Chapter Twenty-Five

Acknowledgments: Runadaemon for beta-reading. Bloody_Rose021 and Ecki for your help-out and the approve ^^

Dedications: Bloody_Rose021, Ecki and Runadaemon - coming up with the last couple of chapters = hell because of you three.

Disclaimers always apply.

"Hello?"

A wave of noise filtered through the earpiece of Kyoko's mobile phone that she pulled the device back a little from her ear. It was sounded very busy with people talking and laughing and a faint sound of music. Because she has been lying in bed in a very quiet room for the last two hours, the noise came as a big surprise.

"Hello?" The noise faded and muffled a bit.

"Hello? Tsuruga-san?" Kyoko put the phone back to her ear. She wasn't really expecting that he was going to answer. "Sorry… Am I interrupting you at work?"

"Mogami-san?" he asked with an incredulous voice. Then "No, it's OK," he answered. "Shooting ended an hour ago. Some of the guys from the shoot and I are at the hotel bar. And don't worry, I ate."

"That's good," she sighed.

"So what's up?" he asked. "You calling this late…"

This was her chance! She can tell him about the whole stupid Boost thing with Shotaro!

"Um…" she answered hurriedly. "There's something really important I want to ask you! It's been bothering me for the last couple of hours and-"

Wait a minute… She stopped mid-sentence. What would Tsuruga-san know? Up until two weeks ago, he had never been subjected to tabloid gossip. Ever. How could he understand? Tsuruga Ren didn't even exist until a few years ago. Digging up something about him would have to be the work of a demon because so many connections would have to be made before it could make sense. The fact had been literally shoved in her face before she made the connection. She hadn't even thought about that when she decided that she wanted to talk to him about it! Whatever had compelled her to do that?

This would be one of the very few things, she thought sadly, Tsuruga-san couldn't help her with…

"Um…" she hesitated. "Erm…"

"Mogami-san...?" his voice suddenly became flat and emotionless. "What are you thinking about?"

"A-an excuse," she answered honestly. The fingers of her free hand dug through her scalp. Why did she have to answer with honesty? She should have just made something up! she mentally scolded herself. Why was she so slow?

"For what?" His tone started becoming slow and deliberate.

"W-would you kill me if I told you I called you because of a frivolous whim?" she answered with a humorless laugh. She sounded a little too desperate, in her opinion.

However, she had to tell him something. She never got around to confirming it, but if it was true that he compressed all his work in Okinawa to get to Karuizawa before just because she called him up impulsively… Well, it's not it was likely to happen the second time around, but just in case. The drama he was shooting in Yokohama involved stunts and couldn't be rushed. It'd be dangerous – it wasn't like a fashion shoot when all he did was pose around for clothes. Plus, she already knew what she was up against and there are actually people who will be supporting her on it. She can't let herself be an inconvenience to him.

"A whim?" he asked shortly.

"Y-yeah…" she stammered. Her eyes darted aimlessly around her surroundings to think of something and they fell on an outrageously pretty and expensive dress Julie-san sent her on her last day in Hong Kong that hung on the wall. "The T.D.A.!" she answered frantically. "It won't be for another three weeks, but the President has been bugging me about it lately. He wants to know if there would be someone who'd escort me to the event." Well, President Takarada has been… So she wasn't completely lying.

"Huh?" His tone changed. Tsuruga-san sounded completely weirded out. "Escort you?"

"O-of course!" she answered as though he was questioning the absurd. "Who else would I ask…? You're practically responsible for helping me build Mio as a character. If you never helped me, I would have done Mio as Iizuka-san wanted me to and based my acting directly on how the script wrote it. This is my very first nomination for such an important role. So, it's only natural that I ask you…" Her voice lamed at the end.

There was a short pause. Kyoko bit her lower lip. He's probably thinking of the most polite way to turn her down. He really didn't need to extend her the courtesy. Just turn me down already, she mentally pleaded. That little speech she gave him sounded really pathetic and ridiculous because, one, it's not like she had a chance to win and, two, it wasn't like he wasn't going to be there. He has been nominated and has already been pegged a favorite to win after all.

"That was unexpected," he droned.

"Um…" she started uneasily.

He chuckled. Kyoko paused. "Of course, I'll escort you," he answered seemingly returning to his normal self. "I've been thinking about who I'd like to invite as well anyway."

Damn it! He accepted. "T-thank you," she answered. Why did the conversation turn out this way? She had more urgent things to think about than stupid things like this.

