Chapter 188: Branded a Pervert

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Ren would learn the benefits of a minivan.

He rapped the glossy wooden counter with his knuckles, getting the attention of the bartender. The man behind the bar was proficient at his job and knew what he wanted without question. He nodded his thanks to the man when his glass was refilled with the top-shelf scotch he was drinking. He didn't know how long he sat there, sipping his drink, oblivious to the laughter and cheerful banter of the other patrons around him. The place was filling up while the band did their final sound checks. If he had known there was a show tonight he would have bypassed this spot and found a quieter place to have his drink.

It didn't take long for the band to finish setting up before they took to the stage to perform. The bassist kicked off the first song and was immediately joined by the drummer. The instrumental intro had him slowly bobbing to the beat. Surprisingly comfortable with the atmosphere, he lifted his glass to his lips and took another sip, enjoying the way the liquid coated his tongue and burned his throat on the way down, warming him from the inside out and chasing away the shitty day he had. As he moved to set the drink down, someone bumped into his arm, causing the contents to slosh but not spill over the rim.

Scowling, his head shot up, ready to teach the asshole invading his space a thing or two about manners. The litany of curses at the tip of his tongue fizzled into nothingness and his eyes widened with shock as he stared directly into a pair of the most gorgeous honey-colored eyes he had ever seen. Awestruck by their beauty, he forgot how to speak and was surprised that he even remembered how to breathe. His eyes raked over her, drinking her in. Lustrous dark hair framed a small heart-shaped face with flawless creamy skin, a button nose, and red luscious lips that begged to be kissed. He was entranced.

The vocalist chose that perfect moment to begin singing, drawing his attention momentarily toward the stage, wondering if the man had VIP access to what he was feeling for this stranger. Sensing her warm gaze trained on him, his eyes flicked back to the stunning woman beside him. His heart raced ever faster, once again awestruck by those large golden eyes that seemed to pierce straight into his soul.

"Sitting, smoking, feeling high. In this moment, oh, it feels so right. Lovely lady, I am at your feet. Oh, God I want you so badly..."

Breaking the spell, she dipped her head in apology without looking at him again. She turned away, ending their interaction yet he couldn't tear his eyes off her. He wanted to say something, anything to get her attention back on him, but words escaped him; however, his eyes still worked. Like she did to him a moment ago, he took the opportunity to admire her appearance starting from her head and ending at her stilettos. Even in heels, she was so tiny. The thought that he could easily tower over her sent a feeling of protectiveness surging through him. He continued to stare, unperturbed by the fact that he could be branded a pervert at any minute. But could anybody blame him? She was fucking perfect and the classy black dress she wore hugged her in all the right places, displaying her womanly curves. He never felt this strongly about anyone before.

A tiny smirk played on his lips, pleased to see that his perusal of her body affected her by the way she nervously fidgeted from foot to foot and cutely tucked her hair behind her ear, giving him a clear view of the deep blush upon her cheek. The corners of his lips curled into a smile, but it was quickly dashed when he noticed her subtly inch away, increasing the gap between them as she waited for the bartender to get her drink. She gave him one last small smile and left when the barkeep handed her two colorful cocktails. The sense of loss overwhelmed him as he watched her retreat, engulfed by the crowd. Not giving two fucks and throwing caution to the wind, he gulped down the rest of his drink and chased after her. He needed a name and preferably a number, but he would be willing to settle for just another minute in her company.

His tall stature made it easy for him to see over the heads of the crowd which meant she would be tougher to spot. As fate would have it, he didn't have to look for long. While he was weaving through high tables and squinting through the strobing lights, someone shoved him from behind. He whirled on the trespasser and immediately grinned down at the familiar petite brunette that he had just been searching for. They really needed to stop meeting like this. She turned her attention away from him and glared at a gaggle of women a few feet behind her that only laughed and gestured to her in a shooing motion.

He had an inkling that it was her friends that pushed her his way and flashed them a genuine smile for the assist. She tilted her head downward, apologizing again for bumping into him. He took the opportunity to step closer until he felt the warmth radiating off her and gently slipped his fingers beneath her chin to lift her face. This time, through the pulsating lights, she didn't shy away and held his gaze. Time must have stopped, freezing him in place. He was the one touching her yet he felt like the captive. She was the first to move, slipping her dainty little hand in his and tugging him toward the dance floor.

