I'm sorry! Please don't kill me! I know that this chapter is super late. I've been really busy with school and work. But I hope that you all can forgive me. I'm going to try to be better at finding time to write future chapters. Though I do ask that you continue to be patient with me.

Thank you for sticking with me during this long break and for reading, favoriting, and following this story. It means the world to me.

If you have constructive criticism, please share it. I'll be quiet now and let you read this chapter, I hope that you like it.

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

Kyoko's Decision

Kuon lowered his gun and look at Kyoko. "Are you ready?"

Kyoko shook her head. "President Takarada warned us about the game so that we could practice. But I feel like we haven't practiced at all! We've been doing other things. And the game is next week! I'm still having trouble with holding the gun properly and my aim is totally off!"

Kuon smiled and put his gun on the table before taking Kyoko into his arms. "It will be fine, Kyoko. We don't need to be absolutely perfect. Just better than everyone else."

Kyoko gave Kuon a look that clearly said, "not helping."

Kuon leaned down and kissed Kyoko's forehead. "We can practice as much as we want today. We can also find time to practice together throughout the week."

"How would we find time? You're so busy you hardly have time to eat properly!" Kyoko gave a small yawn.

Kuon noticed and gave her a concerned look. "We should take a short break."

"No we don't. I'm fine."

Kuon gave her Ren's gentlemanly smile. "Are you telling me the truth, Kyoko?"

Kyoko shivered when she saw the smile. "Okay, I am a little tired."

Kuon set down his gun before wrapping his arms around Kyoko. "I'm sorry. It's because I made such a big announcement at the party."

Flashback

Kuon gently pulled a very pink Kyoko off the stage and towards the stairs. But before they took three steps the lights went out for a second time and Kuon felt a small hand tug on his empty one.

Maria and Sebastian looked at each other while Kuon was introducing himself.

"Did you know about this, Sebastian?" Maria asked looking like she was getting a headache.

"About Ren-sama's real name or about him revealing it tonight?"

"His real name."

"I suspected but I never voiced my thoughts."

Maria nodded deep in thought. She glanced around, "everyone looks like they're bursting to ask him questions." 'But it seems like that isn't the only reason for the stage name. I want to know what the main reason was.'

"What are you thinking, Maria?" Sebastian asked as he looked at his young companion intently.

Maria turned he attention back towards Sebastian. "I'm just wondering if that's the only reason Hizuri-san used a fake name."

'She is using more formal speech than usual. I have to find a way to put a stop to that. And she is right about the there being another reason. I can sense that too.' "Perhaps you should kidnap Hizuri and Mogami-sama and ask them."

Maria frowned, "How am I supposed to kidnap them to do that? When they get off the stage they'll be surrounded."

Sebastian smirked, "we will just use your grandfather's previous distraction. Get close to the stage. When the lights go off lead Hizuri and Mogami-sama to a private room. It should be easy to do since there aren't many people over there."

Maria smiled and hugged Sebastian.

"Where are you taking us, Maria-chan?" Kuon asked in a soft voice.

"You'll see." Maria said in an emotionless voice. 'I want to ask him but I don't know how. I don't think I'm upset at him and Onee-san any more. But... I wish that grandfather or Sebastian would be there with me.' Maria opened the door that was in front of her and ushered Kuon and Kyoko in. She closed the door and turned on the light before taking off her mask and looking at the people she brought with her. She also noticed someone else in the room and gave a small smile. 'Good, I'm not going to be alone.'

"Re-Hizuri-san why did you go by a fake name?" Maria looked Kuon straight in the eye. "I heard what you told everyone else but that didn't seem like the whole truth. It seemed too petty of a reason."

Kuon and Kyoko both froze.

'Why is she calling me Hizuri-san? And how can she tell that the reason I gave wasn't the full truth? Though she has spent most of her life with adults, so I suppose I shouldn't find it too surprising.' "Maria-chan why do you think that?" Kuon tried to stall for time. 'I don't know what to tell you.'

"It just felt as though you were hiding something while you were talking. I've known you for a long time, that's why I felt you were hiding something. Or at least I thought I knew you." Maria's voice got very quiet with her last sentence. She walked over to the couch that Sebastian was standing behind and sat down.

