Chapter 81: Best Friend

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Yashiro would definitely have his own fan club.

When Saena stepped into the office with Susumu that afternoon, the receptionist handed her a large manila envelope. She was told the packet had been delivered about a half-hour ago by courier. Saena's eyebrow twitched with irritation as she read the sender's address. That man, Hayashi Kento, worked fast. He had no idea what was coming his way.

With Susumu in tow, Saena sat at her desk and opened the package. She scowled immediately as she scanned the top sheet of the document.

"A lawsuit! They're even seeking restitution for future loss of income," she huffed and handed the document over to Susumu.

Saena had to commend the man for his quick response. This was a very wise move on their part. She needed to nip this case in the bud before further damage to the manager's reputation could ensue. There was also a high possibility of the negative ramifications trickling down to his clients and company. Saena and Susumu had been building a solid case against the Morizumi girl just for this precise moment. The video evidence Tadashi had given them last night was quite disturbing. She imagine it would be like watching a teenage drama series if she ever saw one. The various emotions the young woman displayed were Oscar-worthy. Without this evidence, Kimiko could easily dupe any judge or jury with her acting.

"This is pretty smart of him," Susumu commented. "I wish we could have had this information this morning though," he said as he took the paperwork to his office.

The lawyer couple had spent the morning at LME in discussions with the President, Tadashi, the PR director, and the man in question, Yashiro Yukihito. They had assured Yashiro that they would do everything in their power to help him. The lawyers along with the PR director briefed Yashiro on the proper way of dealing with the press. They simply wanted him to reply with "no comment." Anything he said could be detrimental to the case and could be used against him if taken out of context. Yashiro was stunned that everyone was doing so much on his behalf. Lory had felt insulted that he would even doubt the company's loyalty. Yashiro was once again reminded that if it wasn't for his quick actions more people would have been severely hurt by Kimiko. Saena was under the impression that they were also talking about the girl's future victims.

Once the PR director and Yashiro left, Tadashi had presented them with the toxicology report of the chocolates "Ren" had supposedly gifted to Kyoko. She watched the man's neck muscles tense as he verbally summarized the report for them. The toxicologist found traces of tetrodotoxin, a poison typically found in Fugu also known as the blowfish. She could see the control he exerted to maintain his anger. His eyes grew cold as he relayed the information from the toxicologist. By ingesting just a single piece of the chocolate would have been enough to hospitalize the victim. Depending on the victim's health, it could also result in death. Saena couldn't believe the young woman would have the gall to pull such a stunt. Surely, the smell of the fish would have given things away. Tadashi told her that it was very faint since the girl had used a mint extract to cover up the smell.

Saena had finished up the necessary paperwork for the case and submitted it to Susumu and Katigiri-sensei's inbox for their peer review. Saena glanced at her watch. Tadashi should be calling her soon with Kyoko's permission to proceed.

Before hooking up with Ren after his meeting at LME, Yashiro headed up to his desk since he had some time before the next appointment. He wondered if the other managers would welcome him there. Would they think he was dangerous? There were whispers and stolen glances in the halls as he passed through the corridors of LME which made him nervous. They seemed to be more out of curiosity than malice. Those that knew him well actually gave him their full support.

Yashiro took a deep breath and released it before opening the door to the office. The room grew still as his colleagues noticed his arrival. Yashiro could have heard a pin drop in the usually loud and busy room. He bowed and made to leave when they all scrambled to stand up. He was stunned when they gave him a standing ovation. His part in the incident had spread like wildfire throughout the industry. Everyone in the room seemed to know Kimiko had tried to harm Kyoko and Ren. Yashiro had stepped in as a stellar manager and protected his charges. They greeted him with words of encouragement for the future which made Yashiro feel more at ease. He sat at his desk and did his best to focus on work-related to Kyoko and Ren. He ignored all inquiries regarding the incident unless it was to ensure the directors of their current contracts that they were both unharmed and able to continue their current schedule.

...

