Chapter nine

I do not own skip beat

""A dinner date-mo? With Ren?"

" No, it is with a childhood friend's parents"

"Is this a match makers date-mo?"

"No, but maybe I should go on a few..." Kyoko grumbled over the phone.

"Why's that?

"Nothing! Really. Can we meet at the shopping plaza by your home?"

"Yeah, give me an hour and I'll meet you there-mo"

...

Kanae and Kyoko walked by the stores looking at the newest fashions

"So are you going to tell me what is bothering you?

Kyoko exhaled, she had been avoiding the subject since she first met up with Kanae.

"I've just been feeling defeated about a person"

"Is that person a man-mo?

" yes, you could say that I'm having man-troubles. I just never on level footing"

"So you heart is feeling disturbed-mo?"

"What?! No."... ".what do you mean?" Kyoko asked sincerely.

"I mean does your chest ever feel tight because of them? Or do you feel a shock from down below-mo?"

"Down below?" Kyoko squeaked.

"Yes, from your womanly parts." Kanae looked sideways at Kyoko. " Those feelings are a part of love and desire-mo." Kanae explained indignantly. "You really don't have any experience with men, do you-mo?

Kyoko blushed and looked away.

"No wonder you don't feel like you are on equal footing if you don't know how to manipulate these emotions-mo? ." Kanae was starting to feel annoyed with Kyoko's lack of experience. *No wonder Ren hasn't gotten anywhere with you. I bet you disregard any move he has made toward you-mo!*

"How are you going to be a top rate actress, if these basic human emotions are something you are not willing to handle? Every romance and drama are revolve around this form of tension. You're not a child anymore, more of these scripts are going to come around. Are you going to turn down scripts because you are scared-mo?" Kanae was starting to get mad at the fact her best friend and rival would be defeated this way.

Kyoko turned shocked. *how could I not see this, Kanae is right. I MUST be able to conquer my emotions so my heart will not be disturbed by such actions.* "Moko please don't be mad".Kyoko got down on her knees to beg. "I can do this please, teach me."

Kanae huffed. "Okay, but you have a lot to learn...hmmm...where to give you a crash course...I know!"

"What is this place?" Kyoko looked around at the old theater house.

"This used to be an old theater house but now it just a place couple come to watch old movies-mo"

Kyoko felt alittle uneasy even though it was daylight. She could tell they were in the skirts of the red light district. The disco-techs, night clubs and karaoke were closed up for the early hours. One disco-tech had a neon sign of a barely cover woman laying down while her leg kicked up and down in the air.

"When have you been here before?" Kyoko asked quietly.

"During one of my "acting dates"" Kanae walked to the front ticket booth. "Two tickets to Cruel Intentions, please"

Kyoko grabbed Kanae "that's a rated R movie" "Ssh" Kanae said as she pushed Kyoko away.

The ticket clerk first furrow his brows but then Kanae gave him the brightest smile Kyoko has ever seen from her. "Don't mind her, she's just worried since we forgot our IDs" Kanae then flipped her hair and laugh joyously at something the clerk said. Kanae handed one of the tickets to Kyoko as she then pulled her into the old theater.

"What was that?" Kyoko seemed bewildered about what just happened. Even she felt mesmerized by Kanae's display.

"Is called flirting, you nincompoop. You almost ruined it-mo" Kanae said annoyed.

The theater was dark, with only a few couples scattered though out the seats. As the two found theirs, Kanae turned to Kyoko. "Flirting is abouz making the other person feel like you are really seeing them, that you are giving that person extra attention because you have noticed them. After this movie we will try the basics on our way back to my place-mo."

Kyoko's face was red as a tomato when they left the theater. "Oh my, I don't think I can handle this"

"Of course you can, now that movie was to the extreme but it showed you how flirting and desire can give you a leg up if you know how to use it right." Kanae explained. "Imagine how those actresses were able to meet the challenge of the script and conquered it-mo."

