Hello everyone! I know...it's been SO LONG. And I can't tell you how sorry I am for the ultra late update. I've been apologizing for the last few chapters and I really have no excuse except for writer's block. I can't make any promises for speedier updates, but thank you again for sticking with me! I hope you like the next installment. Please Read and Review.

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

"Does Kyoko-chan look a little off to you today?"

The landlord's mouth tightened as he swiftly brought the huge knife down onto the cutting board, slicing the cucumber into two equal halves. Deftly moving his blade against the crisp green skin, he provided no response while the tendrils of unease continued to tighten and coil from within. He threw a quick glance over his shoulder.

The young actress sat crisscrossed at one of the tables upon the floor, picking at the food that she would normally eat with such delight, her chin resting in the palm of her hand. Her normally bright eyes were dim, the cheerful smile that always sat at the corner of her lips was missing, and the thick storm cloud hovering over her defeated expression darkened what used to be such a happy girl.

"I'm worried about her," the landlady whispered as she stood beside him, a platter of fruit in her hands. "Do you think she…remembers?"

He turned back to the cutting board, his eyebrows furrowed with doubt.

"You're right. She would have said something. But I don't know what else it could be."

Taisho wiped the blade of the knife clean on his front apron, his eyes narrowed to slits.

The lady let out a long breath. "I don't know. This isn't like her."

He made a low growl of agreement.

"Should I say something?"

His head jerked in a nod.

Without another word, she walked through the curtain that separated the bar from the dining area and into the main room of the restaurant with a calm smile already in place. "How's everything, Kyoko-chan?" she asked in what she hoped was a cheery voice.

Kyoko whipped around in alarm, nearly forgetting where she was. But quickly recovering from her startled response, she put on a bright smile and said, "It's great, Okami-san. Everything Taisho makes is delicious."

"He'll be happy to know that. A couple of these dishes are new items he's planning to add to the menu. It's good you like them." She sat herself down beside Kyoko on the adjacent cushion and placed the platter in front of her. "Have some fresh fruit, Kyoko-chan. I got them just this morning at the market."

"This is really too much, Okami-san. If I had known you and Taisho were going to go through so much trouble, I wouldn't have stopped by so abruptly."

"That's nonsense! We love it when you stop by. Don't ever think you shouldn't," the landlady chided with gentle pat on her hand. "You are always welcome here."

Kyoko's eyes softened. "Thank you, Okami-san."

She gave another warm squeeze of her slender hand before asking, "How's your head, Kyoko-chan? Are you still in any pain?"

"It's fine, Okami-san," she reassured as she bit into a large piece of watermelon that the landlady placed in her hand. "I don't have any headaches anymore."

"That's wonderful! And…your amnesia?"

Kyoko looked down at her lap. "Not much of a change there," she mumbled in a forlorn voice.

"It'll be alright, Kyoko-chan. There's no need to rush your recovery. I'm sure your memories will come back on their own."

Kyoko didn't reply. If she was to be perfectly honest, the last thing Kyoko wanted to think about was her missing memories, which was new because she had all but been consumed by them ever since the accident. Now, however, she was plagued by other thoughts, thoughts that tormented her night and day. Kyoko bit down on her lower lip as the actor's face rematerialized behind her eyes.

She couldn't shake the words that replayed in her mind, a warning that made the hair on her neck stand on end. He said he held the missing pieces to her puzzle, and yet they were pieces that didn't fit in the one she was trying to finish. He didn't make any sense to her at all.

Kyoko had entertained the thought that maybe he was mistaken. But even she couldn't take that reason seriously. She remembered the way he looked at her, his voice that trapped her into a strange hypnotic state. He wasn't lying. In fact, she could even recall the slight desperation that flickered behind his smoldering eyes, almost as if he was begging her to ask him.

Should I have…?

"Kyoko-chan?"

She looked up and met the landlady's worried expression.

"Is everything alright?"

