Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters. Thank you. Also, I am doing a few cameos in this chapter to include characters and references from Naruto, The One, and Paradise Kiss, neither of which I own. Disclaimer complete.

~SHO~

How in the hell had this happened? Three months ago Kyoko had just up and disappeared. Sho thought back to that day after he turned the lock. She asked him to leave and he did. He hadn't wanted to, but he did. He figured that she needed some space. Between what they'd done (which honestly wasn't much to get worked up about) and her seeing Tsuruga, he thought she needed to process things. After that, he'd never heard nor seen from her again. Apparently, it took a lot longer for Kyoko to process things than most women. He was scared stiff that she was lying in a ditch somewhere. He'd looked everywhere. Her job, her room, her friends, her school, even that bastard's place, hell, he'd even returned to Kyoto (unknown to his parents) to look for her there. She was nowhere to be found. Wherever Kyoko went, she went with the intention of never coming back and he was fairly certain that she had, at least temporarily, forgiven him. Maybe. Just a little.

He sighed. He remembered that look in Tsuruga's eyes when he saw them together. The monstrous betrayal that showed on his face kept swirling around in his head. Kyoko's response was just as shattering. It was like no one else in the room existed. Like HE didn't EXIST. There could have been a room full of people and they were having a telepathic war. A war that he was sure, Kyoko and he would never have. It was far too intimate. It was like standing between a nine tailed fox and a man in possession of a sharingan. He was no match for those two. His teeth clenched. Damn it, Kyoko. Why couldn't she have left him without ever knowing what she felt like? What she tasted like? He couldn't get her out of his head and couldn't cement a place in her heart. Why did it feel like he'd already lost after seeing the exchange between those two? Damn it.

~REN~

The memory of her standing there, mussed from arousal, not even the slightest bit apologetic had been stuck on visual replay for the last three months. Since then, Kyoko Mogami had gone on hiatus. She simply disappeared off the face of the Earth. One thing was very clear; she had done a very thorough job of ensuring he would have no way to track her down. He had a feeling the President knew but for some reason he could not say. He did not even mention Kyoko by name anymore. It was as if the girl he was in love with never existed. She'd made him thoroughly angry, standing there unashamed at what she'd just been doing with a man she proclaimed to hate.

He wiped his hands down his handsome features. He'd been doing that a lot lately. He let out a heavy sigh. He knew he was in no place to judge Kyoko for her actions. He had been the one to wound her so deeply. It was possible that she now loathed him far more than she did Fuwa. Fuwa would be forgiven if this were the turn of events that had taken place in Kyoko's heart. God knows, Ren played a far more nefarious character than some punk boy she had once fancied herself if in love with. Ren had been so much more to her and he knew that. If she chose to lick her wounds with Fuwa, he really shouldn't be angry. But it didn't change the fact that he was. It didn't change the fact that he had wanted to rip Fuwa's head cleanly off his body. It didn't change the fact that he was entirely capable of such violence and that it would've probably eased his tortured soul.

Miaka flounced into the President's office, eyes full of awe. She tugged on her friend's, Lele Cain, arm. President Takarada stood posed like Captain Morgan in nothing but a pair of suede breeches and a Native American headdress. Dark red war pain graced his cheeks. Miaka bowed and President Takarada did the same.

"Good afternoon, I am President Larry Takarada of LME."

"Miaka finds great pleasure in seeing you again Mr. Takarada-san. These are Miaka's very close friends: Lele Cain and Caroline Hayasaka."

The ladies both bowed, though the eccentricity of the President was noted, it was not uncommon in their line of work so both took it with a grain of salt. Besides, Miaka was an eccentric if there ever was one and they adored her for it.

"If you will, please join me for some tea, ladies." They followed him to a set of lush couches made of cream colored fabric so perfectly suited to his attire. There sitting perfectly manicured sat Tsuruga Ren. Miaka did not hesitate or panic and for that she congratulated herself. All she had to do was slip into Miaka and let her do the work. Kyoko was buried. Long buried. She smiled at her friends as they assessed Ren. Only Miaka noted that ragged breath, the gaunt beneath his eyes, and the aura of danger emanating from him. But then, only Miaka was privy to such things. Miaka was good at judging character and she did not care for the vibes this man was giving off, despite their connection in her past life.

Ren stared as the three women approached. All three of their strides were long, measured, and so very full of confidence. One stopped short and took a seat beside Ren as the other spots did face President Takarada, and were otherwise preoccupied with her entourage and Yashiro-san. So, this was the fairy. The fairy who had been allowed to usurp Kyoko's debut. President Takarada was arguing with a staff member for some inane reason and Ren pinched at the bridge of his nose. Dear God, this was never going to end. How long would he have to suffer through this? A curtain of long, straight blue hair filled his vision. "The Fairy" stood in front of him her head and her body cocked sideways, in a way that only a model could make looks graceful, peering at him beneath his hand.

"You did not sleep well." She stated and began fumbling around in her bag. She handed him a packet labeled 'Sleep Aid'.

"Thank you."

"Miaka knows that one must be in good physical condition in order to perform as expected of a top star." She said simply and returned to her seat beside him.

"How did you know I was not sleeping well?"

"Well, Miaka noticed your eyes were gaunt, which will not help sell photos. That and your aura was restless."

Ren let a ghost of a smile play on his lips.

"My aura?"

"You may not believe in what Miaka is saying, but is true. Miaka appears to be more….receptive to such things than those around her." One of her friends commented.

"Ah." Ren was dying to leave this strange girl and her friends to their own devices to find more useful thought occupying employment.

"Miaka does not like the aura which emanates from you, Tsuruga Ren." She murmured very quietly. So quietly that he was certain only he could hear. His eyes did not move from the spot on the wall to which they were rooted.

"Do not worry. The feeling is mutual."