Kuon gave a small sigh. 'My secret has really upset her. I need to answer her question and try to cheer her up again.' He walked towards the couch and knelt down in front of Maria so that he could look her in the eye. "Maria-chan I can't tell you the full reason for having a stage name. I am sorry. But I can tell you that something happened that really hurt me and I was trying to run away from that hurt. I tried to run away from it for about six years. I just recently learned how to stop trying to run away and to actually face my past.

"Please understand that I didn't want to lie. But I had to while I was creating a new me. And even though I'm going by my real name now, I'm still Tsuruga Ren. I've been Ren for a long time. He is as much a part of me as Hizuri Kuon is."

Maria nodded. 'It must have been something really bad to do that to Hizuri-san. I want to know what it was but I can tell that I shouldn't ask.' "I understand, Hizuri-san."

Before anyone could say anything else the door opened and Takarada walked in. "There you all are. What are you doing in here?"

"I wanted to ask Hizuri-san something." Maria said. Her voice was low and made Takarada pause.

'Why is Maria referring to Kuon that way?' Takarada shared a brief look with Sebastian. 'I guess she still has some pain to work through.' "Kuon, Kyoko, this party is for you two. You really should go mingle for a while. I'm sure I can arrange it so that you can leave early if you wish but not before you socialize some more."

Kuon and Kyoko both hesitated.

"Don't worry. I made a short statement asking everyone to keep their questions to themselves."

"I doubt that they'll be able to do that for long." Kuon said with a small sigh. He grabbed Kyoko's hand and started walking towards the door. "The sooner we go out there the sooner we can go home."

Present

"The party was too bad after you revealed your identity. Most people did leave us alone."

Kuon tightened his arms around Kyoko. "Your friends didn't and Yashiro was very talkative, too. Though I suppose I should be glad that he never even thought of fangirling." Kuon sighed, "however that wasn't exactly what I was referring to. I meant the paparazzi that kept hounding us."

"That was a little tiring," Kyoko agreed.

"I think it was a bit more than a little. You couldn't even go back to Daruma Ya."

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing? It isn't your fault. It's the press' fault for being such pests."

"How did they even find out where I live, anyway?"

"I don't know. Though this does lead to something that I want to ask you."

Kyoko raised her head to meet Kuon's eyes. "What?"

Kuon looked nervous. "Well, it is more of a request."

"Yes?"

'Alright, Kuon, time to lay out your reasons and get her to say yes.' "Please, don't argue with me until I'm done, okay?"

Kyoko nodded, 'why does he think I'll argue with him.'

Kuon lead Kyoko over to a chair and sat down with her in his lap. He took a deep breath and started talking. "I want you to move in with me." Kuon felt Kyoko stiffen and hurried to explain why. "You've been sleeping over at my place since a couple of days before the party. There is very good security there and the press won't be able to bother you there. No one needs to know that you're living with me. And you can move back to Daruma Ya, if you want to, when this is all settled. I just want to know that you're not being harassed or bothered." Kuon squeezed Kyoko to him.

Kyoko was in a state of shock. 'H-h-he wants me to move in with him?! There is NO WAY I can do that. I'm a pure Japanese maiden! How can he even think- But I guess I kind of have been living with him the past few days. And it we have been sleeping in separate rooms. So it isn't the same as when we did Cain and Setsu. But We would be ourselves not characters. Ooooh, what am I supposed to do?!

'Though it wouldn't be the first time I've live with a guy. Look at who my roommate was when I first moved to Tokyo.

'I'm always telling Kuon that he needs to eat more. I could make sure that he does if we do live together. But...' Kyoko was off wondering around in her labyrinth of thoughts forgetting everything around her.

Kuon got more and more nervous the longer Kyoko remained motionless. 'Please don't run away. Please don't let me have screwed this up.' He held her tightly. Hoping and praying that she would say yes.

It was several minutes later when Kuon felt Kyoko take deep breath. He lifted his head from where it was resting on her shoulder and watched as she turned her face towards his.

Kyoko smiled when she saw the anxiety in Kuon's eyes. 'He looks so worried. I must have been lost in my mind for a long time.' She reached up and gave you a gentle kiss before she whispered her answer. "Yes. I will move in with you."