Hi everyone! I'm sorry that I'm posting a chapter late again. Work wouldn't let me post when I normally do. I hope that you can forgive me.

Before anything else I would like to give a huge thanks to Dragon Spirit 10 and Sylvia-of-wings, who again have taken time out of their busy lives to help me edit this fan fiction. I seriously don't know what I would do without you two. Thank you so much.

I'd also like to thank everyone that has taken the time to read, favorite, follow, and review this fan fiction. I am extremely grateful and glad that you are enjoying this fan fiction.

Here is chapter twelve. I hope that you all like. Chapter thirteen will be posted in one week.

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

Kyoko's Unease

Kyoko jumped away from Ren when she heard the door slam. Her face was bright red. Ren's face was also slightly colored.

"Who do you think saw us?" Kyoko asked in a quiet shaky voice.

Ren saw that she was trembling and went over to her wrapping his arms around her. He hugged her tightly to comfort her. "I don't know, Kyoko. But it doesn't matter. Everything will be okay."

Kyoko shook her head. "Everyone is going to find out that we're dating. They'll say that I'm not good enough for you." She started crying.

Ren squeezed her tighter. "No one will say that, Kyoko. I promise they won't because it isn't true."

"But-"

Ren cut her off by kissing her. "No buts. Everything will be okay. I promise nothing bad will happen. Trust me."

Kyoko nodded but she was still worried.

Ren could tell that she wasn't entirely convinced so he decided to distract her. After re-locking the door he went over to the table and grabbed one of the laser-tag guns. He returned to Kyoko and handed it to her. She took it looking up at him with a questioning expression.

"We've talked about strategies but now I want to make sure that you know how to hold the gun properly. If you don't hold it right you won't shoot very accurately. I know this is just for a game but we want to win. Show me how you hold a gun."

Kyoko raised the gun to her right shoulder and held the barrel with her left hand. Her right hand was on the trigger.

Ren walked around her looking at her stance and the angle of her arms. "Good however the butt of the gun should be tighter against your shoulder. And your elbows should be a bit lower."

Kyoko adjusted how Ren told her to but is still was quite right. Ren stepped up behind her and put his arms around her so that they were both holding the gun. He positioned the gun and her arms making sure that they were in the correct places.

Kyoko blushed as Ren did this. 'Will I always be blushing when Kuon holds me? I suppose so. I am a pure Japanese maiden after all!'

Ren looked down at Kyoko and smiled seeing her blushing face. 'She really is adorable. How many times has she blushed because of me today?' Just then Kuon surfaced and smirked. 'It's almost like a game. I should start keeping a record of how many times I get her to blush in one day. She blushes so easily. I bet I could get her to do it a lot. But she would definitely be upset with me if she ever found out that I was intentionally trying to make her blush. Though her being upset might be worth it if she blushes even more.'

As quickly as Kuon appeared he vanished leaving Ren who spoke. "Can you feel the difference between how you're holding the gun now verses how you were holding it before?"

Kyoko nodded.

"Good. This is how the gun should be whenever you use it."

"Do I keep it like this all the time?"

"No. You keep your hands where they are but you lower the gun so that its closer to your stomach and parallel to your body." He walked to the table and picked up the other gun to demonstrate. "When you want to shoot someone you quickly raise the gun to your should, like this." He showed Kyoko how to do it in slow motion. "You do what I just did but a bit faster once you get the hang of it."

Kyoko tried but ended up holding the gun wrong again. She tried it a second time and messed up again. She tried a few more times but kept getting it wrong. Kyoko started looking dejected. 'I'm horrible at this. Kuon's going to think I'm stupid. Why can't I do it right!?'

Ren saw Kyoko's expression change from one a confidence and determination to a mix of annoyance, confusion, and sadness. He set his gun back down and walked right in from of Kyoko and hugged her, gun and all. Kyoko stiffened slightly but didn't move. "Don't worry, Kyoko. You'll get the hang of it. It just takes time. The only reason I can do it so well now is because I used to do paintball when I younger, so I have had years of practice. I promise you'll be able to do it perfectly during the laser-tag game."

Kyoko looked up into his face. "You really think so?" Her voice was quiet and unsure.

Ren kissed her forehead and said, "I know so."

Kyoko smiled.

After spending a few more minutes in the room, so that Kyoko could practice raising the gun, they determined it was time to leave. They both had work the next day and decided that it would be smart to have an early dinner. They made sure that everything was how they found it and left the room, locking the door behind them.

As they walked to Ren's car he asked, "What do you want to do for dinner?"

Kyoko was quiet for a minute as she thought. "I think that I am in the mood for curry. Does that sound okay to you?"

"It sounds just fine." Ren replied with a smile. "Do you want to go to a restaurant?"

"No. I want to make it. Please?"

"Well I guess we need to go to the grocery store. I don't think that there is enough at my apartment to make curry for dinner."

Kyoko frowned slightly. "You really need to do better about having real food in your home and eating it without being forced. How many times do I have to tell you to eat properly?"

Ren just held the car door open for her without replying.

