A/N: This is the second chapter. I was confused about what to give as a surname of Kyoko's adoptive family. Well this is an AU story so I've decided to go with a new surname. Hope you like it. Thank you for the reviews and follows and favorites.

I do not own Skip Beat! or any of its characters.

Chapter 2

After looking several minutes, she finally found her father talking to the Groom's father in a corner of the church.

"…..your restaurant in Tokyo. It's on a good land and I was hoping you would give it to my son and your daughter as a wedding gift", said the groom's father. What was his name again? Kyoko couldn't remember. She kept herself hidden behind a pillar.

"I'm sorry, but the land is intended to be kept for my younger daughter. She is an excellent cook and she is supposed to take over my restaurant." The Taisho said in a grim voice.

At this point her uncle and Aunt joined in and Kyoko found a hand wrapping itself around her mouth to keep her from screaming. "Found you!", whispered her sister while hiding herself with her. Kanae looked disturbed.

"What are you talking about Onii-sama? The restaurant in Tokyo should go to Kanae-chan because she deserves it.", said her uncle, cutting in the conversation. Knowing all too well that the Ryouji's agreed to this because of the property he promised them.

"I'm sorry brother but I cannot agree to that. Kyoko is to inherit my restaurant in Tokyo. I've decided it years ago.", said Tsubasa Tatsuya, Kanae's father. His voice rang of authority and anger. He could easily comprehend where this was going. His brother suggested selling off the Tokyo restaurant before, as they all lived in Kyoto. But the Tokyo location was a prime location passed down to Tatsuya from their grandfather.

"KYOKO!? That good for nothing brat who is not even your own blood? Who knows whose dirt that girl carries!" exclaimed Tsubasa Megumi, Aoi and Midori's mother, Tsubasa Yuusuke's wife and Tatsuya's sister-in-law.

At that moment Kanae lost all control. She was seeing red. She let go of Kyoko and tried to get in the middle of the argument. But a hand in her shoulder stopped her in her tracks. Kyoko was holding her like her life depended on it. She had a blank look in her eyes and was shaking like a leaf and it was enough to stop Kanae and come to her. She hugged her baby sister and whispered, "We love you Kyo-chan. Don't listen to them. You are a Tsubasa. You are ours, you are mine. Please listen to your nee-chan."

Slap! The sound rang hard in the empty hall. Snapping out of their daze Kanae and Kyoko looked at where their mother had slapped their aunt hard. She was fuming with rage. Megumi looked at her sister-in-law in disbelief. She had always considered Umeko a gentle person. Never in her dreams she had imagined this reaction.

"How dare you talk about my daughter like that? Kyoko is every bit of mine as Midori is every bit of yours! She is a Tsubasa and she will inherit the Darumaya in Tokyo!". She stopped and looked at Kanae who came out of the pillar with Kyoko.

By this time Yasu, his mother, Aoi and Midori entered the hall upon hearing all this commotion. Kanae simply ignored everyone and went to Yasu's father who was overwhelmed at the family's sudden outburst.

"Is it true that you agreed for your son's marriage with me because my uncle promised you the land in Tokyo?

"Yes!", the man was already scared of the intense pressure he felt coming from Kanae. She looked murderous!

Bowing like a proper lady Kanae said with the same authority her father had before,

"I refuse to marry your son and we shall remove ourselves from these premises. Let's go father"

She grabbed Kyoko's hand who was still trying to hold herself together. Her parents followed behind her. Stopping next to Aoi and Midori she said in a demonic voice, "It would be of your best interest to keep you parents away from my family…. If you want to see them alive and well"

Not even sparing a glance at Yasu, who was fuming with rage at his family's humiliation, Kanae got into their car and her father drove them away from the church. In her head, Kyoko could still hear the sound of locks being opened.

They drove in silence. Kyoko was feeling depressed, angry, hurt. She was always happy to have a big family. She liked Midori and Aoi and respected her uncle/aunt. She had no idea they would turn out to be like this. Their family broke apart today.

Upon reaching their house, she went inside their room and changed into comfortable clothes. She came downstairs and heard Kanae on the phone cancelling out the orders and her dad the invitations. Her sister looked so upset.

