AN: I was unable to update this yesterday because I had to go to the hospital. I know there are a number of you who have been following me for some time but in 2017 I had a moderate brain injury and was put on worker's comp for a few weeks and had to have limited working conditions for a little under two months. Well, I almost had a mini stroke this past weekend without realizing it and so I was unable to update.

That being said, I'm feeling a little better today and I want to wish everyone Happy Holidays. I'm Pagan and celebrate 'consumerism Christmas' as well as observing the solstice. So, whatever religion you are, please enjoy it 😊

Act 24 – The Test is Concluded

Kyoko sighed as she looked up from where she was lying down on the bed. She closed her eyes. She had lost and Ruriko had won the role that was originally hers. If she had only held on for just a little longer then she would have had the role in her hand. She thought about how alone she was whilst she lay in the room. Usually people would have loved ones, friends, family, here with them when they got injured but she was alone again.

She heard a knock on the door and then looked over as the door opened.

"Hi," Ren said as he snuck in to see her. "I hope that I'm not interrupting anything, I just wanted to see if you were feeling okay," he asked her and Kyoko thought that she was staring at a ghost. He had come away from everything to speak to her? She felt honored by what he had done but she was anxious to what other people would think of his actions.

"What are you interrupting?" Kyoko asked as she looked from side to side and saw his relieved expression. "You shouldn't be here?" she asked and Ren smiled as he approached her.

"I got special permission from the director to do so, they have some shots with just Ruriko-chan to do so I wanted to see if you were okay and if you've stopped being stupid," he said with a soft chuckle and Kyoko smiled too. She looked down. She hadn't wanted to think of her as stupid but she had wanted for him to see the acting that she could bring to life.

"Was it all stupid?" she asked and Ren looked at her in shock before shaking his head.

"No, of course it wasn't. Did you enjoy it? The acting part of it?" he asked and Kyoko looked at him with a nod.

"You really know how to make others follow your lead," she told him before thinking about what she had gone through that day. "Seeing the passion that you put into your work, that honesty with your emotions. I want to be able to do that, to give that through a character." She looked up at Ren and saw him smile. "You can tell the others that I'm okay and that I understand that I didn't take the part from Ruriko but please try to keep that smile on your face that acting brings you, Corn." She told him.

"Kyoko, about the way you call me Co-" he began but at this point Kyoko's doctor came in to provide clearance papers for her and Ren bowed his head. No. Now was probably not the right time to tell her that the fairy kingdom didn't exist.

…..

…..

Kyoko had pushed for Ren to go back to the hotel without her so that they didn't draw suspicion at their being friends and although Ren didn't like to do it, he had done as Kyoko had wished. So, as Kyoko returned back to the inn that they were using for location shoots, she felt that she wasn't drawing too much attention. It felt good that she could go back to being invisible.

As she went to take a seat, Kyoko saw Ruriko's manager come rushing up to her. She looked like she was about to beg for forgiveness and Kyoko couldn't see any need for her to do that. The woman looked at her nervously, "I'm really very sorry. I had no idea that because of Ruriko-chan, you fractured your bone" she said wanting for Kyoko to forgive her.

Kyoko stared at her for a moment, she didn't see any reason as to why she wouldn't forgive this woman. It wasn't her fault that the car broke down and she had just been doing her job, she and Kyoko were in very similar situations. With a smile, Kyoko raised her hand as if to wave away what had happened. "No," she whispered, "Don't say it like that. Please don't put this to heart, I didn't fracture my bone," she said with a warm smile before she felt the anger inside her start to build a little. "It's just that the crack on my bone became unbelievably large."

Kyoko could hear herself grumbling to this woman but she had all the right to. She had spent two hours going to the hospital and getting a cast put on her foot. It would have been better for it to hurt worse but for her to land the part. She growled again as the anger swirled around them.

…..

…..

Ren had always known that Kyoko had had no chance in securing the role. She wasn't one of the talents for LME just yet and the president wouldn't have allowed for one of his plans not to work just so he would be forced to think of a new plan. Ren was mainly annoyed at Seiji for giving Kyoko false hope which was never going to be fulfilled.

"It's no wonder that she's angry," Yashiro began even though Ren knew what he was to say, "When she fainted and was sent to the hospital for treatment, the acting role was actually taken by Ruriko-chan" he said and Ren nodded. Yashiro had gone with Ren as he went to check on Kyoko though he hadn't told the director that Ren actually went in alone. Yashiro had seen the feelings Ren had for Kyoko and it would be easier for them to go together.

Ren sighed as his shoulders slumped slightly, "That can't be helped either. I think the director never had the intention to let her act as the female lead." Ren was a little surprised by the fact that Yashiro hadn't figured this out and how they couldn't have stopped a woman with a serious injury from helping get one stubborn woman to start doing her job. Ren looked over at Seiji with the determination on his face, "Isn't it, Director?"

Seiji sighed as he looked back at the two other men feeling rather guilty about what he was saying. He didn't intend to let Kyoko get so hurt but it had worked out in his favor. In this industry you had to hold onto luck if it presented itself to you.

"You're under the entrustment of Takarada-san, right? To help take care of Ruriko-chan?" Ren said as Seiji laughed again.

