Chapter 78: Karma

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, there would be some sort of confrontation with Kuon's bully in the past.

"Good evening, Japan. We interrupt your current broadcast to bring you breaking news. Our investigative reporter, Kagayama Koki-san is live outside the set of The Sacred Lotus in the Mire where he has brought it to our attention that an incident has occurred," Mikasa, the news anchor announced. Everyone across Japan watching the Fuji TV channel was now witnessing this live broadcast.

"Koki-san, can you hear me?" She asked as the screen split in half to show the front gate of the Lotus set riddled with reporters and fans. Koki held the mic with one hand and pressed on the earpiece in his right ear with his other hand. No one would have recognized the ex-Boost reporter since he had cleaned up nicely for his new job. Gone were the T-shirts and unkempt hair and its place was a clean-shaven man wearing a crisp button-down dress shirt.

"Mikasa-san, I can hear you," he replied. "I'm just a bit nervous. I'm used to writing rather than being on camera. This is a whole other world for me. Is this what celebrities have to go through daily?" Koki rambled on. He had been staking out The Sacred Lotus set in hopes to get another scoop. He heard a rumor that the drama had experienced delays, actress changes, and several mishaps while filming. What had him curious was the fact that the security had been beefed up several times over in the last few weeks. He had a good hunch that there was a story here and just needed facts from a trustworthy source. When Kimiko showed up at the front gate, Koki called his boss for guidance. A film crew was sent over immediately and Koki was directed to report on the outcome. His boss' foresight turned out to be right on the money.

"Koki-san, deep breaths. Can you tell us what's going on over there?" Mikasa asked, trying to get him to focus on the story.

"Yes, I apologize, Mikasa-san." He cleared his throat and began again. "Just a few minutes ago emergency personnel arrived on the scene of The Sacred Lotus in the Mire. I questioned the head of security at the front gate for details. Apparently, a fire broke out on one of the sets and we know at least one person is injured. We don't know the identity of the injured person nor the extent of said injuries at the moment. This could be unrelated, but I can comment as an eyewitness that Morizumi Kimiko entered the set earlier." He paused as the screen changed to show a short video clip of Kimiko's intentions to apologize to Kyoko then it shifted back to Koki. "Not only is Morizumi-san here, but Tsuruga Ren was also seen entering the location about an hour after her. I'm sure everyone knows that Tsuruga-san is dating the actress and talent Kyoko-san that is part of this production so seeing him on the set is not uncommon here. I do have to add that Morizumi Jiro-san was seen entering a few minutes before the alleged incident occurred."

"Wow, that is significant! So there is a possibility that any of the high profile people on the set could be involved in the incident," Mikasa replied, astonished by the number of A-listers currently inside.

Koki's voice grew solemn. "It's a possibility. I was out here with the crowd when we first heard the screams of pain. As you can see, there are many fans here praying earnestly that no one is severely injured. So far, nobody has come out yet. I'm told that this is the only way in or out of the set. I'm hoping to have more information soon."

"Thank you Koki-san, please keep us posted," Mikasa stated before returning viewers to their original scheduled programs.

Earlier

Among the people in the room, Kyoko was the first to react when all hell broke loose. Yashiro was taken by surprise when she used her newly acquired skills of undressing a man and instantly divested him of his suit jacket. Kimiko was flailing her arms in agony making it difficult for Kyoko to put out the flames. Upon seeing Kyoko in harm's way, Ren tried to help her extinguish the flames on the other girl's person. With his aid, they managed to eventually lay the girl on the floor and put out the remainder of the fire. Kimiko had stopped screaming and laid on the ground, moaning in agony. Although covered by the jacket, the rise and fall of her chest was evidence that she was still alive.

While Yashiro and Cedric battled the areas of the set that had caught fire, an alarmed Koga entered the room carrying a fire extinguisher. Koga had been in his dressing room nearby when he heard the panicked voices and the piercing screams. Someone had yelled "fire," so he reached for the nearest extinguisher and ran in the direction of the screams. He had a sinking feeling that those screams could belong to someone he knew and prayed he was wrong.

