Chapter 54: Sell Out!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Sho and Kyoko would have a platonic friendship by now.

Kimiko sat outside the dressing room waiting for her mother to try on a few outfits. Her father was taking her to a dinner party and her mother had " absolutely nothing" to wear. Since Kimiko's class didn't start until the afternoon, her mother decided to drag her shopping. Kimiko could shop with the best of them, but she was anxiously awaiting to hear the good news today.

Since she didn't have time this morning before her mother so rudely accosted her for this impromptu trip to a high-end boutique, Kimiko was now using her phone to check in on her usual sites.

The entertainment news sites were still clinging to the Tragic Marker story. There was non-stop talk about the movie and cast all night and into the morning. Doesn't any of these news outlets have something better to talk about? She was hoping to have news from Koki blowing up her phone by now. What was the incompetent fool doing, she thought angrily while keeping the demure smile plastered on her face so as not to betray her thoughts.

"Excuse me, Kimiko-san, can I offer you any refreshments while you wait?" The posh saleswoman asked.

"That would be lovely. I will take an iced green tea, please," Kimiko responded cutely, her smile growing appreciatively. She returned her attention to her phone once her drink arrived and the saleswoman had moved on.

The more she browsed, the more she found posts centered around that disgusting goth couple she had run into outside that awful French café. She had been looking forward to watching Tragic Marker tonight too. Cedric even agreed to accompany her. Now that she knew that jerk was the antagonist in the movie, she was reluctant to go. Her desire to spend time with Cedric far outweighed her hatred for that rude man. Who knows, maybe she could get some enjoyment out of it if his acting turned out to be mediocre and stereotypical of slasher films.

Kimiko logged on to Kyoko's fansite. There were usually one or two people that sided with her when it came to badmouthing the annoying talento. Perhaps something there would cheer her up.

The posts in progress made her groan. This was Kyoko's fansite. Why were they talking about those dreadful siblings here too? She scrolled up to read the previous posts. Fans couldn't wait for the next season of Box-R because they were missing Kyoko. Someone just had to mention that the Heel siblings have been a great distraction while enduring the wait. Kimiko quickly read over some of the more nauseating posts that began with discussing their coordinating outfits and how cool they were toward the reporters on the red carpet until things took a turn.

KyoFan1: Didn't the sister, sort of, remind you of Natsu-chan? I mean, the way she walked and posed for the camera it seemed something Natsu would do if her exterior matched her innards.

DiabolicalPen666: No way! I'm an expert on darkness and Natsu still has goodness in her. That's why she can fool everyone with her good girl persona, but this girl Setsuka seems scary. Mio-level scary too. Like she would whip out her butterfly knife and stab a bitch for looking at her wrong.

KyoFan2: Yes, you could just feel the malice in her sneer while she posed for the camera. She's like a mash-up of both, so fashionable yet so evil.

Kimiko decided to join in and add her two cents. She noticed the saleswoman bringing more dresses for her mother to try on; she still had time.

QueenB: I met them on the street a couple of nights ago. They weren't anything special IMHO. Just because the girl is a little pretty she's getting so much attention. It's probably because she's showing so much skin that the reserved Japanese are exaggerating everything. She's not even an actress.

Kimiko was reaching. Those siblings made her feel lower than scum and all she did was bump him slightly by accident. She was so tiny in comparison. How much damage could she have done to his arm? For a second, she wondered, if he was one of those hoodlums that she read about in the news where they hit you on purpose then demanded compensation for their injury. Instead, the man looked at her like she was a cockroach and kept walking with his weird sister hanging on him like she was his lover.

DiabolicalPen666: That sounds like a total cry for attention if I ever heard one! Picture or it didn't happen. Even if it was true, of course, they wouldn't scare a heartless person like you. You need a soul to feel anything.

KyoFan2: Jeez Queen, why are you always so jealous of other women? She looked good in that dress. That's her style. A lot of idols and musicians dress like that here in Japan. Well, the female idols don't wear black since they're all pink and bubbly, but their outfits are still just as skimpy, if not more. Fuwa Sho can be over the top compared to them. He wears a lot of black leather and chains when he wants to stand out.

Kimiko clenched her teeth. These bitches were pissing her off. She started tapping out a heated response when her mother called out to her.

"Kimi, is something a matter?" Her mother asked, staring at Kimiko curiously in the reflection of the wall of mirrors while wearing a long silver sheath gown.