He wasn't much of a dancer, but that fatal flaw wasn't going to deter him from following her. Joining the other couples, he saw an opportunity to wrap his arms around her slim waist and hold her flush against him. They swayed to the rhythm for several minutes, occasionally whispering into each other's ear, and sometimes pulling back with a burst of laughter. She pulled him down one final time, her suggestion freezing him in place as she laughed. Although it was noisy between the crowd and the band, he still heard her teasing laughter clear as day. This time, when she grasped his hand, he eagerly took control and made a beeline toward the exit.

The scene for their characters ended once Kyoko and Ren pushed their way through the bar doors. Everyone outside of the set remained silent as the Japanese actors quietly joined them to watch the band continue to perform the song. Debbie was using this opportunity to film the band playing so she could splice in tiny segments of them throughout the music video.

Kyoko smiled when her boyfriend positioned himself behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close, reminding her of the night they went out with their friends and ended up in an underground bar. Deviously, her perverted self decided to tease her man and wiggle her little tush against his crotch, forcing him to snatch his hips away from her.

"Behave," he hissed quietly into her ear and nipped at her lobe. His reaction had her biting the inside of her cheek, loving the effect she had on him. Sighing in contentment, Kyoko leaned her head back to rest against his shoulder and felt the soft kiss he placed on her hair as they swayed to the music. She didn't want this moment to end because she knew they would have to face reality once it did.

Someone on the set had tipped off the media of their location and they had been hounded ever since they left the beach house. It was a relief that this area was gated and kept the reporters out. Their presence was a stark reminder that last night's incident was very real and Cedric still had yet to wake up. According to Kuu's update from Eltra, he was stable enough to be moved to a private room and his doctors were optimistic that he would wake up soon. All they could do was hope and pray for that moment and a quick recovery.

Kyoko tilted her head to steal a glance at the love of her life. He didn't have to say it, but she knew he was just as anxious about his old nemesis' condition. No matter how much wrong the American actor did to him in the past, he never once wished the guy dead. Last night, before he passed out, Cedric had whispered Kuon's name while staring, albeit glassy-eyed, at Ren. She couldn't be sure if he actually figured out Ren's true identity or if he was just voicing out his one regret since he thought he was going to die. The uncertainty of what Cedric would possibly do if he did figure out the truth added another layer of stress on their shoulders. Kyoko hoped Cedric had spoken the truth tonight and had really changed as he claimed and didn't do anything to hurt Kuon.

She twisted in Ren's arms, catching him by surprise, and hugged him around the waist. Kyoko smiled when he relaxed in her embrace instead of pulling away. She loved that they could do this here without it being frowned upon. There were still the occasional dirty looks she received from jealous women, but they were easy to ignore when she had a man that only looked at her with adoring eyes. Even though the schedule had been demanding and the pressure to execute every scene in just one take was high, Kyoko would miss working on this project with him.

Now that she was happily in love, it was safe for her to admit the whole love at first sight storyline that Debbie had adapted for this MV tugged at her heartstrings. If she had been the same bitter Kyoko of a year ago, she would have scoffed at the idea that such a thing existed. Their real-life love story wasn't so easy in the beginning and she was sure they were bound to have some challenges in the future. She stifled her giggle using his chest as she recalled their disastrous first encounter. Boy, she couldn't wait to tell their future children about that one. Kyoko bit back a gasp and felt her cheeks heat up. Ren pulled away slightly to glance down at her and raised his brows in question. Kyoko shook her head, giving him a reassuring smile, and snuggled back into him.

Kyoko closed her eyes and cleared her mind, letting the music drift over her. It was an incredible song and listening to the band play it live was impressive. She was happy Yashiro got them this job and made a note to thank him. It might have only been an MV, but she hoped it would open so many doors for them in America once it was officially released, especially for Ren. He worked so hard to get here. She couldn't wait for all to see his amazing acting and one day soon, they would acknowledge his skill as Kuon.

"Cut!" The assistant director bellowed into the megaphone once the song ended. Kyoko's eyes shot open, startled by the loud command. If Ren had not held her firmly, she would have jumped right out of her skin. At least she had enough sense not to scream.

"Let's take a break, while we review the tape," Debbie spoke up. "Ren, Kyoko, would you like to come over and watch? Your encounter in the bar with each other sets the mood for the entire video."