Kyoko exhaled and tried to steady herself. That movie had unnerved her and made her feel uncomfortable warm "down there".

Kanae and Kyoko were walking down shopping center heading back towards Kanae's place when suddenly "Kyoko, I feel like eating ice cream. Will you buy me a scoop?" Asked Kanae.

*Kanae almost never eats ice cream...* thought Kyoko.

"Sure, I'll go get some" Kyoko started to turn

"Wait-mo!"

"What is it?"

"I want you to try and flirt with the ice cream worker in there."

"What?!..."

"Don't 'what' me. I want you to practice flirting, otherwise you will always be at a disadvantage in this aspect of your life."

Kyoko slumped forward and ears dropped like a sad puppy. "Go" Kanae pointed "and I'll be watching you" "oh and get me a small, I don't want to take in any more extra calories because of you"

Kyoko entered the ice cream shop

The ice cream clerk was a cute boy around Kyoko's age. She ready herself as she waited in line.

When it was finally her turn to step up and order.

"What would you?" Said the clerk.

Kyoko have him her brightest smile. "Hi"

The ice cream clerk was dazed by Kyoko's friendliness. Kyoko was raised in a ryokan and knew how to be polite but this was the first time she ever put energy and warmth to greeting a stranger.

"Umm...What can I get you?" The clerk said smiling back at her.

Kyoko looked down at the flavors and then gave the clerk another warm smile. "Two small scoops, one chocolate and the other vanilla."

The clerk gave her two large cones of vanilla and chocolate.

"Oh, I'm sorry I said small. I don't have the money for more." Kyoko stammered.

"That's okay, they are both on me. My name is Seo Ja, what is yours?"

"Mogami Kyoko" Kyoko said blushing.

"Kyoko" Seo Ja said has he waved good bye.

"Great, now I'm stuck eating all this ice cream. He couldn't just given you the small scoops for free" *I hate wasting food*

Kyoko was in a daze, she had never flirted before and she liked that she felt attractive afterward. "Is it normal to feel this way?"

"Huh? After flirting? Usually people like to feel that they are attractive and wanted. Most of my "acting dates" are like that. Most of the men want to feel that rush of someone wanting them. It's actually very easy to manipulate men because of it.

"Manipulate, huh?" Kyoko repeated while in thought. Kyoko had thought of the time she had tried to flirt with Ren after the Dark Moon ceremony and how he had unnerved her to the point she ran into a statue.

They walked up to the front of Kanae's house. "Alright, ready?" Kanae said. Kyoko nodded.

Kanae slammed her for shut as they got to her room. "Ugh, those rugrats. I've only been gone a few hours." Kanae huffed.

Kanae walked over to her closet and pulled out her kimono. "Here, it might be a bit long for you but we can pin up the hem. Now, which childhood parents you are going to meet tonight?"

"Shou's" Kyoko said quietly.

"SHOU'S? Kanae exclaimed.

Kyoko explained what had happened and how Shou's parents could demand for her to return home since she was not if age.

"Hmmm" Kanae sat deep in thought. "So basically you need to get a boyfriend-mo"

"Yea, you make it sound so easy." Kyoko pouted.

"Oh, stop. How about Ren?"

Kyoko's professional mask came on. "No, no. Ren is my sempai. I'm only a kouhai to him"

"Hmm..." Kanae squinted at Kyoko's professional face. "Well Ren is well experienced in love, even though I haven't seen him date in a while. I could see how you would be at a disadvantage with him..."

*this kind of thinking is what makes it difficult for the two of you* thought Kanae. "Well, you need to fool them until your birthday, and then simply tell them you are going to marry another."

"Yea, you make it sound easy." Kyoko said disgruntled

"Well, you are an actress, aren't you? Act your way out of this." Kanae said as she threw a dark haired wig at Kyoko. "We can't have you being recognized with such scum, can we?"

Thank you for all of your positive reviews and follows. They keep me wanting to write and let me know if my chapter was good (since I'm never sure). Wait for more drama first Shou, then Ren and Hikaru