Authors Chat: Sometimes set-up chapters are needed for what's to come. This is one of them. Introduces a fictional character not from Nakamura-sensei.

I would greatly appreciate your comments and constructive criticism!

That being said, italics text are direct thoughts of characters, text is in quotes, noises are done with asterisks.

DISCLAIMER: Skip Beat! and it's characters are not my original creation, they are owned and created by Nakamura Yoshiki.

Story Timeline: Y'all know the timeline by now. If not, go back and read it in an earlier chapter! (taken out for length).

Playing With Fire

Act 25

Kyoko woke up nervous. Would she like the manager chosen for her?

It's just a TEMPORARY manager. She had to remind herself, but I can't help feeling excited! What if he or she doesn't like me? No… I can't think that way! Just gotta hope for the best!

She resolved herself to be optimistic about the temporary manager, but she couldn't shake the nervousness. She had met a lot of good people through her jobs, but the only one she would really call a FRIEND was Kanae. The rest were business associates.

This would be someone she would work closely with until the movie shoot she had agreed to do was complete! This project was just becoming more and more exciting. This SURELY was a step-up from where she was at yesterday compared to Shoutaro. Just a little more, and she would rise to the top! Who knows, maybe this movie would do it?

She wasn't getting her hopes up, but it was fun to dream.

Kyoko was eager to meet her manager, but there wasn't enough to keep busy with at the Daruma-ya, so she decided to slip on her pink overalls and head over to LME and hang out in the LoveMe lounge until it was time. If someone asked her to do a job in the meantime, that was okay too. If she was lucky though, Kanae would be there. They had both been very busy and hadn't gotten to see each other since just before valentine's day.

When she opened the door though, the lounge was empty.

She glanced at the wall of lockers. Three names filled three lockers, one her own, another Kanae's, and the third was Choiri's. Her and Amamiya would never be friends, that much was clear, but they could at least chat about what was going on with Box 'R'.

Kyoko peaked inside the locker. Amamiya's belongings were there and her coveralls were missing. That meant she was on a job somewhere. Well shoot. Of course, there was always a chance she would return soon for her lunch break…

Kyoko sat down at the table and dug through her bag for something to keep her occupied. She had the script for Box 'R', a folded map of the studio block where Box 'R' was filmed, her Natsu make-up, her cell phone, a partially used package of cold medicine, her wallet, a sewing kit and a bag of dolls.

She took out the sewing kit and bag of dolls. Might as well occupy her time making a new doll or some clothing for the ones she already had.

Her mind wandered as she stitched, eager to meet her manager, and daydreaming about her princess role in the movie yet to be determined.

*click* The door to the lounge unlatched, and Kyoko jumped to her feet. Who was it? Kanae? Or Amamiya-san?

The woman who stepped through the door though was neither.

She was tall and slender with delicate features. Her long honey colored hair hung to her waist in tresses that bounced when she walked. Her high heels clicked lightly against the tiled floor. She HAD to be an actress, so what was she doing here?

Maybe she's got a job for the Love Me Section?

"Um… can I help you?" Kyoko said softly. The woman jumped, startled.

"Oh! Oh! You're here! I'm so sorry! Sawara-san, you said the girls were all out today!"

"Hmm?" Sawara peaked his head in the lounge beside the woman's shoulder. "Mogami-san! You're here early!"

"I'm sorry Sawara-san! I just couldn't sit around at home. I was bothering the Taisho and Okami and wasn't being any help at all. I figured if I at least came down here, I'd be in time for our meeting." Her cheeks flushed at her extreme earliness. It WAS Sawara-san though who found me, not the other way around.

"That's alright Mogami-san, actually it's quite perfect." He stepped around the woman in the doorway. "Why don't we talk here? It's much quieter than up at my desk anyway."

"That's okay. I can wait until you've finished with your meeting."

Sawara looked at her a little confused before comprehension dawned on him that Kyoko meant the woman now standing behind him.

"Oh! No, it's alright. Mogami-san, this is Tsutsui Kaminari-san. She will be your temporary manager from here on."

Kyoko's eyes went wide at their introduction. This beautiful woman COULDN'T be her MANAGER!

