Chapter 32

I do not own skip beat! Yoshiki Nakamura does.

It was Friday evening.

Kyoko was returning from her last job and taking advantage of the not too short days yet. She was venturing on the small turning roads which skirted the sea. The glow of the setting sun projected its redness on the sparkling water of reflects and she was tempted to close her eyes was if only for a second. The intoxicating sensation of roaring in the background and the wind blowing on her face as she put on the turns again and again wall pulling her in her own little world.

Faster, ever faster, forgetful of everything that was not here and now, making her feel more alive than ever and filling the gap she had in her when she lingered on too many thoughts. The residual heat of the end of the day was caressing the part of her face that the helmet did not protect but blinded by the light she grabbed the handlebars firmly with one hand and let go of the left side to quickly pass the sunglasses.

It was not as hot anymore as they reached the end of September, there was only one month left before her departure.

She was approaching the path to her apartment when she turned on the radio.

The subjects discussed were far from encouraging, but a name caught her attention. "The second appeal procedure for Cedric Bennet just got rejected by the Court.

The judges have always been unanimous and had no intention of being lenient already since the first trial having sentenced him to 15 years in prison for rape and assault on many young actresses and young women when he was still himself in the field of show business.

We recall that first charges were brought against him during a filming of his uncle during which abuses would have already been reported more than five years earlier. It was only after this that some victims began to speak and file complaints explained the journalist in front of the court at the very moment to report the end of this sordid story.

However, his network of connections in the field with influential people on the sets and the lack of evidence due to the time spent between the acts and the complaints had allowed him to escape trial and keep doubt there. It was only the awkward confession of a young Japanese woman of the same background, today detained in psychiatric institution in Japan, his lover of the time who gave sufficient evidence to charge him. She would have, according to the time, flipped out in public when Mr. Bennet broke up with her saying that she had done what he wanted and that he had been able to hooked up with her and that he no longer needed her.

Apparently she would have try to murder him at the time and when it didn't work out, she reported what she knew to the police bringing blatant proofs with her.

Fortunately, won't hurt anyone anymore but we want to remind everyone that this sort of abuses in the world of glitters and sets are unfortunately all too frequent as young people often found themselves pressured to give sexual favour or accept the intolerable things to get a role. This sort of thing isn't normal, it's totally wrong and if anyone witness or is a person being victim of any form of abuse by anyone, being a director, a famous actor or an influent person; please call the xxxx or warn the nearest authorities.

She parked the motorcycle and climbed out from the machine breathing heavily as the journalist finished his explanations. Kyoko hadn't known he had made appeal. But it was such a relief that it had failed. It was one less twisted person in the world. She laid her behind on the bike and breathed for a while as she processed the information. It was over. Oh she still felt weak sometimes and once in a while she still had nightmares but it was over. She even remembered when Lory had called her. When he had told him he had filled a complaint and a file to his best agent and to the police. When he had called later to tell her that thanks to the ADN found on her clothes and them trying to do it again, they would be condemned and would go to jail. It was four year ago but she still remembered those calls so clearly.

She had started the fighting courses and was not as much in a bad place as before when he called. She did boxes at the time and imagined her assaulter each and every single time. Punching them. Growling at the pain growing as she strained her muscles without break. Again and again until she was so out of breath she had to lay on the ground. Hurting herself several time in the process.

So when the second call came, she felt a big alleviation from it. Really. She knew no more people would hurt or abused by those men. But she also knew it wasn't done. Because with time she had remember other things from the incident, nightmares helping. She had recollected the distinct feminine voice she had heard, the familiar irking one. The one from Kimiko Morizumi.

She was the one to call and warn the president of what she had remembered this time and he promised to be careful and to net anyone from his agency come close to her but without proof and beside her efforts for months she was beyond reach because of her links. Until she messed up a year later and blabbered everything Bennet-san did and her own deeds too. She was supposed to go to prison but after the betrayal of her lover she had seemed to lost it and her family opted for craziness rather than jail.

She put the bike away in the garage when she was calmer and entered her home.

A whirlwind of café-au-lait skin and wavy dark brown hair jumped on her when she stepped in and she recognized who it was instantly.

"Kayla, could you please stop breaking into my house when I'm not here?" Kyoko demanded with a resigned sigh knowing even if she asked it wouldn't work. "How did you get in?" she asked at last.

"You let you backdoor unlock again" replied the charming woman with a smile and a glitter in her grey eyes though she still shrugged. Her friend was wearing a short top on her big curves that uncovered her belly, a long wavy skirt reaching the knees and high heels beige sandals. She was a warm person, a bit nosy and too curious for her own good. She really really had no respect for boundaries once you were friend with her and could be clingy in some ways sometimes. Though not often. She was her best friend in America.

The woman twirled and went into Kyoko's fridge for something to eat blabbing on the way.

"I can't believe you're leaving. I know you will be here at least half of the time but it won't be the same" She grumbled at she stuffed her mouth with food Kyoko cooked yesterday. "God, your food is as heavenly as usual, I should just pay you to feed me"

Kyoko shook her head slightly but a warm resisting grin still made her way to her face. She was still fond of her of course. She was annoying but Kyoko couldn't push her away.

She chuckled a bit.

"Even if you payed me I wouldn't do it. I would never have peace otherwise" kyoko said raising her chin high in pretence.

Kayla munched over the last bit of her rests and turned a wet finger to her.

"That's mean. If I didn't visit you time to time you would lock yourself for months and I would see you until next year between your job and your loner attitude"

Kyoko rolled her eyes at her and dropped her thing on the counter. She knew it was a bit true but you couldn't help who you were and she enjoyed being alone. Maybe a bit too much.

