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Chapter 2: challenge

~Maria's PV~

'Oho now this is interesting'… thought Maria holding a piece of paper up to read. 'What is this? A movie where they want my onee-sama as the leading lady…. Oho but look at this, her leading man is Tsuraga Ren. Hmm… What an unpredicted turn of event... I see what you are trying to do, GRANDFATHER… Alright then. Let's play. Let us see who will win.' Thought Maria with an evil smile…..

This is exciting!

~Takarada and Maria~

Let the games begin!…..

~Kyoko~

'Shivers' a cold josh of wind blew on Kyoko's back and for an instinct a picture of Maria occupied her mind. 'Hmmm'

'I better go to Maria, I think she might be up to something.'

I haven't had the chance to see her for a while now.

'Thank god Shi-chan helps me with my schedule or else I'll be in the hospital collapse with a fever because of stress. I love him because his appearances to look like a yakuza but really is a very kind-hearted man with a bit of a temper but still kind.' Kyoko thought while she smiled.

'Anyway I better hurry before Shi-chan says that I can't go see Maria because I need to relax… but I just can't stay in bed for too long. I get soooooo bored! Besides I should give him a break before he collapse from exhaustion.

I was walking down the halls of the company that Maria and I own. All the weird decorations and pictures of art that she likes. Pictures of our workers winning an award for something or of us going against one another in a bowling tournament in our company. By the time I reached our office I was smiling like crazy remembering all the fun time. When I opened the door to the office I heard he giggling. 'Wait giggling, oh she is scheming something. Poor person who is going up against her. Her of all people in the whole world they have to pick a fight with Maria… I know by now that everyone who picks a fight with her always loses and always end up on their knees begging for forgiveness.' So I walk up to her and go next to her to give her a hug. I stopped when I saw my name in the document that she was holding. I figured that she was going to use me to do her means. 'Won't be the first time thought' I said to myself. 'Oh well, I'll help with whatever she is planning.'

"Hey Maria" I said while hugging her and kissing her on the check. She was startled but then she recognized me and smiled.

"Nee-saaan! You scared me!" she said with a blush and putting the paper down.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you but you were just soooo focused in the document that you didn't hear me come in.:" I stated while walking to the coffee table on the left side of the office. The table was always filled with such good coffee and croissants that I just had to have. Later I went to the big window that filled nearly the entire back wall. Instead a window it looked like an invisible wall to me. I looked out the window and saw all of Tokyo from there. The little cars, people and stores right below us. It all seems so small from up here.

"Soo, what is it you are planning to do now? You can't say you aren't planning anything 'cause I saw the papers you were holding." I said before taking a sip of my coffee and turning to face her and lean on the wall.

She was shocked but recovered with in a second. She let out a sigh and I smiled to her.

"I was planning to ask you if you wanted to take up a new movie deal… Don't worry you don't have to… But you are the leading lady and REN is the leading man…. It would be a waste, to let such a great chance to work with the Tsuruga Ren go down the drain…" Marie said with such a depressive voice.

"You know, you can tell me what you are planning, and I will try to help anyway I can because your sad puppy dog looks won't work on me right." I said with a smirk.

Sigh "Can't blame a girl for trying… (Smile) I just want you to see how things are going at their end and for you not to let yourself fall victim to his love spell… I know that if I send someone else they would spill the whole beans of who I am and I just don't want that… at least not yet. You are the only one I can trust with this onee-san" Maria said with a sad honest smile. I just had to run to her and hug her. I put my coffee and croissant down and rubbed her back gently while I cradle her. She let out a single tear and looked up. She smiled at me like a daughter would smile to her mother to let her know that she was fine. I looked into her eyes and saw all the pain she was trying to hide, I hugged her tighter and kissed her forehead. I whispered into her ear that I loved her and that she will always have me… She giggled while nodding in return. Maria got out of my embrace and gave me a warm smile while mouthing an 'I love you too'. I smiled and stood up got my coffee, croissant and headed towards the seat next to her.

