Thank-you everyone who has read and reviewed the previous chapters of this fan fiction. I'm really happy that you have been enjoying it. Here is chapter six. I hope that you find it was good as previous chapters. Again I apologize if there are any spelling or grammar errors that I miss. As always I welcome any and all constructive criticism. Chapter seven will be posted in one week. With that being said please enjoy chapter six.

Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of the characters from it. Skip Beat is the property of Yoshiki Nakamura.

Ren's Secrets

Ren finally opened his mouth, "Kyoko, I have a story to tell you. But I'm scared that you'll hate me after I tell you this story. That you'll leave me."

Ren looked like he would die from the fear of either his past or Kyoko hating him.

Kyoko took Ren's face in her hands and pressed their foreheads together. "I will never leave you Ren. Please don't think that. I love you. It took me a while to realize how I feel but that's truly how I feel. And nothing will ever change that. Please believe me."

Ren gave Kyoko a quick kiss. "I do believe you." He took a minute to gather his thoughts and then began his story.

"Once upon a time there was a boy who was born and lived in a distant land. When he was ten he came to Japan. Specifically to Kyoto. One day when his father was busy with his movie the boy went into the woods to explore. He found a stream and stood there enjoying the view when a little girl came into the clearing where the stream was. The boy stood there shocked for a minute and then the girl asked, 'Are you a fairy?' There were tears in the girl's eyes and the boy could tell that she was very, very sad. He said, 'yes,' because he wanted to see the girl smile. And she did. She showed him the most beautiful smile in the World.

"The boy's name was Corn and the girl's name was Kyoko. They met in that clearing everyday for the rest of the time Corn was in Japan. They had a hamburger steak kingdom and he would fly through the sky for her. One day she came to the clearing with a test from school that she got eighty-eight percent on. She was crying that her mother would scold her. Corn did his best to make her smile and eventually she did.

"Another day Corn collapsed because of the heat and Kyoko wet her handkerchief for him. That day Kyoko became Corn's ideal Japanese woman. He fell in love with her even though he was only ten and she was only six. Soon after that Corn had to go back to his home land. He didn't want to leave but had no choice. He didn't want Kyoko to forget about him so he gave her his treasure, a blue stone, to remember him by. But he also gave it to her to help her smile. He showed her how it could change color when the light hits it right and told her that it was magic. It would take away all her sadness and help her to smile. After that he hugged her and left."

Ren paused in his story and examined Kyoko's face to determine her expression. She was staring directly into Ren's eyes with shock and confusion.

"How do you know all that?" She asked quietly.

Ren gave a small sigh and stood up with her still in his arms. "I have something to show you." He walked toward his bathroom firmly holding Kyoko princess style. Kyoko didn't say or do anything. She just kept looking at Ren's face.

Once they were in the bathroom Ren set Kyoko down so that she was sitting on the counter next to the sink. Ren pulled a contact lens case and contact solution out of the medicine cabinet and washed his hands. Kyoko silently watched him with an even more confused look on her face. Ren glanced at her and then removed his right colored contact and put it in the case.

He heard Kyoko gasp when she saw his real eye color but he didn't fully look at her until both contacts were out. Once both contacts were in the case Ren turned to Kyoko with a scared look on his face as though he expected Kyoko to slap him.

Kyoko couldn't believe it, Ren's eyes were the same amazing shade of green as Corn's.

'He is Corn.' Kyoko thought as she put her right hand on Ren's cheek. 'Why didn't I notice before? Their personalities are so similar.' "Corn." Kyoko's voice was very quiet as she said that one word.

Ren didn't know what to do so he stayed still. Kyoko slowly wrapped her arms around Ren and held on with all he strength. Ren hesitantly returned Kyoko's hug.

He was stunned. 'She's hugging me. She isn't leaving.' Ren felt tears fall from his eyes.

Kyoko pulled away slightly and looked at Ren's face. She was surprised to see him crying and gently wiped his tears away.

"Why are you crying?"

"I thought you were going to leave me. I was so shocked and relieved when you hugged me. I don't know what I would have done if you left me." Ren's voice was shaking with all the emotions he was feeling.

Kyoko held his face with both hands, "I told you I would never leave you. But you have to explain why you never told me that you and Corn are the same person. Also when you realized that I was the Kyoko you met when you were in Kyoto." Kyoko said with a slight pout. 'He's obviously known for a long time.'