Yashiro tried to concentrate on the scene before him. He wondered if he should have taken Lory's advice to take the day off since he was causing quite a disturbance on Ren's set. At the time, he believed the President had been testing him to see if Yashiro would crumble under the pressure. He was used to dealing with the media when it came to his charges. Now that the tables were turned on him, it was a whole other ballgame. The gossip was spreading around the set. Several curious staff members and other managers had no problems asking him questions directly. Taking his lawyer's advice, he chose to provide vague answers to their inquiries. He knew in this business nothing would stay silent. Someone was always trying to make an extra buck by selling information to the media.

Since this was Ren's veterinarian drama, they were at the scene where his father had eventually passed away. His final will and testament were being read by the family lawyer. The scene was a small reminder of Yashiro's current situation. Despite all the reassurances by his friends and colleagues, Yashiro couldn't help but feel that at any moment he would be apprehended by the police. He hoped they didn't come when he was near Ren. Now that I think about it, I really should have taken the day off. Yashiro shook his head to clear it of all negative thoughts. He had to keep faith in Kyoko's parents. They were both sure that this case would be won in his favor if it did go to trial. They were hoping, for his part, not to let it get that far.

Yashiro opened his phone to check their current situation. If he shook one of those magic eight balls right now he was pretty sure his fortune would have read, Outlook not so good. The media was spinning things out of proportion and were currently at odds with each other. The news outlets that had the Morizumi name tied to them painted Yashiro as a monster, Kyoko a role thief, and Ren as a womanizer of young actresses. Kyoko was apparently his latest conquest. Though they couldn't say what benefit it would be for him.

A shadier online tabloid chomped on this bit of information and ran with it. They accused Ren of getting close to Kimiko to garner favor from her family. They rehashed the photo that was taken of Ren holding Kimiko's hand at the Purple Down party to bring attention to their story. If they had been there, they would have seen Kimiko trip and Ren offer assistance like the gentleman he came to portray. They even had quotes from various people that worked on the set with them admitting to their relationship. Yashiro knew Kyoko and Ren had the habit of ignoring the news so he wasn't sure how aware they were of this story. He had yet to check the fan sites to determine what was being said there.

He wondered if Kyoko's first day of school was faring better. Ren, on the other hand, pasted a gentleman's smile on his face at full wattage and managed to keep everyone in check. How women, minus Kyoko, swooned at the smile was still a mystery to Yashiro? At least the men had enough sense to cower at his oppressive aura.

Yashiro shut his phone and checked his watch. They had less than an hour before they needed to be at Ren's next location for a commercial. As if on cue, the director gave the thumbs up for Ren's scenes and allowed him to leave for the day. Out of habit, Yashiro handed Ren a bottle of water and a towel. The latter often went unused since Ren rarely broke a sweat unless the role called for it. How he did that was another one of his charge's many mysteries.

"How are you holding up, Yashiro-san?" Ren asked concerned as he dabbed the non-existent sweat from his brow with the towel. Yashiro looked at him curiously as he wiped behind his neck.

When Yashiro didn't answer immediately, Ren stopped and asked, "What is it?"

"I think the important question here is, are you okay Ren?" Yashiro said, nodding towards the towel. "You seem to be drying sweat that isn't there. Are you feeling anxious?"

Ren looked at the towel and frowned at his actions. He learned to control his sweat glands a long time ago so he often didn't use the towel given to him. The only time he would sweat unknowingly was when Kyoko caught him off guard and that was often.

Ren thought about dismissing Yashiro's question then thought twice about it. "I'm worried about Kyoko," he admitted as they walked towards his dressing room. "She had been so excited to attend high school last year, but this morning she was dreading going back. She texted during her lunch break that 'everything was fine.' I was with Kijima-san at the time and he told me that when a woman says she's fine it means the exact opposite. What do you think, Yashiro-san, am I worrying for nothing?"

"Well..." Yashiro began after entering the dressing room. "We are talking about Kyoko-chan here. She doesn't act like most women so she may really be fine. Without hearing her voice or seeing her reaction in person it would be difficult to know. She should be out of school by now, maybe you can call her on the way to your next location."

Ren nodded, he would do just that.

While Ren changed back into his clothes and removed the stage makeup from his face, Yashiro thought it was the perfect time to break the news to him.

