KaleidoStar and all of its characters belong to Gonzo and Jun'ichi Sato.

Another week passed rapidly, it finally was the end of September. It was a friday. Sora was watching the crew as they trained enthusiastically for the next play. Tonight, Layla and her will finally be in Vegas. They still had two whole weeks before the premiere of Beauty and the beast. Then she'll put all effort on the new cabaret show with Layla.

The blonde woman should almost have finished to rehearse her solo scenes but the script changed too much. Cathy had new ideas everyday.

"It is fortunate you're not in full rehearsal with us. I'll be mad before repetitions start if she keeps changing the play!" Layla used to complain when they were alone.

But Sora did regret to not be able to share each moment of Carmilla production stage with Layla. She suggested to maintain Mulan until the Cabaret was launched but Kalos was absolute: A straight love story have to counter the lesbian tone of Carmilla. And there was not enough of it in Mulan.

Above that, Layla still refused any contact with her family. Neither Edward nor Richard could reach her. Macquarie was quite a good assistant and made sure no one bothered her. But Sora was more preoccupied by Layla's health. They really needed Vegas as a distraction.

"Why are you sighing?"

Sora turned to Rosetta who seemed concerned with her. The Japanese girl gave her a reassuring smile. "Nothing. Let's go back to training."

"Wait!" Rosetta put herself in front of Sora preventing her from getting up of her chair.

"Yes?" Sora founded Rosetta a little strange since a few days.

"Why her?"Rosetta asked with a determined face.

"What? I don't understand?" Sora was bewildered by Rosetta sudden question. But she was more perturbed by the tone of her voice.

"Why are you still with Layla if it's making you suffer so much?! I'm the one who do not understand!"

Startled by the question, Sora took her time before answering. She stroke Rosetta's cheeks gently and stared at her eyes. "Because I love her and she loves me. That's the only thing that matters to me." She then took the girl in a close hold and whispered in her ears. "Don't be mad at Layla. She is the one who is suffering the much."

Rosetta disagreed with Sora's statement but kept it for herself. She was happily enjoying the hug. Unaware of a certain blonde glaring at them with furor, Sora just tightened the embrace.

"Training is over!" Layla's voice resonated in the gymnasium.

Sora immediately turned around, putting an end to her hug with Rosetta. "Layla!" She shouted enthusiastically. She run to her girlfriend, at the other side of the room. "Did you come for me? Are we eating together this time?"

Layla ignored Sora's questions. She seemed to look at something behind her. Something that made her unhappy.

Sora turned to only see Rosetta approaching. She made a puzzled face. Lately, everyone was strange, she thought.

"You're quite punctual. Don't you have something better to do? " Rosetta noticed before leaving them.

Sora watched at the clock at the top of the gymnasium. "It's true!" She looked at Layla. "Did something happened?"

"Nothing. I thought we could leave Cape Mery, a little sooner." Layla tried to hide her discomfort, then regained some composure while she put her hair behind her neck and smiled lightly.

If Sora didn't believe her little lie she didn't show any of it. The Japanese girl just smiled and took Layla's hand, leading them to the exit with a simple goodbye for the crew. "Then let's have some fun in Vegas. Just the two of us."

The same afternoon, in the Hamilton's house, Richard and Chikara had a meeting in the living-room. Both fathers felt like strangers in their daughter's life. One day Chikara came to complain about it and it kind of became an habit after work. A few months ago -that almost felt like another era- Richard wouldn't even have welcomed him the first time he rang at the portal. But it been two weeks since Layla stopped to talk to him and loneliness started to hit him cruelly.

Both men were sitting in the corner sofa with drinks on their hands. For a mere second Richard thought Sora's father was pitying him and trying to give him some company. But the man only complained about Layla for five straights days. Clearly he thought Richard would be the one to cheer him up because of his situation. Richard wondered if common men were as annoying as him. Despite that, he let him coming back. It was the most tolerable company he could have outside Sora's mother and Archibald.

After all those years, Richard was forced to admit he had no real friends. Just work relationships. At least, listening to Chikara made him feel better. He could forget his own problems for an hour.

"I mean. I have every right to ask for this, am I not?" Chikara took a nip of his drink and loosened his tie. Work was intensive today and he helped the Robbins on monday and tuesday for their son's move. He still had some pain in his muscles.

Richard was side-eying at him with no comment. He wished he had those troubles with Layla instead of that situation with Edward. "Come back to your wife and baby daughter who still need you." Richard advised him, still with no look. "Sora is well-raised but she's a woman in love and I have to say my daughter is quite a looker so stop losing your time. They won't break up." He then turned to Chikara to stare at him with menacing eyes. "I won't let it happen." He added in a low tone.

Chikara swallowed his own saliva and stroke his hair while thinking. "Hum. There must be a misunderstanding. I don't want it either. At least, not anymore."

Richard frowned.

Chikara glanced at him and kept on. "Your daughter is letting us living in a superb apartment with no fees."

Richard was quite lost. "Why don't you just accept her help instead of giving her names in front of her own father!"

