When Jelly walked into Lory's office she became very concerned. Well, concerned would be an understatement. She hadn't seen anything like this in all her years working for this eccentric but still fascinating man. Her Darling, dressed like St. Valentine, was cuddled up in a corner, weeping like a child, eating snacks and drinking some pink unidentified liquid. For a moment she could only stand there and stare. But then she ran to him.

"OH DARLING!" she called out. "What's wrong?"

"Jell-el-elly…."he sniffed," I'm not worthy of being a messenger of love!"

"There, there, it's all going to be alright." She bowed down and patted his head.

"NO, it won't."

"Darling, just tell me what's wrong, I'm sure we can find a solution together."

Lory looked at her with a frown the size of a horseshoe. But nonetheless he started to tell her about the horrendous events of that morning.

"Yesterday morning I woke up and I immediately knew something was wrong, so I naturally phoned Ren but he didn't pick up. So I decided to visit him. I had never done that before and thought it might be fun. As I was riding the elephant to his house I saw Kyoko walking to L.M.E. so I stopped and started to talk to her, I told her where I was going and she first became bright red and then turned to stone, and that smile returned.

I believed she had gotten rid of it and made up with Ren but there she was just the same, if not worse than 8 months ago. So I just assumed that it had something to do with Ren and it turned out that I was right. When I came to his apartment, ready to lecture him for his incompetence of handling love and treating women like they should be treated, I couldn't because he was sitting on the floor, petrified and all around him were empty wine bottles.

I gave him a day off because of a broken heart, every sensible employer would do that, but as stubborn as he is he wouldn't have it and went to work. This morning I called him and asked if he had met her, and he said that it didn't matter if he tried to talk to her or be near her or just look at her, she would run away like a wild deer. He sounded so heartbroken that I just started to cry and I can't stop."

There he stopped talking and started weeping again to prove his point. Jelly looked at him half concerned and half amused.

"So Darling, you don't really know what happened?"

"Of course I do, Ren told her that he loves her and she ran out and didn't answer, that shows clearly that she doesn't want anything to do with him, all this time in the LoveMe section and nothing. Why is she so stubborn?" Now there was clear annoyance in his voice.

There was silence for a while and then Jelly started to laugh. Lory looked at her and pouted.

"Why are you laughing? This is not amusing."

"Oh…" she said as she breathed out, "for all your obsessions with love Lory, you're hopeless when it comes to understanding women, you all are. Men! Why do we bother with you?"

"Jelly, do you know something? Tell me, I have to know." His puppy dog look was almost irresistible but Jelly the Witch was not that easily influenced.

"No Darling, I'm sorry this is something you have to figure out for yourself. Or more importantly, Ren has to figure out himself. But trust me when I say this, everything will be alright." The president stopped crying and looked at the petite woman with hope.

"You really think so?"

"I have no doubt about it."

Ren sat in a small room at the set of the commercial he was filming. It was for some energy drink and he was made to ride a motorcycle all day. The commercial was filmed in many breathtaking places but somehow not even the amazing scenery or the adrenaline of riding the motorcycle could keep his mind off the woman that had not talked to him or been in the same room as him the last two days.

He looked over the last place he had been filming at, drinking the energy drink he was advertizing, but it honestly was not very good. Then he gathered his things and called Yashiro over so they could leave. Now he was in his car driving back and his thoughts just kept on bothering him. It was not like he hadn't expected this. Hell, he had known this would happen. In his head he called himself every name he could think of. He was finally interrupted when Yashiro spoke.

"Ren, I know you're stressed out but you have to choose one of those projects, and preferably now. Then I can make some phone calls and finalize the terms, and also you look like you're about to kill someone and since I'm the only person here I have this lingering urge to jump out of the car."

Ren looked at him and brought his feelings under control. By the look on his manager's face it was not an empty threat.

"I'll take that police drama, it sounds interesting enough, it's a bit different but I guess it will be fun. I need fun now."

Yashiro looked at his friend with pity on his face. That man, he was so lost. If only he could make a Kyoko clone and give it to him, because by now Yashiro's resolve was weakening. That woman was just as hopeless as the man in love with her. Right now there didn't seem to be an end in sight for them. He let out a long sigh, put on his gloves, and called the director of the drama to tell him that Ren had accepted. While he waited for him to pick up, Yashiro glanced at Ren and saw that he was yet again lost in thought. Hopefully he wouldn't drive off the road.

"Hello?" A rather rough voice of a man came through the telephone.

"Ah, yes, is this director Yukimura speaking?"

"Yes, this is him."

"Good, my name is Yashiro Yukihito and I represent Tsuruga Ren."

"Tsuruga Ren? Yes, has he accepted the offer?" The rough voice became more excited.

"Yes, Tsuruga-san has accepted and is ready to start shooting whenever it is convenient."

"Ahahaha, this is great, I've got my dream cast." The man laughed so loud that Yashiro needed to take his phone away from his ear to not lose his ability to hear.

"Dream cast?"

"Yes, I've got Tsuruga as my main lead, Nishita as the chief, then there is Hiro and Kijima and finally there is her."

"Who?"

"Ahahaha, I can't tell you how happy I was when she accepted, and when I met her yesterday she was so polite and proper, who could have thought that this nice little lady could be so scary?"

"And who is that?" Yashiro asked but didn't really need to. There was only one woman in the industry that was described like that.

"Mogami Kyoko."

Yashiro smiled, "Oh, really, that is great."

"Isn't it? At first I was afraid that she wouldn't be able to pull it off, but then I saw a sneak peek of her new movie and I knew that she is exactly what I need for the drama." The man was obviously in seventh heaven.

"And what part will she be acting?" Again he didn't really need to ask, there was only one leading role for a woman.

"She will be Tsuruga-san's lover what else?"

"Well thank you, and we'll see you soon, good bye." Yashiro now had a glow around him, that could only mean that his head was overflowing with ideas on how to get those two problems together indeffinetly.

"Yes, my assistant will give you all the info on the filming, but it will start soon, good bye."

Yashiro put down his phone and took off his gloves, then he started laughing.

Ren could feel cold shivers running down his spine, and many miles away Kyoko stopped and looked around herself in the hallway of L.M.E. She could have sworn that some evil presence was hovering around her. But no one was there.

Yashiro is on an evil strike, the president has regressed to something unspeakable, Jelly makes her appearance, and Ren and Kyoko will work together, now the plot is starting to take off and I have the direction of it almost finalized. I could give you spoilers but... that would spoil the fun of it. Updates may be slow the next 2-3 weeks I have finals coming up.

TheBard'sLover