Chapter 88: No Longer Alone

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Kyoko would understand by now that she has family in the people around her.

"There, Kyoko-chan. You look lovely tonight," Okami praised as she put the last pin in the top knot of her hair, leaving the rest of her long black strands to cascade down her back in soft curls. Kyoko smiled gratefully at her pseudo mother as her heart swelled with love for the woman. It was nice having another maternal figure making a fuss over her.

"Thank you, Okami-san," Kyoko replied, then buckled the black belt around her waist. She stood in front of the full-length mirror and twirled around in the flowy knee-length skirt with its vibrant panorama motif.

It was quirky, yet elegant like its designer, and no matter which way Kyoko turned, the print was different at every angle. At her waist, the skirt was mostly white, then blended into snowcapped mountains to fields of red poppy flowers with female silhouettes dancing through the foliage. A river ran between the valley of the mountains, flowing through the flower fields carrying a steamship. As if the print wasn't busy enough, shiny black floral appliqués were stitched randomly into the skirt.

Kyoko had paired it with a black sleeveless high collared shirt that tied into a bow at the neck. On her feet, she wore white kitten-heeled pumps and white knee-high stockings. She had to thank Fuji for gifting her another beautiful outfit. She had applied a minimal amount of makeup using translucent powder, blush, mascara, and lipgloss just as Aya had taught her to finish off the look.

Once finished, she made her way back down to the restaurant. It had taken her nearly thirty minutes to get ready which included preparing the clothes she packed and curling her hair. Kyoko had left her costars to finish eating and wondered if they were still in the room. If anything, she still had to collect her father. Knowing him, he was probably working. She felt guilty and selfish for keeping him in Japan while he had responsibilities in New York.

As she walked to the private rooms, she received many compliments on her outfit from the patrons she passed on the way. Many had their cellphones out, snapping photos of her that would probably end up on the internet. The action was still so foreign and had her wondering if she would ever get used to the cameras outside of work.

Kyoko slid open the shoji screen, shocked to find Koga with his head on the table and Cedric slurring in English as he told him his sob story. Their managers were gone and Tadashi wasn't even in the room. There were several empty bottles of sake on the table that wasn't there when she left. How much did they drink in the short time I was gone? And where is everybody?

"Are you guys okay?" Kyoko asked worriedly. They were big stars. Wouldn't it be bad if they were found drunk?

"Kyoko-chan! Welcome back!" Koga exclaimed, lifting his head off the table.

"Youuuuuu, youuuuu kno sumthin'...I thought Kimi wassa friend. I thought Japanese were sposed to be nicesh...like Yamato Naaa…dessshh..ko...Ha!" Cedric shouted with an exaggerated laugh. "Haaaa! Good joke!" He messily poured himself another shot of sake and chugged it down.

"Kyoko-chan, you smell nice," Koga grinned lopsidedly and sniffed the air. "Tsuruga-kun is so lucky to have someone as cute as you. Waaaaa! I want a girlfriend too! Why is that guy always beating me?"

"Eng-ga-lish," Cedric demanded. "Annnnywaysss, as I was saying. I have more life experience than you, Koga. Liiisssten, liiiiisten to me! All… women... are... trouble, no matter where they're from. No offense, but you don't count," Cedric deadpanned the last part and pointed at Kyoko.

Kyoko's eyes widened, slightly offended. Why don't I count? Did he not see me as a woman? Do I really have no sex appeal? Is Kuon blind? Her grudges geared up to throttle the foreigner.

"You look pretty by the way," Cedric complimented, propping his chin on his hand and flashing her a lazy smile. Kyoko's grudges retreated, defeated by the simple praise and not caring that it was obviously done under the influence. "Do you still have work?"

Kyoko frowned, unable to decide if Cedric was drunk or not. One moment he was exaggerating his speech like a drunkard, then he was perfectly coherent. Either way, she was skilled at dealing with drunk customers from working here and the Ryokan so his behavior wasn't shocking.

"Yes, I came to say goodbye. Will you guys be okay?" She asked, flicking her gaze between them.

"Yesh, disishs nufthin," drunk Cedric answered.