Chikara put his drink on the table coffee. Those Americans didn't understand anything. "I am ashamed to accept all of this generosity from people outside the family."

"If it is just your Japanese pride then why don't you wait until they are ready to get married?" Richard didn't understand why every little thing was so complicated with that man.

Chikara weighed his words for a moment before talking. "You just don't understand. I'm her father. Until I retire, I'm the one supposed to help her. Not the other way around." He sighed another time and shook his head. "Only a marriage can help me to accept my failure as a father."

Richard still didn't see where he was coming. "I'm sorry but as a father I would be glad to see that my daughter can fly with her own wings. That's less stressful."

"I didn't said I wasn't happy about her independency!" Chikara replied a little upset, more outraged even. "Just-just that I feel useless." He finally admitted drinking again.

"It could be worse. Believe me." Richard stated with sadness.

Friday night, 10 pm, the Kaleido Stage finally closed its doors for the day. The last spectators left thirty minutes ago after talking with the crew. A closed meeting was held in Kalos' office with Yuri, Cathy and John.

Kalos was sitting in a chair behind his desk as always and observing the others participants. Cathy and John were sitting in the main sofa while Yuri was standing up with a tablet, he looked at from time to time to support his arguments.

"That's a good start but the schedule is too important if you account the kids' shows. Reduce the cabaret. We agreed on one show per week, no more. I already made a compromise regarding Sora's return in the stage by two weeks so she could prepare for Carmilla. That's enough. She is the Kaleido Star. Whether the cabaret is successful or not, does not matter." Kalos' words were absolute and didn't let any place for arguments.

Cathy and Yuri looked at each other with defeatist faces. There were six weeks before Carmilla and they tried to create a planning for the first month. They could do more performances if it's a success. But Sora couldn't do to much shows in a day since she was the main role in most of the Kaleido's plays.

"Maybe you should switch the actresses for Carmilla?" The Kaleido director suggested. He will certainly not let his star tiring herself with too much work.

"Or maybe the stage could find another star instead of relying on one?" Replied Yuri in a defiant tone. His glare towards Kalos showed two mixed feelings. Frustration and anger. It's been a long time since he felt that way. He thought he won against his old demons who drove him to a dark path when he wanted revenge. But the obstacles to make Carmilla the best spectacle put him on edges.

"Careful. I have every right to forbid Sora from playing in it all. It's in her contract. Don't test me!" Kalos warned with low but firm voice.

Shocked hit Yuri while Cathy sighed. It will be harder than she thought. She now understood why Kalos held the meeting when Layla and Sora left.

"But Layla manages the foundation, doesn't she? Wouldn't she just change Sora's contract?" John inquired. He understood Kalos fears but at the sametime thought the cabaret was a big opportunity both for Sora and the Kaleido in terms of reputation and fame. And he loved working on the cabaret's building site.

"I won't be so sure about it. Layla might follow Kalos this time. She's overprotective since her accident. Let's stop here. We won't agree on anything." Cathy started to get up before turning to Yuri. "Let's think about another solution when they come back. Go get some rest tonight. Have a drink and enjoy life!" She added in lighter tone before leaving with John.

Now the two men were alone and facing each other.

"Something to add?" Kalos asked with a little arrogance in Yuri's mind.

The Russian man took some long seconds before he answered. "I'm in love with Sarah." He suddenly throw. He was astonished himself. He just said it with no plan.

Kalos smirked. "She's with me."

"For now." It was his only words before he left the office.

This night, unlike other nights since a long time, Kalos decided to surprise his girlfriend with a nice dinner and some time by themselves in his apartment.

Ken and his friends Vince and Jy Sung were enjoying a guy's night in his new apartment. It's been four days since his move. He didn't believe how fast it was. It was thanks to Sora. She still thought about him like a dear friend and took the first opportunity to help him. How could he not still be in love? How could he silent his feelings?

"How could you do that to me? Is victory more important than our friendship?" Jay took a handful of popcorn in the bowl put on the coffee table to calm his frustration.

"Exactly!" Vince answered after copying his friends' gesture except with satisfaction.

"Ken at least doesn't think that way. Don't you Ken?" The Korean man asked turning to the honey-hair man.

"Sorry. I'm just bad at this game." Ken replied with an apologetic voice. He was also a little tired.

His flat was well equipped thanks to his father's work. They always had furniture from the prototypes they created in his company. But it took them a day to move them and another to install everything. The Naeginos gladly help them with Sora. They had a great time together and enjoyed a big dinner prepared by his mother and Sora's one.

It should be a good memories but it wasn't. They looked like two united families but it was just an illusion. Sora and him weren't a couple. When she didn't call her, Sora was the one to check on Layla. They both still were much in love with each other. It wasn't changing at all. And yet he was still hoping. Why?

"So...when do you intend to baptise this place with a girl?" Jay asked without quitting the game from eyes.

"Jay!?" Vince slapped the back of Jy Sung head gently.

"What? What's the point on living on your own if you don't bring girls?" He then glanced at Ken who has no reaction. "So?" He insisted.

