Next chapter! Hehe, this story is a lot more serious than my other ones, so it's something new that i'm trying. so far, it seems to be working. thanks to those who read and reviewed! they are much appreciated! :D

Ren re-read the letter countless of times, desperately trying to decipher the meaning behind her words. And every time he did, he could feel the hole in his heart rip apart wider and wider, as if he was slowly dying from the inside. Frustrated and hurt, Ren slammed the note onto his bedside drawer and slumped onto the floor, leaning his head back onto the bed and staring at the ceiling.

Thinking back to the last few days, Ren could clearly recall the paradise he seemed to have finally achieved after so many years of yearning. He could remember the wonderful days and nights he spent with her, the smile on her lips that never seemed to vanish, and the kisses she gave him whenever she was at a close enough distance. For the last few weeks, it seemed that everything had gone right for once. She was spending her nights over at his place and worked long hours at LME just so that she could be with him. And even though Ren refused to get his hopes up, he couldn't help but think that she returned at least some of his feelings.

"What could have gone wrong?" Ren thought in agony as he ran a hand through his hair.

Putting his face in his hands, Ren had never before felt so helpless…so heartbroken. He wanted to talk to her, to make sure that she was okay. Even if Kyoko decided that she didn't want to be with him anymore, Ren wanted to end the relationship on good terms. Not like this…as if she couldn't bear to see his face ever again. Whether they were to be together or not, he didn't want Kyoko out of his life. He needed her. He loved her.

Looking at the clock, Ren realized that it was only 7:14. Thankfully, filming for Dark Moon didn't start until ten, so that gave him plenty of time to come up with a plan to find her. But Ren had no idea of where to look. Her letter didn't disclose any information; he was basically starting at square one.

Dragging himself to his feet, Ren walked into the bathroom to get dressed. Immediately, he saw the blue shirt that he lent her lying in the hamper. He gently picked up the garment and held it in his hands. Ren stood there for what seemed an eternity as he tried to retrieve any clues as to where she went…and even more so, why she left.

Ren quickly shook his head free of such a thought and quickly got dressed. Throwing on a black collared shirt and a pair of gray slacks, Ren walked into the kitchen to grab his phone. As he was just about to dial Yashiro's number, he froze.

Even if he called Yashiro, how would this help his situation? Bringing other people into a problem that was strictly between him and Kyoko was not only cowardly, but pathetic. Ren had to resolve this issue on his own.

Gritting his teeth together, Ren sat down on the couch in the living room and forced himself to stay calm. He had to think about this rationally. Being anxious and frantic wasn't going to help him in any way whatsoever.

Staring intently at the television, it suddenly hit him.

"It can't be…" Ren whispered as last night's incident flooded into his memory.

Just as previous nights before, Kyoko had stopped by to prepare dinner for the two of them, a habit she willingly picked up when she discovered that Ren couldn't take care of himself very well. From what he had noticed, everything seemed fine until Kyoko started to act rather odd towards the end. Then, when she and Ren were watching a movie together, a commercial suddenly interrupted the program and shockingly enough, it was an ad for a new skin care line with none other than Fuwa Sho as the spokesperson. Ren figured that Kyoko would probably get mad or annoyed at seeing him, but when he looked at her face, it was contorted with pain.

She wasn't trembling with anger; it was with anguish. Ren was so stunned that he couldn't help but watch helplessly as she closed her eyes and turned her face away from the television set. Finally shaking himself free of his trance, he pulled Kyoko into his lap and held her in his arms.

When he asked her what was bothering her, Kyoko just shook her head and laid her head on his shoulder. Not wanting to push her any further, Ren just sat there, worrying out of his mind. He had never seen her react that way before, especially when she saw Sho. Even though he thought nothing of it then, it seemed that that was the only clue as to where she went.

"Could it be that she realized she really did care for him? That she made a mistake?"

Like a full-on collision, Ren could feel his breath get knocked right out of him. He had no proof for the conclusion he came up with, but Ren couldn't deny it either. It was the only plausible answer. And no matter how much it killed him to think that he lost her to him out of all people, Ren had to accept it. He always knew that Sho would have a place in her heart that he could never fill. But Ren truly believed that he could replace it somehow, or that maybe his love for her would be so great that she didn't need that part of her she lost. Obviously, he was wrong.

