Just a warning I am Dyslexic so my stories will not be perfect.

I do not own Skip Beat.

Just wing it.

Kyoko shivered slightly as she and Koun took their places on the dance floor he was fully Corn or Koun now in her mind and even though she knew in his current guise she never would have been able to connect his 10-year-old self with the man who stood before her now, but she also found it difficult in her mind's eye to rectify the fact she hadn't figured it out his connection to Kuu. He was his father's son. Would this mean she would no longer be able to call them Otuo-san and Okaa-san? Her feelings for the man before her definitely were not that of a sister for her brother she thought about their time as Setsu and Cain Heel, yes definitely not the relationship she really wanted with the man before her. Yet would he ever even look at her in that respect? She had already told the president she would not act upon her feelings, she was not worthy of Japan's number one actor of the man who had risen above all others in the acting world and in her own estimation but... but what about the man she now knew was behind the mask? Could she? Did she even want to keep her heart from the young boy who had treasured her friendship just as much as he had treasured his? The young boy who had turned into a young man who needed love so badly?

He was still that young man who needed love she realized she had seen the fear in his eyes when they had been late that morning, she had been there the night before to count his tears, to hold him as he cried and poured out what he thought was his life sentence to bar himself from happiness forever, could the top actor in Japan really ever love her? Probably not... but was he worth the love she held for him? Yes, one hundred times yes he was worth the love she held in her heart for him, and was she ready to give him that love in the face of the eventual rejection she was sure would come from it? She wasn't sure though she was sure that the mending of her heart with which he had been a large part would destroy it forever. Ren couldn't hold back in these moments here with her now he was Koun he watched in those few moments as they joined together on the dance floor the myriad of emotions that passed through her beautiful molten gold eyes and he felt safe even if he could not understand all that he saw. She was here in his arms, she had not rejected him and she was not going to if her words and actions were to be believed and he felt safer than he had in years. She had shaken his very foundations when she had worked her way into his heart he had become a man who had no control over his emotions for her but here and now as they waited for their friends to play the music they had chosen for them he felt, dare he believe it... Loved.

Shona smiled to herself as she watched the two join at that moment on the dance floor Ren's eyes as he held the woman before him like the most precious person in the world and she supposed to him this would be correct, she nodded to Kanae and Chiori who stood waiting next to the computer Kanae gestured for Chiori to proceed her, Kanae still seemed rather flushed from her dance sat down to watch her best friend and the man they all knew she loved her own heart racing as she tried not to look at the bespectacled man who had her own heart racing. Chiori smiled and typed in the song she and the twins had found together, she then doing her best Kyoko impression as she thought of it stood straight hands clasped to smile at Shona before looking at the waiting couple and the rest of the seated people in the room.

"Kyoko has told me on more than one occasion that whenever she has needed help with her acting or a character that she has always been able to ask Ren-san and he's always been there for her he's always been a wonderful senpai and friend, I know that Kyoko has thanked and even admitted she would not have found some of her characters like Mio and Natsu without Ren's guidance and well... He's her flashlight. That one person who no matter how bad things may be he will always light your darkness Kyoko." The last words Chiori spoke her eyes fixed upon the girl she loved as a friend, a mentor and the only person who had been able to snap her out of her own self-sabotaging destruction, if she could give this wonderful young woman anything it was the truth and her own support in that opportunity. The words Flashlight by Jessie J showed on the screen as the music slowly started for those first few seconds neither Koun or Kyoko moved as Kyoko looked deeply as Chiori who smiled her brightest smile a few sparkling tears in her eyes that never fell but held the love Kyoko was only just seeing the truth behind as the vocals kicked in Kyoko's eyes switched to Kuons as one Koun and Kyoko moved into the first steps of their tango. It wasn't fast, it wasn't overly sensual but as all their friends watched on Shona's own eyes filled with the same sparkling tears Chiori's held it was beautiful.

It wasn't technically perfect, it wouldn't have won prizes at any competition but in those moments as Kyoko's body flowed with Kuons the sparkling diamond-like tears spilling from her own eyes breaking into stardust before reaching the floor together Kuon and Kyoko sparkled across the dance floor in a harmony that could only be found between two connected hearts. Kanae's hand found Chiori's as they watched on as their best friend, the woman they both loved danced her heart onto that dance floor barefooted with the biggest smile not only on her lips but reflected in her eyes. Yashiro surreptitiously wiped tears from his eyes as Masaru shoulder bumped him chuckling softly as Aoi sighed wistfully smiling at the dancers before her the song truly was perfect.

