Authors Chat: I'm probably going to be late for work this morning… I really wanted to get this out though. Also, just a note, go and look up the Raging Bull handgun. You'll understand a reference in this chapter better if you've seen the gun. Gotta get to work! *dashes 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.

Playing With Fire

Act 53

Kyoko sat with her head hung, pen tapping her upper lip, pouring everything she could remember onto the back of Ren's hand-written schedule.

I've got Bridge Rock every Wednesday night until 9:00, then there's Box 'R' on Mondays and Tuesdays during the day from 8 until noon, and then school from 1:00 until 4:00. Okay, those are the basics. Lets see… I've already said yes to the "Champions Writ" script… First meeting on the 18th, at 5:00 in the evening. Ooh, and of course there's Ring Doh 2. With that, she scribbled in the last of her commitments, and was surprised her schedule was almost as full as Ren's.

But Ren's got a lot more things to attend to. No wonder he's the One-shot king. He has to be just to make his schedule…

"Now arriving at Koya, all travelers wishing to depart, please exit the aft doors."

She was out of time. Kyoko began hastily gathering up her belongings, wishing desperately that she had her bag as she juggled the small tin of mints to prevent it from sliding off the script in her arms.

Once off the bus, she hurried to remove her bike from the bicycle rack before the bus reloaded and took off again to make its route on time.

She had to perform a balancing act to ride her bike down the street with her belongings in her arms. How she wished she still had a bag! Sure, she could stop by a store quickly and buy something cheap, but she didn't want to waste the money. She would need all her extra savings to buy a nice outfit for her date! Kyoko blushed lightly as her thoughts trailed to what they could potentially do with their time together.

Her cheeks were flushed as she wheeled into the parking lot of Studio 18, but no one had to know that it wasn't from the exertion of riding the bike from the bus stop.

Actors were on stage, and filming was being done. The universal hush engulfed the room, and Kyoko felt like a bird in a bush. Every little movement she made seemed to cause some noise; first she tripped on a cord, then she almost dropped her notebooks, then the tin of mints fell off of the notebooks, and finally, her pen fell on the floor.

Not a soul looked to where she stood. All eyes were zeroed in on those on stage. This scene was a very intense exchange between Lt. Seto and Chief Himatsu.

If their guns had been six shooters, they would have been on the count of nine.

Each man trying to keep their calm, trying to exude calm and professionalism though their jawbones could be seen clenching in anger at each other.

"I said, Lt. Seto, you are OFF of this case."

Lt. Seto's gaze narrowed. "Why." It was more of a statement than a question.

"You know why. You're too damned involved in this case."

"Chief, this is MY case. Has BEEN my case since the first victim was found. No one knows this case like I do."

"-Nor does anyone know the people involved like you do."

There was a brief pause before Seto Yuusuke responded. "What are you implying Chief Himatsu?" his jaw clenched closed as his words ended sharply.

"I am not implying anything Lieutenant. Everyone in this precinct knows you've got a Raging Bull for the blasted daughter." he was now inches from Lt. Seto's face, searching for a reaction.

Lt. Seto wasn't about to fall for the petty trick though. He knew he was treading on thin ice at this moment. Chief Himatsu would go to any lengths to forcibly remove Lt. Seto from this case, and Seto'd be damned before he'd give him the satisfaction of drawing a reaction based on a petty low blow.

Seto turned his back on the Chief before saying "I'm a professional. I know when off-limits is off-limits." Then he turned. "My first concern for this case is to solve it…. Sir."

"Oh don't bother with the sweet words now Lieutenant. They aren't going to make me change my mind on this. You're too close to the case."

"Too close my ass!" Seto's voice and anger started rising, "Tokaji's been talking hasn't he?"

Chief Himatsu rolled back on the balls of his feet, puffing out his chest and remained silent. Give a man enough rope, and eventually he'd hang himself.

"That cock-sucker's been flapping his jaw with the details to Moritaki again hasn't he. You're giving the case to Moritaki aren't you."

