Chapter 98: Eternal Bond

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Ren would no longer be able to hide his love for Kyoko behind his mask.

"Kyoko-chan, is that you?" Sawara gaped at the young woman before him unable to believe his eyes. Sure he had seen the tabloids and the interview revealing her hidden identity, but it wasn't until now, seeing her with his own eyes, that it really hit home. Everyone in the office had been whispering about a new member in the LoveMe section; however, it turned out to be her. The girl that had stalked him for four days straight to give her a chance was on her way to becoming a fine young actress.

Kyoko let out a weak laugh and greeted the branch head of the talent section. He wasn't the first person to ask her that today. Did she really look that different with some dramatic eye makeup?

"What can I help you with today, Kyoko-chan? Anything that comes through here for you gets redirected to Yashiro-san."

"Ah, no, Sawara-san, thank you for all your help. I was wondering if you had any jobs for the LoveMe section today. I have some free time before I have to report to the studio. So if there's anything at all, I will be glad to do my part."

Sawara-san shook his head no. There was no way he was going to be the one to give her or any of the LoveMe girls a task again like cleaning toilets or scraping gum off the floor. LME had employees for those specific jobs, and the girls had already done their fair share of that work.

"Sawara-san? Are you sure there's nothing I can do? Nothing that needs to be cleaned or organized?" Kyoko pleaded with the section chief, her golden eyes shining brilliantly in hopes that he had something for her. She was technically still a part of the LoveMe section and owed this man for giving her a chance at the LME audition.

"I have asked all the section chiefs. No one needs any help today. I have barely collected any stamps in the past month because my schedule has been hectic, but I also don't want President Takarada to think I am shirking my responsibilities," she explained. Kyoko had wandered around the building for the last hour looking for LoveMe work.

Nakazawa and Matsushima greeted her similarly and talked eagerly about her part in the drama. They complimented her on her hard work, but in a nutshell, both said the same thing when she asked if they needed help with anything. Go and practice your guitar! She assumed Kei had reported her progress, or lack thereof, to them and left moping.

Kyoko wasn't trying to run away from practice; she just needed a break. Kanae and Chiori were given tasks outside of LME so she couldn't pass the time away with her friends. She wasn't sure when to expect them, and Maria had yet to return from school.

"No one that needs help with deliveries or anything of the sort?" She asked Sawara, giving it one final shot.

Sawara looked around his desk for something simple he could give her to do. I see that persistent nature of hers hasn't changed. His eyes landed on a brown envelope that needed to go to the mailroom.

"Let me borrow your LoveMe notepad, Kyoko-chan."

Kyoko handed over the small LoveMe kit she carried in her belt pouch. She watched him flip to a clean page, use the 20 stamp, and scribble a note. He then handed it back to her with the envelope to deliver to the mail room. Kyoko clutched the envelope to her chest and skipped away merrily. It was better than nothing. After this, she would return to the LoveMe room and practice diligently for her time with Kei. She had read over the updated script and found that Rika was part of a band. Kei had never mentioned her performing with a band and planned to ask him about it today. It was probably why she was so anxious to get better. She didn't want to let her unknown band down with her mediocre playing.

After dropping off the envelope, Kyoko peeked in on her father before heading back to the LoveMe room. He had made the usually deserted lounge down the hall his temporary workspace whenever they were at the agency. He was talking to someone using a Bluetooth headset and typing furiously on his laptop. He looks busy. I shouldn't bother him. Oh, I should get him something. She left him alone and went to the vending machine to get him something to drink. Tiptoeing into the lounge, she placed a hot can of coffee and a bottle of water on the desk beside him.

Tadashi acknowledged the gesture and smiled gratefully at her. He held up a finger and clicked on the headset. "Let's take a ten-minute bio break before moving on to the next topic." He pressed the headset again and settled back in his chair.

"Hi, sweetie, and thank you. Having a thoughtful daughter is every father's dream! Is everything going okay?" Tadashi asked, cracking the can of coffee open and taking a drink. "I needed this," he beamed. "These financial meetings get tedious."

