A/N: Candlelight by Relient K!

Ren really surprised me yesterday. I never thought that I would manage to have him eat two substantial meals in one day. Maybe he knows how much I missed him over the past month. It's not that I expect to see him every day. I just… like being with him. I always thought that he just put up with my presence as an unworthy kohai. It's so difficult that he has had these feelings of love for so long and I had no idea that they were directed towards me. I still don't understand why he would love someone like me. I'm still not even sure why I had to blurt out those words when we collided in the hallway.

All of these emotions and feelings are so new. This sort of love isn't the same that I had for Shotaro. First of all, these feelings are being reciprocated, which is rather shocking. Actually, Ren is very open about his feelings and tends to show them in public. Earlier this week, he was going to kiss me on a busy sidewalk and I have to shove his face away. I'm too modest! Plus I'll get all sorts of hate stares from any female in the next three blocks. While my grudges will love them, it's depressing to get those stares all over again. I thought the hate from Shotaro's fans were bad. Ren's are much worse! Or it could be that my relationship is different with him…

All of this is so confusing!

I know I'm in love, but it still doesn't make sense! Being around him makes me happy and he reminds me constantly that I do the same for him. It just feels different. I only used to think about Sho, thoughts about him were all-consuming and the rest of the world didn't really matter. Yet with Ren, except when he's kissing me, I feel more aware of everything. Maybe it'll make more sense in time…

I glanced at the clock. It was already 9:30 this morning. I had a meeting with the President at 10:30, so I should get ready and going to LME.

After my farewells with Okami-san and Taisho-san, I noticed some of their customers looking at me strangely. They certainly weren't regulars, but I couldn't put my finger on what was off about them. I was surprised to see so many cars on the street as I pulled my bike out onto the sidewalk.

"Look! It's Kyoko! She's leaving!" I turned to see who said that so loudly. Why were they so interested in me? Why is everyone so interested in me all of a sudden? First Ren, now strangers! Though I don't really mind Ren's attention all that much. It makes me feel warm. Unlike these people, I feel cold and panicked at their forward rush. I hopped on my bike and started pedaling furiously.

"Hurry, we'll lose her!" They were following me? I glanced over my shoulder and found several cars starting up and tracing my path down the streets. I quickly swerved down some shortcuts I've been forced to take in the past. I doubt they can follow me on these stairs and narrow alleys with their large cars. Even though I was confident I lost them, I maintained my land record speeds until I reached the front of LME. I quickly locked my bike and allowed the jellylike appendages that were my legs carry me inside the building.

I hardly heard my name over the heaving of my chest and air rushing in and out of my lungs.

"Kyoko-chan?" I notice Ren was there with Yashiro not too far away. "What's wrong?"

"People waiting… chased me… biked fast… escaped." I panted out. My legs started to give out. I moved my arms out to brace my fall, but strong arms were already around me. Ren held my waist with both his hands.

"Are you ok?" He looked down into my face with concern. I managed a feeble and tired smile before I let my head flop onto his chest.

"Yeah…" His arms pulled me closer. I was already feeling better. His hugs have a tendency to do that. We stood there for a bit before I sagged a bit more. I really did a number on my legs. Ren was spoiling me too much by driving me around so much more these days. I felt his chin rest on top of my head before he spoke

"We should get going up to see the President."

I pulled back to look at him.

"You're coming too?" He nodded.

"How are your legs doing?"

"They should be fine." To prove it I took a step towards the elevators. Unfortunately, I wobbled horribly.

"Kyoko-chan… Don't lie to me…" I sensed the glare starting up behind me. I couldn't respond before I was suddenly airborne. When the world settled, I noticed Ren's face much closer than usual. I also noticed that I was being held like a princess in his arms in the lobby of LME.

"R-Ren-san! What are you doing?" He sighed, presumably since I still used suffixes with his name. Or did he think the reason he was doing this obvious?

"We need to get to the President for our meeting. Since you can't walk, I'm taking you. And it's just Ren." Ah, it was both.

"Couldn't you think of something else?" Oh no… The puppy face!

"But I thought you'd like being carried like a princess… Can't I carry my princess where I like?" Awww, when did he learn I'm so vulnerable to that face? Plus he was calling me his princess! I can't say no to him and he knows it! I sighed in defeat.

"Fine." My defeat was quickly washed away by the light from Ren's smile. My ears burned. He was carrying my like his princess so openly. "Why do you have to be so demonstrative in public?" I was jostled as he shrugged that weird American gesture he made before when I first met him as Bo. The action hand me reaching for something to hold onto, the nearest thing being Ren's neck. He grinned.

"I can't keep my hands to myself." He looked away and started walking towards the elevators. My jaw dropped. This man! So… immodest! Is he Japanese at all? I shook my head.

