Chapter 216: Bishounen

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Kyoko would have high school fantasies about her man.

Never in her wildest dreams would Kyoko have thought Kuon, her Corn, would crash her auditions. Kyoko's face may not have shown it, but her heart was beating at an alarming rate. She was beyond excited to see him on the stage. His appearance had to mean he was finally ready to come back into the spotlight. All she could think about was how ecstatic his parents would be at the news and how lucky the world would be with him in it again.

Kyoko wanted to run into his arms and scream with joy the moment she laid her eyes on him; however, the shock of his presence kept her grounded. Sho's annoying outburst distracted her enough to realize Kuon didn't come completely clean about his identity, and the other people in the room, excluding the president, didn't seem to recognize him as Ren. Kyoko wasn't sure how she was supposed to react to him. She needed to talk to Kuon and ask him what angle he was playing. Were they supposed to be strangers?

Her question was about to be answered when he charged the table. She could feel her mini grudge brigade stir at the darkness swirling around him now that he was closer. Kyoko noticed that her quantity of minions dwindled every day and wondered if one day, the darkness in her heart would eventually dissipate into nothing. Today was not that day. Kuon was pissed. Losing her balance and falling on Shotaro was probably not the best thing she could have done in front of him.

Kyoko was unprepared to explain Sho's presence. She thought she would have time to tell him later in the safety of their home, where he could vent all his frustration in private and hopefully make sweet love to her afterward. If she knew he would show up, she wouldn't have thought twice about interrupting his work today and leaving the loaded message on his phone. At least he would have had a chance to prepare himself.

Kyoko was in awe of his control. How he didn't reach over the table with his long muscular arms and wring Sho's neck is a miracle. She had barely seen the slight shift in his demeanor once he noticed the singer beside her. It was a relief that his anger was not directed at her, immediately locating the man who was ultimately responsible for her predicament. She was sure Kuon would exchange some choice words with their boss later.

Of all the scenarios he could have come up with to explain their relationship, why did he announce them to be siblings? Kyoko was baffled by his answer. What did that mean for them? Would they have to maintain boundaries? He couldn't possibly think they could have a relationship as open as the Heels. How would that even work?

Sho wasn't wrong when he expressed that she had a boyfriend. She didn't think the idiot noticed that he was defending his professed enemy against said enemy. It was so comical, she couldn't stop herself from laughing with Kuon. If he was planning on keeping Ren a separate entity, Kyoko couldn't go around being lovey-dovey with Kuon. What would people think? The majority of Ren's fans would bury her alive if they thought she was a two-timing hussy.

Thankfully, Kyoko didn't have to think too hard when the director suggested Kuon take the stage. It took all her acting prowess to keep the disappointment from showing on her face when Seiji suggested Sho help Kuon with his audition instead of her. More than anything, she worried that Sho would say or do something stupid and provoke Kuon into doing something regrettable. Like choking the living daylights out of him with those long dexterous fingers that he often… Kyoko needed to stop her line of thinking right there. She didn't want the love of her life to spend twenty years in prison because that baka decided to play with the devil.

Kyoko stared at Kuon's retreating form, with Sho hot on his heels. He probably wasn't happy with the director's decision to pair him up with Sho and she couldn't blame him one bit. Kyoko could only conclude that the director was testing them, including her. When Sho bumped into her boyfriend, Kyoko held her breath, expecting carnage. She was ready to jump out of her seat to save her boyfriend from doing anything regrettable. Sho just wasn't worth it. Kuon, however, caught Sho easily to steady his stance. Her eyes narrowed at how tenderly Kuon held the guy like he was someone precious. The way his arms flexed under the blazer managed to distract Kyoko enough from launching her grudges at the idiot's head.

Kyoko nearly swooned the more she stared at her man, barely listening to whatever the director was saying to them. Now that her initial shock wore off, she could appreciate her boyfriend's outfit and how good he looked in it. The school uniform made her giddy and those glasses didn't do a single thing to diminish his gorgeous features. Naughty thoughts began dancing in her mind, making Kyoko squeeze her thighs to dull her aching core.