"Everything is fine Kaa-san. I was a bit agitated since I have not heard from a friend," Kimiko recovered with a smile. Kimiko abandoned her post and joined her mother. She needed to stop making these fans get to her.

Sho laughed hysterically at a variety show he was watching on his phone. The headphones over his ears made it impossible for him to hear Shoko and Asami walk into the room behind him. It wasn't until the producer of Queen Records threw down a tabloid magazine in front of him, that he became aware of their presence. Sho jerked, startled from the action. He shut off his phone with a sheepish expression at having been caught looking so uncool. He shrugged it off and glanced at the front page of the publication. He tried to hide his shock at the person on the cover.

He tossed a questioning glance in Asami's direction. "What am I supposed to do with this? Is there a good article about me inside?" He asked, flipping through the pages.

"No, Sho," Asami explained. "The girl on the front cover. Her name is Heel Setsuka-san. Doesn't she look perfect to be on the cover of your new single, Devil May Care?"

Sho felt sweat pool on his brow as he looked at her picture more intently. She looked like the chick he got stuck with inside the elevator. Her hair was styled differently, but the blonde with pink streaks was a dead giveaway. If it was her, he wanted nothing to do with her. That devil-worshiping creepy bitch nearly stole his life force with her blood lust. She even dared to assault him. He recalled how she had kicked him in the shin similar to what Kyoko did to him during the prisoner PV. Of course, he didn't report her. How uncool would he look to be scared of a little girl? He was so fucking terrified then, he didn't realize that she was smoking hot.

That kick got him thinking as he stared at the picture. Kyoko would never wear clothes so revealing. He dismissed that idea, deciding that the kick was just a coincidence. The R'Mandy outfits she wore floated through his mind like a bad dream. Nope, there was no way that platform wearing bastard would let her roam around scantily clad with another man, especially one so dangerous looking. His mind was settled and all thought that she could be Kyoko was gone. He could be simple-minded when it came to the unthinkable.

"No, she won't do; she looks like a poser. Like she's trying too hard to be rocker chic. I don't want my name associated with a fake. She's just some random girl. I need someone that could make me look good. What about that supermodel, Aoi-chan?" Sho hoped he sounded convincing. He would rather die than admit that he was scared for his life. Aoi-chan was more his style, older and well-endowed.

"Don't be unreasonable Sho. This girl is hot news right now and she fits our agenda without even trying. Even if this would be her first gig, a person has to start somewhere to break into this industry. It doesn't look like she's unfamiliar with the cameras. It turns out she's from England so before she leaves the country we have to strike. I'm sure we aren't the only ones targeting her," Asami explained.

"As I said, I don't want to work with her," Sho scowled, crossing his arms stubbornly.

"Sho it isn't like you to be so unreasonable when it comes to working. Is there another reason?" Shoko asked. She knew him the best these days so this kind of reaction, unless it involved Kyoko, was a first for her.

Sho clenched his teeth racking his brain to find another answer that didn't make him sound so childish. He came up blank.

"She would boost your sales with the male population. Your sales are stagnant because you only have half the population of Japan on your side. It's too bad we already finished the PV; otherwise, I would have come up with a new concept to use her. I think having Heel-san as our model with you on the front cover and in the accompanying booklet would entice guys to buy your album."

"I don't want anyone buying my music if they're only interested in who is on the cover," he replied angrily. He didn't give two shits about increasing his popularity among the male population.

"Your goal is to become an international star, so you need to appeal across the board to get that far. Heel-san will be opening a door for those new fans that didn't give your music a chance. It's a win-win for you either way. They already spent their money. If they end up liking your music despite their motivation for purchasing the album, then you've gained more fans. You do the singing, let me and Aki work on the logistics for the photoshoot."

"Tch!" Sho couldn't argue with that logic, but it still pissed him off. He assured himself that it would be fine with others around. Who knows, maybe he'd get lucky and she would refuse the job.

Asami left the room to make some calls. She would start with the director of Tragic Marker. She didn't want to miss her opportunity to hire this girl.

This was the last week of his tour before he could head back to Tokyo. Sho had finally finished the song he started over a year ago when things got messed up with Kyoko. It morphed into something else entirely as he came to terms with his feelings. He wanted to play it for her first before anyone else heard it. He was hoping when he returned that she would give him some time just like when they were younger. She used to listen to him sing and offer him some encouragement. He knew those good old days were gone, but it didn't hurt to try. He missed his friend.

