Authors Chat: UGH. So I write about a flu virus, and suddenly I got sick with a stomach flu virus. NOT FAIR! I think next time I'll write about winning the lottery. Maybe that way it'd be GOOD luck! (Wishful thinking, I know. Alaska doesn't even really have a lottery. Nenana Ice Classic is our only lottery, and it doesn't quite count.)

So, I'll say it again. Sorry for the delay in updating. Was sick, had company in town, classes start back up this week, and I have a few extra meetings to attend. Plus, all excuses aside, I was/am having a hard time getting back in the swing of writing. Stupid holiday break. I should never have taken those few days *cough*weeks*cough* off.

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 31

Kyoko carefully opened her eyes a slit. The light slipping in through the crack in the door seemed magnified and caused her to blanch, turning away from the door as her head throbbed painfully. Her head hurt, but she felt she could think straight now, though she hardly had the energy to do so.

She pulled the blanket up over her head as she snuggled down into a more comfortable position in bed.

Wait… this isn't my blanket… or my bed!? She forced herself into a sitting position, regretting the action as she held her head to keep it from exploding upon her sudden movement.

As she sat there, she started to take in her surroundings. With the dim light spilling in through the mostly-closed door, she could see that she was up off of the floor, confirming her thought that she was not in her own bed.

The carpet was a light cream color, the wood work seemed to be a dark cherry from what she could see, and the bedspread was a light dusty-blue. Kyoko knew it would match the curtains, but as if she needed confirmation of where she was, she heard a masculine voice coming from down the hall.

"No Tsutsui-san…. Yes, the fever went down. … alright. Yes, alright. …No, it's fine really. Better to not disturb her when she's sleeping so soundly. It's no trouble at all. … That's true, but… Well… Tsutsui-san… I said it was fine." The one sided conversation went on for a few minutes, but Kyoko had heard all she had cared to.

Ren was clearly talking with Kaminari, and about her. Had Ren agreed to take care of Kyoko for Kaminari's sake? Was he trying to win her favor?

She couldn't bare to even humor the thought as her head began to pound more, but her bladder screamed for release. Kyoko forced her legs over the edge of the bed and sat there, regaining her bearings again.

The world began to spin as she pushed up against the bed to stand, but she made it staggering to the doorway and gently pushed the door open. Pain shot from her eyes down to her stomach as if somehow connected and threatened to make her loose whatever remained in her stomach, but swallowing a few gulps of air, she trudged down the hall toward the bathroom a few doors away.

"Mogami-san!" Ren was surprised to see her up. "You should be in bed." He started toward her from his place in the kitchen where he was hanging up the cordless phone.

"nnn… Sorry… I… need to go."

Ren rushed to her and gently put his hands on her shoulders. "No Mogami-san, I don't think that's a good thing. You need to stay here… and get back in bed. It's fine, don't worry. I won't do anything to you." He tried not to look away, but could feel mouth twitching a little with the worry he felt about Kyoko being sick, and trying to leave him in such a condition.

"No Tsuruga-san… I need TO GO…." She nodded toward the bathroom door, unable to think clearly about what Ren meant.

Ren actually flushed a little. "oh… S-sorry Mogami-san… I thought you meant… no, never mind. Here. You can lean on me." He held his arm out to her and waited for her to accept his assistance.

She looked at his arm for a moment then said, "um, thank you Tsuruga-san, but isn't it a little, um, weird helping me to the bathroom? I can do it myself I think."

"Oh, right. Then, I'll wait here until you've finished then help you back to the bed."

She didn't have the energy to argue, but went around the corner into the bathroom and shut the door while Ren ran his hand through his hair at his own awkwardness.

He felt silly for offering to help her go to the bathroom, but the feeling drained away when he heard the toilet flush and Kyoko open the door.

She was white as a ghost. It was clear the simple exertion of moving from the bedroom to the bathroom was more energy than her sick form could muster, and she did not argue when she found Ren had indeed been waiting for her at the bathroom door.

Ren looked unsure what he should be doing, but seemed hell-bent on helping her in some way.

"Ice."

"What?" he said, confusion at the one word sentence clear on his face.

