Happy Lunar New Year! I'm really sorry for the later than usual update. Just finished up with midterms, so I hope you like the next chapter. Thank you again for your previous reviews. I really appreciate the advice and feedback.

Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.

She tapped her heeled boot against the marble floor, one long leg crossed over the other. She sat like royalty. She exuded indifference, but anyone with common sense could tell that the young actress wasn't pleased.

"Kotonami-san?"

She turned her head and met Sebastian's polite gaze.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like something to drink?"

"I'm fine."

Sebastian bowed his head.

She didn't mean for her answer to sound so curt, but irritation robbed her of basic social etiquette. Sitting in this room felt like she was trapped, especially when she didn't want to have this meeting to begin with. But President Lory insisted which meant she had to come, whether she liked it or not. Kanae scowled. After five years of gaining so much independence, she still had to answer to one man. That never bothered her before, but this time, she didn't want to listen to a single word he had to say.

"Good afternoon, sir."

Kanae turned to the door and saw President Lory walk through. He unhooked his blue velvet cape from its golden clasps and placed it in Sebastian's outstretched hands. "Hello, Sebastian. Is Kotonami-kun—?"

"I'm here."

He met her irritated gaze calmly and smiled. "Thank you for coming, Kotonami-kun. I know how busy you are, but I truly do appreciate you taking the time to come and meet with me."

Kanae's stiff shoulders lowered. There was a reason why President Lory was the head of the best acting agency in the country. He was a professional actor at heart too which meant he could control the atmosphere in the room without a second thought. She couldn't stay angry at him, but that didn't mean she wasn't trying.

Taking the red plush seat across from her, he mirrored her posture and said in a low voice, "I know you're upset."

She didn't reply. Kanae didn't trust her words—not yet.

"You didn't like seeing her?"

Her jaw tightened. "Obviously."

"She needed your help, Kotonami-kun."

"My help?" Kanae laughed harshly. "There were plenty of people who could have given her that tour. You only chose me because—"

"—you're her best friend."

Kanae jumped to her feet. "NO. That girl was NOT my friend."

"Kotonami-kun—"

"She was nothing like the Kyoko I know!" she cried, the words spilling out in a rush. "She was pathetic! Weak! She was hesitant about every little thing! She had no idea what she was doing and she couldn't even remember the fact that—!"

Kanae fell silent as she felt President Lory squeeze her trembling hand.

"I'm sorry, Kotonami-kun," he murmured in a gentle voice. "It was not my intention to make this situation difficult for you."

"This isn't about me. This is about her."

His eyes softened as he slowly released his grip. "What do you want to do, Kotonami-kun?"

She looked at him in disbelief. "I want to tell her the truth of course! I want to wake her up from this goddamn delusion!"

"Then why don't you?" President Lory asked, staring up into her startled expression. "You easily could have. You had every chance to, so why didn't you?"

"Are you saying I should have?"

President Lory shook his head. "No, I have no right to tell you what to do, Kotonami-kun. But your reasons for staying silent align with mine."

The fight drained out of her. She was angry at the wrong person. She was firing back at the wrong man. Defeated, she dropped back into her seat and leaned over her knees. "I don't understand him," she murmured. "I thought he loved her."

"He does."

"Then how could he watch her walk into the arms of another man?"

"Insecurity is a strong poison, Kotonami-kun."

Kanae scoffed. "That's no excuse."

"No, it isn't," he agreed with a slight smile. "But it's something I can't tell him not to feel." President Lory quietly rose to his feet and walked towards the glass window, his hands clasped behind his back. "If I had it my way, Kotonami-kun," he began gently, "I would have told her everything from the start. I know how unfair this is to her, but at the same time, I also harbor the belief that if she wanted to remember, it was her fault for forgetting, right?"

Kanae couldn't argue with that.

"It's truly an irrational thought," he continued without looking at her, "but its what helps me to remember that I mustn't interfere."

"Out of all situations, this is the one you choose not to play an active hand?"

