The Yashiro Conspiracy

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat. Meh.

Blacktohru: Chapter 7 is up! Hope I didn't keep all of you waiting too long for this one. I've been busy, as usual. And I will be out of town for awhile. So, please be patient. I'll try my best to update as soon as I can. Life is hectic now, but I've never been one for being idle. insert evil laughter here

(edit: Changes made 7 September 2008)


Chapter 6 – Not For The Faint of Heart

Kyouko leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor helplessly. She was being too strange! When had this man's touch begun to make her react this way? Her pulse was still fluttering madly and her breath came in short pants. What was wrong with her? She buried her face in her hands, unable to control the tears which had welled up in her eyes.

Wait… the symptoms. She mentally ticked them off: increased heart beat rate, shortness of breath, being nervous around him, unable to meet his eyes and that intense desire to see him smile. She groaned. "Kami-sama, please tell me it isn't true." Could she possibly…. NO! There was absolutely no way! She had strengthened the shield around her heart everyday! She closed her eyes and immediately an image of him appeared in her mind. Her heart constricted.

She did like him very much. But, in that way? All the arrows seemed to be pointing in that direction. 'This can't be happening,' she thought morosely.


Chapter 7 – Red Light

The threat of rain didn't deter her from her destination. Walking slowly along the beach, she raised her face to the evening sky, revelling in the cool ocean breeze that fanned her warm cheeks. She was behaving rather strangely, she thought to herself. Knowing full well that being by the beach brought no consolation to her, why did she find herself here again?

Bending down, she began picking up little shells and smooth round pebbles, a mundane and brainless task to keep her mind off other matters. Or rather, keep her mind off HIM. She wandered back toward the waves and with a flick of her wrist, she tried to make the pebble skip across the water. It should have, but instead, it hit the water and sank. A somewhat fitting response to the day she had.

She sighed with resignation, finally giving up and sitting on the sandy shore. Watching the clouds roll in and obliterate the setting sun, she finally allowed her thoughts to turn to him. Tsuruga Ren. The worst possible person to be involved with, even if she had the capacity to love.

A little demon whispered to her bleakly, foretelling a miserable future she would face if she even entertained the thought of being together with him. "You know what would happen, right Kyouko-chan? You've loved and lost and let everyone down. And now you're even contemplating loving someone again? You have no more room in your heart for such an emotion."

Kyouko reached up, brushing strands of her fringe of her forehead. That was the truth, wasn't it? She couldn't afford such emotions, especially in this industry. She was an actress wasn't she? She should be able to face such things gracefully! And face Tsuruga Ren normally, even if she had to pretend that everything was normal. Removing her little Tsuruga Ren voodoo doll from her satchel, she dangled it by its keychain. What was it about this man that made her this way? She did respect him. But that did not necessarily equate to love, right? Maybe she was just feeling under the weather.

Yes! That must be the reason! Pressing the doll's forehead to her own, she whispered, "I'm still okay. I'm not in love." She rubbed the top of the doll's head affectionately. "You gave me a fright there, you know." And then she paused. She should be feeling nothing but utter relief now, but instead why did she feel so lost and still depressed?

She stood up, her hands in her pockets, listening to the desolate refrain of each pitch and toss of the waves, and it sent her back to her house even though she knew she wouldn't be able to escape those whispers there either.


Tsuruga Ren bowed his head in disgust. It had been three days. Three dawns and dusks without her by his side. His little muse had done her best to evade him, successfully and quite skilfully outmanoeuvring his every counter, putting to shame his best efforts.

"So she wants to play this game, huh," he allowed that fine streak of possessiveness to curl around him. Knowing her, she would be as slippery as a gold fish and as adept at escaping as one. A small grin crept onto his face. A challenge. He hadn't had one in awhile.

He stood up and strode outside LME. Declining the use of a car knowing that it would only result in him driving around aimlessly, he walked off alone. He donned his usual disguise and set at a brisk pace. Lack of sleep and direction didn't deter him.

