Chapter 80: Back to School

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Skip Beat, for if I did, Sho would secretly still worry about Kyoko.

Kuon absentmindedly ran his fingertips up and down Kyoko's smooth skin as they settled into bed. It had become a habit of his to caress her skin like this every night. He found it therapeutic in a way. So many things had happened in the last twenty-four hours that kept his mind racing. They were both worried about what would be in store for their friend when they woke up and didn't care about any of the consequences that would befall them as long as Yashiro was fine.

It was a surprise to see her mother and Susumu waiting, upon their arrival at the police station. Kyoko had no idea her father had called Saena for help and was glad he did. It turned out her parents thought something like this would eventually occur; however, it happened much sooner than they anticipated. They already had a plan in the works.

It took Saena less than five minutes to get Yashiro out of "jail." Kyoko wished she could have seen her mother doing what she loved best. Yashiro had recounted the scene for them in the limo, making everyone laugh at the expense of the flustered lawyer and detectives. It worked as a good distraction for the real reason Yashiro was there in the first place. The lawyer mentioned that Kimiko would never fully recover physically. In other words, her career in this cutthroat industry was over.

Kyoko snuggled into Kuon, thinking their pillow talk was over, but she could still feel the tension in his body. "I'm sorry Corn," she apologized. She was causing problems for him again.

Kuon flinched. What is she thinking about now?

"What do you need to be sorry for my love?" He asked, genuinely curious about what was on her mind.

"For ruining your reputation and making things difficult for you! All your dreams could have literally gone up in flames because of me," she explained, shifting to get her point across.

Kuon failed miserably at concealing his amusement. Leave it to her twisted logic to shoulder all the blame.

"You don't need to apologize, Baby. You did nothing wrong. Morizumi-san was not right in the head. She was obsessed with that guy way before she met you," he replied, trying to assure her of her innocence.

Kyoko still felt terrible about Kimiko. The girl had tried to throw her off a balcony and still, Kyoko couldn't wish such a punishment on her.

"Do you understand?" He asked, tucking her back into his side when she didn't respond immediately. Kuon needed to have her close after the scare tonight. He didn't want to think about how differently tonight could have ended if Yashiro had not reacted so quickly. "I'm happy that you're safe. I wanted to be the one to protect you, but I'm grateful somebody did."

Kyoko nodded. Is that what was troubling him?

"But because of me you could have been injured as well had it not been for our super manager," she argued. Although Kuon chuckled at her statement, she could still sense that something was wrong.

"What is it, Corn? Is something else on your mind?" She prodded, talking against his chest. Moments ticked by as his silence stretched on. Kyoko held her breath, thinking he would push her away instead of talking.

"What Bennett-san said had me thinking about the past? Does he really feel that way about me now? He bullied me for most of my life in LA and as he said, I snapped and started fighting back," he finally spoke, resuming his light strokes on her back. He didn't trust this Cedric. The little bit he shared about what happened that night didn't sit right with him. It was like he wasn't even there. Probably covering his ass, as usual.

Kyoko took a moment to digest his words. It was like Kuon, Cedric, and Kimiko shared similar problems as products of the show biz world. While Kuon and Cedric seemed to have somewhat overcome their issues through distance, Kimiko seemed to be stuck continuing as she pleased. Had Kimiko been given a few more years, would she have been able to move past all this as well? Kyoko stopped her wandering thoughts and focused on Kuon.

"Do you want to talk about Bennett-san?" Kyoko offered. Perhaps talking about things would make him feel better. Kuon hummed thoughtfully at her suggestion.

Lifting her head, Kyoko became flustered. "I mean, I'm not trying to be nosy. It's your business. I didn't mean to be so presumptuous that you would share something so personal. I just know that I always feel better whenever I talk things out with you or Moko." When he remained quiet, she nervously added, "I know I'm still young and naïve. I can't begin to tell you that I'm an expert at actually giving advice, but I'm a good list— mmm." Kyoko was silenced by the press of Kuon's lips to hers.

When he pulled away, Kyoko blushed deeply. He had just used her tactic against her.