"Speaking of making you get out of this place…Do you want to go out tonight?" proposed her friend with a nasty smile.

Kyoko dropped her backside on the carpet near the couch and started petting Snow. She shook her head tiredly. She wasn't fond of clubs most of the time. She had to go to some for research purposes for roles but didn't like it. Well she did go once or two with Kayla. But the only ones she loved were classy ones, the ones playing jazz or soft rock in the background and where you could still read if you wanted or meet colleagues from jobs or just enjoy soft music. Howling music and sweating glued to others weren't her thing at all. She wanted out of those clubs as soon as she entered.

"I prefer to keep my hearing, thanks"

"You are no fun" Pouted Kayla but she still came near her and plopped down on Kyoko's couch.

Kyoko bent backward and laid down on the carpet. Her cat jumped at the occasion and curled on her belly. For a while, she enjoyed the grateful silence as Kayla didn't say a word anymore. It was such a rarity. It wasn't that she mind all the time but Kyoko had hoped to rest on her own and it had been a long day. Still as long as she didn't assault her with words Kyoko was content she was there.

The distinct click of a shutter echoed suddenly and Kyoko growled aloud. It was the other annoying thing that came with Kayla.

Her friend was a professional photographer but she couldn't help herself but to take people pictures. Not on professional shootings. In private. All the time. Whatever she wanted and wherever she wanted. Even in the most inappropriate situations.

The shutter resonated several more times and Kyoko having enough of it put her arm on her face. "Stop taking pictures me"

"But you are such a good model to take…See the t-shirt rode up just a bit showing just a band of skin between your jeans and your ample off-shoulders shirt, barely covering what needs to be covered.. And your chest is rising and you can distinctly see you aren't wearing a bra. It's sexy. And so you. I don't know who advised you to put a bit large clothes and not wearing anything but it was well-inspired" Kayla said with a professional analyse while she continued to take pictures"

Kyoko blushed profusely and raised her hand to block the camera lens.

"Stop fucking take picture of me, Kayla Myler!" She shouted.

"Come on, it's only one or two more…I have a complete book of you and several files on computer" Kayla said trying to soothe it.

Kyoko choked and was ready to break the devise when the phone in Kyoko's pocket rang at that moment and Kyoko lift herself to a sitting position.

Winkling the thing out of her jeans she looked at the caller and her eyes grew like saucers. She hesitated. She had make a promise to herself. To keep her distance wherever she would be. But it had been nearly three months since she heard him. She had avoided his others calls. She didn't need to tell him what would happen. And she had missed him greatly.

She picked up.

"H-Hi" She awkwardly answered.

Someone choke on the other side and took a deep breath.

"Hi Kyoko" his deep voice echoed in the devise and couldn't help the joy bubbling instantly in her heart to hear his voice.

"Wow…Now, that's a smile commented Kayla on the side-lines. Kyoko ignored her.

"Someone is with you?" he asked.

She cleared her throat with a cough.

"Yes. It's a friend"

"I see" he said and his voice sound neutral all of sudden. "Am I calling at a bad time?"

She shook her head and then realising she was doing it again answered verbally. She still had this weird habit to do that over phone.

"No. She was leaving"

"I'm not leaving" countered Kayla as the shutter re-started its annoying sounds again.

"Kayla!"

"Keep talking, don't mind me, I just want to capture this"

Kyoko groaned and she heard Ren chuckled.

"Your friend seems to be fun"He stated, clearly amused.

"It's a way to put it" Kyoko said, shouting daggers at Kayla.

He chuckled again and said something but suddenly Kayla was clinging to her, her arms around her mid-riff and showing her the pictures on her camera.

"Who is it? Who is it? " Her friend urged in a whisper. "Tell who is the person able to make you do such faces?!Tell me!"

She shhhed Kayla. "Shut up"

"How are you, Ren?"

But her friend wouldn't let her in piece so Kyoko didn't catch the answer.

"Could you repeat that in a minute? Kayla is leaving. I'm going to kick her out and I'm be back"

"Okay" he said very merrily and Kyoko wondered was he was so happy suddenly. She didn't know that for the first time in years he had a glimpse of her life, of her friends. He was so happy to hear and be the witness of such a thing. He didn't even know she could be annoyed with a friend. Even her irritated voice was honey to his ears. And with the deeper tone she had got since a few years…it was very attractive.

He heard shouts and grumbled and laughed aloud. Happy for once. The crew with who he was on a break looked at him weirdly.

She came back shortly after.

"Sorry for that" she breathed heavily.

He took a deep inspiration. She was seducing him over the phone, without even trying. Yup, it was really Kyoko. And he was so far gone.

"No problem" He said, his voice as neutral as possible but failing.

The director called for him at the moment they were going to resume their conversation and he sighed sadly.

"I'm sorry, I'm expected on set, the director just called for me" Ren apologized.

"Don't worry" Kyoko in a bit too quiet voice. "I understand"

The director called again and frustration edged inside him. It wasn't a patient one and he was getting on everyone nerves.

"I will call back, okay?"

"Okay" Kyoko said warmly and he hung up. She knew it was for the best and it was even easier to make it into small talk this time but why couldn't she feel satisfied with it? Why couldn't she help to wish to talk more with him?

She shook her head. She knew better.

PS: There. So firstly I hope it satisfy a bit the people begging for punishment for bad guys, of preference by gore murder if I was to listen to them, XD.

Now besides that, I hope you like the instruction to the new character and Kyoko and ren talked, briefly I know.

Normally there is only one more chapter until…well you can guess…XD

Time to crush Kyoko resolutions of distance.

Kisses.

Author out.