Himatsu sighed then turned, walked behind his desk and sat down before answering. "Look Seto. This ain't about Tokaji or Moritaki or even the call-girl he's been seeing these days. It's about you getting too attached to the potential suspects of this case."

Seto's mouth opened to throw his next rebuttal, but the Chief threw up his hand.

"This isn't open for discussion Seto. Whether you are or are not sticking your prick in the girl is your own business, but when it affects how this department operates, public opinion of this department drops. That means less funds, and that means someone gets cut from the team. Be glad I'm not using that option now Lieutenant. I've heard some of what comes out of your mouth. Oh, don't give me that look. You wouldn't have said it if you really cared if it got back to me."

Seto was glaring, but bit his tongue in silence.

"You and I, we're gonna get along before either of us leaves whether we like it or not. You go. Be pissed off about the case now, but I treat my boys right, and we all benefit. The boys don't get along or do their job well?... Well. You get the point. You're dismissed Lieutenant."

"Mor-"

"End of discussion Lieutenant Seto Yuusuke. There is the door." He pointed even as his head dipped back into his paperwork sprawled out on his oak desk.

Seto walked out, punched the doorframe, then slammed the door closed behind him as he walked out of the building, and offset.

It would seem, luckly for Kyoko, that no one had noticed her noise due in part to the background police department office sounds filling the now empty stage.

"aaaand cut!" Good. That was better this time Uchida. Tsuruga-san, thank you. We're done with this scene all. Break for lunch, but be back here in exactly one hour and … twenty-three minutes to pick up on scene 64."

Ren was slightly disheveled, in part to Lt. Seto's all-night research party of one, in part to the emotionally loaded argument he had just had as Seto.

He whipped around, fully charged and on edge. He spotted Kyoko near the door, and was by her side in five long strides.

He grabbed her upper arm and half-pushed, half-guided her down the hall.

"T-t-tsuruga-san! That hurts!" Her wail could be heard down the hall throughout the set, but no one was willing to get between them with the intense scene they had just witnessed in character.

He shoved her firmly into his dressing room, then slammed the door closed.

"You didn't answer your phone," he forced out gruffly.

"I-I didn't…. I didn't hear it ring." Her voice was soft, a whisper.

Ren whipped around to see a tear starting to trail down her cheek.

He sighed, closed his eyes, then looked at her again. Reaching a hand out, he could feel the warmth of her cheek penetrating the cold anger in his heart. He bent down and kissed the tear from her cheek, its saltiness fully returning him to his senses.

"I'm sorry Kyoko. I didn't mean that how it sounded. Let me try again. I was worried when you didn't answer your phone. Did you manage to get to Yashiro's apartment and back already?"

Kyoko gently rubbed her arm, and let her cheek rest against his hand. "It's okay. I forgive you, but Tsu… Ren-san, you should take a moment after you get off set to remember yourself!"

"…You're lecturing me?" He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Well... yes, I guess. That really hurt my arm. And what will everyone else think?" her cheeks reddened at this realization.

"Who cares? … Okay, well, when we leave here, we do it together. That way they don't think I took advantage of you." She blushed deeper at his words.

There was a moment where Ren stared down at Kyoko, blushing against his palm, before he realized they hadn't moved in a good two minutes.

His hand moved down to her shoulder, resting lightly on top of her shirt.

"Shall we go then?"

"Go?"

"To lunch. We now have exactly one hour and… eight minutes until I'm needed back on set, and I'm guessing we have a schedule to try to figure out?"

Her eyes widened "Un!"

He slipped his arm around her shoulders now and led her from the room toward the parking garage. They did receive a few looks – some of disappointment that Tsuruga-san already had a lunch date – most just continued on their own errands. Despite the lack of expected stares, Kyoko was glad when they reached the car.

After closing the door behind Kyoko, Ren went around and buckled himself in.

The engine purred to life, and Ren was out on the road before he next spoke.

"I really am sorry about grabbing you so roughly Kyoko. Honestly, I was still incited from playing Lt. Seto. Normally, Yashiro is there the moment I step off screen with a water and talks to me about the scene. It gives me a moment to remember who Tsuruga Ren is."