Kuon smirked, knowing her face was probably beet red. He couldn't confirm it since the only source of light was the few beams shining through the curtains from the street lamp outside the window. He loved that she always had this demure reaction to him. It was about time he shared with her that part of his past.

He told her about his childhood with Cedric and how the older boy used to always pick on him. Kuon now knew why the boy had had it in for him. He knew exactly how terrible it felt to always be compared to his father. He could only imagine the pain he would have felt if his father was constantly comparing him to another boy. He shared with her some of the things that he experienced at the hands of Cedric and others while desperately trying to find his place in the acting world of America. He told her about the abuse he endured by his jealous costars and directors. By the end of his story, Kyoko had soaked his chest with her tears and her snot. He didn't mind and held her against him, rubbing her back in soothing circles. They lay there until she stopped sniffling.

"You're right, baby. It does feel good to talk it out," he admitted, feeling lighter. He never told anyone the extent of his suffering as Kuu's disappointing son, aside from Rick. "I think that with a little more time and of course when I'm me again, I would want to talk to Bennett-san, hear him out. It's time I put that part of my past behind me."

Kyoko reached up and pecked him on the lips. "Have I told you lately how amazing you are Kuon?"

Kuon laughed. "It's been a few days, but I'll forgive you," he responded lightheartedly. Kyoko smacked his bare chest softly, her hand landing with a wet plop.

"Oh, God," she screeched and without thinking she frantically wiped at the mess she made on his chest with the sheet. Kyoko shortcircuited mid-stroke. The sheets were now dirty.

"Don't even think about it," he scolded as if reading her mind. He held her lithe little body firmly against him so she couldn't get out of bed which was a very bad move. Kuon wasn't sure how much of her squirming he could take, but he endured until she settled down. "Let's get some sleep. You have a big day tomorrow. Sweet dreams, Princess. I love you." He kissed the top of her head and snuggled her closer.

"Good night, my fairy prince. I love you too," she whispered back, content having his arms wrapped snugly around her.

"Shotaro! What do you want? You know this time in the morning is very busy here!" Yayoi exclaimed with an exasperated tone. It was currently the morning rush at the ryokan and she had many tasks to complete without this good-for-nothing son wasting her time.

"Jeez, Kaa-san, is that any way to greet your one and only beloved child," Sho whined into the phone.

"Hmph! A beloved child would not have run away from home. What are you doing awake so early anyway?" Yayoi asked while she multi-tasked on the phone and greeted the fresh produce delivery man.

Sho kept quiet from answering that he hadn't slept yet. Or couldn't sleep. He had finished his concert late last night, then attended some lame-ass business dinner with the promoters of his latest single. Shoko had denied him from going with them afterward to a popular hostess club.

He was running on pure adrenaline after watching the latest news regarding the bitch that was badmouthing Kyoko in the secret footage. He spent some time browsing the web looking for anything he could find on that Kimiko chick. He had stayed awake the remaining hours downing energy drinks and writing a song about silver spoon-fed bitches getting their just desserts to kill time until he could call his mother.

Sho knew he had to approach this delicately since his mother wouldn't give in to him so easily. He was trying to butter her up by praising her ability to keep the inn running smoothly. After all his schmoozing, she was bound to give him Kyoko's phone number.

"Ooh, all these look wonderful, Atsuko-san," Yayoi praised, essentially blocking out every single word Sho spoke.

"Maaa! Are you even listening to your precious son?" Sho wailed into his cellphone.

"Ha! What, precious? Shotaro, if you're calling about Kyoko, she's fine. I talked to Saena already so stop bothering me. I'm busy!" Yayoi scolded and hung up on her son.

Sho held the phone up to his ear until the dial tone sounded. Damn that woman! She'll never treat me nice again unless I come home for good! Sho flopped on his bed staring up at the ceiling, relieved by the news. Just three more days and he would be back in Tokyo. A wave of fatigue he didn't know he was feeling washed over him and was out cold in seconds.

Kyoko snuggled against Kuon's warm body trying to get more sleep. It was already morning, but she refused to get up and face the day. She whimpered against his chest when her traitorous stomach betrayed her.

