Time hung as a dense fog; all of them stuck in disbelief. The seconds turned into a minute, and a minute into several, before anyone jarred themselves back into the present.

Shoko watched as "Moko-san" or "Kanae" or whoever she was, run out of the café after her friend. Kanae turned back at the door, and gave her and her charge one more furious look before she too was gone. If Kyoko had stayed, she had no doubt that Sho would be in the hospital once Kanae had collected her wits. Luckily, the LME actress decided that her co-worker's well-being was more important than crushing her charge into the ground. Unluckily, a smack might have been just the thing he needed.

Shoko brought her hand to her cheek. She felt the small wet path, surprised to find the evidence of her tears. She really did hope that Kanae caught up with Kyoko. The sweet actress hadn't deserved any of that venom. According to Sho, even her own mother was indifferent to her. The poor girl…

Speaking of Sho…

She was so annoyed at him. Not just annoyed. She was livid. There was no excuse for his behavior. No excuse. She knew Sho was spoiled. Of course a talented, handsome teenager would get all he asked for. He had the air of someone who had been doted on all through his youth when she met him, and he almost always got everything he wanted from the company. He probably expected his childhood friend to fall into place too.

What she didn't know was how sadistic her charge was. Shoko never expected he could say something that vile to a girl who once loved him, grinding down her spirit when he knew Kyoko was already heartbroken.

"Go to the car Sho." Her voice was colder than even she thought it could be.

Sho responded immediately. He walked without his usual proud swagger, his head bent as he passed her. His golden bangs hung low, blocking his eyes.

After fixing up the place and scribbling a hasty note for the owner, Shoko left the café and opened her car door. He sat in the passenger side, still and silent. The hoodie was back up, shielding his face as he looked out the window. She tossed the lyrics book on his floor mat, started the ignition, and began to drive to her apartment.

Pulling up to a stoplight, Shoko watched Sho from the corner of her eye. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone.

"Who are you calling at this time of night?" Shoko asked curiously, peering over to his side. He rarely used his cell phone now; she made almost all his calls for him.

"… I want to talk to her again." He said, quiet but matter-of-fact.

It took a second to realize who he meant. She looked at his screen, and almost reeled back in disbelief. He was halfway through the K's. In horror, Shoko yanked the phone from his hands. She lowered her window and chucked the cell out onto the road before he could stop her.

"What the hell?" Sho demanded, looking at her as if she were crazy.

"Sho!" She shrieked, amazed by his stupidity. "You've done enough to that poor girl. Leave her alone!"

"I was just going to apologize!" The musician balked irately.

"And you think calling or texting her is going to be enough?" Shoko yelled, exasperated. She gripped the wheel tightly, knowing that if she didn't she'd strangle him instead.

"No!" He said, catching her by surprise. "I know it won't be enough! But I have to try! I want her to forgive me!"

"It doesn't matter what you want!"

"It's what she needs to hear!"

Their angry voices filled the interior, the green light clearly forgotten. Realizing the car in front of him wasn't planning on moving, the expensive gray Porsche circled around the stationary vehicle, running over the celebrity's cell.

"She won't want to talk to you now! She'll probably never want to talk to you again! " God, Shoko reflected, I'm so tired of his self-centeredness. "Do you realize how often you broke her heart? How much your selfishness keeps hurting her? I wouldn't be surprised if she never wants to see you again!"

"You don't know her!" He banged his fists against his knees. "You don't know her like I do! She's my best friend! She's has to forgive me!"

"I know that you made her cry Sho!" Shoko threw the truth at him like daggers, each hitting their emotional mark. "I know you treated her like a maid, then a game! You pretty much just told her that she's worthless!"

"I know! I know she's not worthless! I was just so angry I lost control!" Sho gritted his teeth and closed his eyes tight. "I didn't want to see her like that again! I don't want her to care about anyone else like that!" He opened his eyes, stormy blue clouds watery with frustration. "I love her damn it!"

Shoko sat there, stunned, as she watched the tears wash down his face. She had never seen him so upset. He had gotten angry before. She had seen pouty, hysterical, sleepy, serious…but nothing had exposed this emotion in him. Shoko doubted even he knew how deeply he felt.

She watched him wipe his eyes in the same angry way Kyoko had, as if their own tears were betraying them. The musician was suffering more now than he had ever before. Turning to the wheel, the car began moving again, falling back into uneasy silence.

"Sho…Have you heard the saying 'If you love something, let it go?'" Her voice was softer now, almost apologetic. "It's the only thing I can suggest to you now."

