I do not own Skip Beat!

Hello! So the last chapter was met with more surprise than displeasure which encourages me to keep going with the way I chose for this fic :D I always said this fandom was the most precious and I wasn't disappointed, I was very scared of posting that chapter and I am so glad to have your support, so thank you to everyone that reviewed it!

Now, about the last chapter XD Wow, you guys are just as emotionally driven as Kyoko, huh? XD No faith in Kanae whatsoever, eh? Well, I hope this chapter answers your questions about why our very own Moko-san dealt us all such a low blow.

I also love how KetriaTM said "Although I can't see how a clothes throwing perverted goofball like him could do anything to anger a ghost if he couldn't even see him/her..." about Ren, it was hilarious and I want to assure you that you will find out the reason for which that other ghost has been targeting Ren.

Anyway, all that said, please enjoy this chaoter and let me know if there are any mistakes please!

Previously...

"I don't know anymore, Ren." She exhaled miserably. "Like, we're talking about someone you've known for years, been best friends with for years, told your darkest secrets to, and then you find out they have a whole other life you don't know about? And what's with pretending to help with your situation and acting as if she was unable not to see you, anyway!" She knew that it was petty of her to hold that last part against Kanae since Kuresaki said they made him swear not to tell anyone, but the stubbornness in her just wouldn't let it go.

"Yeah, I admit that's a delicate situation," He started. "But listen she and I talked for quite a bit before Kuresaki-san brought you back and even though I could tell you all that's been said, I think it'd be best if you talk it out with her." He smiled, indulgingly. "You said yourself, she's been your best friend for years, have more faith in her."

She looked at his eyes as if looking for some sort of guarantee that it will all be alright. When he didn't look away, she smiled.

"I thought I was supposed to be the one helping you." She said, smiling sadly.

"Well, as long as I get to make your wardrobe fly..."

Kyoko threw her pillow at him groaning and burying her face in the pile of clothes that still rested on her bed as he laughed at her behavior.

Ch13: Explanations

The next morning, Kyoko strengthened her resolve and texted Kanae to meet her in the park near her house. Ren had suggested she talk to her in a neutral, calm environment and they agreed that the park was her best shot at a stress-free place.

So she sat there, eating one of the muffins she picked up with coffee for her and Kanae as a peace offering.

She was trying to organize her thoughts and figure out what she was going to say to her friend, Ren had said that she should just let it flow but she didn't think that would be wise seeing how things went the last time she did something without thoroughly planning it.

"Hey." She heard her friend's voice along with the rustling of dry leaves being crushed under hesitant footsteps.

"Hey." Kyoko responded, craning her neck to look back at Kanae who stood behind the bench she had been sitting on, hands in her pockets and chin tucked in her scarf. Kyoko didn't know why she had expected her showing up in her guardians' get up, but she didn't. She was dressed like always.

"Take a seat." She said, moving to the side to make place for Kanae. "There's coffee and muffins, help yourself."

Kanae sat down on the edge of the bench as opposed to Kyoko who was leaning back on the chair, but didn't drink from the coffee or take one of the muffins, her hands were still in her jacket's pockets and she just stared at the ground.

"You said you wanted to talk?" She said, her gaze still trained on the dry leaves and dirt that covered the ground surrounding the bench. She didn't want to do or say anything that would aggravate Kyoko more and she honestly didn't know how else to behave, this was their first time having a fight. Was Kyoko going to sever her relationship with her? Was she still going to get to be near her as Ren's guardian? Those are the things she worried about.

"Yeah." Kyoko inhaled, brushing off the crumbs from her pants. "I thought we should discuss what happened yesterday after having calmed down."

She looked at Kanae to see her nod slightly but still not looking up. Her dark, silky hair had fallen to the side in a curtain that hid a part of her face and her eyebrows were furrowed.

"Do you wanna tell me about that guardian business?" Kyoko asked, taking a sip from her coffee cup.

"Sure, what do you wanna know?"

