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 15

Dear Friend,

It feels anticlimactic, and yet comforting, to be writing this letter in the middle of the night while you are sleeping not ten feet away. I hope this doesn't sound inappropriate, but it seems right and proper that we should be together like this. Is this what it feels like to be brother and sister? To travel together; to share meals together; to have this adventure together; is this what siblings do? I never had either brother or sister, so I could only imagine as I watched other siblings.

I should admit that I was less-than-thrilled at the prospect of taking another trip as soon as I returned to Tokyo, but Takarada-Shacho had already cleared the way with my other commitments, so how could I object? As he explained, Cain needs me to stay with him and support him. I should also admit that I find Kobe to be an interesting place, so I truly don't mind.

I thank you once again for waiting to act as Cain Heel until I could return. I also thank you for not teasing me anymore about that request. It is difficult to explain my reasons, but it seemed very important at the time I made the request. I do not presume to be of any use to you in this character, yet I still feel that Setsu should be there whenever Cain is present. She is his support.

On that note, however, I do feel that I should say something about… these sleeping arrangements. I do understand that you might have been experiencing difficulty of some kind on the first night of filming, and that is the reason that you needed your only family... close [the calligraphy in this paragraph becomes increasingly sloppy as it continues]. It was for that reason that I did not object to [the words "cuddling," "comforting," and "laying with" are crossed out here, yet still slightly visible] sleeping in close proximity with you. I assumed, however, that this was a one-time thing. Tonight, therefore, was unexpected. I truly do appreciate that when you are in-character you are acting as my doting brother who missed his sister, but is it really appropriate for us to continue this… habit?

For tonight I was [the word "happy" is crossed out] willing to help you sleep, but I am not sure that we should continue this practice. A girl is much different than a teddy bear… or a piece of driftwood. I thought it was Setsu who had the brother complex, not Cain who had a sister complex. What would people think if they knew?

Anyway, I am glad that you are sleeping now and that I can sit here to compose this letter. Tomorrow is supposed to be a big day of filming, so this might be my only opportunity. Besides which, I still seem to be on California time in my sleep-schedule.

Now that I am back, the President has given me a new topic-of-the-week. Our topic this week is our most-important possession.

I hope that you will forgive me when I tell you that my most-important possession is a blue stone that was given to me in my childhood. I know that the gift that you gave me on my seventeenth birthday was more valuable (yes, I am still not happy with the way that you tricked me into accepting such a valuable crystal. The story was wonderful, and I value Princess Rosa's Tear greatly, but you should not have spent so much money). It is not surprising that the gift that you gave me has become so famous. Isn't it odd that people would go crazy over the hand-crafted pendant of a minor character in a weekly drama? Still, my blue stone, "Corn," is my most important possession.

You might remember the blue stone I speak of: it was the one that I accidentally dropped down the stairwell… and I offered to let you use it once when you seemed sad. That stone was given to me by a very important friend from my childhood. It was not that other person whose very name seems to make you angry. Instead it was a boy who I only knew for a short time when I was only six. He was kind and wonderful to me, and he left me the stone when he had to leave.

You will probably find this silly, but it is a magical stone, at least for me. I carry it with me always and when I am very sad I feel better just by holding it. Recently I found out that the person who gave me the stone is still alive. He sent me a letter not long ago! Please don't ask me anymore about that… I probably shouldn't have written that much; but I know that I can trust you to keep the secret.

I should wrap this letter up now. Morning will come swiftly and my eyes are rebelling. Good night, Tsuruga Ren.

Sincerely,

Mogami Kyoko

Dear Chiori-san, [via phone-text]

I was so glad to see you again! I hope that your break was good and that you have returned to work ready to step in front of the camera and wow the world. I missed both you and Kanae. Do you think we should have a sleepover?

Kyoko

Dear Moko-san, [alson phone-text]

Pls don't be angry at me. I am sorry that you didn't get my msg in time and ended up waiting at the airport. I am also sorry that I can't explain what happened in-detail; it is not my secret to keep or tell. All that I can tell you is that someone from my childhood miraculously got in contact with me and arranged for a special tour of Amsterdam.

If I am ever allowed to divulge that person's secret, I promise that you will be the first to hear everything.

Your friend,

Kyoko

Notes: HELP! I wanted to make Kyoko's bucket list the subject of the next letter, but quickly found that I couldn't come up with ten ideas that were pure-Kyoko. I need your suggestions!