"I need some for the fever. Fill the ice bag with a little water and a bunch of ice for my forehead. I put them in the pantry cabinet opposite the fridge."

Ren immediately turned and headed toward the kitchen as Kyoko slowly made her way back to the guest bedroom. She wanted to go back to her own bed at the Daruma-ya, but knew she could not go anywhere yet. Her stomach would not allow her much more time on her feet as it was.

She sat down on the edge of the bed as she could hear the doorbell softly ring.

Tsuruga-san won't take long… I'll just wait for the ice. Well… then again, if it's something work-related, maybe it will take a long time…

Kyoko sat struggling with her determination for how long Ren would be at the door. She sat long enough for Ren to screw on the lid to the ice bag and walk himself to the door and answer.

Kaminari stood at the entry way dressed for dancing.

"Tsutsui-san! What are you doing here? I thought we took a rain check on dinner."

"Well, you did, but you said Kyoko's fever was down, so I thought I would be able to tear you away for a little while since she needs her sleep."

Ren gently pushed Kaminari out the door and into the hall so their voices would not disturb Kyoko down the hall.

"I'm not going to leave Mogami-san here in my apartment. Her fever could go back up."

"She's a grown adult Tsuruga-san, I'm sure she'll be fine. She knows her way around your apartment, right? I mean, Yukihito said she's been here a few times before and even cooked for you."

"That's beside the point. If she needs something, I need to be here for her. She took care of me when I was sick to the point where she didn't even go home to study for her High School entrance exam and tried to study here instead. I owe her this."

"You owe her this." She repeated his own words, emphasizing the words skeptically. "Why? It isn't like you're indebted to her in any way right? I mean, YOU'RE the sempai, she's the Kouhai. She owes you if anything."

"No Tsutsui-san. It's just… I'm not leaving her here alone. End of discussion. I'll still take that rain check if the offer still stands."

"Of course it does," she sighed.

"Then good night Tsutsui-san. Please enjoy yourself tonight. " Ren stepped back inside the door and latched it closed softly behind him.

Kyoko knew who had been at the door though. Kaminari's voice carried unexpectedly and could be understood easily from down the hall where Kyoko sat at the edge of the guest bed.

Dinner. It seemed they were supposed to go to dinner. I forced him to cancel a date. Oh God, and he doesn't have many dates in the first place. Kyoko frowned. They really are good for each other. She has the height to match well with him, certainly is pretty enough. She's even trying to get into the entertainment industry. What does he see in me? I can't compare. I'm short, flat chested, not a very good actress. I certainly don't have a models looks. She sighed mentally and laid herself back down in the bed as she thought of all the differences between herself and Kaminari and how Kami-chan seemed to be a better fit in all ways for Tsuruga-san.

I should leave. Go back to the Daruma-ya. This is no place for me. I can't impose like this on Tsuruga-san.

She was lost in thought and did not notice the soft click as Ren had re-closed the doors he and Kaminari had been talking outside of. Hours later though, Kyoko's brain was still churning, and she could find peace no longer in the guest bed.

I doubt he'll be back for a while. I can call a taxi and be gone before he'll even return. He picks so slowly at his food, I doubt they'll be back in any short time…

Kyoko swung her legs off the side of the bed, sitting up with the momentum caused as her legs flew downward. Her head spun, but did not feel like it would explode yet. She pushed up and dizzily wobbled her way to the door frame, then down the hall toward the kitchen where the cordless telephone awaited her grasp.

As she turned to locate an actual address for where the cab should pick her up at, she saw the television was left on and slowly skidded her way across the floor to turn the box off.

She was surprised to see Ren curled into a ball on the couch with a throw blanket tucked around his form.

Judging by the half-eaten – she sniffed – and burnt rice…. And now cold – she felt the outside of a mug on the table – yeah, now cold coffee… How long was I out just now? She looked up at the clock in wonder. Three hours had passed while she struggled with the idea of Kaminari and Ren together as a couple. Had she had that much to think about? It seemed rather that she only had worked to convince herself that Kaminari was a better match for Ren than herself, and that argument did not seem to have taken long as far as Kyoko could remember.

She scratched her head gently, then reached down to touch Ren on the shoulder.

"Tsuruga-san… wake up."