AN: I kind of didn't want to write yesterday because I don't like when people point out my faults and that's all they review with. I mean, I sometimes make errors, I'm busy. I also find it stupid how some people can think of themselves as better than others when reading a fanfic and yet can't actually write one for themselves. Sorry, I just needed to vent.

Act 17 – Real Face of Ruriko

Kyoko froze. This hateful feeling must be in her imagination, after all, Ruriko was a princess and she had done her best to help Ruriko. Feelings of dislike wouldn't have any legitimate cause. Yes, she was imagining it because of the ghosts nearby.

"How can it be?" she laughed, kicking herself mentally for her distrust of the other girl. "Impossible, definitely impossible that it's Ruriko-chan. Firstly, I have not done anything for Ruriko-chan to dislike me," she continued to laugh. She wanted to brush it off as if it had been nothing.

However Ruriko gave her a look of disgust, "I, from the time Love-Me was established, I really hated this section."

The look on Ruriko's face made Kyoko take a step backwards in shock. What was going on? Had she just missed something big?

"Just the reason for the setup of Loive-Me makes me unable to forgive the existence of this section from the bottom of my heart. What as long as you're loved by others, you debut! Stop kidding! Only those with talent are capable of surviving in the showbiz! Only knowing how to clean and yet thinking of standing in the spotlight. Stop dreaming! If you have time to flatter and sweet-talk your way through jobs, it is better that you practice and work on your skills."

Kyoko stared at Ruriko in complete shock. The girl was showing the same feelings that Corn had however Corn had never yelled at her like this. Ruriko was really upset about her using LME for her own benefit but she would have no idea what that was about. Besides, wasn't Ruriko supposed to be a princess, she was acting like a spoiled brat. Okay, so she was a singing idol and loved by thousands of people but that didn't excuse her rude behavior. Kyoko blinked again, trying to stop her head spinning with the fact that she had been so wrong about a person.

Plus, who did Ruriko think that she was. She wasn't a manipulative person who would do anything for a job. She hadn't done that for Shotaro and she hated that she had been seen in this type of light. "I…" she said weakly, "don't flatter or sweet-talk."

"Liar," Ruriko said with a cold look on her face. "If not for the points, you would not have agreed to piggyback me uphill and endured those hardships. However, I will definitely not give you good points," Ruriko said as Kyoko stared straight ahead.

Was it logical to say that she wanted to protect Ruriko because she had seemed like a princess or at least like one of those rich girls who hadn't had a chance in life. She had wanted to help her, be aid to the princess but it seemed that she had been fooled herself. Now she was really nervous of how Corn would view her.

Ruriko continued, "I will definitely not give you good points," she continued, "because at the beginning I made up my mind to destroy you." With Ruriko saying that, Kyoko felt cold shivers down her spine. "That's right, you will just continue to stay as my helper! By that time, I will make you completely give up on entering showbiz."

Kyoko froze and bowed her head, feeling the anger rush through her body. She shook her head, she had to keep doing this job even if she wanted to throw some punches. If she hurt Ruriko, she would never be allowed to enter showbiz and more than that, Corn might start to see her in a different light and he might start to hate her. She didn't want to lose his trust.

"Ruriko-chan," Kyoko forced herself to smile. She had her own thoughts about how this should go but she couldn't do anything that would cause a scene here because not only she and Ruriko would be troubled but Ren and the director as well. She closed her eyes, "What are you doing here?" she asked and Ruriko growled at her, giving Kyoko an angry but ugly expression.

"I'm complaining about the parts of you that are dislikeable? Did you hit your head?" she asked in disbelief and Kyoko continued to smile.

"Movie shoot?" she asked and Ruriko looked away angrily.

"How would I know?" she asked before shrugging carelessly, "It should not have started because there are a lot of scenes that need me. Right now they are most likely searching for me," she said proudly. Kyoko hated this type of brattish behavior, this was how Shotaro would act and she was upset that it had taken her such a long time to see through those stupid rose colored glasses. No. This was how normal people acted.

Kyoko looked towards Yashiro and they shared a nod before picking Ruriko up and moving her to where they were filming. Their arrival due the attention of many people on the staff but of course it would, these people had been waiting a very long time for the idol.

Yashiro looked at Seiji as the director seemed to barely register what was going on, not out of shock but out of boredom. He had wanted for her to change her attitude but it seemed that she still would need a lot of work to be pushed to do that. "Sorry to keep you waiting," Yashiro said, "Ruriko-chan is back."

Seiji shrugged as he sat with Ren, neither of them bothering to look up at her. He sighed, "Is that so?" he asked as if he didn't care less whether she was back or not. "You are back?" he said as Ruriko realized that she hadn't been locked for, in fact neither the director nor Ren seemed to give a damn about her. This wasn't the reaction that she had wanted.

