Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat and Ai to Himegoto or any of its characters, plots, etc...

I'm really sorry, you guys, for not updating for so long. I'm still in a slump ever since my cousin died. I've been having trouble sleeping and I just feel that something is weighing me down inside. I really tried to finish the chapters I've started. I forced myself to start the new chapters of BR and TGE because when will I get it done if I don't start it? And sometimes, I'm just having trouble starting it and after that it's smooth sailing. But it was different this time. My mind went as blank as the pages of a new document. No ideas were jumping up begging to be wrote. I tried things to get me going again. I read romance novels, skip beat fanfics, watch anime, relaxed... But it didn't fully recharged or restore me... I hope you understand my situation. I'm sorry for all the babbling. You can go ahead and read what you have been waiting for. Enjoy! ^_^

Recap:

"Yes, were fine, Tsuruga-san." Kanae chimed in joyfully to make the man feel a little jealous and to tease Kyoko even more. "Your babe and I are just enjoying a nice... warm... bath together and having girl talk." She drawled the word nice and warm.

"I see." Kuon replied and Kyoko could just hear him smiling too. "Well, I'm just going to change and head downstairs to eat so I can leave you to your girl talk... Oh, and Kyoko?"

"Yes?" Kyoko replied on alert.

"I'm home." He said so lovingly that even Kanae flushed a little as if she was intruding in a private husband and wife moment.

"W-welcome home." Kyoko replied as her face heated up once again.

The Great Escape

Chapter 21:

I feel like a Hero

And you are my Heroine

Do you know that your love

Is the sweetest sin?

The night after Kanae's sleep over, Kyoko was sitting on Kuon's huge bed which was now their bed. It was half past ten already in the evening as she started reading the script the president had given her as her debut, not just as a movie actress but also as a full-pledged actress.

She read the title on the cover. "Ai Hime" and underneath it was "Ai to Himegoto"

Love Princess ~ Love and Secret

Leave it to the president pick this script. Kyoko thought dryly. It has his soul written all over it.

She started reading the overview of the story and the character she would play. If she accepted, which was totally absurd if she refused a chance to debut, she would be playing Takagi Mao, a sixteen year-old high school girl. Her parents were going overseas for work and she had to move in with her uncle and now guardian, Takagi Jinya, who she had kissed before under an early blossoming Sakura Tree without knowing he was her uncle. And that was the start of their forbidden love between niece and uncle.

Kyoko sighed because it was so like the president. A forbidden love. But then, a thought caught her attention. Kuon would be playing her uncle. Her lips started to lift into a smile.

How would he feel about that? She wondered. Am I going to call him Oji-san?

She couldn't stop the giggle that escaped from her lips which was stopped abruptly by her yawn. She was really starting to feel so tired since the other night. She put all thought at the back of her mind and started to read the script. She came across the kiss that the overview mentioned. Then, she read about the two of them fighting what they were feeling for each other especially the girl, her character. She was silently cheering her own character on for being so brave in fighting that stupid, worthless feeling. She was annoyed when she read how cool and stoic Ren's character was. He was a little bit condescending, too. She pouted.

She read thee next lines but her eyelids felt like a ton and she had no more strength to keep them open. She fell into a blissful sleep. Kuon arrived twenty minutes later to find his wife asleep and half sitting on the bed with a script on hand. He stood there near the stairs and just watched her peacefully sleeping. After a few minutes, he went over to her. He took the script from her hand, put it on the bedside table and properly laid her down on the bed to comfortably sleep without her waking up the next morning with a stiff neck.

He stood up and looked at the script his wife was reading before she fell asleep. It was her movie debut with him offered as the leading man. He sank down on the side of the bed gently to not disturb Kyoko and took the script. He began reading it and occasionally scheming through some parts to quickly get the important parts of the story.

When he started reading, he got hooked and read it scene after scene and skipped a few lines here and there, now and again, just reading important lines. But what really caught his eyes were the kiss scene after kiss scene after kiss scene that he had read. His eyes even widened when he read through one which looked like it was going to be a love scene but he let out a big sigh of relief when he read that they didn't go all the way. But when he didn't expected it, his eyes bugged out at the one love scene which he could deduced as very heavy on the emotions of pure and unadulterated love between Mao and Jin making love for the first time.

Kuon's body warmed up instantly and his lower body stirred. His eyes automatically sought the face of his beloved wife innocently sleeping without a care in the world beside him. His eyes wandered down her form and he gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. He tossed the script back on the bedside table and abruptly stood up. He took a deep breath and he forced his feet to move to take him to the bathroom and locked the door. He needed a cold shower before he lost his sanity and do something that would scare Kyoko off and start sleeping in the guest room above the garage instead of his bed beside him.

The next day was busy as usual. Kyoko spent her free times reading her movie debut script. She was also horrified to read those kiss scenes after kiss scene and she blushed tomato red from head to toe when she read that Mao wanted to go to the Hotel room which implied that she wanted to do... It.

