Author's note: I do not own Skip Beat!

Hello everyone! So this is a reaction fic of events that would happen after Chapter 267. Please read it before reading this story.

Like so many of you this chapter has torn me up inside, and I woke up early Saturday morning with this story in my head. I spent the day with my loving husband distracting the kids as I wrote it. UGH! I'm still a mess with this chapter. I know this chapter has brought on some heated debates, so just remember this one person's opinion and I hope I don't ruffle too many feathers.

I do hope you enjoy this story. Credit goes to Cassie on FB for her idea listed in here. Thanks for letting me use it. I'm not sure I did it justice, but I think it flows well.

**Some notes. I have some text in BOLD that will indicate that they are speaking another language. It will be written which one, so just know every BOLD line is not Japanese or English.

Cheers, AB.

Kyoko couldn't believe what she was listening to. The words that spilled from his lips shot through her chest, repeatedly stabbing her each time. She was so overwhelmed and confused by the entire conversation that she couldn't help the tears falling from her eyes and quickly looked away from his cold stare.

Ren inaudibly sighed and returned his sight to the outside word. His head was a static black chaotic mess. His chest was a hum of pain and sorrow. It felt old and familiar – hate, pain and the need to retaliate. It was the shadow of himself, a glimpse of the real him that he fought so hard to leave behind. Yet, mixed in with everything was this unidentifiable emotion like sharp needles streaming through his bloodstream. They stabbed him as he breathed, they pierced him as he looked at her, and it intensified as he watched the tear fall from her pained face.

He was grateful that she looked away first. There was a sick twisted pleasure watching her suffer as much as he was. This old desire to make people suffer the same way he suffered made him feel shamed and reinforced the ever-present hatred he had for himself. This was not the person he wanted to be, this was exactly the thing he wanted to destroy within him and yet….

Perhaps he should leave. Nothing is tying him to stay here. He could take a cab to his place and retrieve his car, and then he could be left alone. Alone with his thoughts, alone with the knowledge that she was…

More pain like serrated blades shredded within him as his mind flashed with disturbing images filling his mind. He had to leave.

His arm dropped towards the door handle next to him when his eyes caught the motion of Kyoko moving beside him. He couldn't help glancing at her and was caught by the sight of her.

Kyoko moved up to her knees and bowed down in a dogeza. Tears were uncontrollably streaming down her face as she moved up and looked up at him as if she were drowning.

"No," she choked out through a thick clouded voice.

She gently shook her head back and forth, No. Her hands crept forward and gently as if she were afraid to touch him took a grip of the cuff of his jacket. His eyes focused on that. He saw her thumbs pinch the fabric of his suit jacket so tightly between them and her forefingers that they turned white with her fists shaking slightly. It was so tight that he wondered if it would rip should he move away.

Her voice struggled out of her throat, "I… I'm not in love with him." Her voice fell away as she finished causing him to turn that cold impassionate look back to her face.

Kyoko didn't completely understand this look, only fragments. He was angry, though about what she didn't know. There was something more that wasn't registering in her mind but this was not something that she felt she could let go.

She dropped again in a deep bow and her forehead landed on his forearm just above her fingers. A deep shaky breath filled her body to speak, clearer and stronger than before, "I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH SHO!"

Her words filled the space of the car and that was when one forgotten manager couldn't handle it anymore.

Yukihito couldn't help witnessing the car wreck that was happening behind him, and while he thought he knew these two people like they were family, this scene was something he couldn't have imagined. He watched as his client coldly, impassively watched the woman he loved grovel as his metaphorical feet, completely unaffected even after clarifying her feelings to him.

He left the car and noticed that they didn't even notice the opening and closing of his door. They were so completely lost in the vortex their feelings. Yukihito angrily circled the car to Kyoko's door and jerked it open. Bending down and leaning into the back seat, he grabbed Kyoko's shaken shoulders which finally snapped them both out of their minds. Kyoko gasped in shock at his touch, which he would apologize later for and Ren looked up at him, their eyes meeting.

Yukihito wasn't sure what was going on in Ren mind, but apparently, the look in Yukihito's face was just enough to make that cold look slip slightly to show confusion and sorrow or perhaps that was pain? He wasn't sure. All he knew was that it was enough to break the spell that captured him as Ren watched Kyoko being pulled way by his own manager.

Through his assistance, Yukihito was able to get Kyoko out of the car and stable on her feet next to him. His protectiveness shined through as he shielded the small crying girl from her attacker, putting his arm around her shoulder and placing himself at the car door. He leaned down and peered into the back seat to the young confused man left behind.

"Tsuruga," he snapped with a little more force than anticipated but he continued with a deathly calm voice, "I will be unable to assist you with your day today. Please make the appropriate arrangement for your tasks." He then slammed the door closed. He twisted on the ball of his foot to get Kyoko away from the scene but felt her hesitate. Looking down, she was still crying and looking back towards to door.

"Kyoko-chan, we need to go," he whispered softly and gently nudged her forward.