Director Jouji ran past Koga calling out for the medic while running to the main site. They had finished some time ago so Koga wasn't sure that the doctor they had on staff was still around. When he entered the set with all the commotion he was horrified by the sight and smell. What the fuck happened here? Kyoko and Ren were patting down a person on the floor which he assumed could only be Kimiko. Yashiro and Cedric were stamping away at smoldering portions of the set that had caught fire. Without hesitation, Koga ran in and began spraying the remaining flames.

When the fire was out, Koga took in the scene trying to gain some semblance of the situation. He turned towards the sound of whimpering in the corner. He wondered why the delivery woman was still here. There were just so many questions.

Jiro collapsed to his knees, clearly in shock, while Tadashi efficiently called for emergency services. The onlookers started showing up. Tadashi instructed the security personnel to keep them back. The man wasn't a key figure in the production, but his tone was commanding that everyone obeyed his orders.

Kyoko stared grimly at Ren. He nodded before reaching to remove Yashiro's jacket from Kimiko's body. The pandemonium had only lasted a minute, but pulling off the jacket from Kimiko revealed that the damage was severe. Her wounds needed tending. Ren's knowledge gained from playing the firefighter EMT role came in handy. Although it was only a cameo in a few episodes, he had done extensive research on how to treat victims in his "profession." He tried to remember what the consultant on set had told him as he went through the checklist of a first responder.

Everyone gasped when they saw Kimiko's injuries. The pain had to be unbearable. Her arms and chest area were severely charred and a section on the side of her face was blistering. She was covered in third and fourth-degree burns, but she was still breathing albeit shallow.

"We need to get her out of here. The smoke isn't good for her," Ren instructed. He laid Kimiko's arms over her, careful not to agitate her wounds further. Once the fire was contained, Cedric and Koga placed themselves on either side of Kimko. Yashiro and Ren took her legs and Kyoko guided her head. They all did their best to lift her without putting too much pressure on her wounds. Kimiko screamed from the pain as they moved her slowly to the outside air. It was dark out so the visibility wasn't very good. The onlookers were spared viewing the gruesome details of her wounds.

Tadashi shook Jiro into action and told him to go to his daughter. Once he saw the man moving, he went to the woman in the corner and told her she needed to get out as well. The smoke wasn't good for anyone to inhale.

"We need to keep her sitting up," Ren ordered in a no-nonsense kind of way.

They gently lowered her legs to the ground so she was in a sitting position. Cedric shifted carefully behind her so she could rest against him. He leaned down toward her unaffected ear and whispered soothing words to help keep her calm. Never in a million years would he have wished this kind of punishment on his worst enemy. His heart ached at the sight of her suffering.

Jiro sat next to Kimiko praying to all the Gods to save his daughter. Sirens blared in the distance. A reassuring sign that rescuers would be arriving soon. Tadashi instructed a few people to direct the medics this way and for the rest to make a clear path.

Ren paced as he went through the checklist in his head. It was difficult to think with all the chatter going on behind him. The others watched helplessly as they waited for more instructions.

We don't have any sterile dressings so we can't cover her wounds to cool them off. Ren's face lit up as he thought of something else they could do.

"Raise her arms above her shoulders!" Ren shouted.

Jiro and Koga instantly moved to do his bidding, making sure not to touch the damaged skin. Kimiko released another agonizing wail when they moved her, making the crowd hush. It was a good sign that she was still aware.

"That's all we can do until the medics arrive," Ren resigned.

He walked over to Kyoko and inspected her body the best he could in the dim light. "You're not hurt anywhere are you?" he asked, pressing his forehead against hers. At this distance, he could make out the soot spots on her face. She shook her head no against his.

"Are you sure? What about your hands?" He pulled back to examine her hands, relying on his touch to determine that there weren't any burns on them. Aside from being dirty from the ordeal, they seemed fine. "You almost gave me a heart attack when you jumped in there head first to help. Would it kill you to think a little more about your safety?"

"Ren, I..." Kyoko began to argue, but Ren cut her off, kissing her softly.

"You were so brave," he declared after pulling away. "You managed to pull us all out of our stupors and get us to take action." His admiration was clear in his tone.

