Chapter Seven

This is inhumane. She thought as she ambled down the hall on her crutches. I only wanted to take a few acting classes so our PVs don't look like they're done by amateurs, but these prices! "Enemies of the common man!" Her voice rang out simultaneously with another. They both looked up. Golden eyes into sapphire blues. Kyoko raised an eyebrow when she noticed what the dark haired girl had been carrying. "Is that the class list?" She asked.

Kanae Kotonami narrowed her eyes and huffed. "What's it to you?"

"I thought you made the auditions after we left." Kyoko told her.

"Yeah well... I made it further than that spoiled princess did. I'm just looking at this to familiarize myself with my new agency." She fibbed a little.

"Ah there you are Kotonami-san." Matsushima, the head of the acting department called out.

Kanae's shoulders slumped and she winced at the revelation.

"I see you've met Chouko-chan. She'll be in the LoveMe section with you. She's a new talent also." He informed her.

"I know..." She glowered. "I'm not sure I can do this."

"No! You'll love it. You meet new people and get so many opportunities to learn!" Kyoko tried up-selling the LoveMe section. "You have to do it." She finished in a spine chilling growl that almost sounded like an animal to Kanae, especially when she saw the look in Kyoko's eyes.

Kanae nodded fearfully and ran into the LoveMe room.

The only thing that could be heard of from her acceptance was her screams of terror when she discovered the pink monstrosity of a uniform in her assigned locker.

Lory Takarada was at his wits end with how do deal with Maria. The poor thing still blamed herself for her mother's accidental death. Had he known sooner what was whispered around her, behind doors, he would have been able to contain the damage. He blamed himself. Adults can be so thoughtless and cruel. He thought as he searched high and low for her in the academic area of LME. He then had an idea. Chouko-chan had basically cured Ruriko, maybe she could help with Maria. This was very personal, he wouldn't dare make it a LoveMe mission. He truly needed this girl's help. He would ask and make his case to her from his heart.

"I'm only asking if you would be willing to help me Chouko-chan. This is not a LoveMe assignment." then he went on to explain his dilemma and Maria's affliction.

It's a shame for one so young to believe that a parent hates them when it's not true and hate themselves for the same reason. Kyoko couldn't allow poor little Maria to suffer her fate. Maria's father actually loved her, where Kyoko's mother hated and feared her. There was nothing Kyoko could do about her own situation, but Maria... she could and would help. "I'll help Shachou." She told him with a small resigned smile. "If I could ask for one small favor if successful?" She added.

"Of course Chouko-chan." He answered not expecting the favor to be small.

"I would like to enroll in the acting school, but I can't pay the fees up front. I was wondering if I could pay them in installments?" She asked with her head down feeling a little shame for even asking.

Lory chuckled. "Chouko-chan... If you help Maria I will cover the fees for you."

Kyoko's gaze turned sharply to him in shock and that's when Moko-san appeared and insisted that she and Chouko would do anything to make the LoveMe section look better in the eyes of all LME denizens.

Kyoko was literally freaking out. How was she supposed to change the script for the challenge? The same challenge that had been brought about by one Kanae Kotonami's boasting to the other actresses before Maria had found the LoveMe pair discussing her whereabouts.

Now Kyoko was sitting in the middle of an empty room waiting to for something... anything to come to mind and save her from this predicament of having to twist a scene in such a way that hateful word could help find love.

"Moko-san..." She said in a low growl, almost feral. "I am a singer... Not an actress."

Kanae had heard this for the umpteenth time and was getting fed up. "MO! Don't give me that crap! I saw your audition!"

"But I don't know how to change it. The script is flawless." Kyoko whined.

"Argh... You don't have to change anything. Just follow it for what it says, read between the lines or, something." She said with frustration.

Kyoko stared at the script in hand and then it hit her, the answer to the problem had been in front of her the whole time. "You're right! I know what needs to be done now."

Kanae looked at her stunned. She figured something out that quickly? We still have 20 more minutes. Shouldn't she test her theory? She thought as she followed the little alpha to the next classroom.

