Chapter 29: Violation of Privacy

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, we would get the story on Kyoko's father.

Yashiro drove towards Darumaya. The street ahead appeared lively for the late hour. He glanced into his rearview mirror noticing a pair of emergency vehicles coming upon him. He pulled to the side of the road to allow them to pass safely. Their blaring sirens startled his charges from their stupor in the backseat.

"What is it?" Kyoko asked groggily as she watched the cars retreat into the distance.

Ren craned his neck to see. "I can't see much. It could be a car accident up ahead. Hopefully, no one is injured." He whispered the last part, tightening his arms around Kyoko. Kyoko hugged him back. He had to be thinking of Rick. All she could do was hold him with Yashiro in the car.

"This is the only road to your place Kyoko-chan. I'll try to go as far as I can. If we have to turn around you can always stay with Ren," Yashiro explained.

Kyoko nodded at his reflection.

Yashiro slowed his speed as they approached the area where the vehicles were stopped on the side of the road. It must have been serious since several News vans were camping out waiting for a big scoop.

Ren sat up straighter after realizing their location. "Yashiro-san?"

"I know. I see them," Yashiro responded. He pulled the car over and removed his glasses, jacket, and tie then rolled up his sleeves. It was as good as a disguise as any. He used his fingers to sweep back his hair.

"I'll check it out on foot. You two should head to the apartment. I'll let you know when I know something." Yashiro checked his pockets, wallet, phone, rubber gloves. He gave them a nod and walked off.

Kyoko had a bad feeling as she watched Yashiro walk toward the chaos. "What's going on, Corn? Do you think something happened at the Darumaya?" She wanted to chase after Yashiro and check on her landlords but she feared her presence could make things worse.

"I can't lie and tell you not to worry. Let's just try to stay positive until we hear from Yashiro-san," Ren assured her then turned the car around to head to his apartment.

Kyoko looked at the clock on her phone for the millionth time in the last five minutes. They had been waiting for news for what seemed like an eternity. She warred within herself to refrain from calling the restaurant and tried to be patient. She managed to take a shower and prepare a light meal yet still there was no news from Yashiro. She didn't have an appetite but the task kept her from going stir crazy with worry.

Finally, Ren's phone buzzed. The text from Yashiro read Everything is fine. I'm on my way. Ren responded with a simple, Be careful on your way.

Even with the news, Kyoko was still on edge. When the doorbell rang, she leaped to open the door before Ren had the chance.

Yashiro entered holding an overnight bag and a large glass with Prince Rosa in it. He looked grave for someone that said everything was fine as he removed his shoes.

"Don't worry your landlords are fine. Sorry for not specifying that news sooner. Okami-san is a bit shaken up though," he said and placed the glass on the table.

Kyoko sagged on the couch with relief. She was elated that her landlords were doing well. Her imagination ran amuck earlier thinking of the worst possible scenarios.

"What happened?" Ren asked.

Yashiro rehashed the story of what transpired after he parted ways with them. There were more reporters than expected. He heard Kyoko's name being used as they reported live at the scene. Kyoko would be the center of the tabloids again for a while. Luckily for them, a more newsworthy scandal had taken the place of Kyoko's story following the awards ceremony. He lingered along the side of the police perimeter trying to catch bits and pieces of what happened.

He flagged down Okami and Taisho's attention when they emerged from the building, bowing to a detective. They offered Yashiro to come inside.

No one knew who the man was that entered the restaurant with the owners. Maybe he was their lawyer or an insurance agent. All they could agree on for sure was that he was good looking.

Okami placed a cup of green tea in front of Yashiro and took a seat next to her husband. After he took a small sip, Taisho asked, "Is Kyoko-chan safe?"

"With all the commotion we failed to contact her. I'm glad she isn't home right now," Okami added.

"Yes," Yashiro replied. "We were on our way here when we noticed the emergency vehicles. I thought it was best she stayed with Ren tonight until I can figure out the details. Can you tell me what happened?"