"No, it's great!" he replied. "Thank you for asking me."

"Ahehehe…" She scratched her head.

"Anyway," he suddenly said. "Shouldn't you be going to sleep already?"

"Huh?"

"Didn't you mention before that you have that magazine interview early tomorrow morning for the Kismet promotion?" he asked.

"Yeah…" She did. "I've been thinking about that too."

"Don't worry about it," he said soothingly. "You're feeling worried about this being your first interview ever for a magazine. These kinds of things are usually done as puff pieces to promote the movie. And it's a great opportunity to promote yourself. I'm sure things will turn fine if you're keep everything straightforward and to the point. Of course, just make sure you don't give too much of yourself away. Otherwise, they'll pester you with question after question about a topic. Anyway, it's a magazine with a good reputation. Not all the publications are like the tabloids."

"OK," she smiled. Tsuruga-san was still giving her advice about work. "I'm sorry that I interrupted your drinking party. Please eat something while you're at it."

"Alright," he chuckled. After a pause, he said, "Good night, Mogami-san."

Amazing, Kyoko felt her body relax. After the long day she just had, it was more than welcome. "Good night, Corn…" Shoot! She slipped. "I mean…" she amended. "Good night, Tsuruga-san. …Sorry."

"It's alright," he answered.

They hung up on each other. And Kyoko got agitated. What the hell? She sat up and put her phone on the low table. She knew the secret a week and she's slipping?

She slapped her forehead. So what if his voice sounded calming? She still had to be conscious of herself! Tsuruga-san didn't work all these years to have it all fall apart because of a nosy girl who couldn't keep her eyes off his personal effects. She still had a few days for mental conditioning. After all, he has been acting as Tsuruga Ren all this time, she should be able to react on it. She had better things to think about like…

Oh crap, she frowned. Now she has a 'date', the actual term that the President used.

Well… she thought as she snuggled under her covers. It's not like he can't change his mind. After all, he did say that he was thinking about asking someone-

Shoot! Kyoko slapped her cheeks. Tsuruga-san might have been thinking about asking that girl! If someone like Tsuruga-san, who was known for keeping personal commitments after he's made them, would go with her… She might completely miss out on meeting and assessing the future bride of Tsuruga-shi a.k.a. future Mrs. Kuon Hizuri a.k.a. future princess of fairy prince Corn!

"Nooooo…" she howled loudly. "That would be terrible!" she cried out loud. Now that Tsuruga-san might be on the verge of breaking those chains that were binding him when it came to that girl, she definitely has to break that "date" the next time she sees him! "The princess might miss out on meeting with her prince and it will be all my fault!"

The okami-san's eyes popped wide open at the terrible howling of an animal in pain from the other room.

"Kyoko-chan's talking to someone who's not in the room again, dear," she turned to her husband who had the same wide-eyed surprised looked on his face. Then she chuckled. "You get used to it, but it's still scary."

Ren's spirits plummeted as he put his phone back into his pocket.

Mogami-san beat him to it. Again, he thought as he made his way back to the table where the rest of his cast mates in the drama were waiting for him. In addition to that, he really wanted to reiterate and make it clear to her that it was a date. Now, he wasn't so sure about it.

Well, there didn't seem to be anything cryptic about what she said. At first, he became suspicious because she called so suddenly and sounded kind of weird. He immediately thought something was wrong. Then she explained everything with such urgent honesty that it was almost funny.

It didn't make much of a difference who asked who. He was going to pick her up, escort her to the event, go to the same parties for Dark Moon and LME. It wasn't like he couldn't adjust. Being raised by a feminist like his father, he always believed girls can do anything they wanted. It was just different since he hasn't done anything for her yet.

Well… he thought optimistically. There is still that other thing that he had in mind when he got around to asking her. Knowing Mogami-san's interests, he knew that it would be something that she will really, really like.

He reached for his drink. That can wait until he goes back to Tokyo Wednesday morning for the Kismet shoot. He had enough excitement for one day and she needed to be up early the next day for that interview. The growing addiction to a role his parents taught him about a long time ago was coming back. Not that he never experienced it when he started working in Japan – there are lots of roles he became really sad about leaving. This was just somewhat more important and not merely rooted on wanting to play the role again.

The important thing is that she called him 'Corn' – er, that they were going to the T.D.A. together.

Unlucky has always been an attribute Kyoko associated herself with.

