Dear Sempai

Disclaimer: I do not own SkipBeat! or any of the characters from the Manga.

Summary: Lory has conceived yet another devious scheme, wrapped in the guise of a LoveMe assignment. All the girls have to do is to write at least one letter a week to the person they respect the most. Simple… right?

Letter 6

Dear Friend,

I will keep this letter relatively short, since I need to finish it before you arrive back at your apartment this evening. I must admit that I felt like a thief going into your apartment suite by myself without you there. I know that you gave me your house key so that I could keep an eye on things, and I know that it will make it easier for you if you don't have to run back to LME after a late afternoon of filming. Still, it seems [a drifting line shows that Kyoko accidentally allowed the pen to touch as she tried to formulate her thoughts] slightly inappropriate.

I know that it is silly to think that way. After all, until yesterday I spent nearly two weeks living as your sister in the same hotel room. But when we take our makeup off, I remember that we are not brother and sister.

I won't waste anymore of your time on that, since tonight I am in your apartment to cook your going-away dinner. It must be wonderful to get so many film and modeling jobs in other countries. I have never been out of Japan, so Taiwan sounds very interesting indeed. I am curious: where else have you been? Sorry, you don't need to waste your time answering that if you are busy.

The question does seem to transition naturally into my writing assignment for the week: "What is your dream for the future?" Was acting and travelling and becoming an international film star your dream?

I am embarrassed to mention my original motive for wanting to become an actress, but since you knew it, I can't pretend otherwise. I realize now just how much you must have despised me for joining LME with such a vile and despicable motive. I sincerely hope that you still believe me when I write that my motives are different now. I do not necessarily dream of becoming famous in Japan or internationally; that does not seem possible anyway. Rather, acting has helped to set me on the path of self-discovery. I want to find my ideal through the characters that I play, and then I want to become someone whom I can be proud of. Would it be presumptuous if I said that, as my sempai, I would like to make you proud too? And Kotonami Kanae, of course; and Takarada Lory; and so many others.

That is my dream: I want to become somebody that I can be proud of. It isn't much of a dream, I admit, but it is enough for me. It remains for people like you and Moko-san to pursue the big dreams.

This doesn't mean that I don't want to become a great actress. I have never found anything that is as thrilling as acting. There is something magical in the way that people such as you can take a story and make it come to life on the screen. I want to do that too. In fact, now that I am in this industry, I can't imagine doing anything else instead.

Oh! I should have been watching the time! I have to go now, so that I can prepare your dinner in time. You will probably read this after you are on the airplane or somewhere in Taiwan, so I'll close with:

Gambatte!

Mogami Kyoko

Dear Chiori-san,

I apologize for how long it has taken me to respond to your letter. For the past several weeks I have been tied up in another LME Task that leaves me very little free time. This morning the person I have been supporting departed, so I should have more time to write now.

I was surprised to read that you no longer believe that you have a dream. Up until this point you have never fully explained your reasons for being in LoveMe. I had assumed that your reasons were like my own, or perhaps like [the word "Moko-san" is scratched out] Kanae-san's. I didn't realize that you had lost your love of acting. After what you wrote in your previous letter, I suppose that it does make sense. But then, why do you continue to act (please don't think me rude for asking)? I have always enjoyed seeing you act, and you are wonderful. Do you still hate acting, or is it improving?

It might seem selfish of me, but I would hate to see you leave acting. I like your work and I hope to grow and learn from you.

Thank you for sharing that with me,

Sincerely,

Mogami Kyoko

Dear Otou-san,

You don't have to worry; the person I work with on the project is a man, but he is an honorable and trustworthy sempai. He would never take advantage of me just because we are working so closely together. In fact, I cannot imagine that someone like him would ever think of me as any more than a talentless junior, or a little sister. I am not the type of girl that men become interested in anyway. He may pretend to draw close to me in order to tease me at times, but he doesn't mean anything by it.

I wanted to tell you I was visiting someone's home yesterday and I saw not just one, but all of your movies in his entertainment center. He said that I was free to borrow his videos whenever I wanted to, so now I plan on watching as many of your movies as I can!

I read recently that you spent several months filming in Europe this last year. That must have been so exciting. Tsuruga Ren (do you remember meeting him?) just left this morning for Taiwan, where he will be filming for about three weeks. It must be exciting to travel.

Will you be flying back to Japan anytime soon? For some reason I am feeling very lonely today.

Sincerely,

Kyoko/Kuon