Chapter 61: You're the Chicken!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Kyoko and Chiori would have a bonding moment over ice cream.

Yashiro regretted his chosen login name the moment he entered Fuwa's fansite. They were like piranhas that got a small whiff of blood as they tore into him.

ShoLOVESpochi: VengefulAngelFan, you have a lot of nerve coming in here right now using that name.

ShoLover1: If you're a fan of that lying bitch you can see your way out of here.

ShoLover2: Just because she's a little famous now, she thinks she can bad-mouth our Sho-sama!

Whoa! Yashiro had to tread lightly here. These vicious fans were on a whole other level in here. He had to keep this a secret from Ren and Kyoko. His female charge would probably char him on the grill if she knew what he was doing.

VengefulAngelFan: Excuse me? I'm not following. I'm just a big fan of the Prisoner PV. Didn't you see the end when the Angel killed Sho-san? I felt a deep connection between them.

ShoLOVESpochi: There's no way! Sho-chan loves Mimori's angel the most, not that ugly girl that can only look good with professional make-up.

Yashiro groaned loudly. Some women were just so evil. He was on this site because of a post on Kyoko's site mentioning that Queen B was actually on Fuwa's fansite leading the charge against Kyoko.

He had baited Ren earlier by telling him Queen B was stirring up trouble in Kyoko's fansite. To tell the truth, she had not signed on since this morning. It was a good thing Ren had been preoccupied with the other content that he didn't realize Yashiro's slip-up just to get him to answer a personal question. At least now he knew what Kimiko was up to.

QueenB: Pochi you're such a pathetic case. Kyoko is clearly referring to Sho-san in her article. How much more evidence do you need?

ShoLover3: sp_nicovideo_jp/Sho_jptoday This is the video when Sho-san did that live performance on Japan Today. Listen to what he says in the beginning.

Yashiro clicked on the link curiously and turned up the volume. OMG! Yashiro's inner fangirl exclaimed. It was completely obvious to anyone that knew of their relationship who he was referring to when he said "K." Yashiro glanced up as a paranoid reflex to being Ren's manager. He was safely tucked away in Ren's trailer at the moment.

QueenB: Don't forget about this one sp_nicovideo_jp/Sho_intermission_DA. Watch until the end.

ShoLover2: I love him! He sang his heart out that night. I cried watching him on TV and immediately pre-ordered my copy of that single.

ShoLOVESpochi: Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Sho-chan loves Mimori!

Yashiro recalled this particular performance because he had watched the whole broadcast of the awards ceremony. At the end of the video, the camera just happened to pan to Ren and Kyoko. It was obvious Ren was trying to comfort her as tears trailed down her cheeks. How she managed to cry so elegantly that night was beyond him? If this was circulating the web, it looked very suspicious. People would begin to speculate that perhaps Kyoko was the one that broke his heart instead.

Yashiro sighed as he put away his phone and removed his gloves. He left the privacy of the dressing room to watch Ren in his latest drama.

Yashiro was amazed by the easy way Ren got along with all his new costars. He was surprised that Ren could show such an unguarded expression to anyone but Kyoko. The gorgeous dark blonde in his arms wagged her tail appreciatively. Ren chuckled as the golden retriever, Rosie, licked his face with the flat of her tongue. Ever the professional, Ren was able to ad-lib the scene and finish it.

His character was the son of one of Japan's richest families that hated the life planned out for him: perfect education, perfect friends, perfect unloved girlfriend. When he finally graduated from high school, using an alias, he chose to leave that unfulfilling life behind and pursue his dreams of becoming a veterinarian. One day he meets Rosie and falls in love with her owner. Just when things seem to be going well for him, his family interferes when his father falls ill.

Ren had resonated with the part since it reminded him of his current double life. The fact that he could play with animals was the best perk.

Yashiro pocketed his phone after capturing Ren's expression perfectly. He knew Kyoko and the President would appreciate the photo.

