Chapter 56: Trials and Tribulations

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Kyoko would have a parent that cared.

"It's okay, let him through," Lory instructed then hung up the phone.

Only fifteen minutes had passed since Kyoko and Ren left with the reporter, yet Yashiro was starting to feel anxious. It didn't sit well with him that he had no clue what they were discussing without him. He found comfort knowing that Ren was with her. As a seasoned actor, Ren was a pro at deflecting any questions he didn't want to answer, so Yashiro was sure Kyoko was in good hands.

Even though Kyoko had chosen the article with the least impact, it would still sting. No woman wanted the world reading about their failures in love. It was like she had to go through all those trials and tribulations at a young age to find her way into the world of acting. If she had not responded in the cliche way of the proverb, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned because of Fuwa Sho's betrayal, the world would be less bright without her as a star.

A sharp knock on the door at the other end of the vast office garnered his attention. The person on the other side didn't even wait for permission to be admitted and flung open the door.

"Where the hell is she Takarada-san?" Tadashi challenged and swept through Lory's office looking for his daughter. His chest heaved from the tussle he had with the three security guards downstairs and the sprint to the office. If he wasn't in such a panic, he would have walked into the building calmly and followed visitor protocol. Instead, he had burst in through the front doors and rushed towards the elevators. He had to hand it to the President, his security was quick at restraining him.

Since Tadashi was a judoka himself, he easily deflected the first guy, but there was strength in numbers. He was eventually subdued by the other two. Memories of his younger days flooded his mind as he felt the cold of the tile floor pressed against his cheek. The guard holding his arms together and pressing his knee to his back made him realize he had acted foolishly. "Call your boss, he's expecting me," Tadashi spat out in resignation. I must be getting old.

He hoped his little escapade did not harm Kyoko. The only other person in the lobby was the receptionist, so at least there weren't more to witness his folly. After an exchange, over the portable two-way radio, Tadashi was helped off the ground and let through. The long elevator ride up to the top floor where the President of LME's office resided was just slow enough for Tadashi to imagine all kinds of scenarios he could find his daughter in.

Tadashi devil: They are probably interrogating her right now. She's probably scared and helpless.

Tadashi angel: Quit feeding him lies. She is a survivor. She has gone more than seventeen years without his interference...oops!

Tadashi hung his head in shame at the thought. He had missed so much of her life.

Tadashi devil: Who knows what the reporter is asking her? Those tabloids could be ruthless.

Tadashi Angel: I'm sure she is with Ren-kun. I doubt he would allow her to face the wolves alone. He's been in this business longer, so he would know how to react to a question.

Tadashi Devil: What if she's crying? The best gossip is in her past. It would mean opening up a lot of old wounds and displaying them to the world.

Tadashi Angel:...

Tadashi could not counter that thought with something more positive. He was starting to get agitated and angry at himself. It was his fault for arriving too late. He felt like a typical deadbeat Dad right now. When she needed him most, he was out frolicking around.

Tadashi wrapped the towel around his waist as he stepped out of the shower after his ten-km run. He wanted to keep physically fit so he could run after his future grandbabies. He picked up his phone from the sink counter and sent his usual morning message to his daughter then went about getting ready for the day. On his stroll to his favorite coffee shop a few blocks from his apartment, Tadashi's attention was snagged by a newsstand. He bought two copies of each newspaper and magazine that featured the Heel siblings.

With coffee and two of his favorite chocolate-filled croissants in hand, he sought his regular spot in the park. Tadashi sat on the bench and proceeded to eat and drink while he watched a flock of ducks lazily glide across the pond. Enjoying nature and the outdoors was his favorite part of the day. It was the main reason he lived so close to Central Park in NYC. It was practically the only place with trees in that concrete jungle.

As the ducks drew closer, he tossed some remnants of his croissant into the pond. He was excited to see a few ducklings among the group. He pulled out his phone to snap a few photos to send to Kyoko. Tadashi hummed. The phone he just pulled out of his pocket was the one he used for business. It was inevitable that he would get them mixed up since he used the same phones. He liked this brand and style of phone, so he bought two: one for work and the other for personal calls.

'I should buy a case to distinguish between the two.'

The office was closed today so no one should be calling him. He would have to send the pictures to Kyoko whenever he made it back to the apartment. When the ducks realized he was out of food, they went on their way. Tadashi sat back and opened the bag with his purchases. He had asked the clerk to bag them separately, one for reading and one for his collection.

Tadashi took his time looking at the photos and reading the articles on the siblings. His children were indeed impressive. An article touting the top ten places to take your significant other in Tokyo caught his eye. 'Ooh, this restaurant in the tower of this hotel looks like a good spot.'