She couldn't shake the image of him as a shy introvert, at the top of his class, and her as the rebellious girl, much like Natsu, wanting to ruin him. The idea of tugging on his tie and roughing up his perfect uniform wouldn't leave her. Kyoko wanted to walk up to him, tear off those glasses, and hide them away, so the only way he could see her was to get up close and invade her space. She'd use his tie to pull him in closer and devour his pouty lips while raking her fingers through those silky strands.

She was jostled out of her wayward thoughts when Seiji's elbow bumped into her arm with a quiet apology on his part. Kyoko flushed with embarrassment and focused on her boyfriend and her nemesis on stage.

So far things were going well. Sho had some slight hiccups, but it was to be expected. It was incredible to watch Kuon perform with a high school student persona. Is this what it would have been like if they were closer in age and attended school together? Would someone as amazing as him notice her? Probably not. She thought, a different kind of ache forming in her chest and sputtering out the one between her legs. Kyoko blinked her eyes rapidly to dry the watery film blurring her vision. She admonished herself internally about getting worked up over a hypothetical situation that would never happen. But would she be able to separate him from Seiichi if he was chosen to be the leading man?

Kyoko shook her head. She really needed to stop spacing out on useless thoughts and focus on her job.

Sho was still struggling but Kuon didn't miss a beat. His skills as a professional were shining through, putting on a stellar performance despite the inadequacy of his partner. It took a moment of studying Sho for Kyoko to notice all the obvious signs. The missed cues and stuttering speech only meant one thing. He was sucked under the co-star killer's spell and had no clue.

Is he blushing?! Kyoko bit her lip to keep from giggling and focused on Kuon while he worked his magic. Before she knew it, the scene was over. The brilliance of his smile practically annihilated her grudge force, making her insides melt into a puddle of goo.

A loud ruckus behind her forced her from basking in the afterglow that was Kuon. She snapped her head to see people rushing to help what looked like one of the assistants lying on the floor.

"What's going on?" Seiji questioned as the small crowd parted for him to get closer. By the time he crouched down, the woman was coming around under Ruto's care.

"Are you okay?" Seiji asked, helping her into a sitting position. Ruto had disappeared and returned with a cool bottle of water.

"W-what happened?" She asked shyly, a bit disoriented and confused by the attention.

"You fainted," another person answered while she sipped the cold water.

"Oh," she squeaked, her once pale face taking on more color. "I'm sorry," she mumbled and hung her head low.

"It's nothing to apologize for, Sarumara-san. Are you hurting anywhere? Did you hit your head?" Kyoko listened as Seiji peppered the assistant with questions.

Kyoko felt all her nerve endings on her back stand at attention as if zapped by static electricity. She braced herself for impact.

"What's going on?" The low sultry voice of her boyfriend purred into her ear, making a shudder course through her body. He wasn't touching her, but she could feel the heat radiating off his body, burning her from the inside out. His breath tickled her ear from the low chuckle he released, enjoying her reaction to him.

"Sarumara-san fainted," the person to her right answered, hearing his question.

Kuon straightened and shifted his stance to give her space. He probably remembered how closely people were watching him…them. It didn't stop him from letting his pinky finger wander, playing with the finger wearing the daisy ring he had gifted her. Kyoko chewed on her bottom lip to keep from smiling and focused on the injured woman.

"I'm a little sore on my side, but my head feels fine," Sarumara answered after contemplating for a moment. "I'm embarrassed mostly."

"There's no need to be embarrassed. Are you feeling well enough to stand and move to a chair?" Seiji asked. With a nod of her head, the assistant was off the floor and into a chair.

"This is my fault. We should have taken more breaks. I apologize for overworking you..."

"Oh, no, Director. This is not your fault. I- I," she stammered, glancing nervously in Kuon's direction. Kyoko only realized that Sho was standing a few feet away too. Sarumara's eyes shifted between the two men.

"What is it?" Seiji coaxed.

Kyoko had an idea, but she was curious to know why she had fainted if not from being overworked.

