A/N:Okay, so, this chapter is actually together with Chapter 6, but I cut them into two because it would've been too long for my own comfort. So, there you go, the seventh chapter!

Disclaimers: I do not own any characters from Skip Beat! I do own my characters though. Contains OOC elements!

Special thanks to following people for following:

- kitkatketi

-lollypopsareevil

- moon3

- xxDCxx

And all of the readers!

Please enjoy!

Chapter 7: Confrontation

Kanae didn't know why, but the face reflected on the window was unnerving. She had been wary about the boy after she overheard (unintentionally) the conversation, but why would a dangerous person show such a sad face?

Shion waited outside the LoveMe department as Kanae changed into her casual clothes. At 8 on the dot, Kyoko returned to LME with Ren and Yashiro walking beside her (Ren had offered her a ride since he was going back to LME too).

At the sight of the orange haired girl, Shion can't help but look away. He couldn't look at her the way he did that morning. He still greeted her like earlier, but he couldn't look into her molten gold eyes.

His odd actions didn't escape Ren's eyes. Why is he looking away from Kyoko, and with a guilt-imprinted expression? He realized that he looked exactly like the teenage years of himself. That was the face he made when he admitted to Rick about the fights he'd been in.

But why is Shion showing that?

On the other hand, Kyoko was perplexed. Did she do something wrong? Why isn't Shion looking at her? She panicked inwardly and desperately tried to think of any reasons, and then it hit her like a meteorite.

Could it be that he is angry about having to wait for me for so long?! Stupid Kyoko! Of course he is! He waited for 7 hours! I have to apologize!

And so she did.

As soon as she walked out of the room after changing, she prostrated herself at his feet and started babbling her apologies so hastily that Shion only registered bits and pieces of the words she said.

"Kyoko-chan!" Shion reached out to grab her shoulders, but stopped short when he saw his hands bloodied for a split second.

Clenching his hands, he knelt down in front of her and smiled, "Why are you apologizing?"

Kyoko looks up at him with teary eyes, "I made you wait for so long! I mean, 7 hours! It's a no wonder you would be angry!"

Shion blinked, baffled, "I'm angry?"

"Eh? You weren't? But you were avoiding looking at me…" She whispered the last part, looking down at the ground.

Shion jostled slightly at the statement. Was he so obvious? "I'm not angry, Kyoko-chan."

Since her fantasy antennae didn't pop out like that morning, it must be the truth.

Heaving a sigh of relief, she smiled cutely and nodded enthusiastically, "Please come along with us! I mean, I wouldn't want you to wait for me any longer than you did."

"Mogami-san, is it alright with you if I will accompany Shion-kun until you return?" Ren asked with a smile.

Kyoko looked at him, confused.

"It's a girl's night out, isn't it?" Ren looks at Kanae, who somehow understood his intentions and nodded.

"Mo! You're going to invite a boy to join us for shopping?"

Kyoko became flustered and started apologizing to the boy once again, this time for not being thoughtful enough.

"It's fine, Kyoko-chan." Shion assured with a smile, "Just enjoy your night, okay?"

Nodding excitedly, Kyoko hooked her arm with Kanae's and literally skipped towards the lift with Kanae bobbing up and down awkwardly while complaining.

After the girls left, Ren dropped all the façade he'd been keeping for Kyoko's sake.

"What are you planning?" The actor demanded.

Yashiro wanted to shriek at Ren for being so impolite, but he didn't dare to. The Demon Lord's on the stage and he was only glad for not being the direct target for him. Looking blue, the manager glances at the boy, who was staring expressionlessly at Ren, which surprised the eldest man of the trio.

Wow, he's not even buckling under Demon Lord's glare!

"What do you mean? I'm not planning anything." Shion answered.

"It's not pure coincidence that you're here and President asking the LoveMe girls to babysit you." The actor pressed mercilessly, "Plus, you mentioned this morning that the President wanted to introduce you to them, I doubt that he isn't planning anything."

Shion sighed. He isn't in any mood to beat around the bush.

"So what if we're planning something? I doubt it has anything to do with you." He retorted sharply, removing the hat from his head to reveal his wolf ears.

Yashiro wanted to mediate them, but the stifling atmosphere was just too heavy for him to even open his mouth to speak.

Ren was surprised. It has nothing to do with him?

"On second thought, yeah, one of my plans has something to do with you, but it's mainly because of your cowardice." Shion crossed his arms with a huff.

The tall man stiffened, "What do you—"

"If you don't want that 'messenger of love' to interfere with your love life, just confess to Kyoko-chan." Shion interrupted, causing the actor to blush a little, "Or is it something else that's stopping you?"

"What?"

Yashiro lifted an eyebrow at Ren's reaction. Sure, he knew that Ren is an idiot when it comes to love, and that his reason for not confessing to Kyoko is because of their age differences, but this reaction was different. It was more tensed, more… alert.

"Honestly, I think a four-year difference isn't that big, you know?" Shion stalked towards the man and shoved his chest, "If you don't man up, then Kyoko-chan will be taken by someone else."

Ren took a step back at the shove, but his response was something Yashiro anticipated, "She is the founding member of the LoveMe department."

Shion gave him a look that crossed incredulity and pity, "I wouldn't rely on that, you know? You would never know who would come around and sweep her off her feet."

The actor froze, and remembered Kyoko's behavior during breakfast. She was most probably thinking about this boy.

Subconsciously, he shot a glare at the youngest boy, who merely patted him on the forearm, "Just get together with her as soon as possible… if not, I cannot disappear…"

The two men were puzzled by his statement.

"Why… do you want to disappear?" Ren questioned, all the negativity dissipating in that instant.

Looking at his open palm, Shion looked distressed.

Nobody could forgive someone like me, whose hands took away countless lives and tainted with blood. What's the use of living now that I've been left nothing but an inerasable sin?

"You will never understand." The boy answered before walking away, leaving confusion and curiosity in his wake.

Sorry for the mild suicidal elements in here! I hope Ren wasn't too OOC. _

Please R&R!