"I never realized Ren-san. You always are so collected. To think that even the Great Tsuruga Ren can get lost in a role. You truly are a great actor!"

Ren smiled. "Not that great. If I had been more controlled, I wouldn't have hurt you. And I've told you before. In private, it's just Ren."

She melted just a little under his quick smile. Had he not returned his gaze to the road, she was certain to have been a puddle in the floor of the car from the warmth of his smile.

"But we aren't in your home – we're still out in public! And Hizuri Kuu-sama told me when he was here and I was playing young Kuon, that when a person is sad to be leaving a role, because they live the role when they are portraying them… that is what it means to be a great actor!"

Ren swerved a little upon mention of Kuu and his own young self, unnoticed to Kyoko.

"Yes well. Sad yes, angry, no. There is a difference between the emotion of leaving a role behind and the emotion of still being caught up with the characters circumstances. And we are in the privacy of my car. I have tinted windows for a reason Kyoko. In here, it is considered the same as if we were at home. Call me Ren."

She blushed. "Alright Ren. Where are we going?"

"There's a restaurant just around the next corner that caters to the actor and actress type crowd. We'll be safe to talk there. So then you did manage to get into Yashiro's apartment?"

She nodded. "Un! We did."

"Good. Well, not 'good', but when Yashiro said he was going to LME and to stop by his apartment to pick up something, I thought for sure you would wind up there at the same time. …wait, who is 'we'?"

Kyoko's face flushed and excitement filled her eyes. She waited until Ren had parked before she opened her mouth to speak. "Kotonami Kanae-san. She called as I was leaving. I told her I needed a look-out. She was reluctant at first, but then she agreed. She went with me to Yashiro-san's home. It was a good thing too, because she was able to help me not get caught when Yashiro-san did show up!"

Ren halted as he reached over to unbuckle her seatbelt. "So Yashiro DID find you in his apartment?" he signed.

"Wellll, not exactly. We tried to hide, but Kanae-san is smart. She used her actress skills and convinced him she was in his apartment to leave him a message."

"And he bought that?" Ren placed his hand over his face and crinkled his forehead in consternation at his friend and manager. "What sort of message was she supposed to have been leaving him?"

"A request. … for a date!"

Ren dropped his hand onto the steering wheel and looked at Kyoko is surprise.

"A date?"

"un!"

"How could he be so stupid. He finds a woman in his apartment, and she claims to be there to leave him a message asking for a date? Tell me, did he also give her the code to his personal safe? When it comes to love, that man is so impressionable. Tell me he didn't say 'yes' to her?"

"Actually Ren-sa… Ren. He didn't say yes, but he didn't say no. He invited her to go with him to LME to get a new phone. Did something happen to Yashiro-san's phone again?"

"His phone breaks about once every two weeks. You know, if it wasn't for the fact that it kept you from getting found out, I would have to yell at that man for his actions. When it comes to issues of love, he's honestly hopeless. Now see, THIS is why I didn't want to ask him about my schedule in order to plan our date."

"I think I understand. Did you know he has 216 American romance novels in his bedroom, all organized alphabetically?"

"216? Really?"

She nodded, then they both laughed. They were still laughing as Ren got out and went around the car to open the door for Kyoko.

"-and if it hadn't been for Kanae-chan's quick thinking, and Yashiro-san being a hopeless romantic, I would have been caught, and wouldn't have been able to get your schedule."

"Then I guess this time, we have to thank them."

Ren smiled. Kyoko smiled, then the corner of Ren's lips turned up into a devious smile. "-and what better way to thank them, then to help them along in their blossoming relationship?"

"Ren-san, we can't! Moko-san would kill me!"

"Moko-san?"

"I mean Kanae-chan! She is Love-Me member number two after all!"

Ren smiled, finally putting together who Kotonami Kanae was. "Then I'm sure we could even get the President's help on this one."

"Ren-saaaan!"

He laughed. "Well, for now at least… lets go in and eat, and see what our own schedules look like."