"But," she croaked and licked her lips to speak, "but I don't think… He still thinks…" she couldn't say it but it didn't need to be said.

"I don't believe you could have said it any clearer than just now. We need to go for more reasons than just work. Come on," again he urged her to leave and this time she timidly walked with him.

Ren watched the two next to the car, heard the muffled voices speak but nothing was registering. He was frozen in his place, his rage and shame pinning him to his seat as he watched them go until they were out of sight. Silence and static filled the air around him. Pressure enclosed the space around him and the ear-piercing ring of nothingness invaded his brain. He couldn't think. He couldn't register what was happening anymore. His fist clenched in need, his body ached to do something.

With more effort than it should have taken, Ren took his phone and called up Lori. It picked up on the third ring.

"Ren?"

"I need him," he said with a careful voice.

"Give me 20 minutes. Same place," Lori replied and disconnected the call. The next call was to a driving service and then he was left to wait.

Yukihito successfully led Kyoko into the studio, but once the door going in closed shut, her knees and eyes gave out. Luckily, Yukihito was still holding on to her shoulders and once he felt her slipping, he quickly reached out to catch her.

"Kyoko-chan!" He exclaimed in shock as she collapsed against him crying.

"How could he think such things? After everything he did to me, how could he think that I would fall in love with that jerk again?" she sobbed between breaths and Yukihito was able to understand most of what she said. His heart broke for the sweet girl, but she couldn't have this break down right at the door where everyone entered. Taking a scan of the area, he guided her to what he hoped was an empty office and sat her down. It was empty for the moment and it had a door he could close. That was the best he was going to get. If someone came by, he could shoo them away.

Once secured in the room, he kneeled down in front of her to comfort her. Which she apparently needed because she fell into his embrace bursting in tears. As much as he would like for her to cry her heart out, they didn't have the time.

"Shhh, Kyoko-chan," he cooed and held her shaking form. "Breath. Take a deep breath and let it out. Then take another."

It took several moments for her to calm down, but once he felt her slow down, he guided her back into the chair and smiled gently at her. "Do you want to go home? I can cancel your day and take you wherever you want."

Kyoko blinked trying to understand his words and he could see her mind start to think about today. She shook her head. "But today is the first day of filming. I can't miss that!"

Yukihito frowned. "Could you really act right now? I'm not trying to insult your professionalism, but are you able to work feeling like this?"

"YES!" Kyoko straightened up with her back ridged straight and put her fist over her heart like a pledge. "I must take what I have experienced no matter how ugly or unsightly and use it to better myself, to better my acting!" She huffed and moved to stand up and Yukihito followed. He wondered if that was something Ren had taught her. Did he really have to teach this young impressionable girl his horribly strict work ethic? He wanted to object and buy her some ice cream or something, but he actually felt pride rush through him at her determination and switched gears to instead help her though the day.

"Very well then. We are going to need a cold compress and get you to make-up as soon as possible."

Kyoko stood there confused, and then her mind realized the burning around her eyes. "Oh! I must look horrible!" she touched her face and came away wet with her tears. She saw Yukihito's jacket also had some traces of her outburst.

"Your jacket! I'm so sorry!" she bowed deeply.

He laughed. "Don't worry about it. It will dry, and I'm not the one getting filmed today. Come on, we need to go fix you up."

Filming was starting in an hour or so, but they required everyone there sooner to get ready. It was unfortunate that there were many people already here getting set up. The make-up artist frowned and Kyoko felt a pinch of disappointment coming from the woman, but she was a professional and quickly sat Kyoko down with a very cold towel resting over her eyes.

"I'll do your make-up last so your swelling goes down. Keep this cold towel on your eyes until then," the artist instructed and then turned to Yukihito.

"You're her manager?" she asked and he simply nodded.

"Go to the beverage table and see if you can find some tea bags. Wet them with water and then put them in the fridge. Once this towel gets too warm place the tea bags on her eyes and rotate the towel and tea bags until I call her up. We can't use them once I put your make-up on so be diligent on keeping the cold on your face. I can cover the redness and give you eye drops, but there is no taking away puffy eyes."

Yukihito nodded and left to do as he was ordered.

Kyoko sat with the cold towel hiding her shame. Her mind began to wonder and it immediately jumped to Ren and she could feel her heart squeeze. His disconnected face flashed before her eyes and his frigid words sliced through her again. It was difficult to remember, difficult to understand what he was saying. He mentioned a kiss and a picture. She didn't understand where that picture came from, and the more she recalled what Ren said, the angrier she got.

This was all Sho-baka's fault! Everything is always his fault. He was always there to make things worse. It was like he had this sensor tuned in with coming just in time to make her life the most miserable. From ripping her heart apart, belittling her at every notion, stealing her lips not once but twice! And then for one of those incidents to be immortalized by a camera. It was maddening!

She barely even remembered the assault. Honestly, she struggled to even register that Sho was there that night. He was there and gone again in her mind like a mosquito buzzing around her trying to suck a bit of her blood away.