Kyoko wasn't sure what happened between lunch and now to have increased the number of hateful fans she saw in the crowd. Words such as "liar, manipulative bitch, and tease" were shouted above the reporters' questions and the camera's shutters. She wasn't sure how they kept finding her either. Her father assumed that they were being tipped off by the staff.

Tadashi had wrapped his arm around her and guided her through the crowd with the aid of security personnel.

When a reporter threw out the question, "Is it true that you broke Fuwa-kun's heart to pursue Tsuruga-san?"

Kyoko managed to keep her face neutral while her grudges stirred within her and replied with, "no comment." How in the world had they jumped to such a conclusion based on the article and why was Shotaro singled out among all the other celebrities her age?

Work had been the best distraction and put her in a good mood until now. The CM she finished today was a lot of fun since she got to play dress-up with beautiful clothes. All they wanted her to do was move to music, walk to the beat, and add a few twirls here and there. The director wanted her to portray a flirty person in front of the camera. Easier said than done. Kyoko had fifteen minutes to nail down her character while the director finished preparing the set. Studying her face in the mirror, she had tried several times to find the right expression. She appeared more and more constipated with every face she made.

The reflection of her father sitting behind her gave her the idea to ask for his advice even if it still felt a little strange having him around.

"What do you think father?" She asked as she struck her flirty pose channeling Natsu. Naachan was a shameless flirt when it came to hot guys.

"Do you have a tummy ache, sweetie? I can pick up some medicine."

Kyoko let out a frustrated groan. "Ugh, so using Naachan right now is no good. She's usually my goto girl when it comes to flirting."

"Naachan?" Tadashi asked a bit confused.

"It's my nickname for my character in the Box-R drama. I thought if I channeled her, I can do a good job with this commercial, but I'm having trouble conjuring her up completely right now."

Tadashi was familiar with Natsu. Of course, he bought the entire DVD set of Box-R as soon as possible. He was in awe at how she played a charismatic high school girl that took great joy in torturing anyone that annoyed her. Her character was so unlike the young woman before him which was amazing. His daughter was truly talented.

"Well, perhaps somewhere in the back of your mind you want to try to complete this job as yourself, no?" Tadashi suggested. He hoped he sounded helpful and wondered if Yashiro could have offered her better advice.

Kyoko's eyes widened, realizing he was right. That could be the reason why she couldn't fully commit to using Naachan's image. They wanted her, not Natsu.

"I can't wrap my head around it because the plai-...ugh me now, doesn't know how to be flirty," she confessed, dejectedly. Kyoko almost slipped into her old habits and called herself plain. She was a model now and becoming more popular every day. She had to remind herself that no one saw her as plain but years of that emotional abuse heaped on her by Shotaro was hard to overcome.

"How about you make it simple? Imagine that Ren-kun is taking you on a shopping spree and you're just giving him a mini fashion show as you come out of the dressing room. You've been with him a long time, you know his expressions. I'm sure they be would be blissful from seeing you in the new outfits then you can react naturally to it."

Kyoko smiled. It wasn't a bad idea. Her boyfriend took great joy in spoiling her; it would be easy to imagine.

A staff member knocked on the door announcing the five-minute mark. Kyoko hugged her father quickly in thanks leaving him stunned and so very happy.

The Director and store owner were both pleased with her performance that she walked away with three new outfits including shoes and jewelry. They only asked that she do them the favor of wearing their merchandise proudly. Kyoko was so grateful that she would later refer to their store when anyone asked about an item she was wearing.

After shooting the commercial, she had just enough time to make it to her engagement with Chiori.

Kyoko walked into the ice cream parlor with Tadashi in tow. Chiori waved her hand when she spotted her friend. The customers hushed as she walked past their tables. The brave stopped her for autographs and pictures. Chiori lost her patience at the fifth stop.

"Hey! You people leave her alone. She is on my time and you're cutting into it," she shouted angrily to the other patrons in the ice cream shop. That was enough to settle them down and leave her alone. Kyoko nodded in apology to the customers and quickly closed the distance to Chiori's table.