Kyoko snuggled into him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She closed her eyes for a moment relishing in the safety of his arms. It was all over now. He was safe. They were safe. She opened her eyes and stared at Kimiko. She couldn't help the one dark thought that clouded her mind while looking at the injured girl, Karma.

…

The paramedics, police officers, and firefighters all arrived on the scene at once. The reporters and fans that were already huddled outside the gate were in an uproar. All were trying to get a glimpse of the incident inside. Unfortunately, the front gate was the closest these first responders could get to the scene. Since the fire was contained, the firemen ran in leaving the hose behind. The medics rushed in with a gurney full of equipment. They were updated on the patient's condition while en route, so they knew what to expect.

Cedric and the others relinquished their hold on Kimiko once the medical team took over. They did a quick assessment of her and determined that she was good for transport by ambulance. Jiro was determined to stay by his daughter's side, forgetting about the media waiting outside.

Jiro was surprised when he had received the call from Tadashi earlier. The man had introduced himself and informed him that Kimiko was at The Sacred Lotus set seeking out his daughter, Kyoko. He had tried to reach Kimiko the moment he discovered she had left the house. He didn't know the man. Tadashi had warned Jiro that if his daughter was harmed in any way he would have no choice but to take legal action. Jiro hopped in his car and headed to the set as quickly as possible while texting his brother. It was while he was talking with Tadashi, Jouji, and Yashiro about the situation that he realized his mistake. He had left his daughter unattended for too long. A stagehand had informed Jouji as he stood with all of them about an altercation taking place in the back between two women. Jiro's heart stopped. A gut feeling told him that Kimiko was somehow involved. He was too late.

Jiro ignored the shouted questions from the media and climbed into the back of the ambulance with his daughter. There was no containing this mishap. Once she recovered enough, they would need to leave until this all died down and find her the best medical care in the world.

...

When the paramedics left, the police officers began their investigation. They needed to question everyone present in the room. Ren glanced at the time on his phone. He wouldn't make his next work assignment on schedule.

Yashiro was already on it and explaining the situation to the President of LME.

"It's all over the news already. I'm relieved no one else was injured. How are Ren and Mogami-kun holding up?" Lory queried.

"As well as they could be, sir," Yashiro replied.

"How are you doing, Yuki?" Lory asked gently. "I know you are feeling responsible for Morizumi-kun, but find relief in the fact that you protected them. You're a hero."

Yashiro bit the inside of his cheek. He didn't feel very heroic at the moment.

"Anyway, sir," Yashiro began, changing the subject before Lory could continue to sing his praises. "I have to go. I was hoping you could have Ren's remaining assignments rescheduled for the evening."

"Of course, I'll get one of the other agents on it. Please don't hesitate to call me if there are any problems."

"Thank you, sir." Ending the call, Yashiro collapsed on the edge of a platform, struggling to remove the glove from his shaky hand. The enormity of the situation was finally sinking in as his shock wore off.

"Yashiro-san, please have some water," Ren offered, handing his friend a bottle of water. He could tell by the guilty expression on the manager's face that he blamed himself for the turn of events. Ren was intimately familiar with that feeling, but at least there were no casualties.

Kyoko sat down next to Yashiro, sipping water from her bottle. They sat in silence and watched the police officers take statements from several people like something out of a crime drama. A forensics team entered the set to tape off the area, take pictures, and gather evidence. Not long after, two detectives dressed in dark suits approached the trio asking for a rehash of the incident. The couple could only describe the events starting from the moment they heard the loud voices to the moment emergency services arrived.

Yashiro filled them in on his actions to prevent his charges from getting severely injured by the lantern that was thrown at them. Their backs were turned to her, so they couldn't have reacted in time. The detectives told them they would need to eventually come down to the station to fill out some paperwork and give their official statements. The trio nodded in agreement.

Tadashi joined his daughter once he handed Yuri over to the police. He had tried to get the young woman to talk, but she remained tight-lipped. He instructed Spectre to shut things down regarding the Kimiko incident surfacing on the web and gather information on her ex-manager. He wanted to know everything since she had somehow remained under their radar.

