Kyoko showed up at the studio earlier than she was scheduled to, but she was bouncing all the way to the set. She hadn't seen Kuon in two days, though he had called her multiple times.

When she had gotten back to the Darumaya from the plane, she had gone up to her room, laid down on her futon, and cried. She had held her emotions in check around Kuon, to stop him from feeling guilty, but when she was alone, it became too much. About twenty minutes later, her phone had started ringing.

"H-hello?" She tried to compose herself.

"Do you miss me yet?"

She wiped her eyes on her hoodie sleeve. "Yes."

There was silence, and then, "Kyoko-chan, please don't cry."

She sniffled. "I'm trying not to. Are you going to be on set tomorrow?"

"No. I'm not scheduled until the day after. Will you be there then?"

She perked up a little. "Yes, I will."

"Then I'm just going to have to call you every free moment I have until then. So, don't cry anymore. You're too beautiful to cry like that."

She giggled. "I'll try to remember that. I have to go so I can unpack."

"That's my girl. I'll call you later, okay?"

When they had hung up, Kuon had wiped his own eyes. He looked around Ren Tsuruga's depressing, sterile apartment and sighed. Back to being lonely, he thought.

In the present, Kyoko stared at the set before her. The inside of Naraku's castle was appropriately spooky and dark with cobwebs and snuffed out candles. The crew were busy lighting it just right and arranging the background pieces.

"It's really cool, right?" Kyoko jumped. Taira Murasame, who wasn't expecting such a visceral reaction, backed up. "I'm very sorry, Kyoko-chan! I didn't mean to startle you!"

She took a deep breath and pressed her hand to her chest. "Not at all, Murasame-san. I just was so wrapped up watching the crew." She bowed to him. "I'm looking forward to working with you!"

He returned her bow. "I've heard good things about you, so I'm also excited. Let's do our best. Are you going to makeup?" She nodded and he gestured for her to follow him. When they entered the room, Koga Hiromune was already there getting his claws applied. When he saw her, his cheeks turned bright red.

"Hi, Kyoko-chan."

She smiled coolly. "Koga-san. Did you enjoy yourself in Kyoto?"

He cleared his throat. "Kyoto is very beautiful."

She fixed him with a steely gaze. "Kyoto is my favorite place in the world. I would hate it if anything happened to it."

Murasame raised an eyebrow and looked from Koga to Kyoko. "I have a feeling we aren't actually talking about Kyoto…"

Kyoko smiled sweetly, her grudges floating around her. "Koga knows what we're talking about, and that's all that matters." They sat for their makeup in awkward silence. Though Kyoko was there after Koga, she was the first one done. She got up and went to get her costume on. After getting changed, she went back to the makeup room and peeked inside. When she didn't see Kuon, she deflated.

"Are you looking for someone, Mogami-san?"

She gasped and turned around, bright pink. "Maybe."

The Jacob's ladder was in full effect. "It feels like it's been forever."

Her heart throbbed in her chest. She wanted nothing more than to jump into his arms and kiss him, but kissing Ren Tsuruga was forbidden. She opted to quickly squeeze his hand and whisper. "I missed you." She stepped away from him and bowed. "I'll see you on the set. Let's do our best today." He returned her bow with a wink and disappeared into the makeup room.

She found Kanae sitting in a chair near the set. She sat down in the chair beside her. "Moko-san! How's it going?"

Kanae was rubbing her temples with her fingertips. "Kill me."

"That good, huh?"

Kanae turned to her, a vein throbbing in her forehead. "He's acting like nothing happened! How can he just act like nothing happened!?"

Kyoko frowned. "I meant to ask… was that a spur of the moment decision, or was there some kind of build up to it that I missed?"

"MO!" Kanae buried her face in her hands. "I don't know! We were flirting and stuff I guess… then we got drunk, and I just grabbed him in the hallway and the next thing I knew…" she grunted in frustration.

"So… what do you want to happen?"

Kanae side-eyed her. "I don't even know, Kyoko. I just feel disgusting and used. Like a cheap whore. Oh god. No, Kyoko. Don–" Too late. Kyoko was hugging her friend so tight she could barely breathe.

"Moko-san, you're amazing, and you're my best friend, and you're not a whore!"