Glancing up at the myriad of colours that was the setting sun, he resisted the urge to wince. She would be on her way home now, that was for sure. For that matter, would he even know where she would head to when she was troubled? Ren tucked his hands stubbornly into his pockets.

"Think," he said aloud. "Where would she go?"

She wasn't the type to go window shopping after work. Nor was she likely to treat herself to dessert and tea at one of the delicatessens in the city.

An image from his past flashed before his eyes. "You know something Corn?" a young Kyouko nudged his shoulder. "The fairies here are very kind," she whispered as if imparting the world's greatest secret. "They told me..."

Ren's eyes widened. He knew where she would be.

He rushed over to his car and started the engine without preamble. He needed to get there now if he wanted to catch her before she left. He didn't slow as he saw the light switch to yellow in front of him. Instead, he shifted gears and hit the pedal. Accelerating more, his car zipped through the evening traffic with ease, his tyres squealing occasionally as he made tight turns. He narrowly avoided a huge trailer bearing down on him in the opposite direction as he overtook an annoyingly slow car.

Horns blaring behind him, Ren thought grimly, 'It would be purely ironic to get killed now.'

Easing his foot off the accelerator, he turned off at a little known road that he knew would lead to the beach. It was one of their secrets from back then, he thought as he impatiently halted the car and snapped off his seatbelt. Would she still be there? He jogged towards the beach.

There, silhouetted against the setting sun, he spotted her. She was just sitting there, watching the ebbing tide.

Ren released the breath he didn't realize he was holding. He'd found her.

Fully intending to make his presence known to her, he hesitated as her lips curved into a tired smile. Ren watched in fascination as she raised a small figurine and pressed it to her forehead. What was she doing? Just then, the wind blew in his direction carrying her softly spoken words to him, arresting him in his tracks.

"I'm still okay. I'm not in love."


The Following Day


"Tsuruga-san, allow me to introduce you to Kimiko Ikeda, my beautiful cousin," the fair-haired young man gestured towards the blushing girl kneeling across the table from Ren. "Kimiko-san, this is Tsuruga Ren."

Kimiko inclined her head prettily. "It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."

"No, the pleasure is mine," Ren intoned, making an effort to sound as neutral as possible. The whole debacle had barely begun and he was already wishing for its end. This was candidate number eleven in Emi Mitsuko's list of potential partners for him. All were pretty in their own right and some could even string a logical sentence together. Now if only they could all accept the fact that he just wasn't interested in any of them.

Yashiro stood discreetly in the background, keeping his eyes and ears open for any potential problems that would present a hitch in his little plan. He had a report to write to the President after all. He glanced over at the young girl whose face seemed to be stained a permanent crimson. Another fan, huh. If only Ren would just direct that thousand watt smile at her and send her into a dead faint. But perhaps that would only complicate things further. He sighed inwardly.

With a proud smile gracing his features, Yaneda added, "Kimiko-san is an expert in the art of tea ceremony, flower arrangement and adept at all musical instruments."

"That is wonderful," Ren replied softly.

"And she's got a PhD in Psychology from Tokyo University although she's only 20!"

"Congratulations. I'm sure your parents must be very proud of you."

Kimiko ducked her head in embarrassment. Yaneda was being so outspoken about her, and in front of Tsuruga Ren! She knew her cousin meant well, but at this rate, she definitely wasn't going to make a good impression. And to make matters worse, she was completely tongue-tied. All Tsuruga-san had to do was to meet her eyes and the connection between her mouth and her brain would just freeze. Perhaps it would be better to stay silent in case she started babbling some nonsense.

This was a once in a lifetime opportunity! Who knew how many women would kill to be in her shoes right now. Omiai with THE Tsuruga Ren? She gazed at him dreamily, completely unaware that she was staring.

Yashiro gave an impatient sniff. It didn't matter if they had a PhD or an MBA. Nor did it matter whether they were crowned Ms Japan. Yes, intelligent, sophisticated, and witty girls and women they were, but none of them suited Ren. And from Ren's demeanour, his patience was running thin.