"I'm so sorry, Chiori-san, I should have known better with everything that's happening today and worn a disguise. "

"No, you're fine. It's all these rude people in here that can't comprehend that your time is precious," her voice rising as she glared at those staring at them.

Ignoring the loud whispers, Kyoko took her seat to try to hide from the prying eyes. Forgetting that her father was behind her she popped back up. "Where are my manners? Father this is Amamiya Chiori-san. She's one of my closest friends and an amazing actress. Chiori-san, this is my father Morimoto Tadashi."

Chiori stood quickly and bowed, "Morimoto-san, I am very pleased to meet you."

"Likewise, Amamiya-san. Thank you for taking care of my daughter," Tadashi greeted, flashing her a dazzling smile.

That smile coupled with those large amber eyes were enough to make Chiori blush. Her friend's dad was a hunk for an old guy. Her heart rate sped up as he complimented her performance as Yumika in Box-R.

"I'll leave you girls to catch up. Call me when you need to settle the bill. I'll take care of it. I'm going outside to make some calls," Tadashi told them.

The girls watched him walk up to the counter and talk to the female store manager. They watched in amazement as Tadashi turned the woman to mush with only a short exchange. He handed his card over as he pointed out the two girls. The woman smiled again and bowed.

"Your dad is a real ladies' man."

"What do you mean?"

"It's because you're practically married to Japan's hottest man that you are too dense to notice anyone else. Tsuruga-san sure is lucky. I get it. He's your dad, so it's gross to think of him in that way. But didn't you see all the women in here watching him? Heck, the shop lady almost swooned as he approached her."

Kyoko blushed at her friend's insinuation about her relationship with Ren. She looked at her father, through the shop window as he talked on his phone. He was taller than the average Japanese man but nowhere near as tall as Ren. He had a full head of hair, swept back in a trendy style with only a hint of silver at his temples. She watched in amazement as two young women passed by stealing glances at him and giggling like school girls.

"Earth to Kyoko-san," Chiori said snapping her fingers.

Kyoko snapped out of her thoughts and stared at her friend. "I'm sorry, Chiori-san, you were saying?"

"Sheesh, your head is always in the clouds. Are you ready to order?" she asked, nodding toward the waitress Kyoko had failed to notice.

"Yes, sorry! I'll have a classic banana split in a waffle bowl please!"

The waitress nodded and left to fill their order.

Within ten minutes, they received their ice cream and dove in. Chiori had ordered the strawberry shortcake sundae. Before Kyoko could forget she brought up the welcome home party she was planning for Kanae. Chiori agreed to come and to help out in any way she could. After a few minutes had ticked by, Chiori brought up the elephant in the room, a topic Kyoko knew she couldn't avoid. She was grateful her friend acted like a fangirl instead of touching on the more sensitive subjects.

"I can't believe you knew Tsuruga-san as a child! How is that even possible?" Chiori asked unable to contain herself. "Because of this revelation, I am now a complete believer in fate."

"You can ask me you know. I'll try to answer any question if I'm at liberty to do so," Kyoko told her. It was refreshing to have friends she could share her life with and not get judged for her stupidity.

Chiori's eyes narrowed as she studied her friend dressed to the nines. She looked good today. She contemplated asking Kyoko about Setsuka Heel but decided to wait.

"We can wait for Kanae-san to come back and have a Karaoke girl's night. This way you don't have to say things twice. She knows right? About the article? She would kill you if she's blind-sighted by the news. I, myself, was so surprised when I saw it this morning!"

Kyoko was reminded that she didn't tell Chiori in advance that it was coming. "I'm sorry, I didn't tell you earlier. My mind was a bit distracted and I barely had time to process it all. I did manage to tell Moko-san through mail. She's probably mad at me anyway. There were a lot of things in the article I withheld from her," Kyoko mumbled. She was close to tears at the thought of Kanae hating her.

"Hey, hey, that's enough of that. I'm sure she's just busy, give her some time. You'll ruin your face if you cry. Eat some more of that mountain of ice cream, it'll make you feel better. I don't know how you can pack all those calories and not get fat. I almost hate you for it."