How timely that she will be making memories of her very first interview with a super exclusive magazine that only featured the Who's Who of the entertainment industry AND that it would be tainted with traces of Shotaro.

She's been sitting with the reporter, gauging the right way and time of injecting Shotaro as her childhood friend while keeping a cheerful disposition. She's already answered so many questions about her speedy rise in popularity, the roles that she had, her nomination on the T.D.A. and some questions about the movie. She was running out of openings. Sawara-san, who will be accompanying her later to the audition she'd been studying for all week after this and the morning show segment taping she had with The Hated One, was standing on the side.

"Kyoko-san…" the reporter cheerfully said.

"Yes?"

"I have to say… I'm very in with the love with the story of Kismet," she gushed. "As a girl, it's awfully easy to identify with it, I guess."

"Absolutely," Kyoko agreed. "The story is very well-rounded and balances a lot of issues like family tragedy, women's role in society, and suicide. It really has a lot of depth to it."

"Ye-yes," the reporter flustered. "But the central story would be about childhood friends Chiaki and Satoshi. Any girl can really identify herself with Chiaki. Right, Kyoko-san? Have you ever found yourself living in Chiaki's shoes?"

"Not at all!" Kyoko answered enthusiastically. "I never ran my own company before. Up until last year, I'm just a plain, old ordinary girl."

The reporter and the photographer stopped and stared at her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sawara-san shake his head.

"Of course," Kyoko continued. "An in-depth understanding of the character and learning how she became the way she is is the key to portraying her well. So it was good that the character had such a strong background."

The reporter let out a hearty giggle. "Well… the love story between Chiaki and Satoshi really tugs a lot of heart strings since a lot of their issues come from misunderstandings and missed opportunities. I mean, what girl hasn't gone through that? Having strong feelings for a childhood friend I mean."

So… Kyoko thought, dismayed. This reporter was one of those types of people who were only interested in the love story aspect of the story. She probably didn't even care about the characters' development as people that actually becomes integral to how they would end up together.

Despite the straight face, Kyoko was struggling to temper down the demons inside of her. Even though she's mentally prepared for it, the taboo topic of her childhood and her childhood friend still grated on her. Image training in LME helped, but it still annoyed her. "I guess a lot of people would think that now and again."

"So you had one?"

"Huh?"

"A childhood friend you had strong feelings for?" the reporter smiled as though they were close friend, gossiping about mundane things like clothes, shopping and boys.

I've gotta hand it to her, Kyoko thought, thinking of the reporter as someone who is to be considered dangerous. The lady had skills for building rapport and creating leading questions. She almost blurted out that she did. Although, that 'strong feeling' was revenge.

Sawara-san mentioned something starting off her career as an actress with a clear conscience. She thought about it. Her conscience was clear. Of course, he meant the thing about Shotaro… But that's actually kinda easier said than done. IF she was ever going to forgive that idiot, it's going to take a long, long time. This might be a first step, but she wasn't certain. Forgiveness was not even a concept on how she dealt with her feelings for Shotaro until yesterday.

"Not that I was in love…" She answered. Admitting that would be in violation of the Tsuruga Ren rule: Giving away too much of yourself for public consumption. Besides, saying that might actually fan the flame of the worst-case scenario they thought of the Boost article. "I was pretty much a loner when I was a child. But of course, we all had a precious childhood friend…" Corn. "…or two." Shotaro.

Right… she figured it out. She wouldn't be so annoyed with the questioning and opening up an open wound if she thought about the other childhood friend who just made her happy thinking back.

"So can you tell me something a little about this childhood friend?"

This was the opening she was looking for, right? "Well…" she smiled as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "It's quite hard to talk about that person since he's also in the entertainment industry. It will feel kind of weird to be talking about it. It might even sound like name-dropping…"

"Ehhh?" the reporter asked, her eyes widening with interest. "Now that you let out that it's someone in the entertainment industry, you can't expect people to not want to know who…"

"You're late," Sho glanced at Kyoko as she entered the waiting area. She and Sawara-san when they arrived in the TV studio where Sho was scheduled to have an interview.

It was supposed to be a live broadcast, but Shoko-san and people in Akatoki had it changed yesterday to accommodate Kyoko's magazine interview earlier. It was going to be a taped interview for broadcast on tomorrow's episode. The producers of the morning show were more than willing to do that and tossed in a reserve feature on pottery in lieu at the promise that they could get Kyoko, the star of a highly-anticipated movie, in for an appearance.