In the end, after many snide remarks to her and a spectacular performance by her, Kyoko had become a new student of acting and Maria had become her new little sister. Unfortunately, she still had to pay for her classes, because the other students had somehow discovered Lory's deal with her and she didn't want them to think she had gotten preferential treatment.

"Chouko Onee-san, how do you speak to your father?" Little Maria asked innocently.

Kyoko looked at her thoughtfully. "I don't have a father. Never really thought about needing one." She told her.

Little Maria's brows furrowed in thought. "Well, what about your mother?"

Kyoko's eyes went dark and emotionless. Something that didn't go unnoticed by Lory. He had experienced the woman while getting permission for Kyoko's career. Kyoko's short reply came, flat and curt. "I don't have one."

She was pulled from her reverie as Maria threw her arms around her sobbing. "Onee-san! I'm sorry. I didn't know you didn't have a mother too."

Kyoko patted her head. "NO, no Maria-chan. It's okay. I didn't mean that she had died... I... I just meant that... well we aren't on the best of terms and she prefers it that way. It's nothing to be upset over. Just a fact of life." Kyoko told her with acceptance. Lory wanted to cry when hearing her situation, he also wanted to know more. "How about this... why don't you call him? If he sees that you want to get to know him, he will surely be happy and respond in kind."

"You really think so?" She asked Kyoko in a small voice.

Kyoko gave her a soft smile and nodded.

"Thank you Onee-san! I'll do it!" She would take any advice her dark princess imparted. "See you tomorrow!" The cute little blonde told her as she shut the door to the limo and left.

Lory was a little shocked that Kyoko had pulled out of her darkness so quickly and easily as though it had never occurred. "Kyoko-chan... will you be alright?" He asked tentatively.

She looked at him a little confused. "Of course Shachou... Why do you ask?"

"Oh... Never mind, I just wanted to be sure that your ankle wasn't hurting. You have been standing on it for quite some time now." He lied. She didn't need to know of his hunches and suppositions.

She smiled widely. "It's fine. I get it off tomorrow." She announced happily. Then bounced off toward the LoveMe room to pick up her things to go home via a ride from the new alpha male in her life.

"That's an interesting stone you have there." He commented as he glanced at her from the corner of his eyes while driving.

"Hmm?" She asked as he pulled her from the poisonous thoughts of her mother while turning the stone in her hand as she stared out the passenger's seat window of his car.

"Your stone... Where did you find it." He feigned curiosity. He knew exactly where she had gotten it from and who gave it to her.

"A very dear friend gave it to me a long time ago." She told him in a sad voice. "It helps me think." She explained.

"So where's your friend now?" He prodded.

"Don't know... Probably gone... so I'm told." a single tear escaped and streaked down her ivory cheek not to be followed by others, as she remembered what Reino had told her.

The tear did not go unnoticed. His heart clenched at the sight and his grip tightened on the steering wheel. Oh Kyoko... If you only knew. Would you hate me? "I'm sure you'll find him again." He commented and hinted accidentally.

She glanced at him in the silence of the car and a thought crossed her mind. How would you know? She nodded to him. "Hopefully..." she answered and stared back out the window as the buildings passed and the lights of the evening flickered.

"Do you need a ride tomorrow?" He asked as they pulled up to the little restaurant where she lived.

"Na... I'm getting my cast off tomorrow, Reino is picking me up." She smirked.

He caught a glimmer in her eyes. "Want to celebrate tomorrow night then?"

She shot him a mischievous look. "Maybe, but have to check with Onii-san first."

"Then... I'll call you tomorrow." He told her in a hopeful voice. Then there was that look again and that low voice that sent shivers down her spine. He cleared his throat.

She nodded. "O... okay." She blushed and quickly shut the door and ran into the restaurant.

She slumped against the closed door with her heart pounding 1,000 beats a minute. "What was that?" She whispered to the night air then headed to bed.

He sat in his car, slumped forward and banged his head on the steering wheel. "Why did I do that?" He sighed, then composed himself and left for home.