They enjoyed the rest of their time together talking about their latest work until it was time for Kyoko to leave. Chiori's manager had arrived right on time and was conversing with Tadashi as he settled the bill.

Now they were back at the Sacred Lotus with Shotaro's fans throwing accusations her way about breaking his heart. It was like middle school all over again. She held her head high and ignored them. She was going to give Shotaro an earful if he was behind this influx of hate.

"Welcome to the club, Kyoko-chan. It's tough for beautiful people like us. There's always somebody wishing to be in our shoes," Koga told her as they entered the set with Cedric and a few stuntmen.

Director Morizumi summarized the scene before yelling "action."

The scene called for a heated battle in which Shizuma-sama is injured with a life-threatening cut to his torso while fighting Yamada-san and his minions. Momiji bursts into the fray without regard for her life and drives the enemy back with the help of Shizuma's men. Momiji calls a truce with Chidori for now as they work together to close her master's wound. Chidori being the daughter of a noble would have the steadier hand from a lifetime of embroidery lessons. She takes control and stitches up Shizuma's flesh. At this moment Momiji sees the love blossom between them and for the first time in her existence she feels inadequate as a woman. She was only good for killing. The scene ends with Momiji slinking into the shadows before her tears could fall.

...

Morizumi Jiro stepped on the set of the Sacred Lotus that evening to observe the filming. He had given himself away at lunchtime. Jiro had secretly looked up Kyoko's acting credentials after talking with Jouji about the auditions. The whole industry knew what a snob Yuki was when it came to using non-actors to fill roles. For this 'talent' to change even his mind, she had to have shown him great skill at the auditions. He had been busy the past few days and had missed the rumors that were circulating the web of Setsuka Heel. His daughter had caught him off guard with her outburst that he forgot to hide his interest. He made it a point when his daughter lost the part to never speak of Kyoko in front of her. Prone to theatrics, Kimiko would think her father had thrust a knife in her back if he just thought about the actress.

He knew that even though she seemed over the audition failure, her ego and confidence had taken a fatal blow. The fact that her Uncle didn't pull through for her was like twisting that knife deeper into her back. Jouji told him that it was time he stopped coddling her when it came to acting or her skills would never grow. He thought that some adversity would do her some good. Little did the family know, their tactic to help her grow had backfired on them. When she announced she was quitting altogether, Jiro was devastated. He had tried to bribe her back with a part in his next project, but even that failed to change her mind.

Jiro contemplated sending her back to the United States. It had seemed to do her some good after that incident with her classmate. It had been a nightmare, but he believed in his daughter. She had her share of outbursts, what teenage girl didn't? The accusations from that girl's family were asinine. There was no way Kimiko had anything to do with that girl's attempt at suicide. He ended up paying for the girl's medical bills and giving the family a large sum of money in exchange for not going to the press. When they took the money willingly, he knew that they had to be lying about his daughter. Jouji had told him to just give her time before shipping her off again. The fact that she kept coming back to the set was proof that she wasn't completely done with acting.

Now that he knew her reasons for coming to the Sacred Lotus set wasn't for acting, he wished his cousin's daughter had never quit being her manager. Kimiko, obviously, still needed guidance. Since Kimiko was no longer acting, it left her manager jobless so he understood her reasons for moving on. He had offered to take care of her salary, but she still declined, stating she didn't want to be a glorified nanny any longer.

Earlier, when Jiro returned to his office after lunch, he had asked his assistant about Cain Heel. His assistant had no luck getting anything out of his contacts that worked on Tragic Marker. It was strange to him that not a single one could offer any more information about the actor. All their responses were similar. Many feared his scary face and didn't want to get anywhere near the guy let alone speak to him.

Jiro thought that was quite weird. How could so many people on set not know a damn thing about who they were working with? It was all too suspicious.

"What about his sister? The rumors surrounding her. Do you think they may be true?"