Yet, he saw it. Why was the world so cruel as to take an image of one of the most unspeakable times of her life and then show it to the one person her life that mattered most to her? It was like the forces that be wanted the man she loved to witness her at the lowest points in her life. Voicing her revenge on the singer, finding out she worked with Sho on his PV, discovering Sho was involved with the Beagle in Karuizawa, the first disgusting kiss on Vain Day, catching her with him almost at every turn! Now, this!

"Kyoko-chan?" Yukihito's voice fluttered through in her thoughts and she jerked up in response, making the towel fall down.

"Here are the tea bags," he offered and then his brow furrowed in concern. "Kyoko-chan, you mustn't think about this morning. It will only make things worse."

She touched her face and wondered if she was crying again. It was difficult to tell with the wet towel over her face, but surely Yukihito saw contrary evidence.

"I'm sorry. It's just…" she said sadly looking at the now warm wet towel in her hands.

"I know, but you just need to give him time. He…," Yukihito struggled to come up with the right words. He wanted to tell her that Ren was madly jealous of Fuwa and that he was completely in love with her, but he knew better.

"He sometimes needs a moment to calm down and think properly. You stated your case and it was sound. Once he thinks things through, he'll be able to accept what actually happened this morning," he assured her but then something Ren said earlier bugged him. Yukihito watched her nod and put the two cold tea bags over her eyes and tilt her head back against the couch.

He licked his lips and instead of dropping it, he asked, "Kyoko-chan, about that picture he mentioned. Did you know about it before this? Is this something that Fuwa would have staged perhaps?"

Kyoko lifted her head up, letting the tea bags fall and catching them with her hands. She had to look at him to make sure he was serious.

"No. Absolutely not. There is no way that he would ever jeopardize his career by doing so. That would imply that he wanted people to know that he was with someone and that would ruin his image. Then it would be unimaginable that he would ever want any kind of evidence that would tie him to someone like me. If he wanted some sort of scandal, it would be with several big breasted women fighting over him like a piece of meat," Kyoko scowled as the thought matured in her head. "Stupid egotistical spoiled…" her words trailed off with several other unsavory words.

Yukihito nodded agreeing with her, though not with everything she stated, but certainly that he wouldn't want to create a scandal for himself like that on purpose. He didn't notice Kyoko looking at him sadly obviously wanting to ask a question.

"Yashiro-san, did you see the picture too? What was it of?" she asked glumly.

"No, I'm afraid I didn't see it. Ren stated that it was a kiss, so you would know more than I would what would be on the photo. And I'm not entirely sure how Ren saw it either, but I have my guesses."

At first, he thought perhaps Fuwa came to Ren privately somehow and showed it to him himself, but after Kyoko's comment, Yukihito wondered if the boy even knew about it at all. There was no logic of anyone else going to Ren to show him such a thing other than one person.

The president.

Yukihito always thought the president's involvement in Ren's life was odd, but then after getting to know Lori Takarada, it didn't' seem so off anymore. He was weirdly involved in everyone's life.

"Come on, let's get you back on track with your eyes. They look almost normal, if not a little red," he consoled her. He took the towel from her hands to rewet it with cold water as the tea bags were probably useless now. Still, she put them back on without complaint.

Once he got back with the cold cloth, he traded it out.

"Thank you, Yashiro-san," she whispered.

"Of course," he assured her and sat down next to her. "If it makes you feel better, from the sounds of it the picture will not get released in any way. Ren said that they stopped it from publishing, so you are safe from that."

Her delicate little mouth twisted before speaking, "It does, and it doesn't." She sighed again and continued, "The fact that it exists… No! That it even happened to begin with makes me sooo…" she growled.

Well, anger was better than crying. Yukihito thought.

"And then for Tsuruga-san to even think that I might be… with HIM of all the people in the world!"

Yukihito softly nodded and then without thinking said, "If it was anyone other than Fuwa then maybe it wouldn't have been so bad."

Again, Kyoko lifted her head up to look at Yukihito, taking the annoying towel off again.

"Why does Tsuruga-san hate him so much? I have my reasons, but why does he? Is it because they are competing with each other in the industry? Did Sho do something to him in the past?"

Yukihito almost blushed and coughed lightly to cover his mistake. "Um, Well, he… "

"Kyoko-san," a third-party voice called out to her and both of them looked over to the source. The make-up artist beckoned her over to the chair. Yukihito was saved!

"Yes!" Kyoko replied and left to start the day.

Ren actually didn't trust himself to drive, so instead of heading home to retrieve his car, he simply asked the driver to take him to his next destination. It took about 30 minutes to get there from his location, so by the time he arrived at the gym, the man he was meeting was already there.

Volg was warming up with a punching bag, gloves and shin guards already on. Volg was a large Russian MMA fighter who was currently active in the sport. He wasn't as tall as Ren at 5'11" but he was thicker than him. His career choice was obvious when you saw him. He was doing standard 1, 2 punches and various low and high kicks to the punching bag, his movements were fast and hard against it. Even though the bag was weighted to resist him, the bag swayed with every hit unable to withstand the man's strength. Volg sensed Ren's presence and stole a glance at him. His focus returned to the bag for a moment and Ren recognized his motions of a high roundhouse kit as he performed it. Once he was back on his feet, Volg gave Ren his full attention.