'Her wedding broke, because father refused to give the land to her. He gave it to me instead. For me… mom slapped aunty… because of me. The family broke and they are all sad… I did this? They loved me so much and this is how I repay them? Kami-sama, what have I done?' she thought with tears in her eyes. She needed to get out of there. The first person whose name came to her mind was her Sho-chan's.

'He would understand' she thought. But as soon as she thought this, for the first time she had doubt in her mind. She knew Shotaro hated to see her cry, it annoyed him beyond anything. At their High school graduation she cried and the whole day he avoided her like a plague, didn't even congratulate her. She wasn't sure she could talk to him without crying. But she had no one else to talk to. She hadn't felt this sort of despair since she came to this household. It reminded her of something very unpleasant; her birth mother, who disappeared when she was 6, leaving her with the Fuwa family. Her adoptive father Tatsuya saw her there and instantly brought her home along with the food he ordered from the ryokan for her sister's birthday. She knew the Fuwa's for as long as she could remember.

'Sho-chan knows I love him and he will take care of everything. I just have to believe in him.', she thought putting aside the nagging thoughts in her mind.

So she went to the ryokan. As soon as she entered, her Oba-sama greeted her and said that she was sorry for what happened at the rehearsal.

'So they heard. Well by now most of the people we know would know what happened. The Ryouji's were very well known in Kyoto.' she thought.

She went upstairs to Shotaro's room. As she got closer, she heard faint sounds coming from there, Shotaro and … a girl's voice.

"Aww… Sho-chan! ~~"

As soon as she heard it, Kyoko knew who was in there with her boyfriend. Nanokura Mimori, the school's most popular girl, the president of Shotaro's fan club and the leader of 'Kyoko Hate Squad'. Kyoko never really hated the girl. Who wouldn't fall for her Sho-chan? But something in her voice sent her to panic mode.

"Shh… Mimori, you are too loud!", she heard Shotaro say, but something muffled his voice.

"But you are kissing very hard, it will leave marks!", Mimori whined. "Don't you already have Kyoko-baka for this kind of stuff? You've been dating for a year now!

"Tsk! Kyoko doesn't even let me kiss her properly, something about it being improper before marriage. I'm only dating her to make my parents shut up about my life. I don't know what they see in her but she is as plain as a board! No sex-appeal whatsoever. You… on the other hand my dear….. are what I really want in a girlfriend."

Outside, Kyoko's heart was ripping apart. She could actually feel it. She has loved that boy since childhood. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"But Kyoko is convenient to keep around.", she heard Shotaro chuckle. "I mean, she practically passed my High School for me. Making notes, bringing bento's, doing my homework and keeping my parents off my back. My mom wants her to take care of the ryokan as my wife. Like hell! I'm not going to marry that creep! I have bigger dreams for this business! I'll go to Tokyo and take care of the business there, my old man needs to come home and I don't want to return, EVER!"

"And what will happen to her?" Mimori said in a low voice.

"Well I'll just tell her to wait for me" Shotaro laughed. "And I already know what she will say….. 'I'll forever wait for you Sho-chan'…. BAAKAA!"

The door slammed open and revealed a very dark Kyoko. Her whole aura was tainted. She actually looked scary! Shotaro was dumbfounded. Mimori who was sitting in his lap gaped at Kyoko.

"So, this is what you wanted to do? This is what you feel about me? A convenience? I'm a plain girl with no qualities to appeal to you is it? SHOOOTAROOO!"

Then she glared at the pair. Her eyes glowed menacingly. "I'll show you what I am Shotaro! I'll make you regret this day! If it's the last thing I do!" she said.

Kyoko turned around to get out of there but stopped abruptly. "Nanokura-san, congratulations on having a new boyfriend. I hope you don't turn out to be a convenience yourself." With that she left. She knew it now…. People are ungrateful, liars and evil. The people she trusted, the boy she loved betrayed her and her family. There is no one to trust. Her adoptive family's love now seems more like kindness. Kindness for the good for nothing, plain, orphaned girl. The box Kami-sama gave her to protect was now opened. There was no turning back now.