His assistant left the office and returned quickly tossing down a tabloid magazine with Kyoko on the cover. The assistant tapped on the front, "I have no doubt she's talented but to disguise herself as someone else and not reveal it to anyone where is the upside to that for a budding actress. Have you made any headway with Director Konoe?"

Jiro hung his head, it seemed like it was a dead end. He had no choice but to wait until Konoe would give him the information he wanted. Scanning the article, Jiro was surprised at what was revealed about the young actress. The images supplied showed how her appearance changed from role to role not looking anything like her original self. Since he had some time, he got the brilliant idea to visit his brother's set and see this girl for himself. As a novice, she might betray herself.

Jiro was speechless as he watched the brilliantly choreographed scene unfold before his eyes. She went toe to toe with the men and managed to put such strength and power behind her moves no matter how long it went on. He felt her anguish as she blended into the shadows, her heart breaking as she watched the man she loved direct his attentions to another woman.

"Cut!" Jouji shouted into his megaphone. He let out a whoop and started clapping. "That was brilliant everyone. Let's review the tape shall we and then call it a night." They all huddled behind Jouji to watch on the playback screen.

After about ten minutes, Jouji announced, "that's a wrap for the night, everyone!" The crew scattered to secure the site for tomorrow.

"Onii-san!" Jiro exclaimed, interrupting Jouji as he dished out final instructions. The group turned toward him with curious expressions.

"Yo, Jiro, you came. You're late. Did you at least see that last scene?" Jouji asked with a proud grin. Jiro smiled and nodded to his brother.

"Aren't my actors brilliant? I have a good feeling our ratings will be high."

The main cast stood apart as the brother's conversed to not be rude, but was still close enough to hear everything.

"I'll offer you my congrats now brother. If the rest of the drama is anything like that scene I just witnessed I won't be surprised if you get nominated for many awards. You all did well," Jiro complimented, addressing the actors.

"Here let me introduce you to the leads," Jouji told him, introducing Koga and Asahina.

"This is Ric-san, he's a talented American actor that Yuki found," Jouji committed then laughed at his brother's surprised face. "With the right wig and makeup technique, he could pass as Japanese right?"

Jiro was stunned at how this American man could pass as a Japanese just using makeup. Are makeup techniques that good these days? He never had to have someone change their ethnicity for a role so he had never seen it done before.

"And this is Yuki's gamble, Kyoko-san, the one we spoke about."

The cast each took a turn bowing as they were introduced. When it was Kyoko's turn, he stared at her intensely. His scrutiny made her feel a little uncomfortable that she found the urge to fold her arms over herself in protection.

"Kyoko-san, you're causing quite the stir. I'm looking forward to watching you grow. Perhaps in the future, we could work together." Hopefully, Kimi would have matured by then.

Surprised by his words, Kyoko bowed and thanked him.

"Everyone, this is my younger brother Jiro. He's a director/producer as well. It's in our Morizumi blood."

"Ah, so you're Kimiko-chan's father," Koga exclaimed at the realization as he pounded his fist into the palm of his hand. "I'm a fan of your work, sir."

Kyoko thought she was going to be sick. This man was the father of the snake that tried to hurt her. She wondered what kind of man he was to raise a daughter like that. No wonder he was looking at her so closely. Maybe he knew about the Kimiko incident. Is he here to confront me?

"What brings you here, Jiro?"

"I had some free time so I thought I'd stop by and see how you were getting on."

Kyoko relaxed after his response, berating herself for overreacting. Director Jouji so far has treated her fairly so maybe Kimiko just had her family fooled.

"Konoe still not giving up Cain Heel's agency?" Jouji asked. Jiro glanced at Kyoko briefly to see if she would show any recognition to the actor's name. To her credit, the actress didn't even twitch at the name.

"Nope, he's telling me I need to wait a few more days and nobody on his staff is willing to talk."

Cedric spoke up excitedly as his translator relayed the conversation between the brothers. "You want to use Cain Heel in your next project? I watched Tragic Marker. His performance was phenomenal. I can't say the same for his personality though." Cedric's translator was quick to relay the exchange without missing a beat.