Taisho turned to his wife and nodded. Okami began, "During our dinner rush, I heard a crash from upstairs. It left me curious because Kyoko wasn't home yet. So I came up to investigate and found a man rummaging in Kyoko-chan's room. I was so frightened. I turned and fled to get my husband. By the time we returned he had already escaped through the window. We called the police because we wanted the culprit captured. We asked for discretion since it was a non-emergency but word got out about the situation. We're sorry we caused needless trouble for her. We want Kyoko-chan to feel safe here."

Yashiro scrunched his eyebrows. Could this be the work of a crazed fan? I think it's time she moved to a more secure location. She had refused to move after the awards ceremony. She took the tabloid articles in stride like a true professional. The good press about their relationship outweighed the bad so she was able to get out of that mess relatively unscathed. It helped that she barely paid attention to the gossip rags.

The paparazzi became bored camping outside the Darumaya and nobody dared enter except to eat with the Taisho around. The Sacred Lotus took up a good chunk of her schedule between filming and promotional commitments. With her regular spot as Boh, the new CMs she accepted, and photoshoots with R'Mandy, she barely had time to come home and sleep. The President decided to let her be since other scandals cropping up in the industry drew reporters away. That was only a week ago. The President couldn't ignore this despite her desire to stay.

"I understand your feelings. I would have done the same thing if a stranger was found in my house. Do you have any idea if anything was stolen?" Yashiro inquired.

"I'm not sure, but the room was a lot messier than it was before I ran out. The vase holding the blue rose was the loud crash I heard." Okami brought the rose contained in a large glass over to the table. "I'm afraid Kyoko-chan will have to take a closer look."

"Do you mind if I see the room? Also, can you please pack some clothes for Kyoko?"

Feeling like an intruder himself, Yashiro followed Okami up to the modest Japanese girl's room. He smiled as he spied the poster of Ren on the wall. He didn't know it, but she had long ago disposed of the poster she had of Sho. All the gifts she had received from her friends were undisturbed on the shelf of her room; however, the clothes in her drawers were strewn about the floor. Out of respect for Kyoko, he ignored the pieces of lingerie he had to step over. He wanted to be able to tell her the state of her room should she ask. The items that normally sat on her dresser were scattered on the floor. Okami went about righting the room. Within ten minutes the mess was cleaned up and the bag was packed.

Yashiro thanked Okami for the bag. Before leaving, he turned back to the owners. "I'm sorry to say this but I think Kyoko-chan may need to find a more secure place of residence. I'm sure she will feel responsible for this."

"We understand. My husband and I have entertained the possibility of her leaving now that her fame has increased tremendously. We'll miss her dearly," Okami said, a slight tremor in her voice.

Yashiro thanked them again and headed out. By then, the commotion had dissipated and the streets were clear again. He walked down the block to a busier street where he hailed a cab back to Ren's place.

"You have to start thinking about moving Kyoko-chan," Yashiro said when he was done recounting the night's event.

Kyoko sighed heavily. Yashiro was right. She would only bring more trouble to her landlords if she stayed. She couldn't forgive the nerve of this thief for violating her privacy. She shuddered thinking about what would have happened if she was in the room at the time. Would the thief have been deterred or would something more devastating have occurred?

"Yashiro-san, was the thief apprehended?" Ren asked. He wondered if this was a one-time incident or if they were dealing with a stalker. Those types of perpetrators were common in their field. He was worried about Kyoko but he couldn't believe his good fortune.

"They don't have any leads at the moment," Yashiro informed them.

"You can always move in with me. We could be roommates," Ren piped up. He winced internally at the excitement in his voice since this was a serious matter and her safety was the top priority. He tried to dial back his enthusiasm to not frighten her away from the idea and began listing all the good reasons for her to stay. Yashiro even agreed as Ren ticked off each one.

"First and foremost your landlords will no longer be troubled with reporters or heaven forbid crazed fans. This building has state of the art security that will ensure your protection and privacy. You've spent a lot of time here already so you're familiar with the building and staff. You have your own space. The guest rooms are practically yours already. You have clothes in the closet and toiletries in the bathroom. Yashiro would only have to make one stop. Think of the stress it would reduce for Yashiro. "

Kyoko nibbled on her bottom lip as she mulled over the idea. Was it too forward of her to even consider moving in with her boyfriend? The last time she lived with a guy things didn't go over so well. What if he got bored having her around all the time? She could be put out again. But something inside her still wanted to say yes despite the risks. They barely saw each other as it was with their hectic schedules.