"Hey hasn't Lory been trying to get some info of you?" I said while dragging the chair next to her. Once there I set down crossing my legs in such a lady like manner that Maria looked at me and giggled. I took a sip of my coffee and then bit for the first time since I got it my croissant.

"Oh of course, I know that, (smile) that is why I want you to take up the offer. I bet you that he immediately accepted this cause onee-sama is from heart and he wants to have a chance to bond. (She turned back to her document and read some papers before crumbling it into a ball and throwing it out.) But I just want you to see how good this Tsuruga Ren is. If he is as good as they said then we can persuade him to join us."

"Will it be alright Maria? I mean he works for your grandfather… Won't he recognize you?" I asked with a worry tone and biting my croissant

"No he joined LME after I left there for he doesn't know me and I don't know him. (Getting more paper and throwing it out). But I do have to say he does seem familiar. Maybe he is a son of a famous person that worked for LME. Guess what. I'm going to be working as your little sister in this movie. Aren't you happy? We finally get to work together!" said Maria in such a happy voice while getting even more paper but this time half of it was send it to the trash while the other was put on top of a small pile of paper to her right.

"Really? But now I'm even more worried for you. Want me to look into it? I have nothing to do for now. I have three days off and I want you to be as safe as possible. You are so precious to me. That is why I came to take you out. You seem to be so preoccupied lately that I barely get to see you at home now a days. I just wanted a day out with you. You know go shopping incognito… Get you to relax a little. I mean isn't too much stress to act, model and do the president work." I took the last bite of my croissant and the last sip of my coffee. I got up and went to pick up more coffee this time I got to coffees and put it a tray while putting a chocolate donate and a chocolate croissant in the same tray. Grabbing the tray and taking it back to where Maria sit I put it next to my chair and far away from any papers, I grabbed a cup of coffee and the chocolate donate and handed it to Maria, who turned around to take it.

"Thank you, onee-sama. (Taking the coffee and donate) But you do your fair share of things to. You even do more than me. You sing, act, model and take care of the recruiting new members for the company and taking them under your wing." Maria said with a smile. I sat across from her and we both look at each other in such a comfortable silent.

"Yes but at least I take my time off unlike you. You need to take time off and relax your body won't last long for the big confrontation." I said with a smile

"You know I might just take you up on both of the offers. I want to see if this Tsuruga Ren is the son of someone who worked for LME and if he of any danger to us. But for now let's go to a spa and relax. We can let vice-president do this work."

"Yes, I think it is time anyway. We might be late for our appointment at the spa."

"You already had all this planned?" Maria asked with a surprised face

"Yup. By the way what is the movie called Maria? What is my character's name and do you have a copy of the script?"

"Oh, it is called 'fated to love you' it's a story between 2 childhood friends that was separated from each other when they were 10 yrs. old. After 14 years of not seeing each other, they finally met again. You didn't recognize each other. But your families are a rich business tycoon that they plan for the 2 families to merge through marriage between their 1st born. Here you will be playing Ootori Keiko. Your love interest is Haninozuka Kazu. Your family is more in the medicine business or so. While the Haninozuka are fighters and best in trading and others. Hmm that is the gist of it. And it is a series not a movie. There will be 10 episodes for this. We get the script once I say that you and I have accepted it. Maybe some time next week." Maria stated in a matter of fact voice while the where walking down the hall to the elevator. "And she calls me a workaholic." She mutters.

"I heard that." I said as I walk up behind Maria and hug her and put most of my weight on her. Letting her know that I will always be there for her.

"Onee-sama, get off me. I can't walk right." Maria said as she stumbled into the elevator and looking up at me. When people saw us come out of the elevator people giggling and smiling at us. They all think we are real siblings. A couple of people said we look so close and others just wave hello to us like always. We were stumbling into so many people because of me not that either one of us complained. "Onee-sama remember we have the cast meeting in three days, ok?" stated Maria with a smile. I just nodded and let go off her. She smiled at me and dragged me to the car.

A/N:

Ahhhhh…there done..

Chapter 2 is done…

Please wait a little longer I will start chapter 3….