"If I change roles without permission, I'll simply be asking for my death. If Takarada-san wants to ruin me. It'll be an easy matter," he said honestly knowing that compared to Lory Takarada, he was a preschool boy playing in a sandbox with dolls. He bowed his head with a sigh, "I initially thought that letting that girl compete with her will let Ruriko develop an awareness of danger and Ruriko will change more or less," he said making it sound like he had turned Kyoko into a test subject or guinea pig.

"But I didn't think that there would be unexpected results," Seiji said and Ren looked at him. He knew what he was saying. Kyoko had the talent to act and Ren wanted to see her in more roles, he wanted her to live a life that she enjoyed and that was filled with beautiful things. That was the type of life that Kyoko deserved.

…

…

Kyoko's eyes widened as she looked at the stamp on her Love Me Book. She couldn't believe it and her heart seemed to beat heavily in her chest as her jaw dropped. Had Ruriko really given her the stamp that she thought she had. Kyoko let her finger slide over it. '100 Points Perfect. Did an Excellent Job!'

Did Ren ask for her to do this? No. Ruriko wasn't the type of person who would do something just because she was asked, never mind the attractiveness of the man. She looked at Ruriko as she looked annoyed at the stamp that she just used. Was that a mistake, an error in judgement maybe?

Kyoko looked at the idol nervously, "Ruriko-chan?" she asked as she blinked in confusion, "Why? Didn't you say that you definitely won't give me a high score," she said and Ruriko sighed. Kyoko could still tell that she was annoyed. Maybe this was only a false stamp and Ruriko would quickly deduct the entire stamp giving her a zero.

Ruriko sat silently for a moment before her eyes rolled, "Hmph. This is because I see that you're so useless yet you put in your best effort so I'll give you the points. Out of sympathy."

Kyoko looked as if she had been told a secret about the universe that would continue to give her nightmares. So, this was true, Ruriko was using that stamp for her. She paused as she looked away.

"What kind of an expression is that!" Ruriko said as Kyoko sat silently, staring off into the distance.

"No, nothing" she quickly replied. She had done this with a wish to get revenge and to show up Ruriko, it hadn't been anything to do with the feelings of wanting to be loved. She had wanted to snatch the acting role away from Ruriko and now Ruriko was giving her a stamp that would praise her whilst also saying she was useless. This was out of character for the person Kyoko expected. Ruriko leaned in, looking even angrier about thia.

"If you have something to say then say it!" she growled, "Looking at your expression makes me angry!"

Kyoko put a hand over her mouth to keep herself from laughing at her opponent. "What? Those things…I'll feel bad saying them in front of you," she said and Ruriko took another heavy inhale before growling and let it out. She couldn't keep eye contact with Kyoko.

"Listen up carefully!" she snapped as Kyoko turned her full attention to Ruriko. "I took advantage while you're gone, flattered the director, and snatched the chance to act. You must think I'm despicable, right?"

Kyoko paused. She had expected something like this of Ruriko. The chance to star opposite Ren was like a dream come true but it wasn't something meant for her. Only by truly superior acting and Ruriko not apologizing was she going to get her Cinderella moment. It must take a lot of money to switch actors so suddenly and Kyoko had fainted. Still, the idea of Ruriko calling herself a despicable person wasn't what Kyoko wanted her to think. There had been many worse people in Kyoko's life and so she stared at Ruriko, compassion entering her heart.

"Why?" Kyoko asked with a soft smile and Ruriko blinked at her confused "I felt that it's taken for granted that I lost, after all, I lost consciousness in the middle of acting. No matter the reasons, a person who loses consciousness during a battle has no qualifications for survivorship. Just like honeybombs. This is the world of the animal kingdom! The weak hebivores will only have the fate of being eaten by lions."

Kyoko thought back on the interactions she had had with Corn. Somehow, just being opposite him was enough to catch the want to learn more about his acting style. He was so masterful and he had sacrificed so much. She didn't want to be one of those stupid girls who only cared about the romance scenes. She wanted to see the whole spectrum of his acting and be able to match up with him. She wanted his respect.

Ruriko looked at her and sighed, "This reasoning, I really agree with," she said and Kyoko smiled softly.

She didn't want to be led by a man anymore, she wanted an independent life with hope for herself and for her future projects. Although she would prefer for Corn to be the one to lead her over any other man, she still didn't know how to express herself. She wanted freedom and independence. Ruriko continued, "I see you as a little annoying now."

Kyoko smiled. With all of her history of being hated, it was nice that someone could actually see the true her. She didn't hate Ruriko-chan as much as she thought she would but maybe that was because she was acceptant of some sad things being present in her life.

Ruriko looked at her in horror before standing up and walked over to the door, "Shut up! I'm leaving first!" she announced.

Kyoko turned to look out at Ren with Yashiro and the director as they spoke. She saw his eyes and smiled but then looked down. Ren sighed. He had to try to seek an opportunity to tell her the truth and ask for forgiveness. He had really hurt her and he couldn't continue to do that. The lie had to come to an end as soon as possible.

End of Act 24

Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated

Next chapter I plan on having Ren walking Kyoko back to the room and defending her from the press (because personally I really love when he does that) but Act 26 will have some new stuff. I'm moving the Angel stuff to later on so it's Moko and then finally the reveal to Bo and the aftermath.

Thank you to the reviewers of Act 23

Guest, Kaname671, Kris XD, misherukuro, MWEH, paulagato