Disclaimer: I love Skip Beat!, but that doesn't mean I own it. Pure fan love here.
Story: Kijima was just looking for a little fun. And somehow, it all turned into a learning experience and he wasn't quite sure he qualified as a teacher. And yet, Kyoko on the other hand, seems to be an eager student.
Set somewhere after chapter 101?
Spoilers: Yeeeessss. Yes, yes, yes. Beware?
Warnings: Hm, I need to think about this time.
Pairings: Kijima/Kyoko, side-Kyoren, side-(very downplayed XD) Kyosho, one-sided Hikaru/Kyoko….and we can't ignore one-sidedness from strange Reino, eh?

An Education
Chapter Four: Lil' Red and the Big Bad Wolf

Okay, he said he was going to cool it and stay away for a bit –or at least in front of others –but this was just ridiculous, and he was already getting sick of it. He was bored, damn it, and he wanted to talk to Kyoko. Really, he was much too impatient to really stay away for long. No one could tell him or Kyoko who they could be friends with, and they were friends.

Without further ado, Kijima casually strolled over to Kyoko, visibly taking out his script and purposely holding it away.

"Kyoko-chan~ I couldn't stay away, my dear," he grinned, winking at her.

She giggled and scooted a bit, while Kijima slipped into place beside her. He leaned on the railings in front of them, using his elbows to support his weight, while deliberately putting his script up and tilting it so it looked like he was sharing it with her.

"So what in the world were you and the other girls gossiping about earlier, Kyoko-chan?" he asked curiously.

He became even more curious when he saw Kyoko turn red and look away from him.

"Oh now you have to tell me," his grin widened.

"We were talking about you, actually," she said dryly. At his interested look, she reluctantly expounded on that and his grin grew until it was practically splitting his face.

"I like that –The God Under the Sheets. I'm so proud of myself," Kijima half-joked. "What an ego stroke. Kinda long though. How about God of Sex? Or just Sex God? Those are good. Why don't you go spread those around for me, huh? Maybe it'll catch on."

"Your ego needs to deflate now," she deadpanned and Kijima just started snickering.

"Don't ruin my fun, my cute, little student," Kijima took a pencil and made a mark on his page.

Kyoko blinked, staring at it. "What's that for?"

"Nothing. I'm just doing something, so your favorite reticent sempai doesn't murder me with his mind," Kijima said, startling her. "Tsuruga, ten o'clock."

Kyoko almost looked up to see, but then Kijima tapped the eraser of his pencil against his script.

"I'm serious," Kijima said earnestly. "Tsuruga-kun is totally gunning for me. Don't giggle! His glare of daggers might turn into a glare of death if you look like you're enjoying my presence, more so if it seems outside of work."

Kyoko wanted to laugh and frown all at once. Kijima was being funny, but on the serious side, it sucked that it was because Kijima had to watch himself and that Ren was being kind of mean to Kijima for some reason. Really –Kijima was nice and she liked being around him; Ren didn't have to keep her away or be so obstructive like this.

So they continued to pretend to be talking over their scripts (while really talking about whatever), and made marks and drew stuff on their pages (Kijima had just finished making a rather talented portrait of a random bishoujo). Then it was time to start filming and Kijima and Kyoko were first up. They got into position and waited for the director to gesture for them to start. Immediately, they went into character and glared intensely at each other.

"Naoyuki-san, you are far from being 'honest' and 'happy', aren't you?" Kyoko's 'Mio' practically purred as she stalked after Kijima's 'Naoyuki'. "Na-o-yu-ki~ It means 'honest' and 'happiness', but you're serpent-tongued and have been miserable ever since you took your first step into town."

Kijima made a sneer, replying as Naoyuki in a deceptively cheerful voice. "Mio-chan, I think you're overestimating your dangerousness. Watch your step, chibi, or I'll happily cut you down to size."

'Mio' scowled, leaning in close and invading his personal space. "I'll find you first, and cut off every important limb you cherish," she stated factually with a dark undertone, just barely grazing his groin with her knee. "Stay away from Mizuki. She is my prey, and no one else is allowed to hurt her. In extension, that makes Tachibana mine as well."

'Naoyuki' wasn't put off, starting to suddenly smirk as he leaned in as equally close, closing the distance between them and leaning down so that his face was a hair's breadth away from 'Mio', who became alarmed before wiping that look off and fixing her scowl back on her unhappy face.

"You're hogging all the fun, Mio-chan. I need a prey too."

"CUT!"

They straightened and turned back to normal, both of them surprised to see Director Ogata watching them in equal surprise. They focused on him, so they missed the stoic and inwardly stewing and mentally hyperventilating Ren, and the rest of the cast and crew's shocked reaction to the different-than-usually-interpreted scene.

"Alright, n-next scene then! The Hongo parents and Katsuki's argument," Director Ogata hesitantly pushed forward, though he kept glancing back at the two and thinking back to the scene and how it was acted.