"Kuon, I haven't seen you in a long time," Volg spoke in native Russian with a deep gruff voice.

Kuon nodded but didn't reply which made Volg nodded. "It's been a while since I seen that look. Gear up and we'll warm up."

Kuon didn't hesitate as he left to the locker room to get dressed. He didn't use Volg's services nearly as much as he used to when he first came to Japan, but it looks like things were still there just in case he ever needed to come back. All of his gear was there, even clean clothes. Whether or not Lori or Ruto put these there when he called or if they were here all this time, Kuon didn't question it. He simply got dressed, putting on his cup, shin guards, taping up his hands and immediately put his mouth guard in. When he got out, Volg was in the ring with combat pads for him to punch and a tall kick shield leaning against the corner post.

Volg looked up as Kuon entered the ring and shook his head, "Put your head gear on."

However, Kuon didn't listen and instead stride forward with intent.

Volg saw the heat in his eyes and turned on his fight response. "Kuon, Your HEAD GUARD," the older more experienced man ordered trying to intimidate him. However, he should have known better. This man was more a wild animal than a man with his anger, but that was so long ago. Still, Volg felt the killing intent and moved to react appropriately.

Kuon came out swing a haymaker right hook which Volg easily avoided, however, Kuon still young and fueled by anger moved to meet his dodge with a knee to his face. The man thankfully warmed up and readily blocked the straight knee attack with the pads. He pushed Kuon's leg away with all of his strength making him stumble back to catch his balance again.

"KUON, CALM DOWN. NOW." He commanded but it fell to deaf ears.

Volg took a step back and threw off the punching pads. He shook his arms and rotated his neck to ready himself for the spar. Because that is all this was supposed to be. A spar, something to get some of the extra energy out of the kid. But the kid wasn't looking for a spar, he was looking for a fight. He needed to get him to calm down before someone got hurt.

Still, Kuon was advancing and Volg didn't want him getting too close. He started to walk the ring keeping his distance and moved with a straight teep to keep him away. The foot thrust was a light jab that kept the opponent at leg's distance or more pushing them back slightly. Used defensively, it didn't have the strength it probably should have behind it in this certain situation.

"Kuon, whatever that has you riled up is out there, not in here," he tried to reason but had to act fast as Kuon blocked his next kick to spin around and try to elbow strike his head. Again, he blocked and instinctively delivered a body blow to Kuon's gut. Kuon grunted in pain but kept advancing. Kuon's knee rose up to attack and Vlog's mind stopped thinking. His body took over without his normal handicap.

Volg engaged in a low clinch to the taller fighter, warping his arms around Kuon's head, bring him down slightly as his right leg flexed back and directed a knee strike right up towards Kuon's diaphragm. Kuon already reacting to the clinch brought his knee up to kick Volg's side and lessened the impact of Volg's strike. Kuon ducked down under Volg's hold and took two giant steps back.

Kuon always used his height and long reach to his advantage when he fought. It was the one thing he usually had over everyone he fought. With his guard up, he started to throw some body kicks towards Volg. Each one was blocked with Volg's arm and then countered with a kick of his own.

Kuon felt each kick strike through him. Fierce attacks by Volg hit his thigh, his gut, and his shin and every block deadened his arm. Finally, with Kuon's next body blow, Volg caught his kick and delivered a low kick to Kuon's calf. Kuon stumbled but caught himself once Volg pushed away his leg. However, it was true that it has been awhile since the last time he saw Volg or trained in hand to hand combat and while he could handle himself in a fight with a street thug, fighting a man who trained every day to fight and was an undefeated welterweight in the ring, Kuon was considered slow and a full-strength right hook sent him down.

"Shit." That curse word was the last word Kuon remembered before blacking out.

When Kuon woke up, he was lying down on a cot in the gym. The light blinded him and hurt his eyes. He took a deep breath and was met with pain in his ribs and the side of his abdomen. He moved his jaw to groan and was gifted with even more pain.

"I thought it was agreed that you wouldn't hit my face," Kuon grumbled in Russian to Volg who was jumping rope next to him. He was now just doing his daily training ignoring the sleeping man.

Volg grunted with a little smile and stopped jumping. "You can fine me then, and I wouldn't get up if I were you." He warned Kuon as he started to sit up and then laughed as Kuon's head swam and he fell back onto the cot.

Kuon touched his jaw and could feel where the bruise was going to be on the left side of his face. Thank God for the mouth guard as he might have lost some teeth to that hit. Volg walked away for a moment as Kuon concentrated on his body. It hurt to breathe with both his lungs and his stomach. His left arm was throbbing and almost numb from blocking Volg's kicks. His legs weren't as bad, but he could tell there will be some sore spots later discovered. Suddenly, something cold plopped down on his abdomen causing him to flinch. Reaching out, he found an ice pack filled up for him. Kuon picked it up and hesitated. He didn't know where to put it first.