Kyoko thought she'd meet more resistance from Kanae when she asked about this subject, but she figured that her oath to keep her work as a guardian a secret was annulled after Kuresaki-san took her and Ren to the guardian's quarters.

"How long have you been one?"

"A few months after we first met. I was still on training then, I didn't get to go on missions or keep watch of a charge or anything, just watch and learn."

Kyoko's eyebrows shot up. That long? Their first meeting was almost eight years ago. Kanae had been a guardian for eight years?!

Kanae had always acted like she couldn't understand Kyoko's ability to see ghosts, she never said anything mean about it, never avoided her and tried to learn more about ghosts through books to help her. Was that all an act because she feared Kyoko would discover her secret?

Kyoko swallowed the lump in her throat and decided to blame the bitter taste washing over her mouth on the coffee. She steadied her voice and urged herself to calm down.

"How did you become one?" She asked, deciding to learn all the facts before letting her feelings overwhelm her once more.

"After we became friends, I took frequent trips to the library, reading about ghosts and all, you remember, right?" At Kyoko's nod, Kanae continued. "Once, when I was there I asked the librarian about an old book I had seen referenced in another one I had read before. He told me they might have it in the archives in the basement so I went there." Kanae took out a hand of her pocket to brush her hair behind her ear. "It was a dark, humid, dusty place, I honestly don't know how they managed to keep the books there intact." Kanae cleared her throat when she realized she was getting off course. "Anyway, I looked through the books there but I couldn't find it so I turned around to go back. That was when I saw a man standing at the foot of the stairs, dressed entirely in black. I freaked out at first remembering all the things your mom told us about stranger danger," Kyoko smiled slightly, it was her mother who taught Kanae how to be responsible and mature. Her house was always so crowded and she had many siblings so she was often neglected, and her own parents never bothered to teach her the important things in life beyond familial loyalty. "And I contemplated screaming and running before he said he didn't intend to do anything to me, and that he wanted to talk with me. He said we could go upstairs where the librarian can see us if I were scared to be alone there with him and I reluctantly agreed." She stopped to take a deep breath. "We sat at one of the tables, the librarian didn't spare us a second glance and he started talking about how he noticed my interest in ghosts and the supernatural. He said that he also knew I was your friend, and he knew about your ability. He said that he admired my courage and said that I was a good friend." Kanae winced, she didn't feel like such a good friend at the moment. "He told me that there was a way for me to be able to help and protect you, always." She looked up to meet Kyoko's eyes. "That got my attention. He then explained about guardians, what it meant being one and what they do, what I would be able to see and do if I agree to become one." Kanae swallowed. "I made him prove it and watched from the top of the basement stairs as he opened a portal towards the other side of the veil, walked in and then walked back out with another guardian who waved before disappearing once again. I was speechless but I believed him. I had read a lot about similar occurrences and I didn't have a reason to doubt it. I never doubted you could see ghosts, I never doubted there was another world out there."

"Right." Kyoko said in a barely audible voice. It was her turn to stare at her feet.

"I did have doubts, however, on why they wanted me specifically to become a guardian. Why didn't they ask you to become one as well? He said that contrarily to you who was always terrified of what you could see, I, was a more stable choice. He was basically calling me cold blooded and I knew that." Kanae smiled for the first time. "It felt like it would be nice to be able to always be there with you, see what you see, discuss it with you, sooth you when you freak out over a ghost or get you away from one when I saw it before you did, so I accepted. What was the worst that could happen? You had managed it your entire life, why couldn't I? We could be the two weird girls who everyone else avoids in recess, before Chiori, you were my first and only friend after all." Kanae sighed. "Little did I know that was never to happen. When I went back with Kuresaki-san to the guardians' quarters, that was him by the way, the man in the library. Anyway, when I went there, they told me I had to take an oath. I was sworn to secrecy. In short, I was never supposed to act like I could see ghost, or tell anyone of it. I felt a bit trapped at first, but I couldn't say that Kureasaki-san tricked me into it, he never said I could have chats about ghosts with you, all he said was that I could protect you from spirits who had gone astray. And when I realized that I could still do that, I decided not to back down. I'm not sure they would have let me do it, in fact. I had already crossed the veil and gained the ability to see things I wasn't supposed to see." She had a wistful look in her eyes and was about to say more when she heard Kyoko sniffle. She turned to look at her with a worried expression. "What's wrong?"