Kyoko's burrowing had woken Kuon up and the monstrous growl from her stomach made him chuckle.

"Wake up sleepy head..." he whispered, giving her a little nudge. Kyoko groaned instead. "Today's your first day back to school. Something to look forward to right? Aren't you excited?!" Kuon asked, trying to think of something positive to start their morning. He didn't want to think about what waited for them after yesterday's events.

Kyoko shook her head side to side against his chest. For the first time in forever, she was dreading going back to school. So much had changed since she was last in school. It was now public knowledge that she was dating Ren. The Ren Fanclub might not like that very much. Then there was the embarrassing article linking her to Shotaro. The Sho Fanclub will have a lot to say. It was, also, revealed that she was Setsuka Heel. The Ren and Cain Fanclubs are going to destroy me. And to add icing on the cake the Kimiko incident was all over the news. Am I bound to use up my lifetime of press releases in just a matter of days? Just how long would it take for all of this to blow over? She did not doubt that the kids at school, particularly the girls, would have a lot to say to her today.

"Hey, what's this? Where's the girl with all those guts I fell in love with?" Kuon asked, lifting her chin so he could gaze into her eyes.

She could have hidden her feelings from him, but that was the old Kyoko. Kyoko wanted to share everything with him, the good and the bad. He wouldn't dislike her if she admitted to being a coward right now, would he?

Using the rays of sunlight peeking through the cracks of the curtains, Kuon could see the apprehension in her eyes. This was all too much for her, too fast. They had not planned on her article or the Kimiko ordeal becoming so big. He was banking on the Heel sibling reveals to continue to triumph above all.

"Would you still love me even if I told you I'm not feeling very gutsy right now?" Kyoko mumbled, childlike.

"There's nothing you can do that would make me ever stop loving you," Kuon confessed without hesitation.

"Really?" Kyoko asked, running through "what if" scenarios with him.

"What if I gained an excessive amount of weight?"

"Nope!" He pinched at the little fat on her side, making her squeal.

"What if I had a disgusting habit like picking my nose?"

Kuon snorted. "Nope! You have an adorable nose."

Kyoko rolled her eyes.

"What if I...um...cheated on you, and I don't mean just kissing. I mean l-like s-sleeping with another man," Kyoko stammered out.

Kuon knew that it was completely impossible for her to ever do that to him, but he still felt a stab in his heart. He flipped her over, pinning her to the bed with his body.

"It would shatter my heart, but even then, I would still only love you…As long as you're happy," he answered with a forlorn look in his beautiful green eyes.

"I will always only love you too, Kuon," she vowed, wrapping her arms around his neck. She pulled him down and kissed him softly for a few moments. "I'm sorry for putting that thought in your mind. I was a little scared of what today might bring. Somehow, I feel much better. With the power of your love, I shall persevere," she pledged, scrambling out from underneath him so she could get ready. She might as well get the first day over with by ripping off the bandage quickly.

...

Their morning had been incredibly busy. Yashiro had informed them that he needed to meet with the President first thing and wouldn't be able to pick them up. Ren assured him that he could drive Kyoko to school and get himself to his first project on time.

His parents had called while they ate breakfast. To say that Kuu Hizuri was angry about the incident last night would be an understatement. He was positively livid. Kyoko watched her usually softhearted father pace back and forth angrily. Kuon had never seen his father lose his temper off-screen as he watched his dad's fist curl and uncurl. Kuu had never raised his voice or his hand towards his son ever, even when Kuon was a royal screw-up in his teens. Kuon mistook his father's kindness and understanding for not caring. Kyoko and Kuon glanced at each other, unsure of what to say. They waited for Kuu to calm down until Julie's voice was heard in the background.

"Kuu! What are you doing? Are we calling the kids?" Julie inquired, finally coming into the camera's view.

"Hi, Mom!" Kuon called out to gain her attention. Julie screamed, jumping half a foot in the air out of fear. She was not expecting to hear him.

"Hi, my darlings! Are you both okay?" Julie cooed immediately recovering from her fright. "That kidnapper told us everything. I'm so glad to see you both looking safe and healthy."