Volg sat down at the foot of the cot as he took a drink of water.

"Feeling better?"

"No," Kuon snapped as he placed the ice bag to the side of his face.

"Eh, but you seem calmer now. What happened?" Volg asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," Kuon replied and closed his eyes.

Volg smiled and shook his head. Volg was 33. Not old in any way, but sometimes kids like him made him feel old, so wrapped up in their own anger and frustration that they go around causing trouble, causing real destruction in their path. When Volg first started training Kuon he was a dulled knife lashing out at everyone and everything, and then somehow got damaged in the process. He was already previously trained, highly trained actually but used it wrong. Or was trained merely to fight like a pit bull in a dog fight. As the years progressed, their training sessions became less and less and Kuon didn't come in to train as much anymore. About a year or so ago, Kuon finally stopped coming over. Which was fine, he didn't need some pretty boy actor bothering him when he could be training for his next match.

When he suddenly got the call from Takarada asking for a session, Volg couldn't help but feel concern or worry. Why after so long? And why did he look more crazed today than he previously remembered?

"Fine, but I'm not your punching bag," Volg scolded him. "If you want to take out your anger on something, use the equipment, but if you are looking for blood, the only blood you are going to find is your own in this place."

Volg stood up to continue his work out, maybe some strength training. Before he moved away, Kuon spoke up, "I'm sorry, Coach."

Volg turned to watch him sit-up very slow and successfully managing it. Kuon looked younger than normal in the older man's eyes as Kuon summoned up the courage to continue talking.

"There is this girl…"

There was a snort that halted Kuon's words. He looked up at his trainer who had a huge grin on his face.

"THAT WAS ABOUT A GIRL!?" Volg's grin burst into a full-blown laugh that echoed through the empty gym and made Kuon blush and then get angry all over again. Kuon moved to get up and then instantly regretted it and didn't make it up.

"Aye, let's not get too worked up again, Kuon. There is only so much make-up can cover up." Volg reminded him and then sat down next to him. "A girl, huh?"

When Kuon didn't answer, Volg apparently thought it okay to continue, "Did she cheat on you?"

Kuon shifted slightly and that was enough of an answer for Volg.

"That sucks. It wasn't with me, right?"

Kuon gave him a dirty look which made Volg laugh. "I had to check. It felt like you were after my head specifically."

"Sorry," Kuon apologized again as the weight of shame started to eat away at the anger from the day.

Volg shook his head. "Better here with me than with the mystery man she is with."

Kuon snorted and a dark sinister look graced his eyes. "That would be something, but he is some punk singer. Probably never been in a fight before let alone thrown a proper punch."

"Ouch," Volg winced. "What did she say about it?"

"She…" Kuon hesitated. "it wasn't consensual."

That threw Volg in for a loop. "Was she raped?!"

"What, no!" Kuon quickly disagreed and corrected him. "He kissed her while she was going through some personal stuff and someone caught it on camera. It's just he came out of her place this morning when we came to pick her up. If she is still seeing him and joking with him after that, how was it unwanted?"

This was about a kiss? The severity of the offense was starting to dwindle in his head, but the kid was obviously torn up about it, so he couldn't laugh it off.

"Then maybe she is lying. You know the guy, yes?"

Kuon nodded and supplied an answer, "Only through her though, it's her ex."

Volg groaned. "How did you get tangled up in that mess?! Get out."

"I can't." Kuon stated and looked at him with sincerity, "I love her."

And boy was he head over heals in love with her, Volg wasn't a commitment seeking man, but he recognized love when he saw it. The man was too far gone to be pulled out.

"Well shit," Volg cursed and Kuon agreed.

It was five in the evening when Ren found himself parked next to Darumaya. He watched as customers walked in and out of the restaurant. He was hoping to… see her? Talk to her? He wasn't sure, but he knew he was here for something. He replayed the words she said this morning, the picture and actions that happened that night and still felt a deep, painful loss and confusion to everything.

Lost in his thoughts and anguish, he found himself ducking under the Darumaya banner and into the busy restaurant. The smell of food filled his nose and the sound of happy patrons filled his ears. His eyes ran through the restaurant expecting to see her in her work kimono serving guests but he only found the lady of the house. She twisted up to view the next guest and her smile brightened for a moment and then it was gone. A look of concern fell over her face as she walked towards him.

"Tsuruga-kun, are you okay? You are hurt," the kind woman asked and lifted a hand towards his face but stopped short from touching him.

"Oh, I'm fine. There was an accident on set and it left a mark. I'll be okay," he assured her and then asked, "Is Mogami-san here?"

"Kyoko-Chan is not here," she told him and then frowned with worry. "I thought she was with you."

He smiled comfortingly, "She was. We split up this morning once we picked her up. Yashiro-san is with her and I went off to my own work."

"Ah," she smiled again now understanding. "They must be late meeting back with you then. Wait here. Have you eaten? I will get you something to eat," she started to move towards the living area but then hesitated with a little frown. Then she quickly shot a searching glance towards the kitchen, which made Ren look too. Her husband was not at his station at the moment.

