AN:

First of all, I really want to apologize to anyone who feels hurt by my decision, I don't intend to hurt you but after the latest chapter, I am starting to greatly dislike recent Kyoko. I can't write when I dislike one of the characters that much. In fact this is the only Skip Beat chapter I don't feel like I'm attacking Ren's character by writing. I plan on returning when I have myself calmed down a little and don't feel hurt. Thank you for giving me my time.

AN2: I'm going to start putting five Skip Beat fics in at a time (in order of last update) after cycling through my current fics for other fandoms. Again, thank you for giving me my needed time.

Act 43 – Splash in the Face

Kyoko quickly turned her back to Kanae. The main objective right here was to think about being B-ko and how A-ko would react to her. Despite not really knowing how this would turn out, Kyoko knew that she had to try to do her best to lead Kanae with her acting. Even if Kanae was chosen and she wasn't, that would be enough. Kyoko looked at the soda in her hand, she had kept the can and given Kanae the bottle.

She turned before pulling the tab on the soda can which sprayed Kanae with it and caused her to step back in surprise, she was attempting to keep her cool and Kyoko had to give her credit for that. She was sure if it was Erika, she would have broken out of character just because she was sprayed a tiny bit. It was enough to get the attention from the judge's panel though.

Kyoko kept steady in her posture with her hands on the open can as she looked at Kanae who was soaked with the spray from the soda. She had to stop herself from laughing at the dazed and confused look. Kanae definitely was all sticky and Kyoko felt that she would never see her in this manner ever again.

"Aren't they supposed to make up?" one of the other girls whispered to her partner as they watched the scene, this obviously wasn't what anyone was thinking would happen.

Kyoko patted her neck before saying in the way a low-ranking gang member might, "Payback," she said with a challenge in her eyes and Kanae felt her mouth open. She was confused what to do. Would friends treat one another in this way? She stayed in a frozen motion. Kyoko had surprised her and Kanae had never let herself be surprised by anyone else's acting.

Kyoko grinned as she leaned down in a more cute pose, "What's wrong?" she asked taking a half step forward, "Did you think I was serious?" she asked and Kanae blinked as she held onto the bottle.

"Are you messing with me?" Kanae asked as she acted just as a girl would in the situation they were portraying. Kyoko stuck her tongue out and Kanae opened the bottle top. "Take this," she said before the soda spilled onto her own clothes instead of shooting out as it had done so from the can. Kanae squealed in panic and looked seriously flustered as she saw what happened which caused Kyoko to actually laugh at her.

She had to admit that this type of pitiful Moko-chan was very adorable and it was getting harder and harder not to laugh. She had to let go and fortunately Kanae did so with her. This diffused all tension from the scene and soon not only they had started laughing but the entire panel of judges was laughing as well. The laughter echoed through the walls and that lifted Kyoko's heart. Had she been able to do the work successfully.

Kanae smiled before lifting her head, "Do you forgive me?" she asked and Kyoko smiled before lifting the soda can and winked. Kanae clinked her bottle against the soda can and they both drank. Kanae smiled happily.

"Thank you," she said and Kyoko had a feeling that there was more than just acting a character expressed in those words. There was a peaceful silence. The scene was over. They had escaped a situation where they had both known the high danger that they were in. Hopefully they would be chosen but right now, that decision was in the hands of fate.

…

…

Kyoko sat beside Kanae's chair. She looked up at Kanae with wide eyes that sparkled as if there was magic glitter within them. Kanae pushed Kyoko back feeling a little uncomfortable with this extra attention. "Definitely there is a presence that is undeniable," Kyoko said happily, "that is sprouting inside two people. Friendship."

Kanae pushed her forehead back very annoyed, "I have no idea what you're talking about. Don't look at me with those weird eyes," she commented starting to pull back from Kyoko's want for them to have a deeper bond. "Didn't I say this and that are separate things? Geez, they're gonna announce the result of the audition next."

Kyoko smiled happily as she did pull back, she knew that Kanae was nervous about people not allowing her to continue to act but Kyoko had a feeling that this was going to turn out in Kanae's favor. "It'll be okay," she announced and Kanae watched her. "I am confident that you passed."

Kanae looked at her with a steady glance, "I won't be the only one to pass," she told Kyoko who looked at her with surprised. "You will too," she tried to assure her and Kyoko blinked again. She wasn't sure if that was correct but she hoped it was. Had she proven herself enough to have the decision in her favor.

…..

…

Kyoko was still feeling very giddy that she and Moko-san had both been chosen to appear in the commercial. This was going to be so much fun launching their acting careers together and developing their friendship. Kyoko was happy that she got to share the moment with Kanae.

"First," Ushiro told them in a very professional manner, "I want to warn you, do not get sick or injured before we shoot the commercial. Also, remember to take care of your health and your appearance to the best of your ability. This is just like breathing, it's something you guys must do anyways because it doesn't matter whether you're a newcomer or a big time celebrity, getting your salary is what matters. Remember your body doesn't only belong to you. Therefore, if you cannot take care of your body in the entertainment world, or think that 'it's my body' and don't take good care of it, then that means you lack professionalism."

