And I'm back after a weekend away. Once again I'm absolutely bowled away by the response of this story :D Free cookies for everyone! Thanks so much for all the wonderful feedback! Now on to chapter three!

Chapter Three.

Kyoko sighed with relief as she collapsed onto the sofa in her dressing room. Today's shooting on Box-R had made her feel exhausted. The climax of the series was rapidly approaching and the drama was gaining intensity. The director, ever the perfectionist, kept repeating scenes from different angles so that he could see which shots provided the best sense of urgency. It meant repeating the same extreme standoffs over and over again until she was emotionally drained. But it was worth it. The director was happy with the results, and pleased with her work. So she had mercifully been excused for the day.

Just for a minute, she decided to relax before changing and making her way back to the Darumaya for the evening. It had been a long day of standing up for hours straight and Natsu's heels became more painful the longer she stood in them. She was sure she had a few blisters.

As she was musing over taking a long hot bath (one that she had promised herself the day previous, before getting distracted by her new role) her phone buzzed in her pocket and she bolted upright, horror-struck. Had she left it on all this time? How unprofessional could she possibly be?! She decided it was probably best that she check her messages before going into full-on dozega mode, and apologising to the director for something he had been unaware of before. She didn't want to add to his stress levels, they were already so high.

She pulled out her phone and, once she'd read the message, dropped it like the phone had suddenly grown pincers and was trying to snap at her. What on earth was the meaning of him sending her a message like that? Why would Tsuraga-san think that was appropriate?

"I thought about you all day today."

WHY WOULD HE BE THINKING ABOUT HER ALL DAY?

Ren tapped his fingers on the bar impatiently. He was supposed to be concentrating on meeting the director for his next project, but the director was late. So he sat, nursing a scotch on the rocks, wondering if his experiment would pay off. He'd been thinking about how to approach the subject of teaching Kyoko how to flirt, but all of his ideas had caused either one of two problems to arise. The first being that whatever he did, he was sure she would be scared off and forever denounce him as a pervert. The second, he started getting too involved in the fantasy, and ended up highly distracted to the point where he had forgotten he was supposed to be helping Kyoko. He wasn't sure which problem worried him the most.

But then he'd had an epiphany. It was really the best solution he could think of. After all, a diver doesn't start training by jumping off the highest platform. He starts from the bottom and works his way up. And that's what he'd do with Kyoko. He would help her learn to flirt, but first he had to ease her into the very idea of flirting with a man.

Luckily modern technology made his life a lot easier in that regard. Texting her flirtatious messages, he thought, would surely be the best way to ease her into the idea. It was intimate and private, and yet she wasn't face-to-face with him. She had time to think through her response. It was less intense. It was almost perfect.

He started when his phone buzzed a response from Kyoko and he tried to ignore his slightly increased heart rate. When he read the message, his heart sank.

"Tsuraga-san, I'm not sure you sent that message to the right person."

Ren groaned, and placed his head on the bar, earning a sympathetic glance from the barman. Of course it wouldn't be simple. Nothing ever was with this girl. He supposed that, in some twisted way, was one of the many reasons he loved her.

He typed out his response

"No I meant to send that message to you. As part of what you asked of me last night, I thought it best that I should try to teach you to text-flirt first, to get you used to the idea."

A few minutes later, he got a response that made his eyebrows shoot up so quickly that it was a wonder they stayed on his forehead.

"Oh, well then I suppose I should respond by asking- what is it you were thinking of exactly?"

He most definitely did not expect that kind of a response so quickly. He was sure she was going to need talking through the finer points of text-flirting before they started. But it could have been just part of her naturally inquisitive nature. One of the downsides of texting was being unable to figure out the exact tone of a text message, and that could lead to misunderstanding if he wasn't careful. He had to be blunt here.

"I was thinking about the cute way you pout when you're annoyed or worried. But mainly I was thinking about that beautiful smile of yours."

He cringed slightly at the message, hoping he hadn't lost any severe levels of respect with the orange haired beauty. He prayed she wouldn't think less of him. Still he couldn't help but imagine her there, trying to type out a response. She was probably blushing, and maybe biting her lower lip...