"Ren, there's something else you should know," Yashiro said, putting on his gloves and pulling out his phone. He opened the news article and held up the phone. Ren finished drying off his face and reached for the phone. Yashiro squirmed as he watched Ren's face turn grim.

Ren returned the phone and sat in the chair opposite Yashiro. He hunched forward with his elbows on his knees and threaded his fingers together, resting his chin on them. He stared off into space for a few moments as he digested the news. What were they talking about? Did he give off such an impression? Once again, his gentleman persona was biting him in the ass. Ren stood quickly startling Yashiro. He put on his necklace and shrugged on his jacket.

"Let's get going. I want to call Kyoko," Ren explained, holding the door open for his manager. Yashiro scrambled to get his stuff and followed Ren out. They said goodbye to the director and the staff. Before leaving, they were warned that the paparazzi were still waiting out there.

Ren and Yashiro stood at the exit gauging the mob they would have to get through. He could see his car in the parking lot across the street about 30 meters away and wondered if they could make it. Yashiro had arrived by taxi so they wouldn't have to take separate cars throughout the day.

"Let's do this, Yashiro-san," Ren told his manager as he took a step towards the door. He pasted a smile on his lips that would freeze anyone with its high beam.

Yashiro pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose and narrowed his eyes at the crowd. It would be over his dead body before anyone got close to his charge. When they walked out, a communal shiver ran through the crowd. They actually feared him.

Yashiro's concentration was broken when a woman from the crowd called out, "Yashiro-san, I love you!" The declaration was unexpected. The little outburst broke the dam and everyone started shouting towards them.

You're my hero, Yashiro-san!

He's so manly!

Isn't he handsome?

He's the perfect man to be at Tsuruga-san's side!

I heard he trains in martial arts!

Yashiro started turning red from embarrassment. Ren got his fair share of love from his fans too but most of the attention was on his manager. Not to be outdone by the fans, the reporters filed forward shouting questions.

Yashiro-san, Tsuruga-san, can you give us a firsthand account of what happened last night?

"No comment!"

Do you know how Morizumi-san is doing or do you not care?

Yashiro paused, wanting to defend them, but Ren stepped in. "No comment!"

Tsuruga-san, how can you continue to work with a man that hurts little girls? Don't you care about your reputation?

Yashiro felt like he had been punched in the gut and couldn't breathe.

Ren stopped short and glanced at the press badge around the guy's neck. He had to be affiliated with the Morizumis. Ren stood at his full height, towering a good ten centimeters foot over the man. He stared at the reporter with eyes that even the God of death would fear. The reporter let out a terrified yelp but managed to hold his bladder.

"Ren, you're scaring everyone. Let's just go," Yashiro pleaded, but Ren shook him off easily. He was already desperate to talk to Kyoko, but this man was completely out of line.

"Is that recording?" Ren asked the reporter. He looked around at the people around him. "You are all testament to what I have to say regarding this man."

"Ren," Yashiro hissed, tugging on his sleeve. "I'm pretty sure Mogami-san doesn't want us talking to the press," Yashiro warned, trying to get his charge moving.

"I'll make this quick," he told his manager.

"That's not the prob-" Yashiro began before Ren brushed him off again.

"I owe my life to this man. He is not as dangerous or detestable as some of you might think. Without regard for his safety, he put his life on the line last night to save me and Kyoko from danger. What happened to Morizumi-san was an unfortunate accident. We truly wish for her to have a full recovery. I ask that people respect the wishes of her family and not drag her name through the mud. You're all free to speak and report as you please about me, but I will not tolerate anyone speaking ill of my best friend. He's one of the most decent guys I know in my life. He doesn't deserve any of your contempt." With that, Ren and Yashiro quickly left the scene ignoring the questions being shouted in their direction. The reporters were quickly overtaken by angry fans that refused to hear them continue to bad mouth Ren or Yashiro.

"Ren, thank you for that, but just so we're both clear you will be the one answering to your mother-in-law," Yashiro warned, taking the keys from Ren and sliding into the driver's seat of his car. This would be his first time driving on the left-hand side of a vehicle but he was sure it would be fine.

...