Kyoko still needed Sho. She still wanted him. And even though he hated it, Ren knew she still loved him.

"What am I doing?" Ren murmured softly. "How could I fall so far?"

Sighing heavily, he walked back into the bedroom and grabbed the letter on the drawer. He had every intention to tear the note into shreds, but when he looked at her delicate writing, the pang of missing her refused to let his fingers go any further.

After reading the note one last time, Ren decided he had to find her. He needed to hear it from Kyoko, no matter how much it would hurt. He needed any excuse just to see her, even if it meant that he would find her in the arms of Sho. Although he had no idea of where to start, it was better than just sitting here and doing nothing.

With his mind made up, Ren slipped on his coat and placed the folded letter in his front pocket with an umbrella in his hand. It seemed like a huge storm was rolling in and Ren could have cared less. In fact, if he had the ability to do so, he would have wished for the world to end…because the worst punishment of all right now was just being alive.

"Why is it so damn cold?" he said irritably as he pulled his coat collar further up his neck. Pushing his hands into the front pockets of his pants, Sho stretched out his legs as he looked upward at the dark, looming sky. The jingle of the key chains hooked around his pockets echoed in the desolate park as the soft gurgling of the water in the fountain sprayed behind him.

A cold wind blew across his face, into his blond hair, and down his spine. He was incredibly uncomfortable and would much rather be sleeping in his warm bed back at the hotel. He had a busy day today, with a video shoot, autograph signing, and a meeting with his band. But in the end, he came…just because she wanted him to.

Sho didn't bother telling Shoko where he went. In fact, it was probably more accurate to say that he snuck out. Even though he was old enough to make his own choices, his manager always needed to know where he was and what he was doing, one of her annoying managerial duties.

Sho shook his head in disbelief. He went through all that trouble for this one girl. He couldn't even understand why he was out here, waiting for her. Or why the hell he even bothered to come. It was completely useless. But remembering the text message she sent him, Sho realized that it must have been serious.

Flipping open his cell, Sho went to his inbox and opened the message once again, reading silently to himself:

We should talk. Meet me at the fountain in the park around 7. –K

"What do we have to talk about?" Sho muttered for the millionth time as he continued to stare at the words. Even though he read it over and over again, Sho couldn't understand the meaning behind it. He couldn't even tell if she was angry, sad, or happy. Never in his life would he think that Kyoko would want to speak to him willingly, after what he had done to her.

Huffing and trying to push the memory to the back of his mind, Sho looked down at his stretched legs as he placed one over the other. It was 6:56 and he had been waiting at the fountain for nearly 15 minutes. He didn't know why he came so early, but he felt that he should. Sho was completely confused. Not only did he agree to meet her, but he was actually feeling…nervous…pent-up almost.

Sho knew he had nothing to worry about, that there was nothing she could say that would hurt him, but why did it feel as if something was bound to go wrong?

Groaning, Sho got to his feet and started to pace back and forth. The restlessness in his legs was starting to really bother him. As he was going through his steps, a newspaper fluttered its way to his feet and landed right underneath the sole of his boot. Curious, he picked up the paper and read the front page.

His face suddenly flushed red with anger. Sho's hands began to shake and his fingers dug into the creases at the edges, practically tearing the paper apart. Just as he was about to throw the newspaper onto the ground, he suddenly heard the clacking of heels on the pavement floor.

Looking up, Sho could feel his heart stop beating.

She was wearing a long black overcoat that hit just at the knee with a ruby scarf around her neck. Her dark jeans accentuated her graceful strides as she calmly approached him with red heels. Her hair was still the same blazing orange, but it was combed off to the side and straightened out. She was looking at the floor as she walked towards him, biting on her lower lip.

When she finally looked up, her facial expression suddenly changed and her eyes seemed to glint and sparkle.

As soon as she was just a few feet from him, she opened her mouth and replied in a soft murmur, "Never thought you would actually come."

Sho stood speechless.