Only then did I notice Yashiro-san had made his way over to us and was walking along side Ren. How long had he been there? It doesn't matter, it's difficult to explain this any way you look at it.

"Good morning, Kyoko-chan."

"Morning, Yashiro-san…" I paused. Should I explain this? He didn't look very surprised. It didn't seem like he was looking for any sort of explanation. I wonder why?

Ren greeted co-workers and acquaintances on our way to the elevators. Curious glances were snuck in between words. Those who knew me greeted me as well. I did my best to respond kindly as if I was not being carried by the Number One Actor in Japan.

When we finally made it to the elevator, I turned back to look at Ren.

"You could have at least let me walk out of the LME lobby. Now I have to deal with those rumors."

"I'm surprised you didn't protest like the first time I carried you." His whisper was warm against my skin. "Plus there are worse things than LME employees seeing anything. Plus they already saw us before…"

Ren's eyes scanning and nearly caressing my face proved distracting. Poor Yashiro-san, it must have been awkward in the elevator with us being like this. Thankfully for him we reached the President's floor. Ren continued to refuse to let me go. Sebastian told us to go on in. His eyes were unusually amused as he glanced at my position.

"This is why you have this problem in the first place, Ren!" The President's voice called from across the room. Ren's smirk that he wore up in the elevator was quickly swept away. "Let Mogami-kun down, I'm sure she can walk by herself." Ren took one final hug before he reluctantly stood me on my own feet. The President swept his hands towards the couch indicating that we should sit. As much as I secretly enjoyed my trip in Ren's arms, this couch was heaven after that marathon.

"I was just assisting her since she wore herself getting here so quickly." Ren's professionalism made its return as he sat beside me. His hand laid lightly against my thigh. The slow movement of his finger against my jeans was distracting.

"Maybe if the paparazzi hadn't been following her, she would have been fine. And you're the reason they were following her in the first place." He gestured to the coffee table between the couch and the large chair he sat himself in. Yashiro-san sat in another large chair beside the couch.

I saw photos, albeit low quality ones, of Ren and myself. I recognized them as from this week. These was even one with that time I pushed him away for kissing me so publicly. I was still smiling and blushing as he was trying to kiss me with a smile. He had his arm around me shoulder too. I can't believe someone took a picture of something so improper and… intimate and went and printed it! Though I couldn't help but smile at how cute he looked. I wonder what his fans think. Oh that's right, that they hate me and wish that I would die.

"You don't think we look good in that picture, Kyoko-chan?" Ren must have picked up on my darker mood.

"No, I was thinking how your fans want to kill me." Yashiro-san spoke up at this point.

"Kyoko-chan, you and Ren have all sorts of fan pages."

"Well, I understand Ren-san having them, but not me." Why would I have fan pages? I haven't been in that many roles.

"I meant joint fan pages. Pages that are supporting your relationship. But you have your own too, Kyoko-chan. Right now, they're trying to come up with a name for you both, like Ryoko or Kyoren, but there hasn't been much agreement on that. They do agree that you look happy together." I smiled at that. Yes, I am very happy around Ren.

"That's all well and good," the President spoke up, "but that doesn't change that Ren's lack of self control and how the media is now well aware of your relationship." Ren wore a dark glare, but didn't vocalize his thoughts. That's right, our relationship really is out in the open. We never discussed this either way, but I guess that doesn't matter now. Does that mean I'm always going to have the paparazzi trying to follow me? As if my question was said aloud, the President continued.

"That means that the media is going to want more, from both of you. Mogami-kun, your career is going to take a different feel now." Yes, they're going to think I didn't get where I am by myself. While I did get lots of help and advice from Ren, he didn't create my roles. I did. But they don't think that way. I nodded in understanding.

"You're also much busier than you once were. It's hard for people to schedule time with you and get overzealous when they finally get to see you again…" He looked sharply at Ren. I followed his gaze. He was looking away from both of us with pink cheeks but didn't manage to see his full expression. I thought the puppy eyes were cute. This was tremendously cuter. It makes me want to make him blush more. The thought made me blush in turn.

"…The point is that you need a manager." He quickly added: "Not because you can't handle your responsibilities on your own. We need someone that knows your schedule while you're busy. You also need someone that can get you to your jobs safely, since Ren can't always drive you around. Now you'll need crowd control for all of this extra publicity you'll be getting."

I wanted to protest, but each of those points were valid. It made perfect sense to have a manager.

"Plus Ren asked for you to have one." I snapped my head towards him and glared. Did he think I was struggling? He looked unusually sheepish with the blush still coloring his cheeks. I can't glare at him while he looks like that.

"He gave me all of those reasons, but I'm betting the real one was that he wants to schedule time with you." Ren's face agreed. Well, if that's the case, then I suppose there's no reason to be angry at him.

"So who's my manager? Do I have to find someone?"

"No, I already took care of that for you." President Lory looked over to Sebastian who had been waiting by the door and nodded.