It annoyed Sho that his appearance alone wasn't enough. Getting Kyoko is now a big deal to them now.

"Well, excuse me," Kyoko frowned up at him. "This wasn't even supposed to be on my morning schedule. I'm even amazed that you're not late. It's only ten in the morning. Shouldn't you still be getting dragged out of bed so you can be up by eleven?"

Sho ignored the question and nodded towards Sawara-san. "I see your agency had to send someone out to look after you," he snidely remarked.

"Quiet!" she shot back. "I'm headed for an audition after this and Sawara-san's coming along with me."

"Audition?" Sho smirked. "You supposed to be some big shot rising star, aren't you? And you're still auditioning for roles?"

"I think you shouldn't say anything about things you don't know about," Kyoko argued. "Anyway, why should you care? I don't think anything someone you tormented does should be of any importance to you."

Sho gritted his teeth and avoided her eyes. Tormented... That's how she saw what happened between them the previous Valentine's Day. And knowing how Kyoko gets once she gets an idea into her head, it's going to stay that way. Not that he cared. Much. To prove it, he crossed his arms and lifted his chin. "Of course it's something important. You're appearing with me, damn it. I should at least have some benefit to it like appearing with someone worthwhile."

"Yeah, yeah…" her eyes shrugged with nonchalance. "I'm just a useless cloth girl who you just happen to have been born near."

They were in public with a lot of people around. Sho had to control every fiber of his being to keep what was on the top of his head and what was in his feelings in tight check. "Anyway, how did the magazine interview go? Everything work out?"

"It went OK," she retorted. "Do you think I don't have the presence of mind to actually do it properly?"

"I didn't say that," Sho answered through a smile when he noticed one of the morning show's host walking towards them.

"Ah, Kyoko-san!" The show's host approached them. Kyoko greeted her politely. "You're here! We'll be shooting in half an hour. But you look like you're all ready." She looked at Kyoko and him. "Everything alright?"

"Y-yeah," Sho answered for her. Then he placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's just one of those things old friends argue about."

The host tilted her head. "Old friends? The two of you?"

"O-of course!" Kyoko answered cheerfully, but Sho could feel her shoulder was stiff under his hand. "Fuwacchi and I have known each other since we were babies. We grew up in the same town."

Sho noticed that the host's eye started twinkling in interested. "Oh…?" Then she smiled. "Oh!" Sho let out a breath of relief. At least once they were shooting, their charade wouldn't look so forced. He didn't think he had the capability to act to lead to that topic, especially with someone awfully unpredictable and rebellious like Kyoko. The mischief he saw in the girl's eye would make it look like she'll be the one to squeeze it out of them. "Well," she said. "This certainly is a small world."

"Very small," Sho answered with a smile.

"Too small," Kyoko finished.

"So it is," the TV host continued to smile. "No wonder the two of you act so familiar around each other." When one of the show's assistants motioned for her from the door, she excused herself politely but not before she commented, "Kyoko-san, you look really cute today."

Kyoko blinked in surprise. "Thank you," she shyly answered.

"That necklace…" she gestured towards Kyoko's neck. Sho looked down and saw a really expensive-looking stone set on an elaborate pendant hanging on Kyoko's neck by a delicate chain. "It's the one that you wear in Box 'R', isn't it?"

"Is that going to be a problem?" Kyoko politely asked. "I was told that this is not going to be a promo for any specific project I'm working on at the moment."

"No, no," she smiled. "Not a problem at all. I've just been such a fan of the show."

Coyly, Kyoko wrung her hands together. "Thank you."

When the host was out of sight, Sho narrowed his eyes and hissed, "What on earth? You're wearing a prop? I thought you can't foist stuff off a show until shooting's done until the last episode."

"What? It's not like it automatically activates Natsu anymore! I can do that even without it." She gave him a heated glare. Her hands protectively came up to the pendant. "Anyway, it's mine! I was the one who incorporated it into the show. This was given to me through magic!"

"Magic?" Sho raised an eyebrow and gave her a dry look. This girl hasn't changed nearly as much as he'd thought! "I certainly hope that you don't run around telling people that it magically appeared in your hand when you woke up. They'll think you're not right on the head!"