"…do you think she's really gone?" He said softly, resigned. His eyes were drier when he turned to his manager again, but troubled. "How can I apologize?"

"She may be gone." The elder of the two said, choosing truth rather than sugar coating things like she usually did. She slowed down, reaching another red light. "You know she loved you. And you really hurt her. I don't know how you can apologize, but I just suggest you stay away from her for now."

"…but I have to apologize…I have to…" He muttered, looking down at his feet.

She heard the car door click open, and turned to see him jump out onto the wet street.

"SHO! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Shoko cried, leaning over to try and grab his hand. She wanted to reprimand him, but she didn't think he'd go insane. He stood at the door, just out of arm's reach. The red light washed over him, as he leaned in.

"I'm sorry Shoko! I made a bet with that long-legged pretty boy!" The musician shouted, determination evident in his voice. "Meet me in the crash lounge tomorrow! I'll be there!"

With the slam of the door, he was gone.

He held his breath as he pressed the 14th floor button in the elevator - the floor to his apartment. The golden elevator doors slid shut with a pleasant ding, and the elevator began to rise. He leaned against the elevator railing, his head down, and his hands rubbing his tired eyes.

All night. Hour after hour of looking around, still he had come up with nothing. It shouldn't have been a surprise; Tokyo one of the biggest metropolises in the world. Still, there was only one Mogami Kyoko and it seemed like it should have been easy to find her.

Ren cursed the storm. The roads were already empty when he had gone for dinner. There was no one after dinner either. If the sky had been clear, there would have been plenty of witnesses. He could have tracked her easily; she was always one to stand out in a crowd. Actually, he reflected with a snicker, she was one to zoom through a crowd at break-neck speed. She had done it for him when she was his manager, and she would have done it for her best friend. You couldn't miss someone like that.

Driving his car around and around, he looked into every open restaurant, café, and convenience store in a 10 mile area. Any place that had an 'Open' sign lit, he stepped in and looked around. Most places were practically empty, aside from a few workers and a couple of stragglers. Then when he was sure she was not in the area, he'd drive back to the Darumaya, and look for her signature bike.

He knew she had to be okay, once he saw that the restaurant had gone dark. She had probably called her landlords, told them not to worry, and that she was either going to be staying somewhere else or would be back late. Otherwise the Satous would have kept the lights on and waited for her.

If he simply went in and asked, that would have ended his search immediately. He was sure the matriarch would tell him. But if he did, he'd have to look the Taichou in the eye, and Ren was sure he couldn't keep the emotion off his face. He didn't want to admit to what he'd done to hurt the one they cared about.

There was only one more hope. One last crazy place he hoped she would be. It was a long shot, but it could make sense. Kyoko did have his key. She might be waiting for him, sitting there at the entrance of his apartment. Whether she had tissues in her hands or an axe, it didn't matter. If she had questions, he would answer. If she wanted to destroy him, he would let her. If she wanted to tell him goodbye...

"14th Floor" the automatic elevator spoke, as it always did in its bright and cheerful voice. The doors chimed open, and he stepped out.

Everything looked so normal. This hallway, this building, the whole city looked like nothing had happened. He couldn't help but glance at the manicured pots that dotted the corridor, the florescent light that shimmered from above, even the lights of the city that crept through the window. It was all so normal that it didn't make sense.

In less than a week, his world was upside down, and yet the rest of Japan just moved on like nothing happened.

But something's not normal. The lights are on, inside my apartment...

He could see the streak of thin light, like hope, shining through the cracks against his door.

His heart both rose and fell; excitement and worry, anguish and relief, at the thought she was in there. Ren paused at the lock, holding his key halfway to its mate.

Would she see the bet as a betrayal? Would she banish him from her life? Swear revenge? Or would she look at him through tears? Like she did when he encountered her in the forest so many years ago?

How she reacted would be dependent on how she felt about the situation, and him. He had to tell her his side, in hopes that she could, at the very least, not cast him away completely.

The lock clicked its release. Like a sinner into his pyre, Ren pushed the door open a smidge and peeked into his apartment. His heart pounded in his ears as he noticed the guest slippers missing. With a last push, he widened his door all the way.

He looked as if the liquor sucker-punched him into a drunken lull. His glasses sat partly askew, his suit jacket was off, and his shirt was ruffled and no longer tucked in.