"I'm sorry for taking you away from work even though I don't have much going on here."

"Nonsense, I'm only on this call because I don't want you to get annoyed with me following you around the building. Any luck finding LoveMe assignments?"

Kyoko shook her head no. "I've tried my usual go-to spots and some unexpected places. None of them seem to have anything for me to do. Moko-san and Chiori-san are apparently on LoveMe duty outside the building."

"Well, perhaps your time as a LoveMe member will soon be coming to an end. From what you have told me about the section, I believe you've met all of Takarada-san's conditions. You said the President gave you one-year, correct?"

Kyoko nodded.

"And that date has long expired?"

She nodded again.

"Then I think it's safe to assume that you are permanently a part of LME and the rest of the staff are aware of it. I'm sure Takarada-san has something in the works already. Yashiro-san could have some insider knowledge."

Kyoko hummed her assent. "Thank you, father. I'll go back to the LoveMe room until it's time to meet Kei-san."

"Okay, I will drop off this meeting before then. Text me if you need me." Kyoko smiled and waved goodbye to her father.

"Ow!" Kyoko moaned, holding her nose as tears pricked the corner of her eyes from the pain. She glanced at the door she had tried to enter to find an embarrassing make-up smudge on it where her face collided. She jiggled the knob again and found it locked. Did I accidentally lock the door earlier?

"Mo! Someone is in here! Be patient!" A scathing voice Kyoko knew so well shouted. Kyoko's whole face lit up at the sound of her best friend in the LoveMe room. Kyoko spazzed in the hallway in anticipation of seeing her best friend. She stood stock-still when she heard footsteps approaching the door. Kanae opened the door with an irritated scowl and then slammed it closed when she saw Kyoko standing outside the door.

Kyoko threw open the door and went in blazing, "Moooookkkkkoooo-san!" She had so many things she wanted to ask her best friend. At the top of her list was Yashiro. Kanae's firm stance in the room made her come to an abrupt halt.

Kanae stood in the middle of the room, arms folded across her chest, prepared to face her best friend. She scowled at Kyoko. "Why do you always look fine when people are worried about you?"

"Worried?" Kyoko tilted her head to the side, confused.

"Yes, worried, stressed, whatever you want to call it, but you don't look it," Kanae huffed. According to Yashiro, Tadashi thought Kyoko could use some pampering due to the current events, so Kyoko's father had prepared an elaborate spa day for them to enjoy.

"Eh, who said? Did Ren say something to Yashiro-san?"

"No, it's nothing. I have a CM scheduled, so I have to go. I don't want to be late. I'll see you this weekend," Kanae said with a flick of her hair and left the room.

Kyoko followed Kanae out of the room, wanting to ask her more about what she said, but held back not wanting to irritate her friend further. She called out instead. "Moko, I can't wait to see your new CM! I know you'll look beautiful!"

Kanae turned and flashed her friend a rare smile. "Thanks, Kyoko. Make sure you stay out of trouble. We'll talk more this weekend."

Kyoko's heart was brimming with joy when she walked back into the LoveMe room. She picked up her electric guitar, sat on the couch, and began strumming without using her amp. The soreness in her fingers that she experienced on the first day was receding with time. Her instructor had informed her that in a few weeks she would eventually develop calluses on her fingertips. Unfortunately, her part in the drama would come and go before that would happen.

Kyoko began to sing quietly along with the instrument until she ran through the whole song. If she messed up, she didn't start over, continuing as if nothing happened. She couldn't afford to show her mistakes. Her goal was to play through them without disrupting the flow of the melody.

When she was satisfied with her progress, Kyoko put her guitar away and pulled a notebook from her bag to sit at the table. Looking at the clock on her phone, she still had about a half hour left before she had to report to the studio. To take her mind off the upcoming recording, she decided to start her lists. At the top of a clean sheet of paper, she wrote the title The Happy Grateful Party. The first list was something she could decide on easily, her guest list. With her increase in work, Kyoko had a lot of people to thank this year. Ren was at the top of the list, followed by her closest friends and family. She was happy that this year she would have friends from school to invite.