"I- I…well, you see," she gripped the water bottle nervously. "I couldn't handle watching them together due to my weak stamina," she huffed, finally spitting out her reason.

"She's right," another assistant chimed in.

"Me too," Manami-san confessed. "Sarumara-san is still a trainee. She's not used to this sort of atmosphere. She's probably only seen such things in manga. It was almost too much for me and I've been here for years," she chuckled.

Sarumara nodded vigorously and whispered, "Bishounen."

"Yes!" The other assistants echoed their agreement with the murmured term.

"Bishounen?" Seiji questioned with an amused smile after hearing all the ladies agree. Kyoko found herself nodding with their assessment…well, at least for Kuon. In his natural state, his features appeared younger and softer. To the older women, they were still boys with pretty faces. Little did they know, Kuon could sprout a full beard in a few days if he didn't groom himself daily.

"I take it you ladies enjoyed their performance?" Seiji teased. There were several enthusiastic replies, blushing, and giggling going around.

"Bishounen," Seiji repeated more of a statement as he turned around to look at Kyoko, then at Kuon and Sho. There was no doubt in Kyoko's expression how excited she was for Kuon to be here. It was good the director didn't question her about their performance because she hardly paid attention with all her wandering thoughts.

Kyoko followed Seiji's gaze as it shifted with each guy and noticed Sho was uncharacteristically despondent. Although the singer smirked, she could tell he wasn't as enthusiastic as he usually would be when it came to women fawning over him. Kyoko briefly wondered what could be his problem. He had been overly quiet when she noticed him stealing glances at Kuon and frowning.

"Well, it seems you guys had a captive audience," Seiji complimented. He turned his attention to Kuon. "Thank you for coming out, Hizuri-san. Our job just got a hell of a lot harder."

"Thank you for allowing me to audition, Shingai-san. I appreciate all of you for being so accommodating with your schedule." Kuon flashed that same smile he had used in the audition and had all the ladies in a flutter of squeaks and gasps.

It took every ounce of Kyoko's control to keep from snarling at the blushing women, her eyes burning with intensity. She needed to have a serious talk with him. If she couldn't claim him because he stupidly made them siblings, he seriously needed to stop flashing that heart-stopping smile to everyone. It wasn't on the same level as the heavenly smile he reserved for her, but it was close, and she didn't like it.

"Perhaps, we can take this conversation to my office. Why don't you join us, Seiji-kun? I'm sure you have questions," Lori suggested.

"Sounds good." The director nodded to the president. "Give me a few minutes to wrap up here, and I will come to your office."

"Come on, Kuon." The president wrapped an arm over his shoulder, showing everyone how close they were. "You've gotten so tall. It's been so long since I last saw you. What have you been up to?" The president laid it on thick, exaggerating how long it's been since he last saw Kuon with stories from when he was younger.

"Kyoko, you're coming too, right?" Kuon interrupted Lori's regaling to address her, his gemstone eyes giving her no choice. She wanted nothing more than to wrap him in a hug and tell him how proud she was of him. Her heart melted at the knowledge that he had made this giant leap for her.

"Of course, Morimoto-kun is coming, and Le-san," Lori glanced over his shoulder, looking at her manager.

"Her schedule is free," Linh assured him with a tired sigh and shook her head. She did not look pleased at all. Kyoko's nerves tingled at being left alone with her manager.

"Marvelous. Shall we?" Lori gestured toward the door to the hall. He gave everyone a final goodbye, adding praise for a job well done.

"Hizuri-san," one of the male assistants shouted, holding up a duffle bag from the stage. Kyoko watched her boyfriend stiffen at the use of his real name. That's going to take some getting used to. It would take time for her to associate him with that name in public unless he planned on keeping Ren as a stage name. There was so much they needed to discuss. Her brain was swimming with so many questions.

"Thank you very much." With his long legs, it only took Kuon a few strides to close the gap between him and the man coming down the stairs to collect the bag that no doubt held his alter ego's disguise. Turning to follow Lori, he winked at Kyoko and mouthed, "See you soon."