Ren smiled a little at Kyoko's pouting expression and kissed her, hugging her tightly. He picked her up again and said, "let's go back to the sofa. That will take a while to explain so we might as well be comfortable."

Kyoko nodded and wrapped her arms around Ren's neck.

Ren sat down with Kyoko on his lap. She looked at his face and saw fear and pain again, along with extreme sadness.

"Why do you look so scared? Do you still think I'll leave you?" Kyoko asked her voice no higher than a whisper.

Ren shook his head. "I'm not scared that you'll leave me. I'm scared of my past. Of what I was like when I was younger. I'm not proud of my past. I've been a coward and have kept running from it. However I need to face it and it's hard to do after keeping it locked away for so long."

Kyoko looked at him sadly and saw how hard it was for him. She hugged him trying to give him the strength he needed.

Ren hugged her back. "Kyoko I'm going to tell you my real name. So you can understand why I acted the why I did. Please don't be mad."

Kyoko nodded and continued to hug him.

Ren took a beep breath. "My real name is Kuon. Hizuri Kuon." He was a little nervous as he said this and expected Kyoko to yell at him. But she didn't.

Kyoko slapped him, "how could you?"

Ren looked at her miserably and let his arms fall to his sides limply. 'Just knowing my real name makes her hate me...'

Kyoko started sobbing but hugged Ren. He was completely confused. "Otou-san is so sad without you. How could you let him and his wife feel that way? Why aren't you with them? It was painful seeing otou-san so sad."

Ren tentatively put his arms back around Kyoko. "I'm sorry Kyoko. I'm so sorry."

He kept saying this until Kyoko calmed down.

"I'm sorry Ren. I don't know why I did that. You obviously have a reason and I should listen to it. I shouldn't have slapped you. I'm sorry" She leaned up and gently kissed the cheek she slapped. "I love you. I'll love you no matter what. Please forgive me for slapping you."

Ren smiled and kissed her on the lips. "There's nothing to forgive. But I must say that your slap scared me."

Kyoko looked down. "I'm sorry," she mumbled.

Ren lifted her face. "It's fine. If I was you I would probably have done the same thing." He smiled and Kyoko gave a small smile in return.

"So," she said after a minute or two. "Are you going to finish your story? I want to know what happened. I want to help you if I can."

Ren squeezed her for a second. "You've already helped more than you know and yes I will finish the story. It may take a little while. Parts of it are hard to talk about."

Kyoko looked at Ren with loving eyes and gave him another kiss on the cheek.

Ren closed his eyes and started his story again.

"As you now know my father is Hizuri Kuu and my mother is Hizuri Julie. I am only a quarter Japanese. My full heritage is half American, one quarter Japanese, and one quarter Russian. That's why I have green eyes, blonde hair, and why I'm so tall.

"When I was younger my father was my hero. I wanted to be just like him. I wanted to be as good of an actor as him, if not better. So I began acting. However I wasn't given the time to work up to my dad's level. Directors, other actors, everyone expected me to be like my dad right then. The pressure was unbearable. I started rebelling and not doing anything the directors wanted. I was fired more times than I can count. That made me even more mad.

"At that time I was also being bullied for my mixed heritage. People would call me dirty. A monster." Ren paused. He started trembling, remembering what he did next.

'He feels as cold as ice. He's shaking so much.' Kyoko looked at his face worried. 'It's just like that time after the car chase for Dark Moon. And that time when he was wrapped in a sheet in the hotel hall, when he held onto to me as though I was a lifeline. Ren what happened? Why are you so scared and sad?'

Kyoko put her hand on Ren's cheek trying to bring him back. Ren grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips. He kissed her palm and then intertwined their fingers together. Holding her tightly but being she not to hurt her.

"Ren you don't have to tell me. I know that speaking about this is hard for you. You don't have to force yourself."

Ren gave a small shake of his head. "No. I want to tell you. Actually I need to tell you. I don't want to have any secrets from you. It's time I come clean about my past."

He sighed and started talking again. "I was taking martial arts classes and met my best friend in one of them. His name was Rick. He became like an older brother to me. He was the only person I could really talk to.

"My senseis told me to avoid fights and hurting people. But because of that I started getting beat up. Rick told me I should fight back, stand up for myself. So I did."