Kyoko inhaled and wiped at her face. She had listened in silence through most of it so Kanae had no way to know she had been crying.

"I didn't think you did it for me." She hiccoughed. "I was so mad at you for hiding it from me, I felt so betrayed I- It never occurred to me that I was the reason you became a guardian."

Kanae didn't say anything for a few seconds. "Well, I…I didn't really… I mean… you weren't." She stammered awkwardly, hardening her voice and sitting straighter. Her cheeks were red and she was frowning. Kyoko laughed at the familiar sight of Kanae trying to deny doing something emotion-driven and threw her arms around her neck. "I'm sorry for the way I behaved yesterday."

Kanae didn't push her away.

"So it took you three years to become an actual guardian?" Kyoko asked, eyes wide in wonder.

"Mo! Yes, it takes longer for some." Kanae flipped her hair and took another sip of her coffee.

"I wonder how long it took Kuresaki-san?" Kyoko wondered.

"Rumor has it he did it in two, and knowing him that's probably true. He's the most disciplined guardian in our sector." Kanae huffed.

"Of course, there are sectors!" Kyoko exclaimed, hands thrown in the air.

Her friend chuckled. "What? Did you think there are ghosts just in Tokyo city?"

"Well, I suppose I was too wrapped up in my own issues to think about it."

Kanae shook her head. Typical Kyoko.

"So when are you people planning to, erm, Y'know, Un-coma Ren's body?"

"I'm not sure. As soon as we catch the astray that's been after him, I guess. The order comes from above."

Kyoko sighed, pushing aside the fact that there are higher authorities the guardians have to answer to.

"So I'll be stuck with him for longer."

"As if you mind!" Kanae snorted.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

Kanae's face twisted in visible disgust as she watched Kyoko's cheeks redden. "Ew, it's already that time?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure, you don't."

There was a silence before Kyoko felt composed enough to speak again.

"Aren't you guys worried about the side effects of Ren's coma? What if he never wakes up? What about brain damage?"

"Don't worry, the big guys say it shouldn't last much longer. According to Kuresaki-senpai it shouldn't take much longer before they have Ren's problem settled. Besides, they have their ways of insuring his safety from any sort of damage."

"Why is that evil spirit after him, anyway?"

"That, I don't know. It's rare that a lingering soul goes astray, when they do they exhibit strange behavior, they attack other spirits and humans, but this is the first time one has shown such resolve in harming a human. Usually, they just give up and move on to the next victim until we apprehend them." Kanae explained, breaking her muffin into small pieces.

"What happens if you can't catch him or whatever it is you do to them?"

"For Ren, we'll wake him up and have him moved somewhere else, kinda like witness protection program, does that make sense?"

Kyoko nodded.

"As for the astray, we'll try to bait him out. This one's very cunning. Most of them are sorrow driven, unreasonable even, which makes it easier to catch them, but he has shown signs of stability and level-headedness which makes us wonder why he's gone astray, why he's still lingering among the living to begin with."

"Of course Ren would attract the creepiest weirdo out there." Kyoko sighed, tiredly.

"And of course YOU would attract Ren!" Kanae guffawed. "We never planned to have you two meet, you know? We didn't even think it would happen. We kept tabs on Ren's soul of course, but when you called me that night going on and on about some ghost, I would've never guessed it was him, nor any of the other guardians at that."

Kyoko frowned in confusion. "what do you mean? You would've known if you kept tabs on him, wouldn't you?"

"When I say tabs, I mean a system that allows us to know if his soul was in danger, not around the clock body guards."

"Oh." Was all Kyoko said, once again leaning back in the bench. "You guys sure have some nice technology going for you." She added, feeling a bit dejected at not being able to share the cool aspects of Kanae's work.