Kanae devoutly wished that the Gods would see fit to end her suffering. "A little louder so everyone can hear, Kyoko."

Kyoko jumped away from her. "I'm sorry, Moko-san! But I don't want to hear you talk about yourself like that! You're amazing, and if Koga can't see that, then he's just stupid!"

"Yeah… he's pretty stupid all right." They both looked up to find Koga running a hand awkwardly through his wig. "Kanae… can I talk to you for a minute?"

She blinked for a moment and then got up to follow him somewhere more private. Kyoko would have given anything to be a fly on the wall for that conversation. She got up from her chair and stretched.

"Wow! Your Kagura costume is incredible, Kyoko-chan!"

Kyoko turned to find Murasame smiling at her… which was a very disconcerting thing for Naraku to do. Her jaw dropped. "Your costume is amazing too, Murasame-san!" He was wearing Naraku's baboon pelt draped over his shoulders, along with the long dark wig and purple eye makeup. He pulled something purple and red out of his pocket and tossed it to Kyoko.

"Catch!"

She caught it and looked at it in her hands. Her eyes went wide. "I… is this?"

He smirked. "Kagura's heart."

Kyoko laughed nervously. "I'm not sure how I should feel about this."

He got a little closer to her. "That's not the only heart you've caught today, Kyoko-chan. Would you maybe want to get lunch with me later?"

Kyoko's eyes snapped up to his face. "I–"

"Mogami-san." She looked behind Murasame, relieved to see Kuon approaching them. Her relief was short-lived however, when she saw the look on his face. He was radiating jealousy. Though the professional smile was in place, his aura was positively black. She dropped the heart on the floor. He smiled at Murasame. "Please excuse me, Murasame-san. I need my kohai for a moment." Murasame backed up, looking unsure.

"Of course, Tsuruga-san."

Kyoko followed Kuon down a hall and into his dressing room. When they got inside, he shut the door behind them. His smile had faded into a glare.

"Kijima knows to keep his distance. Koga is like your brother. But I forgot about Murasame." He cupped her face and ran his thumb over her cheek. "Sometimes I want to blind every man in a five mile radius so they can't see how perfect you are."

She shivered at his touch. "Maybe he was just being friendly."

He shook his head. "No, he definitely crossed into "flirty" territory, and that I can't have." He walked her backward until her back was against the opposite wall and kissed her. She broke the kiss and hugged him.

"Kuon, I'm yours. You don't have to worry about that."

He made a growling noise in his throat and rested his chin on top of her head. "I'm sorry, Kyoko-chan. I just… I haven't seen you in days, and then when I have a chance to be near you, I find some other guy shooting his shot." He finished that sentence through clenched teeth.

She pulled the collar of his kimono down a bit. Kuon looked down as if to question her, but then sucked in a breath. He felt all the blood in his body rush downward as she sucked his skin into her mouth and swirled her tongue over his collarbone in a tiny circle. He braced himself against the wall with a hand as his sanity ebbed away with each pass of her tongue. When she finished, she nipped at the spot and looked him in the eyes.

"You are mine, and I am yours. Stop worrying, Kuon."

The Emperor breathed into her ear. "The wardrobe and makeup team is going to wonder about that, you know."

She giggled and ducked under his arm to examine her own makeup in the mirror on the back of the door. Thankfully, none of it had been smudged. "Let them wonder about it." She examined her costume and covered her mouth to suppress her laughter.

"What's so funny?" Kuon came to stand beside her. She gestured at the mirror.

"Kagura just gave Lord Sesshomaru a hickey. There has to be some fanfiction of that somewhere."

He chuckled as he adjusted his costume to hide the hickey. "I wonder if there's one where Lord Sesshomaru knocks Naraku out and makes out with Kagura next to his unconscious body." Kyoko shoved him away, laughing.

"You're horrible. Come on, the Director is probably wondering where we are."

They went back to the set, and the Director was indeed there. He waved them over.

"Kyoko-chan! Ren-san! Are you two ready for your scenes today?"

Kyoko smiled widely at him and nodded.

"Tsuruga-san and I were just looking over the script again before we get started." Kuon did his best to hide his smirk as she lied. The Director nodded excitedly.