Kyoko smiled as Ren entwined their fingers and led her toward Debbie. The director smiled as they approached and said, "I like what I saw. You both cease to amaze me. Come on, let's say goodbye to the band first. They gotta hit the road soon."

Meeting the band was surreal. Kyoko tried not to be too nervous after learning how successful and popular they were around the globe. The cast and crew waiting for their turn with the band stepped aside for them to head to the front of the line. They took photographs with the band only to share on their respective social media. It would showcase their collaboration and build up the hype for the release of the music video. The guys were nice and thanked them for taking the job at the last minute and pulling off some superb acting. After exchanging autographs, everyone on the set was rounded up to take a group picture with the band. In a blink of an eye, the band members were waving goodbye as their manager whisked them away toward their next destination, and left several boxes of merchandise behind.

Yashiro joined them just in time for the group picture after being cooped up in one of their dressing rooms, fielding calls, and returning emails. Although the manager looked as composed as ever, things must have become a little harrowing as he dealt with the PR nightmare. News outlets vied for the opportunity to interview her and Ren. They wanted their exclusive eyewitness accounts of Cedric's attack. Kyoko stared longingly at the shirts, posters, and other memorabilia that were being pulled out of the boxes.

"Don't worry, Kyoko-chan, their manager gave me a separate box for you guys," Yashiro winked.

Kyoko's face lit up at the news. That was very thoughtful of them. She was already thinking of what she could give in return.

"Yashiro-san, would you happen to have the contact information for the band manager?" Kyoko asked as they made their way to the screens to review the footage.

"Yes, he gave me his business card. Is there something wrong?" He asked with concern etching his brows.

"Oh, nothing is wrong. I just want to make sure I can thank them properly."

"Of course," Yashiro chuckled. "Just let me know what you have in mind and I can take care of it."

They spent the next twenty minutes reviewing the tape. Debbie was more than satisfied with the expressions and body language they captured. She offered constructive criticism of where they, as actors and she as a director, could improve, but there was an easy work-around for those issues that wouldn't require a reshoot. Since they had to cram hours of film into eight minutes, Debbie had more than enough to create her vision.

"All that's left is the final scene. Your co-star will be here in an hour and I want to have Ren's parts wrapped up before then. You guys need to get ready and Ren, please have makeup touch up your knuckles. There will be a few closeup shots of you and we have to keep your hands consistent."

Ren winced beside her. "I'm very sorry for the inconvenience."

"None at all. I'm very sorry you both had to experience something so horrific during your first trip out here. Please don't write us off just yet." Debbie's voice dipped lower before she continued, "Not many know the truth about your involvement, but on behalf of America, thank you for helping him."

Kyoko became flustered when she also addressed Kyoko. "Ren and Mr. Bennett saved the day. I didn't do anything but get in the way."

"I find that hard to believe sweetie," Debbie smiled.

"You were brave, baby," Ren professed, brushing his lips against hers. "Now let's finish this so we can let them all go home."

Kyoko glanced at the crew already packing up the equipment and tearing down the set. They were moving to another studio that already had crew and equipment in place to capture the last scene.

Before they could excuse themselves and retire to their dressing rooms, Debbie popped a question at Ren.

"Did the wardrobe coordinator find one that could fit you?"

"Yes, even with the swelling."

"Oh, good. I can't wait for fans to watch it and flip out. I love when I'm an evil genius," Debbie chuckled and walked away.

Kyoko exchanged knowing glances with Ren and they broke out in laughter.

"Ugh, hello, the third wheel is still here. I think I might begin to hate you both," Yashiro announced. That only made them laugh harder while Yashiro huffed.

"Come on, Yukihito, you can't turn into the jealous type, not with us. You're our number one advocate," Ren teased their manager.

"Yes, and you should both be nicer to me. Now go get ready. I've been waiting for ages to see this happy ending," Yashiro exaggerated, then grumbled when his phone rang. "I'll be outside," he sighed, slipping on a latex glove and gripping his phone as he headed for the door.

"Come on, let's go. He'll be one hundred percent once we get home and he can see Kotonami-san again."

…

Ren sat patiently while the makeup artist worked on his hand. The biggest physical difference between the previous scenes and this last one would be his hair: on his head and his face. They experimented with brushing it out of his face. Debbie wanted to show that his character had transitioned from the broody man at the bar to one full of hope and love.

"You're all set," the makeup artist announced with a final dust of her brush across his knuckles to blend the edges of the fake skin. Ren studied his hand and honestly couldn't tell the difference. It looked so natural.