"We're fine thanks to Mr. Yashiro...but um...is Dad going to be okay?" Kuon asked, afraid his father would finally tell him what a burden it was to have him for a son.

"He's fine, honey. He's trying really hard not to fly over to Japan right now and rip the Morizumis to shreds is all," Julie explained, her angelic voice a clear contrast to the words she just uttered.

"Otou-san, I'm so sorry! It was all my fault!" Kyoko cried and stood to execute a formal bow. She was near tears. "Please, I don't want you to ruin your career!"

Kuu finally calmed down hearing his daughter's tearful voice apologizing.

"Oh, sweetie. You guys are more important than my career. Can I come? I want to help! If the Morizumis think they have enough clout to stand against me, they have another thing coming. I have the people of Japan backing me up." Kuu said, puffing out his chest with pride.

"You can't come!" Kuon and Kyoko cried in unison.

Feeling the full brunt of their rejection, Kuu sat down and pouted.

"I know you want to help, and I'm grateful. My..ugh...umm...father...that is my ugh...real father and even...m- my mother are actually taking care of things," Kyoko added, feeling guilty. She kept her eyes downcast not wanting to see the hurt in their eyes.

"That's wonderful, Kyoko, but I have to say I'm very jealous right now. I want to be close to my kids too!" Kuu sulked. Kyoko looked to Kuon for help. She didn't mean to make his parents feel bad.

"Don't mind him, Kyoko. We're just feeling a little left out. When we heard how close you two were to being severely injured, we panicked. We're halfway across the world. We would be too late if anything would have happened to either of you. I don't know if I could ever forgive myself," Julie said, her voice cracking with emotion. Kuu wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulder as she dabbed at her eyes.

"Kuon, we don't want to pressure you. We'll always be waiting for you when you're ready to come home."

Kuon nodded to his father. There was an emotional lump stuck in his throat. He didn't trust his voice. It would be so easy to tell them he was coming with Kyoko, but he didn't want to ruin the surprise. They could all be patient for a couple of more months. Until then, phone calls would have to suffice.

Ren drove right past her school without stopping. The front gate was littered with reporters and students waiting to ambush somebody, most likely her. He pulled to the curb on a side street a few blocks down, hoping the vultures didn't recognize his car.

"I knew I should have just walked or ridden my bicycle," Kyoko sighed, popping up from the passenger seat she had slouched down in to hide. It was a futile attempt since Ren couldn't hide. As if not seeing her in Ren's eye-catching silver Porshe would go unnoticed. He was more of a target than her. Ren peered outside to see if anyone had recognized them. He looked at his girlfriend and couldn't help but laugh. She looked adorable in her disguise.

Kyoko had plated her hair into one long braid that came around the side of her head and rested over her shoulder. She had attempted an old fashion double braid, but that style exposed her extensions. She wore a pair of fake rimmed glasses that Ren had managed to scrounge up from one of his past jobs. The hem of her uniform skirt was ripped apart to make it longer. It was his mother's suggestion to have her enter the school in this kind of disguise. With Julie's insistence, she had video chatted with her as she prepared her costume. Julie had chased Kuu away for this momentous mother-daughter bonding moment.

Kyoko and her future mother-in-law had come up with a ridiculous backstory for Kyoko's nerdy school character. Ren and his father, who was let back into the conversation were floored by Kyoko's dramatic transformation. It wasn't necessarily her appearance, but her whole demeanor had changed. She exuded the aura of a girl that just wanted to go unnoticed and fade into the background.

Kuu had praised his daughter for improving her character development technique. He was proud of how much she improved since he first met her in Japan.

"Are you ready to do this?" Ren asked, with a cursory glance her way. Kyoko nodded vigorously. She was going to nail this role. The students would never know when she passed them. "Your father will be picking you up this afternoon, so please look out for him. I'll let him know the situation for you. He may want to bring help when school lets out."

"Thanks, Corn. I'll see you later!" She smiled, getting out of the car.

"Wait, don't forget this," he yelled, reaching for the bento in the backseat. He handed it to her and said, "Aren't you forgetting something else?"