"Do you know him then?" Jiro asked hopefully. Since this actor was an American, maybe he knew the Brit.

"Ah no, sorry. I met him by chance on the street. Um, with your daughter, sir. We watched the movie together and she helped translate." Cedric gulped as he watched the smaller Japanese man narrow his eyes at him. He wondered if Kimiko had talked to her family about him.

Jiro smiled. This has to be the man Kimi loves. She failed to tell him that he was a foreigner and that they went on dates already. "Oh, are you dating my daughter?"

"Dating?! No, sir, we are just good friends. We met back in Los Angeles. She has been nice enough to show me around the city."

Jiro's smiled tightened. My poor Kimi. He guessed the man didn't share in her affection beyond friendship. "How about we all go out for dinner? My treat!"

As everyone was agreeing, Kyoko had to decline. "I'm sorry. I have another job after this. Thank you for your consideration. If you will excuse me, I should get going."

"Wow, Kyoko-chan, I still can't believe that you're the chicken! Boh's antics are hilarious too. I admire you for sticking with it even though you're in demand now. I'd be afraid it would ruin my image. I'm too good-looking to hide this face behind a mask. It would be such a waste for my fans!" Koga explained to her.

Kyoko rolled her eyes. "Maybe a mask is just what you need, Koga-san, since your regular face still isn't getting you the top spot."

"Burn! You set yourself up for that one, Koga," Cedric blurted out as he laughed at Kyoko's jab. Kyoko giggled at Koga's wounded expression.

"It was my first gig and it's loads of fun. I can't give it up yet," she confessed. Plus, it was the first time I was able to talk openly with Ren, even if I was in disguise. She bowed and left.

Kyoko was glad TBM studios had a back entrance for employees. This allowed her to avoid the growing crowd of paparazzi for now but it didn't stop the legit reporters with passes in the studio from cornering her. She knew that anything she said in the heat of the moment could be misconstrued and used against her. Instead, she smiled sweetly and replied tersely, "no comment."

When she arrived at the studio, Bridge Rock's manager, Kouji, was there to greet her.

"Kyoko-san, I'm glad you're early. Things have been in a flurry today. The show tonight is probably going to be the most-viewed episode in Yappa Kimagure Rock's short history thanks to you." Kouji turned and talked, walking with her to her dressing room. It took him a moment to notice the man with her. Kyoko always came alone or most recently with Yashiro so he was surprised to see her with someone else.

"Oh, please forgive my rudeness. I'm Toyokawa, Koujirou. Are you Yashiro-san's replacement?" Kouji asked bowing to Tadashi.

"It's no problem," Tadashi bowed in return.

"I was rude too. I just got swept up at the moment. I keep doing that. I'm sorry father," Kyoko fidgeted, worried that he would be upset with her. Tadashi patted her head gently and smiled.

"I am Morimoto Tadashi, Kyoko-chan's father. I have permission from Takarada-san to help out Yashiro-san now and again. He is still her manager," Tadashi responded, bowing.

"That's great. I'm sure Yashiro-san has his hands full managing two charges. I don't know how he does it. Ren-san alone is a handful, and now Kyoko-san is on the rise too. It has to be hectic, but please follow me. The producer has some changes for tonight's show. It's minor but it will make a big impact."

Kyoko introduced her father when they ran into the Ishibashi brothers on their way to the producer. Her father was familiar with the show and individually complimented each young man for their hard work, making them blush.

"Your fans are out in full force, Kyoko-chan," Yuusei informed her, excitedly.

"Everyone is rooting for you," Shinichi added.

"How are you feeling?" Hikaru asked with genuine concern. The news had traveled like wildfire on the set that Fuwa was possibly the childhood friend she mentioned in the article. It would explain the animosity she had towards him during their first broadcast. He hated himself for not realizing that Fuwa was such a bastard. It angered him that the arrogant musician took advantage of her kindness and treated her so terribly.

"Thank you. You are all truly like the older brothers I've never had."