Tadashi bowed deeply in front of Yashiro; his heart swelling with emotion now that his body recognized the danger was over.

"Ehhh, Morimoto-san! Why? What are you doing?" Yashiro panicked, embarrassed by the respect paid to him. Why was this powerful man bowing to him? Ren, understanding Tadashi's action, joined the bow.

"Yashiro-san, thank you very much! If it wasn't for your quick actions, my daughter and son would be getting transported in that ambulance right now. Thank you for being a selfless and loyal manager to them," Tadashi resounded chock full of emotion.

"Thank you, my dear friend," Ren added, "for putting yourself in harm's way and protecting us."

Kyoko's eyes watered as she bowed to Yashiro, grateful for his amazing reflexes. He had saved them.

Yashiro laughed nervously trying to hide his overwhelming emotions and stared at his favorite couple bowing before him. Even though the guilt was eating at him, he didn't regret it. He would do everything in his power to protect their newly found happiness. Fate had put him in the right place and at the right time to shield them from bodily harm. All the hours of training with a strict sensei finally paid off as he watched his charges exchange lovey-dovey looks. A thought suddenly popped into his mind, dimming his somber thoughts for a moment. He stood quickly and leaned into Ren.

"Ren! Do you know what just happened? Morimoto-san just referred to you as his 'son.' I bet you're extremely happy right now, aren't you? I can practically hear the sound of wedding bells," Yashiro gushed an enthusiastic whisper and elbowed Ren in the ribs.

A hint of a smile graced the actor's lips, but he said nothing. Ren was ecstatic by Tadashi's little slip, but he remained stoic in front of Yashiro. The guy would tease him mercilessly for a long time.

Kyoko exchanged smiles with her father. With his small gesture, he managed to make Yashiro feel better about what happened. His words were exactly what Yashiro needed to hear. He would have hated himself more if he did nothing to protect his friends.

Cedric and Koga joined them after giving their statements to the police.

Koga sighed loudly, taking a sip of some water, "Oi, that was very scary. I didn't think she would snap that badly. I mean, I've heard the rumors concerning her but wow! That girl was loony. Oops, sorry Ric-san, too soon? I know you had a thing for her."

Cedric shook his head and chuckled sarcastically at his predicament.

"I'm sorry. This was all my doing. I took advantage of her being a friendly face from the States. I knew she wanted more than I could give. I guess this is what they call karma. No matter how much I try to change and live to be a better person I still tend to ruin lives. Whether I'm being sincere or treating someone harshly, the outcome seems to be the same," Cedric confessed, looking down at his clasped hands, too embarrassed to meet anyone's gaze as his translator did his thing.

Kyoko glanced nervously at Ren. Was Cedric perhaps referring to their time as kids? Her boyfriend didn't seem to show any kind of emotion to the other man; however, he was a professional at masking his feelings.

"I'm sorry, Kyoko-san. I thought I was helping. I thought everyone deserved a second chance, you know. I didn't like what Kimiko was becoming due to anger and jealousy. I've been down that road. It's dark and lonely. There was a guy from my past in LA that I couldn't stand. He was kind, good-looking, talented, and came from a famous family. My father often compared me to him which only fueled my contempt for him. I saw what a hard time he had growing up, always being compared to his father. Rather than understanding, I took my frustration out on him." Cedric laughed nervously, "I don't know why I'm telling you guys all this. It's stupid."

Koga squeezed Cedric on the shoulder, "Don't worry pal. We all make mistakes in life more so when we're young and stupid. It seems you're working hard to be a better person. Don't let this stop you from continuing."

"Koga-san is right. We all have a past we want to forget. But it also helps to have someone to talk to, no? Kyoko added, giving her support. She wasn't sure how Ren would take her being friendly with his childhood nemesis.

Ren found himself asking the question, "Whatever happened to the guy from your past? Did you manage to make amends?" Cedric looked up in surprise. It was the first time Ren had shown any interest in him. Aside from greetings, they never spoke to each other.