Kyoko clenched her hands into fists on her lap as her father explained the situation to her on the way to the LME training school. Since Sacred Lotus was canceled for today and she had some time before the Yappa Kimagure Rock taping, Kyoko decided it was best to make use of the extra time and take those expensive lessons.

Kimiko had left her one final parting gift under the pretense of a peace offering. Her grudges stirred while her anger rose. The vile woman had managed to taint Ren's loving and kind gestures by adding poison to her favorite confections. Kyoko was familiar with the dangers of Fugu. Sho's father was a licensed chef on the delicacy. Many people came to the ryokan's restaurant to get a taste of the danger.

Fuwa-san never allowed Kyoko to train in its preparation. She was only allowed to watch and listen as he prepared the fish for their guests.

"Kyoko-chan, you're too young right now, but when you graduate from high school, I will train you on how to prepare Fugu so you can become certified."

Kyoko stared with rapt attention as Fuwa-san demonstrated how to choose the Tora-fugu, wild blowfish, the Kobe beef of all pufferfish, for its freshness. He pointed out little details for her to spot in its coloration, size, and shape, quizzing her every step of the way. She watched with fascination as he removed the fins and skin from the fish with precision just like a surgeon performing a critical operation. He placed the parts in a tray labeled properly as poisonous. It was the same instruction every time, meticulous and methodical. Any misstep was a matter of life or death for their customers. He showed her which knife to use and how to wield it so she wouldn't accidentally cut into the innards of the fish that contained the toxin. Her eyes filled with wonder as he sliced the fish's flesh paper-thin for sashimi. Her favorite part was watching him plate each sliver until it resembled a beautiful white blossom against the blue of the dish.

Kyoko sighed at the memory. She was glad to recall that time in her life more fondly now without her previous hate for Shotaro clouding her heart. Kyoko could still remember every word and every cut she needed to make to get it perfect. At the time, she couldn't wait to learn the new skill to please the Fuwas.

Kyoko shook her head slightly to clear her mind and focus. Because of her past, she knew how deadly the toxin in a blowfish could be to a person. It angered her that Kimiko had come to the set straight up lied to her in front of everyone. It made sense now why she was willing to bow out so gracefully. She had a trump card up her sleeve. If things had not gone awry for Kimiko, there was a high possibility that Kyoko would have been the one lying in the hospital right now or dead. If she had offered a piece to her friends and colleagues like she often did with Ren's edible gifts, they too could have fallen victim to the poison. That thought made her livid.

"Kyoko-chan, it's your decision. Your mother and I will respect whatever choice you want to make with dealing with Morizumi-san," Tadashi advised her when she slowly emerged from her thoughts.

"I understand what you're telling me, father," Kyoko replied with a sad smile. They were allowing her to make the final choice and would respect her decision.

Tadashi kept his thoughts on the matter to himself. He didn't want his feelings influencing her decision. For him, there was no petty revenge. Tadashi wanted justice. Three times! That girl had tried to harm Kyoko three times too many for his liking and he didn't want it quietly swept under the rug when Kyoko, along with Ren and Yashiro, were taking the brunt of the criticism. He had given her all the facts and wanted her to form her conclusion.

"What would you do father?" Kyoko asked, her large doe eyes staring into the similar ones of her father.

Tadashi smiled at his daughter and brought his hand up to her cheek. These last few weeks with her had been a blessing. Kimiko had tried to take her from him too many times. He didn't think the girl was capable of doing any more damage, but also didn't want to underestimate her.

"I don't possess the goodness that you have sweetie. I felt horrible that my actions triggered her so deeply that she lashed out like that last night. She was finally going to leave and you could live your life in peace. Then I think about how you could be the one lying in the hospital right now because of me. It would have been all my fault…" Tadashi gazed into his daughter's eyes brimming with tears. "I can't help but wonder if you would have been better off without me."

Kyoko covered her hand over her fathers. "Please don't say that. I'm happy you're here. Thank you for helping me and accepting me. I'm just sorry you had to be dragged into my mess."