Kyoko glanced down at herself, but couldn't find anything wrong. She ran through her mental checklist and found she had everything she needed for the day. "I don't think so," Kyoko replied after a thorough inspection of her person. Meeting his gaze, she found Ren subtly tapping his lips to give her a hint. She rolled her eyes at him, glancing up and down the street. It was safe. She leaned in and gave him a heated kiss goodbye filled with promise. "I love you, baby!" She murmured against his lips then pecked him one last time.

"I love you too!" He called out to her before she shut the door completely.

Kyoko hefted her school bag onto her back and waved as Ren drove away. She wondered if this would actually work. Julie had called it hiding in plain sight. As she walked down the street, Kyoko pulled out her ultimate prop. She opened the novel in front of her face and proceeded to make her way to the front gate. She slowed her gait as she approached the crowd in front of the school and held her book higher. No one gave any notice to the bookworm that expertly weaved through them and entered the school. She was relieved that she passed the first wave unscathed. She stopped in her tracks when she noticed girls swarming her footlocker. Why does this not surprise me? She hoped they at least left her shoes unharmed in there.

"Think, Kyoko!" She chided herself under her breath as she sought refuge in the closest open doorway. They didn't notice her, did they? Kyoko peeked out slowly. A throat cleared startling her. Kyoko jumped and turned towards the noise. A female teacher sat at her desk in her still empty classroom.

"Can I help you with something, miss?" The teacher asked with an amused smile.

"Ah, no. I'm sorry for the intrusion," Kyoko replied quickly with a bow. She laughed nervously and scratched the back of her head. "I'll be going now. Have a nice day!" Kyoko scrambled out of the room. She had no choice but to do what Ren had told her was a sure way to get out of a situation like this one. Kyoko was skeptical, but Ren assured her that it would be effective with her acting skills. Kyoko took a deep breath and released it.

"Oh, my God! Is that Ren-sama's car pulling up?" She exclaimed, channeling the annoying fangirl that she often used on Shotaro. Kyoko had thrown her voice so no one knew exactly who had said it. She was pushed against the wall as the stampede of teenagers rushed outside. Taking this opportunity to retrieve her shoes, her grudges stirred at the state of her locker. It had been vandalized with words such as Ugly, Loser, Thief, and a lot harsher words written all over it. The inside was no better. They had filled it with trash and letters, probably death threats. She pulled her indoor shoes out quickly and stuffed all the trash that fell out in the process back inside, then ducked into the bathroom to salvage her shoes.

Ugh! What is this stuff, spaghetti sauce! She thought sniffing at the substance. How could they waste food?! She wiped vigorously at the mess until she admitted defeat. Her valiant effort only managed to smear the red sauce further into the material. The color was no longer uniform regulation. She threw the shoes into the trash and headed for the office to purchase a new pair.

Kyoko took her time getting to her classroom after morning assembly. She didn't want to have to sit in class for too long without the teacher there. When she finally made it to her room, the class was nearly full. She nodded good morning to her classmates which left them stunned. Since they were all in the special section for those in the show biz world, Kyoko knew most of her classmates. She let out a sigh of relief when she didn't see Mimori. She didn't want to deal with her today. Kyoko took the empty seat in front of the teacher's podium. The whispers began once she sat down.

Who's that girl?

Doesn't she know this is a class for celebrities?

Someone that looks like that doesn't belong in here.

Hey, you should tell her she's in the wrong class. She might be too stupid to know the difference.

Don't say that she might hear you. Just let the teacher handle it.

Kyoko did her best to ignore them. She couldn't help the angry twitch that started at her temple or the black aura surrounding her. Even if she was in disguise, it was very rude to talk like that about someone they didn't even know. Things certainly have not changed in this classroom. Her classmates were so shallow they couldn't even recognize her under this flimsy disguise. She opened her English textbook to review her first subject while they waited for the teacher. Her studies had taken a hit while she was on break. Perhaps, she could even ask Corn to practice English with her at home. She didn't want to embarrass him with her ignorance while they were in America for L.A. Week.

Kyoko was deep in thought when the classroom door slid open. She didn't notice the person standing in front of her until a hand slammed down on her book.

