Authors Chat: Sorry y'all for the delay. Been busy here. Had some stuff going on at work that was very mentally draining (including a week long OSHA course!), came down with a nasty cold-type flu bug, and a few other things like my sister coming to town to visit, but mostly those are all just excuses.

I'd been having a hard time putting into order what and how I wanted to proceed. I have plans, for this story, they were just disjointed.

Thank you missmeadow. Your comment, which I received on my iPhone very early this morning, made me start thinking about my story first thing in the morning before anything else crawled in there to think about. Gave me a very clear head. SO, why I know this chapter is very short, you will see some set-up taking place, and I shouldn't take nearly as long to update again. (Mind you, I have major projects due in two classes, then finals next week, so I make no promises in how many chapters I push out for the next two weeks. Might only be one, might be zero, but just know they will be coming!)

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 42

Yashiro was beyond excited. He was so eager to get to work the next day and see how different his charge and Kyoko-chan were, that he found himself laying awake, unable to sleep, with his mind wandering. By the time sleep finally overtook him, Ren and Kyoko were married, living in a beautiful country cottage with three children – one boy and two girls - a dog, a fish tank filled with tropical fish, a Harley Davidson, two porches – Ren's red one, and a silver 'hers' porche for Kyoko to match – a flower garden complete with birdhouses Kyoko called 'Fairy Cottages', and a beautiful home with a lavish kitchen larger than his own two bedroom apartment.

When he awoke the following morning, he was lacking sleep, but his eagerness to get on set with Ren and Kyoko-chan was overwhelming, and he didn't miss the zz's at all.

He could hardly contain himself and found himself whistling as he showered and dressed for work, then found himself skipping as he moved to the bus stop. Ren's place was only one stop away, but still too far to walk so early in the morning.

I have GOT to get a grip on myself! I must look so silly to these strangers, but… Kyoko-chan! Hehe! I really can't WAIT to see what's happened between them. Maybe Ren will finally smile again!

Ren WAS smiling. Not his dazzling REAL smile though, but his fake gentlemen's smile.

"Yashiro… Good morning."

"Good morning Ren… did I miss something? What's wrong?"

"Wrong? Whatever could you mean by that? Maybe you mean sending Mogami-san over to my apartment yesterday to force me to eat?"

"N-No! That wasn't my fault! I SWEAR it!"

Ren broke into a slight laugh. "Calm down Yashiro. It's fine. Just don't do that again without warning me."

"It really wasn't me Ren. You can blame Kami-chi for that."

"Well then. I'll have to thank her."

"Thank her? For having Kyoko make you eat? Are you feeling alright? Not getting sick again, are you?" Yashiro wasn't sure what to make of this.

"No, I am not getting sick again. I am perfectly fine. Just had a good night's sleep is all." Ren collected his jacket and satchel, then ushered Yashiro out the door, smiling.

Ren had to ask Yashiro repeatedly to sit still on the way to location, and the closer they got, the more fidgety Yashiro got. He was grateful when they finally pulled into the vacant lot of the shoot. He could finally get away from his manager. Ren felt horrible thinking that way, but his own nerves were short and his anxiety levels were rising. He couldn't wait to see Kyoko. Just like every other day. He had to remind himself frequently. It wasn't just like every other day though, and he was anxious. She had agreed to go on a date with him. He had to plan carefully and not botch it up! Her agreeing meant she was willing to give him a chance, right? He COULDN'T screw this up.

Asking Yashiro for an evening off though… that's going to be a tricky thing. If I tell him what for, he'll never leave me alone enough TO plan something, much less spend time alone with her.

Ren's thoughts took him through wardrobe, hair, and make-up, and he found himself having just enough time to look over his lines before his scenes started for the day, so he headed to the side of the set to look over his lines in private.

That's when she entered the set. Ren watched Kyoko wind her way through the camera cords and props and people toward her dressing room and smiled. Had anybody been watching him, they would have known he was smitten, but the moment she entered her dressing room and closed the door, he shook himself and attempted yet again to focus on his lines.

If I keep acting like this I'll get NG after NG today! Focus! She'll still be there after the shoot is over. He could hardly contain his grin. I feel like such a child. Giggling because the girl I like didn't run away when I kissed her on the playground. Well… I guess that IS basically what happened, but I… damn it… I'm doing it again. He scowled.

"Okay. Fine." He said to no one in particular, then rolled up his script and wrung it between his hands. If I can't get her out of my head, might as well entertain the thoughts for now. Then I should be able to focus when the shoot starts. There are three main problems I'm going to have to deal with now. First, how the hell am I going to get through the day and keep acting like 'Tsuruga Ren'. Second, how the heck am I going to tell Yashiro without sending him into a frenzy, and third… what can I do for a date with her. It has to be something special. Don't want to attract media attention, so it has to be something private. Good god, it better include pre-made food, or she'll spend the entire evening in a kitchen or chastising me! He smiled. Guess I should figure out what time will be available then, and contact Rene Marcel about that…and that takes me back to getting my schedule from Yashiro. No small feat, that. The man never lets it down thanks to his technological aversion.

Lastly… how am I going to get through the day?

As if fate had decided to play tricks on him, Kyoko stepped out of her dressing room at that very moment.

She was stunning. She was beautiful in her grey and butterfly kimono. She stepped down the single stair from the verandah and looked as if she never landed. There was no sudden stop and leveling out as her foot hit the grass, she just kept moving forward.

It would seem she's already in character. Now if only I could get there. He exhaled hard, let his eyes rove over the slim and delicate figure across the set from him, then attempted one last time to focus on his roll.