Kyoko gave a quick nod as she mentally kicked herself in the shin. She couldn't believe how rude she was behaving. Her intention to stop by the restaurant today was to spend time with the two people who she hadn't been able to visit for quite some time. The landlord and his wife had gone through so much trouble to make her feel welcomed. The least she could do was enjoy her time with them with a smile upon her face.

So wiping away any traces of her downtrodden expression, Kyoko reached for the older woman's hand that was rough from so many years of hard work and gave it a tight squeeze. "Yes, Okami-san. Everything is perfectly fine. I'm sorry I haven't been such a good guest. I'm just feeling a little tired, is all."

"Kyoko-chan—"

She shook her head. "I'm fine. I promise." Wanting to close the subject entirely, she turned her heard around and said, "You know, I can't say I remember the layout of the restaurant very well. It's been a long time, right?"

"You've been busy," the landlady replied reluctantly, not wanting to dismiss Kyoko's problem so easily.

"Can I go upstairs?"

She flashed a small, defeated smile. "Of course you can, Kyoko-chan. You never have to ask." Rising to her feet, she led a curious Kyoko up the wooden staircase that was located at the back of the restaurant.

The second floor of the building served as the living place one might expect in a typical house, with a living room, one complete bathroom, and a couple of bedrooms. The living room had red seat cushions upon the floor, a coffee table, and an old 1980s television that Taisho could have easily replaced, but felt it was unnecessary to do so. Although it wasn't the most spacious home, it exuded an undeniable warmth that would welcome even the coldest of guests. Kyoko felt little sparks of recognition run up and down her arm as she gazed at the cabinets full of Darumaya dolls, cooking books, and the landlady's favorite dramas. She smiled at the number of pictures of the always stern landlord standing beside his beaming wife and a few that included her as well with blazing orange hair that was much shorter than it was today.

Curious, she picked up one photograph of her helping Taisho in the kitchen, although using the word "help" was probably a stretch because she was full blown laughing at the camera with noodles dangling from her hair. Kyoko grinned at the glee upon her face. Despite her recently lost memories, she could vaguely remember the many hours she would spend working in the kitchen in order to earn enough money to pay rent at the expensive condo she and Sho had inhabited. On days when the musician would go on extended tours, she would increase her time here because it was more convenient that way. And even though her schedule was crazy, she loved working here. It might not have been the career of her dreams, but she was surrounded by people who cared and that was a gift of its own.

"Taisho always preferred to have you in the kitchen."

She turned to the landlady who was gazing at the picture over her shoulder with softened eyes. "Really?"

"Oh yes. Putting aside the fact that you were very skillful," she added with a teasing wink, "you brought an infectious energy that would brighten even the darkest of moods. He cherished those moments greatly."

Kyoko's heart swelled. Taisho was a man of few words. It was always hard to interpret what he was thinking, but to know that he thought so highly of her made her incredibly warm.

She placed the frame back down onto the book shelf and turned around. The hallway that led to the bedrooms was a short distance away. She assumed the room on the right was their bedroom since it was the largest, but there was a room at the very end she didn't recognize.

The landlady noticed her stare and turned in the same direction. She laughed. "You're probably wondering if we kept everything the same, aren't you?

Kyoko blinked in puzzlement, but provided no response.

The landlady grasped her hand and in an excited voice said, "Follow me. I think you'll like what you see." When she reached the door, she turned the golden doorknob and revealed a very simple bedroom. Kyoko slowly walked through the doorway, gazing at the cot upon the floor, the wooden table in the center of the room surrounded by white seat cushions. There was a dresser on the right side of the room with crystal figurines and stuffed animals on the table top. The walls were mostly bare, except for a framed photo of cherry blossoms and the crystal blue ocean.

"I haven't been here in a while myself," the landlady continued as she pulled back the sheer white drapes, allowing sunlight to illuminate the tiny space. "Taisho and I left everything the way it was after you moved out." She sighed softly. "We didn't have the heart to change it."

