Kanae reacted to the news of her friend's fortune as well as she might have. That is to say, she reacted with as little outward emotion as possible.

"So, now you're living on the other side," she said. "Try not to forget where you started from, okay?"

"Moko-san!" Kyoko cried. "I'm not going anywhere! I won't let this get into my head, I swear it."

"That's what they all say, but a few days later, they won't even know you."

"I will! I'll sign it in blood, I swear!"

Kanae rolled her eyes. "Kidding, idiot. Really, what a weird thing to make a big fuss of."

They were sitting in a karaoke booth, and, just like the first time, Kyoko was spilling her guts out to her. It was oddly mundane – given how their recent assignments had driven them apart, Kanae thought it was nice that some things never changed. Like her friend's talent of making a big deal of small things.

Kyoko, however, saw it differently. "But Moko-san, you were so embarrassed by the state of your house when I was over. I thought you hated rich people."

"That's a weird connection to make. I don't hate rich people – I expect to become rich myself, when I'm Japan's next top actress," Kanae said, rolling her eyes. "But in all seriousness, it's fine. You're the humblest person I know, and unlike some people, I'm sure that you will not abuse that privilege."

"Okay."

"And if you do abuse it, I will never speak to you again."

"I PROMISE I WON'T ABUSE IT!"

"Good," Kanae said, smiling. "Now, what else are you worried about?"

Kyoko let out a big sigh. If she had to be completely and totally honest, confessing about the money was the easiest. So she decided to be as roundabout as possible.

"Well, I have this… acquaintance. We… well, we're actually pretty good friends, but I'm not entirely sure about that. Lately, we've been talking a lot and…"

"Hold on. Let's back this up a bit, and for goodness' sake, stop being so vague. We're talking about Tsuruga Ren here, right?"

"Moko-san!"

"Well? Are we?"

"Yes," she said, in a tone of voice that suggested she was confessing a shameful secret. "Anyway, we… we were working on a project together these last weeks, but I can't tell you anything in particular, it's absolutely secret. We've been talking a lot, though, and he's been… he's been so good to me, Moko-san. When I first learned about… my mother… and everything, he was just so supportive and understanding and…"

"Okay, you're starting to sound like a fangirl."

"I'm sorry!"

"No, wait…" Kanae leaned in. "Are you telling me that you, little miss "Love is for the weak", you, who are the sole reason why President Takarada created the "Love me!" division, are actually having a crush on somebody?"

Kyoko looked down, ashamed.

"I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about! Idiot! Are you realizing that if the President hears about this, the division will go through the roof? You'd be a living, breathing proof his system works."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Probably not to those people forced into the jumpsuits."

"There's more. Moko-san, do you remember when I told you about the PW I shot with Fuwa Sho? And how Tsuruga-san was angry afterwards? You said he might have been jealous?"

"Yeah?"

"Um… you know, I think you may be right."

"Well, duh!"

"Moko-san! You're supposed to be supportive!"

"I am supportive! If I wasn't, I'd be mocking you senseless with your own words. You were so sure the man hated you, it would be comedy gold not to wrangle you a bit. However-" she added, when Kyoko went into full pout mode "—I am your friend, so I'll just leave it at that and ask why is it that you're so worried? If he likes you, and you like him, the rest is easy."

Kyoko mumbled something under her nose.

"What's that?"

"I said, it's not so easy." She tried explaining, without giving too much away, what Ren had shared about his family, and then told her the story how she overheard him talking about this schoolgirl he liked. "I'm worried, Moko-san," she said at the end. "What if he's so distraught about what's happening with his family, he's using me as a stand-in for this girl he likes?"

"You can't honestly believe that. Do you really think he's the type?"

"I don't know what type he is!" Kyoko threw her hands in the air. "He says one thing, then does another. Tells me to be on my guard, then acts like I'm supposed to go to him for every little thing. He's so… so… confusing!"

"Confusing, unless he was in love with you and jealous of anyone else."

"Then why doesn't he come out and just say it! It's so…"

"Stupid?"

"Yes!"

"Well—" Kanae set her glass down "—were it any other situation, I would have told you to just wait it out and see what happens. But the way you're telling it, it seems like you're on a limited time, and he's acting like he might do something."

Kyoko nodded.

"I don't have much relationship experience," Kanae said. "So you need to take this all with a grain of salt. But my best advice is, you need to think about all this very carefully. Not just about Tsuruga Ren, but also about Fuwa Sho. You need to examine your last relationship seriously, find out why exactly you were so badly burned, and decide what your limits are. So you think Tsuruga-san is annoying because some of the things he does don't add up with what he says – maybe that's a deal breaker for you. He needs to know that."

Kanae took a sip of water, watching her friend. The fact that Kyoko hadn't exploded yet was a pretty good sign, all things considered. Knowing she had her full attention, she went on.

"I also think that you need to honestly think about your expectations of this relationship. Are you and Tsuruga a one-time thing? Or are you hoping for something long-term? If you're not ready for a grown-up relationship, and all the things that go with it, perhaps you should tell him that."