He saw her thinking and hoped what he said next would be the clincher. "I want to protect you. I'm worried that there's someone out on the loose that could potentially hurt you. I couldn't bear it if you were hurt," he told her entwining his fingers with hers. The look of anguish that flashed in his eyes made her aware that he was serious.

Yashiro had to keep from rolling his eyes at Ren's dramatics while keeping his inner fangirl in check. He was happy for his friend he could cry. He knew Ren would cherish Kyoko so he decided to be his wingman.

"Those are all valid reasons Kyoko-chan. What do you think? It would be convenient to only make one stop. Most of all your safety is our top priority. This building is as safe as it gets. It would be convenient to move in here. I could always call a realtor to find other options. There won't be another place with security like this one...then there are deposits. The cost of something similar would be high for a single person. I'm sure if you budget correctly you can find something but it may stretch you thin for a while before you can breathe financially until your work increases. Your so busy right now that any place you do choose will only be to store your things and sleep," Yashiro told her.

Still biting her lower lip she gazed at Ren apprehensively, "Is that okay with you Ren? Won't I be a bother and cause you trouble instead?"

"Are you kidding? I've been trying to get you to move in with me since the night I found out you were Boh! With our busy schedules, I would love to know that I'm guaranteed to see you again every night and hold you safely in my arms."

"Ehhhh! You were serious then?" She cried surprised. Her face was a new shade of red for what he just said in front of Yashiro. She didn't know he was serious when he mentioned it in front of the Ishibashi brothers. Since that day, even though the brothers knew about her relationship with Ren they didn't treat her differently. All three guys praised her tremendously for her nomination. Hikaru was able to act more naturally with her. He still invited her to dinner. She finally recognized that in the past he was asking her out on a date. When he asked now it was to share in each other's company as friends along with the other brothers. The problem was she still didn't have time for dinner since she chose to spend what little free time she had with Ren. Living with him would allow her to see him every day.

"I'm always serious when it comes to having you by my side," Ren said without batting an eye. He did it again. It still marveled her that he said such embarrassing things in front of Yashiro without regard. He must have been a playboy in another life.

"Okay, I'll do it. I'll move in with you. I realize this person was there because of me. I can't bring that trouble to my landlords. If it becomes a problem having me here then I'll think of something else. I don't want to cause you any problems. But I'll be a proper roommate. I'll pay for half of everything. The rent, the utilities, the groceries..."

"You don't have to do that. I have that covered," Ren interjected. He thought quickly as regret crept into her eyes. "How about you be in charge of groceries and cooking and we can split chores?"

"You do chores? It's unheard of. Do your fans know?" She teased looking around the tidy apartment. There wasn't much mess a single workaholic man could make. The place was barren. He didn't have much of anything that wasn't a necessity. The only personal touch to the room was the recently framed candid photo of them that Sousuke, the R'Mandy photographer, took before they for the awards ceremony.

"I prefer my privacy. I do all the housekeeping except laundry. My building offers the service for a monthly fee. Please feel free to use it too. What do you think? Does that sound like a deal?"

Kyoko smiled and held out her hand to seal it. Ren laughed and shook her hand.

Yashiro broke out in applause. His fangirl ran amuck at the idea of his two charges playing house together. He tried to imagine Ren's elated face when he came home from a busy day at work only to find his beloved waiting for him in an apron, Do you want to eat dinner or me?

"Kyaa!" Yashiro screamed with glee then waved away his perverted thoughts. Kyoko and Ren ignored their manager's outburst; they were used to it.

Ren cleared his throat and flashed his gentleman smile at Yashiro. The manager cringed under his sparkly smile and behaved.

"We'll need to set up some time to get your stuff tomorrow Kyoko-chan. I would be more at ease if you were in a secure environment right away. Plus your landlords weren't sure what was stolen so you will have to go through things slowly. I'll inform the President on my way home"

Kyoko wasn't worried. She didn't have anything of value in her room except for...her eyes widened. She grabbed her bag and dumped out its contents. She rifled through everything. It's not here! Tears pricked her eyes. She left her corn stone on her dresser that morning in her haste to head out. Please be safe Corn.