"Thank you," he replied after a moment and stood, slipping on the same sandy black jacket he'd worn all night. He inhaled deeply and ran over the scene in his head one last time as he walked across the hall. To tell the truth, he was nervous about this next scene. Like everything else with this job, it was time-sensitive and dependent upon their other co-star's mood.

"Hey," Ren called, knocking softly on Kyoko's dressing room door and opening it slowly.

"You can come in," Kyoko replied. The beautiful smile that she greeted him with nearly stole his breath away.

"Blonde, huh?" He smirked, eyeing the other wigs propped up on the vanity.

"I heard they have more fun," she replied, wiggling her eyebrows. Ren chuckled and shook his head. "You look handsome."

"Thank you, beautiful. I came to tell you I was heading out first. I gotta find a place to ditch the car," he informed her.

"You do know you didn't really steal it," Kyoko teased and bit her lip to bite back her laughter.

"Let me live vicariously through my character," he responded, making her and the beauty team laugh. He stepped closer when the laughter subsided and pecked his girlfriend on the lips. "I'll see you in about an hour. Ms. Nicole and Yukihito will be staying with you and Clint would be accompanying me." Clint and Nicole were the bodyguards Kuu hired to relieve Miles and Tucker. Ren was quite pleased to see a woman assigned to the job. She was ex-military and an MMA fighter on the side. Since prize money for female competitions barely paid the bills, being a bodyguard seemed like a good way to utilize her skills.

"Okay, please be safe," she said, kissing him back without a care that the hairstylist and makeup artist was in the room with them. "I love you," she whispered against his lips then pulled away.

"Love you, too." Not wanting to leave, he stooped and pecked her lips several times before Kyoko pushed him away with a laugh.

"Get out of here!" She scolded playfully, making the ladies laugh.

"You two are so cute." He heard someone say just as he was closing the door behind him. He smiled goofily to himself and went to search for Debbie so they could get this over with.

Finding Debbie outside directing a few crew members, a man with a special press badge pounced on him as soon as he came out of the building. Clint was quick to act and kept the guy away while Ren hopped into a van, ignoring the reporter as he shouted questions about Cedric and his attackers. As they drove through the studio gates, more reporters gathered around trying to peer through the dark tint. They weren't followed and drove several blocks down the street to a secured five-mile area. More crew waited for their arrival and had everything set up. The black GTO, he was growing so fond of, was already equipped with cameras and waiting for him. He noticed the lights that were mounted to the car to film in the dark were removed.

"Are you ready, Ren?" Debbie asked, handing him the note. She waved a guy in a golf cart over and slipped into the passenger seat. " This is Lance our main cameraman for this last segment. It will be easier to walk you through the scene, hop in."

Ren folded himself into the cramped back seat and Clint climbed into the seat on the rear of the cart. A mile down the road, Debbie pointed out the spot she wanted Ren to abandon the car. A red curb and yellow fire hydrant marked the location. From there, he had to walk to a nearby parking lot that Debbie swore could pass as the parking lot belonging to the bar. According to the director, the outside details of the night before weren't important because it was too dark to make out anything. They drove up the path she wanted him to walk toward the parking lot and stopped in front of a large black SUV.

Ren raised a brow at Debbie, curious about her vehicle choice as they got out to check it.

"Be glad it's not a minivan," the director joked.

"Hey, don't knock the minivan," Clint exclaimed, offended. He looked to be in his mid-thirties and judging by the gold band on his finger, he was probably married with kids. "Aside from being spacious and comfortable, I'll have you know that they have good gas mileage and there's always a cup holder within reach from any seat."

He was so serious about the cupholders that they all started laughing. Clint joined in on their laughter. Ren liked that the guy was outgoing and friendly, but still took his job seriously.

"When you have three kids like me you'll understand," he explained and headed to the SUV to check it out. He opened all the doors to search the car and even looked under the hood and carriage for safe measure.

"It's clear," he announced and began closing all the doors. By now, Ren was used to the thoroughness of the bodyguards and just let them do their thing.

Lance stepped up and pointed out all the cameras he had mounted inside the car. On the way back to the starting point, Debbie gave him more instructions.

Once everything was set, Ren got in the GTO and waited for the director's command to start.

"Action!"