"Tsuruga-kun, hurry this way," she beckoned him through the busy restaurant into their private living space. Peaking around him as he passed the curtain that separated the areas, she smiled as she successful snuck him through.

"Actually, perhaps it would be best for you to wait in Kyoko-chan's room. Kyoko-chan told me that I shouldn't leave you in the open restaurant in case of exposure and I'm afraid the Taisho… well."

Ren smiled in understanding. "I can just wait in my car, or I'll give her a call and speak with her later. It's quite alright."

"No, please stay. You are a treasured senpai to Kyoko-chan. She would be so upset if she found out I let you wait in the car. Come. She is very clean. I'm sure it won't be a problem," the Okami-san insisted and Ren found himself being ushered into Kyoko's small but neat room.

"I'll bring you today's special. Sit, relax. If you are already here, that means Kyoko-chan is close behind. You shouldn't have to wait long."

"Um, Thank you, Okami-san." He bowed as she left him alone in her room.

To say that he was uncomfortable would be an understatement as he felt like he was an invading presence. The room was very neat as she stated and small. Perhaps that is why it felt odd, it was just that he felt like he took up the whole space of the room by standing there.

Perhaps if I actually sat down. In the middle of the room was a kotatsu with the blanket still attached so he sat there to wait. It was small, perfect for a single person, perhaps two but the one side of the table had her pretty make-up kit and mirror. He smiled slightly at the sight of the fancy mirror, with the silver filigree frame. He reached out and gently touched the frame. As he touched the item, the door opened causing him to jerk his hand away as if he was touching something he shouldn't. He expected Kyoko to walk in and scream at him for being in her room, but it was the Okami-san with the food she promised. He grimaced internally while plastering a fake smile on his face.

He made a motion to get up and properly give his thanks, but she cut him off. "Don't stand. It's fine. Here you go. Today's special Tsutsumi-meshi. I got you some tea as well. Please feel free to wait here until Kyoko-chan gets back."

"Thank you," he bowed and accepted his meal as the kindly older woman left.

Ren sighed and picked up his chopsticks to eat. Taking the first bite and once again was greeted with a delicate delicious taste that was the Taisho's cooking. He really was a good cook, but he just wasn't hungry. Picking at his food, he looked around the room. There really wasn't much to it, but what was there screamed Kyoko.

Her closet was closed behind him which was no doubt holding her bed and clothing. The window was small but he could tell it overlooked the street below them. That was probably how she knew they were there long before they actually came inside to pick her up. He could picture her seeing them pull up to the corner and race downstairs before either of them troubled themselves too much by getting out of the car.

Taking another bite, his eyes found her shelf and a small smile lifted the corner of his lips at the gaudy vase that held the preserved Queen Rosa. Next to it was a tiny bed that could only be for royalty. Ren got up to get a closer look at it. Round with gemstone all around the base. It had a had a round canopy at the top with more gemstones and even a privacy sheet for the delicate princess to sleep. He lifted it up to look inside, set it on the palm of his hand, and then found her necklace, Princess Rosa. He snorted leaving a smile on his face as he set it back down by her mother Queen Rosa. Another familiar thing caught his eyes, it was Corn.

Warm memories filled his mind as he lifted the stone from a little dish of sand. He didn't know what the sand was for or why the stone was on it, but he lifted it up and into the light to get it to shine; however, the light shining through it didn't make the stone dance as usual. Still, the memory of it and of the knowledge that she still holds it dear to her made his heart warmed.

He put the stone back. There was a horse-drawn carriage next to it which looked to be for aromatherapy. It was very fitting with the other items, perhaps something she found in a store. He couldn't believe that she kept all these items. The Stone was her gift, but to keep the rose too. Joy filled his heart and he found himself seeking out more things that she might have in her possession.

Further down was an elegant little tea set, again thinking that she bought that on her own. On the shelves below, she had all of her scripts from Dark Moon neatly put away and he could see the worn edges of each book providing evidence of hours of memorized her lines. Box "R" was next and finally, there was a single magazine that looked out of place. He pulled it out wondering why just the one. It was even an older copy. If she enjoyed it wouldn't she collect each release? Flipping through he caught the sight of himself holding her gift – the little ram pillow she gave him for his birthday.

Ren blushed lightly and closed the magazine up. At least now she knows I like it. He put it back and moved on. There were a lot of normal living things tucked away in their place. He passed by an empty wall that drew his eyes. Reaching out to touch it, he found hundreds of little holes all over it. He frowned and wondered how so many happened in one spot as if it was shot at by pellets of a shot gun several times.

Shaking his head, he thought to return to his cooling meal when something odd caught his eye. Another set of shelves which held blankets and towels was a clear bin and a fuzzy tiny face peering at him. Two steps over and he pulled what was obviously sowing supplies out, but it was so much more than that.