Kyoko ran her fingers over the edge of the dresser. She picked up a shimmery crystal perfume bottle with a swan as the cap. She turned to the window, watching the drapes sway from the gentle breeze. Déjà vu slammed into her like a wall. Flashes of recollection exploded in her head like fireworks. But instead of feeling excitement, Kyoko felt restless, sadness, and surprisingly, anger.

Wave after wave of frustration washed over her, drowning her in a blinding fury she didn't understand. When she made her way into the center of the room, her focus was suddenly pulled to the wall on her right. The wall was undoubtedly uninteresting, but she couldn't tear her wide-eyed gaze away. Standing there with unwarranted anticipation, she waited and like a faint wind, a memory came into focus.

As if she was just merely a bystander, Kyoko remembered sitting crumpled upon the floor with hands fisted at her eyes as painful sobs ripped out of her chest. Tears streamed down her cheeks in rivers. She hadn't cried like that in years. Clenching her hands at her sides, she felt a profound sense of defeat flood her icy cold veins.

Intensely confused, Kyoko scanned the wall as if hoping for something to trigger something else. She noticed the tiny holes, an indication that something used to be there...something that was prickling the back of her mind...something that was causing her to feel so agitated.

"Kyoko-chan? Is something wrong?" the landlady asked, surprised to see her so still.

"This room…"

"Yes?"

"This was my bedroom—" She turned around to face her. "—wasn't it?"

"Yes," the landlady replied in a confused voice. "I'm surprised you have to ask. Do you not remember?"

She shook her head. "No…I don't. But—" Kyoko's eyebrows furrowed "—why would I live here?"

"What do you mean?"

"Wasn't I living with Sho-chan?"

Kyoko noticed it immediately. The color drained from the landlady's face as if she had made some sort of grave mistake. When she turned away, Kyoko stepped around her and looked at her with an expectant expression. "Okami-san?" She placed an arm on her shoulder, gently pulling the older woman back so that she could look at her. "Did I really live here?"

"Yes," she mumbled in a small voice, "you did live here for some time."

"Why?"

Slowly, the older woman looked into her curious eyes with an expression that made the actress's blood run cold. Kyoko knew the answer before she even had to ask. She could feel the truth like a heavy weight raining upon her shoulders. There was no reason to suspect him. There was no reason for her to think it was because of him. But her lips had moved of their own accord. "Did I move out because of Sho-chan?"

The landlady let out a heavy sigh, closing her eyes briefly before replying, "Yes."

Kyoko watched with mute horror as her fairytale burst into flames. Her white-stone castle crumbled to pieces. Her happy ending was suddenly nowhere in sight. Everything she had thought was true, everything she would have sworn was reality went up in smoke. She had left her Prince. She left the man she loved more than anything without a single look back.

When Sho had first told her that she had rented another apartment because she yearned for independence, she had already found his answer odd. She followed him all the way to Japan to help him reach his dreams. Why would she suddenly abandon him for herself?

And yet…she never questioned him. She dismissed the wisps of concern. She only nodded and smiled because she so desperately wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe him more than anything because a part of her was somehow so afraid of the answer. He never mentioned their falling out. He never told her she left him to live here. He never said a word.

Numbingly, Kyoko lowered herself down onto the cot upon the floor, her legs unable to hold her frozen body upright. "Do you know what happened between us, Okami-san?" she asked quietly, her eyes glued to the table.

The landlady shook her head as she sat down beside her. "No, you never really talked about it. And we didn't know how to ask."

"Was it bad?" Kyoko looked into her dark eyes and felt like she was punched in the gut. Her expression said more than though. Kyoko held her hands tightly together in her lap, desperate for some sort of anchor that would keep her from spiraling out of control. "How long did I live here?" she managed to murmur.

"A couple of years."

Kyoko's head whipped to her in surprise. "YEARS?" Feeling like cold water had been splashed in her face, she jumped to her feet and started to pace in panic. "That long? I didn't live with him for that long? I don't understand. None of this makes sense. I don't get—" She stopped and sucked in a deep breath.

