A/N: CHAPTER SONG: MAROON 5 - TANGLED (The whole reason I even wrote Skip Beat FF in the first place was because of this song.)

"Come in!" The female voice boomed through her office door, permitting entry. Shoko slid her manicured fingers around the knob and turned it, entering the expansive office.

"Aki-san! I love when you come to see me directly. Have you found another one then?"

Her chief pulled the offered application out of her drawer and spilled the contents onto her desk. Spreading the photos out, she admired the photos in the same way Shoko did when she took them out. It had taken a long time for Shoko to gain her kaichou's trust, but every person she brought in personally had become a pretty big hit in the modeling and light acting world.

"Not bad Aki, not bad. Very nice look. Nice face. Professional photos too. He must have had some money backing him up for real studio shots. That or friends with high talent."

Standing at full height, Shoko nodded and pulled his handwritten form from the pile. "His full name is Shoutaro Fuwa. He wants to be known as Sho."

"Good. My grandfather's name is Shoutaro, and I'm pretty sure he was born during the Edo period."

Her boss snickered loudly, retreating even deeper into the darkness. The only thing she knew about her boss was that she was female and that she wore glasses. Her boss never stepped out of the office with people around, and all you could ever see of her was her glasses and the way the room's stray beams of light refracted off of them. At first Shoko thought on how strange it was, but then she had heard of her coworkers' stories of LME's eccentric president. Apparently there was something about show business that attracted the freaks.

"I did some research and it turns out he's the heir to the Fuwa Ryokan chains. Maybe it was that."

"Oh great. A pretty rich boy who thinks he can act. Like we haven't heard that before."

"Actually, he's a singer."

"Really now…. A singer Aki-san? And you brought him into my office?" She leaned back, and the light glinted as it usually did in the shaded room. "He must have talent then. Usually you're more on the acting side. And I'm guessing you want to manage him?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"Well, let's hear from the Edo boy. I assume he sent a demo."

After a few unsure movements and button presses, the deep rumble of a bass drum and a synthesizer's electric keyboard spilled across the sound system. It sounded like a musical lunar landing, curiously haunting yet addictive. Although the recording seemed to be fan-made, the quality was surprisingly good.

The guitar strums caught the boss by surprise. Its lethargic tune matched the soft piano and drums perfectly, which wasn't common in local bands. Usually there would be a clash. The bassist would play too fast or the drummer would drum too hard. Someone clearly knew what they were doing.

Then, there was his voice.

Watch the sunrise
Say your goodbyes
Off we go…

Some conversation
No contemplation
Hit the road…

"Sign him."

Pulling off her shades, Shoko spotted her new charge sitting lazily over a café table, tell-tale blond hair poking out from under his red hoodie. She nodded approvingly to herself as she approached. For a pure blooded Japanese boy from Kyoto, he pulled off the unnatural hair color like he was born with it. Whoever styled him did it like an expert. The boy knew how to stand out in Tokyo. Even in his unassuming jacket and tattered jeans, he looked more like a planted fashion male idol than a common citizen.

"What's your name?"

"Are you from around here?"

"Hey, is that poetry?"

Several girls surrounded the table, probably on their lunch hour judging by their uniform shirts and rolled up skirts. They all leaned over him in one way or another, trying to strike up a conversation. One or two of them were quite pretty, yet the musician hadn't really looked up from his pen and notebook.

"Sho. No. They're lyrics." He muttered, scribbling some more notes on the page.

Well that was good. He wasn't too much of the playboy type. They looked much more interested in him than he was in them.

"Oh! You're a musician! I love musicians!"

"I love to sing. Do you sing? Do duets? There's a local Karaoke bar nearby."

"I bet you need someone to show you around Tokyo. We could go after school."

"I could do it right now."

"No way, he'd want to come with me!"

Approaching the group of girls as silently as her heels would allow her, she cleared her throat and smiled charmingly as they turned to look at her. Being beautiful came with certain perks, like immediate authority over common women, if she chose to exert it. Aki Shoko gave her best assured smile as the younger girls' smiles seemed to fade. There was no competition between their moderate attractiveness and the mature woman's stunning brilliance.

