Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat!

Facing the past, once more

Chapter Ten:

As Sakura was about talk to Kyoko, her phone began to buzz. Without pausing for a beat, Kyoko picked it up as a smile lit her face. Kyoko answered, "Kyo- nii-chan!"

"Ah Kyoko! It's been so long! How are you?" Kyo asked, surprised at Kyoko's voice. Sakura must have already met her sister. He wondered how much Sakura had told Kyoko about their current circumstances.

"It's been so long! How is everyone at the Fuwa Inn? I'm good! I'm actually in Tokyo. But then again, you would know that because Onee- chan probably already told you right?" Kyoko slyly smiled to her older sister and saw the bright pink blush start to creep up on Sakura's face.

Kyo coughed, "Umm, yes, she told me." He admitted shyly, scratching the back of his head, "So you're acting now right?" He asked quickly, trying to change the uncomfortable topic at hand.

"Unn, I love it. It's great." Kyoko continued as she let Kyo change the topic, knowing full well that it was uncomfortable for him. The silence on the phone was awkward, laughing slightly Kyoko continued in a loud voice, "Since you wanted to hear Onee-chan's lovely voice, I'll give to her now. See you Onii- chan!" Kyoko laughed as Skaura snatched the phone from Kyoko's hand.

Kyo laughed as he heard Sakura chastise Kyoko on the other end. He knew without a doubt in his mind that Sakura had a blush covering her face as she tried to stop Kyoko's teasing though they both knew her little sister wouldn't stop.

"Hello?" Sakura answered in a small voice.

"Oh Hello, I just wanted to hear your lovely voice as Kyoko said." Kyo laughed continuing to make fun of his Sakura as she squirmed under their dual effort.

"Oh har har. Laugh it up." Skaura pouted. It really feels like everything has gone back to the old times. I don't remember feeling this happy in such a long time…

"So have you told her anything?" The humor dried up quickly as Kyo asked the one thing he'd called about. He hadn't wanted to stop the light mood but even he knew that they didn't have much time left where Kyoko was concerned.

"Not yet. I'm waiting for the right time. And right now is not it." Sakura said as quietly as she could because she didn't want Kyoko to know what she was talking about. Kyoko, thankfully, had just gone outside to get water for both of them. "I'll call you back tomorrow. Kyoko's coming back." Sakura added hastily as she heard the door opening.

"Love you." Kyo said simply before Sakura reciprocated and hung up.

Sakura looked up at Kyoko as she entered. Kyoko looked and saw as Sakura was off the phone, "Oh was that all you guys wanted to talk about?" Kyoko wondered why they had talked so quickly. Recalling the old days, she remembered how they used to talk for hours. Kyoko hadn't said anything to Sakura but she had felt it was all very odd on how she had been acting. Kyoko had feeling there was something that her sister was keeping from her.

"Oh you know, Kyo had some things to finish." Sakura said waving her hand in the air as though it was nothing. Sakura looked up at the posters and asked the question that had been gnawing at her consciousness for the longest time. "So, mind telling me what happened? Why are you here—in Tokyo?" Sakura asked as she watched all the happiness fade away from Kyoko's face.

Kyoko wavered. Sakura didn't know about anything. Should she tell her? "Well," Kyoko said, closing her eyes taking a deep breath and relaxing herself. "After the day you got-" Her voice shook slightly as flashes of that day returned to her mind. Taking a deep breath she looked Sakura in the eye. "After the day you got taken away by those men, I began to blame myself. I thought if I hadn't said to go to the supermarket, maybe things would have been different." Kyoko paused, got up and returned with a blue-ish purple stone, Corn, in hand. "I got depressed, blamed myself and eventually mom forgot that I even existed. After one afternoon, she left completely and never came back again. Sho was always there, he tried to cheer me up but he had no idea how to do so." Kyoko continued with small bitter laugh. "I began to recover, and by then Sho asked me to come with him to Tokyo. At that time, I felt so happy that he was asking me, it was like I was important to him. I had nothing to lose by staying in Kyoto so I agreed. After we arrived in Tokyo, he signed up at Akatoki Agency and I worked a few jobs to pay the bills and rent while he was starting up." Kyoko clutched the stone tighter. Sakura noticed the tension and set her hands on Kyoko's. Kyoko looked up and smiled a small smile and continued. "One day, I went to Sho at his work, to deliver food. That day… I learned he had only wanted to use me. He only wanted me to be his personal maid. He used me, he betrayed my trust. He never loved me." Kyoko began to cry. Tears staining her face. "It hurt like hell, to know I loved a guy who didn't even care what happened to me. So, I wanted revenge. I entered showbiz only to bring him down." Kyoko looked up to Sakura, her eyes shining with tears. Sakura moved and hugged Kyoko. "But as I begun to act, I began to feel joy. I felt like I could somehow be reborn. I could somehow re-create myself through acting. And before I knew it, I fell in love with acting. Now I feel content, no revenge or anything."

"So what about Shotaro?" Sakura asked still hugging Kyoko while gently caressing her hair.

