I do not own Skip Beat!

Thank you Yoshiki Nakamura for all of your incredible talent.

Day six

Operation Bling

She received them mid-morning before lunch. One delivery for all of the gifts. All of the gifts were from four popular, high-end jewelers. She was called to the receptions desk to sign personally for the delivery.

"Do you know who sent these?" she asked the security guard that was trusted by the local jewelers.

"I'm sorry miss, I only make the deliveries." He answered as if the question were routine. "Could you sign here and here on each of these invoices, please?"

She signed and thanked him then watched him leave the building and return to his armored vehicle.

"I wonder what they are." she mumbled as she returned to the LoveMe room with spoils in hand, each in a shiny little gift bag of their own and carefully concealed beneath tissue paper.

The card read, [Kyoko-chan, you are the greatest treasure in my heart and in my life. I love you, your Secret Admirer.] She read it aloud in a shaky breathless voice. She felt as though the words from the card were being whispered in her ear.

The gift was encased in a small satin box nestled beneath pink tissue paper in a simple light blue gift bag with satin ribbons for handles. She carefully opened the little pink satin cube. There lay atop the light blue velvet that lined the little box were a pair of earrings... Stunned.. They were diamonds! Pear shaped pink diamonds, with white diamonds surrounding them, all set in white gold. They were perfect in every way. When Ren had seen what she did with her Princess Rosa, he immediately started tossing ideas around in his head on how to match her necklace. He had held onto the idea for these earrings for a long time, waiting for the right moment to give them to her and today was that moment. His chest tightened as he saw her sign for them in the foyer with a puzzled look on her face. He wanted to be there when she opened her gift but, was unsure if he could prevent giving himself away to her when she read the card message. He decided that today would be a good day to avoid approaching her after all. There was no way he could remain calm and composed if she questioned him, so he would continue with his day and wait for the results.

Kyoko felt dizzy and faint, her throat tightened, her mind felt numb and the back of her neck felt warm. She found it difficult to move as she carefully closed the box and placed it on the table in front of her while staring at the other gifts. What am I going to do if the others are like this? She thought with mild despair at the extravagance of the earrings.

She sat for a moment and stared at the black bag with mild irritation, no longer anger. Once again her little candy, fluff and bead coated grudgling, now with feathers arranged in her hair, slithered out and squealed with glee. Mistress! We got another gift? Can I open it? 'NO! This one you mustn't touch or, you will be punished.' Kyoko told her in a firm voice. She was still upset about finding the Swan Lake gift without the black swan. She actually kind of liked that gift and wanted to keep it intact.

The little grudgling sat on the table next to the black and gold gift bag with arms crossed, sulking as Kyoko removed a black leather and gold trimmed, long rectangular shaped box from the black and gold tissue paper that had been hiding it.

[Kyoko, all of the diamonds in the world couldn't add up to your value to me. I love you with all of my heart. Your Secret Admirer.] She sighed in deep thought as she read the message and looked at the box with apprehension, worried about what opening the black box would reveal.

Laying atop a black velvet cushion was a string of several diamonds each individually set in 18k gold and fastened together to form a delicate bracelet. She sighed in resignation, shaking her head as she closed the box and sat it on the table next to the pink one. She then moved on to the next gift bag.

[Kyoko-chan, when I see you my heart fills with love. You make me want to sing, dance and laugh with you. Please let me share my love for you, Your Secret Admirer.] the card from the all white gift read.

In a moment of clarity she examined the silver charm bracelet that donned the set of charms representing each and every one of her rolls (all of them...). Each charm was separated with a beautiful little filigree carved gem bead. She placed the delicate gift back in the safety of its black velvet lined, white leather container and closed the lid and placed it with the others.

Lastly, but certainly not least, the final gift remained. Placed amidst a nest of dark blue tissue paper in a silver bag lay a dark blue box with silver trim, lined with dark blue velvet. In this container a choker necklace was regally displayed consisting of two strands of the most perfect white pearls fastened together and adorned with a pear shaped sapphire surrounded by diamonds in a white gold setting as a centerpiece. [Kyoko, in all of the ocean and all of the earth, you are the only one that has touched my heart so deeply. I love you. Eternally yours, Your Secret Admirer.]

She sighed and sat the open box on the table in front of her and opened the others to look at them all. She was stunned beyond words. She had her suspicions. One made her heart soar, two of them only mildly irritated her now and the other she just thought how sweet. What to do? Hmm.

"Well, well what do we have today? MO! OH MY GOD! Kyoko! Are those what I think they are?!" Kanae shrieked as she looked at the jewelery boxes laying before Kyoko on the table.

"Yes... They are."

Kyoko was finally broken. After a great while of silent reflection, she realized that this was happening and there was no stopping it anytime soon. She would accept her fate. It couldn't be any other way. She would just sit down and take her medicine. That's all she could do. The gifts were hers to keep. Her only recourse was to ask Taisho to lock them in the safe at the Daruma ya to keep them from being lost or, stolen. The true difficulty would be in breaking three of the hearts that obviously loved her so dearly and made an effort to pursue her so zealously.

Kyoko stood in the hall outside of the LoveMe room pensively reviewing what had happened over the past month. She appeared distressed and pained to the untrained eye that didn't know her as a best friend. The love deity that had made her his personal project looked up in surprise. Was this it?! He thought in anticipation.

Then as quickly as her condition came, it had left. Her expression was peaceful, eyes softened and a gentle smile graced her lips. The choice had been made.

Cupid stood there in shock as he watched her walk away. "Is it over?" he said out loud.

"Yes.." a deep voice answered as a toga clad male slapped him on the back. "You really should have more faith in your own work."

The love god nodded then looked at Lory with surprise. "You can see me?"

Lory just winked and motioned for the spent deity to join him, "Let's go have a drink in my office, you've earned it."