"Pleasure to meet you Mogami-san." She extended her hand.

Her nails were a perfect pale shade of pink. Her slender hand was firm as Kyoko grasped it to shake as she bowed in greeting.

"Tsutsui-san! I'm pleased to meet you as well!" Kyoko said happily. It's a woman! No! It's a LADY!

She looked up with a twinkle in her eye. Tsutsui-san was smiling back at her.

"I'm sure we'll get along just fine!" and she pulled Kyoko into a quick friendly hug. It was over before it registered to Kyoko what had just happened, and she realized she had went into a small daze.

"Um… Tsutsui-san… I didn't see! Where did Sawara-san go?"

She laughed. It wasn't only her hair that was like honey. Her voice was smooth and rich and sweet. "He went to get the script for your movie Mogami-san." She chuckled again. "Shall we sit and chat while we wait for him to return?"

She nodded once happily "Un!" and waited as Tsutsui Kaminari sat down and patted out the creases in her blouse before taking her own seat again.

"So, Mogami-san… Why are you working to become an actress?"

Kyoko blushed.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" Tsutsui-san blinked at her.

"N-no… It's just… a long story."

"Well, then I'm sure we'll have time for you to tell it later. How 'bout just a quick version?"

What was this? She hadn't accepted Kyoko's polite refusal to not tell her and just accepted it as a delay? She found she couldn't be offended by her manner though and actually found her friendliness pleasant.

"Okay then… um… I am working to be an actress to rise to the top and build a new me." Would she accept that answer?

"Okay, good enough. I'd just like to know the motivation behind my charge. If we don't get along well, we won't work together well. So how old are you Mogami-san?"

"17."

"17… that means your parents still have to sign off on reviewing your scripts then? We'll have to hurry with the movie script then."

"No Tsutsui-san, I don't actually need my parent…s… to review the script. I have been okayed to do this myself."

"Aaah… That makes things easier. Any brothers or sisters?"

"No… it's just me."

"Well I have an older brother. How about any pets?"

"Um, no. No pets. I couldn't have one at the Daruma-Ya."

"The Daruma-Ya? What is that, a boarding house?"

"No, well, sort of. It's a restaurant I work at part time and they rent a room to me in exchange."

"Oh, you don't live with your folks then."

"No, I'm originally from Kyoto."

"Wow! I would never have guessed! No accent at all. How long have you been in Tyoko?"

"Not that long, this is only the second year."

"And you're taking a lead role in a movie already!?" She seemed genuinely surprised. "That's AMAZING Mogami-san! You're rising so quickly! Makes me glad I'm your new manager then! Well, temporary manager. I'm still a student at Tokyo U that is. This is my internship. So I hope you'll take good care of me."

Kyoko shook her head, surely this woman was joking! "No no Tsutsui-san, the other way around! I beg you, please take good care of me!"

Sawara walked back through the door as the two girls were bowed on the tabletop. It looked like they had each fallen asleep on their hands and were taking a nap. He couldn't help but laugh. Surely this was a fantastic pairing. He would have to tell Takarada-sama how well the two were getting along and how much alike they seemed to be.

*Flump* the two scripts came to a rest, one in front of each of the girls at the table.

"Aah! The script! Lets see… Ooooooh Ring Doh 2: The Whispering Bells! So there WILL be a squeal! I watched this when it first came out, well, the first one I mean. Did you see it Mogami-san? You'll be playing the daughter, Choko!" She looked up from her script to where Kyoko's lay untouched, then to Kyoko's face.

All color had gone from her face as she looked down at the script.

"Um, Sawara-san… do you know who is playing the male lead?"

"I'm sorry Mogami-san, I don't. I'm sure you will find out tomorrow. You're due there for fitting and characterization at eight o'clock. Tsutsui-san will drive you."

Kaminari didn't have to ask to know there was something going on, but she waited politely to ask until after their meeting was over with Sawara-san, then offered to give Kyoko a ride home.

"Mogami-san… is there something wrong with the movie you'll be doing?"

"N-no… I'll do it. It'll be good for my career."

That's not what I asked Mogami Kyoko. Whatever it is… I'll figure it out.