AGENT WALLFLOWER

Kyoko has a journalist-friend? Everybody else is suspicious except of course, Kyoko. How do you protect a clueless actress with secrets from a possible enemy masquerading as a friend?

Disclaimer: I do not own Skipbeat!

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Chapter 13

Ren was glad to be on Japanese soil again.

With Yashiro's help, the handsome actor was able to finish all his work ahead of time, thus they were able to fly back to Japan earlier as well. The two were both bone-tired and worn out, but at least they were home.

When they got out of the airport, Yashiro told Ren that he was going to LME to make a report to President Takarada.

"You don't have to go with me, Ren. I'm just going to make a brief report of our trip. You can talk to the President tomorrow, after you've rested," his manager assured him, but Ren felt bad making his manager visit the president alone when he was just as tired as he was.

"No, it's fine. It would be better to get this over with," Ren replied.

Maybe he should have listened to Yashiro.

After talking to the flamboyant LME President for just a few minutes, Ren was left alone in the sitting room as Yashiro and the president went off to discuss managerial stuff.

"Why am I not included in the meeting? It's my career their talking about!" Ren rudely thought to himself. Now, he had to sit here waiting because it would be rude to the President if he just left without saying goodbye. If he had not come here with Yashiro, he could be asleep at home by now... or maybe he could have called on Kyoko's promise to go on a date with him. Then he'd be in a nice little restaurant listening to her as she cheerfully recounts her week to him... Yeah, that would be a hundred times better than just sleeping at home alone.

"Ren-kun! Honey told me you were here! I'm so glad to see you again!" Ren's train of thought was interrupted as the diminutive make-up artist, Jelly Woods swept into the room with a cup of coffee. She set it in front of him and promptly sat down on the opposite couch.

Ren expressed his gratitude. He dearly needed the caffeine boost, seeing as he was almost dead on his feet. Jelly waved him off. She started cheerfully informing him about news around LME for the past week as Ren sipped on his cup of coffee.

After finally running out of gossip, Jelly turned her full attention to Ren.

"So, are you going to the club Caprice right after this?" she chirped. "I've got a change of clothes here if you like so you don't have to go home to change."

"... I'm sorry, why would I be going to Caprice?" Ren asked in confusion, carefully putting down his cup.

"Huh? Isn't Kyoko-chan going with you? She asked my help earlier to change to Setsuka. She said she wants to get used to her new character so she's going out to Caprice for a "trial run", so I just assumed..." Jelly abruptly stopped and put a hand on her mouth in consternation. "Oh my! Was this supposed to be Kyoko-chan's secret?! Oh no, oh no, oh no!" she lamented while flapping her hands.

Ren's expression started to darken as Jelly rambled on. He didn't like this one bit. Why did Kyoko go out as Setsuka Heel without him? The last time he had seen her, Kyoko was already head-turning gorgeous in Setsuka's get-up even without Setsuka's character in place. What more if she already managed to bring Setsuka's character to life?

And what was this about meeting someone?! Who?!

"Don't worry, Jelly-san. I think I'll take you up on your offer on the change of clothes. Looks like Cain needs to retrieve his naughty little sister," Ren tightly said.

o-0-o-0-o

Ren's bad mood seemed to amplify Cain Heel's threatening aura. In the club, people cleared away from his path like he was Moses parting the Red Sea. That's why he was quickly able to locate his quarry surrounded by a bunch of admirers.

"Man, I never knew a hot girl like that could be so freaking cold! She turns down all the guys just like that!" Cain heard a guy who was looking at the same direction as him say to his friend, slashing his hand in the air in demonstration.

"Yeah, but that's part of her hotness, ya know. Even that Fuwa Sho got interested in her. Do you think she'll cave in to him?" his friend asked.

Cain didn't wait to hear the rest of the conversation. The guys milling around the bar finally noticed his ominous presence and parted away, just in time for him to see as Sho grab Setsu's arm and pull her towards him.

In a flash, he was beside the two.