He used his phone to pin the location on the map. 'A planetarium café?', pinned. 'Best dolphin show ever!', pinned.

"As I thought DisneySea is also high on the list," he muttered to himself. He doubted she would have a whole day to dedicate to playing there right now. It would have to wait until he returned from New York.

A glance at his phone told him that he had been sitting here for almost two hours. He placed the magazines back in its bag for him to look at later. He hoped Kyoko would have time this week so he could take her to some of the places he marked. He was looking forward to some daddy-daughter dates…plus Ren.

Tadashi called his driver to pick him up. It would take at least 40 minutes with traffic to get to the movie theater. Sure there was one closer to his location, but this particular theater offered 4D and had full surround sound capability. Many of the reviews said that it was the subtle sounds in the background that made the hair on the back of their neck prick up while watching Tragic Marker. It supposedly amplified the eeriness of the movie. Tadashi had to take it one step further to get the full immersion of the movie.

Tadashi returned to his apartment later that afternoon with groceries to make a light dinner. He didn't think he could stomach anything after watching that bloodbath, but he knew a nutritious meal was necessary to keep a healthy body. He sat on the couch thumbing through another magazine. He stared at the picture of Cain Heel. Even though Tadashi was good at deceiving people back in the day, he didn't know the first thing about acting techniques. What he did was purely for self-preservation. He wondered what kind of training an actor like Ren would have to undergo to pull off a role so devoid of human emotion as he did with BJ.

PING! PING!

Tadashi's ears perked up at the sound of his other phone. He retraced his steps trying to recall where he left it. It wasn't in the bathroom or on the dresser where he often left it. He heard the pings again coming from, "the closet?"

"Morimoto-san, it's good to see you again. If you had called beforehand, I would have made sure Ruto was downstairs to greet you. I'm afraid your timing is rather late; Mogami-kun is currently in an interview," Lory explained in a boisterous tone.

"I did call! The receptionist said you were in a closed meeting and could not be disturbed. The voicemail you left was cryptic. I needed to see her for myself, she's still a minor after all. Don't you need a guardian's permission for this sort of thing? Have you informed her mother?"

"When it comes to matters of work, Mogami-san has given me full disclosure on Kyoko's behalf. If it eases your mind, I did talk to Mogami-san and made her aware of the situation. Have you not spoken to her?"

"Well, I, um, I couldn't impose on her." His earlier courage him. He wasn't sure how to face Saena now that they had spoken. He knew their paths would cross again someday; he just didn't think it would need to be so soon.

Poor Mogami-kun, her parents were like newborn calves, Lory thought. But at least he's trying.

"Please, have a seat while we wait. It shouldn't be too much longer. These things usually go quickly to not take up too much time for the celebrity. Would you like a drink?" Lorry offered.

Yashiro greeted Tadashi and bowed. He almost felt sorry for the guy. The way Kyoko's father was breathing spoke volumes. He could only imagine what kind of thoughts were racing through Tadashi's mind as he rushed to get here. Knowing the President for so long, Tadashi probably played right into his hands.

Tadashi resigned himself to wait. He greeted Yashiro in return and took his seat. Ruto set the glass of ice water Tadashi had requested before his butt hit the cushion. He eyed the soldier suspiciously. How is he so quiet in that armor?

"Can you fill me in on what exactly is going on?" Tadashi asked Lory directly after taking a few sips of his drink.

"Certainly, we can start with you taking a look at the documents in front of you." Lory gestured to the draft articles that were left behind on the table.

Yashiro squirmed as a dark aura seeped out of Tadashi's while he read the article. He had never heard the full story of what that singer did to his daughter and now he was livid. He wanted to get his hands around the boy's neck and squeeze. How dare this kid do this to his daughter?

Tadashi looked up with a murderous glint in his eye. "Is this article true? Did Kyoko endure such hardship because of this boy?"

Lory and Yashiro both nodded in assent.

Tadashi stood and started pacing. He was livid and needed to walk off his anger. It explained why she was hesitant to talk about this boy and this probably dredged up some terrible memories for her.

He took his seat again and hung his head in his hands. This story wasn't just about Kyoko. It talked about her upbringing and targeted her mother too. It's all my fault. How can I fix this?

Tadashi felt a glimmer of hope as he continued to think then looked at Lory. "If this story is already written, why is Kyoko in an interview? Is the reporter trying to corroborate the information on here? It hasn't been printed yet?"

"That's true, but you can't very well go around threatening reporters Morimoto-san. That's bound to backfire in your face. Think of how Kyoko would feel if you took such drastic measures," Lory warned.

Yashiro watched Tadashi weigh his options. He had a feeling that Kyoko's father was thinking of doing more than just threatening. How much did the President know about this man? There was a scary side to him. Yashiro had seen enough movies that exaggerated a father's sense of justice when it came to their daughters. This was not that kind of situation.