Ren's face became pained again and filled with self-loathing. "I started fighting back. Started doing it for fun. I enjoyed hurting the people that had beaten me up before. I started smoking and drinking. I was like Cain or BJ. My parents were worried about me but I didn't care. I wouldn't let them help me.

"One night I was beating up a group of boys a little older than me partially because they were insulting my blood. But mainly because, at that time, I was addicted to fighting. I had them all knocked down and might have killed the leader if Rick hadn't found me and stopped me." Ren began crying, this was the hardest part to talk about.

"As Rick was yelling at me telling me to stop another of the boys ran by. He pushed Rick's girlfriend, Tina, over as he ran away. I ran after him and Rick chased both of us. I ran across a street, Rick was still following. A car came out of now where and hit... hit Rick. He," Ren's voice cracked. "He was killed instantly.

"There was blood everywhere. Tina was sobbing holding Rick's head. She yelled at me saying. I killed him. That I was a murderer. And she was right. I am a murderer. If it wasn't for me Rick would still be alive. He and Tina would still be together. It was all my fault. I'm a mur-"

"No!" Kyoko said fiercely. Ren looked at her tears still falling down his face. "You're not a murderer. Never say that. It was an accident, it wasn't your fault."

"Kyoko how can you say it wasn't my fault? It was my fault. Rick was there only because I was. If I hadn't let Rick follow me he would still be alive. Kyoko my hands are covered with blood."

Kyoko was silent for a minute as she tried to figure out what to say to Ren to get him to let go of his guilt.

When she got an idea she took Ren's face in her hands and made him look at her. "Ren, listen to me. I want to ask you something and I want to answer with complete honesty." Her voice was firm but gentle. Giving Ren one option which was to nod.

"Okay. So, say I went shopping with Moko-san yesterday because she is my best friend and we haven't done something together in ages. We were having a good time and stopped for ice cream." Kyoko paused for a second. 'It's okay, Kyoko, this is just theoretical.' "Then we decided to go across the street. As we crossed the street a drunk driver came and hit Moko-san. She died instantly. Was it my fault?" At this point Kyoko couldn't keep her eyes dry even though she came up with the imaged scenario. "I was the one that wanted to go shopping. Moko-san was there because of me. Was it my fault?"

Ren quickly hugged Kyoko tightly. "Of course it wasn't your fault. You weren't the drunk driver."

Kyoko looked into Ren's eyes. "But we were there because I wanted to be. Doesn't that make it my fault?" A couple tears escaped her eyes.

Ren wiped her tears away, ignoring the ones on his own face. "Of course it doesn't. She chose to be there with you. It was the drunk driver who killed her. You aren't at fault."

Kyoko stopped crying and gave Ren a small smile. "Then you aren't at fault either."

Ren gave her a confused look. "What?"

"What happened to Rick was an accident. It was the car driver that killed him not you. It was his choice to be there with you and to be your friend. You didn't force him."

Ren sighed, "Kyoko, it isn't-"

"Don't say it isn't the same. It's exactly the same."

"But-"

"Are you saying that if my story had happened I would be the one responsible for Moko-san's death? Did you lie to me when you said I hadn't killed her?" Kyoko looked like she was about to start crying again.

"I wasn't lying, Kyoko. I swear I wasn't." Ren squeezed Kyoko to him tightly again and rocked them back and forth.

"Please stop hurting yourself Kuon. Forget what Tina called you it isn't true. It wasn't your fault." Kyoko whispered into his chest.

Hearing Kyoko say his real name, properly, made Ren/Kuon finally feel peace. He tightened his hold on her and buried his face in her hair.

'She really is my protective charm. If she is with me I know that I will be able to move forward.'

Kuon was still silently crying so Kyoko just hugged him back. Giving him the time he needed to let everything out. Which took quite a while because he had been holding it all in for years.

When his tears finally stopped Kuon leaned his head against the back of the back of the couch. He felt emotionally and physically exhausted. 'I knew it would take a lot to tell Kyoko all of this but I didn't realize it would take so much.'

He looked down at Kyoko and smiled. She had kept her head on his chest and closed her eyes. 'She looks as tired as I feel. I should take her to the guestroom. But I want to stay like this a little longer.' He leaned his head back again and closed his eyes. After a minute they had both fallen asleep with smiles on their faces.