"What about your managers?" Kyoko pursed her lips to keep from laughing at the switch.

"We sent them home," coherent Cedric sat up and reached for the bottle again.

Kyoko hesitated. Could she leave them alone in their state?

"Go," Cedric waved her off after overfilling his cup, making Kyoko cringe at the spill. The hostess in her wanted to clean up the mess before she left.

"Don't worry about us. We're big boys," he gasped after gulping the drink in one go.

Kyoko nodded. He was right. They were grown men and would have to suffer the consequences of their actions tomorrow. "I'll be leaving first then. See you at work tomorrow."

"Nooooo! Kyoko-chan, don't leave me alone with this guy," Koga wailed in agony, grabbing her heel as she tried to leave.

"Koga-san, this is your chance to help your friend. All he needs is for someone to listen," Kyoko hissed, shaking Koga off as gently as possible.

Ever the polite kohai, she bowed before rushing out of the room. From the hall she overheard Koga say he was going to call some friends to hang out with them. Oh boy! I hope they don't get on Taisho's bad side. Just in case, she went to apologize in advance to Taisho to ensure her costars' safety.

...

"Hello, Mya?" Tadashi answered his phone as he stood outside the back of the restaurant waiting for Kyoko. "I didn't mean to disturb you that's why I sent a mail. You didn't have to call me back right away! Isn't it early there?"

"Early? It's almost 7 AM here. I've just come from the gym. I wanted to hear you for myself. The only time we talk lately is on business calls. Is everything okay over there?"

"Things are a little complicated, but I had anticipated this kind of result."

"And Kyoko-chan. How is she coping?"

"That's the thing. I'm not quite sure if she's strong or keeping things to herself. She is the one comforting me. Shouldn't that be the parents' job? That's why I want to do something fun for her and her friends...So I needed your opinion."

"I think what you've decided is perfect. Spare no expense Tadashi. Make sure to include an assortment of sweets and tea. I'd say some bubbly, but she's still underage. I'll send you the name of the place I used while I was there. It's very elegant and gives off an Ojou -sama vibe. I think she will enjoy it. It will take long hours, so make sure to book it on her day off."

"Here you are, father, sorry for making you wait," Kyoko said, stepping out from the back door of the restaurant.

Tadashi turned around and smiled at the sight of his beautiful daughter with his ear pressed to his phone. Kyoko whispered an apology and waited patiently for her father to wrap up his call.

"Mya, I have to go. Kyoko just came out. I'm escorting her to her next assignment. We'll talk later."

"Tadashi, don't worry. You're doing great! Talk to you soon. I'll send you the info. Give my love to Kyoko-chan!"

"Thank you, Mya. I owe you!"

"I did have my eye on this new Prada bag..." Mya teased.

Tadashi rolled his eyes and chuckled. "You're an extortionist! I'll see what I can do. Tell Todd and the kids I said hello. I'll bring some goodies next time. Bye-bye!"

Tadashi's smile remained on his face when he turned his full attention to his daughter. She looked like she came straight off a runway.

"You look lovely, sweetie. Now do your Dad a favor and let's take some pictures." The back alley of the streets of Tokyo would make a perfect backdrop for a quick photo shoot.

"Just a few; otherwise, I'll get too self-conscious."

Kyoko was innocence personified. She reminded him of a young Audrey Hepburn as she leaned against the wall and smiled demurely.

"Can we take some together now?" She asked after he took some photos of her. She didn't have to ask him twice. They stood in the middle of the deserted street taking a few more pictures.

"Do you mind if I send this to Mya-chan?" He asked, holding up the picture that he snapped of them laughing together when Tadashi struggled to press the button. Kyoko nodded with an approving smile.

Her father and Mya seemed to have a good relationship. A pang of guilt rushed through her at the thought of taking him away from everything he cherished in America.

"Are you ready to go? Do you have everything?" He asked, opening the car door. Kyoko went back in quickly to say goodbye to the couple. She returned with her bag and the promised bentos with the words of Taisho echoing in her mind like a bad premonition, Tell Ren-kun, I worked hard.