Ren had to admit his manager looked just as undignified as he was planning to be; sitting on the floor, leaning on his couch with the brandy bottle on the edge of the table. It certainly wasn't the hellfire he had expected to come home to. Ren entered his apartment, his heart in twisted in disappointment.

Hearing the snap of the closing door, Yashiro eyelids immediate jumped up, jolted back into consciousness after dozing off. "Kyoko?"

Seeing that it wasn't the actress, Yashiro sighed and let his head droop back down. "…Oh it's you Ren." The actor remained silent. "I was hoping…she would come here to try and see you."

If his straight-laced manager found that there was a need to resort to alcohol, the situation was bad. Ren made a beeline to the liquor cabinet, to pull out a cup and some ice for his own brandy. He hadn't restocked the drinks since he had gotten through Dark Moon, and he hoped his manager hadn't finished it yet.

"I see you haven't found her yet…" The manager said hesitatingly, noticing Ren's silence. "I couldn't reach you." Yashiro lifted up his right arm, looked at it, and laughed sadly. "I grabbed the cell phone bare handed, and when that broke, I ran to the LME phone…"

The manager laughed weakly, and took another sip of his own amber alcohol. "I hope they're able to have the network back up by tomorrow."

Finally regaining the ability to talk, the astonishment of seeing his manager in his home and inebriated before dawn fading, Ren sat down on the long sofa and poured himself a drink. "I guessed it was something like that. I tried calling back."

"I was just at my desk…" Yashiro started talking, without any prompt. "It was just a normal night... Making the schedule, filling out paperwork, talking with the public relations department about your image…then she came out of nowhere…"

"She?" Ren questioned, swallowing a large gulp of the firewater. It pleasantly burned his throat, a temporary distraction.

"No, not Kyoko." Yashiro responded, assuming he was talking about the red-headed actress. "Aki Shoko came to visit me. You probably don't know remember who she is. We met her when we were doing that Dark Moon location shoot."

Yashiro launched into the story in great detail, outlining how both women came to find out about the wager between the two male celebrities. Ren listened intently, keeping a blank face as his mind ran a mile a minute.

"Well she punched him in the gut and he fell like a sack! I bet she was furious at the both of you, but luckily he was one that was there. She apparently has one hell of a punch. She pretty much demanded that Aki-san help her, and they both dragged him downstairs."

The silence hung heavy in the air, as Yashiro finished his rendition of the story. Ren drank deeply and Yashiro watched him, worried.

"I'm sorry Ren. I really am." Yashiro burst out, breaking the silence.

"Yashiro…" Ren sighed, annoyed.

"I thought you two would work so well together. I just wanted you two to be happy…"

"Yashiro…" He said warningly, sounding irritated.

"I bet if we meet her in the locker room the first thing this morning…"

"Damn it Yashiro, your meddling has already messed up my life!" His fury caught them both off guard. The alcohol splashed over the table, Ren bringing the cup down hard enough to crack the glass. He shot to his feet, towering over his manager. Yashiro fell back into the chair, stunned. "You were determined to get me close to her and now the girl I love probably thinks she's worthless. Is that not enough for you?"

"I…I'm sorry Ren…I really am…"

Ren crashed on the couch, and put his head between his legs. He twisted his fingers in his hair, and held it as if it were splitting in two. Yashiro went over to put his hand on the actor's shoulder, then pulled away, thinking better of it.

"I guess I've failed you as a manager." He fixed his glasses, and got to his feet. "I…I'll see myself out…and turn in my resignation tomorrow."

"Resignation?" Ren repeated questioningly, rolling the word around on his tongue. "Resignation…That might work…"

"I know Ren, I'm leaving…" Yashiro wearily mumbled, halfway across the room towards the door.

"No Yashiro…I'll quit."

"You'll quit? Quit what?"

"Acting."

"WHAT?" Yashiro was at his side in a flash, shaking the twenty-one year old like a child's rattle. "No Ren, you can't!"

"It's what needs to be done." He said, brushing off the frenzied attack. The severity of his statement washed over the room. "I told myself I would come clean and tell her she was worth more than the bet. But I know now she won't believe me… So if I quit show business…if I never act again, hopefully she'll believe me then."

"Ren, you worked your whole life to get to this point! You're going to throw it all away?"

The silence hung in the air, only for a few moments. Just enough time to let the words sink into both their heads.

"I'm not throwing it away, Yukihito. I love acting, but if I had to choose…I know which one I'd rather have in my life." Ren sighed and picked up the glass.