Lory stared out of his office window. For an off day, the area was still bustling outside with traffic and people. There was only a skeleton staff here at LME, but because it was business, it was only proper to meet in the office.

LME's Director of Public Relations had called him early this morning and alerted him to an email he had received from a reporter regarding Kyoko. It required Lory's immediate attention since he had given LME an expiration date on the article he wanted to run. Lory had read both articles. The first one would negatively impact Kyoko's career now; however, he still considered it a good opportunity to get the dirt out in the open while she was young. The only place to go after hitting rock bottom was up. The problem he saw with that was that there would be innocent casualties. Kyoko would never agree to that version.

The other article was unfinished. Lory had an inkling that the reporter had started with the first one as a bluff so they would have no choice but to agree to the second one. This route was clever. Lory couldn't stop either story since this was a disreputable tabloid magazine. They printed whatever they wanted regardless of truth and readers ate it all up as fact. He was surprised that this guy went to such great lengths to seek the truth. He would leave it up to Kyoko to decide which route to take.

Ruto watched quietly as Lory sat down at his desk with a grave expression. After a minute, Lory's lips contorted into a smile full of conspiracy.

"Sir, your face is showing its true nature," Ruto warned quietly.

"Bahh! Who would have thought the Heel siblings would cause such a stir? I wasn't expecting Setsu-chan to make such an impact in one evening."

It was thanks to Ruto's discipline that he was able to withhold himself from snorting sarcastically or rolling his eyes at his employer. "I take it that Director Konoe had some interesting news," he inquired.

"He thinks it would be wise to reveal Mogami-kun to the public with Ren. It seems keeping Setsu-chan quiet would cause strain on both Ren and Kyoko especially with what was witnessed on the set."

Konoe was reluctant to share what happened until Lory wore him down. He wanted an outsider's point of view. The couple had already told him about the scandalous incidents: the Ren hickey and the disagreements with other cast members. Konoe had added more regarding the endless touching and lap seats. Ren you sly dog. You were living the dream this whole time.

The signature smile that Ruto had dubbed as "the President's plotting smile" crept on his lips again.

"I understand that you are a lover of theatrics, but is the request too mild for you," Ruto asked his Boss.

"No, the reveal would be enough for me." He already skillfully planted seeds on fan sites so the fan theories were out in full bloom. Some were even linking Setsu to Kyoko and that wasn't his doing at all. He wondered if he had even needed to interfere.

Yashiro raised his hand to knock on the President's door. He still felt out of sorts after his earlier experience. It took him a moment to realize that Ruto had already opened the door in anticipation of Yashiro's approach. It was mind-boggling that Ruto had that extra sense. He took in Ruto's outfit. The man was dressed as an ancient Roman soldier. Yashiro prepared himself for the President to be in something just as outrageous.

"Good afternoon, Yashiro-san. You are the first to arrive. You look a bit pale, can I get you something to drink?" Ruto greeted, shutting the door behind him.

"Thank you, Ruto-san, I'm fine. I'll take some tea if it's no trouble," Yashiro replied trying to shake off the lingering feelings.

He bowed to the President before taking a seat. Lory was expertly draped in a white toga trimmed in purple. Who was he supposed to be portraying today, a philosopher or a politician?

"Yuki, is everything okay? You don't look so good," Lory noted, observing him closely.

Yashiro let out a shaky laugh. "It's the after-effects of watching Tragic Marker. I figured since I wasn't able to see the production I should at least do this much."

"Did Ren's performance scare you?" Lory asked, amused.

"Scare? Scare is an understatement! BJ was terrifying! I fear I will be looking over my shoulder, jumping at shadows, and sleeping with the lights on for the next year, sir," Yashiro confessed, his voice rising as his agitation grew, making Lory chuckle.

"I had no idea Ren was capable of that caliber of acting, but I know why you paired Kyoko with him. Ren is a method actor. You were worried that he would get stuck in BJ's darkness if left to his own devices," Yashiro insinuated, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his knows. He had an inkling that Ren was hiding a dark past. Maybe one day Ren would trust him enough to open up to him. Kyoko had to be privy to all his secrets. Relationships were built on trust, he doubted Ren withheld any of his secrets from her. Yashiro was a little jealous of Kyoko.

