AN: Fourth chapter! Yay! I know it's been updated at the same time as the third chapter… Please don't expect that often. I will try to update quickly though! Thanks for understanding! :D
I do not own Skip Beat. Obviously. *falls to knees and dramatically asks "Whyyyyyyyyyyyyy!"*
Kyoko checked herself in the mirror one last time. Her jeans were fitted quite nicely today. Her baby blue cotton blouse with the frilled sleeves was properly ironed, and the new army green flats she bought the month before (but never had the opportunity to wear) were very comfortable and not at all bad looking. Overall, she looked very…cute. Adorable, even. She fluffed her short blown out hair and hoped to heaven that Hikaru didn't think she looked too childish.
It wasn't as if she was excited to go out with Hikaru. No…she was just nervous. EXTREMELY nervous. She wasn't used to going out on one-on-one dinners casually, especially with a person of the opposite sex. It wasn't a date, but she still didn't know how she should act. The only other times she had casual dinners with males were…not extremely pleasant.
Of course, Sho came to mind immediately. Dinners with her childhood "friend" usually consisted of large amounts of salty meats and vegetables and loud laughter coming from the television. Had they ever even had a proper conversation at the dinner table? Kyoko didn't think so. It really angered her how everything she did in the past revolved around Sho.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid Shotaro! Idiot! Worthless! Self-centered, conceited, no-good, lying, small brained, irritating…!" This went on for ten minutes. At least.
Kyoko sighed. "Really, now. He lived in a ryokan for all of his life. His parents are excellent hosts. How could he have not learned any manners? That boy…" she shook her head. She was actually starting to feel sorry for him.
Then she thought of the only other gentleman she dined with privately. This time, the term "gentleman" really applied. He was very sweet and mannerly when they dined – sometimes to the point that it would be uncomfortable. That was only the first couple of times though. Eventually they started eating with each other often. Sometimes it would be circumstantial; for instance, it happened a lot when they were working on movies together. Other times, though, they would seek each other's company. Although it only happened a handful of times, Kyoko's heart fluttered a little every time Ren asked her to eat with him. If only he'd eat a little more…
Kyoko's stomach growled. All these dinner thoughts were making her hungry. She checked the clock beside her dressing room mirror.
"Bridge Rock ended about ten minutes ago. Hikaru-san should be coming around in about fifteen minutes," she told herself. Just then, Kyoko heard a knock on her door. Curiously, she answered it.
"Hikaru-san!" Kyoko said, somewhat surprised as she opened the door. "Wow, you get changed quickly! I wasn't expecting you for another fifteen minutes."
"I…uh…yeah, I change pretty quickly, ha ha…" Hikaru panted. Little did Kyoko know he practically ran from his dressing room to hers. Of course, every person NOT named Kyoko knew that Hikaru Ishibashi was the slowest of his brothers to get out of the dressing room, unless, say, he had a date with said clueless girl. "So," he said as he composed himself, "are you ready to go?"
Kyoko smiled and followed him to his car as both parties secretly tried to control their nervousness.
Hikaru opened the car door for Kyoko after he parked and held open the door to the restaurant as they entered. He even pulled the chair for her before she sat down. It was a little more than Kyoko was used to and quite frankly, it made her slightly uncomfortable. Sure, Ren had done these same things for her. But he also did it to every other girl in the agency and for whomever he was working with on set. He was the complete gentleman. She couldn't think of a time when Hikaru did these things for anyone else. That made her curious.
"Hikaru-san, do you have a girlfriend?"
Hikaru did a slight spit take and choked on his lemon water. "Ahem," he coughed. "Ah…what made you ask?"
"Oh, I was just curious. I don't really know about your life outside the set…" Kyoko blushed. The gravity of her previous question finally hit her. "Oh! I'm sorry! I really didn't mean to pry into your private life or anything, Ishibashi-san! I – I – I'm sorry…!"
Hikaru laughed. Honestly, Kyoko was too cute for her own good. "Kyoko-san, I don't mind questions about my personal life. I told you earlier, I really just want to be your friend. You're right, you don't know a lot about me, but that's only because you never asked. You know, you can't expect to befriend someone if you don't know anything about them." Hikaru raised an eyebrow and smiled.
His smile worked. Kyoko was feeling better already. "Ok…Hikaru-san." She smiled back.
"And to answer your question," he went on, "I don't have a girlfriend."
"Oh really?" Kyoko tilted her head. "I thought you would. After all, your show is super popular. Haven't you been asked out?"