"Do I look stupid to you?" Kyoko shot back as she straightened up. Proudly, she declared, "Of course, it didn't magically appear in my hand! Idiot. This came inside a pretty present Tsurusa-san gav-"

"What?" Sho's eyes widened and he swiftly moved forward. He lifted his hand and grabbed the pendant. "Lemme see that again!"

"No!" she growled. She sharply turned to the side, her hands clutching the pendant as she stared at him.

Sho glared at her hard. Kyoko never accepted anything from anyone easily. Especially expensive-looking jewelry even if it had been given out of the kindness of someone's heart. Did that mean… he glared at her. …that she accepted whatever feelings that idiot Tsuruga gave her?

"And you accepted it!" Sho cried out accusingly pointing a finger at her.

"Well, it's kinda hard to turn it down you know," she retorted. "Would you ever refuse a miracle? Especially if it's something you wish so hard to be true."

A miracle? Sho started shaking. She calls Tsuruga falling in love with her a miracle? Could that be the reason why that guy didn't even appear fazed when he accidentally walked into the movie set at the Tokyo Imperial Herald Hotel a couple of weeks ago? She never showed any inclination that she liked him apart from that disgusting senpai-kouhai relationship they have where he would always be the first person she would think about. That's was supposed to be his place!

Sho's temper flared and he suddenly had the impulse to rip that necklace from her neck and throw it out the window. They are at the twenty-something-th floor of a very tall building.

His hands lifted and he moved towards her.

Kyoko gritted her teeth and blocked his hands by gripping and intertwining her fingers against him and pushing him back with all the force she could muster. "Back off, Shotaro. Otherwise, I'll shout out 'Pervert!'"

"Oh, like anyone would believe you!" Sho answered back. "Like there's anything to grab."

Fire lit up in her eyes and she pushed back harder.

"Awesome…" one of the on-lookers staff commented as he and two more show staff members peeked through the waiting room area.

"It really is true that Fuwa-san and Kyoko-san are old friends," another commented.

"They're like children fighting over a swing in a playground."

Suddenly, Sho felt an arm grabbing him away and Kyoko was being pulled back by Sawara-san.

"Calm down," Shoko-san, who probably rushed in after she'd gone out to get a drink for him, hissed at him and Kyoko. "You two may not realize it, but you have an audience."

"She's right," Sawara-san muttered in a low tone as he let Kyoko go. "Have a little self-awareness, please."

Kyoko was breathing hard as she straightened up. Without another word, she put her index finger under her eye, pulled down and stuck out her tongue.

Wh-what a childish reaction! Not to be outdone, Sho did the exact same thing.

"I'll just have the car paged," Yukihito said as he and Ren stood early Wednesday morning in Haneda Airport after they disembarked the plane. "Just wait here."

"I'm thinking about getting something to drink while you're at it," Ren nodded towards the concessionary stand behind them. "Want anything?"

"Mmm… some tea, please," Yukihito answered before turning around to head for the customer service desk.

The shoot for Ren's drama in Yokohama went well. In fact, he seemed to be in very good spirits. Even though the shoot ended late last night, Ren looked very energized and eager to return to Tokyo this morning.

And why not? Yukihito grinned widely.

Today was the first day back at the Kismet shoot – meaning… Ren was going to see Kyoko–chan again. It's been a week – the longest time he'd been away from her since the movie shoot started. He's only acting cool, but he can't hide anything from his great manager!

He left the desk when the page was announced. The schedule between their arrival time and the call time for Kismet was tight. Instead of taking a cab, he had a car arranged to take them to the shoot. His eyes quickly looked around when Ren wasn't at the place where he left him. Thinking he was still in the concession stand, he entered the little kiosk and sure enough, found him standing by the counter.

Strange, Yukihito adjusted his glasses. He wasn't moving. He was simply standing there.

"Ren…" he gently called out. When he didn't answer, Yukihito stepped forward.

"…No way!" the host of a popular morning talk show cried out from the tiny TV on the counter. "Fuwa-san, you and Kyoko-san have actually known each other for a long time!"

As Fuwa Sho answered, Yukihito started reeling from the shock of what he was seeing and hearing. Kyoko-chan and Fuwa Sho were seated side by side on stools acting like really close friends. His eyes landed on the screen again and saw her playfully nudging his arm. Though it looked a little too hard since Fuwa Sho ended up rubbing his shoulder.

He immediately racked his brain but couldn't remember anything like that on her schedule. She never even mentioned it!

From the corner of his eye, he saw Ren finally move.