"And, by grown-up, you mean…"

"Sex," Kanae deadpanned. "Although, if you're not able to even say the word or discuss it seriously, you're probably not ready for it."

"Sorry. It's just… I had a pretty conservative upbringing." Her face darkened. "Though, nowadays, I question everything, my upbringing especially."

Kanae raised an eyebrow.

"Well," she said, "it's good that you are. Asking questions gets you answers, and generally, the more, the better. But honestly, if you're not comfortable with physical intimacy, it's best to be upfront about it."

Kyoko nodded again, trying to keep the blush from the cheeks. In all honesty, this was a conversation she didn't want having, ever, but Kanae was always so right. Besides… it wasn't like she had anyone else to talk to about it.

The last few days, she'd been skirting around the issue of her mother, taking care not to dwell too much on how she had left her, or the letter she'd left. She referred to her inheritance as "the money", not "her mother's provision" or "her mother's inheritance". Somehow, the idea that this woman, who had made her life a living hell, actually cared for her, was a bit too much to consider.

"I guess you're right. There's one more thing I need to ask you, though," she said. Kanae nodded. "My mother left me some letters to open on my birthdays. In… in the one I was supposed to get first, she asks me not to look for my father."

"So?"

"Um… I don't know. I guess, lately, I've been really confused about her. I thought she was one thing, and then she was another. I don't understand her, and I just… I want to. I think that maybe talking with someone who knew her might help."

Her friend shrugged. "That's up to you."

"But what would you do?"

Kanae didn't reply immediately. Part of her wanted to tell Kyoko to figure things out herself – after all, she was her own person, and she was going to end up doing what she wanted anyway. But then Kanae thought back to the time they auditioned for their first commercial – how angry she'd been when Kenounji Erika had breezed in, throwing her money and her family name around. How she'd hated herself, for not being able to fight back, for not being able to win.

Whenever she thought back to that time, she couldn't imagine ever going back to the audition without Kyoko. Without her friend validating her choices… who knows what would have happened?

So she tried to be honest.

"Personally, I wouldn't have bothered. I wouldn't need anything from him – I've got friends to support me, I've got money, and I've got a roof over my head. Unless you're planning to travel abroad before you turn eighteen, there's nothing he could do that you can't get from anyone else. And you said you never knew the guy – if it were me, I wouldn't give him the time of the day. He didn't care for me, so why should I care for him?"

Kyoko nodded, but there was something in her face that made Kanae pause. She wasn't entirely convinced.

"However—" she went on "—that's just my opinion. If finding out about your mother is really that important to you, then everything else is pretty much moot."

"I guess you're right," Kyoko said, looking away. "I'm anxious, and I'm scared, but I want to talk to him nonetheless."

"That, unfortunately, I can't do anything about," Kanae said. "If life was all clear cut and easy, though, we would be out of a job."

"Yeah, probably."

"One last advice? Go see if you can take up any new jobs. I'm not saying that to jinx you, but… if something goes wrong, it's good to have something to keep you busy."

Yashiro stared at the display window, then shook his head. "Too flashy."

"But wouldn't it be just according to her tastes?" Ren asked. "I mean, shouldn't I take that into consideration?"

"Normally, yes, but when it comes to jewelry, I usually think that less is more. Why not something more delicate, like a heart pendant?"

Ren tore his eyes away from the larger pieces on display and threw his manager a quizzical look. "Wouldn't that be a little on the nose?"

Yashiro made an "I-give-up" gesture and perused the windows again. His watch showed that they were ten minutes behind schedule, but Ren had worked so effectively all afternoon that they could afford to get side-tracked.

His client had had a busy day. It was nice to see him take a break, even if it was to do something silly.

"You think I'm being ridiculous, aren't you?" Ren asked, as if sensing his manager's thought.

"Who, me? No. Though there's still time before Kyoko-chan's birthday – why are you picking her gift out right now?"

Ren shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not picking up a birthday gift. Just…a token. From one friend to another."

"Ren? Are you actually telling me you're giving Kyoko a present for no other reason than just because?"

"Yes."

Yashiro wasn't buying it. Not that selfless gift-giving was a bad thing, but his friend was pretty careful with his actions around Kyoko-chan. Hell, he'd made up a who convoluted story just so that he could get her to accept his birthday gift, and Yashiro still didn't know if the girl bought it entirely. To his mind, it was obvious that the story was hoakey, but if Kyoko thought so too, then there was the question of how she felt for Ren.

"What about this one?" Ren asked, pointing to a small gold pendant in the shape of two masks, Tragedy and Comedy. It was the most generically theatrical thing he could have picked, but…

"That one's good. Doesn't make a bold statement, and if she has to, she can hide it under her shirt."

Ren smiled with relief. "That's what I thought."

While he was settling things with the clerk, Yashiro checked the schedule one last time. They were due to drop by LME so that Ren could settle some things with the President, then he was going to put on his Cain Heel disguise and go back to the hotel because he had some shooting as Black Jack first thing in the morning. Presumably, Kyoko-chan would be there too.