"Excellent! We'll be shooting you and Murasame's first scene in a few minutes." He rushed off to talk to the lighting team and left them. Kyoko spotted Kanae sitting on the other side of the set.

"I'll be right back. I need to go check on Moko-san." Before she could move, however, Koga Hiromune appeared next to Kanae and sat down in the chair beside her. He took Kanae's hand, and though she looked miffed, she let him. Kyoko almost exploded. She grabbed Kuon by the sleeve. "Ohmygoshlookthey'resocuteIcan't!"

Kuon smiled sadly, wishing that maybe one day he could hold Kyoko's hand in public. The Director called for them to take their places, and Kyoko took her place on the floor beneath the dais of the castle. She sat down, propping herself up on one hand and using her fan with the other. She tried to look as bored as possible. When the Director called for action, she waited a few beats and then started.

She rolled her eyes. "I know you're there. You may as well come out," she threw sassily over her shoulder. Naraku stepped out of the shadows behind her and came to stand in front of her.

"I thought I told you to take the shards from the priestess." His voice was quiet, contemplative.

She snapped her fan shut, irritated. "I would have taken the shards from the stupid priestess if the stupid mutt and his friends hadn't shown up."

He reached into his kimono and withdrew her heart from it. "I don't think you understand, Kagura. Let me help you." He squeezed.

She grasped at her chest and screamed, her face contorting into a mask of pain. She fell sideways and curled into the fetal position. He relinquished his hold on her heart, and her eyes found his, two red orbs of rage and hatred. "Bastard!" she spat.

"Now," he said, smirking, "What are you going to do?" His voice was cold and steady, like a pond in winter.

"Get the shards." she hissed through clenched teeth, her eyes piercing him, making only too obvious her plans of vengeance and betrayal.

"Good. You should hurry. You haven't got all day." She noted the threat. He disappeared into the shadows once more, leaving Kagura to collect herself.

"CUT!"

The Director was giddy. "Great job, guys! Perfection!"

Before Kyoko could leave the set, though, Murasame caught her by the wrist. When she turned to look at him, his eyes were boring into hers. "You." His voice was full of venom.

Kyoko pointed at herself with a nervous smile. "Me?"

Kuon was at her side almost instantaneously, having seen Murasame grab Kyoko. "Is there some kind of problem here?"

Murasame looked from Kuon to Kyoko, shaking his head. "I thought I recognized you earlier, but I couldn't be sure until you glared at me. I can't believe I didn't see it before. I feel really fucking stupid." He glared at Kuon. "You asshole. You tried to kill me!"

Kuon took a breath. "Murasame-san, this isn't the time or the place-"

"No, I think it's just the right time to discuss this, Heel-san." He got in his face. "You're hiding that fucking guy under R'Mandy and a smile? You're a fucking monster." Suddenly, he was pushed back. Kyoko had pushed her way between them and shoved him backward. She glared at him.

"You of all people should understand a role, Murasame-san. Or are you just not that good of an actor?" She shoved him back even further. "Keep your hands to yourself."

Murasame scoffed and stormed off the set. Kyoko turned to Kuon, who was staring blankly ahead. Oh no, she thought. She looked around. Some of the crew had noticed that something was wrong and were staring. Yashiro was making his way hurriedly over to them, though. When he reached them, he saw Kuon's face and immediately began to worry. "Ren? Are you all right? Can you hear me?"

Kuon blinked a few times and then looked at Yashiro. He couldn't find the words to tell him that he was okay, because it wasn't true. Yashiro understood immediately.

"Kyoko-chan, can you stay with him? I'll tell the Director he needs some time."

She nodded and started steering him off towards his dressing room. When they got there, she sat him down gently in a chair and got him a bottle of water from the cooler. She pressed it into his hands. "Are you okay, Kuon?"

He looked up at her then, with tears in his eyes, and a fair amount of guilt and fear.

"I'm a monster." His voice was so quiet.

Kyoko shook her head. "Kuon, no. You're a good pers-"

"Kyoko… I hurt Sho."

Kyoko froze. "What are you talking about?"