"That was exac-," Lory began but was interrupted by the knock on the door. He looked up as Ten, Ren, and Kyoko walked through the door Ruto held open. They gave their greetings to Ruto then strode deeper into the room, exchanging greetings with Yashiro and Lory.

"Darling, I delivered these precious babies as promised. Don't forget you owe me a reward," Ten cooed, giving Lory a wink.

"Thank you, Ten. We couldn't have pulled this off without you," Lory smiled warmly at the spunky woman.

"You're welcome, Darling. I'll be running along. I have another client in an hour," she announced and left after a whirlwind of goodbyes.

"Ren, Kyoko, you two have caused such a stir and it's been less than twenty-four hours. Before we get down to business, I want to congratulate you both on a job well done as the Heel siblings. The response from the media and the public was more than I could have imagined." Lory address Ren, "To put it bluntly, how's your sanity? I've seen your BJ, should I be worried."

Ren flinched. Why is he asking this in front of Yashiro-san? Didn't we have this talk already as soon as I returned from Guam? He had been living fine, well almost fine, with Kyoko. He still had residual nightmares of Rick but they were becoming infrequent since he finally accepted his past. He still had a ways to go.

"If you are questioning my sanity because you fear that I may inadvertently slip into BJ unknowingly then there's no need to worry. I've been in control all this time. I still have my talisman after all," Ren assured him.

Lory stroked his chin deep in thought. This was the biggest step Ren had ever taken towards moving forward. It seemed Kyoko was exactly the right person to lead the charge. He looked at the girl in admiration. She was indeed special. Kyoko had accomplished so much in a short time and now the media was taking notice.

"On a related subject but not the initial reason for your presence, Director Konoe said he has been flooded with job requests for the Heel siblings, especially for Setsuka-chan. He is advocating for Setsuka's reveal at the end of the week with her brother since she caught the eye of so many people. He thought it only fair to make Kyoko known so she can take advantage of all the lucrative jobs coming through for her. If you're against it, we can work it out so that Setsu is her own person and you can still take the jobs as her without revealing yourself."

"Ehhh! People want to hire Setsu?" Kyoko asked incredulously. She couldn't believe that just accompanying Ren to one event would yield such rewards. They had come intending to ask the President to talk to the director about revealing her but it seemed they didn't have to.

"Ah, so it seems the Director was one step ahead of us and had already made a decision on the matter," Ren turned to Kyoko and smiled.

"Oh did something happen last night to make the Director come to such a conclusion?" Lory already knew the details, he just wanted to tease them a bit. He was amused when they both flushed. Ok, maybe he didn't know all the juicy details.

"No – no - nothing too serious happened. It's just that…," Kyoko stammered as her gaze focused on her tapping fingers rather than Lory. Her face was now crimson as she recalled the situation Taira had caught them in. There was no way she was saying that out loud in front of anyone but Ren especially the President.

"Um… it's just that many of the cast and staff members were accusing Ren, not to his face, of cheating on myself with Setsu. I don't want that kind of horrible rumor spreading about him; therefore, I, no we, thought it best if I come clean as well," Kyoko finished. She bit on her lip as she finally looked up to meet Lory's eye.

Yashiro was squirming in his seat. He wished more than ever he could have been a fly on the wall to witness the Heel siblings in action. He would definitely tease Ren later and try to get the details.

"Awe Ren, I bet you're feeling truly loved right now," Lory said to the boy he considered another son. Ren couldn't hide his smile.

"So you're willing to make such a sacrifice for his sake? Even I can't predict the fallout you may receive if you reveal yourself," said Lory to Kyoko.

"I think revealing her is the best option. If we stay quiet, Ren looks like a cheater and I would just look like a pathetic girlfriend that accepts his cheating ways. I am not embarrassed about having played Setsu so thoroughly. It would only expand my reputation as an actress, " Kyoko told him confidently.

"You do have a point, I'm sure the offers for Setsu would extend to you as well. Okay, so it's settled. I will talk to Konoe-san. As for the offers, I will tell him to pass a note to the other parties to try again next week after the interview if they are still interested."

Lory gave Ruto a slight nod. "Moving on to the next order of business. The main reason I called you all here concerns Mogami-kun." He paused as Ruto handed them each a copy of both articles that the Boost reporter had proposed.