"1, 2, 3… How many…" he mumbled to himself as he found several different dolls of himself, a few of Fuwa, and others unknown figures in various stages of completion. There was even one of him in Guam. He held himself with his natural hair and eye color and in the white shirt and dark pants smiling at her and a shiver ran through him. It was eerie how real they looked, and while he shouldn't be surprised by them, it was still weird seeing them. How was I able to get away with convincing her Ren and Corn were two different people?

He picked up another version of himself, looking stern and in a dark suit and put them side by side for comparison.

"Perhaps it's because I don't smile like that to her as Ren," he pondered to himself. He sighed and put everything away. As he moved to return to his meal, he found her LoveMe notebook posed on her dresser next to the door and with it his ring.

His heart started to thump firmly in his chest. His eyes moved towards the small setup. The little book fanned out so it would stand on its own, revealing the page were his stamp was, the exceedingly well done he gave her for Setsu. She was so pleased with such a silly thing. He smiled remembering her smile and then eyes gazed down beside the book. It was the ring he gave her. The dandelion ring that she criticized him for giving to her. It was discolored to a slightly darker paper like yellow, no longer the bright yellow from the field, but it was here. A heaviness weighed down on his heart as he gently picked it up. It was dried and preserved for safe keeping. Why would she keep something that made her call him despicable for? He didn't understand.

Suddenly, footsteps alerted him to someone rushing up the stairs, and he returned the ring to its place and quickly sat back down.

Kyoko's evening ended at 5:30, and she was exhausted. No, her first day wasn't physically exhausting, but it was difficult nevertheless. The filming went normally as they introduced all the characters, so her part in the show wasn't very demanding, nor did she have many lines. Momiji was introduced and mainly stuck to the shadows, but that meant that Kyoko was left her thoughts. Today was not the day for her to be left alone with her thoughts as it kept returning to the one thing she wanted to avoid thinking about - Ren.

Hence, she was dead tired once she was dropped off. So much that she was dreaming of cleaning up and falling asleep in the warm water of a bath. Oh, how nice it would be to take a dip in a hot spring, but that would require going out and she didn't have the energy to do anything outside. It was almost 6 pm when she walked in and felt a little guilty at the rush of the restaurant. She should help. She never has time to help them much anymore.

Just as Kyoko was about to summon up the will to get herself to work, the Okami-san quickly rushed up to her.

"Kyoko-chan, you are so late!" she chided her making Kyoko frown slightly confused.

"Tsuruga-san has been here for almost an hour waiting for you. I was worried something had happened with you coming in so late. I was…."

"Wait," Kyoko interrupted, "Tsuruga-san is here? Now?"

She smiled at Kyoko and nodded. "I hope you don't get angry at me, but I put him in your room. Since you…"

"My Room!?" Kyoko exclaimed and quickly headed upstairs rudely. She didn't realize how loud her foot steps were on the stairs going up, nor her heavy breathing until she was finally at the door to her room. Her hand gripped the door handle and then stopped. Ren is behind this door. He is in my room. Why is he here? Is he still angry? I don't sense anything behind the door. Why is he in my room? Why not down stairs? Ren is here.

All of the feelings from the day rose up and started to make her shake all over again. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she forced herself to open her door. It was slow, as if afraid she would hit him with the door or that something would reach out and grab her. Neither happened.

Instead, she found him calmly finishing up the meal that was given to him earlier.

"Tsuruga-san?" She called out to him hesitant to walk into the room.

"Welcome home," he greeted her in a polite tone as if it was nothing to have him there in HER room.

"Um, I'm home," she replied awkwardly and gingerly stepped into the room to close the door. "What are you doing here, Tsuruga-san?"

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he finished off the last bite of food and set his chopsticks down to looked up at her.

Kyoko flinched away expecting that cold look from this morning and she didn't want to see it again so soon. When he didn't say anything again, she looked back at him and found him in a dogeza before her.

"W…w…w…what are you doing?" she stuttered and dropped her bag to kneel in front of him.

"Apologizing," he said as he rose back up to look at her face to face.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE!?" Kyoko exclaimed loudly.

It took a moment for Ren to understand, perhaps because all day the bruise was covered up until recently. It must be pretty noticeable if everyone keeps asking about it. He got used to the constant pain from it by midafternoon and it was all but forgotten.

A small smile graced his lips and he told her honestly while looking down, "I got knocked out."

He felt a feather-light touch at his cheek nearing the bruise and glanced over to find her looking at him with glassy worry filled eyes. He tilted his face to the side to allow her to see the bruise, her ghostly touch at his jaw sending a shiver through his body.

"How? Did something hit you on set?" she asked as she let her hand fall.

"Someone hit me. Several times in fact," he said and straightened up. Kyoko frowned not understanding what he was doing until he started to pull out his shirt form his pants. A light blush colored her cheeks until he pulled the shirt up and revealed his ribs.

"OH MY GOD!" The right side of his ribs was an ugly color of purple and blue lined with green. Ren was only able to lift it about half way, but Kyoko took over to examine the extent of the damage, which he was fine with. They didn't go much higher though, mostly going towards the back, but they were on both sides of his body. His left arm was the same color as was several spots on his legs.