"Not really, we just have a pact with some of the lingering souls, we protect them and let them lurk and in exchange they give us information. We asked them to keep watch on Ren and inform us in case anything off or dangerous was going around him, I suppose they thought you were another guardian since you could see him and thought nothing of it." Kanae shrugged.

Kyoko blew out a sigh. "All this talk about ghosts and guardians is getting me tired, let's change the subject."

"Sure. How's school going?"

"You don't know much about the word 'de-stress' do you?" Kyoko chuckled.

"Well, well, well. Look who's finally back!" Ren said when Kyoko barged through her own bedroom door. "Just because you made up with your bestie doesn't mean you get to neglect me. I've been so lonely." He pouted, using those stupid puppy eyes of his.

Kyoko clucked her tongue. "Forgive me while I cry for you." She knew better than to fall for his act.

"You should!" There is the real Ren! Irritating and childish. "I was so bored with nothing to do but read your journal, very boring by the way ..."

"You did WHAT?" Kyoko shrieked.

"Just kidding, I wouldn't go that far." Ren smirked. "Do you have entries about your old crushes in there? Did you write anything about me?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

"NO."

"Oh, so I take it you did write something about me in the crush section."

"I DID NOT!"

"Wouldn't blame you if you did, I mean look at me? Who wouldn't want a piece of me?"

Kyoko was just too tired to retaliate do she just laughed weakly. The man is impossible. And he wasn't completely wrong. He was quite handsome. A pity he couldn't be more modest, though.

"So," He slowly walked towards her. "How did it go with Kanae?"

"It went well. Better than I expected."

"Really? Is that all you're gonna say?" Ren crossed his arms, once again manifesting his man-child tendencies.

"Well, what else do you want me to say? That I was an idiot? That I jumped into conclusions? That she became a guardian for my sake in the first place?" Kyoko huffed. Even though she and Kanae were on good terms now, she couldn't shake off the feeling of guilt and stupidity at her quickness of judgement. At the first sign of unrest, she had doubted the closest person to her and that didn't sit well with her.

"Wow, that's some serious bromance you guys have there. But I already know, she told me yesterday." He shrugged and got back to his armchair.

"Bromance? We're girls."

"So? I don't know what's the girly word for that."

Kyoko just laughed, shaking her head.

"I asked her how long they're planning to keep you in a coma, she told me it shouldn't take much longer, so I'll just have to bear your annoying presence meanwhile."

"Come on, you love having me here." He grinned. "We're friends now, aren't we?"

"Sureee. I just love being teased relentlessly." She rolled her eyes.

"And I love doing the teasing. Especially with those adorable reactions."

Kyoko felt her heart going off beat. Come on, Kyoko! He's just being his usual, playboy, self. No need to get worked up over it! god help her if she was blushing, he'd never let her hear the end of it!

Though his harmless complimenting didn't mean much to her, she found herself enjoying it and that went against her tendency to always disagree and bicker with him. If she stops thinking he was annoying -in that way Kanae must think of her- she doesn't know how she'd act around him in the future.

Their relationship was based on teasing, sarcasm and scolding –mostly on her part- and that was the only way she felt comfortable dealing with him. So, you'll understand why she'd be conflicted as to how she should react when he says something that isn't completely stupid or irritating. After all, blushing and rolling her eyes were two things on two different levels.

She realizes she has been silent for too long and clears her throat. "We'll see how adorable it will be when you're out of your coma and can't dodge my hits anymore." She smirks.

"Oh, so you do plan to keep me around after I wake up from my coma." Her smirk was wiped off at the sight of his.

Damn it! Will she ever learn to think before she speaks?

A/N: Voila! Kyoko and Ren seem to be making some teeny tiny progress, no? Don't worry, there will be more in the next chapter XD Let me know what you think of Kanae now in the reviews!

Kris: XD Yes, sir/ma'am! we're past the point of no return anyway now XD I hope you'll like what I have in store and thank you so much for your sweet reviews!

Guest:Thank you so much, I'm so happy you're loving it! I'm loving your review!