SNAP OUT OF IT REN! He thought, shaking his head. It hadn't really occurred to him that he would look rather strange just shaking his head for no reason, until his ever faithful manager hopped onto a bar stool beside him and gave him a strange look.

Yashiro frowned- slightly concerned for his charge. He'd been acting peculiar all day. From his first job in the morning, the bespectacled young man had noticed Ren carrying a distracted manner about him. Nobody else had picked up on it and, whilst that was a relief, Yashiro still had some concerns as to what was plaguing the mind of the young man currently sitting next to him. Especially considering Ren now seemed to be staring at his silent phone with rapt attention- and had no idea he had even sat back down. Yashiro doubted that Ren would move for a meteor strike. With the way he'd been behaving, he most likely wouldn't notice one if it happened.

Still, Yashiro hoped that whatever it was- it had to do with the recent developments between Ren and a certain young actress. He frowned, taking a sideways glance at his silent companion. Maybe Ren hadn't noticed the way Kyoko had been looking at him these past few weeks, but Yashiro certainly had. He wasn't their number one fan for nothing, nor was he stupid. Whether the pair realised it or not, something was changing in their relationship.

And Yashiro was going to have as much fun with it as he possibly could.

'I'll have the same thing as my friend here.' Yashiro ordered, causing Ren to start beside him. He held back a grin.

Ren blinked. 'Yashiro, I didn't know you were back.' His tone seemed casual, but the manager knew better. His words were loaded with accusation.

'Yes. That phone call did last longer than expected. But I thought the Chiba-san would be here by now.' Casual- that was the name of this game. At least for now.

'He sent a message claiming there was a road accident and he was stuck in traffic. But he would be here shortly.' Ren replied. The brown haired man got the sneaking suspicion that Yashiro knew something had been on his mind, and had probably guessed what that something was- if that twinkle in his eye was anything to go by.

Ren didn't like that twinkle one bit. It was a horribly demented twinkle, a twinkle that promised bad things in his future.

'I see. Is that why you were caressing your phone with your thumbs? Or is there some other reason for such peculiar behaviour?' Yashiro asked coolly, picking up his own glass of scotch and taking a calculated sip. He slipped another sideways glance at Ren, only this time their eyes met, and Ren was strongly reminded of the time he'd almost been mobbed by a crazed fan girl.

Ren sniffed, torn between amusement and annoyance. 'You have a rather active imagination for a manager. Did you ever consider going into the creative side of showbiz? You'd make an excellent writer.'

Yashiro opened his mouth to banter back when Ren's phone buzzed and the young actor's response was so immediate that it nearly sent Yashiro flying off of his stool. Ren snapped his attention back to his phone and Yashiro noticed the tiny tinge of colour dashed across his cheekbones. He also noticed Kyoko's name on the phone screen and something in his brain clicked. His heartbeat quickened. Surely they couldn't be- they weren't?

'Excuse me, just what are you doing?' Ren replied as Yashiro whipped the phone from his grasp and set it on the counter on the other side of him.

'What are you doing Ren?' Yashiro said in a warning tone. 'Have you completely lost your head?'

Ren, though angry at first, now blinked in confusion- startled by the bite in Yashiro's voice.

'I don't know what exactly you're messaging to Kyoko, and I don't know what she is messaging back. If you don't want me to know, that's fine, I respect your privacy. But I am not a fool, nor am I a completely useless manager.' He hissed, as if afraid that someone could overhear their conversation.

Ren frowned, feeling as though he was missing something. A feeling he didn't particularly like. 'I don't see the problem in helping Kyoko with something she asked. She solicited my advice. I am simply giving her an acting lesson. What is so wrong with that?'

'Ren think! Regardless of how innocent your intentions think of the ways the media could spin this for a story. You're a good man, and some of the lesser publications have been trying to get dirt on you for years. What if somebody got a hold of yours or Kyoko's phone and read those messages? Can you imagine the frenzy it would cause? Do you really want Kyoko to go through that?'

The colour drained from Ren's face and he blanched, suddenly needing another glass of scotch. How...how could he have not thought of that? How much of an idiot did he have to be to not think of the potential risks of this scenario? He'd put Kyoko's reputation in harm's way, and that was something he thought he would never do. He felt sickened. Had love blinded his reason completely?

