"Ahchoo" Hmmm...Yashiro has been sneezing for the last two days. I wonder if he's okay. "You okay? Why don't you rest a little…" Even if I suggest this I know he's going to refuse. While he may be odd, Yashiro is competent and a strict professional. Maybe that's why we get along so well. "I'm fine...it's not a problem…." See? "...Really? Then, want to eat? After the shoot, we are probably going to lunch." Eating? Really? I don't see the need for eating. It's a basic human necessity to keep one alive, but then there are individuals like my dad who….*shudder* Still we're doing this so Yashiro can rest and feel better..."If you don't mind, may I eat with you guys?" Think of an excuse. My break times are the only times I can really have for myself. "Of course you can." Who...Maria-chan… "It's a great pleasure to have lunch with you. I prepared many sweets, too. I hope you…." Heh I know what's coming next. "...by all means enjoy them." Cue blood-curdling scream. Hahahahahahaha…..ahem I mean poor girl. Maria-chan reminds me so much of how I was when I was younger. Mischief seems to follow wherever she goes. Of course, she's usually the cause of it. "Did you come here alone?" I doubt it. Now where is… "Nope. I have a band with me." Eh?! Ah there he is. Poor Yashiro he looks like he's about to have a heart attack. I'm used to it now, but sometimes I wish he would try to make an entrance like a normal person. Although, if he did, he wouldn't be the eccentric man I've come to respect. Actually, the President has become something like a second father.

Later that Day

I wonder what it is about Mogami-san that entrances everyone she meets. Maria-chan called her nee-chan and the President even came out to watch her first commercial shoot. Did she really join LME's acting class to get revenge on Sho Fuwa? Does she have to push herself so hard to learn a completely new discipline with its own set of problems because of a guy?

Next Day

Yashiro was worse off than the previous day and even knocked himself out cold for a little while after walking into a wall. But to have to be subjected to this offending shade of pink while he's out means the gods really do hate me. They're punishing me for all my past indiscretions. Why the hell is she here? Didn't I just promise myself to not drag my past and my memories of her with me? I need to call Sawara-san and ask him to remedy this situation.

"Sorry, I have a guest. I'm hanging up. I'll call you back." Did...did he? He did. Sawara-san just hung up on me. "Excuse me." Nope. I don't care what they say. I'm not going to accept this. No way in hell am I going to accept this. "You….can you go back now? I can manage on my own." Just leave already and don't follow. "No way! Chief Sawara told me to look after you!" Not going to happen. Just leave. "Sorry, I don't need your help. I don't think you're capable of being a manager." Take the clue and return to LME. "What the...I know I can do a manager's job." Lea-..hmmm….oh she can, can she? Shall we test her? "Oh really? If that's the case, then thank you. Plus you sound confident. I also want to see if your skill deserves my 'thank you.' If you can do it, I'll give you full points as thanks."

The Following Day

She may just be the worse substitute manager in the history of substitute managers. Let's see...I carried my things, protected her from swarming fans and apologized for her when she toppled on set. But then again, she's a girl so I can't let her carry my things even under normal circumstances, most managers can't keep my fans at bay and that ridiculously loud pink outfit makes her seem like a stagehand. *sigh* Wasn't I just trying to discredit her? So why am I now defending her against everything that's happened? Still...to just take what Yashiro and other managers do on a daily basis so lightly makes me so…

"So-sor...sorry." Where'd that come from? "About what?" What is she… "The other day...I took the job of the manager too simply. And after I became the manager...instead of helping you, I gave you so much trouble." Did I miss something? Can she read my thoughts? "You already said this when the stage crew was fixing it up. I'm not so angry as to have you apologize twice." It doesn't look like she believes me. "I said to not worry about it anymore." She still doesn't seem to believe me *Guruguru* Huh? "What's...what's that sound?" *Guruguru* Ah! Did that just come... *Guruguru* It did come from her. So that noise, it came from her stomach. "Oh...are you hungry?" She is, isn't she? "N-no!"

30 Minutes Later

I guess no one believed her when she told them she was acting as my manager. The poor girl wasn't even notified that they prepared lunchboxes for everyone on set. Still...thinking back to her reaction... "Yes! Especially the ones with the big egg yolk on it!" From the looks of it, she was like this before, too...she still likes hamburger with egg. Heh. She was so happy in that clearing. She claimed all of the rocks looked like hamburgers. She even exclaimed that the largest rock I held out for her was the king of all hamburgers from the palace of the hamburgers. Hahahaha…"Tsuruga-san? What's wrong?" I can't let her know what I was thinking about. If I did that'll open gates I've firmly locked behind me. "It was nothing. I was just thinking how you can eat with such an expression on your face."