"It's my duty as your father to protect you. You will never have a problem too big or too small that I would find bothersome. You can always rely on me for help. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Kyoko nodded, but the guilt on her father's face only lessened slightly. She sat quietly for a moment before speaking again. "It's not your fault. I think Morizumi-san made her bed, now she has to lie in it. Even if she grew tired of me, she would have probably found another person to torment."

Kyoko's eyes widened as soon as she finished speaking. She had found her answer. Her father picked up the phone from the seat between them and punched in her mother's number before handing it over to her.

Cedric looked up from his seat at the television set hanging on the dull white wall across from him. The news was once again covering the fire incident last night. They replayed the police statement that was made last night regarding the ongoing investigation. What investigation? It was an accident couldn't they leave it alone. They flashed a series of pictures of a happy and beautiful Kimiko on the set of one of her dramas. He watched the highlight until they cut to Ren defending Yashiro. They were condemning the wrong person. It was his fault that Kimiko had been so hurt and angry. He knew he should go to the press and tell them his side of the story, but he was still a coward. If his father got wind of his involvement, he would probably make good on his promise and blacklist his son from Hollywood. Cedric's father didn't seem to care that he had turned over a new leaf these past years and was becoming more successful in the industry by his own merit.

It was guilt that had Cedric sitting in the hospital waiting room, hoping that he could visit with Kimiko. He had been there all day and only crossed paths with her father once. The man's eyes were cold as he glanced over Cedric like he was nothing. Cedric couldn't even bring himself to speak, instead, he dropped into a chair where he could see down the hall and hopefully get his chance to apologize.

Tearing his eyes away from the TV, he watched as a nurse came down the hall. He had been doing that all day but her parents never came out. Several other family members had come to visit, but the nurse turned them away per her parents' orders. He pulled his cap lower on his head when his eye caught a man sitting across the room from him that had the bearing of a reporter.

Before he could think further on the guy, Cedric's attention was pulled towards the main hospital door by the buzzing from the media outside. The paparazzi camping out there had been stirred up by Jouji's appearance. Cedric saw this as his chance and jumped to his feet to intercept the director.

"Morizumi-san!" Cedric shouted breathlessly, dropping into a bow in front of the director.

"Ahhh, Ric-kun, you were here. How is my niece doing?" Jouji asked solemnly, forgetting Cedric's difficulties with the language. It wasn't going to stop him from communicating with the man since Jouji was the only one not holding a grudge against him.

Cedric thought of his response and knew he would butcher it in Japanese so kept it simple. "Kimiko, I don't know…Errr, ugh…not allowed."

Jouji hummed thoughtfully rubbing his goatee. His brother was probably still very angry. The two men turned as they heard heels clicking against the floor. The older woman was the spitting image of Kimiko. Although she looked tired with her eyes red and puffy, she was still very beautiful. This must be her mother. Jouji walked up to the woman and pulled her into a hug and asked how Kimiko was doing.

"She is recovering. They are watching for any sign of fever or infection, but she will nee-" her voice broke as a sob threatened to escape her. She cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. "She will never be the same. She is still heavily sedated to minimize her pain."

Her eye finally caught Cedric standing a few feet away. He watched her face contort in anger as she stepped towards him. Everything was in slow motion and Cedric welcomed it. She raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face. Fuck! That hurt like a bitch! Cedric shook his head to clear it and tasted blood in his mouth. The little woman packed a mean slap.

"I deserved that," Cedric mumbled with anguished eyes. Kimiko's mother lifted her hand to strike him again but stopped short, remembering their location. Her tear-filled eyes swept over the people in the waiting room staring at them then landed back on Cedric. She stomped away after giving him a cold-hard stare.

"You should go home and ice that. We're back on set tomorrow," Jouji told him following after his sister-in-law. Cedric nodded and pushed back his hair. Well, that went well, he thought, rubbing his jaw. He flashed the shocked nurse a bloody smile.

"It's okay, I'm leaving," Cedric nodded toward her hand on the phone probably dialing security. Realizing he now had an audience, Cedric bowed and apologized to everyone before leaving.

AN: Hi, hi! To be continued! Thank you for sticking with me everyone. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I appreciate all of you for continuing to read and leaving me reviews on the last chapter.

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^