Knock! Knock!

'It's open," Kyoko exclaimed as she continued to write, only looking up from her paper when the door opened.

"Onee-sama!" Maria squealed, bounding into the room wearing an adorable outfit of lace, ruffles, and ribbons.

"Maria-chan! I was hoping to see you today! You received my message?" Kyoko asked, opening her arms wide to hug the little girl.

"Mmhmm…They said there was a new LoveMe member, but I'm glad it was just you."

Kyoko giggled, "I guess people can't recognize me with all this makeup on."

"People are stupid. My onee-sama is pretty with or without makeup. Maria recognized you right away."

"Thank you, Maria-chan! How have you been? Are you behaving yourself?"

"Maria has been a good girl…mostly," she added, crossing her fingers behind her back at the little fib. There was no guarantee these days. She had to teach all these gossiping women a few lessons.

"I'm glad to hear! I brought something for you," Kyoko stood up from her chair, went to her locker, and pulled out a large gift bag.

"As promised," Kyoko beamed, depositing the bag in front of the little girl. Maria excitedly opened the bag and pulled out the first item wrapped carefully in tissue paper. She screeched when she removed the paper to reveal her own doll size replica of one, Cain Heel. Kyoko had dressed Cain in his usual black leather and gave him two expressions; brooding and death god. Kyoko had also made a puppy dog Cain face but decided to keep that one to herself. That moe face was just for her.

Kyoko pursed her lips as she watched Maria inspect the doll. Kyoko was proud of her work. She had managed to sculpt, mold, and chisel every contour of Cain's body down to the… Her eyes widened as Maria pulled Cain's pants down to find the space blank. There was no way she was including Cain's private parts.

"Maria!" Kyoko scolded, making the mischievous girl giggle. She vowed to preserve her little sister's innocence for as long as she could. It would be difficult with her growing up in such an adult environment. She acted too mature for her eight years already. Maria dug in the bag and squealed again, finding the Setsuka replica. Kyoko was a little embarrassed that Maria had also asked for a doll of Setsuka. She may or may not have made some minor body enhancements to her rocker-chic mini-self.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, onee-sama! Maria is so happy right now she'll never be lonely!"

"You're very welcome, Maria-chan. You know, if you're ever lonely, you can call me. If I'm busy, leave me a message. I'll always call you back and make time for you."

"Really?"

"Of course, pinky promise," Kyoko declared, holding out her pinky. Maria blushed and hooked her little finger around Kyoko's.

"Now, since you're here, and I have a good fifteen minutes before my job, do you want to brainstorm ideas for our next grateful party?"

"Yes! Maria thought hard about it. What if we have a costume party?"

"A costume party?"

"Like a Halloween party but on Christmas! I watched this animated American movie called, A Nightmare Before Christmas, which gave me the idea."

"But a costume party? Won't it be a burden for our guests?"

"We can put costumes as optional on the invitations. We can also have a costume contest. I'm sure Grandfather could round up some great prizes from his connections. You can dress like a princess and Ren-sama can dress like a prince. Wouldn't you like that Onee-sama?"

Maria hid her snicker as Kyoko's eyes glazed over. Her mind went to La La Land, imagining Ren in a dashing Prince suit much like the one he wore for their CM and asking for her hand to dance.

"Trust, Maria, I have it all planned," Maria said smugly, pulling Kyoko back to reality.

Kyoko wrote quickly as Maria poured out her ideas. She made a note to watch the movie Maria mentioned to get a sense of the black-and-white theme her little sister envisioned. When Ruto came to collect Maria for her next lesson, they had a full page of planning complete and divvied up the near-term tasks. Maria would be in charge of designing the invitations while Kyoko followed up on menu ideas. They would reconvene in two weeks to discuss their progress; meanwhile, Kyoko reminded her that she was only a phone call or email away.

