Just a warning I am Dyslexic so my stories will not be perfect but I now have one Beta reader to help me along the way :D

Thank you so much to Roshelle Diall for offering to work with me :D

Hello my sweeties,

Well I did promise you, so as promised the next story I will concentrate on finishing is

this one :)

Enjoy.

Neh xxx

I do not own Skip Beat.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

January 25th

Kyoko looked down at the small square of paper in her hand.

Really the gods must hate me she thought as she read the number 5 on the paper.

"Now ladies that number represents in which order and with whom you will be attending this week's date with alongside Kuon of course. Now for the dates this week we thought we would give you a little fun and maybe time to show off a talent! So the dates this week will be..." Makoto as always was doing her moment's pause to add some suspense for the cameras. The girls all looked on at her holding the black top hat they had all just removed their numbers from around the breakfast table.

"Karaoke!" she called out loud.

A few of the girls looked happy, even Mimori let out a little squeal. It was her turn to sit next to Kuon who was smiling his gentleman smile Kyoko noticed as he slyly rubbed his ear on the side Mimori had squealed when she wasn't looking because she was talking excitedly with Sachi. Kyoko looked down at her number then nudged Kanae.

"What number did you get?" she asked hoping she would be going with her best friend.

She didn't count herself as a good singer and really didn't want to make a prat of herself in front of Kuon. Kanae held up the number for Kyoko to read. The gods really did hate her when she read a number 3 on Kanae's paper.

"Chiori?" Kyoko asked hopefully again. Her hopes fled as Chiori held up a number two.

Without asking Hotaru held up her paper showing a number two. so at least two of her friends would be OK.

"Kyoko-chan?" asked Maemi sitting opposite Kyoko.

She held up her paper showing clearly a number five. Kyoko smiled broadly at the woman opposite her. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, but still it seemed that yet again Kyoko would be the last group date.

"Now the dates will start tomorrow and will run until next Wednesday which gives you today and Thursday as free days. Now the challenge this week will be a daily challenge and may I introduce you to the judge for this challenge. So to tell you more about it is the one and only Takarada Lory!" Kyoko couldn't help but smile at how excited Makoto seemed about the President.

Kyoko held back a sigh as Lory entered, he truly never did anything by halves. Today Lory was playing what Kyoko could only guess was a big cat tamer. Perhaps the fact he was leading a large white tigress on a chain lead into the dining room would be the answer to that question.

"GOOD DAY MY DEAR LOVEBIRDS!" Lory cried in his best show master's voice.

There was really no need since he already had the attention of the entire room as Seina who had been sitting closest to the door scooted back swiftly on her chair away from the large cat. All the assembled members who did not work for LME appeared concerned and in some cases scared of Lory's companion. All those who knew Lory, well let's just say compared to some of his stunts this was rather tame. Kyoko recognised the large cat as one of Lory's rescued menagerie Maria had shown her once.

"Now sit Sheena!" Lory commanded as the tigress sat beside the President who smiled jovially.

"Now my dear ladies. My challenge if you choose to accept it is this." Lory gestured towards the wall where suddenly a projected image appeared with big letters that read:

"I LOVE AND KNOW KUON THE BEST CHALLENGE."

"Good grief." Kanae muttered beside Kyoko as she held her head in her hand.

Chiori giggled beside her as Kyoko wondered just how well she did know Kuon. Pretty well she hoped. Maybe this week really wasn't that bad. Kyoko smiled to herself as Lory continued.

"Now each day at breakfast we will have a nice little quiz. The questions could be about anything and everything so do not think this will be easy. It will not be entirely written. Somedays it will be visual or even practical. The person with the most points at the end of the week will be safe for another week! So shall we get started?" Lory asked with a flourish as clowns appeared and placed a sheet of paper and a pen before each woman before smiling at them all.

"OK ladies are we ready? The questions will pop up on the board and there are only 10 of them. Do your best and if you don't know then just guess my dears." Kyoko picked up her pen and wrote her name at the top corner of the page as Lory clicked the projector button to reveal the first question.

"At what age did Kuon first come to Japan?" flashed up on the screen and Kyoko smiled.

This was an easy question she knew. Not only for her, but for anyone that had listened when Kuon had cast aside his name and retaken his true identity. He had spoken about how he had felt confident coming back to Japan after visiting at the age of ten. So that's the number Kyoko wrote. When she looked up it appeared she had been right about the easy part everyone was awaiting the next question to appear.

"What does Kuon like to do to relax?" came the next question.

Again Kyoko smiled and wondered how many people would call Kuon's love of his personal gym relaxing, but it made Kuon happy. Many a time when Kyoko had told him to sit down and relax while she made dinner he had asked if she minded if he spent a little while in there. Of course she didn't and she quietly enjoyed the times she would have to go and ask Kuon to join her for dinner. She always gave him the 10 minute warning so he could shower before dinner as he liked to do. In her mind's eye Kyoko could see Kuon stepping out of the gym, then all changed into his comfy house clothes, hair still slightly wet as it clung in places to his face. He always looked so good with a white towel around his neck catching the droplets. Kyoko shook her head snapping herself out of her enjoyable memories.