What the hell? Kyoko glared up at the offender then groaned. She stared into the angry face of Mimori. Shit! How did she recognize me so quickly?

"Is this supposed to be some kind of joke, Mogami-san?" Mimori sneered in that high pitch whine that grated on Kyoko's ears.

"You may be able to fool our classmates, but Mimori knew right away that it was you!" It was easy to spot her. Kyoko was the only one in class that ever looked at a book when lessons weren't in session. Ever since the Prisoner PV, Mimori often observed her love rival.

Kyoko sighed. The jig was up. She removed her glasses, folded her hands together on top of her desk, and fixed Mimori with a bored expression.

"It's all your fault, Sho-chan, is angry at Mimori! Why does he have to care about you?" Mimori sulked like a petulant child.

"Look, Nanokura-san, I don't know what sort of delusion you are in, but Fuwa-san has never cared about anyone other than himself," Kyoko explained and tried to return to her book.

"That's not true! Sho-chan is always kind to Mimori. If you didn't air all your dirty laundry in that magazine, Sho-cha-."

Before she could finish, Mimori was shoved out of the way by their classmates wanting to get a piece of Kyoko. Most were fascinated at her brilliancy to transform into an unattractive girl just to sneak into school. Their attitudes were a complete one-eighty and were overly nice to her. Some were cordial and talked to her about her work, while many were interested in her work with Koga.

Kyoko kept her demons at bay when a girl on her left, a teen magazine model, commented, "If a nobody could nab a guy like Tsuruga-san then it was possible to get any high profile man."

Her friend elbowed her in the ribs.

"I didn't mean anything by it," the girl whined defensively. "It was a compliment!"

Kyoko heard it in their high-pitched voices and fake giggles. None of them were sincere when complimenting her. It was odd that aside from that one comment, no one asked her about Ren or Kimiko.

…

Kyoko walked out of school contemplating her first day back. It could have gone worse. She had braced herself to be hated by Ren's diehard fans, but not a single one confronted her. Instead, they did petty things to mess with her without getting caught. During gym class, Kyoko had come back to the classroom to find some of her male classmates cleaning off graffiti from it. She thanked her classmates for their help.

Mimori was at every corner ready to pounce and remind her of how inferior Kyoko was to her. "They did that because they can't stand the fact that a nobody like you is dating Tsuruga-san. They're just too scared to say it to your face for fear of getting theirs burnt off."

Kyoko's eyes flashed with understanding. No wonder she was having a pretty peaceful first day at school, but it infuriated her.

Why should I be cast as the villain and Morizumi-san the victim?

She had to control herself from retorting. It would do her no good to try and defend herself. Not everyone was mean, practically all the boys in class tripped over themselves to aid her. If the teacher passed worksheets for her to hand out, the stack was quickly snatched from her hand by several boys willing to take over the task. She caused a frenzy when she dropped her mechanical pencil. Kyoko was glad more than ever that her skirt was a little longer today and made a mental note to keep her uniform skirts this length from now on.

She didn't realize that her good girl uniform only aided in driving the hot-blooded males crazier for her.

Kyoko stopped as she exited the school building looking for her father. He had texted, stating he would be waiting out front. She spotted him with his friend Sota and the principal while reporters hovered nearby waiting to sink their teeth in her.

As if sensing her presence, Tadashi glanced up and waved to his daughter. He was ecstatic that he could fulfill one of his fatherly duties and pick his daughter up from school. She looked adorable in her uniform and wanted a picture with her. Tadashi bowed to the principal and met his daughter halfway.

"Kyoko-chan, can you take a picture with this old man of yours? I want it for my memories," he pleaded. Kyoko laughed but obliged him while Sota took their picture. They took another moment to pose for the press photographers and students. She had no doubt these pictures would be on social media before she even left the school grounds.

AN: Thanks for sticking with me! Fillers galore but I wanted to have a RenKyo moment and get Kyoko back to school. Before I knew it I had over 5000 words *sigh.* I hope you enjoyed it.

Thank you for continuing to read and for leaving me feedback. I appreciate you all!

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^