Kyoko kept fidgeting throughout the long car ride. She wanted to ask her father about his life in America but was too afraid of the answer.

Tadashi frowned trying to figure out what was bothering her. She had been in good spirits just a few minutes ago.

"Kyoko-chan, is everything okay? You seem a bit out of sorts," Tadashi inquired. He always prided himself on his ability to read people; however, his daughter had him second-guessing himself all the time.

"I'm fine," she replied quickly. A little too quickly for him.

Tadashi cocked his brow curiously. He was experienced enough with women to know that I'm fine were loaded words.

Kyoko winced. Her response sounded suspicious even to her ears. Tadashi waited patiently for her to explain as he watched her take a deep breath. "It's just that…I feel like I'm taking up your life. I mean, you've built this whole life for yourself and you're changing everything for me. I can't help but feel guilty."

Tadashi smiled softly and took her hand in his, relieved that this was what had been troubling her. He had thought she was finally feeling the effects of the Morizumi incident and was at a loss on how to help her. Boy was he glad to be wrong. He liked that she threw him off his game all the time. It was refreshing.

"Kyoko-chan, finding you has been the greatest joy in my once dismal life. I can't imagine my life without you anymore. Please be rest assured that I'm exactly where I want to be...with my family. You and Ren-kun are my family. Is that...oh no, please don't cry..." He dug inside his coat pocket for his handkerchief and handed it to her. "Is your makeup waterproof? I didn't mean to make you cry. I'm sorry."

Kyoko shook her head and smiled through her tears. It finally hit her that she was no longer alone and was wanted and loved. It was nice to finally have a family. Her mother was even making an effort to be in her life. At seventeen years old, Mogami Kyoko was no longer lonely.

...

Yashiro and Ren leaned against the hood of the car waiting for Kyoko to arrive since his last appointment ended sooner than expected. The Director was amenable to Ren's changes making him open to a compromise that didn't take long at all. Yashiro would have suggested grabbing dinner to kill time, but Kyoko was bringing food from the Darumaya. They still had about forty minutes before the interview started and decided to wait outside.

Both were heavily absorbed on their phones when Yashiro's started to ring. Ren glanced up nervously from his screen, wondering who could be calling. He hoped Kyoko was okay. These days, he was always nervous when she wasn't with him, wondering if she was safe. There was a little nagging thought at the back of his mind that one day she would disappear leaving him shattered beyond repair. It wasn't a healthy thought, but he couldn't deny its presence. Accidents happen every day and evil people succeed at destroying lives. Ouch! That thought hit a little close to home.

"Hello, Yukihito Yashiro speaking!" The manager greeted, answering the call. The speaker on the other end was loud, making Yashiro pull the earpiece back to avoid damaging his eardrums.

"Yashiro-san, I don't care who I have to kill, I want my models in my studio as soon as possible," came the high shrill voice from the receiver.

Yashiro looked at Ren astonished. "Fuji-san, is that you?"

"Of course, it's me! Who else could be such a drama queen?" The annoyed voice of the designer was really loud for not being on speakerphone.

"Ehhh, I have them scheduled for the end of the week. Is there a problem?" Yashiro asked.

"Yes, there's a problem! It's a crisis! I am being stunted creatively and require my muses ASAP! I need them, Yashiro-san! The sooner, the better!"

"Okay, Fuji-san, I understand! I'll see what I can do. I will have to call you tomorrow to see what I can shift around."

"That's all I ask. Thank you, Yashiro-san. I apologize for being a diva. If there's anything I can do for you please let me know. I'm on your side."

"Thank you, Fuji-san. I appreciate your support. I will contact you tomorrow," Yashiro promised. They exchanged goodbyes and hung up.

Yashiro let out a deep sigh and pulled out his planner. He had to perform a miracle right now. Fuji sounded like he was under a lot of stress. To him, as the designer, the countdown to fashion week was approaching at the speed of light. Ren and Kyoko would be departing earlier to have a few days of much-needed rest and relaxation too. With all the new jobs they just accepted, things were getting tight.