Concentrate Kyoko! she scolded herself as she wrote down the answer before looking up at the question already showing on the wall.

"What type of car does Kuon own?" Kyoko smiled thinking about all the times she had sat in that car, hitting her head of the ceiling when she had forgotten she was in the car and trying to apologise.

At times the car had felt heavy and scary with Kuon's anger, other times it had been light and filled with laughter. She was reminded of Kuon picking her up and dropping her off, even if she was traveling with the other Love Me girls they were always welcome. In her own way even Kyoko had come to love that car, since it offered her time with the man she cared about and in a way it brought them closer. She wrote down the answer and smiled to herself.

"What was the first drama Kuon ever acted in here in Japan?"

Again another easy one. The answer was short and simple :Mars Cluster. Kyoko remembered that night she had bugged Kuon to allow her to watch the DVD she had lent to Yashiro. Ren had been rather put off by the idea of watching his own work, but he could never say no to Kyoko so they spent the rest of that evening after their meal watching. Ren had to admit in the end he had enjoyed watching it with Kyoko as she had asked interesting questions. She wanted to know what had been the hardest scene to do? What was the most NG's anyone had during the shoot and why? They were small things but those simple questions gave him a purpose and he loved talking with her.

"What is Kuon's greatest achievement to date?"

Kyoko loved this question. She had watched the recording of the interview of Kuon's reveal over and over again in the Love Me locker room and this question had been one of the most heartfelt and wonderful answers she had ever heard. As she wrote the answer down she spoke it to herself under her breath. "My greatest achievement to date has got to be standing in LME and calling my parents Mom and Dad for the first time in 6 years. It's amazing how good it actually feels to call your mother and father just that. I suppose it's something we all take for granted but for me the day I held my mother and father and called them by their titles I've never felt anything quite like it."

Kyoko smiled. She had been there that day. She had been worried about her own use of Otou-san. But her adoptive parents had both insisted even if they had their real son back for now she would always be their daughter no matter how much she tried to be rid of them, Kuu had joked. Kyoko had cried tears of joy in Julie's arms. Oh how she loved them both.

Kyoko glanced at Kuon talking quietly with Makoto his blond hair so much like his father's his mother's beautiful green eyes to Kyoko he was the perfect in between. Kyoko thought about her adoptive parents and wondered if or when Kuon finally did bring a nice woman home would they truly still feel the same? They would have a real daughter in law then so she wondered if they would still keep her but just at a distance as so many others had before. Kyoko was accustomed to being left alone yet tears filled her eyes.

She blinked rapidly telling herself off for such depressing thoughts as she fought off the sadness that overwhelmed her heart. Truly why was she so sad? Was it the thought of losing the family that had taken her in and loved her? Or was it the thought of Kuon bringing home another woman who would take her place? Even if she couldn't be in his heart she still wanted to be part of a family and if he wed this would be impossible.

"STOP!" The voice was clear and strong shaking everyone from their concentration.

Kanae looked around for the reason Kuon was suddenly approaching them. The sight of Kyoko silently crying beside her was shocking. Kyoko seemed not to even really be with them mentally as she swiped a hand across her eyes as she stared blankly at her paper. Kuon was there now beside Kyoko. His eyes were filled with the same confusion Kanae's were as he placed a hand on her arm.

"Kyoko what's wrong?" he asked softly.

She didn't reply, she didn't flinch and they both saw that she wasn't even aware of Kuon's presence. The fear in Kanae had built at Kyoko's empty expression until she was ready to burst. Grabbing Kyoko's shoulder she shook the young woman forcibly.

"MO! Kyoko! Snap out of it!" she cried.

The reaction was as if someone had struck her. Kyoko's eyes flashed to Kanae's instantly. The shock and utter sadness behind them clouded even Kanae's mind.

"Moko." the word was quiet but the need behind the single word as Kyoko fell into Kanae's arms sobbing was all Kanae needed. Wrapping her arms around her best friend she held her small form.

"Kyoko what's wrong?" Kanae asked, not even thinking of the affection she was showing in front of the cameras.

In that moment Kanae only saw the confusion in Kuon's eyes and the weight of Kyoko in her arms. Kyoko didn't answer but pulled herself closer to Kanae with fists clenched in her shirt.

"Kyoko are you OK?" Kuon asked again hoping she would speak some sense so they could figure out how to handle the distraught woman.

"I want to go now." Kyoko sobbed from Kanae's chest as Kanae rubbed her back slowly.

