Here is the next chapter for your approval. Don't worry; there is romance in this story… I just have to get to it. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it.
Note: I do not own Skip Beat!
It was the following week when things livened up. Another rumor had sprung up about Sho and Kyoko. This one built on the previous rumor of an engagement between the stars with the idea that Kyoko was only using the innocent rocker to increase her fame. How these things were started was beyond comprehension. The rumor was followed by a large influx of threating letters to Kyoko from Sho's fan base. There were some crazy girls out there. The Akatoki Agency and LME both issued statements about the rumors to try to stop them, but crazy fans had a tendency to not listen to official statements. Both of the talent agencies were working to find out who had started the lies, but it was proving hard to track down.
Catherine picked up Kyoko as she usually did. After collecting the girl, they took the normal route to LME. By this time, Catherine was use to Tokyo's traffic and enjoyed conversing with Kyoko about plans for the day on their way to work. Today she saw the concern coloring the edges of the young actress' eyes.
"Don't worry about the new rumors. We both know they are not true." Catherine tried to reassure her. "Lory is working on finding out how these awful things have started." With this Kyoko's expression went dark as she thought about the source of all her troubles. If Sho would just control his fans, then she wouldn't be troubled by this. Catherine looked at the girl as the temperature in the car dropped several degrees. "Are you ok?" She asked.
"I am so sorry!" squeaked Kyoko suddenly remembered where she was. Catherine laughed at her quick change in mood and left the girl to reflect on her own thoughts. She pulled into the parking garage across the street from the LME building. As they walked out and started to cross the street, Catherine noticed a large crowd had gathered on the walkway in front of the building. She quickly took position close behind Kyoko. The girl did not notice the change in position or stature of her companion as they crossed the street and approached the crowd.
"There she is!" yelled a girl standing at the edge of the group. "She is the one spreading LIES about our precious Sho-kun." The crowd started to go wild as they approached. Kyoko paused as the crowd turned towards her.
"Just stick close and push through them," Catherine whispered into Kyoko's ear. She placed a hand on the other girls shoulder and propelled her into the group. With a protective hand and strong glare Catherine was able to ward off the girls that were out to defend their rocker's name. They had pressed through most of the girls and were almost at the end of the crowd where the security guards were holding the fans out of the building when thing got out of hand. As Catherine worked her way through the last of disgruntled girls, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye, something coming fast straight at Kyoko's head. She shoved the actress out of the remaining masses into the building before twisting her arm up to stop the object that was endangering her charge. The flying brick hit her raised forearm and swung around to clock her in the temple. The concrete rushed up to accept the manager's falling form while the girls around her stumbled backward screaming in horror. The last thing that passed through Catherine's mind before her conscious slipped away was that she had not expected anything quite that heavy to be thrown by a group of girls.
Inside the building Tsuruga Ren and his manager, Yashiro Yukihito, were watching the commotion outside. Ren saw Kyoko being pushed through the throng of girls and was heading towards the door to help the woman protecting her. Then it happened, he watched in horror as a brick flew through the air straight towards the object of his affections. He picked up his pace and reached the door just as Kyoko was hurled through it and straight into his open arms. He was too occupied with the girl in his arms to see the brick hit the woman in the head or her go down among the girls on the sidewalk. Kyoko, protected by Ren's strong arms, turned to see what had happened to Catherine. Yashiro rushed passed the pair to scoop up the fallen woman to bring her inside.
"Kat-chan" Kyoko cried as Yashiro carried the unconscious woman inside. Blood was pouring out of a fresh cut on her left temple and soaking into the front of Yashiro's jacket. After laying her limp form on the floor carefully, he pressed the handkerchief from his pocket to the flowing wound, stanching the blood. Kyoko tore from Ren's grasp and rushed to the pair on the floor. As she knelt opposite Yashiro to check on Catherine, Ren pulled out his phone and call an ambulance to take the woman to the hospital.
"Who is this?" Yashiro asked to the worried face across from him. Kyoko pulled her eyes away from the unconscious woman to Ren's manager's eyes.
"This is my new manager Miss Catherine Saunders. She was sent to protect me by Hizuri Kuu-san." Kyoko responded. Ren jerked to look at the slack face of the American woman, shock clearly showing on his face for anyone to see. He quickly caught his expression and put his mask back on. "She told me that it was her job to protect me, but I never thought that she would get hurt." Tears welled up in Kyoko's eyes. Ren went to her and pulled her from the floor into an embrace trying to comfort the upset girl.
"Shh.. shh… She will be ok. There is an ambulance on the way," Ren comforted her as he stared at the familiar face from his past. How was he going to deal with this new development in his life? He was going to need to talk to the President as soon as possible. This could be very bad. About that time, the medics swarmed the lobby. The crowd outside had scattered when the Catherine went down so there were no obstacles for them. Kyoko started to pull away from Ren as they were stabilizing Catherine's head and loading her on the back board to take to the hospital. She was going to go with her manager, but Ren grabbed her by the shoulder stopping her.
"Yashiro-san, could you please go with her to the hospital to make sure she is ok?" Ren asked this manager. "I'm sure it would make Kyoko feel better with news as soon as possible." Yashiro looked at Ren and then to Kyoko. Seeing the worried face of the young girl was more than enough to convince him to do as asked.
"I will call you as soon as I know anything." Yashiro said as he followed the medics out the front door.
"But, I need to go with her!" Kyoko started to protest until she saw the stern look on Ren's face.
"She worked hard to get you here safely. You have a job to do and there is nothing that you can do for her at the moment. Yashiro-san will let us know as soon as there is any news." Ren spoke firmly but gently to the distraught girl. "Right now we need to go to the President's office and let him know. He may be able to tell us what happened." Kyoko gave in as Ren propelled her by the shoulder towards the elevator that would take them away from the lobby.
Yashiro picked himself up and followed the medic to the ambulance. When the medic saw the blood staining the man's chest, he offered to check him over for wounds also. Yashiro waved him off and took a seat next to the gurney. He stared at the unconscious woman as they started off to the hospital. He knew how dangerous a manager's job could be, but he hated to see anyone hurt by fans. He started to get mad at Fuwa for the injury to the woman's head. That looked like it could leave possibly leave a scare.