Ken stroked his head while reflecting on his answer. He didn't want to look like a pathetic guy but he couldn't lie about his feelings."The girl I want doesn't want me." He said with defeat.

"Yeah but you're a man! You need to release your energy from time to time. That's not healthy man! We need sex to live. Even Sora does it!"

"Jay!" Vince shout while getting up, finally forgetting his game.

But it was too late. Ken stood up too, throwing his controller in the ground with force. He had enough. He was really trying to be the nice guy but…"You think I don't know? I'm her personal trainer! I see the love bites on her body every day! I hear their conversation on the phone. I- I-" He couldn't continue and fall back on his sofa with his head on his hands. Then he fisted the armchair with strength.

"Dude! You shouldn't listen! Let someone else do your job and find a new girl. You'll love her more because you'll share a lot of things together. That's how feelings work." Vince advised also sitting back.

"Yeah. He's right. Stop obsessing over a someone you'll never get. I can present you some girls if you want." The Korean man took his phone ready to show some pictures to his friends.

They both curiously looked at it.

"Wow. You're not kidding!" Vince claimed with more enthusiasm than he wanted.

Ken had to admit some of the girls were nice. But none of them were Sora. He quickly lost interest.

When he saw it, Jay sighed loudly. "Fine. Go to masturbate while thinking about a girl you'll never have like a pathetic loser!" He then got up and stared at Vince. "Let's have fun with girls if he doesn't want to."

Vince thought about Ken for a millisecond but accepted his friend's offer. "Well, see you tomorrow at work."

And they both left him alone.

At the same hour, Anna was making a performance in a little café theater of Cape Mery. Mia came to see her right after with Léon she crossed on her way. Manami came a little sooner and was waiting for them.

The Netherlander girl laughed with all her heart at any Anna's joke. The French man had to admit some of them were funny but not as he price of his dignity. That's said, the sight of Mia's laugh and smile gave him strange sensations in his stomach. And he smiled despite himself just looking at her.

When did it he started? He wondered. It clearly was the first time he felt this way and yet he knew. He was in love with a girl who belonged to someone else. At least that's what he thought. Anna and Mia never talked publicly about their relationship. But how to be sure without embarrassing himself? And being free doesn't mean she's interested in him. He was better in the big brother role than the boyfriend one. He sighed a little too loudly despite himself.

"What is it?" Mia inquired as she quit staring at Anna. Her eyes show concern for the French man.

"Hmm. Nothing." He coughed at least three times before he could recover his serious face.

But Mia wasn't fooled. "I don't believe you. You seem pensive since we arrived. It's a fun night but you're always mopping when Sora is not around." She stated with some frustration.

"I'm not-" Léon started.

"Yes you are." Mia interrupted him. She stopped looking at him an concentrated again on Anna but her face doesn't show any enjoyment anymore. She lost some energy and sustained her chin with her left hand, elbow on the table their were sitting on.

Léon started too panicked. He upset her. He didn't mean to. What could he do? He glanced everywhere looking for a solution but find none. He decided to stay silent instead of annoying her more.

Manami side eyed at them the whole time without meddling between them. She weighed the pros and the cons while she finished her drink. Then she decided to spoke to Mia directly. "The silver guy here -is that color natural by the way?- is totally in love with you but you keep squealing at Anna. No wonder he is mopping." Manami throw as if it was evening news.

"What!?" Mia shouted, absolutely surprised. "No way!" Then she turned to Léon for a confirmation.

The French man just wanted to hide himself behind his drink. Was he so transparent? He made his most threatening face to Manami who just shrugged, not a least impressed.

"Don't look at me that way. I made you a favour. Unless you wanted to be another Ken, did you?"

Of course not, he thought. But a rejection was not in his plan either. He still didn't dare to look at Mia who didn't say a word since then.

The redhead was trying to gather the pieces. How was that possible for Léon to fall for her? She looked some comfort by glancing at Anna on the scene. The floridian girl was totally unaware of what was happening at their table and kept throwing joke after joke.

Manami had enough. She hit Léon with her elbow on his sides.

"Ouch." He whispered glaring at her. Was murder prohibit in this country?

"Be a man! For god sake!" She also said with low voice.

He didn't like it but he had to admit she was right. He had nothing to lose. He rose from his chair with resolve and got in front Mia. "May I talk with you in private?"

Mia looked up at him but hesitated. She finally accepted and followed him outside, in silent.

Manami stared at them, a little amused. "I should open a matrimonial agency." She said to herself, laughing.

At the same time, in a spacious hotel room in Vegas, two love birds were enjoying each other skins.

"You were right. It's better to arrive in the afternoon and having the time to discover the room." Sora said with a heavy breathe.

"Humm." Layla was too busy between Sora's legs to give a more articulate answer.

They certainly were discovering each part of their room, each other, of course. It's been five hours since their arrival and none of them was tired.

Hi,

Sorry for the loooong delay. But I'm back. See you next week for a trip in Vegas.