He was smiling so hard he thought his face would split in two. Taking his eyes off the road for a second, he glanced down at a scrap of paper he had been clutching between his fingers, making sure it was real. He was thrilled that before she walked out of the car with his heart she had kissed one last time, stealing his breath away, and thrusting the tiny sheet into his hand. She was out of the car before his brain could fully process anything. When he looked up, she was already walking down the street. As if feeling his gaze on her, she spun around and blew him a kiss then disappeared behind some manicured hedges. Anxiously, he opened the sheet and finally got the answers to the important questions he failed to ask all night.

'Zinnia Rose 310-530-XXXX'

His anxiety evaporated, replaced by the warmth he felt in her presence. Eventually, he put the car in drive and drove in the opposite direction. Every fiber in his being screamed at him to turn around and chase after the girl that had stolen his heart. But he shook his head and looked at the name and number again for reassurance and continued on his way with the promise to call her as soon as he got home. The drive passed quickly with his mind occupied by the incredible night he had with a woman he had fallen in love with at first sight.

Realizing where he was, he yanked the steering wheel of the gorgeous vintage car and parked it on the side of the road, opting to walk the rest of the way. He tucked the keys into the visor with the assumption that a policeman would find it illegally parked on a fire lane and return it to its rightful owner. He kissed the sheet of paper in his hand and secured it in his jacket pocket.

"Cut!" The director yelled from the vehicle with the camera in charge of filming externally, ending the scene. "I'm going to review the tape while Ren heads to makeup. Then we'll continue where we left off."

Ten minutes later they were ready to continue.

As he traipsed down the street towards the parking lot where he left his car the night before, he slipped his hand into his jacket pocket and clutched his fingers around a slip of paper and a cool circular object. He smiled as his fingers withdrew the round object from his pocket and inspected it. Sitting in the driver's seat of his car, he slipped the ring on his left hand and drove away. It wasn't long before he strolled down a familiar street of a picturesque neighborhood and pulled into the driveway of a white craftsman-style house with a large front porch complete with a swing.

Glad to be home, he jumped out of his vehicle and rushed to enter the door. It had been a long and magical night, but coming home was icing on the cake. Snuggling on the couch was the brown-eyed beauty he had met and fell in love with two years ago and in her arms, laughing and cooing to her, was the product of that love. She looked exhausted but satisfied and happy after the sleepless night they had spent celebrating the anniversary of the night they met. While he was collecting their car, she had ditched the black lace dress and changed into a comfy sweater and leggings with her now blonde hair twisted up in a messy bun. He threw his dirty jacket on the floor and discarded his sandy shoes by the door. Dropping on the couch beside his little family, he reached for his son, and the loudest wail filled the room.

"Cut!" The assistant director shouted. Ren froze, worried that he had hurt the baby despite his attempt at being gentle. Like a pro, Kyoko swept the little guy up in her arms and held him close to her chest while stroking his back and swaying softly. The sight of her murmuring sweet nothings to this baby and kissing his tiny little head stirred something within him. He couldn't wait to have this with her even if it meant owning a minivan.

When the baby calmed down, she sat on the couch and propped him on her lap to face Ren. "Jase, this is Ren, your pretend daddy. Ren, this is Jase, our pretend son."

"Hi Jase," Ren cooed, holding out his index finger to Jase's little hand for a shake. The baby wrapped his chubby little hands around the large finger and giggled when Ren playfully tried to pull it away each time Jase got close to sticking it in his slobbery little mouth. No one interfered with their little interaction on the couch, not even Jase's mother. Soon Ren had Jase in his arms, laughing ecstatically.

"Great work, Ren. I had planned for Jase to react this way to a total stranger, but I wanted to see if you would be another exception. Now I know you're only human and Kyoko is a Goddess in disguise. How about we take it from where you walk to them."

"Sure," he replied and stood up giving Jase one last tickle which resulted in more adorable laughter.

This was the ending that Debbie had sprung on them when they came in this morning. He thought it odd that he didn't have a chance to familiarize himself with the little guy before filming, but didn't think to question it. Debbie's vision was to have ninety-eight percent of the music video focused on the night they met and make a subtle transition from the past to the present when his character put on his wedding band. She wanted the audience to freak out and have them believe he was a cheater if they didn't notice the change in his appearance. Two years didn't make a whole lot of difference but the makeup artists did a good job trying to age them. It was up to Debbie and her staff during the editing process to make it all flow.

Ren moved to his mark by the door and waited for his cue.