"Don't worry…" Ren said, twirling the ice in his cup with the flick of his wrist. "I'll give you a glowing recommendation. I'm sure you'll have another charge by the end of the day…Hopefully one who has an interesting personal life." Ren laughed lightly, taking a sip of his drink.

Yashiro laughed soberly, and sat next to his charge. "I don't know if I can be someone's manager after having to follow you around. I've had more than enough scandal this week to make up for the rest of your boring career."

Pausing for a moment, reflecting on his decision, Yashiro filled his glass and raised it in a toast. "To the successful career Tsuruga Ren held…"

Ren smiled paradoxically, and gave a small acknowledgment of the toast. He raised his glass to his lips to drink, not realizing Yashiro had yet to finish it.

"…and to the happiness of the future couple he's giving it up for."

Tsuruga choked, as Yashiro shot the remains of his drink, put the glass down hard, and stood up to get his jacket. Determined not to make the same mistake twice, he went to grab his heavy duty latex gloves and his charge's cell phone.

After the sputtering and coughing subsided, Ren paused, reflecting over his best friend's words.

No longer was Yashiro simply a manager. In truth, Yashiro hadn't been just a manager almost as long as Kyoko hadn't been just his kohai. He was amazed at the depth his emotional connections in Japan took. Looking towards the high rise window, he realized the sun peaked over the horizon.

It was an incredible, breathtaking sunrise. The night's indigo sky shattered under the sun's presence. Its rays pierced the darkness, and the low orb hovered over the edge of the Tokyo's landscape. The colors were amazing, full of red, pink, and gold. The most amazingly rich gold he had only seen in one other setting, in only one person.

It had been an incredible run. He went from an angry, unfocused teenager riding on the coattails of his parents and ignoring directors' visions, to an idol of an entire country; his father's country. Kuon was so determined to make his parents proud of him, to feel deserving of their unabashed love and unflinching loyalty even at the worst of times.

He still hadn't accomplished what he wanted to do. He had done so many shoots, dramas, and movies that he never would have been able to accomplish in America, but it still wasn't enough. His father had seen him as an actor, a successful one, and shook his hand as if he were on the same standing. His mom would be proud of him even if he were a window washer. But he was supposed to go to America on his own successful terms to earn his parents love. A love he should have lost, after doing what he had done.

Still...He had left Hizuri Kuon behind for the sake of love. It was time for Tsuruga Ren to do the same.

"It seems no one's willing to argue about attendance when they just want to get back to bed" Yashiro laughed, as he emerged again from the hallway. "I wish I knew this trick before."

"Done already?" Ren asked, smiling lightly for the first time since dinner.

"Almost," Yashiro said, scrolling though Ren's phone for the person he had in mind. "I've cleared off most your schedule today. We'll need to go to the office and write your letter of resignation for your larger productions. But before we can cancel anything beyond today, I have to make at least one more call. I know he won't like this, so I saved the most important one for last…"

The President

"Should we tell him why you want to quit?" Yashiro asked, covering the mouthpiece.

"I don't think that would be a good idea…" Ren said dryly. This was the last thing Yashiro should talk about with the President in his opinion. Lory was the joker in the deck of cards – sometimes good luck, sometimes bad, but never predictable.

"Good morning Takarada-san." Yashiro said confidently, straight into polite business mode. Ren listened to the one side of conversation he could hear. "I hope I haven't woken you."

"Well I'm glad I wasn't the first one to wake you."

"No sir, this isn't a call to catch up and chat."

"I'm sorry to bother your relaxation in Russia."

"No…I didn't get an e-mail about Ren showing up on Bridge Rock again. We tried Bridge Rock earlier this week."

"I understand that, but I don't think an actress playing as Ren's girlfriend will dispel the suspicion sir."

Yashiro gulped, and plunged in.

"The reason I called? Well...um…I'm afraid Tsuruga-san has decided to leave LME and show business in general."

The room got very quiet, as Ren watched with interest at Yashiro's face. His expression seemed to have gone blank, and the actor couldn't guess what the president was saying on the other line.

"No sir, I did not try to talk him out of it. I support his decision."

"Yes, I understand the consequences, and I'm sure he does too, sir."

"Hold on. I will put the phone on speaker." A quick press of the button and Ren was able to hear Lory's voice as well.

"Ren?" The President asked, his voice simple and strong. "Is this true? You would like to leave LME?"

"Yes. I am asking to be let go immediately." Ren said, sounding just as strong and firm.

"You know this means you will be let go too, Yashiro-san?"

"Yes sir."

Ren looked at his manager, in guilt and surprise. A pregnant pause passed.