Kyoko changed out of her LoveMe uniform and sat in front of the mirror to touch up the makeup she had smudged earlier. It would soon be time to put Rika into action. Kyoko picked up her electric guitar and went off to collect her hard-working father. She shut the door behind her only to find that Tadashi was already making his way down the hall in her direction. Punctuality was another thing they seemed to have in common. Although in their case they liked to arrive a half hour early to account for any unforeseen obstacles while in transit. Today was an exception since the music studio was located in the building.

…

Ren was relieved when the director called a thirty-minute break from the script reading. They had been going non-stop for the last two hours. He knew Kyoko was somewhere inside the building and planned to find her. He excused himself from his costars and quickly disappeared from the room.

"You won't find her there!" Yashiro's voice stopped him when he was halfway down the hall.

Ren was long passed playing coy with Yashiro. He was whipped and damn proud of it. "I know," he admitted, looking at the time on his phone. She would be in the recording studio at this time.

"Do you know where she is?" Yashiro asked finally catching up to Ren.

"No, but I was going to find out." He started walking towards the elevator again. His plan consisted of making his way quickly to the music branch head and getting the location from him. It seemed like the stars had aligned for him today since he now had time to see her at work. He knew how nervous she was to perform today, so he wanted to show his support.

"Morimoto-san texted me the exact location," Yashiro grinned, pressing the desired floor in the elevator.

…

Kyoko walked into the studio with ten minutes to spare, only to find Kei at the console with a headset on and music, her song, in full swing. She walked up towards the glass to get a better view. Kei gave her a quick salute and returned his focus to the controls. This was her band, Rika's band. Oh My Goodness! Rika's band is Bridge Rock! Kyoko thought she would faint as she watched Hikaru on guitar, Yuusei on drums, and Shinichi on bass guitar. They sound so good!

Hikaru made the mistake of looking up and saw Kyoko through the glass pane. He missed a string, a note, a beat… his fingers were now strumming air, missing the guitar altogether.

"Hikaru-kun, what the hell!" Kei cursed into the tabletop microphone. "Take five!" Kei put the studio on mute so whatever was being said inside would not be heard in the control room. He had a feeling Kyoko's presence was the reason for Hikaru's screw-up.

"Good afternoon, Morimoto-san," he said, nodding to the older man. "Kyoko-san, I see you came prepared for your role. It's not a bad look for Rika," he complimented, admiring Kyoko's outfit and makeup.

Kyoko bowed in greeting, then gestured to the Ishibashi brothers, "Is Bridge Rock going to be Rika's band in the drama?"

"You bet! Nakazawa-san and Sawara-san thought they would be perfect for the role. It would also boost the ratings for Yappa Kimagure Rock!"

"When was it decided?"

"When you were decided."

"Oh!" Kyoko said quietly. They were truly admirable to grasp the song so quickly. She couldn't expect anything less from her amazing senpais.

The brothers came into the control room after giving Hikaru a pep talk to pull himself together. Kyoko bowed, greeting her senpais.

"You guys sounded awesome! You're all so cool! I'm so excited we can work together again," she gushed with sparkling eyes.

"See leader, Kyoko-chan, is counting on us," Shinichi stated, clapping Hikaru on the back.

"Yes, like always. Please take care of me!" She said with another bow.

"Alright! Let's jump right in. Kyoko-san, please get your guitar and get set up," Kei instructed and the band followed.

"Ehhhh, bu- bu-but. I've never played with them. What if I ruin the song?" Kyoko stammered, nerves kicking in.

"This is why we're going to practice first. You guys will eventually synch up after getting used to playing together," Kei explained and settled in front of his console.

Kyoko's heart hammered as she stood at the mic in the middle of the room with Titania, the name she recently gave her electric guitar, slung over her shoulder. She took a few strums with her guitar pick to confirm it was still in tune.

"Whenever you're ready," Kei said through the speakers in the room.

Kyoko inhaled and exhaled getting into character. She nodded first to Hikaru, then Shinichi, and finally to Yuusei who then raised his drumsticks and counted down. She had a rough start and shook her head when her fingers stumbled over the chords. Kei's voice came over the speakers again, "just play through it."

Hikaru came close to Kyoko, "Kyoko-chan, don't look at your hands. I know you've memorized the song. Look up and be confident."

