Kyoko is sitting inside a limousine with President Takarada in front of her thinking 'Why did I agree to what this man asked?'
"Because I asked not as the president of LME but as a grandfather," he responds reading Kyoko's mind. He feels better seeing that Kyoko has gone back to being rather honest in expression. When he had fired her, she had become an iron cage- not letting any expression out no matter what. As though she had damned up all her feelings to keep the grief in. 'She seems more comfortable with expressing her feelings. Maybe she has gotten better.' he thinks.
"I just want to remind you, President," replies Kyoko emphasizing the word president to show that she hadn't forgotten that he had kicked her out of LME. "That I have no obligation to lift a finger to help you. I will come with you, listen to what you have to say about Maria-chan, and then leave."
"Fair enough" replies Lory.
Her point made, Kyoko sits back and reminisces about Maria-chan. When she had found out that Kyoko and Ren were getting married, she had pointed one sharp finger at Kyoko and said, "One-sama, I want you to understand that Ren-sama belongs to me first. I don't mind lending him to you now and then after you get married to kiss and do whatever else adults do when they are alone. Got it?"
Kyoko had blushed half with embarrassment and half with amusement and just nodded dumbly. Maria-chan had grown from a spoilt grand-daughter into a beautiful headstrong and willful teenager. It was inevitable that she would continue to be at the center of trouble, mostly causing it. Kyoko couldn't imagine what it could be this time.
Music starts playing on the radio of the car and immediately Kyoko stiffens. She knew these notes - the oh so familiar notes. Shin had found out how much this song annoyed her and made it the ringtone of the mobile that she had bought him. 'That ingrate!' she thinks. And now those annoying words start once more.
"Ore ni wa anata ga dare darou ka?" the opening lines to the song "I Wish" by Fuwa Sho and Vie Ghoul.
Biting her teeth to prevent the anger from pouring out she says, "Can you please shut off that infernal music? I cannot stand it."
"Are you not able to stand it because the music is bad or because the song is about you?" Lory asks pointedly.
Kyoko starts and then recovers. Biting back the first response that comes to her mind she says, "I cannot stand that song because I hate the fellow who wrote it."
"I don't think that is true Kyoko," Lory says. "If I remember right you had forgiven Fuwa a long time ago. Perhaps the song stirs some feelings in you that you would rather not have?"
Here Kyoko feels more comfortable keeping an even keel and responding. "That is most definitely not true President. Though I had indeed come very close to completely forgiving Shotarou, that idiot had to go and collaborate with the Beagles of all things. It is antithetical to everything that he believes in. How can he make a complete U-turn like that? His fans are going to hate him. "
"Perhaps that means that now you can reach your goal of being a bigger star than him?"
"President, you know that has long since stopped being my goal. My new goal is actually-" and Kyoko stops.
What am I doing? Spilling my closest secrets to the President like this. He hasn't even taken me back to working at LME. I cannot tell him what my real goals are. What I promised Shin. What I promised myself.
The president watches her closely. 'Just under four months and she has completely turned around and gone back to being very close to the old Kyoko. She has gone back to feeling emotions, as well as controlling them when necessary. Full of emotion yet balanced. She is indeed terrifyingly amazing. Perhaps that young boy had something to do with it as well. I am glad I listened to Yashiro's judgment and allowed him to stay with her. But still, let me wait a bit more to see how much she has grown.'
The president doesn't ask Kyoko to finish her sentence. Instead, he says, "We are here."
The "here" is Lory's mansion. Kyoko remembers how she had thought of this place as a palace.
'But today it is a tower where the beautiful damsel in distress - Maria-chan is being held against her will. And I, Kyoko, have been sent to rescue her from the evil clutches of the wizard. "I will not fail you, my princess."' Kyoko smiles inwardly at her fantasies. 'Who is to say they are not real? Some of her wildest dreams have after come true for me in the past.'
As soon as President Takarada gets out, the reason for the blue and green dress he had been wearing becomes apparent. He is acting as the center of a peacock. Ten people, five appearing on each side create the enormous plumage of a dancing peacock. He walks and they follow each time forming his plumage behind him. Kyoko follows. He stops and turns to face her. The plumage takes a while to rearrange themselves behind him again.
"Mogami-san. Today I am not the president of LME who decreed that you cannot take on any more acting jobs. Today I come to you as a grandfather. Begging and pleading you to exercise any last drops of mercy you may have to please listen to my misery. If you choose not to help me that is fine. But I humbly request you to hear me out."
He bows deeply. To Kyoko, it just looks like the bird is pecking at the ground. She cannot help but be amused. The president peeks out of the corner of his eye and notes her amusement.
'Another sign that she is healing if she can laugh at someone she ought to be resenting.'
"I already said I would President. Stop wasting time on theatrics," Kyoko says annoyed at her amusement.
"So Mogami-san," continues the president after they have sat down at a lawn table and teacups have magically appeared. " I place a great amount of trust in your skill and abilities. Especially in getting through to that one person."
Kyoko sighs, "What has she done now? More snakes and spiders somewhere?"
"Of course not Mogami-san. Maria-chan has graduated beyond such childish pranks. "
"That is a relief," Kyoko says.
"No, it is not a relief. She has now graduated into adult pranks to get what she wants. When she learned of me putting your acting career on hold, she stormed into my office demanding that I reinstate you. But I explained to her why keeping you off acting was good for you. Or so I thought."
Seeing the dark look on Kyoko's face, the president hastily continues, "She then said 'Hai Ojiisan. I understand' so sweetly that I should have suspected something. Two days ago she stopped by my office again and said, "I would like to inform you that I am going to start an entertainment agency."