Three nights earlier...

Morimoto knocked on the seedy-looking basement door. A large man with a mean face peered through the small opening. "Password," he grunted.

"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it," Morimoto replied dryly. He groaned knowing that the owner he knew for years still had a thing for Confucius.

He heard the distinct sound of the door unlocking as the man pulled open the door for him to enter. Despite the appearances outside, the interior was high class. It was a place for the rich to play in private. He passed through gambling tables and ignored the hostesses that propositioned him. He was here, for one thing only, to meet the owner. This was his first time at this establishment. The owner was an old acquaintance that he met during his early days on the street.

"Yo Tadashi! I haven't seen you since Brooklyn. Come and have a seat. I have what you asked for," His old acquaintance greeted from a secluded booth in the back.

"Sota," he nodded curtly to the man and slid into the seat across from him.

"Is that the way to greet your old friend?" Sota declared switching back to Japanese. He held up his hands with peace signs when Morimoto glared back.

"Do you have what I asked for?" Tadashi asked impatiently. He hated dealing with this guy. He was way too familiar but he knew he was good at his work. He could trust him to be discreet.

Sota passed a manila envelope across the table. Tadashi opened the envelope and took a quick scan of the contents. He retrieved a thick envelope from the inside pocket of his leather jacket and threw it down on the table. It was the agreed-upon payment for the information.

"I found this particular job interesting. Kyoko-San is very beautiful. A small blip in her past but nothing too tragic. All the details are in there. Could she possibly be yours? The timing adds up to when you disappeared."

Ignoring Sota's questions, Tadashi said, "I need something else….a DNA sample of hers. I'm sure you know her current residence. Can you make it happen?" He stuffed the contents back into the envelope and stood up to leave.

Sota sighed but nodded. "Return in two nights. I'll text you the new password."

Morimoto rolled his eyes, "You watch too many mob movies."

Sota chuckled as Tasdashi left. He wondered if this new development would change his cold "friend" back into the guy he used to know.

As agreed upon, Morimoto found himself knocking on the same door two nights later. He reviewed the information Sota provided last time. He had both mother and daughter's medical records, birth certificate, family registry, and the like.

The guilt ate at him knowing that he had ruined her life when he saw the medical records regarding her psychological welfare. He was stunned to see the word suicide mentioned several times.

He had browsed the internet for Mogami Saena and found the video clip of her TV trial. It was her. The woman that almost made everything he worked hard for come crashing down because he fell in love. The only woman that held his heart. Her words, I do not have a child echoed in his mind. She was no longer the woman he knew but at least she found a way to continue living. She was as beautiful as he remembered, though a little more statuesque. Cold as marble and unwavering.

Could he have made the wrong assumption? She admitted on television to not having a child and yet there was proof that this actress Kyoko could only be her daughter. Could there possibly be another Mogami Saena with similar information? No, she had lied on television which made him wonder why. The information provided said that she lived apart from Kyoko starting from when she was just six years old. That's a very tender age for a mother to abandon her daughter.

He may have been orphaned when he was younger but he knew parental love. His parents died when he was eight in a fatal car accident. He had been at school when that occurred. Having no other known relatives he was lost in the system passed on from one abusive home to another until he was smart enough to run away and survive on his own.

He did what was necessary to survive back in those days. Most of what he wasn't proud of but he didn't let it define him. All the challenges he faced as a child only strengthened him to become stronger as he grew. There was much temptation to give up, to give in to the seduction of drugs or death. He refused and continued forward choosing to do his best to become successful. He became obsessed with that one goal and eventually took things too far.

He was able to attend a public school and scrape by doing odd jobs. When he was of age he worked several jobs to continue his education. He even managed to get scholarships for a reputable high school and college to complete his education thus securing him a position as a junior partner at his company. With his high aptitude for business and good looks, he was instantly recognized for his achievements. His company was struggling to win the case against Jousei that had been dragging out for five years. It would cost them millions in yen and possible bankruptcy if they lost.