Later that Evening

It seems every time we meet now I'm reminded of the girl she used to be. But then something triggers her and she becomes a completely different person. With just two words, she went from being perfectly content to a being of immense anger and hatred. She told me he used her as a stepping stone who was always there for him and thrown aside once he succeeded. However, I remember her telling me that Sho-kun was her prince charming and that he would hold out a glass slipper for her and take her away to his palace. She was going to be his princess and become the perfect bride. The look and feelings she had for her Sho-kun was the only thing that burned me up back then. We didn't know each other for long, but I had already started thinking that I held a special place in her heart just as she had one in mine. I guess it explains her feelings of immense hatred for Sho Fuwa. Still….she was so happy when the President called and asked her about high school. She really is the same girl underneath it all.

Next Day

*Sigh* She's really letting out an intense aura. It's scaring the makeup artist. Did she really have to study so hard for an entrance exam? From what I remember she was an average to above average student.

~ Flashback ~

"I didn't get 100 again. And also...mommy yelled at me. Why am I so stupid?" *Sigh* These thoughts are best to dwell upon at a later time. For now, let's just get back to work.

~ End Flashback ~

*Ahem* Why does my throat feel so tight and…..itchy? *Ahem* Maybe some tea with milk and sugar will make my throat feel better. I'll make sure to grab some during our next break. Ah?! That's so creepy… "What are you doing?" Uhhh…. "Tsugruga-san...just now...you chose to add milk and sugar into your tea. Why?" Is that weird? "I just felt like drinking it. That's true enough. "You're lying. I've asked people about you, and compiled a data list on you. They said when when you're drinking coffee or tea, you would never add milk or sugar." True, but I just felt like trying it this time around. "Are you a cop, or a stalker? But, you're right. I seem to be a little bit tired. So I wanted to try something I don't usually drink." There, a perfect explanation. "Oh...so when you're tired your throat becomes uncomfortable?" Weird...how did she know that my throat was uncomfortable? "Huh? I think this is the first time that this has happened." *Ahem* So itchy…. "And does it feel itchy when you swallow your saliva?" Is she a mind-reader, as well as a stalker? "How did you know? It feels exactly like that." What a creepy smile. "Tsuruga-san...do you know what people normally classify this symptom under?" Huh? Does she know something I don't? "What?" What is it? "A cold." Heh…yeah right. A cold? I've never had a cold. She's absolutely, positively wrong.

The Following Morning

Why? Why did it have to be a cold? Why did she have to be right? I feel like crying. In fact, I think I actually feel a few tears in my eyes. What is she saying? "Last night when I reported your condition to the supervisor, he let it slip. The reason he sent me to be your temporary manager was because he thought that if I was with you, you would eat proper meals. He said that because you're a gentleman, you'd treat girls with more care and eat with them. Seriously I'm really disappointed. You have no right to be an actor." She….she's actually reprimanding me. This must be some new level of hell. That's it! I've sunk into the deepest depths of hell. How can she scold me about being a professional? But she's right. I should apologize. "I'm sorry. Really, you're right. I am over-confident. It's a little embarrassing. If I had known earlier, I should have listened to you right from the start."

A Few Hours into Filming

The director's words seem to be fading in and out, but I know he's talking about the next scene. It's time to get ready for the rain scene with Hiraoka-san. "Tsuruga-san! I strongly object filming in this raining scene. You already have a fever! What if your condition deteriorates?" I can understand her concern. However,... "Oh that can't be helped. I brought this on myself." She should accept that explanation right? "What nonsense!" I can't let them postpone filming because of me. "Moreover, this place can only be used today." That's right. It doesn't matter if the cold worsens or I faint before I can shoot a satisfactory scene, I will persevere. "Scene 31, ready…" Until my will disappears, until that moment… "Action!" I will keep acting.

"I really can't understand! Because...that person is just too weird! Too it is suspicious!" *Sigh* Hiraoka-san messed up again. I know she's not doing it on purpose, but this cold is really making it difficult to concentrate. We don't have time to lose. There is no time to rest, this location is only available to us today. Maybe a few words of gentle coaching will help. I know she knows her lines, she just needs to calm down. "Don't worry, it will be fine if you just calm down. Say this ten times: 'too suspicious.'" There now. "That's right say, 'it is too suspicious." She's doing it. We'll make it without a NG on this next take. "...and cut! Let's get ready for the next scene." Finally. I can take a 15 minute break in my dressing room. I'm sure my head will stop spinning once I rest.