"Mogami-kun, I'd like you to meet Ishikawa Yoriko, your manager." I stood up and turned towards the door as footsteps approached us.

A young woman was striding towards us. Her movements indicated she was familiar with her muscles and used them on a regular basis, but not the way a model would use them. She was dressed in a cerulean blue blouse with grey dress pants and modest black heels. Her attire wasn't flashy, but fashionable, professional and functional. Her straight black hair was pulled into a high pony tail with her long bangs tucked behind her left ear. She took in the room with her dark eyes, almost calculating and assessing, but not really in a cold and detached way. It was as if she was absorbing what the room presented to catalog and use later if need be.

Her eyes finally stopped roaming the room to rest on me. Her face drew up into a kind smile.

"Please call me Yoriko, Kyoko-sama." She bowed politely. '-sama?'

"Please, Kyoko-san would be just fine Yoriko-san." Why would anyone refer to me as so high and dignified like that? I'm no princess or high class lady. Though, I do remember my manners and introduced the others.

"And this is Tsuruga Ren and his manager, Yashiro Yukihito." They all exchanged pleasantries about meeting each other.

"I suppose you'll be working with them quite a bit since…" Since why? How do I voice this? The thought 'he's my boyfriend' silently inserted itself in my mind, but it just felt impossible and weird to say. Thankfully, the President seemed to have mentioned something since her smile held understanding. Ren's eyebrow was cocked. He probably wanted to know what I was going to say. How do I tell him that 'Tsuruga Ren' and 'boyfriend' do not belong in the same sentence unless they're coming from a fan girl. But by dating him, doesn't that make me a fan of his by default? Why did I have to rediscover 'love' in the first place? This is so troublesome and confusing!

"Kyoko-san, I'd like to get acquainted with you sooner than later, but if I'm not correct, you have an audition for a commercial scheduled soon?" I wondered vaguely if Yoriko-san noticed my drifting thoughts or the darkening mood around Ren… Wait is it the commercial? Oh, yes!

"Oh that's right! The one for the lipstick!" I really hope I get this part! I would love to do a commercial for any sort of makeup! It's so magical and transforms plain girls like me into creatures of insurmountable beauty!

Ren's hand on my shoulder reminded me that there were other people in the room. I glanced over and saw his amused smile. He probably knows exactly what I was thinking. Yoriko-san's puzzled expression indicated her confusion at my reaction.

"Gomen, Gomen, Yoriko-san! I just absolutely love makeup! But we should get going! A professional isn't late!" I grabbed my purse and gazed up to Ren who was standing much closer than he needed to be. "I'll see you later?" I asked quietly. It'd be weird to say it in a normal voice at this distance.

"I'll call Ishikawa-san later today so we can make dinner plans." He smiled broadly. I returned the gesture. I have a manager now. It's a definite sign of progress. "Good luck, Kyoko-chan."

"Thank you, Ren-" Oh! Why can't he just kiss me only when we're alone like a normal Japanese person would? Maybe he really doesn't like me using a suffix. But it's so improper! Yet if he cuts me off every time I start like he just did, maybe I'll continue doing that. His kisses are so nice...

A small cough came from Yoriko-san. I turned to face her with a sheepish expression. She just smirked and rolled her eyes.

"Ready now?"

"Hai…"

"It was nice meeting you two," She nodded at Ren and Yashiro. We started walking out of the office. "So, why don't you tell me a bit about yourself on our way over?"

"Like what?"

"For starters, anything that the media would consider juicy gossip. Things that could damage your reputation. You're going to be the subject of frantic investigation, at least for some time, so I'd like to know anything that might come up so I can deal with it. "

Shotaro's image came blazing in my mind. Then the stupid beagle image floated up, too. I'm pretty certain my aura had turned black at that point, but what was strange is that Yoriko-san seemed unaffected. Strange.

"It would take three days and nights to tell the whole story divided into three arcs…" I paused allowing her to decline the explanation of the horrid past that Fuwa Sho and I shared.

"I've got time." She smiled as we got to her modest sedan.

"Oh, ok." This is the first time anyone wanted to hear the whole thing… I heaved a heavy sigh as I sat in the passenger seat. A small hope developed that in telling someone the whole story, it might make the whole thing feel lighter.

"So, the whole story starts in Kyoto where I grew up with a boy named Fuwa Sho…" Her eyes widened in slight surprise, but remained silent. It's going to be a long three days…

A/N: Sorry that took forever! I made it a bit longer to make up for it! I had to come up with Yoriko's character and unlike Kyoko, I'm not good with character development. Plus Yashiro was unusually quiet this morning. Don't worry, he'll have more to say later!

Oh and sorry if I fail with proper grammar or anything, I only went through it twice. I'll be reposting the previous chapters with corrections too. Well eventually.