"Fuji-san sounded in a panic. I wonder if everything is alright," Ren asked, his face scrunching in consternation. The LA job was important to him. It was the push he needed to get him to face his parents…face his past, and hoped it wouldn't fall through. He didn't know if he would find the courage again if he didn't go now.

Headlights bounced off of them as Tadashi's black sedan pulled up to the back gate. Ren's whole body shifted with anticipation at the arrival of Kyoko. He bookmarked the website he was exploring on his phone and closed the link. His research would have to continue later. Ren adjusted his clothing and ran his hands through his hair while he waited for the car to come through.

Yashiro tried to hide his smirk watching his friend. He cursed inwardly that he didn't have his smartphone on him. The quality of video from his older phone would have to do. He was not missing a chance to capture his friend's change in demeanor and the way he fidgeted. It was so unlike Ren. Yashiro fangirled as he thought he was getting a glimpse of the future. Is this the level of nervousness I should expect on their wedding day? His eyes glossed over as he daydreamed about his favorite couple on their special day.

The manager kept his phone on record while the car pulled up beside them, wanting to capture their reunion. Ren moved forward and opened the door to help Kyoko out. She stepped out quickly and threw her arms around Ren's neck. Yashiro caught the whole encounter on video. From the soft blush on her cheeks to the deep inhale from Ren as he nuzzled her hair. Best of all, the gentle meeting of their lips. Yashiro's inner fangirl kyaaa'd at the sweet display before him. He couldn't wait to rub it in Lory's face.

They pulled away from each other's embrace and stared deeply into each other's eyes. Ren frowned at the redness he saw in her normal vibrant eyes. "You've been crying? Who hurt you?" He asked, his anger slowly rising. He was going to kill Koga or Cedric or both.

"Ah no, these are remnants of happy tears," she dismissed with a shy smile. Ren's anger dissipated and was replaced with a tinge of jealousy. Who had moved her so much that she had cried from happiness?

"Sorry, Ren-kun, it was my fault," Tadashi confessed with a lopsided grin.

Damn! I can't be jealous of my father-in-law.

Ren greeted Tadashi and walked over to help the man. He was removing Kyoko's bags from the trunk and transferring them over to Yashiro's vehicle. Kyoko brushed him and pulled out a guitar case.

"Ren, could you get the other one?" She asked sweetly.

The other one? Sure enough, there was another guitar bag in there along with a rectangular hard case. "Is this one yours too?" he asked slinging the guitar strap over his shoulder and lifting out the hard roller? Kyoko nodded.

"The roller will have to go in the front seat. The trunk isn't large enough for all of this," Yashiro informed him. Ren walked to the passenger side and placed the case inside. "Is all this for your singing drama?"

"Kei-san wants me to practice with the acoustic guitar since it's easiest to bring along. The other one is an electric guitar used for the film. I can't wait to show you it when we get home. It's the most beautiful instrument I ever laid my eyes on. I can't believe they're allowing me to use it. It's going to be tough, but I hope to master the song in the next two weeks. Father took a video of Kei-san performing the song I need to learn. It's..." Kyoko couldn't finish since the blush threatened to burn her cheeks.

"It's what?" Ren prodded. He was feeling a little insecure with all this Kei-san talk.

"Kei-san said it was our love song...Kyaaa!" She couldn't believe she admitted that out loud.

"He wrote a love song for you?" Ren's ultra-gentlemanly smile began creeping on his lips.

"Not for me, silly." She gently pushed at him. "The song was inspired by you and me. Us. Our love…or more correctly, my love for you," she corrected, her face heating up to supernova proportions.

"Oh, I would love to hear it when we get home then." His fake smile retreated and morphed into one belonging to a higher order.

"Noooo! You can't! I'm awful right now. Please give me one week so I can perform it properly. Kei-san said I have the potential to learn it quickly," she pleaded.

Kei-san again. Ren would need to investigate this Kei-san thoroughly. He shifted the conversation to stop her talk of another man. It was childish of him, but he couldn't help it.

"You look beautiful by the way," he said, reaching for her hand and twirling her about to view her from all angles. Kyoko giggled as she turned. It was so easy to accept his compliments now that their feelings were mutual. She remembered not long ago when such words coming from him were taboo. It was funny how the same words she swore would surely make her wither and die now had the opposite effect. Coming from him, they made her feel confident and alive.