"Kyoko-chan, I know this is a lot to take in. But please, let's just take this one bit at a time, okay?"

She turned towards her and saw the landlady on her feet, looking at her with apprehension. "You knew all this time…didn't you?"

"Kyoko-chan—"

She held up her hand. "I'm so sorry, Okami-san, but I can't do this right now. I need to see him. I need hear all of this from him. I just—" Kyoko moved her head back and forth, a futile attempt to somehow clear her mind that was moving at blazing speed. "I-I-I need to go."

With a quick squeeze of the landlady's hand that was already extended towards her as if to stop her, Kyoko ran out of the room and down the wooden steps. She needed air. She needed space. She needed answers! Kyoko couldn't even choke out a goodbye when she ran into Taisho. She could only grab her purse on the counter top with numb fingers and run out the door. She quickly hailed a yellow cab and rattled off the address of their—his?—apartment. Kyoko fumbled for her cell phone in her bag and dialed his number with shaky fingers. Holding the ringing phone to her ear, she nibbled on her lower lip as the city whizzed by. It rang seven times, but there was no reply.

"Hey, you reached my cell. If you need anything, just leave a number. I'll call you back when I can."

Beep!

"Sho-chan, it's me. I know you're probably recording, but can you please come home? I…I just really need to talk to you and it can't wait. I'm sorry for not being very clear, but please—please meet me back at the apartment. I'll talk to you then. Bye."

She hung up the call and placed the phone back into her bag. Stalled, Kyoko leaned back against the seat and took in a deep breath. Unease crept up her neck. Restlessness drilled a hole in her gut. Kyoko felt like she was floating in limbo. The reality she had worked so hard to understand was turning out to be a complete lie. The past month…was any of it true?

The car came to a halt as the driver told her they had reached the destination. She placed a few bills into his open palm and opened the door. She couldn't even think about waiting in the elevator, so she took the stairs all the way to the top floor. By the time she reached the front door, she was completely out of breath, but she managed to find the card key in her purse and open the door. But in her haste, she didn't notice the large package on the floor and accidentally kicked it over.

She quickly knelt down and angled the guitar shaped package against the opposite wall. It was wrapped in bright red paper with a large white bow. A laminated card that was tied around the instrument's neck fell onto the floor. She picked it up and read:

Hello Fuwa-san!

I hope you like the guitar I picked out for you. I remember you looking at it the night you were here and I think it'll serve you well on your many musical tours. Please accept it as a token of my great appreciation for your visit last month. I look forward to seeing you again soon!

-Hiro

She flipped the card over and saw a picture of Sho standing next to a shorter stouter man in what appeared to be a guitar shop. The musician had his usual stand-offish expression while the older man sported a grin that stretched wide across his face. But just as she was about to return the card back to its rightful place, the date on the calendar behind the two men suddenly froze her in her tracks.

DECEMBER 12

Her eyes widened. Time slowed to a crawl. Her legs began to tremble uncontrollably. She squeezed the card in a vice-like grip as she stumbled back against the door, her head shaking in defiance. "No…no…NO!"

Breaking into a run to her bedroom, she dashed to the bedside table and yanked the heavy drawer open. She fumbled through stacks of paper, roughly throwing everything aside. "He wouldn't lie to me. He wouldn't lie to me," she chanted, her heart beating like a drum against her chest. She dug deep into the bottom drawer, grabbing the thickest magazine and flipping to the main article. Her eyes darted from the large black headline to the picture of her lying in the stretcher. She scanned through the jumble of words, frantically searching for the date until finally—

She let out a single strangled sob, the pain rising like a wave. She dug her fingers into the booklet, hot tears stinging at the corner of her eyes. Betrayal slashed into her skin, bleeding her raw. Kyoko glanced down and noticed the laminated card at her feet. With shaky fingers, she flipped the photograph over and felt the bile rise in her throat. In a fury she didn't recognize, her vision suddenly turned red.

"You're no Prince," she said in a quiet voice as she tore his picture in half.