"I don't know. I don't care whether I get my revenge or not. But I'm happy that he hurt me." Kyoko pulled back, wiping away her tears. "Because he hurt me, I came to Tokyo. I came to LME. I found people who accepted me for who I am. I've met people who love me just as much as I love them. I began acting. I've met many brilliant actors and directors. Now, I can look at my future with bright eyes, doing what I love." Kyoko truly smiled. Her smile illuminating her entire face, reaching the very depths of her eyes.

"I'm glad you moved on from that idiot." Sakura stated plainly while flicking off imaginary lint off her shoulder. Sakura stroked her sister's cheek before pulling her into a hug once more, "You weren't meant for the same life that we used to live in Kyoto. I know that Shotaro wasn't the one you were meant for. You have something he never could possess: a big heart. You could love and care for people you didn't know. And from that love, you were extremely loyal to the ones you held dear and for that you are far greater than he could ever have aspired to be."

Kyoko listened in silence, absorbing the words her sister was saying. She understood her sister's words but she didn't know if she could ever be capable of such love again. Is it impossible for me to love again? Like I used to? Kyoko shook her head and unwrapped herself from her sister's hug. "What about you?" Kyoko asked, wanting to know what she had missed.

Sakura looked at her sister. Smiling she reached for Kyoko's hand. "I know that you've stopped letting any man from coming to close to you. I know that you closed off the part of your heart that yearns to fall in love again. But love does not always bring pain. Yes, you have to endure hardships but there will be a guy who will make you the happiest girl in the world. Don't close your heart to love just because of the idiot who used you. You have had your share of pain in the past and I'm positive the next man you love will cherish you more than the world, more than anyone ever could even more than I ever could. Give love another chance Kyoko. You see, in life there are certain people that enter your life to create hardships for you in order to let you learn and grow as a person. However, other people enter your life to create happiness, to love you and cherish you. There are going to be bad times but hey as the saying says things always go from bad to worse before getting better." Sakura paused as she saw a thoughtful look enter Kyoko's face. "Now time to rest, you have a long day ahead of you. It's already 10 p.m. Sweet dreams, Kyoko"

Kyoko hadn't realized how exhausted she had felt until her sister chose to tuck her into the futon. As Kyoko drifted in and out of consciousness, her mind took her to time that she wished not to remember…

Kyoko had just finished her homework. She knew that tomorrow at school just before the teacher came in Shoutaro would be copying off her; but that was okay with her. She was about to get up to show her mother her newest test mark (one that she had not been proud of) when she heard a loud crash. 'What's going on? Is mother okay?' She asked herself as she moved towards the door to listen better. She pressed her ear very carefully to the door, trying to listen in. 'Should I be doing this?' she asked herself as she listened to the conversation outside the door. She had been taught it was rude to eavesdrop. Just as she was about to move back she heard:

"Calm down, Konami." A man said. "Kyoko could hear you. We wouldn't want that would we? No, didn't think so."

Kyoko had never heard this voice. 'Who was the man in their house? Her mother had never told her of anyone.' Kyoko pressed her ear harder against the cold door.

"Damn it! Take both of them! I don't want them and you know it!" Mogami Konami yelled.

"I don't care, I'm only doing what we had originally planned. Do you remember?" the mysterious man's voice broke through once more.

'Compared to mother he seems much more clam, who is he?' Kyoko asked herself. Who were they talking about? Who was 'them' and what were they thinking?

"But-" Konami tried to argue.

"I don't care. Goodbye." The man said finally.

Kyoko heard footsteps and then the closing of the main door. Kyoko got up and decided it was better for her to stay inside today, seeing as her mother was in a bad mood. Kyoko knew of the outcomes that came when she approached her mother in a bad mood.

Just as Kyoko was about to start reading, her bedroom door opened to reveal her mother standing in the doorway. Her mother was still wearing a business suit but this time her mother was smiling. Mogami Konami had her dark brown hair pulled in a tight bun. "Kyoko, I have something to ask of you."

Kyoko stood up and asked, "What is it okaa-san?"

"Can you take Sakura and go to the supermarket to get something for me?" Konami looked at her daughter with a soft smile.

Kyoko's face brightened. "Okay!"

Kyoko awakened suddenly before looking over to her sister. Sakura lay peacefully beside her. With a shaking hand, Kyoko gently brushed Sakura's hair lightly trying to reassure herself that nothing would happen to either of them. Laying back down, Kyoko took a deep breath and remembered her days at the creek with Corn. With a blissful sigh, sleep overtook her.

Kyoko and Sakura lay side by side. Sleep overtook Kyoko, as she drifted into a deep slumber. Once Kyoko was asleep Sakura got up and stepped on the balcony closing the door gently behind herself. It was 10:30 but she would still be able to get through. She dialed a number into her cell and waited.

"Hello? Akatoki Agency?" Sakura asked. "Yes, I'd like an appointment with Fuwa Sho. Sure 11 am. Yes, he knows me. I'm his- instructor. Thank-you." Sakura replied as she hung up. Looking up at the distant stars she thought, About time Shoutaro. Tomorrow. She opened the door and closed the door gently once she was inside. She crept beside Kyoko and fell asleep alongside her sister, for the first time in three years.

Author's Note: I have more coming your way, I'm hoping to update at once a week maybe sooner! But the Hiatus is for sure over (as is the recovery period FINALLY!)

Thank you for reading and reviewing! :) :) :)

-MT