This was bad. How long has he been standing there? That was definitely longer than the 15 seconds it takes for him to get over his usual anger!

"Yashiro-san," Ren turned to him normally. "The car should have arrived by now. We might be late for the Kismet shoot."

That was a lie, Yukihito swallowed. That calm, collected look on his face was definitely an act. How can he just act so calmly like that?

No… Yukihito went into denial. There has to be some kind of logical explanation for this. That's right! He convinced himself. He's sure that Kyoko-chan would have a plausible reason because of it. It's because she and Fuwa Sho were just placed in the same show together, right? It's not like she can let out the impression that she wants him dead for the public to see. He's sure that when Ren sees Kyoko-chan's cute face and explain what's going on, everything will be alright…

He thought wrong.

When he and Ren arrived on the set of Kismet straight from the airport, Yukihito immediately noticed the absence of the movie's female lead. An unusual thing since she was scheduled to be in before them. By this time, she's usually up and about, ready to shoot in the filming area or hanging out with Vincent-san and/or Oohara-san.

"Eh?" Yukihito exclaimed in disbelief. "Kyoko-chan's not coming in today?"

"Yeah," Director Shingai nodded. "You agency called us up a couple of days ago to say Kyoko-chan will be taking two days off and that she'll be back Friday."

Worriedly, the assistant director, who stood by Director Shingai, turned to Ren. "Tsuruga-kun… could it be that… you didn't get our message? About the changes in the scenes we'll be shooting day…"

Kyoko-chan? Time off? Yukihito wondered in confusion.

"No," Ren answered with frightening normalcy. "I got the message through Yashiro-san. I'm prepared."

At the time, Yukihito didn't think anything of those changes. Things like location, essential props or actor unavailability were rare but not unusual issues that prompted changes in shooting schedules. However, he never expected Kyoko-chan to be the reason! Why?

"That's good," the assistant director sighed with relief. "It'd be a problem if you didn't."

"Well, there was no reason for us to miss the message," Ren answered. "You left a voicemail message for me then also gave the message to my agency and manager…"

This was not looking good. Yukihito appraised the situation. Ren was acting far too normally, and it made the situation nearly too scary for words.

"…By the way," Ren prompted the change in topic. "Can I just ask, since I'm part of the main cast and all, did anything happen to Mogami-san that would prompt such a sudden change in the shooting schedule?"

She's in the hospital! Yukihito unreasonably pleaded. She's sick and the doctor prescribed a week-long bed rest for her. Being the foolish workaholic Kyoko-chan is, the doctor checked her in. He and Ren could come visit her later tonight.

"Not sure," Director Shingai shrugged. "I was just told that it's for personal time-off. Her superior in LME flat out made it clear that no more questions beyond that would be answered." Then he changed the topic. "Anyway, get ready. We start shooting in an hour." Then with a careless wave, he turned around and started walking away.

Kyoko-chan on personal time-off… Yukihito despairingly thought. Plus an appearance with Fuwa Sho where the two of them are acting very close to one another…

Equals… He turned worriedly to Ren.

…that, he thought with a heavy heart and plummeting spirits. That indescribable, horrific look Ren would get when he's absolutely furious. His aura was so murderous, Yukihito didn't dare approach Ren even after the count of fifteen. Yukihito helplessly stood where he was until Ren recovered and moved on his own with a terrifying smile tacked onto a calm face and a sparkling aura, announcing that he needs to head to costume.

Kyoko-chan… Yukihito thought a little too desperately. Where are you and what are you doing?

Chapter Notes:

- I recently developed a life - nothing worth noting, just busier than the usual that the fic turned from low priority to non-priority at the time. That would explain why I'm late in updating. However, I'm this close to finishing it so I should work on it before September starts. Otherwise, leaving this incomplete will just bother me.

- I wrote in that Kyoko was not that quite ready to forgive Sho. Since she has always used Sho as her motivation for doing well, that doesn't mean she has stopped thinking about him. Up until the Natsu Arc, she was still thinking that the person who can succeed is still the one who can sell more. And personally, I don't think forgiveness is something that could be easily given in Kyoko's situation – it would have come out too abrupt. Of course, there's also that "If sorry can solve the problems on earth, there wouldn't be a need for a hell" belief of Kyoko's. Not that it matters since the manga's chapter 145 has already thrown this story off the loop. Oh well... it was bound to happen on the current arc... *Sigh*

- Reviews are appreciated but not expected. Next chapter'll be up soon enough.