Hi everyone! Did anyone watch the final of the World Cup? I was trying to write and watch the game at the same time. It's so much harder than it looks when you're screaming at the television. But now that it's over, I hope I made you proud with this next installment. Thank you again for your patience and support. Please Read and Review!

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

"Good morning, Kotonami-san."

"Good morning," she greeted with a tip of her head, removing her dark sunglasses from her face. She leaned both arms upon the marble counter. "Did any package come in for me today?"

"Yes," the receptionist said with a polite nod. "I had it dropped off to your dressing room just a little earlier."

"Thank you." Then with a silent wave of her hand, Kanae made her way straight through the lobby and towards the row of elevators, pushing the button for the ascending machine. She looked around at the people milling about and checked her watch. It was only 9:00 am so not too many people were there, but enough for her to feel like the work day had started.

But unlike most days, Kanae wasn't in a rush. In fact, her schedule was pretty much empty for the rest of the afternoon. With the arrival of the package, that meant the script for her new drama must have come in, so most likely she would need to meet with the director to talk about scheduling, but that wouldn't take more than an hour. After that, she would head downtown for a quick photo shoot for a new cosmetics line called Eternal. If all goes smoothly, Kanae should be done by four.

Smiling at the thought of a free day, Kanae leaned back against the far wall of the elevator and let out a sigh. Maybe she should go to the mall later or possibly a trip to the nail salon. It had been awhile since she did anything for herself outside of work and she really was due for a little fun. So feeling hopeful about the prospect of a few hours of some good ol' pampering, she got off on her floor and made her way down the hallway. She reached for her cell phone from her white purse and was about to dial her manager's number when something orange caught the corner of her eye. She took one step back and stood at the open doorway. "What are you doing?"

"Oh!" Kyoko spun around and placed her hand over her hammering heart. "Sorry! I—!' Her mouth clamped shut. Automatically lowering her gaze, she murmured, "I was just looking for something."

Kanae's expression didn't change at the sight of her, but a familiar irritation started to bubble up from the pit of her stomach. A part of her knew it was just a defense mechanism to hide her real emotions, but she was too damn frustrated to care.

She looked around at the room, taking in the four computers and the one with the lit screen. This was one of the public offices that anyone in LME was free to use. Personally, she never needed it because she could access her email and other media from her mobile phone. In fact, she never really recalled anyone in this room before. She looked back at Kyoko and frowned at the sight of her bowed head, a glaring sign that she still wasn't the same person she used to be.

Kyoko couldn't get herself to look up. She hadn't seen the cold actress in almost a month and the last time they talked wasn't exactly something she wanted to relive. Even now, she could still feel her intense gaze drilling a hole into the back of her skull. If anyone's eyes could spit fire, it would be hers. Kyoko stole a quick glance before looking away. Nope, ice would probably be more fitting. But sensing that the young actress wasn't going to say anything, she swallowed the growing lump in her throat and forced herself to straighten up. "How are you?" she asked with a timid smile as she met her dark eyes.

"What are you looking up on the computer?"

Kyoko grimaced. She was hoping small talk would distract her, but it looks like she wasn't biting. So opting for the truth, she replied, "I was trying to look up all the people who work for the company."

"Why?"

"I wanted to find someone."

Kanae cocked an eyebrow. "Who?"

Kyoko looked away. She was going to sound like a complete lunatic. Of course, she could just say it was none of the actress's business and send her on her way, but something inside of Kyoko rejected that idea. For some unknown reason, she wanted to be friends with this person or at least be on good terms with her. There was something about her that made Kyoko want to at least try to get in her good graces. After all, she was there in the hospital room when Kyoko first woke up so that must count for something…right? She took in a deep breath.

"That's the thing. I don't really know. I was hoping there would be pictures or something next to these lists of names," Kyoko said as she pointed a finger at the screen. "But I haven't been able to find anything."

Kanae didn't bother looking at the computer. She was too busy staring at Kyoko. She was looking at a list of names, trying to find a person she didn't know the name of. Was she crazy?

"Yeah, I know I'm out of my mind," she mumbled sheepishly. "But it's the only option I have."

"What do you need from this person anyway?"

Kyoko glanced up at her, surprised that she actually looked somewhat curious. So feeling oddly hopeful about that, she confessed, "I think I had some sort of flashback."

"Flashback? Like…a memory?"