"Family, take two," a staff member announced holding up a clapper board in front of the main camera.

"Action," Debbie called out, careful not to startle the baby.

For an undisclosed amount of time, Ren and Kyoko's characters laughed and played with their baby while they sat on the couch recuperating from their long night. Occasionally, they would exchange kisses with each other that had their baby wanting to get in on the action. Peals of innocent laughter filled the room when both, mommy and daddy, smothered the cheeks of their little one with a kiss attack.

As soon as the assistant director yelled "cut," their manager was there, gushing over the last scene and praising Debbie for making all his wildest dreams come true sooner rather than later. Ren reluctantly handed Jase back to his mother and said goodbye to the cute kid. He was surprised at how much he enjoyed playing with him.

Yashiro snickered behind Ren. "I took lots of pictures. Your fans are going to have a conniption once these get posted. I already received written permission from his mother to release them."

"You'll have to send me the pictures later," Ren told Yashiro.

"If you'll only pop the question, this reality could be yours," Yashiro taunted quietly, so Kyoko couldn't hear him while she was chatting with Debbie.

Ren didn't even bother entertaining his manager's suggestion. He had a plan and was sticking to it.

Using the bullhorn, Debbie got everyone's attention to make an announcement. She went through the usual spiel of thanking everyone for their hard work and putting up with her demands with such a stressful schedule. A wrap party was planned for later that evening and she expected everyone to be present. The couple couldn't say no since they were having it tonight to accommodate them. All Ren wanted to do was snuggle with his girlfriend. Okay, snuggle was the G-rate word of what he actually wanted to do with his girlfriend. He had plans to keep her up all night after all the teasing she gave him today. He planned to pay her in full. Before his mind could launch into all the things he wanted to do to his delectable girlfriend, Yashiro's voice cut into his thoughts.

"So now that's filming is over, I can finally tell you guys without it affecting your work," Yashiro confessed, guiltily while they walked toward the dressing rooms. Ren paused and locked eyes with his manager. It had been hours since the last report from Kuu on Cedric's condition. Did something go wrong? Wouldn't one of the staff members mention if the news agencies were reporting something big? A lot of them were tethered to their phones. Any small break they got, Ren would find them glued to their little screens. Ren and Kyoko were quite the opposite and turned off their cell phones once work began. He had no reason to turn it on during breaks when he had Kyoko by his side.

"Tell us what," Kyoko asked, worry laced on her face. She was just as nervous about what Yashiro had to say.

"Well do you want the good news or the bad news first?"

"Bad news," Kyoko and Ren blurted together. They glanced at each other and smiled. He always preferred the bad news first to get it out of the way and enjoy the good news afterwards to brighten his mood.

Yashiro sighed, unsurprised. "You guys still have to go to the LAPD and make a statement." Ren had known they had to go to the police station sometime after work. It was the only way for Kuu to keep them from having to go in late last night.

Yashiro lowered his voice, gathering them closer. Whatever he had to say had to be kept between them. "And the good news is, they caught Cedric's attackers."

"They did!" Kyoko gasped then covered her mouth when Yashiro hushed her.

"According to Kuu, they aren't making it public knowledge just yet. The precinct doesn't want to be mobbed by fans and they're waiting for your official statements before moving forward."

A wave of relief washed over Ren as he gathered Kyoko into a tight a hug. She was safe. Those guys can finally pay for their crimes and they would no longer be able to terrorize anyone else. He doubted their fathers would retract the bodyguards protecting them.

"And before you ask, Cedric's condition hasn't changed, unfortunately."

"Thanks, Yukihito," Ren replied, suddenly exhausted. He was dreading going down to the police station and felt even worse about the hospital. Seeing Cedric was something he absolutely had to do before he left even if he was still in a coma. Ren was lost in thought when they split up in front of the dressing rooms to get cleaned up and ready to head out.

AN: Gomen-nasai! Please forgive me! *Throws myself down into one of Kyoko's dramatic dogezas* Now that house guests are gone and kids are back in school, I'm hoping I could get back on schedule. This is probably filler but I finally finished the MV. I couldn't decide on her name so when I put Zinnia Rose together it just clicked for me. Thanks to everyone that gave me feedback on a name for her. I appreciate it. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed it.

Thank you so much for sticking with me! I HEART all of you!

Once again the song used was "Crush," by Dave Matthews Band.

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^