Yashiro sighed, looking at the aghast expression on his charges face, and his own countenance softened considerably. He picked up the phone next to him, ready to hand it back. 'Ren, listen to me. People can be careless in their excitement sometimes, it's human error. Don't spend hours obsessing over it. Just change whatever you were doing to something a bit more cautious and learn from your mistake.'

'I'm never careless.' Ren mumbled and Yashiro had to chuckle at that.

'Everyone is careless at times. If everybody in the world were perfect, then there would be no need for managers. And you wouldn't want me to be out of a job would you? Wait, don't answer that.' He joked, nudging Ren in the side. Ren smiled weakly back. Yashiro supposed it was something.

'Here' Yashiro said, holding the phone up to Ren. 'Just explain to her your mistake. Kyoko will understand.'

Ren took the phone from his manager's hands and flipped it so he could write a message back to the orange-haired beauty.

Only there was one problem.

'Yashiro...' He muttered darkly and the manager suddenly felt like he'd been ducked under a pool of ice. He could feel the gentleman smile even though he couldn't yet see it. Nor did he want to see it. 'How long were you holding the phone for?'

The answer was, long enough for the manager's technology-curse to come into effect.

The phone wasn't working.

She had to have done something wrong.

That had to be the reason. She must have said, or done, something completely wrong. She must have said something so astronomically, cataclysmically, catastrophically WRONG that Ren had destroyed any and all messages from her and was probably taking a vow to never contact her again.

What have I done? I've ruined everything! He hates me now! Surely he must! Oh why didn't I wait for his instructions? I should have waited. He's probably so disgusted with me!

Kyoko's mind swam with thoughts like these as she walked through the streets back to the Darumaya. With every step her mind screamed at her that she'd screwed up, she'd done something wrong, she'd ruined any chance of ever getting closer-

No! That's not what I wanted anyway her mind screeched at her and she shook her head, desperately craving a bath and hoping the restaurant wouldn't be too crowded tonight. She even dared hope the restaurant would close early and therefore she could take an early bath and go to bed. Maybe she would wake up and find it was all a dream and she HADN'T messaged her beloved Sempai that she thought he had a lovely smile too.

She burned with shame just thinking about it.

Kyoko huffed a little sigh of relief as she reached the door or the Darumaya, and found it locked. Pinned to the door was a little note from the Taisho couple, explaining that they would be away for the night visiting Taisho's sister who had gone into hospital for surgery. Kyoko, despite her mental state, made a note to wish Taisho's sister well, and made her way to the back entrance.

She reached her room, turning on the hall lights as she went, by the time she got out of the bath- she guessed it would be night, and she didn't exactly feel safe wandering around by herself in the dark. Especially in nothing but a towel.

Kyoko, in a desperate bid to stop obsessing over how she had lost one of the best Sempai's- one of the best friends- she'd ever had, decided to take a bath using the fancy new bubble bath products Moko-san had given her for White Day. Maybe the fumes from the bath would send her to a fairy-land and she could float away on the bubbles. She was sure she had seen something similar in a movie. Never in her life had she wanted to float away from her troubles more than she did tonight.

It was no good, not even the calming scents of lavender and ylang-ylang could quell the fear and hopelessness from her heart and mind. How foolish she had been, she should have just asked Moko-san, or read some of those magazines she saw girls in her class read, anything would have resulted in something better than this, she was sure.

Kyoko got out of the bath and dressed into some comfortable pyjamas, wrapping herself in a light silk kimono that the Darumaya couple had gotten her for her birthday. It was a pretty pale blue and had butterflies around the hem. It reminded of her of that little clearing where she had made that secret friendship so many years ago. Kyoko sighed, running a towel through her hair, oh how she wished to see her fairy friend again. She just knew Corn would have had some advice that would erase all of her troubles, and make her smile again.

A knock sounded at the door.

The golden-eyed teen tilted her head in confusion and glanced up at the clock. Who on earth would be knocking on the door at nine 'o'clock at night?