Maria ran into a dark empty room somewhere in LME. As soon as she was there she sat down and cried. No one knew she was in there and that's how she wanted it. She didn't want anyone to see her or comfort her with words that they didn't mean.

Sebastian stood in the doorway looking at Takarada's young granddaughter. He was as stoic as ever with hardly any emotion on his face. But if you were to look carefully you could see the compassion in his eyes. He had spent many days with Maria and did not like seeing her cry. It made him think back to the time when she had lost her mother. He silently walked over to Maria and knelt down next to her. He gently put his arms around her and pulled her to his body. Maria threw her arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder. He didn't say anything, just held her.

Eventually Sebastian felt Maria sag against him. He glanced at her face and saw that she had cried herself to sleep. He picked her up and carried her to Takarada's office. Nobody saw them just as he wished.

Takarada looked up from his desk as Sebastian walked in with Maria in his arms.

"What happened!?" Takarada's voice was urgent.

"She received a bit of a shock and cried herself to sleep."

Takarada's brow furrowed. "What could shock her so much?"

"She saw Ren-sama and Kyoko-sama kissing." Sebastian stated simply

"I see. Of course that would shock her, considering how much she likes Ren." Takarada sigh. 'I'm sure that Maria is feeling hurt now. What can I do to help her? This might be enough to make her revert back to the way she was before she made Kyoko her big sister.'

"She cried the same way she did when her mother died."

'I knew it.' "Please go put her on the couch in my private room. She will be more comfortable there."

The trip to the grocery store was quick and soon Ren and Kyoko were back at his apartment. Ren was putting the groceries they didn't need away while Kyoko started cooking.

Every now and then Ren would stop what he was doing and just watch Kyoko cook. 'She is so beautiful. I can't believe that she doesn't see it. How can anyone look at her and say that she is plain? They have to be blind to think that or just they're just morons. Fuwa being the biggest moron of all.' Ren's faced darkened slightly as he finished putting the groceries away. As soon as he was done he asked, "is there anything else I can help you with, Babe?"

Kyoko blushed and said, "I think I've got it. Oh wait – could you set the table please? It won't be too much longer until dinner is done."

Kuon went to the cupboard, grabbed a couple plates, and set them on the counter. He then got two glasses, filled them with water, and took them to the living room. He came back to the kitchen to get forks just as Kyoko was dishing up the curry and rice.

Kuon took his plate from Kyoko. "Smells amazing."

Kyoko smiled and took her plate to the living room. Kuon followed carrying two forks along with his plate.

They ate in silence. Neither of them feeling the need to say anything. About halfway through dinner Kuon noticed Kyoko yawning.

"Tired?"

Kyoko looked at him and gave a small smile. "A little. We a bit of a busy day today and neither of us got a lot of sleep last night."

"You're right. I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For keeping you up so late. We didn't need to stay up so late."

"We were up late for something important. You don't need to be sorry. I'm not sorry."

Kuon smiled at her. "Okay. But when we're done eating I'm taking you home so that you can get a good nights sleep. I'll do the dishes when I get back. No arguing." He added when he saw her expression.

"But –"

"No. You need a proper nights sleep tonight. And I'm going to make sure that happens."

"What about you? You need a proper nights sleep too."

"I'll get enough sleep don't worry. I start later than you do tomorrow. So I can sleep in a bit longer than you can. I'll be fine."

Kyoko wasn't convinced but decided to let it drop. She knew that Kuon was stubborn and she was feeling a little too tired to argue.

After they were done eating Kuon did as he said and took Kyoko to the Daruma-ya. Before he would just drop her off and drive away. But now that she was his girlfriend, not just his kohai, he got out of the car and walked her to the door. Much to Kyoko's dismay.

"What if someone recognizes you?"

"There is no one here right now."

"But still. Someone could show up and start a racket."

"Don't worry so much. See? We're at the side door and no one saw us."

Kyoko huffed but didn't say anything.

"Be sure to go to bed early okay? I don't want you doing anything tomorrow with lack of sleep."

"Okay. And the same goes to you."

Ren smiled and kissed Kyoko's forehead. "Sleep well, Kyoko."

"You, too"

Kyoko watched as Ren walked back to his car and then went inside the restaurant. She greeted the Okami and Taisho. Then she went up stairs and grabbed her things to take a bath. She soaked in the bath for a good amount of time thinking.

'The laser-tag game is going to be so much fun. I can't wait for it. But before it gets here I need to practice holding and raising the gun. I couldn't do it right at all today. Ugh! That was so annoying. I wonder how long it took Kuon to be able to do it right.'

Her thoughts continued this way as she got out of the bath and finished getting ready for bed. As she lay down another thought struck her.

'Who saw us kissing!? I hope that they don't tell other people. I don't want Kuon's – well Ren's – image ruined.'

Kyoko started feeling uneasy. She got up and grabbed Corn. As soon as she felt the stone she calmed down. She felt as though Kuon was there telling her that everything was going to be okay. She got back in her futon and fell asleep quickly. Holding Corn tightly in her hand.