Turning to look at her, he nodded. "Ren made this choice out of the turmoil of his own heart, Kotonami-kun. If I step in now and choose to do things my way, it's as if I'm saying his feelings don't matter. Although I will never doubt his love for Mogami-kun, the fact that she can't remember him must be a huge blow to both his confidence and their relationship."

Kanae clenched her hands into tight fists. It was true. She may not agree with the actor's choice to walk away, but just like President Lory, she understood. When Kyoko had woken up in the hospital with that blank look upon her face, Kanae could barely keep her anger, frustration, and worst of all sadness under control. Did that mean their friendship was weak? That everything in the last five years meant nothing to her? That nothing was worth remembering? And if that was how Kanae felt as a friend, then she couldn't possibly imagine how Ren must have felt as her lover.

She knew how much Kyoko loved him. She knew how important he was in her life. So why did she forget? Why remember Sho out of all people? Why was everything so screwed up?

"What if nothing works out?" she murmured. "What if by the end of it all, nothing changes?"

"Kotonami-kun, you should know me well enough by now."

She raised her head and met his softened expression.

"I would never step back if I wasn't sure."

"You have that much faith?"

President Lory nodded. "I do."

His words weren't absolute. There was a great chance he could be wrong. But for the first time, she was going to do something she never thought she would do: she was going to put her faith in love, and even more importantly, theirs.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to collect the rest, Mogami-san, but hopefully this will be enough."

"Hopefully? Sawara-san, this is more than enough." She looked at him and smiled. "Thank you."

He placed a warm hand upon her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Of course, Mogami-san. Whatever I can do to help, you let me know. I know I have more copies of your later works, but I'll have to locate them first. These are from your earlier years."

Kyoko nodded. The talent director was able to fill up two cardboard boxes with DVDs of her movies, dramas, and shows. When she had called President Lory to ask if she could watch some of the projects she had participated in, she didn't realize it would be this much. It was incredible to know she was on the big screen so many times.

"You can stay here and make your way through these. I won't be using my office anytime soon and in the meantime I'll try to find more things that can help your recovery go by faster. I'll let you know when I come across anything new."

"Thank you so much, Sawara-san. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it."

"Anytime, Mogami-san. If you need anything, you have my number." And with one last shoulder squeeze, he walked out of his office.

Determined, she rolled up her sleeves of her purple cotton blouse and began to dig through the many black cases. Most of them had a black covering with a simple white title at the top, but some had a picture on the front cover as well. Kyoko picked up a case that had a picture of her holding a bottle of skin cream.

"Must be an advertisement," she mumbled.

Walking over to the television set, she popped in the DVD and clicked play. Kyoko felt the heat rush straight to her cheeks as she watched herself talk to the camera. Was her voice usually that sultry? And that dress…Kyoko couldn't believe she actually agreed to wear that. It clung to her body shamelessly, leaving nothing to the imagination. Unable to stare at herself much longer, Kyoko quickly switched it off.

She went back to the box with the hope of finding something that wasn't so…different. After rummaging for a few more minutes, she surfaced with an entire set of DVDs. Kyoko looked for the first volume and read the title: Dark Moon.

This one didn't have a poster or a picture. But curious as to what this one was about, Kyoko sat down at the computer and searched for the title. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest when she clicked on the image. Her eyes grew round with alarm as she found herself gaping at his picture. His eyes were closed and only half of his face was seen, but there was no doubt about it. It was him. Kyoko's hand shook so much that she had to remove it from the mouse and hold it within her lap.

She starred in a drama with him?

It was hard enough to believe that they worked in the same agency, but now she had acted alongside him as well? Someone of his caliber had actually agreed to that? How was that even possible?

An odd sense of excitement coursed through her veins as she clicked out of the image and onto the summary link. It wasn't too much of a surprise that he played the lead role. He was, after all, the number one actor in the country for a reason. When she scrolled down the list of names of other actors and actresses that participated in the making of the drama, Kyoko could barely keep in the gasp that erupted out of her mouth when she landed on her own.