Kyoko's heart was pounding really hard against her rib cage. She felt like it might burst open any minute as she continued reading the script on how the scene in the hotel room would go. When She finally read the lines, she sagged in relief when she found out Mao and Jin had stopped before it would get really serious. But it was still really embarrassing as she thought of when she would be the one performing the scene she was reading. Her mind wandered and thought of Ren as Jin doing the scene with her. She shivered involuntarily just thinking about it.

Kyoko shook her head furiously to erase the thoughts from her mind. She determinedly put it at the back of her mind as she focused at the job she was going to do in a while.

Kuon got home at nine for once and found his pretty little wife dancing about in the kitchen making delicious food. He leaned by the entrance to the dining and kitchen and watched her silently with satisfaction and contentment of a real husband. She hummed a tune as she put spices on her dishes. A warm smile crossed his face. He had the urge to go to her and wrap his arms around her waist and kissed her senseless. The former would be doable and within Kyoko's range of acceptance as display of affection between them, but he still wanted to soak up the beautiful image of his wife in their kitchen making food for her and him, her husband.

Ever since they got home from their vacation in LA, they haven't had time to settle into their new life together. Except for living together, sharing a bed and his name with Kyoko, and spoiling or pampering her, they haven't had the time to do something very newlyweds. They were both so busy catching up with there work, it was even possible to even see each other awake at times. Kyoko is often asleep by the time Ren got home and he often left for work earlier than her.

Kyoko turned around to get the serving plate for her dish and she froze when she finally noticed her husband.

"Kuon! W-he, how long have you been standing there?" Kyoko exclaimed.

Kuon pulled himself from the wall as a warm smile graced his lips again. He walked to her and gave in to what his mind has been telling him to do. He walked up to her in purposeful steps and enveloped her with his arms and he leaned down to capture her lips. The moment his lips touched hers, all the control he had seemed to have vanished as if it wasn't there to begin with.

He kissed her with all the love and longings of his heart. He traced her lower lip with his tongue. She gasped at the contact and the new sensations it invoked in her. Kuon took the chance to deepened the kiss and invaded her mouth with his tongue. Kyoko could not help but moan and whimper a little at his ministrations. Her body went up in flames and she had no control over it. Her arms went around his neck and she held on with her dear life as her knees gave out. Kuon pulled her even closer to him as her fingers unconsciously played with his hair at the base of the back of his head.

"K..uon..." She moaned.

The moan both lit a fire in him and woke him up from their intense kissing. He slowly and gently pulled away. But dropped small kisses on her lips twice before he could finally stop. He looked at her flushed face, eyes still closed and slowly opening to show a desire filled eyes. She now looked like a newlywed wife. Kuon had to bite the inside on his cheek and his fist clenched to prevent himself from losing control and devouring his sweet wife in their new kitchen.

"I'm home." He said instead with a heavenly smile that he unknowingly show her that blinded her and her demons.

Kyoko had to blink twice before she could understand what he said and what just happened. She blushed furiously. Then, she caught a scent of something not right with her sense of smell. She turned her head and saw her dish smoking a little. She exclaimed and leaped out of Kuon's arms to salvage their dinner.

Kyoko eventually replied 'welcome home' to Kuon after she was done rescuing and resuscitating their food for dinner and after he heard her grumble about six foot tall distractions that caused major disasters. They ate their food and discussed their day, their current and future jobs. The subject of her movie debut came up and the steamy kiss that was forgotten was now in the forefront of their minds.

"It's really right up in the boss alley." Kuon commented. "No wonder he insists on it to be your movie debut."

"I know. It has his name written all over it." Kyoko agreed.

"So, are you going to accept it?" Kuon asked. "I won't accept it if you won't."

"What! Why?"

"Kyoko, you're my wife. I refuse to do things that will hurt, disrespect or dishonor you. There is no job that could be so important to risk hurting you, disrespecting or dishonoring you in anyone's eyes especially yours." Kuon explained with serious eyes that seemed to pierced her to her very core.

"But-"

"If it was just one or two kissing scenes, then I would accept it. I wouldn't say I won't accept jobs with kissing scenes with women other than you. But in this movie, there's just too much." Kuon reasoned. "Are you saying you are okay with me acting all those intimate scenes with another woman? Because I won't be able to take it if you were acting all those kissing scenes with another man!"

"No!" Kyoko blurted out.

Kuon's brows furrowed. "No, you don't like my jealousy or no, you don't like see me kissing another woman?"

Kyoko was silent as her wide eyes stared at him. After a long moment of silence, she finally answered, "...No, I don't like..." She paused and made Kuon feel frustrated for dramatically delaying her reply. Then, her cheeks flushed and he knew her answer before she uttered the words. "...seeing you doing all those scenes with another woman..." She whispered.

Kuon's face lit up like a neon sign in Las vegas at her answer. "So, are you going to accept it or not?"

