Chapter 95: Knock 'Em Dead!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Ren/Kuon would get scouted to play a Yakuza role!

"Something on your mind Ren?" the manager asked, stepping away from the wall. He pulled off his ear muffs and approached the actor.

"What makes you say that?" Ren responded with a quick sidelong glance at his manager. He evaded Yashiro's question by answering it with a question and continued what he was doing. He slid the empty magazine out from the Glock 19 and then placed the pistol on the table.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you've been so somber since meeting with the President and not to mention THIS!" Yashiro exclaimed, gesturing erratically at the paper targets. All five targets had kill shots; two perfect holes in the chest and one in the head. Not a single bullet went astray. Yashiro was not surprised by Ren's familiarity with a gun but was baffled by his accuracy.

When they first arrived for his marksmanship training this afternoon, Ren disclosed to the instructor and the drama stunt coordinator that he was somewhat familiar with guns since his father was an owner and taught him how to use one. It was news to Yashiro. Aside from the acting test for Tragic Marker, Yashiro had never seen Ren handle a gun. Japan had strict gun laws and only allowed citizens to own shotguns or rifles after rigorous testing. Yashiro mentally filed this information under the folder labeled Evidence that Ren once lived abroad.

Ren chuckled at his manager's overreaction. "I told you earlier. My father owned guns and instructed me on how to use them safely at a young age."

There were a lot of incidences in the States involving kids getting a hold of their parent's guns and accidentally shooting themselves or someone else because they were playing with them. His father kept his guns locked up in a safe, but he always stressed to Kuon the importance of gun safety. The gun itself was just an inanimate object; however, in the wrong hands, it could be wielded as a deadly weapon. His Dad thought it was a necessary skill to possess for action roles that required the use of a gun.

"Okay, gun proficiency aside. You can't deny you've been a little down. When I saw you this morning, you were practically overflowing with joy. All the women in the vicinity hyperventilated and needed immediate medical attention after just coming within a five-meter radius of you." The only person that could bring out that side of Ren was Kyoko. His inner fangirl was salivating, begging for any juicy details. Come to think of it. Ren didn't even tease him as he had fully expected. He was sure Kyoko knew that Kanae was with him early this morning. Yashiro's thoughts floated to the incredible night spent with his girlfriend. He couldn't wait for this day to be over so he could see her again.

"Yashiro-san, now you're just exaggerating," Ren replied dryly, replacing the old target sheets with new ones. His instructor and the stunt coordinator had stepped out to check on the setup of the outdoor shooting gallery. They wanted to make sure Ren had the nuances of a professional when he was moving at a fast pace with a gun as both a cop and a criminal.

For this new drama, titled Ryu, he would be playing Koyanagi Akira, a young and talented PSI agent deep undercover in one of Japan's largest organized syndicates. As the right-hand man of a highly reputable crime boss, he would covertly investigate the source of a drug that killed his older sister three years prior. Akira was in his third year of high school when he came home to find his parents clinging to each other in their grief. Since their parents worked full time, his sister sacrificed her high school time caring for him. When she left for university in his first year of high school, he felt a little lonely. His sister was always patient and kind to a brat like him, choosing to spend time with him over friends. She excelled at school and was very popular. He couldn't accept that she willingly took drugs and died of an accidental overdose. Overwhelmed with a strong desire to seek justice, he decided to take matters into his own hands to put away the people responsible for creating and distributing the drugs. He switched his focus from university and instead applied for the police academy. His top marks and extreme agility had various departments watching his progress. Upon graduation, he was unexpectedly recruited into a ghost section within the Public Security Intelligence Agency. His records were sealed and the alternate identity of the criminal, Ryu, was born. Building a reputation for himself on the street, it only took him a few months to get noticed by the Boss. From then, it would take him less than a year to rise through the ranks in the gokudo, while struggling to maintain focus on his mission.

"No, you're just blind to every other woman, but Kyoko," Yashiro bluntly replied. "You can rely on me a little. You don't have to solve everything on your own."

Ren sighed heavily and walked to the table where he left the gun. He wasn't ready to tell Yashiro about Rick, but that was only one part of his problem.

"I've received a few offers for work in Hollywood," Ren confessed.

"What? That's great! Is that why you went to see the President?"

Ren nodded. "I turned them down."

"What? Why? It has been your dream to act in the U.S."