Yashiro frowned. Ren hadn't told him what had happened after Kyoko had returned from her leave of absence – one would assume they had made up as they always did, but the younger man had been very jittery all day. Was it possible to avoid someone in a one-bedroom apartment? Apparently so.

"We talked," Ren said, when out of the store. "But… we didn't really get to say everything we wanted to say to each other."

Yashiro raised an eyebrow, silently prompting him for details.

Ren gave him the abridged version of their latest conversation. By the time he was done, Yashiro's eyes were as big as plates.

"Then the director called."

Yashiro groaned. "They always call at the worst times! So, wait, are you telling me you and Kyoko-chan are about to confess your feelings to each other?"

"I don't know."

"But you got her a gift. Don't tell me… oh, Ren, please don't tell me you're going to try and soften her up with gifts."

"What are you talking about? This is to thank her for all her hard work for this project. It has nothing to do with what we're about to say to each other."

"You can't possibly think that." Yashiro said, shaking his head. "Ren, you and Kyoko-chan are about to have a very stressful conversation. Making her gifts, no matter what the occasion, is not appropriate in this situation. If you do, she'll feel pressured and uncomfortable – do you want that to happen?"

The younger man hesitated. In truth, it had passed his mind, but he'd dismissed it, because damn it, he wanted to give the woman he loved a gift and after all she's done for him, it was the least he could do. But he had to admit, Yashiro was right. Tonight was not about gratitude.

"Alright," he said. "Then… will you hold onto this for me, for a little while."

Yashiro nodded. "Of course I will."

Sawara-san smiled when he saw her come in. "Ah, Mogami, I was just about to call for you. Did you get briefed by Takarada-saicho?"

"Yes," she said. "My current assignment is going well. He's very pleased with the results." She decided not to mention the scolding she'd gotten for going out of her way. Oh well. She said she would take responsibility, and she did. "I was just wondering, have you got any new offers for me? Auditions, etc?"

"Actually, I got quite a few." He pulled out a bunch of files and handed them over to her. "Some people saw the pilot episode for Box-R and contacted me about you. Bully roles again, but people seem to think you have a strong presence."

Kyoko nodded as she flipped through the stack. She could do variations on a theme – and it was just what Moko had suggested. A part of her fluttered in anticipation – she hoped that every new role would get her this excited.

"Thank you. I will look through those and let you know what I decide." She bowed.

"You're welcome. Oh, right, I got this call for a movie role too, but I don't think you'll be very interested in it."

She perked up. "Why?"

"Well, the producer hasn't seen any of your dramas – apparently, he heard about you from some director you never worked with. Does the name Konoe ring a bell?"

She froze. How much did Sawara-san know? How much could she tell?

"I know him," she said. "I helped out an actor on his set as part of a Love Me! assignment."

"Ah, that explains it." Sawara-san frowned. "This director convinced the producer of a thriller that you'd be perfect for some antihero role. The man isn't entirely convinced, but he wanted to invite you to the audition. It'll take place on Friday."

Kyoko reached out and took the paper from him. Part of her felt nervous – an antihero role? And all because director Konoe saw her play Setsuka? It wasn't that different from the bully role, but this was something new.

Could she do it? Her first audition sprang to mind, making her cringe. She'd been so awkward then, so inexperienced. Now, at least, she had two big roles in her portfolio, not to mention the work she'd done shooting commercials and PV's. She had the confidence, she had the skills. So why not do it?

"It sounds interesting," she said. "Could you contact the producer and ask him if I need to do a line-reading?"

"I can. We can get you the script in a few minutes, if you can just wait for a little while."

She nodded gratefully, then sat down. As he made the call, she started reading one of the character descriptions he'd given her. High school drama, this time with the bully and the main character fighting over the same guy. She winced at some of the dialogue for the pilot episode – not that it was much, but she could tell the writers had put virtually no effort in the writing of the character. She flipped back to the list of established actors and noticed that Kawagoe Michika was listed as the star.

That explains it, Kyoko thought, wryly, but then instead of discarding the script, she decided to keep it for closer consideration. True, given what Moko-san and Amamiya-san had said about Michika's acting range, playing against her was bound to be a nightmare, but maybe not necessarily. Perhaps she could discuss it with Ren tonight… unless they killed each other first.

"Mogami-san?" Sawara-san waved some newly printed pages at her. "Your lines."

"Ah, thank you," she said, getting to her feet. "I'll read through them, and I'll do my best at the audition. Can you message me the time and place, please?"

"Already taken care of. The producer seemed rather ambivalent about your coming, though, so you should be prepared for a cold reception."

"I can deal with that," Kyoko said, remembering how Ren had acted when he first met her as Cain Heel. It really was amazing, how some things stopped bothering her after a while. She was so preoccupied she didn't realize her supervisor was still speaking. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"I said, at least you won't be completely alone," Sawara-san said. "Kijima-san is going to be auditioning for one of the roles too, so you'll have someone you know there."

Kyoko froze, and then made a face.

Yup, she thought, we'll end up killing each other tonight.