Chapter 2: When it is useful, use it.

Author's Note:
- This story was meant to be a one-shot, but my brain just kept flying when I was writing it so I think there are going to be more chapters to come. But I'll try to keep it short since I don't want to use up all my ideas on one fic.
- Like I said on the first chapter, I'm crap at giving names so I just called the TV studio where Bridge Rock is being shot as "A-Studios". I also assumed that Nipponet Scoop is being filmed there because in one of the chapters, Sawara mentioned that everytime Kyoko went to "that" studio, she always gets into trouble.

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"Hello???" Ren softly knocked as he slowly opened the door to peek inside the Love Me Department office.

"Yes?" A dark-haired girl, Kotonami Kanae – the only other person in the Love Me Department and the one who trampled on his joy last Christmas – turned to him as she adjusted her duffel bag on her shoulder. "Ah, Tsuruga-san. I'm on my way out for a job and Kyoko is in A Studios and won't be back until three this afternoon. If you need the assistance of the Love Me Department, you can go through Chief Sawara."

"Oh, I see..." Ren lied through his teeth, successfully hiding his disappointment. "Well, thank you anyway. I'll head to Sawara-san's office then." He went here on a whim after a short meeting with the President. He hoped Mogami-san was there so they can spend some time together before he heads for A Studios. She really looked like she needed to talk last night during the Dark Moon taping. And since he had the time because the meeting he attended for a project ended earlier than anticipated.

And he could have driven her there too... he pouted. Since they were going the same way anyway.

"A Studios?" Yukihito-san repeated as he climbed into the passenger seat. "For Nipponet Scoop? That's the only show taping right now and that's for newbies. Kyoko-chan has already guested there."

"I don't know," Ren shrugged as he adjusted his seatbelt and started the car. "That's all Kotonami-san said and she was in a hurry so I didn't ask anymore."

"That's strange," Yashiro Yukihito, Ren's manager, wondered. "I don't recall anything like that on her schedule."

"Yukihito-san," Ren wryly said as he drove out the LME building. "You're supposed to be my manager. Why are you keeping tabs on other people's schedule and not mine?"

"What are you talking about?" Yukihito smiled widely but his tone was a little defensive. "I am keeping tabs of your schedule really well. And I arrange it excellently I'll have you know. Don't trample on my pride by saying I don't do it well because I make sure that you get to spend quality time with Kyoko-chan!"

"Yukihi-" His voice threaded with slight threat.

But his annoying manager wasn't wavered in the least. He crossed his arms his chest and shook his head. "And here I thought I could arrange for a nice lunch time thing for you..."

"Yukihito-san," Ren replied. "You're not exactly my idea of a lunch date."

"But it's strange," Yukihito-san placed his index finger on his chin, looking up. "Kyoko-chan doesn't really have anything planned for today until her Box-R taping at five so I just assumed she would be at school. And that she's supposed to pass by the office before that to talk to Sawara-san about a new project for her."

"Well, it can't be helped, right?" Ren replied shortly. Then he changed his mood and smiled. "There's a convenience store over there! Let's get some onigiri! I want tuna in mine!"

"Ren!" Yukihito-san protested. "We have a full hour before we're needed in the Bridge Rock taping! Let's at least have some real lunch!"

* * *

"Great timing that you didn't have to anything on your schedule today, Kyoko-chan!" Ishibashi Shin'ichi slapped at the back of Kyoko's bright pink Love Me Uniform.

"Yes! It was great timing! I'm supposed to have a calculus exam this afternoon." Kyoko cheerily said as she balanced herself. As sweet as the Bridge Rock boys are, they mostly treat her a lot like one of the boys. Well, they weren't completely unconscious that Kyoko was a girl, since they're always courteous to make her not feel out-of-place since they consider her as part of the main cast. It somehow makes Kyoko very happy. "Why the sudden taping?"

"Well..." Yuusei shrugged. "That whole scandal thing that blew over yesterday involving that guest is something that the studio doesn't want to air. So we're taping with a new guest."

"I see..." Kyoko didn't really follow gossip so she didn't really know anything about it. "Then who will be the guest?"

"Tsuruga Ren."

"Tsuruga-san???" Kyoko's ears perked up and her eyes went as wide as plates. "Tsuruga-san is our guest??? How'd we get him??? He's a super busy actor."