"Well…yes." Now it was Hikaru's turn to blush. "There have been a few girls…but I haven't said yes to any of them. I wasn't interested."
Kyoko blinked. "Are you gay?"
Hikaru blinked back. "Ah…no."
"So you like someone?"
"…Yes."
"Does she have a boyfriend?"
"Not that I know of…"
"Does your friend like her?"
"Well, she does have a lot of admirers…"
"Oh! So she's famous?"
"She's getting there…"
"Well, you're pretty famous. Why don't you talk to her?"
Hikaru laughed nervously and ran his hand through his hair. "It's a lot more complicated than that…"
Kyoko couldn't understand why someone as sweet and charming as Hikaru couldn't get the girl he wanted. "I don't get it, Hikaru-san. Why haven't you asked her out?"
"Well, I…" Hikaru stopped staring at his water glass and looked up at Kyoko, as if he had an epiphany. "You know what, I really don't know. I've been trying to be subtle with her, but I honestly have never seen a denser girl in my entire life. She is so sweet and loving…but she just doesn't really have a lot of confidence in herself. I guess I figured she wouldn't say yes and…I don't want to ruin our friendship when she rejects me."
"…When she rejects you? Hikaru-san, how could you be rejected? You're one-third of the best host group in Japan. You're sweet, you're funny, you're cute, you're considerate…there's so much that you have to offer. Any girl would be crazy to reject you! As for the friendship, if you two were really friends, she wouldn't ignore you over something as silly as that. Just tell her how you feel. Honestly, I think the straight-forward approach is the best." Kyoko smiled encouragingly.
Hikaru smiled back. "I like you."
"Good, good! That's a good start. See? That wasn't so bad, was it?"
Hikaru laughed again, not even fazed by the expected confusion on his kouhai's face. "No, Kyoko." He looked at her pointedly. "I'm saying I like you."
Kyoko became even more confused. "Yes, I know, and you're doing a good job at it. Now just give that same confidence when you confess –"
"Kyoko," Hikaru reached over the table and took Kyoko's hand. "I am confessing. I like you, Kyoko-chan."
Kyoko looked at Hikaru, then her hand. "I don't understand…"
Hikaru shrugged. "See, even when someone is openly confessing, you're still the cutest and most dense girl I've ever met."
Hikaru squeezed Kyoko's hand. "Hikaru-san…I…" Kyoko shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She didn't know what to say. Suddenly, all of the gentleman-like actions and innocent blushes towards the young actress made sense. Kyoko had to admit, she wasn't used to being liked. She didn't know how to react.
Well, honesty couldn't hurt.
…Could it?
Hikaru saw the pain and confusion flit across Kyoko's face and instantly regretted his confession.
"I'm really sorry. I knew I should have kept my feelings to myself…you're part of the LoveMe group for crying out loud! What was I thinking…?" Hikaru let go of Kyoko's hand.
"No, no, please, Hikaru-san, don't blame yourself! I told you, you're a really nice guy, I just…" Kyoko let out an exasperated sigh. "Really, it's not you, it's me…"
Hikaru smiled at Kyoko's cliché line. "You don't have to give me excuses. I sort of knew how you would react. Honestly, you don't know how relieved I am just to know that you know now. You don't know how hard it is trying to keep it from you. I just hope we're still friends after tonight…"
Kyoko gave a soft smile. "Of course, Hikaru-san. Like I said before, something as silly as this shouldn't keep us from being friends."
Hikaru let out the breath he had been holding in. "Ok good." Hikaru looked down at the table. "Kyoko-chan, can I…? Oh, no, nevermind." Hikaru shook his head.
"What is it, Hikaru-san?"
"No, no; it's nothing."
"I know something is on your mind, Hikaru-san. What is it?"
Hikaru sighed and stared down at the table. "Ok. I'm going to take a moment right now to be selfish…but I was wondering if you would consider this a date? Just for tonight?"
Kyoko's head snapped up for her menu. "I'm sorry…?"
Hikaru took a deep breath. "I know we just went out today as friends…but I've liked you for so long and tonight seems to be a bold night for me…can we just try it out?"
Kyoko smiled. She knew Hikaru was earnest. She knew he was a nice guy. Now that she knew he had pined for her for so long…how could she say no?
"Why not?" she smiled at Hikaru. Hikaru smiled in relief.
"Yes," the woman says with a wicked smile. "Why not?"