"No way!" Leaning in closer, she read aloud: "Mio, a daughter of the Hongo family, bears a scar that is as ugly and black as her heart. Due to the hatred towards her sister, Misao, for pushing her off a cliff and the lack of love from her parents, she grows up to be vindictive and cruel. As the main antagonist of Dark Moon, Mio's twisted nature becomes an obstacle for Katsuki and Mizuki in their blossoming, but taboo love."

Kyoko slumped back against the seat in surprise. She played the villain? Really? Shaking her head in disbelief, Kyoko clicked on the character's name and in a second, a flurry of pictures came on screen. Even though she knew it was the make-up, Kyoko just couldn't stop staring. She looked so evil. Pure malevolence was evident in every contour of her face. Kyoko had no idea she was even capable of being like that. Sure, she had her moments when she was frustrated and angry, but this was so far from what she was used to. Feeling slightly disturbed by this new side of her, Kyoko closed the window and shut off the computer screen.

Nibbling on her lower lip, she picked up the DVD case and stared at the title. Curiosity prompted her to watch it, but anxiety froze her in place. Kyoko couldn't pinpoint exactly why she felt so nervous. Maybe it was because this was her chance to see her "skills" at work. Maybe because this was her chance to meet this "new her" she had been curious about since she woke up in the hospital. Either way though, Kyoko was nervous.

But mustering up the courage, she walked back to the DVD player and inserted the disc. Kyoko aimed the black remote at the screen and pressed play.

Four hours and two cramped legs later, she found herself sitting only five feet away from the television set, her mouth hanging open in shock. Kyoko couldn't stop watching. The acting, the story, the scenery, they all blended together like the perfect symphony. It didn't even register within her head that she was praising herself. She was too wrapped up in the drama to care.

It was only after her stomach growled with hunger that Kyoko realized she had completely skipped lunch. She would have much rather stay and watch another episode, but health came first…unfortunately. But that didn't stop her from thinking about the drama as she walked down the hallway, entered the descending elevator, and stepped out into the lobby. Kyoko stopped by the nearest café, not even knowing what she wanted. She was too distracted by her thoughts.

She couldn't believe she was lucky enough to be a part of such an amazing show. And for the first time since the accident, she was actually disappointed she couldn't remember anything. Even though Kyoko had been actively trying to get her memories back, it wasn't necessarily because she wanted to, but more like because she felt like she had to. Each new piece of information she had learned about didn't make any sense. It was as if she was trying to understand the life of a complete stranger. So deep down, she sort of did want to live in ignorance.

But after watching Dark Moon, ignorance was the last thing on her mind. If this was what the last five years of her life had consisted of, then she wanted to know. She wanted to know it all.

"Kyoko-san?"

Raising her head, she saw a familiar face staring back at her from across the cafe. Her eyes grew wide with alarm.

Oh my god…

"Kyoko-san!" The young woman squealed with delight and gave her a huge hug. "Oh my god, I've been meaning to meet up with you for so long! I'm sorry I haven't visited. I was out of the country for a movie shoot, but when I heard about your accident, I tried to get back as soon as I could." She leaned back and gave her a sad smile. "I'm sorry I haven't been around. You must think I'm a terrible person."

"N-n-no, you're not. Y-y-you were busy."

She smiled gratefully and pulled a chair beside her. "You're too understanding for your own good, Kyoko-san. But thank you. So how do you feel? Are you in any pain?"

Kyoko shook her head.

"I heard you suffered a serious head injury."

"A little, but I'm okay."

She smiled. "Thank goodness. Are you resting well?"

Kyoko nodded.

"Are you sure? You seem to be quieter than usual."

"Well, I…"

Kyoko stopped. She didn't know what to do. How was she supposed to tell her that she had no recollection of how they knew each other? She had only recognized her because she was the actress who played Mizuki, but other than that, she knew nothing else about this person. Kyoko didn't even know her name.

"Is everything alright?" she asked, the worry evident in her voice now.

"I'm sorry," Kyoko replied, her head bowed low. "But ever since the accident, I lost a lot of my memories. I really don't mean any offense, but—"

"You don't remember me?"