"Thank you, you look rather dashing yourself," she responded, smoothing her hands over the lapels of his jacket. The slim-cut burgundy suit and black dress shirt with a soft watercolor print of flowers in whites, pinks, and grays he wore complemented her outfit perfectly.

"Can we take a picture of you two?!" Tadashi asked eagerly. Kyoko's father and Yashiro stared at the couple with eyes aglow and phones at the ready. The couple laughed together and posed for the two addled men with them. When the photo shoot was over, Tadashi said goodbye to the couple. Before leaving, he pulled Yashiro to the side to get his daughter's schedule. He needed to know her next day off to finalize his plan.

"Shall we go inside? I brought the bentos from Taisho," Kyoko offered, holding up the large wrapped package. Once they were settled in the green room, Kyoko handed out the boxes that Taisho had distinctly labeled. Yashiro's bento was beautifully arranged and according to the man delicious. Ren's box, on the other hand, was equally beautiful; however, he also had enough to feed a whole family. Between the note, Please enjoy and the message he gave to Kyoko, Ren had concluded that Tasiho was indeed angry with him. Kyoko had insisted that Taisho was the same as usual tonight which meant he gave her a pass. His beef was only with Ren. It was up to Ren to beg for the man's forgiveness. Finishing the food before him would be a good start.

"Ren, it's okay if you don't eat it all. You can't appear defeated on camera," Kyoko scolded. Ren tended to act like he was on his death bed if he overate. He couldn't show that side to his fans.

Fifteen minutes later, Ren was laid out on the couch clutching his cramping stomach. He had stubbornly eaten too much too fast. Kyoko and Yashiro were unamused by his behavior.

"Thanks, baby," Ren groaned, sitting up as she handed him some digestive pills and a glass of water.

Just then, the assistant came by the room and called five minutes to the start time. "You are an idiot!" Kyoko stated flatly, smoothing her skirt as she stood. The man was insufferable when he was stubborn. She loved that he had made an effort to finish all the food Taisho had prepared for him but now he was suffering. She left the room first to collect her thoughts, wanting to get rid of her irritation before they got on stage.

"Ren, are you going to be okay out there?" Yashiro asked, watching Ren struggle to stand after swallowing the pills. The actor nodded confidently, but the grimace on his face did not convince his manager.

Ren took a deep breath, put on his game face, and went to find his girlfriend. He needed to make up with her before they went in front of the cameras. She was chatting with the husband and wife duo, Yuudai and Emiko Souma. The couple that would be their host and hostess for the night. She gave him a warm smile as he approached, melting away the apprehension he felt when she left the room. That was a genuine smile, right? Ren returned the gesture and joined the group. The conversation with the older couple was teasing and lighthearted, easing the tension between Kyoko and Ren.

Eventually, they were called away for showtime leaving Ren standing backstage with Kyoko. His hand slid to hers and intertwined their fingers. He lifted her hand, brushing his lips against the back of it. "I'm sorry," he whispered apologetically.

Kyoko hummed pursing her lips together to keep from smiling. She didn't need to reprimand him anymore, his pain was enough punishment for his stubbornness. "Are you okay now?" she asked, her tone laced with concern. He had looked terrible in the waiting room.

"No, my stomach is about to burst. I want to unbuckle my belt and remove my pants right now," he confessed. A loud "Kyaaa!" sounded behind them followed by a thud. A woman passing by had fallen victim to Ren's words and fainted on the spot. The couple looked on while people rushed to help her.

"Ren, let's keep the talk about undressing to the bedroom," Kyoko replied, forgetting lower her voice. Snickers and a series of coughs sounded around them. Kyoko's face turned bright red with embarrassment. They had heard her. "I meant in the privacy of his bedroom, undressing by himself. Not with me in the room...I mean...Oh, Kamisama, I'm going to shut up now," she gulped covering her face. Her explanation had made things worse as a few of the men chuckled and gave Ren a thumbs-up.