"It's still my dream."

"Butttt?" Yashiro stressed, pressing him for more. Lory must be fielding these offers personally since nothing had come across his desk. "So what did Kyoko have to say? I'm sure she gave you an earful."

Ren looked away guiltily. Yashiro's eyes widened at his silent admittance. "She doesn't know, does she?"

"I'm going to tell her. We've just been busy."

"Right..." Yashiro said sarcastically.

Ren ignored his tone. "The right role has yet to present itself. Like I told President Takarada, I'm in no rush. It's not like I'm hurting for work here. This drama alone will take a good chunk of my schedule until the end of the year. Not to mention the influx of new work I've committed to taking."

Yashiro contemplated Ren's words. They made sense since Ren was only twenty-one years old. Many big stars in Hollywood didn't get their break until their thirties or even later in life. However, it would be beneficial for Ren to take on small roles. It would give the American producers and directors a sense of his capabilities. He would give Ren until the New Year, after that, Yashiro would probe him again.

Readjusting the safety glasses over his eyes, Ren picked up the gun to reload it. While Yashiro was deep in thought, Ren slipped the ear protection back on his head and looked over at Yashiro. The manager moved to cover his ears and stand behind him.

Ren released the safety and aimed. Once again, he ran through the targets keeping his mind clear of personal vendettas and reloading as necessary. When he was done, he removed the magazine from the gun and pulled back on the slide to empty the chamber. The instructor and the stunt coordinator returned while he was finishing up the last target. They clapped, impressed by his skill. Neither of them voiced their opinions on the actor's expert marksmanship. The instructor took the weapon from Ren and advised the men to follow him, shifting to the outdoor range.

Ren watched the stunt coordinator run through the course quickly, memorizing as much of his movements in the process. There was a planned scene of an epic gun battle between a rival syndicate right from the beginning. The first episode would be set in the future with the future episodes, backtracking to show the audience how they got to that point in the drama. For any TV show, the pilot episode was important to rope in the audience and get them coming back for more.

Ren was a little apprehensive about this role. It had an uncanny resemblance to his real life; the loss of an older sibling and the need to create an alter ego. The big difference was Akira didn't despair after losing his cherished sister. He chose to take action and seek justice so no one else would get hurt, even if he had to embrace the filthier side of humanity to do it.

Thanks to BJ, he was more in control and accepting of the darker side of Kuon. To act as Ryu, he would have to once again tap into the dark recesses of his persona and toe the line of good versus evil to maintain his cover. Like Tragic Marker, this would be a welcome challenge for him as an actor. This role would determine if I'm truly ready.

Tadashi hugged his daughter when he picked her up at the front gate, "How was school, sweetie?" he asked, ignoring the shutter sounds flashing around them. When would these reporters give up? After she assured him that she had a productive day, he turned towards the exit and escorted her out using his sharp gaze to keep the curious students and reporters at bay. It was a tactic he learned from Yashiro. Thinking of the manager, he wondered what Sota could uncover if he ever did a background check on him.

"Okay, before we head to the Sacred Lotus set, we are going to your voice and guitar lessons," Tadashi told his daughter, scrolling through the schedule Yashiro had sent him on his phone. "If we time it right, we can get a bite at this new place I found! It's a retro-style American diner. The reviews say we have to try the milkshakes! They have this oreo cookie flav-… ah, you probably won't want to eat that stuff. You have been training hard to keep up your figure. It was insensitive of me to suggest such a place."

Kyoko giggled at her father. It was surprising to see him in his distinguished business suit gushing over food like an excited teenager, like her.

"What?" He asked, cracking a warm smile. Kyoko shook her head.

"You're right, father! I've been working hard. I think it wouldn't hurt to treat myself every once in a while."

"Really? I don't want you to push yourself for my sake," he said, his golden eyes flashing brilliantly.

"I can't say no to an oreo cookie milksha-."

Kyurururu! On cue, her stomach let out a vicious growl. Blushing brightly, Kyoko quickly folded her arms over her stomach, hoping to muffle the sounds of her hunger. She had eaten her lunch properly, but talking about food had awakened her angry stomach.

Tadashi let out a hearty laugh and said, "Then that settles it. It's a date. We'll go to the diner. I wish I had the hindsight to pack snacks for you. I'll get you something from the vending machines when we arrive to tide you over."

