Chapter Title: What's this? An OC?!

Rating: PG-13/Teen

Disclaimer: If I owned Skip Beat! we'd see more RenxKyoko. :D

Disclaimer Part 2: THIEF OF THE NIGHT TIS MINE!

Dedication: This is dedicated to Ecki, who won one of my challenges! Yay, Ecki!

Chapter Summary: Ren scares Kyoko. Kyoko makes a friend- or at least, a coworker. And Yashiro scolds Ren. Kind of.

I k33l teh spell check! With 3s instead of e's! Or i's! Don't bug me when I'm typing fanfiction! –argues one-sidedly with Spellcheck-

Song: Love Shine by Riyu Kosaka

Ok, so the deal on the challenges- there is now only one challenge left to take a shot at. Congrats to Ecki for solving the challenge on where I got Ren's and Kyoko's character's names. The answer is indeed Tokyo Babylon, and by extension, the spin-off (I think) X/1999. Ecki will have by her own description an OC in the fanfic. The only challenge left open is the one from chapter three, where you must find what my three scene breaks; 'I'm Shiny', 'White and Nerdy', and 'Bum Bum Beedum Bum' have in common.

Though, by the end of this chapter there will be another challenge. x) So be sure to read the ending author's note!

Yes, I have a lot of challenges.

S...O...R...E...W...A...H...I...M...I...T...S...U...D...E...S...U

Ren saw Mogami-san blink at him, and he blinked back. Her face was overcome in horrified shadows and her eyes were wide. He recognized this look and could tell that she was just a little shocked.

Hah. Understatement of the year.

So he smiled. His nice, gentlemanly smile. Complete with sparklies in the background.

"It will be nice working with you again, Mogami-san."

Mogami-san stared at him for a moment more, and then closed her mouth. She didn't look horrified anymore, but he could tell- she was scared stiff of his smile. She managed to hide it, though- at least, from anyone but him. He could tell. He knew her too well.

Director Ogata furrowed his brow at the two actors. It seemed as though Kyoko were forcing herself to smile and nod politely at Tsuruga-san's comment. Perhaps she wasn't as excited as he'd thought she'd be... He quickly placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Um... Mogami-san, perhaps you'd like to meet another one of your co-stars? She'll be playing a role close to yours and I think you'll enjoy working with her."

Mogami-san did nothing but nod and follow him without looking back, but he could hear her thoughts as plainly as if she'd said them aloud- Phew. A girl.

He didn't exactly know what the problem was, but perhaps if Mogami-san could become acquainted with a new friend, then the atmosphere might become a little less... stifling.

He looked back at Tsuruga-san, conversing with Yashiro-san, and frowned a little.

As a friend, he wanted them to take their time working out whatever problems either had.

But, as a director, he knew that they had to work it out now. They had a drama to shoot, after all.

Since Dark Moon had been such a hit, it was of utmost important that they meet expectations for a great drama in this film as well.

And as a director, he would make sure of it.

M...A...M...A...N...A...M...A...V...I...S...T...A

All Naneki Rin hoped for at this point in her life was to succeed at what she did. And so far, despite being a newbie, she was getting along fairly well. She was newer than the female star in this drama, and seeing that she had a part that was almost just as wonderful; she was getting along quite well.

But being as shy as she was, she hadn't really hoped to make anything besides an acquaintance while she was filming this drama. Let alone a friend. So when she saw the leading female and the director headed her way, she felt quite sure that they were intending on talking to someone else- most certainly not her.

But apparently, that was indeed the plan. After all, the two stopped right in front of her and Director Ogata-san smiled and said hello; and then the girl with him bowed politely and offered greetings as well.

"Mogami-san, this is Naneki Rin-san. Naneki-san, this is Mogami Kyoko-san. You two will be working together."

Rin bowed. "Hello, Mogami-san. I play Shitsubi Miyabi in the drama... Lady Sumeragi-san's kagemusha and close friend. I look forward to working with you."

Mogami-san smiled brightly. "I'm excited too, Naneki-san!"

Rin blinked. Mogami-san shouldn't be this kind... should she? Rin really didn't have much of an idea on how people acted in the show business world; but in stories, TV shows, and most manga, actresses were always catty and mean behind others' backs.

But perhaps she could find a friend in Mogami-san.

P...A...P...E...R...C...L...I...P...G...U...Y

"Ren, what were you doing?" Yashiro asked, sounding disappointed. Ren looked at him innocently- as innocently as a wolf caught with the flock, at any rate.

"What was I doing, Yashiro-san? I was merely telling Mogami-san that I looked forward to working with her."

Yashiro frowned deeper. "You know full well that smiling in that manner scares Kyoko-san witless."

Ren smiled at Yashiro in the same way he had at Mogami-san- except, maybe times two. Yashiro cowered against the wall- it didn't help much, seeing that, as he was sitting on the bench, his back was already against it.

"I don't understand what you mean, Yashiro-san," Ren said, still smiling brightly. "Mogami-san didn't seem scared at all."

Yashiro shook his head. His client was all too stubborn to bother arguing with. He took out his planner and start scribbling something in the margins of a page.

"Just keep your eyes open, Ren," he mumbled, staring at what he'd written for a moment, and then adding some more onto it. "I believe that Kyoko-san is having some difficulty with her role- she might come to you for help. You are her sempai, after all."

Ren was quiet for a moment, before nodding and sitting straight again. "Yes," he murmured.

Only her sempai.

R...A...W...R...!

Song: Stand Up by Flobots

Ok, so... Yeah. Kyoko will be introduced to more costars as soon as I have them. Lol.

So Ecki, as you may have guessed, has created the character of Naneki Rin for my fanfic- YAY ECKI! W00T!

Ok, so the new challenge... See my first scene break? It looks like this:

S...O...R...E...W...A...H...I...M...I...T...S...U...D...E...S...U

So if you can tell me three things: what it means, whose catch phrase it is, and what anime he/she is from, then you win this challenge and get to create a character for the fanfic. Just an FYI, if you've already won a challenge, don't answer again. Okiepokey? YAY!

Happy Holidays!

Subaki-Chan out.