Everything had to be handled delicately. Ren was after all an all-too famous actor. Too noticeable and far too busy to be attending such arrangements. Yashiro hid a small grin. Fortunately, they had come up with the perfect back-up plan for such occasions. As the two exchanged pleasantries, Yashiro took note of the time, making a show of checking his watch and his diary with ill-concealed exasperation.

Ren glanced up at him, lifting his brows in a silent enquiry. Yashiro cleared his throat, "You have an appointment scheduled at 1.30pm at Aoyama Studios. Since the director wishes to speak to you before it begins, I've arranged for an earlier flight to Osaka."

"I understand," he replied. Glancing at Kimiko, he said "I'm sorry to have to cut short our meeting. I hope you understand."

Awareness slapped her in the face when Ren addressed her and her mouth dropped open in dismay. "You have to leave now?" she blurted.

"Yes, the photograph shoot was rescheduled at the last minute."

"Oh..." she replied despondently, looking at the patterns of light playing across the table. "I see..."

"My apologies. I'll take my leave now," Ren stood and bowed gracefully.

"Wait," Yaneda said, noticing that Kimiko wasn't about to say anything else. "When will it be convenient for the second meeting?"

Ren paused. "My schedule is rather tight at the moment, so perhaps you could liaise with my manager for that."

"Okay..." Yaneda replied unhappily.

Ren turned to Yashiro. "I'll leave the details to you."

They were co-conspirators after all.


Ren adjusted his baseball cap and slipped on a pair of sunglasses. Clad in a simple woollen black turtleneck and leather jacket, he hunched slightly to look as inconspicuous as possible. It wouldn't do to be recognized in such a big crowd. Being an old hand at this, he could easily blend into the background. Overhead, various flight announcements were being made over the PA system. Keeping an ear open for any news on his delayed flight, he trotted over to the nearest unoccupied seat.

Yashiro would not be joining him on this flight since he had a few loose ends to tie up with the management in LME before joining Ren in Osaka. Besides, Ren had accidentally left a stack of important documentation in his apartment. Definitely not a mistake he would have normally made. Yashiro had huffed in resignation.

"You aren't getting enough rest! That's why!" Yashiro had exclaimed.

"Ah…perhaps."

"There are no maybes about it! You're worried about Kyouko-chan," his manager replied upon an intent perusal of Ren's tired features. "I'll be heading back first, okay? Make sure you keep your cell phone switched on!"

Well, there was no need to state the obvious, Ren thought as he watched Yashiro rush off. Kyouko, being Kyouko would hopefully come around. He rubbed his temples wearily. His manager was right. He really wasn't getting enough sleep.

Around him, the noise was fantastic. The airport was as busy as ever, he mused. A multitude of people, Japanese and foreigners alike rushing towards their destination. Ren leaned back in his chair, trying to get into a more comfortable position. He could make out a few groups of people. The lonely traveller carrying a gigantic backpack, probably on his way to explore some exotic country. The busy businessman, complete with an Aoyama suit and leather briefcase. The family unit on a group tour, consisting of father, mother and young children screaming for attention or a lost toy. Some were frantically rushing towards their exit gates while others loitered along, occasionally stopping at a boutique or one of those duty-free shops for alcohol or make-up.

Ren started. Perhaps… no, not perhaps. It would be a good idea. He chose a nearby shop and picked up a large bottle of cognac. At least Yashiro wasn't around to give him a lecture about buying liquor. He smiled sardonically. At least the alcohol would help him sleep, if exhaustion didn't.


Upon reaching his hotel in Osaka, Ren reached out and broke the seal on the bottle of cognac he had bought from the airport. He ran a weary hand through his hair distractedly. No matter what, work still took precedence over sleep. He had rushed from the airport to Aoyama Studios in record time. And in spite of it being close to midnight, the studio was still brilliantly lit and full of bustling workaholics.

'Well, it seems that I'm not the only one,' he had thought dryly as he had stared at the hive of activity surrounding him.