"Eh, no, you don't have to go through the trouble. You're already doing so much for me as it is!" Kyoko froze as a thought popped in her head.

"You've been doing so much for me! What about your work? New York? You're not even getting paid to help me!"

Tadashi chuckled again. "You don't need to worry about that. I'm able to take care of all my work while you're in school and again after I send you home. The schedule works great for me because of the time zones. When I'm with you, everyone is sleeping. The time I spend with you is payment enough," he said, reaching for her hand.

"B-but, what about your sleep? Your health will suffer."

Tadashi smiled lovingly at his daughter. He was a fortunate man. "I make sure to eat healthy, exercise, and sleep. I don't want to miss a single moment I have with you and I want to live long enough to spend lots of time with my grandbabies." Tadashi thought that last part. He didn't want to make her feel pressured to start a family, but it would be wonderful to have more of her to spoil years down the road. For now, he was enjoying his alone time with her, even if it was just accompanying her to work.

Kyoko wondered when she would get used to his devotion as her heart filled with warmth from his words. It was a lot of fun having him around. It would be great if he could become her permanent manager, but she didn't dare voice that selfish desire out loud. His job was important and he was responsible for many people's livelihoods.

"Oh, before I forget!" Tadashi opened his briefcase. "Here is the latest script for your drama. I skimmed through it earlier. I hope you don't mind," Tadashi told her, handing over the thick document.

Kyoko smiled, shaking her head that it was no problem, and took the script from her father. She had been so focused on learning the music for the drama she forgot that there was an actual script. She was told that it was her performance as a musician that would have the strongest impact on Ruriko's character, so they wanted her to focus on that part. Filming would begin next week with her only on the schedule for a few hours for two days.

"Heart Beats," Kyoko murmured the drama title aloud. The first five pages were backstory and included a full bio of her character Rika Sterling. Style-wise, it seemed she would be dressing rocker chic, just like Setsu; however, Rika was more down-to-earth and sweet. Kyoko tried to imagine Setsu acting sweet to anyone: assisting the elderly, gushing over babies. Nothing like that came to mind. Setsu just didn't give a shit about anyone but her nii-san.

...

Kyoko walked into the studio and was shocked to see Kei in the room with her teacher. She gulped before pasting on her professional smile. She wasn't given any warning or indication that he would be present for her lesson. The plan was to consult her sensei for advice on how to approach the producer later. Did Maru-san call him? she wondered, thinking about the time she spent with her classmate during lunch break.

Since the class usually emptied for lunch, her classmates choosing to eat elsewhere, Kyoko had the room to herself. After inhaling her lunch, she sat down at the back of the room to practice with her guitar, strumming and singing the verses over and over until she reached in her bag to pull out a pencil. She chewed on the end of her pencil, wondering what she should do. The song itself wasn't like a role she could mold and make her own. It was someone else's hard work, and here she was thinking a newbie like her could do better. She put down the pencil, decided to leave it alone, and picked up her guitar to start at the top. When Kyoko got to the part where she was supposed to start singing, she stopped again.

"Why do you keep doing that?" a male voice asked in front of her.

Kyoko squealed in fright and nearly dropped her guitar. Thank goodness she had enough sense to put the strap over her shoulder. How long has he been sitting there?

"I've been here for five minutes," he responded, slightly amused.

"Esper?" she whispered.

"No, you said that out loud."

"Eh?" Her eyes widened in shock.

"You were so engrossed with what you were doing, you didn't even hear me come in. Your expressions are really funny. If you plan to debut as a singer, you have to remember your face. You can't make those ugly faces on stage."

Kyoko's grudges stirred. Did he just call mistress ugly?

Maru shivered as the room temperature dropped. He didn't know what was going on, but he could tell he said something to offend her.

"I'm just saying, if you pull funny faces on stage when you're singing, your audience will notice… and you definitely can't freeze up like you keep doing,"

Kyoko blinked, reining in her evil minions when she finally realized he was giving her advice.

"Oh right, I forgot. Maru-san is a musician," Kyoko said with awe. He was so accomplished at a young age.

Maru shrugged, sweeping his light brown hair out of his eyes, revealing the piercing in his eyebrow. "It looks like you're stuck on something. Maybe I can help."

Kyoko's eyes shined bright with expectation. This young professional was willing to give a lowly newbie like her some help.