Yashiro shook like leaf. It felt like he was in the movie theater all over again. Sitting beside his two charges left him feeling the maximum effects of their killing auras. Kyoko's was just as strong as Ren's. The familiar presence of Mio and BJ terrified him. He almost felt sorry for the reporter that had the gall to splash the sordid details of Kyoko's past with her family and that damn singer in the tabloids. He thought they had finally moved past that guy, yet here he was invading her space once again.

Ren paced the room angrily. Kyoko's career was just taking flight. He wasn't sure what the consequences would be for an article like this.

Is this Fuwa's revenge?

His anger dissipated when he glanced at his girlfriend. This was no time to lose his cool. He noticed the way her hands bunched in fists while she stared down at her lap. He couldn't see her face since it was hidden behind her long hair. He knelt in front of her and placed a soothing hand on her cheek. It was only when he touched her that he realized she was trembling. His hand prodded raising her chin so she would look at him. The golden eyes he had come to adore swirled with anger for but a moment until they locked on to him. He liked to think that his presence somehow calmed her as if he truly possessed some sort of the magic she believed in.

"Sir, are these drafts? Why are there two articles? They give off two different vibes. This is Boost magazine, right? They're notorious for making stuff up to lure in readers. Isn't there anything we can do?" Yashiro asked the President.

Kyoko and Ren turned their attention to Yashiro. Their manager always kept a sane head on his shoulders at a time of crisis.

"Did Fuwa Sho sell himself out to the tabloids?" Ren asked when the President didn't immediately answer Yashiro's questions.

"I'll get back to your questions Yuki. I'll answer Ren's first. I'm not sure who put the reporter on Mogami-kun's trail, but it seems he went to their hometown to get answers. As for Fuwa being behind it, I had called the Akatoki President who vehemently denied such an accusation. I also sent him the article. He knows the business and knows that discretion is key. Akatoki is in the mindset that he almost wants this article to be released in hopes that this would humble Fuwa-kun. He also knows that this would be a small blip on Fuwa-kun's career, so he's leaving the decision up to us. He will deal with any damages caused on his end." Lory paused as he let them digest his words.

"Now back to Yuki's questions. My theory on why there are two articles is he's trying to bait us with the damning one to publish the story he wants: the unfinished one, which would require input from Mogami-kun herself to make it credible," the President continued.

"So what you're implying is he's giving Kyoko-chan a choice to decide the method in which she wants to share her past information. I'm surprised he's being so generous, "Yashiro contemplated.

"Do you mean like how in the first article Fuwa Sho's name is explicitly stated while the second article simply identified him as a childhood friend, removing my connection to him specifically," Kyoko replied in understanding.

"I wonder if it's that simple. What's next, President? How do we get the reporter to agree to dismiss the first article and publish the second one instead?" Ren asked.

The trio gulped nervously as they watched Lory's sneaky smile cross his face while resting his chin on his interlaced fingers. Lory's scheming was never good.

"Oh, I don't know. I think I have to agree with the Akatoki President. Get all the dirty laundry aired out while Mogami-kun is still a fledgling in the industry. This way the past won't come to haunt her again. It may cause a few setbacks but I'm sure she could overcome it. I leave it to Mogami-kun to decide."

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Before anyone could respond, they twisted toward the sound. Ruto opened the door revealing a disheveled looking man trailing behind.

AN: To be continued…LOL. Gomen everyone, I keep doing this but again it was getting too long. I meant to have this out last night but I got caught up reading webtoons instead…teehee. Thank you all for continuing to read and sticking with me. I hope you enjoyed it. Big thanks to those that left me a review; I heart you all. To the Guest reviewer that binged this story and left me detailed reviews on almost all the chapters, you made my day.

As for the mention of "adopting" Kyoko...I was just too lazy to explain but I'm in line with your thoughts. I want her to eventually take Tadashi's name. Their relationship is very new so it would be some time before that comes up. I appreciate all your feedback on the subject, it was inspiring.

If some of you are confused on why Lory said he dropped hints on the fansite, it was because the next day after publishing the last chapter I read it again and thought ooh I should have made that Lory speaking, and so I did. I apologize.

I do have something planned for Kimiko (since I don't write it down it's ever-changing. *sweatdrop*). All I know is that I have to push her to the edge, otherwise I fear she would just get off scot-free with her acting and her connections.

Also, the reason I update so frequently is that I too want to know what's going to happen next. The manga has left me impatient...LOL. BTW I used the bonus chapter where Setsu and Sho met for inspiration.

Until next time, ja ne!