"I'm not too sure," Kyoko began with a slight frown, touching her chin with her fingers. "It seemed more like an image than anything. But I think it's of someone I know. But because I can't recall who this person is, I thought the first place I should look was here in LME. He or she might be someone from the company." Kyoko gestured to the room. "The receptionist said I could use these computers for looking up stuff. Eventually, I found a list of the people who work here, but I guess it was too much hope to think there might be pictures too."

Kanae walked over to the computer and looked down at the screen. A window with the company's logo at the top was maximized so that a short list of people who represented the company showed on screen. Not only was the list completely lacking, but it also only listed celebrities, not the hundreds of people it took to run such a large company like LME.

Kyoko let out a deep sigh, yanking Kanae out of her thoughts. "I don't know what else to do," she murmured as she sat down onto the wheeled black chair. "I thought going through my normal routine will slowly ease my memories back, but I'm just as confused as the day I woke up, if not more." Dropping her head into her hands, she sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "What do I do?"

The urge to comfort her was suffocating. Kanae had to dig her nails into the palm of her hand to stop herself from patting her on the head, something she would have done quite easily in the past. Kyoko used to wail and cry about a lot of things, but she would instantly cheer up as long as Kanae showed her just the tiniest bit of sympathy. Honestly, the girl was insane. And Kanae missed her greatly.

So to see her so distraught was doing wonders on her self-restraint. Still, there was something else Kanae was feeling that had been entirely absent before: hope. She had been so busy blaming Kyoko for forgetting, that she failed to see that at least she was doing something about it. She wasn't just sitting around, happily accepting the "life" presented before her. She was trying to dig deeper, to know what else she could possibly be missing. Kanae couldn't deny the resentment swirling within her, but she could admit that she was somewhat proud of her friend's courage.

A small smile suddenly formed at the corner of her lips.

Friend…I guess she still is.

With her mind made up, she placed a hand upon her hip and loudly cleared her throat.

Kyoko looked up.

"Well, sitting there isn't going to help with anything," Kanae scoffed at her doe-like gaze. "If you really want to remember so badly, then get up and follow me." And with a fluid flip of her jet-black hair, she walked out.

Stunned and highly confused, Kyoko stumbled to her feet and ran out of the room. The young actress gracefully made her way down the hall in black stiletto boots that should have slowed her steps, but only seemed to elongate them.

"Wait!" Kyoko cried. "Where are you going?"

She didn't reply. It was only until Kyoko was walking right beside her did she say, "If you want access to everyone's names, you're going to need help from someone higher-up."

"President Lory?"

"Not that high."

Kyoko pursed her lips in thought. "Sawara-san?"

Kanae smirked and nodded. "Sawara-san."

"But…will he help us? I mean, isn't that kind of information confidential?"

"I suppose, but it doesn't hurt to try."

"You're really going to help?"

Kanae remained silent.

Looking down at the floor, Kyoko whispered, "Why?"

"Why does it matter? Do you not want it?"

"No, I—" She gave her head a tiny shake. "I'm just a little confused, I guess. I thought you didn't…like me."

"I don't."

Kyoko turned to look at her.

"I don't like you at all. In fact, I would almost say I hate you," she said with her eyes forward.

Kyoko shook her head. "Then why—?"

"Because this isn't about me." Kanae met her surprised expression out of the corner of her eye. "This is about you. So tell me, do you really need me to like you for you to do something or are you just going to suck it up and focus on getting your goddamn memories back?"

She stopped right in her tracks.

Kanae turned around at her abrupt pause, expecting to see her all anxious and unsure, but instead she saw something she thought she wouldn't see for a while.

Kanae smiled at the burning look in Kyoko's amber eyes.

Now that's more like it.

"How is he?"

Yashiro's hand faltered as he reached for his wine glass. He looked up from the coffee table and met President Lory's gaze that was peering at him over his own. "Sir?"

"I haven't talked to him for quite some time now," the older man began as he leaned forward on his knees. "I hate to admit it, but I'm not quite sure he wants to talk to me."

"That's not true, sir. He's just…closed off."

"Hmm…" Leaning back, the president crossed his legs and picked up the cigar on his ash tray. Bringing it to his lips, he slowly breathed in and let out a flurry of woodsy smoke before murmuring, "Has he seen her around?"

"Not for a while," Yashiro replied, not needing to ask who he was referring to. "Although, they did talk recently."

"Oh? When was this?"

"A few days back. It was just a phone call. She seemed to be asking him about her past with Dark Moon."

"Did he not tell you about it?"