Cedric shook his head and smiled sadly. "I broke him too. He was always a strong and athletic guy, but he never fought back. He used to spout some nonsense about not using his fists on others. Then one day he just had enough of it and snapped. He started fighting back to the point that the instigators were always left in a bloodied hea-…anyway. His work suffered. I heard his best friend died in an accident. After that, he just up and disappeared. I don't know where he went, but I can't even apologize. Of course, any apology I give him would just be to make me feel better."

A heavy silence settled over the group once Cedric's translator finished, leaving Ren and Kyoko deep in thought. Yashiro not knowing the history between the actors was stunned by his oversharing. He assumed it was because he was a foreigner that he had no problems speaking his mind. Tadashi on the other hand filed away the information but didn't think much of his story.

Kyoko was not going to miss this opportunity to help Ren put a piece of his past behind him even if he couldn't reveal himself just yet. Before she could speak Cedric broke the silence.

"You know, you remind me a little of him."

A moment of shock ran through Ren before he could compose his face.

"Not necessarily, physically, but your eyes. The way you glare at me whenever I'm around Kyoko-san reminds me of him."

Koga's laughter cut through the tension. "See, Tsuruga-kun. You need to stop glaring at every guy within the vicinity of Kyoko-chan. It's ruining your gentleman persona!" Ren redirected his glare at Koga, making the rest of them laugh.

Director Jouji hung up the phone after filling Yuki in on the situation. They would need to do some damage control with the press and their sponsors as soon as possible. It was going to be a long night. He scowled, walking toward the humorous bunch. How could they be laughing at a time like this? His niece had just been seriously injured. As the director of this production, the responsibility rested with him. Who would have thought Kimiko would be so reckless. He was equally floored when he found out that Yuri had been aiding her, as well. He had to call his cousins and let them know what their daughter had done.

When Jouji stood before them arms akimbo, everyone bowed and apologized. Yashiro felt the guiltiest of them all.

"It's okay, it's okay," Jouji said, softening to their sincerity. "I should be apologizing," he added with a bow. "As the director, I should have protected you all better. Thank you for your quick actions. Things could have been so much worse. I'm told that if you have already spoken to the police you can go home. I've canceled filming for tomorrow so I hope we can get through this quickly. The assistant will be in touch with the new schedule. Please have a safe and good night."

They watched silently as the director trudged away, defeated. Koga's face scrunched up as he looked at Ren and broke the silence, "Tsuruga-kun, what are you wearing?"

Ren glanced down at his anime t-shirt and shrugged. Kyoko blushed profusely at the reminder. Why did he wear that shirt all day?

"Ah, I forgot. My shirt was ruined earlier and this was all I had on me. Looks like this one is ruined too," he said eyeing the soot spots marring his shirt. He glanced at Koga then Kyoko in her Momiji costume; they were all a mess. Everyone but Tadashi was covered in grime be it on their clothing or their person.

Koga chuckled as he headed to his dressing room. Judging by the severe blush on his co-star's cheeks, something told him that he had new ammunition to use against her.

Back in her dressing room, Kyoko changed out of her costume quickly. She used her adjoining bathroom to wash some of the dirt off her face while Ren and Yashiro headed to the public restroom to get cleaned up.

Her father knocked on the door when she was done and entered. Tadashi searched the room until he found what he wanted. Glad that she hadn't thrown it away yet, he confiscated the two gift bags she received today to have Sota's connections run an analysis on their contents.

"Yashiro-san, please sit and eat," Kyoko motioned to the spread of food on the coffee table once her manager emerged from the bathroom. "Thank you for letting me use your kitchen to cook you a meal."

"You guys don't need to stay. I'm perfectly fine," he insisted, taking a seat across Ren.

"Kyoko just wanted to thank you for saving us. Perhaps we should have asked Kotonami-san to join us?" Ren teased. As if on cue, an impatient knock sounded on the front door.

"Who could that be at this hour?" Yashiro asked, getting up to answer the door. All Yashiro saw was a blur of black hair as Kanae rushed past him.

"Mo! I had to see for myself." She glanced at Kyoko then Ren until her eyes finally landed on Yashiro. They all looked fine.