"I'm sorry ladies, I have to meet with my client. Trust me, you'll be hearing more of him real soon."

"Awww…" The crowd of girls slowly filed away, saying their goodbyes with flirty tones and high pitched giggles. He didn't return any of their affections, but Sho did nod his head in some meager form of politeness as they filed away. Sho kept the corner of his eye on Shoko though, which she wasn't surprised about.

Pulling off his hoodie, the serious teenager looked up at her with a curious full examination. More people stared in their direction as his golden mane caught the day's sunlight. Two beautiful people meeting in such a common place made it more like a movie set than real life. A nervous waitress took their drink orders, and disappeared just as quickly.

"Are you supposed to be my manager?"

He wasn't talking to her chest. That was definitely an improvement over most of the men she met. She nodded.

"I am Aki Shoko from Akatoki Agency. If you agree, I'll be representing you as your manager."

He languidly started with the lengths of her calves, then slowly raised his appraising gaze up the length of her legs, to her firm stomach, up her ample breasts and finally to her face. She kept her professional smile up, but her eyes slightly narrowed.

"You're definitely my type Shoko -chan." His overconfident teenage purr was all the information she needed. "I agree."

Well, she couldn't expect him to be perfect.

"Listen, Shoutar-"

"Sho. Call me Sho." As usual, he leaned over with what she suspected was his most handsome of smiles. It was pretty handsome, as even her hardened heart fluttered. "After all, you are m-"

"Fuwa," Shoutaro pulled back, his eyes widening in surprise. "I am not anything of yours, except your manager. I selected you because your demo tape had some talent, but without me, your chances of making it are pretty low. I've been in this business since I was your age, and you're just another star struck runaway in Tokyo to most agencies."

"I…yeah I understand…" Sho trailed, having the decency to look a bit embarrassed.

Aki Shoko was a great judge of character. She never picked someone she didn't think could make it, and she never picked a bad charge to take care of. There were plenty of overly pompous teenagers with little talent and even fewer manners.

If you were going by his outward appearance, you'd think Fuwa Shoutaro was a spoiled pretty boy with no talent. But really, he was a boy who had the good fortune to be born to a good, successful family with the right set of genes. That set of circumstances usually ruined children, but Shoutaro had been trained by serious parents and had a real goal in mind. He acted in a front that people expected, but really he was a good kid. At least it seemed like that.

"So is Mogami Kyoko mature for her age?" Shoko lifted the cool drink to her lips, taking a sip nonchalantly as Sho sputtered in shock.

"What?" The shock on his face was almost comical. His jaw dropped immediately. "How do you know her? She has nothing to do with me and my career!"

"I'm your manager." Aki replied, putting the glass on the table delicately. "I've already dug into your record. Mogami Kyoko is the name on the lease of your very expensive Tokyo apartment. You don't work, but she does. You both ran away from home. Your parents didn't approve, but they were willing to sign the consent forms as long as we added a part in the contract that guaranteed you enrolled in school and graduate."

"You've spoken to my parents?" Fuwa hit his hands on the table, standing up suddenly. Eyes and ears perked up, as they turned to watch the beautiful boy's sudden excitement. The ice cubes tinkled as they readjusted in the cup. "They actually signed my papers?"

"If they hadn't signed your papers, we wouldn't be having this conversation." Shoko said simply. "Now sit Sho. We have a debut to plan."

He sat, as instructed, without putting up much of a fight. As they sat in the shaded afternoon sun, Sho and Shoko quietly deliberated the details of his public look. His debut songs, his school situation, and how the business industry would work now that he had a major label backing him were all discussed.

Shoko was just thinking that handling a teenage boy as a charge wouldn't be so bad, as she paid the tab and walked to her car. There were a lot of appointments to set back at the office. Something would have to be done about his "roommate," his words, not hers, and…

"Shoko! Can I come home with you?"

"Sho." Shoko sighed, as her mental list of tasks they needed to complete was forgotten. "I told you, I am your manager. I am not your plaything."