Itsumi nudged Oohara. "Hey, remember when I suggested Mio's character get a love interest?"

Oohara glanced at her warily. "You're still on about that?"

"Come on, it'll make Dark Moon stand out, especially against the original. Tsukigomori's Mio never got a love interest; ours will be original and unique because of that," Itsumi insisted. "And it'll help Kyoko grow as an actress –you know how she's always going on about that, wanting different roles to act, right? And it'll get her over that weird thing over relationships she has."

"You're not thinking Naoyuki though, right?" Oohara asked hesitantly.

"Why not? Come on! Did you see that scene? Especially that last line! It was made for those two. It was supposed to be referring to Katsuki and Mizuki, but the way it came out made it sound like he talking about Mio. I'm totally for NaMio!"

Oohara snorted. "NaMio?"

"Yes! It fits their name, see? And if I have to found it, damn it I will!" Itsumi nodded decisively. "It'll become a phenomenon, I tell you."

"Sure."

The two were interrupted when Kijima and Kyoko came over, and they straightened and pretended they hadn't been having a conversation about the other two's characters…or their characters' love lives…

"What's up, playboy?" Itsumi greeted Kijima. "Kyoko-chan."

"Don't call me that," Kijima pouted. "Kyoko-chan, defend me!"

Kyoko stared at him, before turning to the other females. "Did you see the donuts they had today? They didn't have donut holes this time…"

Kijima pouted even more.

Work, however, continued to resume, with everyone acting smoothly and nothing changing aside from 'Naoyuki' and 'Mio's' oddly more intimate scenes. Ren was on the verge of protest, the urge to go to the director and speak out against…whatever it was that was going on. Truthfully, nothing was obviously wrong or different. It just seemed that for some reason, Naoyuki and Mio's scenes together seemed more charged than usual, and that a different sort of chemistry seemed to be afoot.

When it came to Ren's last chance to approach the director, it was too late. As soon as production for the day wrapped up, Director Ogata, his Assistant Director, and the creative team disappeared into a room. Iizuka Hiroko strangely accompanied them.

However, Ren managed to see his co-star approach Kyoko, raising alarms in his head and making him scowl. Without further prompting, he strode over there.

"So, Kyoko-chan, I'm going to go hang out with a few friends tonight, and go clubbing. Do you want to come with?" he heard Kijima asking her.

"I'm sorry, Kijima-kun. I really doubt Mogami-san is into that kind of thing. I would think she would rather decline."

Kijima and Kyoko turned to face him, hearing his interruption.

"I think that Kyoko-chan should make that decision herself, don't you think?" Kijima's usually happy smile seemed rather stiff to Kyoko.

"And I think that she would be much too pressured and too polite to decline outright," Ren gave that fake smile she knew and disliked.

"She's not helpless," Kijima hissed out, and yet he was still smiling.

"She doesn't understand and is too naïve for that stuff. She's not the usual girl you hang out with, Kijima-kun," Ren returned firmly, also still smiling.

The two faced off, equally smiling, but yet not really meaning it as they narrowed their eyes at each other. Kyoko could tell they weren't really smiling –she knew Ren's fake smiles and she also knew that Kijima was usually always smiling good naturedly or cheerfully, and it was obvious to see he was upset right now instead.

Abruptly, Kijima turned to her. "So, what about it, Kyoko-chan?"

"I said she –"

"I was talking to Kyoko," Kijima snapped in a short tone, dropping the smile. "I was speaking to her. I want to hear from her. So, Kyoko-chan? Do you feel like it? No pressure, of course. If you don't want to, it's fine," he smiled at her gently.

She smiled hesitantly back, though she glanced at Ren worriedly.

"Um, I'll think about it, Kijima-san," she smiled a little more surely, and was rewarded with a bright, happy grin from Kijima.

"Alright, sounds good. How about I'll ask you again after you're done in your dressing room?" Kijima asked, completely ignoring Ren by then.

"Okay," she said, though she risked a glance at Ren.

Kijima nodded at her and then left, and she was left awkwardly by Ren, who was extremely quiet.

"I'll leave you to your dressing room then," Ren fake-smiled, and she almost scowled and called him out on it, only to hold herself back. She didn't want to draw any more of his ire or prompt him to make him say anything else about Kijima or her hanging out with him.

She might realize she was very unhappy with him then.

In her dressing room, she took off her wig first and then her clothes, changing into the ones she'd borrowed from Kijima. Then she was fixing her hair back to normal when there was a knock on the door. Assuming it was Kijima already, she went to the door to let him in.

"Kijima-san, you're earl –" she cut herself off when she realized it wasn't Kijima but was one surprised and awkward Yashiro Yukihito standing there in front of her instead. "Oh! Yashiro-san, I apologize. I thought you were Kijima-san. Come in."

Yashiro gave a smile as awkward as he looked. "Actually, I don't think this will take long, so I won't come in. I'm sorry –I didn't know you were expecting Kijima-san. But, actually, this is about him."