Seiji shrugged, "Ah, thank you," he said with a false smile, "Thank you for bringing her back." He turned to Kyoko, "In fact. I was worried that if she did not return, I would not know what to do," he laughed gently and Kyoko looked at him. He was incredibly calm and she wondered if she should be offended by this.

As she spoke with the director, Kyoko looked up and froze as she saw Ren looking at her longingly. He kept his mouth closed though and tried to look away from her. He knew that she was right in them limiting their contact but he wanted to speak with her and act naturally. Still, he should get used to the ground rules they had set up. As much as he wanted to act in friendship, he knew that that wouldn't be the best move for either of them especially on a set like this.

"You didn't go to the hospital," he said with a raised eyebrow.

"I thought that work was important, I've heard that you consider work important," she said back trying not to make eye contact with him. She knew that he was worried about her but she wanted to see him act. Corn had come from the fairy world in order to act. She wasn't going to just go to the hospital and miss his magic again. She had waited too many years for that. "And don't worry," she said with a gentle smile, "I can still walk as long as I don't use my left leg."

Ren nodded. The next event though was something that neither of them had expected as Ruriko shoved her over. Ren's face turned into one of shock as he tried to catch Kyoko before she fell down. He though only Yashiro knew of Kyoko's importance to him but regardless, he wasn't going to let her get hurt.

As she fell, Kyoko heard Ruriko scream loudly, "So disgusting! You get disliked wherever you go!"

Ren had to control himself enough that he didn't look at her because he knew that his fact would betray him and it would show that he was angry with her and once that fact was established they would realize that the reason as to why he was so angry were his feelings of affection to Kyoko and they had both decided that that wasn't best. Still, Ren gently put a hand on her back as she cringed due to the pain.

"Kyoko?" he asked as his deep concern could be heard through his voice. "Kyoko, are you all right?" he asked her.

Ren had to keep control over his expression as Ruriko continued to shout at her. "In fact, tripping over while going uphill must also be another one of your plots! You must have a liking towards Tsuruga-san!" she yelled and Kyoko felt Ren tense. No! This definitely wasn't good for his career to be said that they were dating and as much as it pained her to do so, Kyoko had to deflect these accusations.

"Are you talking about yourself?" she asked with a firm look, "You are obviously the one whom after hearing that Tsuruga-san is waiting for you now, suddenly changed her mind and was ecstatic on doing the shoot!" Kyoko told her though inside she wanted to keep Corn safe and away from this woman. Corn wouldn't want to be with her just because of her attraction to him, right? Even though he was a fairy and didn't know the rules of human courtship, he would know enough not to be with Ruriko, right?

"Ruriko-chan," the director said in a very serious manner, "You went too far, quickly apologize," he told her and Ruriko took a step backwards in shock. They were siding with her, with this lowly fly. She blinked before looking at Ren's face which seemed to be issuing a challenge telling her to stay away from his girl. Wait, were they dating? No. Ren Tsuruga wouldn't get into a relationship with this type of girl but that's what his facial expression said.

Ruriko shook, her eyes wide. She hated this situation and Ren realized that there might be too much severity in his facial expression. This wasn't the way that one would act with an acquaintance. He sighed and looked down, pushing a hand through his hair. He just wished that he and Kyoko were able to be on the same level without people judging them.

Ruriko span, everyone was treating her as if she were the villain in this. She quickly stormed off and Kyoko felt the lack of hate as she left. She looked towards Ren who was acting as if he didn't know what to do in this situation. As the director turned his attention to where Ruriko had left, she looked at him and saw the fear in his face. "It's okay," she smiled to him, "Tsuruga-san, I'm all right. It's okay," she said and Ren nodded. Why he looked so pale concerned Kyoko. Surely he had been witness to fights between human females before. Was he upset about the pettiness of people?

Kyoko closed her eyes. Ruriko wasn't a princess, she was a tyrannical queen who only wanted things done her way. Once again, Kyoko had been misled. Fairy tales didn't really happen and the only fairy prince that she knew seemed to be falling into a pit of despair. She saw him stand up and wondered whether he would be okay.

It was almost time for the first scene they were shooting that day. She knew that Ren wasn't in it but she'd get to see his acting later on. She was shaken up inside. She had imagined so many beautiful things that had turned out to be so ugly. Corn wasn't this way though. He was kind and gentle and he was a fairy prince. He wouldn't let her down in the same way that so many people had.

End of Act 17

Thank you for reading, (nice) reviews are appreciated

Thank you to the reviewers of Act 16

Kaname671, Kris XD, misherukuro, PaulaGaTo

Author Response

I'm really glad that people are okay with it following the manga but with a major plot difference because that's really the point of this fic. I agree, Kyoko's mind is really amusing. Thanks for all the support