"Of course, I'll accept it. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity." She said with a determined face and a clenched fist.

After dinner Kuon washed the dishes as Kyoko used the bathroom to prepare for bed and Kuon prepared for bed after her. It was the fourth time they went to bed together that both still awake. Kyoko was already beneath the covers with her falling eyes. She was still nervous at the thought of them going to bed together at the same time. She just didn't know what to do or what Kuon expected her to do. But her exhausted body was telling her something else. It wanted to rest already.

Kuon smiled at her cute expression as he got in and under the blanket beside her on the bed. He turned off the lights and told her goodnight. She mumbled her reply as her eyes finally won and closed shut. As she was already falling asleep, he kissed her forehead and pulled her close to his body and let his exhaustion fill him, too.

The next thing Kyoko knew she felt like she was floating. She felt hot all over. She was feeling really good but it seemed like it wasn't enough. She was longing for more and more and more... of what? She had no idea. Then, suddenly something was fulfilling her wants of more. She felt good and good, so good, really good and...

Her eyes wide open and then shut tight just as instantly as she reached the top of her longing and wanting of more. She was breathing hard as she came down from who knows where she had gone. She felt sated and very comfortable and warm. As her breathing calmed down, she slowly fell back to sleep not knowing that she, a five foot three inches distraction, could also cause hell in her wake... Or sleep?

The morning Kyoko slowly awoke when her alarm clock rang very loudly. She slowly opened her eyes as her brain started to fully awaken. The room was dim with the curtains drawn close. She stretched lazily on the bed and turned to turn off the alarm. She noticed that nothing was constricting her, no arms or legs around her, which means Kuon wasn't on the bed already. She felt the space her husband usually lie on with her hand and found that it was already cold.

Before she could think of how long he has been out of bed, she heard him got out of his closet and into the bedroom. He was putting on his jacket. When he saw her already awake, he paused for a moment as he stared at her and then, smiled and greeted her good morning.

"I'm sorry for taking off so early." Kuon apologized. "I have a shoot scheduled at seven."

Kyoko shook her head. "I understand." She replied with an understanding smile. "When I'm as famous as you are, I'm going to be as busy as you are, too. Just you wait."

"Hmmm... I don't think it's as appealing as it sounds." Kuon replied with a frown. "We won't have time to for each other even more. I'll be lucky if I get to be alone with you for five minutes."

She looked a little dismayed and then, she narrowed her eyes at him. "Are saying you don't want me to be successful in my career?"

"Of course, I want you to succeed." Kuon immediately said defensively. "What I meant was that we have get another Yashiro for you so we can have time to breath, relax and be with each other."

Kyoko put a finger on her chin as she looked up thinking. "I wonder if Yashiro-san has a twin brother?"

Kuon chuckled and noticed the time. "I'm sorry but I have to go. Enjoy your day and be careful." He flashed her a smile and headed for the stairs.

Kyoko frowned in confusion. Something was strange. She suddenly heard him sneezed on the third step down.

"Are you okay? Are you sick? Do you have a cold?" Kyoko asked a barrage of concerned questions. She was ready to leap out of bed to go to him.

Kuon wanted to laugh at the irony of the word 'cold.' He would have laughed if he did not feel painful. He was not even close to feeling cold. He was very hot. Hot for his wife who was sexily sitting on their bed. His wife that was off limits. He smiled wryly.

"Relax, Kyoko. I'm alright. Just someone thinking and worrying about me." He said as he gave her a long look which indicated that she was the one he was talking about. "I gotta go, babe. Bye." With that he went down the stairs and out of her sight.

She was even more confused. Something just wasn't right and she spent a good five minutes sitting on the bed thinking of what was wrong with their morning. Then, it suddenly hit her.

Kuon did not kiss her goodbye. Not even a peck on the cheek or forehead. In the last two weeks she was getting accustomed to being kissed on the cheek or on the forehead before he heads out. She sleepily felt it in the mornings when he heads out earlier than her, which was often. But this was the first morning since they got back in the country that he hadn't kiss her goodbye.

Why? She asked to herself so innocently.

Oh, Kyoko... What am I gonna do with you? Hahaha Poor, Kuon... :( He didn't risked touching her in case he might completely lost control of himself and continue from where she left him off last night... Sweetest sin indeed! I'd say it's bittersweet, though... LOL Anyways, I hope it wasn't too much and that it was suitable for the rating. I'm not ready yet to write rated M scenes. I don't think I can realistically portray a rated M scene right now. Anyways, I hope you liked it. And once again I'm very sorry for the late update. Hontou ni gomen nasai! (Dogeza)

Thank you for still reading, writing, reviewing, following, fav-ing and liking my stories, even though everyone feels really frustrated about my really slow and irregular update. Life's looking pretty down right now, but I know it will start to look up eventually. God is always there behind the clouds. :) See yah next chap... Let me know what you think about this chappie! Love yah, minna! ^_^