way and that, like a jellyfish caught on a piece of coral, blabbering like an idiot.

This was too much for Ren, who just had, admittedly, a rather hard day. It started with a gleam in his eye. Then a twitch of his lips that he couldn't suppress. By the time Lory returned with the doctor, Ren was laughing to the point of tears while Kyoko sat red-faced and sulking in a chair next to the bed.

"Well, this is certainly an improvement," said the physician, taking Ren's free hand to check his pulse. "It seems that you found a medicine that suits you," giving Kyoko a knowing look over the rim of his glasses. If it was possible for Kyoko to turn any redder, she would. He continued his survey of Ren's condition, then gave a long sigh. "Well, from what you described to me, Lory, it doesn't look like we can do much more for him here. Quite a tricky situation you have on your hands though. Don't suppose you'll take my suggestion for a psych evaluation?"

"Not at this point, old friend. Do you think he's safe to move?"

"Sure, just as long as his little companion stays with him." He looked over to Kyoko's pink face once more. Scratching his chin, he added, "Would make an interesting case study, though. If you won't consent to the eval, would you mind if I wrote a paper on it? Something about the burden of fame and method acting?" Lory gave the physician a level stare. "I didn't think so. Another one of those hush-hush cases?"

"If you please."

"You always take away my most interesting studies, Lory." The doctor heaved a long sigh. Looking at the worried faces beside him, he let out a small chuckle. "Relax, you two. I wouldn't ever do anything to distress a patient, including any damage to their reputations. Your little secret is safe with me."

"Secret?"

Lory answered, "Really, Mogami-kun, we can't go around advertising about Tsugura-kun's current condition, now can we? And I'm sure you don't want the world to know what you are doing right now." Without looking away, the fading flush on Kyoko's cheeks enflamed again. Really,it is too easy to set that girl off.

"Hold on there, Lory. I haven't heard any words of consent from our little miss here. No, don't interrupt me. I can see by the look on your face you find the entire prospect of our injured boy here being nursed back to health by this slip of a girl extremely romantic, but this is not a movie, you love-struck fool." Lory's face contorted with that insult. "No, I will not take back what I said. These are people's lives you are playing with." Reaching up to his full height, the doctor looked down his nose at the seated Lory. With a stern voice he added, "And I am not handing over one of my patients to an unwilling nursemaid. They both need to be fully aware of the implications of this."

Lory gave his head a little jerk of consent, then slouched in his chair to sulk. If you had exceptionally good hearing, you would hear the word "killjoy" escape from his lips.

"Now, little one," the doctor said in a much kinder tone. Kyoko looked at all of the faces in the room before she realized the doctor was addressing her. Sitting up straight, she answered like the model student,

"Yes, sir!"

Fighting a smile off his lips, the doctor continued, "If you haven't figured it out already, this idiot," gesturing to the president, "is requesting your aid in helping your friend over here. It is a fair request, since you are the only known remedy at the moment. But it is also a request that you should feel perfectly free to refuse. It would require much sacrifice on your part."

"I refuse."

All eyes in the room turn to Ren, who was the one who had spoken. "I will not let Mogami-san's work suffer because of me. She has worked hard at her jobs, and nobody has the right to take her from them." He shot an accusatory glance over at the president, who had stopped sulking at his words.

"Glare all you want. But nobody said anything about Mogami-kun missing work." said Lory.

"Her outfit tells me otherwise. Didn't you pull her from her Box R shoot?" Ren asked scathingly.

"Nobody pulled her from anything. Her director let her go."

"Because you made it so he couldn't refuse."

Kyoko watched the exchange between these powerful men like a spectator at Wimbledon. Slowly, it dawned on her that Ren was defending her work. Somehow the knowledge that he valued her career so much made her heart feel warm. Her work was important because it was a part of her. It was if by defending her commitment to acting, Ren was defending her. Nobody had ever stopped her from giving everything up for them before. She had to let her sempai know that her devotion to acting had not wavered.

"Ano, Tsugura-sempai," her words were a bucket of cold water on the heated exchange. "The reason the director let me go had nothing to do with you or the president."

At this, Lory sat back and smirked. Ren turned to Kyoko and said, "Please explain."

"Well, we were having trouble with a scene, since the water outside was so cold. Director Ogata recommended ordering a wetsuit that would fit under a uniform, and my director loved the idea. So we wrapped it up for today, since it would take time to get it ready." Looking over to where her cell phone lay in her bag, she added, "The director said he'd contact us with the schedule changes soon."

"And I just confirmed that the director is not going to need Natsu and her group for at least two days. I believe that cleared up your schedule considerably, Mogami-kun." He turned to address Ren. "Does that satisfy you, Actor-sama?" Lory added sarcastically.

"Yes, very much so. Thank you." Ren replied with an overly-polite, glowing smile. Kyoko looked at him aghast, glad that this particular smile wasn't directed at her.

"Now whether or not either of you are ready for work in the next couple of days lies with you getting your act together. I don't plan on covering your butt forever, and I won't let you pull Mogami-kun down with you." Lory said, once more very much the ancient Greek emperor. He struck an authoritative pose, his purple robes somehow billowing around him.

"Well, it is very nice that you have a work schedule figured out, but that was not at all what I was talking about," mentioned the doctor, reinserting himself into the conversation. Addressing Kyoko, he said, "My dear. This patient would need round the clock care from you. Every time he blanks out, we run the risk of him not coming back to us. So your presence would be constantly required. In addition to that, you would need to be in contact with me on any developments and testing. Are you up for all of that?"

Suddenly on the spot, Kyoko felt a bit embarrassed. She also felt quite a bit of pressure unrelated to the question. Instead of answering, she looked down, shifting her weight back and forth on her feet.

Ren's heart sank when he saw her hesitate. It wasn't until that moment that he realized how much he was hoping for her to stay with him. It is a bit much to ask of her, but I thought, I hoped, that I meant at least a little to her. Trying to relieve her anxiety, Ren said, "It's okay, Mogami-san. You don't need to. . ."

"I'll do it!" she suddenly interrupted, but then immediately returned her gaze to the floor. Her unrest seemed to intensifying.

"Lory, if she is agreeing under duress, I really must protest. . ." began the doctor.

"Mogami-kun, is something troubling you? You don't need to feel pressured. . ." the rest of Lory's comment was cut off by a vigorous shake of her head.

"Mogami-san?" asked Ren. With a quieter voice, he leaned in towards her downcast face, "Kyoko-chan?"

Her agitation obvious, Kyoko mumbled a response.

"What?" said the three male voices in the room. Unconsciously, they leaned in to hear her answer.

In a barely audible whisper, Kyoko said, "I can't let go of Tsugura-san."

"For the time being, yes," began the doctor, "but hopefully with time. . "

He never finished his statement, for red-faced Kyoko continued,

"I need to use the restroom."

Mwahahahaha! I made her squirm; literally. Before you feel to sorry for her, just think of it as tough love for being overly dense.

Once again, thanks to those who subscribed and/or reviewed. I am very encouraged with my first piece.

Now, back to torturing Kyoko. . .