"I overheard," he admitted sheepishly with a shake of his head. He didn't want to admit that he had acted like a child, eagerly pressing his ear against the metal door of Ren's trailer, listening to his every word. But alas, nothing too important was said. Still, even Yashiro could hear how much Ren enjoyed their conversation…and how much it hurt him. "I can't say any good came from it though," he murmured as he looked back at President Lory.

"I wouldn't think so," he mused. "He is trying to distance himself from her after all."

Yashiro sighed heavily. "I don't know what to do, sir. Should I just leave him be?"

"It's the question we're all asking, Yashiro, and it's the one we're all debating."

"Have you seen her?" he asked with hopeful eyes. "Kyoko-chan, I mean."

He nodded. "Every now and then I ask her to come to my office." His smile softened as he caught the anxious look in the young manager's eyes. "She's fine, Yashiro. She's healthy, happy, and making do with what she has."

"Even while living with him?" he asked bitterly.

President Lory chuckled. "It seems he has been treating her well."

Yashiro suppressed a snort. He didn't want to disrespect President Lory, but he doubted Fuwa Sho was as good of a person as the president said he was. After what the musician did to her, he was lucky to be on the same planet with her, let alone in the same city. And now she was living with him, thinking that he was the Prince she had loved all this time. He clenched his hand into a tight fist. Everything was wrong. Everything about this whole situation was wrong. But the only thing holding him back was the one man he wanted to fix it for.

"Yashiro, don't put the blame on yourself," President Lory murmured as he refilled the manager's wine glass. "This isn't a problem you need to deal with."

"But if he doesn't—"

"Yashiro, Ren is a grown man. If he chooses to remain silent, then that is his prerogative. We are in no position to make the decision for him."

"Even if he's wrong?"

President Lory's eyes softened. "Even if he's wrong."

"Then sir, I'm somewhat confused as to why you called me here," Yashiro began with a slight tilt of his head. "I mean no disrespect, of course, but if I'm not here to discuss any plan of action, then is there some other particular reason you called me?"

President Lory chuckled. "I guess I'm not as transparent as I thought," he murmured under his breath.

"Sir?"

He breathed in deeply. "I may be an older man, Yashiro, but I am certainly not without my own fears and insecurities. As much as I would like to say Ren is just another celebrity of the company, it is quite obvious that I harbor special affections for him." President Lory looked up and watched Yashiro's confusion grow in magnitude. He cracked a small smile. "Because of that, I suppose my need to tip toe around him prevents me from doing what's right," he continued in a gentler voice. "Attribute it to an old man's worries, but I called you in here, Yashiro, with the hopes that you'll reassure me he's doing well, or at least as well as he could be."

Yashiro smiled. Now he understood. President Lory in every respect had always been a father figure to Ren, so it made sense that he was concerned. Although this was the first time he had ever seen him so reluctant, Yashiro was not one to judge. After all, if there was anyone who understood the need to tip toe around Ren, it would be Yashiro. So with a resilient nod, he replied with a confident voice, "He's fine, sir. You don't have to worry."

He smiled. "You're a good man, Yashiro. I don't say it nearly enough, but I'm glad that we work together."

"Thank you, sir. The feeling is mutual."

Rising to his feet, President Lory extended a hand and said, "I apologize for calling you in here. I know you're an incredibly busy man."

"Not at all, sir," he answered as he gripped his hand. "It's the least I can do. If you ever need another update…"

He laughed. "You really are a good man, Yashiro, and I gladly accept the offer. Have a good rest of the night."

"You as well, sir."

With a respectful bow at the waist, he bade him farewell and walked out of the large office. Yashiro gently closed the door behind him and let out a sigh. He found it surprising that he felt a breath of relief filling his lungs. Although it wasn't like they decided on anything concrete, it was reassuring to know that his inner turmoil was shared with others. So with a small grunt, he pushed off the door and made his way towards the elevator.

By now, Ren should have finished changing and would be waiting for him in the lobby. He hoped he wasn't gone long enough for the actor to be suspicious. But Ren probably had too much on his mind to notice Yashiro's strange exit anyway. Clicking for the lobby, he waited for the quiet ding before stepping onto the marble floor. But just as he took that one step, Yashiro paused with surprise at the sight before him. Ren was certainly there, but he was standing in the middle of a group of seven or eight girls who were all looking up at him as if he was some Greek God incarnate.

Unlike most celebrities, Ren didn't mind stopping to talk to fans. Sure, they crowded around him like bees to honey, but he was the kind of man who believed they had given him so much support that the least he could do was give them some of his time. So the smile upon his lips was natural and friendly as the girls tried to talk over each other about how much they loved his latest movie or magazine cover. Ren laughed, a hand covering his mouth.