"Your nii-san?!" Cain heard Sho exclaim. It's so nice to find out they were talking about him. Maybe he should enter the conversation as well.

"Yeah," he answered for Setsu. As he gripped Sho's offending hand and forced him to let go, he was gratified to see the extreme relief that flickered in Setsu's eyes as she realized who her savior was.

Now that she was in front of him, Cain felt himself calming down. Now all he had to get rid of this Fuwa bastard and then Kyoko can explain to him what she was doing out here for the rest of the night.

But as soon as Sho let go of Setsu's arm, another guy popped out and grabbed Setsu. Caught off-guard, he watched in semi-shock as his beloved sister willingly ran off away from HIM.

"HEY! Are you ignoring me?! Who the hell are you anyway?! Get your nose out of other people's business!" Sho growled at him. The singer's initial reticence after seeing him had been overwhelmed by his annoyance at being ignored.

Now that Setsu wasn't around, Cain had no patience left to deal with Sho. He had to find his runaway sister before she disappears with THAT guy. Without warning, he slammed the singer's face hard on the counter.

Leaning down next to Sho's ear, he said, "I am that girl's BELOVED nii-san. Her business is my business. Now stay down or I'll do something worse for you." He waited for an answer, but he didn't get one. Sho was out cold.

Confident that he had eliminated one problem, Cain moved to the back door without further ado. Now, for the next obstacle...

o-0-o-0-o

"OhGodOhGodOhGod! I'm gonna get killed! What did I do to deserve this?!"

Air whooshed out of Monobu's lungs as he was smashed against the wall, and the hand around his windpipe rendered him unable to get his breath back. He couldn't even shout for help to save his life. He reflexively glanced at Setsu as he struggled to free himself. She could run for help!

Wait.

"Why isn't she running? This is no time to act all cool at all!" Monobu thought in a panic as he helplessly stared at the girl. She looked too calm, almost bored even. "Is she going to watch me die without doing anything at all?!" he silently ranted.

"Hi!" Setsu said to the stranger.

"How did you find me?" she casually asked. Unbelievably, she actually sat down on the curb facing them, as if seeing a guy choking another guy was no big deal.

The man hesitated before answering. "Jelly told me," he finally replied. "I came back earlier than scheduled after I finished my work overseas."

Jelly? Oh God, a jelly told him? Is this guy psychotic?!

"Oh. Okay." Setsu acted as if it all made perfect sense. Was she just humoring the guy?

"Anyway, you can't get angry because I'm angry," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "You've been away for one whole week! It's your fault I got bored! You know I don't like being left alone too long!"

'Is she... Is she throwing a tantrum?!' Monobu thought in disbelief. And why was he starting to think that these two knew each other after all?

The man glanced at Setsu consideringly but kept his hand securely around Monobu's neck.

"Oh, I see. Because I was away, you run off without permission to play with dirtbags instead?" the man silkily asked. Monobu's eyes widened in panic as he felt the man's grip tighten around his neck. 'Oh God! Setsu, please stop aggravating him!' Monobu pleaded silently as he doubled his efforts to free himself.

"I wasn't playing with dirtbags! That guy you have there is my pet! My pet! Not a dirtbag! And I wouldn't have gone with that Fuwa-moron at all!" she blustered out. "Oh yeah, that reminds me! What did you do to that guy anyway?" Setsu curiously asked.

"He's out cold. I slammed his head on the counter. No permanent damage, just a bruise and maybe a concussion," the man lightly remarked. "Why do you ask? Are you concerned about him?" His tone was casual, but Monobu could see the man's eyes turn to slits as he waited for Setsu's answer.

"Hell, no! It's your career I'm worried about! You can't go breaking faces left and right because you feel like it! What if he presses charges? Well, I guess he can't because he doesn't know you... and I'm also very glad you slammed his stupid head on the counter as well... but that's beside the point!" she heatedly said, throwing her hands in the air as she rolled her eyes at him. "You can't do anything rash to damage your career! ...even if it's for me," she softly added.

Monobu felt the man's grip on his neck ease up a bit.