"Request denied."

"…I'm sorry?" Yashiro asked, disbelieving.

"Request denied. You are both under contract for the next two years. You cannot quit without filing a grievance, and taking it up with our Human Resources division."

"We have a Human Resources division?" It had to be now the president spoke like a president? Yashiro had been expecting the President to be crying buckets already.

"On the fifth floor, behind the soda machines." Lory said flatly, sounding as if all Human Resources departments were hidden in obscure, unexpected places.

"But…but…This would be for the best! What about the rumors?" Yashiro stuttered, stumped.

"If we were to let go of every employee who had rumor issues Yashiro, there'd be no company."

Both of them hung onto the dead air in silence. He wasn't going to let either of them go.

"I don't understand what's happened to all my children." Lory sniffed, taking a moment for what the men imagined as a moment to dab his eyes. "It's not even daylight out…"

It's like half a year of darkness in Northern Siberia…

"…and yet two of my lovelies have already told me they wanted to leave me."

"Two!" In a flash, Ren was on his feet, holding the cell in his own hands. "What do you mean?" Both men crowded by the phone. They looked at each other, afraid of what they might hear.

"Kyoko-chan called a little before you did. She thanked me for everything I did, and told me she'd be okay on her own. Wouldn't tell me anything else, I'm afraid." The president's sigh was deep and worried. "It's really a disappointment. You both have so much skill yet you just want to throw it away…"

"You…surely you didn't just let her go?" Yashiro asked hesitantly.

He had created LoveMe specifically for Kyoko. Lory wouldn't be the type to just lay there and allow one of his favorite actresses and his granddaughter's "onee-chan" just leave with a simple phone call. If he woudn't let Ren go, there was no way he would have let her go.

"Kyoko was not under an acting contract. She was only seventeen, and technically without her guardians' permission we were not legally able to sign her. We got it to work by assigning LoveMe as a job; a job which she is legally allowed to quit. You, however, are not."

Clearing his throat, Lory returned the topic.

"So I trust you'll be at the studio by four, Ren? The actress will be meeting you there. I hope you understand this is only business, nothing personal."

The actor weakly gave his word, and the call was cut.

"She's gone. Just like that." Ren laughed, in the forced, hiccup laugh that comes from people who have nothing left. He collapsed on the couch, stunned. "I… I couldn't even explain anything to her."

"No, she's not gone yet." Yukihito shook his head. "You were just willing to quit your acting life for her…you're not just going to back out without at least telling her how you feel, right? Not without a fight?"

Ren looked at his manager, then turned his head down in silence. Yashiro continued.

"I don't know where Kyoko's going, but she couldn't have gone far. We just have to make sure that everyone gets your message. That way, even she can't miss it."

"And how do you think we do that Yashiro? I know I am well known, but I am still an actor, not the prime minister. What could I possibly do that would garner everyone's attention?"

Smiling darkly, Yashiro slid himself around Ren's arm, and fluttered his lashes.

"It worked last week…"

A/N: Wow guys! Thank you for all the reviews. I'm sorry for making some of you upset. Please don't cry!

I truly appreciate all the feedback I've gotten, and I can't tell you how often I read your reviews. (Seriously, at least three times a day. I need a life, but reviews make the loneliness less prominent.) I promise that there's some light-hearted humour in the near future (or at least an attempt of it).

So here's the beta situation. Poor Runadaemon got sucked back into the stresses of real life, so I had to search for another victi-I mean guest beta-reader J Luc Pitard. I got great feedback from both of them (which I hope I was able to use properly and improve with), but unfortunately I'll likely be away from my laptop in the near future. My aunt had her baby prematurely, and there might some bumpy times ahead. They live on the other end of the US – so that means unexpected road trip with the family.

Sooo, I followed the suggestions, asked the poor sap who got swindled into loving me to grammar edit, and now I'm posting this before I get the all clear. I might go back and fix some more things if/when I do get the "perfected" chapter.

Now don't fret. The next chapter's mostly done as well. Still needs proofing. I'm not sure how long I'll be "gone" gone (if any), but if it's longer than expected I'll find some public library and try to upload the next chapter from there.

Forgive me for the long author's note. I just want to make everything clear. Daisuki! Daisuki! Minna ga daisuki! (I love you! I love you! I love you all!) *glomp*

P.S.: For all you Francophones, Hermi-ko offered to translate my story into French. *swoons* So keep an eye out for it in the future, if you want to read it in the language of amour. *lol* Sorry…