"Mokkkoooo-san, you said you weren't coming!" Kyoko squealed and hugged her friend. "You were worried about us weren't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I only came because you said there was food and I was hungry." Kanae cringed at her blatant lie, but they were kind enough to ignore it.

"I'll get another setting. Please sit down, Kotonami-san," Yashiro beamed, thrilled to see her lovely face tonight. He had been planning to ask her out to dinner and accompany him to buy a new cellphone. LME usually provided phones for their employees but after the third phone Yashiro broke, Lory told him he was on his own.

"You guys are all over the news. Remember that reporter for Boost that wrote your article?" She paused as the others nodded their heads. "He was actually outside the set, reporting everything. They put him on the air."

"Really?! I'm so happy for Koki-san. I'm glad my story was able to help someone achieve their dreams," Kyoko clapped, finding some small joy.

"So everyone knows that Morizumi-san was injured," Kanae continued, reaching for more food on her plate and coming up empty. She had eaten everything already. Counting the number of calories she just inhaled halted her thought process.

"Maybe we should turn on the news?" Yashiro suggested. It was high time he stopped avoiding it. He reached for the remote and flipped through the channels until he found the news. A representative from the Morizumi family was holding a press conference outside of the hospital.

Reporter1: Sir, can you please tell us the extent of Morizumi Kimiko-san's injuries?

Spokesperson: The doctors are working diligently on Kimiko-chan as we speak, so I can't say for sure. Her arms, upper torso, and a portion of her face were all damaged by the fire.

Reporter2: Was this an accident or are police considering foul play?

Spokesperson: I am not at liberty to speak on that topic as of yet. The police are still conducting their investigation.

Koki: Can you please identify the woman that was placed in the squad car? Is she a suspect?

Spokesperson: Again, I am not at liberty to touch on anything that would hinder the investigation. That's enough questions for now.

The news channel ironically cut to a skin cream commercial. Kyoko looked around at the group as a thought struck her. "Could the police somehow blame this on us?"

Yashiro shook his head, "No, Kyoko-chan, just me."

"What? That can't be! We were all there. There were a lot of witnesses. Even her father saw what she tried to do," Kyoko exclaimed.

"They are Mirozumis. They're going to want someone else to take the fall for this," Ren grumbled. This was the darker side of the industry.

Another sharp knock at the door drew their attention. Yashiro sighed and stood up to answer it. He had been expecting them all night. He opened the door revealing the two detectives from earlier.

"Yashiro Yukihito-san, you're wanted for questioning at the station. Will you comply?" One of the detectives asked after introducing themselves and flashing their badge.

"Hey, what's the meaning of this? He has done nothing wrong! You can't just…" Ren said intimidatingly. Flashes of his youth filling his mind when he had no respect for authority.

"It's okay, Ren, just inform the President. Everything will be fine. Lock up before you guys leave alright," Yashrio instructed, sounding braver than he felt. He pulled on a hoodie, grabbed his wallet, and slipped on his shoes. "I'll be fine."

Kyoko and Kanae both had tears shining in their eyes as they watched Yashiro close the door behind him.

"I'll call the President!" Ren exclaimed as soon as the door closed.

"I'll call my father!" The response came so naturally to her. "He would know what to do!" A warm fuzzy feeling spread within her chest. It felt good to rely on a parent.

Kanae stare out the window, a lump forming in her throat as she watched him climb into the back of the police car.

AN: Woohoo, look at me one day early. I wanted to get this out sooner than now, but no joke, I had a nice long weekend filled with good food, good friends, and lots of laughter. Oh, and to add TMI I broke my ass…XD…but seriously I bruised my tailbone on a water slide. Any type of sitting is extremely painful right now. I typed this out on my phone laying on my side. Don't laugh too hard at my pain, although it's hilarious!

I also wanted to add that I've consulted my poor excuse of a post-it note and the Kimiko takedown was only my third bullet. I had it wrong in another note. I still have four more bullets to go so the end is not quite near. Anyway, thanks for continuing to read. I appreciated all of your responses to the last chapter. The GOT reference had me laughing and I couldn't help but think of Kimiko as The Hound after that.

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^