"That's right! We got your back little sis," Shinichi boasted. "You let us know if Fuwa messes with you again. Your Onii-sans will take care of him." The other two Ishibashis nodded in agreement.

Kyoko giggled and thanked them again. She was happy to receive their protective feelings. There was no point denying that Sho was the ex-friend she alluded to in the article.

The producer had added a reveal at the end of the show where she removed her chicken head. They changed the script slightly so Boh never left the stage. They didn't want to give anyone any doubt that Kyoko had been in the costume the whole night. Whenever she needed water, she turned around and lifted her head slightly to drink from a straw. It was a nice little tease that drove the audience wild. The Ishibashi brothers had been very supportive. When her head finally came off at the end of the show the cheers were thunderous. She made a theatrical bow as best she could in the costume she wore proudly.

Kyoko had a quick dinner with her father at a nearby curry restaurant. They didn't talk about Kimiko or her mother or Shotaro. They ignored the heavy stuff and instead talked about each other's random likes and dislikes. Tadashi had shown her the pictures he took at the park the other day. They found that their love for nature was another thing they had in common. They made plans for tomorrow to have dinner since Tadashi would be tied up at the office during the day. He had something to give her then.

Kyoko flopped on their couch glad to be in the safety of their home. A glance at her watch told her it wasn't too late by industry standards. She got up to take a shower and go to bed. Unable to sleep, she tossed and turned in bed. She decided to browse her phone when she came across an American celebrity stating that she often had a solo dance party to relieve her stress after a long day. Kyoko contemplated this idea. Kuon enjoys listening to music when he wants to decompress. I'll try it out.

She padded out to the living room barefoot and set her phone to use the stereo output. The first song was slow and rhythmic. She danced lazily with her eyes closed, arms floating through the air, and hips undulating to the beat.

By the third song, Kyoko was sweating and dancing like a goof, all technique abandoned as she hopped and twirled around the room barely missing the coffee table. The female voices filled the room, "...here comes the breath before we get a little bit closer...here comes the rush before we touch, come a little closer..."

It was during this song that Kuon walked through the door. They both froze. Kyoko's face flamed up at having been caught. She had lost track of time. Is this how he feels every time I catch him in the act? Kyoko joyfully laughed off her embarrassment. The song was catchy so she danced her way towards him reaching for his hand.

Kuon's heart hammered in his chest as he caught her dancing in the light blue nightgown gown he bought for her. It was similar to the dress she had worn often in his dreams. He quickly kicked off his shoes and joined her for an impromptu dance party in their living room. He expected to come home to find her depressed over the day, but what he found surprised him. She was simply amazing and her laughter was contagious.

"It's not just all physical, I'm the type who won't get oh so critical, so let's make things physical, I won't treat you like you're oh so typical..."

Near the end of the song, he lifted her under her arms and spun around the living room. In a fit of laughter, he collapsed with her onto the couch. Panting to catch their breaths, they gazed intensely into each other's eyes. Within moments, they pounced on each other, hands and mouth seeking one another greedily. With his help, she changed positions so that she was straddling him without breaking contact with their lips. He thrust his tongue deep into her mouth making her melt against him. His hands slid up and down her back tracing her spine. Her hands delved into his dark tresses in an attempt to pull him impossibly closer against her. On instinct, she rocked her hips against the bulge hardening between her legs eliciting a painful groan from Kuon. His hands slid under her ass and stood, carrying her into their bedroom where they took their time exploring each other's body with their mouths and their hands.

AN: Holy long! Thanks for continuing to read, everyone, I hope you enjoyed it. I was a bit all over the place but I hope you were able to follow. Was Kimiko's father's part believable? I made up his first name by the way...LOL.

Big thanks to the reviewers of the last chapter. I truly appreciate your feedback.

Kyoko and Ren danced to the song "Closer" by Tegan and Sara. I'm sure A Musing Brunette would update her playlist for these songs on YouTube in no time. She's the best! Just search for her name. She has loads of other awesome playlists on there so check them out.

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^