Kyoko was relieved when they were given their cue to go onstage. "Showtime baby," Ren resounded with a chuckle. He pulled her hand from her face and tugged her along beside him. When they were in sight of the audience, he slowed his pace so they could walk side by side and still hand in hand. They made a stunning pair together. It took several minutes to get the audience under control. It was comforting to hear Kyoko getting as much attention as Ren from the crowd. The majority of the audience seemed to favor them as a couple.

"Welcome, Tsuruga-san, Kyoko-san. Thank you for being on our show," the Soumas greeted simultaneously. The young couple thanked and bowed their greeting to them and the audience before taking their seats. Ren made sure they sat close together and never released Kyoko's hand.

"By the way, you two look fabulous in those outfits. I love the coordination, it's very cute. Kyoko-san, are you feeling okay. Your face is quite red," Yuudai asked with concern.

"Ah, I'm fine, Souma-san. It could be I'm flushed from all the excitement," Kyoko explained naturally. She fanned her face with her free hand hoping to get her blush under control. There was no way she was going to admit why she was so embarrassed.

"Understandable…this is after all the second interview you have done with Tsuruga-san since you two went public, counting the Heel reveal. We've been trying to get you two on our show together for the longest time. I'm glad the timing worked out so perfectly," Emiko chimed in.

What Emiko didn't say was how all the intrigue surrounding the couple was putting their show at the top of the ratings when it aired tomorrow night at its regular prime time slot. It was truly perfect timing that they had this interview scheduled before everything hit the fan. The team was instructed that under no circumstances were they to touch on the recent events with the Morizumis or the interview would be over. The Soumas were fine with that stipulation. They had more than enough content on this couple to keep their segment entertaining.

"So we're just going to get down to the nitty-gritty. We'll start with the most recent. There's been talk!" Yuudai announced.

"Lots of talks," Emiko emphasized, eliciting a laugh from the audience.

"I'm sure you two have heard the talk. People you've worked with, cast and crew, are spilling their guts to anyone that would listen about your behavior on the set of Tragic Marker!" Yuudai grinned mischievously, making the young couple gulp.

"We're here to extract the truth from the two of you. Put you both in the hot seat per se," Emiko added, her eyes alight with mischief.

"What my wife is trying to say is we're going to play a game using comments that are being said in the tabloids about the Heel siblings? You two will have to confirm or deny whether the statements are accurate," Yuudai explained.

Kyoko and Ren nodded unsure about what they were getting themselves into. Truth be told, they weren't up to date on the sibling gossip being spread by their colleagues.

"Great, let's get started," Yuudai said, pulling out a card from the stack on the small table in front of them. "Ooh, right off the bat, this one is for you Kyoko-san."

Kyoko sat up straighter her hand clenching Ren's nervously. He had to control his face to keep from wincing from the pain of her grip crushing the small bones in his hand.

"Manaka-san has boldly called you out on your acting skills. She says, and I quote, 'I'm a little disappointed that Setsuka-san was just a role. I was a true fan. One such incident on the set that left an impression on me would be when Setsuka-san actually pushed me down while filming on Guam. I was just trying to be friendly with Cain-san. It was such a Setsuka-san thing to do and now that I know she was Kyoko-san acting all along I'm inspired at her passion and ability to ingrain herself into a role.' Can you confirm or deny that you in fact had such an altercation with the lead actress Kyoko-san?"

Oh shit! That Manaka! Was she picking a fight with me? Is this her way of getting revenge? Will I be charged with assault if I admit to this? I have no idea how to answer this question. I much prefer to admit to giving Ren a hickey even though I would die of mortification. No one can blame me for wanting to touch him, he's Tsuruga freaken Ren. Wait a minute, Manaka had phrased it as 'pushed'. I practically threw her across the deck so maybe it will be okay to admit.

Ren squeezed her hand encouragingly.

"Well, you have to understand, Souma-san, my Setsu is extremely possessive. She doesn't share her precious Nii-san with anyone. Manaka-san was getting entirely too friendly for Setsu's taste," Kyoko admitted with a slight blush. Her response had the Soumas along and the audience in stitches.