"Before you get to hasty. Do read the other article first," Lory suggested, nodding to the other document.

Yashiro was able to breathe easier once Tadashi's murderous aura evaporated as he read the other article.

"Is this is the reason for the interview? How can you guarantee that the other version won't get leaked? Is this reporter even trustworthy? I need to make some calls."

First, he had to call Sota to get him everything he had on this reporter. Then, he needed to call his lawyers. Tadashi was not new to being in the limelight. The PR director at Rising Sun should have some contacts within the media.

As if reading his mind, Lory said, "there's no need. I have already asked the legal team here to draft up a contract." Lory stood up and passed a folder to Tadashi. "This in no way guarantees that another reporter won't jump on the story and conduct their research. Unfortunately, the route Mogami-kun chose just delays the inevitable. However, I have a feeling there will be more exciting news in the tabloids that will overshadow this one next week."

"This is my treasure. This stone has magical healing powers that absorb all my sadness," Kyoko told him, letting him in on her biggest secret.

Koki looked skeptical as he peered closely at the stone she held in her hands. He wasn't a geologist, but he had never seen a rock of that hue before. Is it a sapphire? The sentimental value of it made it priceless.

"Where did you get such a stone? Did you find it while playing outside perhaps?" He inquired.

"It was given to me by a fairy prince when I was six years old," she told him with such conviction. Koki's brows scrunched up in confusion. He glanced at Ren for some sort of explanation. The actor just smiled and shrugged.

"So you're saying you had an imaginary friend as a child?" Koki asked trying to rationalize what she just said in his mind. She must have picked up the stone while playing pretend outside.

"Oh no, he's real! You see, after a very upsetting day, I sought my sanctuary in the woods by the river behind the ryokan. When I burst through the trees, he was there by the river in all his glory, dazzling in the sunlight. For several days we played by the river together. When I was with him, I was able to forget all my troubles. It was the best memory of my childhood. When he left, he gave me this stone to cheer me up in his stead. Whenever something significantly painful came my way, I sought solace with this stone that reminded me of happier days."

"I see, so you use fairy power to overcome your sadness. I don't think that would work for everyone. Not many people are believers these days. I'm curious, did you ever manage to see your fairy prince again?" Koki said playing along. The reporter hummed curiously at her guilty reaction and the blush on her cheeks.

"Ugh, um un-unfortunately, I have not be-…" She stuttered trying to deny that she ever saw him again.

She cut off her words when Ren squeezed her hand, "I was the one that gave her the stone when we were kids."

Koki looked between the two of them incredulously. This was a huge scoop. They had known each other as children. "Are you telling me that you guys knew each other as children?"

"Yes, we only recently reacquainted with each other when we met at LME after ten years. Our feelings of friendship as children blossomed into romantic love as we worked and spent more time with each other," Ren confessed. This was his first big step to sharing his past with the public. It was all he would say regarding the matter even though Koki tried to press him with more questions. All he would reveal was that he was accompanying his father on business. Koki was extremely happy with that small piece of information.

The interview moved on to more questions regarding how she even started acting. She told him about the bet she had made with her childhood friend to get her revenge. Kyoko shared with him how Ren had thrown her out that first day she came to LME. Koki could not help looking at them in adoration as they bickered back and forth like an old married couple. He did not doubt that many of her revelations were going to surprise the readers and was excited to get to work.

"I just have one more question that I hope you could answer. What exactly were you doing dressed up in a kimono at the hotel with Director Shingai of Ring Doh? I never did get to ask my questions back then."

"Ehhhh, that was you? I didn't know." Kyoko wailed. She couldn't say exactly what transpired because it would make Ruriko-san and the Director look bad if she confessed to trying to steal the role.

"I was assisting Ruriko-san as one of my LoveMe member tasks. I did such a great job that the Director rewarded me with a makeover. We were taking photographs in the hotel to commemorate the moment. I was so happy it was my first time having my make-up done by a professional," she gushed enthusiastically over the power of make-up in hopes that Koki would drop it.

Koki smiled and stood not wanting to spoil his luck. They gave him more than enough information for him to spin a tale so grand that the fans would embrace the dark parts of this revolutionary princess. There was no doubt she was going to make waves in the acting community.

Bowing, he said, "Thank you, Kyoko-san, Tsuruga-san for your cooperation and time. I hope my article helps increase your popularity, Kyoko-san. I look forward to your growth as an actress. Everyone has a few blemishes in their past that they aren't proud of but it's what you do to overcome those struggles that make life worth living that is important. I expect great things from both of you for years to come."

Ren knew Koki was talking specifically to Kyoko but his words left a lasting impression on him.