It made her heart flutter to see him confident and relaxed in his skin as she watched Kuon walk away with Lori and join the zombie hoard standing by in the hallway. Well, almost his own skin. She needed to talk to him about those glasses, though they played a major role in her dirty fantasies.

Like Seiji, Kyoko had to stay behind and deliberate for a few minutes with the other judges. The director didn't want to keep them any longer and decided on a time for them to meet tomorrow around Kyoko's schedule.

"Is Sho required to attend this meeting? I know he showed up unexpectedly today, and I don't want him to shirk his responsibilities," Shoko inquired.

"It was good to have Fuwa-san here with us today, and I understand that his schedule is demanding. If he would like to join, we would welcome his presence. If he is unable, I can pass on some notes to keep him in the loop of our decisions. Would that be amenable to you?" Seiji suggested.

"Thank you. Shingai-san, I appreciate your flexibility and patience with us," Shoko bowed respectively. She elbowed Sho in the rib as she bowed.

"Thank you, for this opportunity, sir. I promise to take my role seriously and work hard. I won't let you down again." Sho humbly bowed.

"Don't take that audition to heart. He may have been out of the spotlight for a while, but acting is in that boy's blood. It's embedded in his soul. He was born for the silver screen. Keep up your training and you will do fine once filming starts," Seiji assured him.

Sho didn't scoff or deny anything the director had said like Kyoko knew he was prone to do so with criticism. All he did was nod and thank Seiji. With a final farewell, Shoko whisked Sho away, stating that he had several commitments to attend.

Kyoko waited while the director wrapped up his final instructions to the assistants and said goodbye to the other judges. There was no need to retain them further when they had a meeting set for tomorrow. Kyoko and Linh stepped in sync with him as they headed to the president's office.

"So," Seiji began as they walked down the empty corridor, glancing at Kyoko, then Linh, and then back to Kyoko. "How long have you known Hizuri-kun?"

Kyoko nearly stuttered in her step. She should have seen this line of questioning coming. Visions of their time playing by the stream in Kyoto when they were kids were the first to pop into her mind. A small smile played on her lips from thinking about her most treasured memory.

"Not long," she vaguely replied, deciding it was the safer answer until she could talk to the man alone. "What did you think about his audition?" Kyoko countered quickly with a question of her own before he could press her for more details.

…

"Are you okay?" Shoko asked as they walked through the corridor and headed for the front lobby. "You've been awfully quiet."

Sho remained silent, unable to explain how defeated he felt back there. He tried to convince himself that he just needed more practice, like everything else he did in life, but this time he wasn't so sure. In the past, he would have welcomed the challenge, arrogantly scoffing at anyone who criticized him and proved them wrong. The problem was he was confused and didn't know how to express himself. On stage, he started experiencing weird feelings toward the guy and had no idea why.

"Are you upset about the lines you missed?" Shoko continued when he didn't respond to her first question. "Don't worry about it. You just need practice."

Sho grunted, drowning out Shoko's nagging voice as she defended him against the guys that outspokenly disliked his presence. She meant well, always ready to stroke his ego whenever he was down. He would normally eat it up, letting the praise get to his head until he'd rewritten the awful experience to suit him. Her tactics weren't working this time, and the abysmal performance repeated in his head while he tried to understand what happened. He couldn't care less about the guys that hated on him.

Sho and Shoko eventually made it to the more public area of the agency, drawing closer to the reception area. The place was still bustling with activity despite the late evening hour. It wasn't uncommon in this industry to work long days and nights. The sound of laughter and conversation from the cafe drew his attention as they passed the entrance.

He didn't know why he looked but was drawn to the familiar bright hair and the other guy sitting beside him on one of the tables outside the cafe. Sho jerked his head away, not wanting to bother with the asshats from the audition, even though he should give them a piece of his mind. The bastards thought they were hot shit, talking their trash in front of an important audience. They didn't give a shit about Kyoko. They just wanted to put on a show for the higher-ups and make themselves look good at his expense.