Lory watched through the camera and for once he was lost for words at the scene before him leaning forwards in his chair he couldn't decide if he wanted to cheer, cry or simply watch the beauty before him which was what he did not even flinching when Sebastian pulled up the chair beside him to get a better view himself. As the music reached its end and the dancers wound down to their final position Kuon's words were for Kyoko's ears alone as he spoke softly "I do believe they have it all wrong, you're my flashlight Kyoko." her eyes flicked to his in an instant "You light my darkness" as the last note ebbed away neither could look away from the other until the applause around them brought them back to the moment and they smiled at their joint friends accepting the praise even is Kyoko's blush was not only due to it.

"That was wonderful! Kyoko!" it was as a body wrapped around hers and hugged her so tightly that Kyoko thought maybe she would break as Shona pulled back holding her shoulders tightly and shaking her slightly "My dear do you feel it? Do you understand what it is I've been telling you?" and in that moment as Kyoko smiled and nodded she really did understand what Shona had been trying to teach her she could feel her emotions so close to the surface her body was humming and unlike before where she would have clasped her hands and fought back this feeling she allowed it to fill her entire body and she knew as Shona slipped her hand down Kyoko's arm releasing her hold on the other she slowly took Kyoko's hand raising it above both their heads with the slightest of movements Kyoko's body obeyed and she spun on her toes her one leg extended slightly toes pointed as she pirouetted like one of the princess ballerinas she had seen on a program she had loved as a child her body bending and flexing with such ease and grace that Shona followed through with a few steps Kyoko didnt know which dance they were doing but fully trusted Shona to lead her as together as one they stepped out Kyoko's body flowing like water right alongside Shona's until with another little squeal sounding very much like her own brother at his most fangirl she again grabbed Kyoko into a backbreaking hug.

"I knew you could do it!" The door opening alerted those nearest to it of the presidents and Sebastian's arrival as Shona again pulled away from Kyoko wiping the small tears from her own eyes before laughing and thumbing away Kyoko's own tears. "Well! Let's get to that last song shall we!" Kuon had not moved from where Shon and Kyoko had left him, which is where Shona returned him to placing Kyoko's hand in his before nodding to Kanae and walking over to her children, brother and the man whom she owed more to than she was still ready to admit. Kanae did not speak as she keyed in her song choice in the end they had decided against a love song for their friends if they hadn't got the point by now they had laughing said a song would not change that but they wanted Kyoko to understand that they were there they believed in her and they knew.. Just knew she was going to be astounding. As the title Opportunity (Sia Version) flashed up across the screen the two on the dance floor who had not even looked at the others in the room even seemed to preempt the music itself as they simply flowed across the dancefloor together. The part that brought everyone's attention was something that until that moment Kanae had not even considered doing but it was almost like Electric as she picked up the microphone next to the laptop this was what they would use for the auditions how they would make themselves heard over the biggest crowds and after watching Kyoko's previous performance Kanae wanted to make sure that the words she and Yashiro had picked out especially for her were heard as the instrumental music she had picked entirely for this purpose stuck the cord she knew for the start of the vocal piece Kanae herself took up the song to the astound of everyone, yet even when their eyes flickered to Kanae the two on the dance floor continued there dance seamlessly this was the music Kanae wanted them to hear and to dance.

Kanae was glad the backup singers were including on this track as she closed her eyes singing from her heart, not wanting to see the people whom she guessed would be looking at her, this was for Kyoko and Kyoko alone as she sang for and to the heart of the girl, she knew she loved as her best friend and always would. For a few moments the people in the room were astounded by the beautiful voice resounding from the Love Me number two before almost all of their eyes returned to the dancers, Yashiro's staying solidly fixed on the singing woman as her chest shook with the power of her own voice singing to their best friends as the last note dying on her lips she opened her eyes to see his and her heart skipped. The moment the song ended Kuon and Kyoko stopped breathing heavy but not with difficulty Kuon didn't even hesitate as he dropped Kyoko's hand and she flew at the older woman who had serenaded them so beautifully if Kanae's eyes at that moment hadn't have been locked on Yashiro's as she tried to regain her breathing equilibrium she would have noticed the small blur with copper hair flying at her but she didn't and was almost knocked prone as the sobbing Kyoko grabbed her in a hug much like Shona's had been on her not 5 minutes prior.

The applause that filled the room and then the laughter that followed as Kanae halfheartedly scolded Kyoko broke whatever spell had been cast over them all as friends and companions they slowly pulled out of dazes, from a magic they themselves had cast and as Lory called for the foodservice he had ordered prepared and the people came to seat around a table no one for that moment mentioned Kanae's singing or the test which would follow after this meal (though you can be sure Lory logged Kanae's superior talent away for further discussion later) that sat and ate as friends, as people who cared deeply for their friends and in some cases as people who loved each other more than life itself as Kuons hand found Kyoko's below the table squeezed it tightly and as her hand squeezed back Kuon knew he was going to tell Kyoko how he felt.

I do not own:

Flashlight By Jessie J

OR

Opportunity By Sia

Thanks for reading

Neh xxx