Ushiro had a dark shadow looming behind him which told of how serious he was. It was one that people knew not to cross and that he must be given attention and discipline. He loomed over them, "To me, people who do not have professionalism are the most annoying."

"Understand," Ushiro continued as both Kyoko and Kanae looked as if they were staring into a sinkhole leading directly to the underworld, "I'm definitely not trying to scare you. If you two get injured before we start shooting the commercial or even during the commercial, I will not hesitate to replace you two."

Kyoko sat up straight. She stared at Ushiro, he was a really demanding man who still looked like a hooligan. The two things when they were combined brought an even more intimidating image to mind. She was going to do her best on the way to become an actress.

Kyoko watched as the paperwork was done and then the judges led them to the door, "Thank you very much for today," both Kyoko and Kanae said as they bowed low.

The head of the Kando company smiled, "Good work today, be careful on your way home," he said and Ushiro looked to the two girls.

"Mogami-san," he said before calling her over to talk. Kyoko nervously took a deep breath and Ushiro crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow which showed his curiosity. "I wanted to ask you about how you used the Kyurara during the second round."

Kyoko nodded slowly, "Yes," she said hoping it wouldn't be about wasting the soda. She would be willing to pay for it if that was the case.

"I want to know about whether you knew that the bottle and can would react differently if shaken?" he continued and Kyoko nodded. "You do know that the bottled drink doesn't burst with the same power of the canned drink, correct?"

Kyoko smiled with a nod, she had learned that much from just the soda that Shotaro's mother had given her as a child. She also worked in a restaurant where she handled both bottles and cans and had seen young children with both and parents who had needed a towel to clean their little ones up.

"Is that why you gave Kotonami-san the bottle?" Ushiro continued and Kyoko had nodded. "Good work," Ushiro praised before giving her a thumbs up. "I loved it."

…..

…..

As they walked through the busy streets of Tokyo, Kyoko looked around at all the brightly colored stores and the people who were going off together and shopping with friends. "Yo, Moko-san," she said with a bright smile and Kanae hummed. "Do you go shopping with friends often?" she asked and Kanae paused for a moment, still keeping the rather serious look on her face.

"Huh?" Kanae asked and Kyoko grinned happily.

"This is my first time," she announced before explaining herself, "This is my first time walking down the street with a female friend."

Kanae stared at her. Kyoko was waiting for her to start arguing that they weren't friends but instead she just stood there with a look on her face and an inquisitive word upon her lips, "Why?"

Kyoko paused before saying in a very blunt manner, "Because I'm not popular with classmates and people." Kyoko suddenly spotted something and grabbed Kanae, she dashed towards whatever she saw. There was a loud banging and crashing from the area they had just been in but Kyoko didn't turn around. She was too busy with her date with her friend.

"This dress is so pretty," Kyoko pointed excitedly at a mannequin who was standing with a designer dress that was very suited to a younger woman, someone of their age or a couple of years older. "It really suits you Moko-san," Kyoko commented and Kanae turned to her.

"Really?" she asked as she sounded a little bored, "I don't really like this kind of clothing though."

There was silence as Kyoko tilted her head back but then shaking it and started pouting, "No! No way! No way! No way!" she said which shocked Kanae and she had to take another step away from her. "You should say something like, it suits you more Kyoko"

Kanae stared at her as if she had lost her mind, "What kind of thinking is that?"

"Because…" Kyoko insisted, "This is how girls talk to each other."

Kanae frowned, "Where did you hear that from?" she asked before starting to walk off and tried to put her blinders on so that she wouldn't get sucked into the whirlwind of Kyoko Mogami. "Only people who are pretending to be your friend would say something like that."

"No way! Don't take away my hopes!" Kyoko continued to squeal and Kanae kept walking forwards. She didn't want to encourage the type of behavior that Kyoko had.

"It's true," Kanae said firmly, "because when girls gather together, they only gossip about other people's problems. That's why I don't like to befriend other people." Kanae scowled as she reflected on previous memories and Kyoko paused, looking at her with a deep and longing pause, she wished to reach out for her.

"Moko-san, did you get backstabbed by your friends before?" she asked wanting to hug her but she knew that Kanae would probably throw her off of her, "you should stop being friends with those kinds of people."

"It's not my friends," Kanae tried to stress, "those people are like mosquitoes to me!"

Kyoko paused and blinked hard, "I see," she said as she processed the information and Kanae felt that there was a weight on her back, "That means you never had a good friend before."

"Is there a problem with that!?" Kanae snapped and Kyoko laughed softly.

"No," she insisted and Kanae stared at her, "That's good."

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Kanae snapped back as she struggled to keep a tight grip on her emotions. Kyoko laughed.

"Because," the chestnut haired girl said happily, "This way I would be your first good friend."

There was a joint silence between them but Kanae stayed silent. She was too busy looking at Kyoko's smiling face with her pure happy smile and thinking about what Kyoko had given her today. That kind of friendship wasn't one that you just wanted to push away without thinking about the benefits of returning it.

End of Act 43

Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated

Thank you to the reviewers of Act 42

Guest, H-Nala, JeremyVD, Kaname671, Kris XD, The Real Jackie O