"But you're still my type." Sho pouted in his spoiled, charming way. He leaned over her sports car, keeping it propped open. Even Shoko found her heart twitter a bit. "I like intelligent, stubborn women. I'm not into girls."

"Well you can't have me." The leggy manager laughed, putting on her Kamuro sunglasses and starting the car engine. Sho closed the door, but rested his arms over the open window frame. "If you ever find the intelligent, stubborn women of your dreams though, I'll help you get her."

The red lights, a signal backstage to confirm the final countdown to the show. Both men half walked, half ran to the stage, worry in their voices.

"I thought I was going to start the show on stage." Ren asked, unnerved, outpacing his counterpart using his long legs.

"Me too. I don't know why the countdown's on now." Yashiro squeaked, starting to run to try and keep up. "They're not having anything before your segment. This show is supposed to be dedicated to you. Do you think it could be the President?"

"Nothings going to-" Ren started, then stopped, mid-sentence.

Holding out her arms as wide as possible, both men froze at the human roadblock. Ren and Yashiro stood still, a few steps away from the stage, looking at Aki Shoko as if she were a ghost.

"You? What are you doing here Aki-san?" Yashiro asked, incredulous.

"I'm keeping promises Yashiro-san." Shoko smile sadly, as she regarded both men with more than a hint of guilt. "Trying to make up for all the damage my charge has done. The same as you, I believe."

The lights around them began to fade, the fated Rock show scheduled to start.

"You look good in uniform, by the way."

Yashiro blushed deeply, looking away and stuttering his innocence.

Unaffected, Ren took a step forward towards the stage, now black and empty.

"I'm sorry Aki-san. I don't have time for this."

"Wait!" Shoko quickly took a step closer to Ren, and put her hands on his chest in protest. He looked down at her surprised, as she pushed him back with the little power she had. It wasn't enough to make him retreat, but it was enough to keep him still. "He wanted me to tell you…that you've won the battle. That this is his defeat. Let him do it in dignity."

The studio lights rose dramatically, casting a dim red light on the bass guitarist in the corner of the stage. He plucked on his guitar strings in a slow, soulful way, keeping his head down and his face covered.

A concentrated but casual drum beat from the other side of the stage as the crowd peered on. Confused and discontent, they reluctantly hushed as they waited to find out what exactly was happening.

A low yellow beam shone directly from above the stage, hitting the bench, microphone, and the blond singer in a strange radiance. The last murmurs of discontent faded, as the rich tenor voice bled like the studio glow, catching his blond hair.

I'm full of regret
For all things that I've done and said

"If I had stayed in that house any longer, I would have ended up with some with some plain, boring local girl!"

And I don't know if it'll ever be ok to show
My face, 'round here

"For a girl to be doing this type of job; she must be really ugly."

Sometimes I wonder if I disappear
Would you ever turn your head and look?

He stood, pulling the microphone and its stand closer to him. The lights began to pulse in a muted red and dirty yellow. Dingy colors, washing over him like filth to a forlorn stray dog, or guilt to a sentenced prisoner.

See if I'm gone
Cause I fear
There is nothing left to say

"And you said something like 'Put all your heart into acting.' I couldn't see your effort at all."

To you
That you wanna hear
That you wanna know

The crowd got to its feet, knocking away the tissues and tears into a white soggy blob on the studio sets floor.

I think I should go
The things I've done are way too shameful

"SHUUUUUUUUT UPPPPPPPPP!" The echo of the slap rung around them both, as the small cut produced a single droplet of blood.

You're just an innocent
A helpless victim of a spider's web

"Since you're not used to be complimented by a guy, you probably thought 'erotic' means 'you're sexy,' right?"

And I'm an insect
Goin' after anything that I can get

"I'll send her back to Kyoto. You'll take care of me, right Shoko?"

So you better turn your head and run
And don't look back

"Kyoko? I...I didn't mean it… I was just angry…I was just kidding about the bet…"

Cause I fear
There is nothing left to say

"You haven't given your first kiss to anybody, right?"

To you
That you wanna hear

"I'm your Prince!"