The photo shoot had been remarkably successful, although his mind had been miles away from it. Fortunately for him, his mood had somehow fit with what the photographer had in mind for the upcoming spring/summer collection. He poured himself a tall glass; relishing the warmth as it slid down his throat. A glance at the clock on his nightstand revealed the day to be barely noon.

He'd sunk to a new low, that much was evident.

But he did have the excuse of not having gotten any sleep for over 24 hours. At least he didn't have to put on that mask of cool nonchalance when he was alone. He drew a deep breath.

With all the work he was taking on, all these worries wouldn't disappear. If only life were that easy, he thought with a grim smile. Try as he might, he just couldn't figure out what he'd done to hurt her. He knew himself, yes, even though he had been acting rather out of the ordinary for the past few days. But when Kyouko had raised those bottomless brown eyes to his face and then glanced away, he had felt that cold grip of dread around his heart.

And what had those words meant? "I'm still okay. I'm not in love," Ren repeated her words aloud. Who was she referring to? Had Kijima Hidehito planted some strange ideas in her head? He slammed his glass on the table, almost cracking it in two.

Kijima Hidehito. He would murder the bastard himself if he ever gets his slimy hands on Kyouko's heart.

Alone in his hotel room, he allowed himself a moment's weakness. Cradling his head in his palms, he embraced the fatigue that coursed through his body. It galled him to know that she had no such feelings for him.

She didn't know what she meant to him.

She had no idea.

And as long as she was kept in the dark about his feelings for her, as long as she couldn't understand why she meant so much to him, all this was going to continue in a vicious cycle. He simply didn't know how much more of this he could take. A headache throbbed at his temples.

Briefly, Ren recalled a conversation he had with the President. "When you're in love, the more serious things get, the more composure you'll lose. To put it simply, love turns you into an idiot." At that time, all he could do was stare dumbfounded at Lory. "One behaves like a maniac and doesn't care how stupid one looks," Lory had continued ruthlessly. "Someone like you who just laughs when breaking up and allows your partner to go with a light heart cannot maintain that they were really in love once."

It was true. All the relationships he had in the past were all meaningless. Nothing compared to what he felt now. The agony of not being together with her. The hitch in his chest as he considered the possibility that she'd never feel that way for him.

"Am I an idiot…?" he muttered.

As he got up and walked to his balcony, staring blindly at the magnificent view, his body taut with misery and exhaustion, he realized two things:

The first was easy. The alcohol was doing nothing to numb those feelings. More potent liquor was definitely in order.

Which led him to the second, which wasn't easy at all. But he had to do it. He had to somehow talk to her. If necessary, tell her everything.

"What happened to all that stuff about you not being able to fall in love?" he asked aloud. He knew he didn't deserve her. She was far, far too innocent and too young for someone as jaded as he was.

But Kyouko was… to put it simply, his light.

He couldn't let her go.

As if to make matters worse, Emi Mitsuko had called earlier. His self-appointed matchmaker. He cringed recalling their conversation.

"Although you've dutifully met up with every single woman as arranged, none of them appeal to you?" she had asked right off the bat.

"It's good to hear from you too, Emi-san"

"Don't change the subject. You know what I'm talking about."

Ren had grimaced. "Of course I know what you're talking about. As you requested, I met up with every single one of them, treated them very courteously and adhered to all the customs as required."

"You didn't like any of them? They're the crème de la crème! Beautiful, successful and all enchanted by you. But none of them have heard from you since the first meeting," she remarked, twirling a lock of hair around her fingers.

"Because none of them are suitable," he sighed, not bothering to hide his exasperation any longer. "You of all people should know that these kinds of emotions can't be forced."

"You are indeed very difficult to please," Emi smiled. She hadn't expected this to be an easy task. No matter how Ren argued otherwise, she knew that this would be the best option for him. He was far too lonely, far too devoted to his work.

If only he'd been born earlier, she grinned mischievously. Unfortunately her husband would have her head if he knew how much she enjoyed Ren's friendship.

