Alright, for those of you who have already read this fanfic, this chapter is just gonna be pretty much the same as it was before. Just made a couple minor adjustments to it so that it can actually make a huge difference in the next chapter (which I am proud to say is nearly complete ^^)

Bear with me. If you want to read through it again just for the sake of jogging your memory, go ahead. The only thing that's really changed is like, one line in the last paragraph. if you wait another few days I'll have the next chapter up, which is where the real fun begins.

Again, for everyone who's been following this story up till now thank you. Its so nice to have such a supportive group of people reading my amateur fanfics :)

and so we go!

Shin sat alone in his room, finishing the paperwork he was supposed to do before coming to Kyoto. He sighed. Why did those two have to leave me here? I'm so bored! Suddenly, an idea formed in his head. Quickly pulling out his cell phone, he called Mori.

"hello?"

"Mori! It's me, Shin. You think you could come over to the inn in a bit?"

"why? Did Arisa-chan and Kyoko-chan leave you alone?"

Shin frowned at the phone, mainly because that was exactly what had happened. He pouted. "so what if they did? I need some company man! Come over, we haven't talked in a long time."

"We talked yesterday."

"See what I mean? It's been ages! If you come over I'll ask Taisho-san to make steak." he taunted, hoping his friend would take the bait.

"...I'll be over in 10 minutes."

"haha, now that's what I'm talking about! See ya soon!" Shin hung up the phone, satisfied. Okay, now to convince Taisho to make us some steaks.

–

Lory was lying in his pool, playing with Ellie the elephant. That girl, Kyoko-chan I believe. He was still baffled by her little show of talent. She will be very scary when she grows up, he thought, swinging from Ellie's trunk. Suddenly, he heard a knock on the door. "come in," he shouted, watching as Sebastian walked into the room holding a phone in his hands. "Who could possibly want to talk to me?" Lory asked to no one in particular, completely ignoring the fact that he was the president of one of the biggest entertainment corporations in Japan. Taking the phone from Sebastian, he became somewhat business-like when he spoke. "This is Lory from LME."

"Boss, I'm adopting Kyoko-chan."

Lory held the phone in front of him, looking at it as if it were some sort of alien. "say that again?"

he heard someone sigh from the other side. "Boss, it's me, Shin. I'm calling to ask if you have any objections against me adopting Kyoko-chan. If you do, Arisa is more than willing to take her in, and her guardians are okay with it as well."

Lory had climbed his way up Ellie's trunk and was now sitting on his back, looking as serious as a person can look when they are sitting on an elephant in a pool. "Shin, you understand what's going to happen if you adopt her right? The press won't leave her alone, and they might even rob her of her chance to make a name for herself."

"What do you mean?"

Lory tried to be as vague as possible. This is a very touchy subject. "When a child's parents are extremely famous, a shadow of that parent is constantly looming over their children, warning them that they have to be just as good as their parents were. I've seen situations where the child completely cracks under pressure, unable to do anything. If you adopt her now, as in legally adopt her, she will forever be known as 'the girl Director Shin picked up off the streets'."

Shin was silent for a moment. "What do you suggest we do Boss? I refuse to just leave her here; she needs to get away from this town."

Lory frowned. "and why is that?" He listened intently as Shin told him vaguely about what Kyoko had been through. He stood up and got out of the pool, motioning for Sebastian to get his robes before taking a seat.

"So you think that if she stays here any longer she might take her life?"

"Boss, I was there when it happened. She has to get away from here, or she might not have someone to stop her the next time around."

Lory nodded, fully aware that Shin could not see him. "Okay, this is what we do..."

Mori was walking into the inn when he noticed a young boy, his face all swollen and his nose bleeding. "hey kid, you alright there?"

said child looked up, tried his best to scowl and said, "I'm fine, meat-head. Why don't you just mind your own business?"

Mori glared at the boy, muttering under his breath. "no wonder he's all bruised and bloody. What a jerk." He talked to one of the employees, asking around for where Shin was. The young woman smiled and led him to the room where his best friend was sitting. Knocking on the door once, he walked in to see Shin talking to someone on the phone. Looks like a business call or something, he thought, sitting down and waiting for his friend to finish.

"Are you sure about this? No, it's not that I'm questioning your judgment but the plan seems a bit scandalous don't you think? And what if the media finds out, then what do we do? Okay, okay fine, let's go with your idea. I just hope this all works out in the end. No, she went with Arisa for some modeling shoot." that caught Mori's attention. He's talking about Kyoko-chan? With who? "Boss I'm not exactly sure that's a good-" the sound of the dial tone could be heard through the room, much to Shin's frustration.

"On the phone with Prez, were ya?" Shin jumped, looking back at a smirking Mori.

"when did you get here?!"

"Oh, about 2 minutes ago. Why, were you plotting some sort of kidnapping and couldn't let me in on it?" he teased, wondering if Shin really was talking about Kyoko. And if he was, what was all that talk about scandals?

Shin sighed. "no, I was not planning anything of the sort. I was talking to Boss about Kyoko's future. I think she could really make it big in the entertainment industry if she wanted it bad enough, but I still need to work out some problems with her coming with us."

Mori choked. "w-what? She's coming with us tomorrow?! That's too sudden Shin, she's only 13!"

"12, actually." Mori glared at Shin who just smiled at him sheepishly. My best friend is an idiot, Mori thought, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Okay, so President has everything already figured out? What about the innkeepers? Is Kyoko ready for this?"

"Mori, you need to relax a little. Everything is working out fine, she needs to get away from this place. The memories of her mother and the sudden betrayal of her best friend had a huge blow on her, and if she stays here any longer it's going to put her life in danger."

Mori frowned. "If you need anything, or if Kyoko needs a place to stay, I could always take her in. Amano always wanted an older sister."

Shin shook his head, smiling. "It's okay, Boss already made arrangements for where she'll be staying. But if she wants to have a sleepover then by all means, go ahead." they laughed a little at the thought of Kyoko and Mori's 5 year old son having a sleepover.

They were rudely interrupted by a phone call. Shin picked up the phone, reading boss in flashing letters. Frowning, he answered the call. "Hello?"

"Shin, I'm sending an airplane for you tomorrow at 6. Something's wrong"

Shin listened to Lory intently, completely shocked by what he was hearing. "what?!"

I told you guys, It's the same as the previous chapter 9 with one little change in the last dialogue. but rest assured, I will have the next chapter up very soon, and it is very different from what I had last time.

As always, leave a review and I'll make sure to read it! even if I don't respond, which is usually if you're a guest and I can't respond, I promise you that I read it :)

-Momo