That you wanna know
I think I should go

"So I'm giving that to you, as a compensation gift."

The things I've done are way too shameful

"Even your mother didn't want you! Why would someone like him treat you like you meant something without an ulterior motive!"

And I've done you so wrong
Treated you bad

"Because she's mine."

"Because she's yours…?" Aki repeated, lightly scornful. "Tell me Fuwa-kun, why is she yours?"

"Because…I kissed her first."

Strung you along

"I didn't want to see her like that again! I don't want her to care about anyone else like that!"

Oh, Shame on myself

"I know it won't be enough! But I have to try! I want her to forgive me!"

I don't know how I got so tangled...up…

"I love her, damn it!"

The crowd cheered as one, as if they'd forgotten why they had been crying and assembled in the first place.

Leaving the equipment on stage, and dropping the mic with a loud thud, Sho walked off the stage. He didn't respond to the girls' screams, the flashing of lights. He let his memories of sin wash over him, as the bands' final chords fell.

The weight of his apology weighed on him, like a cursed bolder. Aki Shoko stood to the side of the stage, as always, giving him a sad yet proud little smile.

Yashiro and Tsuruga stood next to her, their faces fixed on him. Neutral. Sharp.

"You win Tsuruga." Sho half spoke, half whispered, as he wisped past his rival. "I apologized. It's over."

In a small show of apology, Aki bowed her head and swept past the two LME men, meeting her charge at his side. Her eyes said it all. 'Let's go,' and Sho was too drained to argue. His voice felt tired. His heart was heavy. The approaching night was destined to be a long one.

"You don't get it Fuwa."

The young performer and his manager froze, turning around to look at the man who spoke. Ren didn't turn to look at Fuwa, but instead at the stage as the three Rock hosts emerged to take the crowd.

"This week has gone beyond anything you could have thought up."

As the brilliance of the performance gradually faded, the crowd began to murmur and hum. Slowly, they all began to remember why they had come. The overall feel of TBM studios began to grow tense.

"You think a song is enough…to make up for what we've done to her?"

"There's no wa… "

"We hurt her."

"Shut up…"

"This petty fight. I chased her away."

"Shut up Tsuruga! This isn't about her. This was about our bet."

"Of course this is about her. You're not important to me, Fuwa. Not then. Not now. This was always about her."

Sho shook his head as if vigorously trying to wipe the thought clear from his mind. "If anything, I chased her away. I hurt her. I'm here to make it up to her."

Finally turning his head round, Ren stared at the teenager. The actor's stormy dark eyes met with the musician's electric blue ones.

"Do you love her?" The question was sharp. Direct. No one existed in this exchange beyond the two men.

"Yes." Yashiro's mouth rounded in a small o. Not from the answer, but by the frankness of the singer's response. He had forced his kiss upon her. He had thrown her away like trash. He had been eager to hurt her by exposing the plan. (Yashiro worked that out, as he washed the gel out of his hair.) Fuwa's immature teenage love had had fingerprints all over the place, but Yashiro never imagined there would be such a change that Fuwa Sho would be willing to admit his love. Ever. Much less overnight.

"Did you ever tell her?"

"She knows." Fuwa turned his head away, cheeks painted in red, his voice thick and rushed. "She has to know."

"I love her." Yashiro and Shoko took twin gasps as Sho reeled back in horror, as if slapped. "And now it's my turn to show her."

There wasn't a slight hesitance as Ren took his first step on stage. Cameras whirled. The audience screamed. All Hell broke loose.

Beta Note: Sorry for the extra wait, but I'm sure Momochan will satisfy us all with her finale. Please be patient, because perfection takes time.

A/N: There's still definitely two chapters left. I never thought to not show what happens on TV in my story. But a half done posted chapter is better than keeping the half done chapter on my computer and forgetting about it for another 6 months

Runa beta'd thankfully. After so long, I never thought she'd want to talk to me again, much less beta. *sniffles*

And thank you all for returning, or starting fresh and reading ALL the way to this chap. I'm still here. Chugging along, but this will be done.

...Unless I don't get reviews...

*whistles* I was never above feeble threats...