"I do this purely out of respect for you," Ren stressed.

"I know," she replied softly. "All this is for your sake, Ren-kun."

Ren frowned at the memory. One more day to go until his flight home.


New York


Two men lounged on creamy sofas, their voices low and muted as they discussed politics and the latest news. While both wore their silvery hair long, the taller of the two carried an aura of power and authority, but boredom was clearly stamped on his sharp features. They had been on the brink of iridescent success, only to be brought crashing down to earth disastrously by a certain individual. Triumph so sweet you could almost taste it, he thought harshly as he stood up.

"Reino…" the other man moaned. "Where are you going? The party's just getting started…," he drawled, his words clearly enunciating his inebriated state.

"I..." Reino's words cut off mid-sentence as a blinding flash of lightning illuminated their penthouse suite.

"Whoah…" Miroku choked.

Images began flashing into Reino's head. Brief glimpses of a golden haired boy. A deadly knife dangled in one hand, stained with trails of fresh blood. His eyes cold and dark, hauntingly familiar, as they peered into his own. He stared back into the depths of the young boy's eyes, feeling as if his deepest secrets were beginning to seep out involuntarily. Reino's skin crawled and cold sweat broke out, dampening his forehead. But he couldn't escape those hollow eyes. He was being cornered. Pinned. Trapped. The smell of impending death permeated the air. Fear, coppery in its fragrance rose like bile in his throat.

SLAP!

Reino inhaled sharply at the pain on his cheek. His head snapped up and he stared at Miroku in anger. "What the hell was that for?"

"You'd gone under. I had to bring you back."

"Damnit!"

Miroku frowned, his expression clearly illustrating his distaste. "You're welcome. Though you had me worried for awhile. That seemed completely involuntary. 'Seeing' people's pasts, I mean."

Reino jerked, as if he'd been shot. It hadn't occurred to him back then. But that was definitely him. A slow satisfied smile crept onto his face. The world is a small place after all, he smirked. Poetical justice at its finest. Yes, the cat has gotten into the cream, he thought as he made that very important telephone call to Japan.

Miroku leaned against the counter curiously as he watched his friend's expression of ill-suppressed glee. "What are you doing?"

"Getting revenge."

"As always," Miroku replied with a chuckle. "Who's the target this time?"

"The lion who got in my way when I was picking a lovely red apple."


The insisting ringing in his head wasn't the alcohol after all, Ren groaned as he rolled over and pressed that little green button to answer his handphone. "Hello?"

"Ren?"

"Yeah. What's up?" he glanced at his little clock on the bedside table. Grimacing at the illuminated hands, he muttered, "It's 5am, President. Anything important?"

Lory clicked his tongue impatiently. He hated to do this but he had no choice now. Not when everything was at stake. His orders were brisk and to the point. "Stay in Osaka. Don't catch that flight home. I'll handle everything on my end. And for goodness' sake, don't answer the damn phone unless it's from my private line!"

The line went dead.

Ren stared at the offending phone in his hands. Now what was that all about? Somehow he had this strange sense of impending doom that was beginning to stir in his belly.


Blacktohru: Hiya people! A great big thank you to those who voted and reviewed! For those of you who haven't (HINTHINT!) this is what the poll is about:

Who are your two favourite guys in Skip Beat? (Randomly ordered to remove bias by the creator)

Reino of Vie Ghoul

Hiroaki Ogata Hiroaki Date

Ushio Kurosaki

Kuu Hizuri

Takarada Kouki

Tsuruga Ren

Uesugi Hio

Sawara Takenori

Fuwa Shotaro

Yashiro Yukihito

Takarada Lory

Honestly speaking, it did take awhile to compile all those names. Did anyone have any problems recognizing all those names up there? Oh by the way, the earlier poll is still ongoing, so for those who are interested, just vote!

Next up, Chapter 8. It's gonna get quite, shall we say, INTERESTING in the next few chapters. LOL!

By the way, does anyone know the direct translation/han yi pin yin of this: "敦賀蓮"? I was just wondering…