"Well," Hikaru smiled. "Being under LME has their advantages, right?"

"It just so happens that one of the actresses in a project he's working on right now suddenly had to drop out and the understudy is now in another film so they're re-holding auditions," Yuusei explained.

"What is he doing other than Dark Moon? Apart from the modeling thing?" Hikaru wondered loudly.

"Let's bug him about it when we interview him! Let's rig the eggs for it!!!" Shin'ichi energetically said.

"But you can't discount our luck since it's still Tsuruga Ren that's guesting today!" Hikaru laughed.

"Definitely not!" Yuusei and Shin'ichi exclaimed.

N-not good! Kyoko went into panic mode. If he ever finds out she's here and that she's playing Bo, she'll be done for. Oh no! She had to get into costume before-

"C'mon, Kyoko-chan," Hikaru rested his hand on her shoulder. "Let's grab something to eat first."

"Huh? I thought I'd get into costume now..."

"Eh, but we're not going to start until at least an hour and a half! An hour for lunch and half an hour while Tsuruga-san gets ready with make-up," Hikaru reasoned. "C'mon... You're all skin and bones now. I'll treat you to some anpan... low calorie. The cafeteria has some available now."

The words "low calorie" were music to Kyoko's ears. She's been keeping to a Spartan diet to keep her figure for Natsu so she hasn't been eating anpan - making some in the traditional way and giving it away to random people just to satisfy her senses with the smell. But not eating them. Maybe if she learned what's inside a low-calorie one, she can make some and...

"Alright!" Kyoko exclaimed. "But you're paying!"

Hikaru just stared at her for a while and said, "You're on!" And the two just laughed on their way out, leaving the two Ishibashi boys behind staring after them.

"The leader left to have lunch with Kyoko-chan and didn't even invite us," Shin'ichi trailed off while looking at their backs.

"Just let him be," Yuusei smiled and headed for the phone. "Let's have pizza delivered and not share it with them!" he proposed with a determined look on his face.

"You're treat?" Shin'ichi asked.

"No..." Yuusei wryly said. "Halfies."

* * *

Kyoko was smiling happily as she and Hikaru walked in comfortable silence. Anpan! A low-calorie one.

"Kyoko-chan?" Hikaru started slowly.

"Huh?" she turned to him.

"What ever happened…? With that thing?"

Thing?

"Oh that!" she smiled cheerfully. "That issue's over and done with! We've already had a satisfactory conclusion with that. So you don't have to worry about it, Hikaru-senpai."

Hikaru?

Hikaru stared ahead and nodded. "Good. I only agreed to keep it a secret like you requested because I trust that you have the good judgment that you're not just going to sit idly and that you'll do something about it."

Secret?

"Oooh... Hikaru-senpai's been worried about me?"

Worry?

"Of course I am, Kyoko-chan! We've known each other for a while now. You're cute and nice and sweet, but I don't believe that you're someone who will accept having yourself trampled on like that! And I don't want anyone too either."

Kyoko... chan?

"You're right," Kyoko glared at the floor hard. "After I decided to join show business, I never intended to let anyone trample all over me. You don't have to worry about me, senpai. You have my total trust about this thing."

Trust? What thing?

"Great!" Hikaru smiled widely again. "But remember, if you ever feel like you need someone to talk to, you don't have to make yourself uncomfortable. Like you, I think show business is such a tough industry. You can't just put your trust in anybody. But you can always tell me anything with ease since we're... um, friends."

Kyoko perked up at the keywords that she has been looking for has come forth! Hikaru-senpai has always been a trusted friend she's comfortable being around with who also happen to be in show business!

She giggled as she jumped in front of him.

"Kyoko-chan?" A puzzled Hikaru looked at her and bewilderment took over when she held his cheeks between her hands and pressed a tiny kiss on his lips.

Smilingly, she took a step back, intending to thank him for both the favor of her problem and for being her friend. She didn't really want to tell him that he was her little experiment, but it wouldn't be good if she misled her friend into thinking she was some kind of kissing monster.

But when Hikaru's mouth opened on his reddened dumbfounded face, he raised a finger to point past Kyoko and exclaimed, "Aaah... Tsuruga-san!"