"Okay, okay, so that one was true. Yikes, I feel sorry for any woman that sets their sights on Tsuruga-san. You heard that, right ladies? I've been in this business a long time and always a little bit of an actress' personality is in every character she portrays so you've been warned. Kyoko-san is very possessive," Yuudai declared with a chuckle.

"As she should be hubby. He is Japan's number one according to women in their twenties for the past few years," Emiko added.

Kyoko giggled and ducked her head while Ren beamed with delight. She knew she should deny their words but honestly, there was a lot of truth behind it. She trusted in Ren's love. It was his costars she was worried about. If this interview served as a little warning to anyone, woman or man (in their line of work, she couldn't discriminate), to think twice about getting close to her man outside of work she would use it.

"Okay, moving to the next one," Emiko said, picking up another card from the stack after receiving a signal from her producer to keep things moving. "Ooh, this one is for Tsuruga-san to answer. Okay."

"So this crew member claims, 'When we were on Guam, I knew something was off when we spotted Heel-san walking barefoot through the hotel lobby with sandy feet. I had this feeling that there was more to the guy than he was letting on. He looked lonely without his sister. Now we all know why.' Is this true, Tsuruga-san, we're you lonely on Guam?"

Kyoko stared at Ren expectantly. He never did tell her about the time he spent on Guam after she left. She saw every one of his videos of him eating and she knew he practiced cooking. It made her wonder what else he did when he wasn't working.

With a light laugh, Ren said, "It's true. I used to take walks on the beach at night after a long day at work. I'll admit, it was a little out of character for Cain to be out there, but it helped me relax and shrug off the remnants of BJ. Portraying him was a challenge for me. It was very intense." He turned towards Kyoko with a dramatic pause, "and yes when work was finished and I was left alone to my thoughts, she was always on my mind."

There was a chorus of "Awws!" throughout the studio. Kyoko tightened her hold on his arm and hid her face against his jacket sleeve. No one could tell which was redder his suit or her face.

"Okay, I can't take it. We're going off script here because we're dying to know," Yuudai exclaimed excitedly. "One thing a lot of these quotes have in common is the behavior you two had with each other on set. The hot looks, the hugging, the feeding, sitting on laps, among other things. This all obviously happened wayyy before you two made your public announcement at the awards ceremony. When exactly did you both start? How long have you been hiding from the public?"

Ren was curious to know what the among other things entailed. Was it the hickey she gave him or his violent behavior on set? It was decided beforehand that they would tell this teeny white lie to the public so that it would explain away their intimate behavior on set.

"Well we liked each other long before the Dark Moon days (he exaggerated) but didn't actually start acting on our feelings until right before Tragic Marker," Ren explained, the lie rolling off his tongue so naturally. This was the easiest way to keep Kyoko's reputation intact.

"I knew it!" Emiko shouted with a whoop. "You owe me ten thousand yen, darling," Emiko exalted. The duo had made a bet previous to the show on the timing of the couple's relationship and she just won. She knew that they had been secretly dating way in advance before that announcement. She felt the chemistry just from watching Mio and Katsuki interact with each other in Dark Moon. It almost felt like they should have been the fated couple in that drama.

"I'm just amazed at how you guys managed to keep your relationship so quiet for so long. That's quite a feat given that you're Tsuruga Ren. There was not a single peep of gossip regarding you in a relationship," Yuudai said in admiration. Everyone knew the truth behind Kana's kiss stunt, so he wasn't even going to bother to reignite that drama. There was no point giving that woman any sort of press for her deplorable actions.

Emiko nudged her husband, pulling him out of his thoughts, and extended her hand palm up. Yuudai sighed and pulled his wallet out from his jacket pocket. He handed a ten thousand yen bill over to his wife. Emiko winked at Kyoko as she tucked the money into her pocket.

Kyoko sighed in awe of the couple. She hoped in twenty years, she and Ren could be just like them, still doing what they love, together.

AN: Oh man this chapter was running away from me and I had to find a cutoff point. Thanks for sticking with me! I hope you enjoyed it!

As always, thank you for reading and leaving me lovely notes. To the new readers, welcome to my monster.

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^