"Maru-san, you're a songwriter, right? At least that's what our classmates told me."

He nodded in response to her question.

"As a songwriter, how would you feel if you wrote a song for someone else to sing and they went and changed it?"

"I would be pissed!" He frowned, answering without hesitation.

Kyoko's hopes were dashed. She knew it. She couldn't possibly make any changes. Perhaps she could just make the changes for herself and sing it that way for Ren.

No, I can't do that either. It would be like stealing his work if I don't ask for permission.

Maru covered his mouth to hide his laughter. She was funny and weird, but not as weird as his otaku girlfriend. He thought she would be a colossal bitch given all the news surrounding her and that "gorgeous" star, but she seemed genuine. She would get along great with Hime.

"But, I would take the criticism and be open to changes. Who is the writer?"

"It's Yamaguchi Kei of LME."

"Oh, Kei-ani? I've worked with him several times. You can just tell him Maru said so," he said seriously, then laughed at her doubtful expression.

Kyoko frowned, there was no way she could do that. Wouldn't that get him into trouble with his friend?

"I've got it," he said, glancing at his watch. They still had ten minutes left for lunch. "Let me see what you want to change. I can tell you if he would be opposed to it."

Kyoko looked at him suspiciously. Why was he being so kind? Did he want something? Everyone was being so nice to her. Her classmates knew of her association with Ren and Sho, yet they continued to be friendly with her. Is this what is called maturing?

"Why are you so willing to help me?"

Maru laughed at her. "I'm a music geek, so says my girlfriend. I'm interested in what Kei-ani created for you and why you want to change it. What kind of song is it anyway? I only heard a bit before you stopped."

Oh, he has a girlfriend. That's a relief. She studied her classmate once more. Judging from his easy confidence, she had to be someone glamorous, probably a model.

"It's a l-love song. He says he wrote it based on my feelings for Re...um...Tsuruga-san," she confessed with a deep blush.

"Can I see the sheets?"

Kyoko leaned forward and handed him the music sheets. She watched his eyes light up with enthusiasm as he scanned the sheets.

"This is pretty good. What do you want to change about it?"

Kyoko looked crestfallen again. She should just leave it alone. What did she know? She wasn't a songwriter.

"It will be easier if you just showed me," he told her, gesturing to the guitar. Kyoko resigned with a nod and exhaled to clear her mind of all the negative thoughts racing through it. She might as well get a professional's opinion while she practiced.

When she was finished, Maru was as still as a statue, unable to comprehend what he had witnessed.

"Maru-san? Was it that horrible?"

He shook his body to rid himself of the chills that lingered on his spine. She was good, like really good. Her guitar could use more practice, but her voice was insane. If she took up singing, she would dominate the charts.

"How long have you been playing?" he asked, all business.

"Actively? About two days. Whenever I have time."

"Da fuck, you say!" He screeched, jumping up and knocking the chair he was sitting on to the floor. She was performing to that level in only a couple of days. Hah, she's the naturally gifted type. No wonder that girl had beef with her.

Kyoko was taken aback by his outburst. Why was he mad? Did she say something wrong?

She got up quickly and bowed in apology.

"Ah, no, sorry. I'm just amazed by your skill level in such a short time," Maru explained his outburst.

"I've been taking lessons after school. All I know is this one song unless you count twinkle, twinkle, little star."

"I think Kei-ani won't have any problems with your changes. The next time you see him, perform it just like that. Tell him you got the stamp of approval from Maru."

Kyoko gave him a blank stare as the bell rang, marking the end of the lunch period.

Returning to the present, Kyoko pushed down her nerves and greeted her teachers.

"Sensei, Kei-san, good afternoon. Please take care of me today," she said politely, dropping into a bow. She was worried that he would be extremely offended by the changes she had made to his song. Maru had told her it was good, but she needed a second opinion. All she could do now was try. If Kei truly didn't like her changes, she would sing it exactly as he intended without any complaints. Kyoko would also beg for his forgiveness afterward.

"Welcome Kyoko-san, punctual as always," Sensei Kobayashi, her voice coach, told her, gesturing to the stool beside them. She was a woman in her early forties with light brown hair pulled up in a messy bun and wearing her signature collared shirt and slim pants. "You finally brought me someone good Kei-kun. She's so refreshing. Unlike, the other divas you send my way." Kyoko blushed at the compliment, setting her bags gently on the ground and taking the seat.