"I won't go breaking faces if you don't go running off to clubs without permission," the man said after a pause.

"I won't go running off to clubs without permission if you promise to never leave me alone so long," she sweetly replied.

"It's a deal."

A big smile slowly lighted up Setsu's face. "Then I forgive you, Cain nii-san!" she happily said. "Now, can you please lay off my little Kenta-kun? if you damage him, I'm going to get angry again!"

o-0-o-0-o

The man looked unwilling to let go of the blue-faced Monobu, but he had no choice when Setsu suddenly threw herself at him. His arms automatically went around Setsu's slim waist to keep her from falling.

Monobu collapsed in a heap, gasping for air. If it had lasted for even a second longer, he was sure he'd be in La-la land right now. Setsu tried to disengage herself from the man's embrace to go to him, but the man refused to let her go. Finally, Setsu just shrugged and let it be for now.

"Are you okay, Kenta-kun?" Setsu asked solicitously, looking down at Monobu from her perch in the man's arms.

Monobu glared up at her. "You could have asked him to let go of me first, you know!" he said hoarsely, massaging his sore neck.

"He was only playing with you, right nii-san?" Setsu replied. Monobu wasn't convinced, especially since the man didn't even bother to agree to what she said.

"Oh, right! You haven't formally met yet! Cain nii-san, this is my pet Kenta-kun. Kenta-kun, this is my beloved nii-san, Cain Heel," she said brightly.

Now that he had his breath back, Monobu unsteadily got back on his feet. "Your nii-san..." Monobu echoed faintly. It didn't make any sense. Wasn't Setsuka Heel just a made-up character? Why the hell did she have a brother then?!

He couldn't take it anymore. After just getting out of a near-death experience, he didn't want to deal with all this confusion. As he got his strength back, his temper also rose up until he finally exploded.

"Who the heck are you calling pet!?" he suddenly yelled. "Can you stop acting as HER for just a sec!? I almost got choked to death and you're just playing around like nothing's wrong! And when did you get a nii-san?! Are you kidding me?! As far as I know, you're an only child, aren't you?! This is so freaking messed up, I can't stand it!" Monobu ranted out. Suddenly, he stopped and stared at the guy who was holding Setsu in his arms with a look of dawning.

"Are you also a...?" he started to ask the man but he abruptly cut himself short.

"No, I don't want to know anymore. I'm pretty sure it's also a secret," Monobu sarcastically said. He sneered self-deprecatingly. "I don't want to deal with any more secrets. I'm through with Mog-...Setsu's affairs. All of it! It's too much! This is the last time I hang out with you, understand? I'm cutting ties! From now on, you won't hear from me again, ever!"

Monobu fiercely glared at the girl until she reluctantly nodded her head. At least she had dropped her character in the end. He was pretty sure it was Mogami's feelings of sorrow and remorse that he saw on Setsu's face. It made him feel guilty for being so harsh.

After blowing up like that, Monobu felt almost hollow. "I guess this is goodbye now," he said at last, his gaze dropping to the floor. Without waiting for a reply, he forced himself to walk away from the couple standing silently in the alley.

But before he got too far away , he turned around and addressed Mogami.

"You... are you sure you're safe with him?" he reluctantly asked, throwing a wary glance at the man she called her nii-san.

Mogami sadly smiled at him. "Yes. Thank you for worrying about me," she said quietly. With the way she said it, Monobu felt that she wasn't just thanking for right now. She was thanking him for all the time they spent together.

With a curt nod, Monobu finally left the alley.

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Whaddayathink?! Whaddayathink?! Whaddayathink?!

I think I've gotten too attached with Monobu and Kyouko. I got teary-eyed while writing the very last part of the chapter. Or maybe it's because I'm lacking sleep that's why I'm getting over emotional.

To cloeskyler: Sorry, Mogami Saena won't be making an appearance here. Where did you go anyway? A fanfictionless country for the summer must be a bummer (oh, I made a rhyme!)

Thank you for everyone's critiques and encouragements! I hope to hear what you think about the new installment! Hope you like it! Please review!