"Shit!" Shoko cursed, abruptly stopping as they reached the glass doors of the front entrance. Several paparazzi were swarming outside the building, more than he ever experienced at his agency. A little jealousy bubbled up inside him because they were probably here for that platform-wearing bastard. A lot had happened to him and Kyoko in America that Sho couldn't watch any entertainment channels, browse social media, or pass a newsstand without them saturating the content. They were hot news. Now that they were home, everyone wanted a piece of them. I wonder if he knows that Hafu is here.

"Stay here. I'll bring the car around," Shoko instructed. "This way they won't trail us to the parking lot."

"What's the big deal? I can just go with you now," Sho insisted, heading for the door.

"No, you stay here." She held his arm and whispered, "We don't want to give them time to speculate about why you're here. We can't tell them the truth until a press conference announces the project."

Sho sighed. She was right. Normally, he wouldn't give a shit and would soak up the exposure, but he was also exhausted. Sitting through audition after audition, hardly doing anything was boring as fuck. What Shoko avoided saying was that he was also still temporary. He didn't need the questions they would fire about his presence at the agency or the speculation that would come with it. He was already so far out of his comfort zone. If he went around with his usual confidence and then sucked at acting compared to the pros, he wouldn't be able to live down the shame for a while.

"Fine," he grumbled. "I'll wait, so hurry up and get the car."

"Okay, I'll be right back. Don't say anything to the press," Shoko warned before walking out.

"Yeah, yeah," he replied, annoyed by her nagging. Sho settled in one of the leather chairs and pulled out his phone, hoping he wouldn't be bothered if his back was out in the open. A moment later, he felt a presence over his shoulder. Glancing back, he saw something in his periphery. Turning around yielded no one.

He shrugged it off and faced forward only to be greeted with a giant creature that he swore came from the depths of hell resting on his lap. His voice rose to soprano levels, belting out a shrill so loud that everyone in the vicinity turned in his direction. Sho scrambled to his feet, the vile creature fell to the ground. Its beady eyes mocked him as its numerous legs stuck straight in the air.

Slow ran his fingers through his hair, regaining his cool and smiling charmingly at the women staring at him. He could only hope there wouldn't be a recording floating around the web later. "What's the matter, Fuwa? Afraid of a little itty bitty spider?" The delinquent-looking jackass from the audition asked in a taunting voice as he walked toward him with the other guy. Sho had already forgotten their names, so he didn't see a point in engaging them.

"Whatever," he scoffed and turned toward the arachnid he left lying on the floor. In its place was a little girl dressed in an elaborate dress of black and lace. She looked like one of those creepy dolls with their blonde ringlets and glassy blue eyes that seemed to track you.

"What the fuck?" He jumped back, eyeing the little girl now holding the spider. The thing was almost the size of her head. There was nothing itty bitty about that thing.

The guys still standing behind him burst out laughing.

"Looks like he's scared of innocent little girls too, Jin," the other jackass commented to the delinquent looking one.

"What are your intentions toward my onee-sama, Fuwa-san?" The little girl demanded, stroking the top of the spider's head as if it were a cute little Shih Tzu. Despite her appearance, there was something oddly menacing about her demeanor.

Sho gulped, unsure how to answer her loaded question. He was under the impression that if he answered her wrong, she would throw that beast at his face without hesitation. Thankfully, a ping from his phone saved him from having to do so.

"Sorry, my ride is here," he explained after glancing at the text from Shoko. It took her long enough.

"I'd say good luck to you guys, but that would be a waste of breath. They already found the perfect golden boy to play Seiichi, so better luck next time." With those parting shots, Sho winked, strolled through the sliding glass doors, and smiled victoriously for the cameras.

Hiya, everyone! Thanks for always coming back to read despite my ridiculous delays. I hope everyone had a great Halloween. It's been a very busy fall season for me, and I'm still getting excellent sleep. My bed is the best.

Who wants a check-in of my Ceddie? Manga Ceddie makes me just want to slap the shit out of him. I'm dying for the drama of him meeting Ren/Kuon. Hopefully, Sensei will give us something soon.

Thank you for all the reviews of the last chapter. I HEART you!

Until next time, ja ne ^_^!