Kuon shut his eyes. "The night before he left, he came to me outside after you went to bed. He was drunk… and he started talking about how he hoped you were a good lay." He took a breath. "I saw red. I slammed him down on the ground… and I-I choked him." His face was full of revulsion at his own actions. "Kyoko, I'm so sorry. You asked me to leave it to you, and I didn't." He covered his face with both hands.

Kyoko felt like she couldn't breathe. She gripped the back of the chair beside her for support and took a deep breath. "Kuon. Look at me."

He uncovered his face and looked up at her. Her face was unreadable.

"We have to get you cleaned up so you can shoot your scenes with Murasame." She picked up the makeup from his vanity table and touched up the cheek marks and foundation on his face.

There was a knock at the door, and Kyoko unlocked it to admit Yashiro. He looked Kuon over. "Are you all right?"

Kuon nodded, though he was unsure. "Is Murasame-san ready?"

Yashiro pushed his glasses up his nose. "About that. He left."

Kuon pinched the bridge of his nose. "Shit."

Yashiro shook his head. "I don't know what happened between the two of you, Ren, but you need to find some way to fix this." Yashiro gloved up and pulled out his cell phone to look at their schedules. "In light of Murasame-san's… illness… Director Nakamura has canceled filming for the rest of the day." Yashiro smiled. "On the plus side, this gives you and Kyoko-chan some time together!" He looked up expecting two excited smiles, and was taken aback when he saw one worried frown and another dejected one.

"Actually," started Kyoko, "I'm not feeling so good after all of this, Yashiro-san. I'd like to go home and rest."

Yashiro deflated and put his phone back in his pocket. What happened here? "Of course, Kyoko-chan. I'll take you home."

After they got back into their street clothes, they went to the parking garage, and Kuon and Kyoko got into the back seat of the car. Kyoko kept her eyes trained out the window as they drove to the Darumaya. Kuon kept stealing glances at her, his heart aching in his chest. You really fucked up bad, Hizuri.

When they reached the Darumaya, Kyoko thanked Yashiro and got out of the car. She went inside without even a glance in Kuon's direction. When the door of the restaurant closed behind her, Yashiro turned in his seat, his glasses flashing.

"Ren, what did you do?"

Kuon sighed. "Something I definitely shouldn't have."

Yashiro shook his head, disappointed. "She found out about Fuwa, didn't she?"

Kuon blinked. "How do you know about Fuwa?"

Yashiro backed the car out of the drive. "I keep up with entertainment news. Judging by his sudden affinity for scarves and the announcement of his several canceled tour dates after his very sudden disappearance from the ryokan, I'd say you strangled him. Or do I miss my guess?"

Kuon put his forehead on the back of the headrest of the passenger seat. "And if I say I did?"

Yashiro shook his head. "Ren," he said, "As a man, I understand. Believe me. I imagine what he said or did to set you off was no small thing." He fixed his charge with a penetrating stare in the rearview. "However, as your manager, it is my job to remind you of your squeaky clean reputation, and that it is not becoming of Ren Tsuruga to go around assaulting popstars. AND, as Kyoko's manager, I must remind you that if it is discovered that you and Kyoko are dating, it will have negative repercussions for Kyoko." He paused and then added in a timid voice, "You are still dating, aren't you?"

Kuon's voice was muffled by the headrest. "I'm not sure."

A few minutes later, they pulled into the parking garage of Kuon's apartment building. Yashiro turned around in his seat. "Ren, you need to fix this mess with Murasame, and with Kyoko."

Kuon nodded. "I will, Yukihito. I promise." He got out of the car to walk into the building, wondering why he would make a promise he probably couldn't keep. She's never going to talk to me again after this.

"Ren!" He turned back towards Yashiro's car and found his manager glaring at him out of the open window.

"Yes?"

"Stop blowing holes in my ship!"

Kuon rolled his eyes and walked into the building.

I hope everybody's still enjoying the story! I'm a glutton for those reviews, and I didn't get too many this last week. If you're still here, and you're still enjoying this, drop me a line! :D I'm hard at work trying to put the finishing touches on the whole thing (I'm several weeks ahead of this chapter...) and hearing that people are enjoying the story gives me the strength to continue! (I am also just an absolutely shameless hussy when it comes to reviews. Shameless.) ALL OF MY LOVE - BO