"OK you want to go home?" Kanae asked, not missing the desperation in Kuon's eyes at the thought of the woman he really did love on this god forsaken show leaving.

It was so small the slight shake in Kyoko's head that Kuon couldn't have seen it, but Kanae felt the movement and she too felt a little relief. She didn't want to stay here if Kyoko didn't. Even if Chiori stayed it just wouldn't be worth it without Kyoko even if it meant staying in the Love Me section.

"OK let's go see how Tama is." she said quietly as she stood with Kyoko. She had her arm around the young woman's back as she guided her towards the doorway.

"Carry on without us, I will see to Kyoko." Kuon looked scared.

Lory just nodded. He hoped they would stay within sight of the cameras though he asked Makoto to stop all feeds from their room. He truly hoped he would be able to watch the video playback himself later and get to the bottom of Kyoko's sudden breakdown.

When Kanae had finally managed to get Kyoko to the bedroom, she sat the very distraught woman on her bed whilst she fetched a box of tissues from her case. Sitting back down next to her best friend she offered the box and Kyoko pulled out a few, thanking Kanae as she tried to control her roiling emotions.

"So what's wrong?" Kanae asked sitting down as she faced the still tearful Love Me member number 1.

"You'll think I'm silly." Kyoko muttered dejectedly as she looked at the floor.

"Mo! Kyoko! Am I your best friend or not! It doesn't matter what it is, if it's got you in this type of state I want to know!" the fervor in Kanae's voice and the use of one of Kyoko's favourite words drew her attention like a moth to a flame.

"Of course you're my best friend Moko-san! It's just...It's..."

"Mo! Spit it out Kyoko!" Kanae cried. This was no time to be coaxing. Kyoko's defences had been lowered with her best friend's confirmation and Kyoko broke at her words.

"I was just thinking how Kuon's parents might not want me in their family anymore when Kuon does get married. Why would they want me when they would have a real daughter in her?"

Kanae was flabbergasted at her friend's complete and utter mind-bending logic as she stared at the woman who had so captured Kuon's and his family's heart. She would be lucky if they didn't tie her up and drag her back to America kicking and screaming one of these days.

"MO! is that what all of this is about? You pretending to know what people will want and feel! MO!" Kanae was pissed and ready to rip into the small woman before her, but a few simple words stopped her anger and turned it instantly to pity for her friend.

"Just like my mom."

Kanae had been there with her, so had Kuon that day. The day Kyoko had sought out her mother, the day they had found out the reason for Kyoko's abandonment. The day they had seen Mogami Seana with her new family and the two daughters she obviously loved dearly. Kyoko never spoke to her, she just walked away carrying the paperwork she had been meaning to ask the woman to sign. Eventually, it had been Kanae herself that had approached the detestable woman while Kuon tried to console the distraught Kyoko. Her reception had been bitter and harsh, her words even moreso as she told Kanae she would only sign if she never had to see or have anything to do with Kyoko again. Of course Kanae agreed. Though she would never tell the woman the simple reason was she would never want her friend near such a vile and loathsome creature again.

"Mo! Kyoko do you honestly believe Kuon's parents are like that?" Kanae's voice was soft and empty of any anger. Kyoko's eyes darted back to the floor as she didn't answer. In her heart she knew Kanae was right but her head was always the more argumentative. She had been hurt too many times.

"Kyoko, they are not your mother."

"I know, but it still doesn't stop the fear." she whispered as Kanae leant forwards, taking her best friend in her arms and offering her the comfort her words could not.

No one deserved what Kyoko had lived through, but the fact Kyoko was still able to stand up and move forwards with her life even in her current love state made Kanae feel nothing but respect for the woman before her.

Lory watched the tapes later that evening. Chiori had won the first round of the 'I Know and Love Kuon Challenge' Lory had to smile at the answer to the last question.

"What was Kuon's favourite colour?" Only Chiori had answered correctly and Lory had to smile at her answer.

'Molten gold, the same colour of someone's eyes I know so well :P'

That girl has spark Lory thought as he sat relaxing in his suite.

He flipped through the viewer of interchangeable cameras around the estate. He also watched as Kyoko exited through the front door with Tama. Kuon followed not long after her at a sharp pace.

"Boy you're well and truly whipped." Lory chuckled as he watched Kanae lean against the door and smile fondly after them.

"And you my dear have finally learnt the truth about love." Lory smiled at the TV as Kanae turned from the doorway and walked back into the mansion.

"Sebastian, would you mind grabbing me Kotonami-san's file? I have some planning to do."

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

so what is Lory planning?

how will the rest of the week go?

what type of fun will be had singing Karaoke :P

Thank you for reading :)

Neh xxx

Comments and reviews please, I will happily reply to PM's and questions.

Yes what fun indeed. I always enjoy a little karaoke. Hopefully Kyoko's thoughts will now be more positive- RD