Kyoko's smile grew hesitant. "Yes?"

Yashiro licked his lips. "I don't mean to be interfering, but I wanted to warn you about him. Kijima Hidehito is just one of those men. He loves women. He has fun toying with them, having all his fun with one and then moving on quickly to another. He's…a predator. He preys on women, Kyoko-chan. He comes after them, plays nice, and manipulates and pushes them into being with him until he has them right where he wants them –in his bed.

"Kijima-san is very charming, no doubt about that. But he's meant to be, to charm young girls like you. This is…this is like Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, Kyoko-chan! You're like sweet, innocent Little Red, and Kijima-san…he's an utter Wolf. And if you're not careful, he'll just…devour you. I just know it."

Kyoko stared aghast at him, feeling confused and uncertain. She hadn't expected this, hadn't expected to hear anything like this from Yashiro of all people.

"Th-thank you, Yashiro-san. I appreciate your concern and I'm very grateful for your worry," was all she could say.

He smiled pityingly at her. "I'm sorry, Kyoko-chan. I just wanted to warn you about the type of man Kijima-san is. He isn't who you think he is. I just don't want you to become like those other girls."

Kyoko gave him a weak smile and after that Yashiro excused himself and left her alone with her chaotic thoughts.

She stood by her door for a long minute, only to be interrupted and startled by the appearance of Kijima himself. He was smiling as usual, but something seemed off.

"So –has Little Red Riding Hood become afraid of going with the Wolf?"

Kyoko's readied smile faltered and she flinched back, watching Kijima with wide eyes. He was still smiling his off-smile, staring at her steadily.

Did he hear?

Kijima's smile gentled, if looking slightly bitter, though his eyes revealed nothing about what he was thinking or feeling. They were darkened from their usual green into the stormy gray she knew came with intense emotion.

"It's okay, Kyoko-chan. I know. I understand. You don't have to come tonight. And if you feel uncomfortable with me now, I understand and won't hold it against you. It's your choice. It's always your choice. And if you're wary about being around me, it's okay," Kijima said softly, and his smile twisted into some kind of hybrid between his gentle but bitter smile and his off-smile.

But then he gave a helpless shrug and regretful grin.

"If you change your mind, you have my number, you know? Bye, Kyoko-chan."

He turned away from her after that, shoving his hands into his pockets as he started to walk away. Her lips trembled and she wanted to speak out, but she felt frozen still. She heard him humming to himself before he began to quietly sing.

"Hey there Little Red Riding Hood, you sure are looking good. You're everything a big bad wolf could want~"

Her breath choked in her throat and she took a stumbled step forward.

"W-wait, Kijima-san!" but he was already long gone by then.

Her shoulders slumped and she stared at the ground, quite alone in her part of the building.

Outside the Dark Moon set, Kijima leaned against the building and looked up at the darkening sky in exhaustion, a weary look on his face.

"I'm gonna keep my sheep suit on, until I'm sure that you've been shown that I can be trusted walking with you alone~"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, pushing himself off the building before starting to walk dejectedly to his car.

Started 1/24/13 – Completed 1/25/13

A/n: Yosh, that went angsty at the end XD Ren, Ren! Why are you so mean? And Yashiro! Actually, his warning to Kyoko was meant to be a little more heated and slightly overeager, but this toned down, serious warning came out instead (I think it fits better anyways). NaMio…(snickers) what am I on? Anyways, this came out shorter than I expected it to, but each part I thought would be longer (mostly because of dialogue) came out shorter. I think the next chapter will come out longer though. I suppose I should get started on a page for this fic on my website though, so I can have timeline, playlist, and stuff out. In the meantime, I'll draw a cover page.

To Voidy: Yes, Ren! He's such an obstacle, isn't he? XD I hadn't plan on him being in the way so early on in the fic, but I guess his character is demanding it. Yes, Kijima don't be afraid of him! As for speed of lesson, I guess that'll be expounded on in the fic, but considering Kijima's not complaining so far I'm assuming she's catching on very quickly :D Haha, yes –'dirty little secret' part had been planned, and then you mentioned it and I was laughing. We think alike. They'll have plenty of time together, and Kijima will definitely continue to enjoy her cooking regularly. Love ya too! Thanks for the continued support!

To awwwwwww: Thank you! Glad you're liking it so far!

Citations:

1. From last chapter, it's really common, but all the same -I got it from "Dirty Little Secret" by Kelly Clarkson, for the title and theme of the chapter.

2. The Little Red Riding Hood references Yashiro spouts in his rant to Kyoko, and Kijima's greeting to her thereafter, references said title is an old French/European fairy tale, first published by Charles Perrault.

3. The two lines Kijima sings at the end: "Hey there Little Red Riding Hood [...] I'm gonna keep my sheep suit on [...]" is from "Lil' Red Riding Hood" by Sam the Sham & The Pharaohs (though I had a male slow Youtube cover in mind), and refers to said fairy tale.

4. The chapter title goes from either fairy tale or song.