"Just now, it really was my fault. But I really can't understand." Hiraoka-san? "Because that person is just too weird! It is too suspicious!" It's my line now… "I already said there's no need to panic. Besides, no one can get away from me." Huh? Mogami-san? Where's Hiraoka-san? Weren't we just doing our lines? "Tsuruga-san! I think it's better if you don't continue your filming today…"

1 Hour Later

Maybe I was too harsh with her when I gave her that look. I just didn't want to hear her telling me that I should stop filming. She probably did run away. *Tsk* I'm so dizzy. Huh? Mogami-san? What is she carrying? "Luck-lucky that I made it in time. And I thought I wouldn't get back in time." She went shopping? "To ensure that you can focus on your work, I made a lot of preparations! First is the cold pad! And there's cold medicine, pills, water. I don't think you have a water bag at your house, feather pillow and this is…." What is she doing? That's scary! "I figured that since your appetite wouldn't be very good, eating now would probably be very painful..so I thought of making this. Please eat. This stuff is very good for sore throats." Why? How would she know the feeling of your throat hurting so badly that even drinking water was painful. To buy all this stuff must not have been easy. Who knew that she would do something like that for someone like me. I thought she didn't care and was just trying to debut earlier. *Sigh* This is good. It's actually very easy to swallow. "Tsuruga-san. From now on, I'll be giving my all into helping you. I won't let you be held back in any way of your jobs. And at the same, I'll help you get better. If you feel dizzy again...at that time, feel free to lean on me." Huh? I think I've missed something. I've forgotten that she's been like this since she was young. I was blinded by her thirst for revenge and forgot about her actual personality.

I always knew her as someone who always had her head in the clouds, dreaming of fairies, who cried a lot because of her mother but smiled gently when she thought of her Sho-kun. She was 4 years younger than me, strong-willed, spontaneous, energetic. She truly was my ideal of a Japanese girl, which became my ideal of a woman. "Thank you Kyoko-chan."

The Next Morning

Huh? What time is it? What is this? Uhhh….I don't really know what happened, but I feel a lot better. What's that noise? "Mogami-san….Mogami-san…" She's not listening. "Excuse me...I get the impression some mysterious substance is turning into something even more mysterious over there…"

I meant it only as a joke. I didn't expect her to freeze up and look at me like that when I asked her if she hated me. However, after the way I've behaved towards her….it doesn't really surprise me that she hates me. Then why….why is she going all out for me? Is it because she just can't refuse who she is? If so, her true self hasn't changed at all.

Later that Same Day

What is she doing? She's not studying and she doesn't seem to be looking at the script… "My, my...to take all night long to care of a guy you hate. Frankly speaking, you're a real idiot." Is she making fun of me? "Are you mimicking me or what? You're pretty good!" Heh, there's her deer-in-the-headlights look. Hmmm...now where's my script? Damn it...I don't get it. I can't seem to retain any of my lines. *Sigh* Why do thoughts of her keep swimming around in my head? Even when she hates me so much, she can't seem to stop herself from working so hard for me. Then again, even when she was younger she gave even more of herself on things that she hated. While that may be good to overcome one's deficiencies, what's the point of her revenge against Sho Fuwa? She should just use that time for herself. Huh? Just stop it Ren! You need to concentrate on the task at hand. You need to remember your lines. "Anyway, there's still 48 hours until the statute of limitations…" Ah damn… "Anyway, there's still 48 hours until the statute of limitations…" damn, damn, damn… "Our right to investigate has been taken away by the prefecture police…we can't do anything…" nothing is sticking… "...so you wanna give up?" Huh? "I can't believe it. Hearing the same phrases over and over again!" Is that her voice? "Yazaki-san is your enemy, he has murdered your father! You've been hating him for the last 15 years! If you don't hunt him down, who else will do it?" Her voice, expression and inflections….everything… "After all, I'm the one who should be angry. The prefecture police has taken Yazaki away from us!" ...everything is perfect. "So what…the prefecture police is prosecuting him because of another matter, so who cares!" Astonishing...since when did she join the acting academy again? "We're prosecuting him because of a robbery with murder that will reach the statute of limitations soon!" Is that really an amateur who started learning how to act just half a year ago? "...you want to say, you can go against the prefecture police?" What?! Did she really acquire that acting ability for the sake of her revenge? "Of course."

Thank you for reading Chapter 6 of Who Am I. Ren is really starting to warm up to Kyoko. Please continue to review so that I may continue to improve. Let me know your thoughts! =)

LOL I just realized that this chapter went through almost an entire week in the Skip Beat universe.

~Kaede Itsuki~