Kyoko stared into the kind brown eyes of Hikaru and smiled. He messed up but quickly regained his composure. Kyoko soon figured out that they were playing the intro over and over until she got the hang of it. Hikaru nodded to the microphone silently telling her to start singing this time around. Taking another deep breath, she set herself up the mic and began to sing. Her voice tripped up all three brothers when they shifted into the first verse.

"That was a good start," Kei called after they finally got through the whole song. "Let's run through it one more time."

Kei called a ten-minute break after the second pass so Kyoko could rest her voice. Tadashi handed her a drink of warm water, honey, and lemon that he prepared per Kei's instructions in the adjacent kitchen.

"I have already recorded the brothers' instruments individually. I want to record just your vocals, Kyoko-san before your voice gets tired."

Kyoko nodded sipping the soothing liquid. When she was done with her drink, she took her place in the small booth in the corner of the studio and slipped the headphones over her ears.

The booth was soundproof so Kyoko took all her aural cues through the headphones. "Okay, Kyoko-san, I'm going to start the music in three, just sing like usual," Kei instructed.

Kyoko nodded to him through the glass booth. Kyoko heard the music in her headphones, this would allow her to sing in time and tune, without the "bleed–through" of the instruments. The same music was playing in the control room but for now, her singing would be the only thing recorded. Kei would later arrange it with the instrument tracks.

It was during the instrument intro that Ren and Yashiro slipped into the room. All the guys turned towards the door as the actor and his manager quietly entered. No one protested, nor were they surprised to see him. Kyoko blushed and smiled shyly when she spotted her boyfriend towering over all the guys in the room. How did he find me?

"Focus," Kei reminded, his voice coming over the music in the headphones. Kyoko nodded.

She focused on Ren and sang, "Oh, my life, is changing every day, in every possible way. And oh, my dreams, It's never quite as it seems, Never quite as it seems…"

Ren let out an audible gasp, then quickly covered his mouth blushing with embarrassment.

Hikaru gave the actor a sympathetic look. He understood exactly how the man felt and he wasn't even her boyfriend. The lyrics were staggering if it was directed at the right person and Ren was the right person, judging from Kyoko's unwavering gaze. Everyone in the room became privy to the destruction of the actor's mask as his feelings for the woman he loved overwhelmed him.

Ren's eyes reflected Kyoko's, both shimmered with intense emotion. The other men in the room felt like they were intruding on something sacred. Hikaru's heart felt at ease watching Ren react to her song. He believed that even in another life these two would be destined to be together. What he read on love transcending time and space was probably written for couples like them; their bond was eternal.

I need to find a love of my own. Hikaru groaned internally.

"Now I tell you openly, You have my heart so don't hurt me, You're what I couldn't find. Totally amazing mind, So understanding and so kind, You're everything to me…"

Ren could see it. Her eyes shone with vulnerability as she appealed to him. I'd rather cut off my arm than ever hurt you! His eyes screamed back at her. They were having a conversation that only they understood.

Kyoko closed her eyes, trying to pull herself together as tears sprung from the corner of her eyes. It wasn't Rika singing. Kyoko had taken over the moment Ren entered her line of sight. "Oh, my life, Is changing every day, In every possible way. And oh, my dreams, It's never quite as it seems, 'Cause you're a dream to me, Dream to me…"

When the song ended, Kyoko opened her eyes to find several pairs of astonished eyes gazing back at her. It was the hidden set of green shimmering with similar emotion that caught her attention. Kyoko's face instantly turned red, and she did the only thing she could think of at this moment, she hid. She ducked in the booth, behind the low wall where she couldn't be seen unless they came close to the glass and looked down. Kyoko squatted on her haunches and swiped the tears from her eyes. Oh my god! My makeup is not waterproof!

She swiped roughly at her face cursing herself for not having the foresight to wear waterproof makeup.

"You'll ruin your beautiful face like that." The sound of his low masculine voice thick with raw emotion had her body humming. She squeaked refusing to look up, so Ren got down at her level, sitting on the floor in front of her.