Tadashi came with a plan to infiltrate the opposing law firm handling the case. He confirmed Saena as his target. He observed her for a few weeks before making contact as Misonoi Kazushi someone he knew that would appeal to the hard-working and naive ways of Mogami Saena. He used a disheveled and clumsy approach to Saena. With her warm personality, she couldn't possibly leave a hopeless guy like him alone. He used a side of himself that he never showed in public these days so it wasn't a complete lie. Aside from the aspiring lawyer part, everything that transpired between them was the truth. He didn't expect to fall in love with her so fast or so hard. That love made him waver in his mission. In those last days, he tried to leave subtle hints to warn her about him. He believed she chose to ignore them.

The small hatch on the door suddenly opened startling Tadashi from his musings.

"Password," the same doorman from last time demanded.

"Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated," Tadashi answered. He was convinced that Sota was finding enjoyment with his predicament.

Tadashi stood in his office gazing out at the Tokyo skyline. His corner office in one of the tallest buildings in Tokyo afforded him an unhindered view of the city. He had sacrificed a lot in his life to obtain his place here: friendship, love, and now family. At his age, all he had to show for it was wealth, power, and prestige. He asked himself again, was it worth it?

His thoughts were interrupted by his executive assistant, Tanaka Mya. He blinked to focus as he turned to the older woman. Mya-chan, as she liked to be called here in Japan, had been with him since the beginning of his ascension like a clucking mother hen. She always frowned when he made poor decisions but was always there to help him back up.

She was by his side almost eighteen years ago when he decided to make the life-altering decision to be selfish and choose his career over the woman he loved. When he broke down after he was given his position in the firm to run one of the most lucrative branches in New York City, she scolded him. He had no right to feel despair. This was his choice so he had to stand up and walk the path. He was on that airplane the very next morning never looking back.

He had been in Japan for less than two months now and slowly the ghosts of days past were catching up to him. He was here to close a business deal and then high tail it back to the States. Nothing was waiting for him in New York but a cold career and an even colder apartment. It was lonely at the top. He had several lovers over the years but none of them came close to occupying even a small space of his heart. Eventually, they all left him and he let them go.

Mya glanced at her boss's desk. There was a slew of papers scattered about. She caught sight of medical records and even spotted a birth certificate. There was a nondescript shopping bag on the desk as well. She wondered what it contained.

"Yes, Mya-chan?" Tadashi asked in English.

Mya turned to look at her Boss. He looked exhausted. His usually brilliant gold eyes looked haunted. There were shadows under his eyes. The whites of his eyes also appeared bloodshot. Was this place finally taking its toll on him?

"Sir, I'm just reminding you that your meeting this morning is still on. We should be closing this deal soon and be on our way back home," Mya said in a no-nonsense tone. Tadashi was relieved that she didn't ask. She was an intelligent woman and probably didn't miss anything on his desk. The fact that she chose to remain silent was one of the reasons he trusted her completely.

"Thank you for the reminder. I'd be lost without you." He chuckled and returned to his desk. Once she left, his attention fell on the gift bag. Sato gave him the bag last night in response to his request. Tadashi had a lab tech on standby to confirm the results as soon as possible.

If anyone were to look in the bag they would think he had a woman in his life. He rummaged through the clothing, past the brush that contained strands of hair, a hand mirror, and figurines until his hand clasped around the object he sought after. He opened the little pouch and withdrew the stone. He held it up and watched the brilliant blue color change as he held it up to the light of day. It wasn't a valuable stone on its own but the fact that it belonged to his daughter made it priceless.

AN: Phew, I thought I wouldn't get this one done. Holidays, family, and all but somehow I managed. I hope the roommate reasons were a bit more clear. I'll admit it was hard writing this one. One of my key points was, as some of the reviewers guessed it, touching on Kyoko's father. I tried to give detail and also keep it vague because of my lousy imagination. I reread the Saena arc for this one. I keep making up these characters that I had to write them all down to keep myself straight...lol. Ugh, I hope I got all my name typos. Third time is a charm XD.

I hope this chapter wasn't a miss. Thank you again to all the readers and for those that leave reviews, you're awesome! I appreciate all of you.

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^