Deciding the Darumaya couple had probably forgotten something on their trip to the hospital, Kyoko went to answer the door. However, instead of being greeted by the sight of an elderly wrinkled face, she was instead greeted by a very tall, young Tsuraga-san.

The pair of them froze in shock at the sight before them.

Ren had been at the end of his tether through most of the evening. At first having to suffer through an unnecessary meeting with his new director and then discovering that, by the time he'd left the aforementioned meeting, all the phone stores had closed for the evening. It had been one thing after another. Eventually he'd said goodnight to his deeply apologetic manager, and decided to just head to the Darumaya, hoping he could explain himself and that Kyoko hadn't worked herself up into too much of a state.

And then he'd seen her in her pyjamas, her hair damp and smelling like she'd just come out from rolling around in a rose garden. From that moment his mind seemed to have vacated the premises.

This didn't help Kyoko's opinion that he was disgusted with her. Only now she'd started panicking that he was going to publicly (sort-of) denounce her.

Then she realised Tsuraga Ren was seeing her in her pyjamas and she nearly died right on the spot. If it had been possible to die of shame, Kyoko believed she would not have lasted very long on this Earth.

Ren coughed awkwardly, holding up a hand to his mouth and trying to hide the heat rushing to his cheeks. 'Forgive me for interrupting your evening.'

Kyoko couldn't contain herself any more.

'I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I should have waited for you to teach me how to flirt properly, instead I was a poor student, I didn't follow instructions. Please forgive me!'

Ren's eyes widened and he immediately forgot about the pyjama embarrassment, placing his hand on Kyoko's shoulder without thinking. 'Kyoko, it's ok. Really I didn't mean to upset you, and if anything I was...proud of the way you showed initiative. Yes. A good actor is one whom doesn't always necessarily follow instructions blindly. Remember when you took Mio's wig and cut it to make the role your own?'

Kyoko stopped fretting, neither of them noticed he'd called her so informally, and she leaned into his grasp subconsciously. 'Really? So you aren't angry with me?'

Ren chuckled. He had to. She was just so adorable. 'No. No I'm not angry.'

'So, why didn't you message me back?' She replied and there was that pout again and he almost, almost, lost all control.

'Yashiro accidentally broke my phone, and the shops closed before I could get a replacement. I'm sorry for making you worry. It won't happen again. I will always carry a spare phone with me.' He grinned and Kyoko felt her mood instantly lifted. It was strange, quite akin to the feeling she used to get when she held her Corn stone although recently the stone hadn't been as effective at alleviating her mood.

A chill suddenly blew through the doorway and Kyoko shuddered, pulling her kimono tighter around her chest. Ren, God help him, could help but let his eyes wander. But just for a second- only a second.

'Well, it's late. I should get going. I'm sorry for disrupting your evening.' Ren said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

'No, it's fine. Thank you for taking your time out to explain the situation to me, you didn't have to trouble yourself-'

'How could I have let you worry all night?' Ren said before he could stop himself and the pair stood in silence for a few moments. Kyoko gazed up at him with large round eyes, suddenly feeling a glimmer of something. She wasn't quite sure what it was, but it made her nervous.

'Well...um...thank you anyway.' Kyoko mumbled shyly, suddenly finding her slippers fascinating. They both stumbled through their awkward goodnights and retired to their bedroom and car respectively, both of them heaving deep sighs for reasons that escaped them.

On the way back to his apartment Ren had an epiphany. Perhaps these lessons, especially if this last lesson was anything to go by, would teach him just as much as he was attempting to teach Kyoko.

He wondered what would come of it all.

For right in the deepest recesses of his heart, he also possessed a tiny glimmer of hope.

The awkwardness continues! But it won't always be awkward, trust me :) Reviews are love as always! :D They really do motivate and inspire me!

Til next time! Xx

P.S: in a couple of reviews I've noticed some people pointing out that I don't use normal speech marks (") for speech, instead I use inverted commas. This is a bad fanfiction writing habit I've picked up, as for some strange reason it makes me type faster. If it really bothers people then I can change it, if not- well then I guess everyone's happy cause it means I upload the chapter more quickly! :D Let me know guys!