"I'm sorry I just showed up. You probably didn't even want me here." He wanted nothing more than to gather her in his arms and show her how much he loved her. Since he was so tall, he could still be seen through the glass. He glanced into the control room and watched the men inside scramble to look busy doing anything else besides watching them. No chance of that happening!

"No, no, it's fine. I'm glad you're here," she replied, talking to the floor.

"You don't look glad. You won't even look at me," Ren pouted.

"Ah, yes, that… I'm sorry. I can't face you properly right now. I'm very embarrassed," she confessed and absentmindedly swiped under her eyes. Why did Setsu have to wear so much makeup?

"You're song was beautiful. I almost wish you passed on this part," he grumbled.

"What? Why?" she questioned, making the mistake of looking at him directly.

Pffft! Ren struggled to withhold his laughter. She looked adorable right now. Kyoko wailed in agony as she covered her face. He left the room and returned with a handkerchief and a bottle of water. She had left her bag in the LoveMe room and no man in that room would admit to having makeup remover wipes. He was sure her father would carry some kind of emergency kit on him from now on after they had to improvise.

Kyoko sat there while Ren gently cleansed the rogue makeup off of her face. It was such a simple thing to do that Kyoko felt her heart melt all over again. She wanted nothing more than to curl up in his lap and snuggle into his warm embrace. She sang the song many times before but it felt completely different when he was actually standing right in front of her.

"You never answered me. Why didn't you want me to take this part?" She asked quietly while he worked.

Ren sighed as he rubbed the mascara smudge from her right cheek. When it was clean, he rubbed his thumb over the slightly red spot before answering, "Because more people will see how utterly breathtaking you are."

"Lies! I'm a disaster right now."

"A beautiful disaster," Ren quipped with a lopsided grin. "All better," he said, placing his hand at her nape and kissing her forehead when he was through. His eyes lingered on her lips, but he knew they had an audience.

"Hey, lovebirds, I don't mean to wreck your moment, but time is money," Kei called through the open doorway.

"I have to get back to my reading. Are you going to be okay?" Ren asked, putting his arm on the small of her back and leading her out of the room.

Kyoko apologized for her unprofessional behavior and excused herself to the restroom after saying goodbye to Ren.

Ren forgot that he had slipped in without permission and bowed to Kei. "Ah, I apologize for interrupting your work. Thank you for taking such good care of Kyoko."

Pffft! Kei had never interacted with Japan's number one actor on a personal or professional level, his behavior today was quite unexpected. What he showed to the public was nothing compared to what he had witnessed transpire between the two lovers. I'm feeling inspired again!

"You're good, Tsuruga-kun. I have to say, I haven't been so entertained in a long time. I seriously thought I was watching a drama unfold," Kei joked.

Ren pasted on his professional smile, there was nothing fake about his love for Kyoko.

Kei hid his smirk. Ah, I must have struck a nerve. The mask is back. He ignored it while the others gave them an unnecessarily wide berth.

"I have to say I was inspired. Here's my card." Kei handed him his business card. "Hit me up if you ever want to put that sultry voice to song."

Ren was caught off guard by the offer. He decided that Kei would be added to the To be Determined List since the man didn't give off a threatening vibe…yet. As he walked down the hallway with Yashiro, he carefully placed the card in his wallet for safekeeping.

AN: Hiya! Thanks for sticking with me. I'm just rounding up some breadcrumbs and throwing out a few more. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. How many of you sang 311's song Beautiful Disaster at Ren's response? I know I did as soon as I thought it. I heart song triggers! XD Anyone read the manga Given (there's anime too)? It has helped me with some of the lingo for this role. It's super angsty but I recommend it. Oh, warning, it's shounen-ai, boy love woot woot!

The song Kyoko sang was Dreams by the Cranberries. Their album Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? was the first CD I ever purchased, so I wanted to work it in (my age is showing again).

Thank you for continuing to read and for the reviews of the last chapter. I appreciate it. I hope this chapter can tide you over until the spoilers hit! *crossing my fingers that Kyoko gets revealed as Bo somehow* XD

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^