"I know you're probably surprised to see Kei-kun here. I invited him so he could make the final assessment of your progress. There's always room for improvement, but unfortunately, we are crunched for time," Kobayashi explained. Kyoko let out a sigh of relief. She was ready to throttle Maru.

Her father walked in a few minutes later, arms laden with what looked to be one of every snack in the vending machine. He wasn't quite sure what she was in the mood for, so he bought options for her and the instructors.

"Good afternoon, Kobayashi-sensei, Kei-san. I brought fuel for everyone," he greeted while placing the snacks on the table. They watched him pull out several bottles of green tea and water from various pockets in his suit. It reminded Kyoko of a clown car. Just how many bottles could he fit in there?

"Kyoko-chan, I know you love these," Tadashi said, handing her the light shortbread cookies with a dark chocolate coating. Kyoko didn't have the heart to tell her father that she was no longer hungry. Her appetite had left her the moment she laid eyes on Kei. Even though her stomach was filled with butterflies, Kyoko forced herself to eat the snack.

When everyone was refueled. Kobayashi had Kyoko run through her usual vocal warm-ups before jumping straight into the song. Her guitar instructor entered the room just as she finished her warm-ups.

"Good afternoon, Endo-sensei," Kyoko said, bowing to her guitar instructor. He made a small bow in return and sat down to converse with Kobayashi and Kei.

Tadashi handed Kyoko a bottle of water which she took gratefully and gulped down the bottle nervously. She felt like she was about to take an oral exam.

"It's time to show off what you've learned," Tadashi encouraged, sensing her apprehension. "Knock 'em dead!"

Revitalized by the mini pep talk. Kyoko made a small fist pump and walked over to prepare her guitar.

"Kyoko-san, let us know when you're ready," Kobayashi called out to her.

Kyoko walked to the middle of the room and did a mic check. Finding the classroom wire to the amp, she plugged it into her Les Paul guitar. It took a minute for her to get settled, strumming the guitar a few times and adjusting the amp according to the guidelines Endo-sensei taught her. When she finally got the overall sound she wanted, Kyoko stepped up to the mic.

"I'm all set," she announced to her audience and smiled nervously. Closing her eyes, Kyoko cleared her mind and channeled Rika. According to Rika's bio, she was always a bundle of nerves before a performance. Calm would wash over her once she stood on stage and allowed the music to flow through her body.

Kyoko opened her eyes and smiled confidently, "A one, a two, a one, two, three." After the third count, she started with the introduction, strumming away and pushing through the urge to stop whenever she messed up.

Oh ho ho! Kei was fascinated by her vast improvement over a short period. Oh, she messed up a little there. He was impressed by her quick recovery and that she didn't show any signs of distress. Kei picked up on all the subtle differences in his song and smirked. This cheeky girl changed some of my lyrics. She even increased the tempo by half a beat. Her performance would explain the cryptic message Maru left on his voicemail, 'Let Kyoko-san express herself.' He had no idea they even knew each other.

As soon as the song ended, Kyoko gingerly placed her guitar on the nearby stand and threw herself to the floor in a dogeza. "Forgive me, Kei-san!" Kyoko cried out to the tile floor, shocking everyone in the room but her father.

"Kyoko-san, don't be so dramatic. Get off the floor. It was good. I think I like your version better," he admitted when the girl finally lifted her head. "Your guitar needs work, but it's passable," he stared pointedly at Endo.

Endo nodded his agreement. He would drill it into her until she got it perfect.

"Tomorrow, come to the studio instead. I want to make a recording," Kei instructed, addressing Kyoko and her father. They both nodded in unison.

"Alright, I think we can call it a day for now. Did you happen to write down those changes anywhere? I would like to make a copy before you leave."

"Ah, yes!" she replied, getting up from her seiza position and retrieving the music sheets she scribbled on at school.

"I'll bring this back in a minute," Kei told her, leaving the room. He would need to hand this off to the band tonight and check their availability for tomorrow.

AN: Hiya! I just realized it's been a year since I started this story and OMG I can't believe how much it has morphed. Thank you everyone for sticking this out with me. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter about their work.

Thank you always for reading and leaving me lovely notes. I appreciate hearing from you all.

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^