Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters. Thank you.

Saena eyed the girl's thin, wiry form. Not much was womanly about her. She noted the look in her eyes. That look, however, she knew well. Perhaps it was the only thing she recognized in this child was that unfailing and quite irritating look of determination. She appeared as though she was ready to get her hands dirty. Perhaps this should have triggered a sense of foreboding and unease in Saena but it did not. She knew someday things would turn out like this. She just hoped it would not. So much for optimism.

"Shotaro, leave us. I have something I need to discuss with my mother. Alone."

The Fuwa boy seemed rooted to the spot in disbelief that the girl would order, not ask, him to leave. In his home, none the less. His eyes met hers and there seemed to be an unspoken communication. He left without saying another word. Quite extraordinary.

"You are here in Tokyo. I've learned that you ran away with the Fuwa boy and became an actress."

"Yes, but worry not Mother, I have not come to seek the motherly affection I have been denied since childhood nor do I intend to make our connection known to anyone. Your reputation may remain unstained."

Saena noted the implied "if" in that statement. Well now, perhaps the child inherited more of her skills and instinct than she thought.

"What is it you want of me?"

"I will keep our family connection a secret on the condition that you force LME's President to allow me to debut and on an international level."

"I am a lawyer Kyoko. I do not perform miracles and I need some sort of leverage to go on."

"You never consented to an underage adult under your care to signing a contract with LME. That's leverage enough isn't it? It's not as if President Takarada is unaware of your identity or the fact that you did not consent. Nor did the Fuwa's, who also neglected to inform you. Yet still, I managed to sign and keep a contract."

"How do you plan to sign a new contract?"

"I will debut as a new talent. New name, new look, new talent and all those involved will be legally gagged so as not to reveal my background or any extenuating circumstances."

"What is the reason for all of this?" Saena pinched the bridge of her nose. She had to hand it to the girl she thought about this in depth. It could work.

"Does it truly matter to you? All YOU need to know is that I want to erase the existence of Kyoko Mogami. Unless you help me, she will be the scandal that ruins the career of a childless high profile lawyer."

Saena's brow furrowed. She hated being backed into a corner.

"I will begin working on this tomorrow."

"One last thing. In the gag, I want you to specifically include that two persons; Tsuruga Ren and Fuwa Sho; must never be told my identity or anything that points to my location."

Saena's furrow in her brow deepened.

"Anything else?"

"No, that is all. Pleasure doing business with you Ms. Mogami."

Kyoko returned to her room above the Daruyama. A sprawling figure awaited her in her tiny cramped space.

"How was the visit with Mother Dearest?" Sho asked; hands preoccupied in his pockets.

"Who let you in here?"

"After being turned out of my own apartment, I think it's fair that I'm allowed to intrude."

Kyoko walked to her closet and pulled out her suitcase. She began selecting items and folding them neatly into the suitcase, ignoring Sho's rude mannerisms.

"Just where do you plan on going that you're packing a suitcase?"

Kyoko paused. Kyoko heaved an inner sigh; he never could never leave well enough alone, and knowing him, if she left it like this he'd ask far too many questions. The right questions. He knew just how to push all the buttons. Maybe he didn't always have the right words and maybe he wasn't the brightest or the quickest to catch on but he still knew her mental processes inside out. This is why she needed to start over as someone new, somewhere else.

She took in his magnificent masculine form. Despite the fact that she was still quite angry with him she couldn't help but soften. Compared to the anger she felt at being used and betrayed and…..filleted by Tsuruga Ren, the grudge she had held against Shotaro seemed so very small. She had been so blindly entranced by Shotaro's masculine beauty she hadn't thought it possible that he did not love her in the same way that she loved him. He still knew her best out almost anyone in the world. Even Tsuruga…..no Kuon. Even Kuon hadn't figured her out the way Sho had. Maybe it came from being childhood friends. Maybe it came from unrequited love.

"Kyoko." His face had softened to a worried, panicked expression and was extraordinarily close to hers. She looked at him and reached out her hand to run it through his hair, in spite of herself.

"How many girls had longed to do this in middle school and high school, you'd have never been able to guess. Even now it still bugs me."

"What?"

"The way you ruffle your hair. No matter how many times you run you hands through it, it still looks perfect. It's annoying."

"You're scaring me Kyoko." He said clasping her hands in his.

"Me calling a truce scares you?"

"Yes. No! It scares me because it sounds like you're saying…..goodbye."

Kyoko chuckled, amused by her own sadistic thoughts.

"Don't worry I'm not going to off myself or anything like that."

"No, it's just something isn't right with you and I'm pissed as hell that you're not planning telling me what it is even though I've done everything you asked."

"Everything I've asked? You brought me here, Sho. I worked myself to the bone in hopes that I would get some little scrap, some little sign, that you loved me. You didn't though. Not in the way that I loved you….and now, NOW, you decide you get to CARE about me?"

"Kyoko….." He balled of his fist and put it in his mouth.

"I've had enough of this love bullshit. No one, not a single person in this world, has loved me to the extent that I have loved them. Is that too much to ask for?"

The tears filled her eyes, piling up and overflowing spilling onto her freshly packed clothes. Good thing she didn't have any cosmetics or they might've been stained. Stupid, stupid tears. She wished her eyes could suck the tears back in. Here she thought she'd been done crying. Why was she so bitter?

Sho could only watch. He stilled for a moment but he had to do something. This was worse than watching her cry over her mother's serious lack of parenting skills. This was her crying over him. This was her lamenting over the love she'd lost. He knew he didn't have her whole heart, but he was in there somewhere.

He crossed to Kyoko and put his arms around her. She fought against him and his embrace, thrashing while he gained control of her arms and sobbing uncontrollable salty tears. She would be his undoing, that he knew for certain. Finally, they sank to the ground together, curled in a little ball centered between his legs, she sobbed against him. With each little heave of her chest his heart ached more and more. She finally quieted and he sat there, cradling her in the safety of his arms. Why did this feels so right?

"He sure did a number on you Kyoko."

She didn't answer him, just breathed softly; the tears were still coming, just silently now. He picked her up and carried her to the bed. He laid her down and turned to go until he felt her hand at his wrist.

"Stay."

That was all she had said and it was enough to break Sho in two. In all his years with Kyoko, she had never asked much of him. This, he could do. This, he would happily do.

"Okay."

She felt his weight sink into her mattress as he laid down on his back, staring into the ceiling. She rolled into his warmth, placing her head on his chest. His strong heart beat steadied her. She felt his pulse racing. Funny how the things we thought we never wanted turned out to be what we need the most. His arm came around her hesitantly, holding her as if she were fine china about to break. She didn't mind. She didn't hate Sho anymore. Perhaps she never had. Perhaps this was her vengeance. To know he cared for her even after they had both acknowledged that someone else had her heart. He damn sure didn't deserve it. Besides, one night like this didn't matter. Within the next few days, this way of life would all be over. Its better they parted ways on good terms.