She raised her head and met her astonished gaze with a sad smile. Kyoko nodded. "I'm sorry."

"So it's true," she murmured, "you are suffering from memory loss." Then with softened eyes, she reached for Kyoko's hand upon her lap and held it between hers. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so forward with you."

"No, no! It's fine. I mean, from your reaction, it seems like we're friends."

She smiled tenderly. "We are. Let me introduce myself. My name is Momose Itsumi. We used to work together."

"In Dark Moon."

"You remember that?" she asked with surprise.

"Well actually, I just watched some of the episodes. I recognized your face."

Itsumi laughed. "I see. Yes, that was the first one we did together, but we starred in a few other dramas too. We got to know each other real fast after that."

"So we've been in touch?"

"Off and on. Our careers keep us busy, but we meet up whenever we can."

Kyoko couldn't believe she was friends with this famous person who was not only incredibly beautiful, but also nice as well. Her smile was sweet and her eyes twinkled with warmth. She made Kyoko feel so comfortable.

"Is it scary?" Itsumi asked in a soft voice. "Not being able to recall anything?"

She nodded. "It's bizarre knowing that other people know more about me than…me."

"It's okay, Kyoko-san. I'm sure your memories will come back soon."

Kyoko smiled uncertainly.

"But if you want, you can ask me some questions," Itsumi offered. "I might be able to tell you some things."

"Really? Are you sure? I don't want to bother you."

"Nonsense! Let me help." She scooted closer to her and flashed a big smile. "What do you want to know?"

Touched and more than appreciative, Kyoko said, "Well, I was hoping you could tell me a bit about Dark Moon."

"Like what?"

"Um, how about how I got the part or…why I was chosen, if I was good at what I did, or why I—"

"Kyoko-san," she laughed with her hand raised. "I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I will be much of a help with those questions."

She lowered her head. "Sorry."

"No, no! It's not because I don't want to answer them. It's just that we were friends AFTER the drama. I didn't know much about you beforehand."

"I see…"

"But I know someone who might."

"Who?" Kyoko asked eagerly.

"Well to be honest, I'm surprised you haven't asked him already," Itsumi replied, "but the person who can probably answer all of your questions is Tsuruga-san."

She froze. "W-w-what?"

"Tsuruga-san," Itsumi repeated. "You knew each other way before we started filming."

"Me and Tsuruga-san?"

"You seem surprised."

"Of course! I mean, I know we work together, but how—"

"Kyoko-san, you didn't just work together," she corrected matter-of-factly. "You're friends."

"FRIENDS?"

Itsumi laughed. "Yes, you guys are very good friends. Well, maybe more than just good."

"What do you mean?"

"It's like saying Tokyo is kind of crowded. It doesn't really express the full sentiment."

Kyoko didn't know what to think. It couldn't be true. Better than friends? She had to be joking.

Itsumi must have read the disbelief in her eyes because she suddenly asked, "Where's your phone?"

Blindly reaching into her bag, Kyoko pulled out the pink device and handed it to her. Itsumi scrolled through her contact list and turned it towards her. "See? You have his number and everything."

Kyoko stared at the screen with trembling hands.

"Give him a call."

"Huh?"

"Give him a call. He can tell you a lot of things about you. In fact, I'm kind of surprised he hasn't already. Haven't you guys spoken at all?"

"Not really…"

She frowned. "Well, that's a little odd, but here's your chance. If there's anyone who knows you better than you, he's your guy."

Kyoko looked down at her phone. She read his name over and over again, but she still couldn't believe it. Ever since the last time they had spoken in her dressing room, she had wanted to see him again. There wasn't any particular reason as to why that was. It was just something she felt.

But to actually call him? On his cell phone? Was she out of her mind? Kyoko didn't even know the man! She knew nothing about him except for his name and what he did for a living. She couldn't call him. It would be rude. She shouldn't call. She shouldn't. She really shouldn't.

"What am I doing?" Kyoko thought nervously as she held the ringing phone to her ear.