Yashiro cracked a smile. Not wanting to disturb them, he silently made his way to the lounge chairs and perched himself on the head rest, giving his friend some time away from the reality that too often plagued his thoughts. He heard the arrival of another elevator from behind and the whirring of the doors sliding open. It was only when a shadow entered his peripheral vision that he finally turned his head to the side to see who it was.

He froze.

Yashiro couldn't believe it. Her arrival was so abrupt that everything screeched to a halt. She was standing right there, in a pale pink dress that touched her knee, with her hair clipped into a loose pony tail, and her eyes riveted on Ren. He couldn't read her expression. It wasn't something he recognized, but intrigue was certainly there and even a tiny bit of surprise. He was too stunned for words, but that didn't stop him from staring at her with his mouth agape.

She must have felt his gaze, because with a quick blink of the eye, she met his stare with a curious one of her own.

"Hello," she said uncertainly.

"H-h-h-hi."

"Do I…know you?"

"Huh?"

"Excuse me for being brash, but from your expression, it looks like you might know me…"

Yashiro gave his head a firm shake. "Ah…well, yes. We do know each other." Getting to his unsteady feet, he extended a friendly hand and smiled, saying, "My name is Yashiro Yukhito."

"Mogami Kyoko," she greeted with a smile, accepting his handshake. "I'm sorry for my rudeness, Yashiro-san, but I—"

"Say no more, Kyoko-chan, I know."

Her eyes widened for a split second at his casual response before she laughed. "Thank you, Yashiro-san. It seems we are quite close?"

"Yes," he agreed with a nod. "We certainly are. So what brings you to LME so late?"

"I was just reading up on some stuff," she said with a nonchalant wave of her hand. "In fact, I was just about to go home, when…" She trailed off and looked forward.

He followed her gaze and felt his gaze soften at the sight of Ren laughing again. "He seems to be having a good time."

"Yes," she agreed softly. She suddenly turned to look at him. "Are you friends with Tsuruga-san?"

"More or less," Yashiro answered with a grin. "I'm his manager."

"Oh! Then you must be pretty busy, managing the schedule of someone so famous."

"Too busy," he complained. "It's ever so rarely he gets a chance to just relax like this."

"I'm not surprised. I think it takes a lot work to be an actor of such great caliber. Although—" She turned back to look at him and frowned. "He does look sort of tired."

Yashiro blinked in alarm. She noticed that? She could see how his shoulders were drooping, how his smile was wane?

"It is quite late," Kyoko added, looking down at the slim watch around her wrist. "I hope he doesn't have anything else lined up after this?"

"No, nothing else. He's done for the night." Yashiro's eyes suddenly lit up. "What about you, Kyoko-chan? Are you done?"

She nodded.

"That's good. You're probably going to grab dinner or something, right?" Yashiro looked back at Ren and sighed heavily. "Hopefully I'll be able to convince him to do the same."

"Tsuruga-san hasn't eaten?"

"This guy?" Yashiro pointed with his thumb. "It's a battle to get him to eat anything. I can't tell you how many times he has skipped a meal. Eating is usually at the bottom of his list of priorities."

"That's terrible!"

Yashiro nodded. "I'll try to convince him to get dinner, but…" He sighed heavily. "Ren is a lot more stubborn than he looks. Actually Kyoko-chan, do you think you can help?"

"Me?"

"Ren is much less likely to put up a fight if you joined us. He has to save face after all and it won't look good for a man to quibble like a child in front of a woman."

"Oh, Yashiro-san, I don't think that's such a good—"

"It'll be fine, Kyoko-chan. You and Ren know each other. Besides, you can ask him more about your acting career. I'm sure he has other information to tell you."

Nibbling on her lip, she murmured, "I don't want to intrude…"

"Trust me, Kyoko-chan. It'll be good for him. He's been eating dinner with me for so long, I'm afraid I might be the reason why he doesn't want to grab food after work anymore."

A smile quirked at the corner of her lips before she gave her head a shake. "I don't know, Yashiro-san."

"Kyoko-chan, I know we just got reintroduced to each other and it's a lot to ask, but please. From one friend to another? Can you grant me this one favor?"

She let out a long, tired breath, before giving a quick roll of her eyes. "I may not know about our history just yet, Yashiro-san, but I have a feeling it's a lot of you manipulating me."

Yashiro chuckled. "Is that a yes?"

Kyoko looked back at Ren one more time before she laughed in defeat. "I guess it is."