Kyoko was startled to see her father waiting after they returned to Lory's office. She was taken by surprise when he jumped at her appearance and pulled her into a hug.

"Are you alright?" He asked pulling away to look at her. "He didn't force you to say anything you weren't comfortable with, did he?"

Before Kyoko could answer, his eyes shifted to look behind her.

"You!" Tadashi accused. His gold eyes flashed with anger as they settled on the stranger that walked in behind the young couple. "You should be ashamed of yourself! How could you even think about writing something like that about a young girl? Even if it were true, do you know what kind of damage this can do to her?

"Um, Tadashi-san…." Kyoko began but her father continued to rave. He had grabbed Koki by the t-shirt and glared at the man.

"Who put you up to this? I know you reporters all have a source! And don't give me that baloney about protecting your source if you know what's good for you!"

"A little help please," Koki squeaked out fearful for his life now.

"Tadashi-san, please," Kyoko looked to the other men to see if they were going to interfere. They all just stood around watching. To be fair it was all something, they wanted to do to the reporter themselves.

"If you want a story that sells write about me. I'm Morimoto Tadashi of Rising Sun. If you need secrets exposed, I'll give you mine. I'm privy to the seediness of politicians and business moguls if I'm not good enough, which one do you want?"

"Father! Please stop!" Kyoko yelled to be heard over his voice. He was acting rashly. There was no way she would let him compromise his company for her.

Tadashi stopped yelling abruptly. His face melted. Did I hear her right? Did she just call me Father? The hand gripping the reporter's shirt loosened as embarrassment flooded his body. Tadashi bowed an apology to everyone for losing his composure.

"No, I'm sorry. I deserved it," Koki told him. "It was in poor taste for me to attack an innocent girl on paper like that. I respect your daughter and I hope the article I write helps her in some way."

"Thank you for trying to make me feel better, but we all know the reason why Kyoko-chan even has such a story to tell is because of me. Had I been there for her, things would have been very different. I overdid things trying to make up for the past. I'm sorry, Kyoko-chan," Tadashi said weakly.

"It's okay, father. Thank you for being here now. I'm more than fine," she said beaming a smile at him.

Tadashi was elated. He felt so damn lucky to be the father of this angel. He needed to extend his stay in Tokyo to be here for her, just in case. Tadashi cleared his throat and went back into businessman mode.

"I promise my intentions are sincere; however, I've been in this business for a long time, some other reporter won't be as nice," Koki warned them.

"I want to know your source. You reporters all have one," Tadashi demanded.

"My source is anonymous. She has never used her real name when contacting me and I never bothered looking into her. She calls herself Queen B and considers herself a chess master. I will say this, her tips are usually right on the money so she has to be in show biz!" Koki divulged.

Yashiro gasped! Everyone in the room turned to him.

"Do you know who that is Yashiro-san?" Ren asked their manager.

"I don't know exactly, but it's a name I've noticed on a few fan sites. This person is very vocal about their distaste for you two, especially Kyoko-chan. Just the other day, she implied that Kyoko-chan was um...sle- dating her way through celebrities to further her career."

"What?!" Tadashi, Kyoko, and Ren shouted in unison.

"Please don't kill me. I'm just relaying what circulated on social media." Yashiro cringed at the suffocating aura the trio were emitting in his direction.

Kyoko's grudges swirled around her as she became deep in thought. Who could this person possibly be? It has to be someone in show biz that's out to get me. The first person that came to mind when thinking in female terms was Mimori. The girl despised her for being close to Shotaro in the past. No, that can't be right. She loved Sho and wouldn't jeopardize his career. That only left...

"Kyoko, Kyoko," Ren said calling her name. "Is everything okay?" he asked looking at her with concern. She nodded and smiled as her grudges retreated from Ren.

"I don't like these rumors one bit," Tadashi said with a huff. "I'm putting my guy on it just in case."

"I'll also have Ruto investigate," Lory included.

"If there's nothing else for me. I would like to get going. I want to get to work," Koki said then bowed. He made a move toward the door, but Lory stopped him.

"Before you go, there is one other thing," Lory announced. Ruto handed Koki a folder containing the contract. "It's not that we don't trust you. We just need some assurance."

AN: Happy "Vain" Day everyone! Thanks for sticking with me and continuing to read. I hope you enjoyed it. The only reason I left Tadashi MIA was that I wanted to show him in his leisure time and have him freak out. I modeled his phone issues after myself...LOL.

Thank you to all of the reviewers of the last chapter. I appreciate you taking the time to leave me a note. A few of you already knew where I was going with this, I'm glad I'm so predictable. I do like fluffy especially after all the anxiety Sensei has put me through XD...btw I used my iPad to edit this ;)

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^