"What happened? Who did this? Tsuruga-san, how…" she started to cry again. Ren noticed her distress and took her hand that was holding his shirt bringing her attention back to him.

"I needed to wake up," he confessed.

"To wake up? I don't understand. Tsuruga-san, you are black and blue. You look like you were tortured. Were you kidnapped and beaten? Did you defeat them and run here?"

He snorted and shook his head. "No, nothing like that, but Mogami-san, this is not why…"

Her concern of his well-being was clouding everything else that happened that day and she interrupted him, "You need to go to the hospital, or we should call the police. Whoever did this to you needs to get caught!"

Ren signed, "No, it was a fair fight. Mogami-san, listen to me please?"

"A fair fight!?" She exclaimed. "What does that even mean?! Tsuruga-san, I've seen you fight. There is no way someone could beat you in a fair fight? Even those thugs couldn't beat you and they were cheating!"

That made him smile and then laugh and then hurt, "Oh, Ow. Please don't make me laugh."

Kyoko frowned angrily, her arms crossing in front of her in a huff. "How could you be laughing at a time like this?!"

"Mogami-san, a professional MMA fighter did this to me. He is my trainer and a friend that lets me blow off some steam by letting me spar with him," he told her and could see her anger deflate a bit.

"You…" she took a breath and let it out, "You do this often?"

"I used to," he told her and then shook his head. "It's been a while, and normally it's not as bad as this."

"Did something go wrong?"

His expression grew serious and the reason he came to see her took the humor out his eyes. "Mogami-san, tell me what happened this morning. Again please."

Kyoko took a breath and very carefully retold him the call from the night before, the moment that Sho came in all the way to the point that she met up with Yashiro and him this morning. She was careful with the words she used because she didn't want him to misunderstand.

"And the kiss?" His voice was soft and almost unrecognizable. Her heart felt like it was being yanked down by chains and tears started to fill her eyes once again. Truly, she wished she didn't have tear ducts today.

"He kissed me. I just finished watching the program with my mother and needed to leave the house. The first thing I saw as I opened the door was him standing there waiting. I didn't know why he was there, and I didn't care at the time. He started talking. Talking about my mother, asking me stupid questions. I just wanted him to leave. I shut down and didn't do anything as he rambled on and on about nothing."

Kyoko retold the story as if in a trance, her eyes were distant as she remembered that night.

"I remember him lifting my chin and kissing me, but…" she shook her head and returned back to the room, to the present. Her watery eyes wavered apprehensively at him.

"I told him to leave," she told Ren and then looked down, her hands were tightly clenched up in fists trembling as she spoke.

"I told him to leave me alone," she reiterated as she closed her eyes and tears fell unwillingly. "I didn't want him there. I left before he did or said anything else. I went to the park where you found me. Tsuruga-san…"

She looked up at him and sobbed, "Ren. I don't love him."

As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt the light around her darken and then sudden heat as she was pulled into his arms. It took her a moment to realize that he was embracing her, and then shock took over and it took her a little longer to hear him talk.

"I believe you," he whispered into her hair and then squeezed her tighter against him.

Her face erupted in flames at the hug, but then she remembered his bruises and was afraid to push him away.

"Um, Tsuruga-san, aren't I hurting you?"

He shook his head, feeling her soft hair and grazing the bruise at his cheek. Yes, but it's a good pain. He wanted to answer but pulled back instead.

"I should go," he said and stood up.

"Tsuruga-san," she called to him timidly as she stood up with him. He waited for her to finish and wanted to hug her again. Though he refrained just in case two hugs would bring up questions. At this moment, he was afraid she was going to question his first reaction. He honestly couldn't think of a good reason as to why he hugged her.

"Are we okay?" She asked in a sweet coy voice, her cheeks still lightly red from earlier and her eyes red and puffy from crying.

Now he wanted to kiss her. His hand lifted to touch her face, his fingers gently grazing the side of her cheek and to her chin. She looked up at him without him prompting.

"Yes, and I'm very sorry about this morning," he answered making her smile up at him in relief. She reached up and took his hand into both of hers.

"Thank you," she beamed up at him as she held his hand. He groaned making Kyoko his hand with concern.

"I can't believe you went looking for a fight with a professional fighter," she fretted.

"I'll be fine. Besides, it was going to be either him or Fuwa," he confessed making Kyoko snort.

"You would have killed him," she replied. Ren didn't want to think about what would happen if he was left alone with the boy, so he opened Kyoko's door to leave. His heart was lighter after their conversation and he had to go before he did anything else to damage their relationship.

"Tsuruga-san," she called out to him making him turn towards her again. Once his attention was on her, she continued, "I don't know what Sho did to you to make you hate him so much, but I don't want whatever that is between you and him and my history with him to come between us."

She blushed as she looked down, "I value what we have more than anything I had with him."

All of a sudden there was a loud thud and a groan of pain as Ren purposely aggravated his wounds to keep himself in check.

"Tsuruga-san! Are you okay?!"

"Yes," he groaned and then cleared his throat. "Mogami-san, I treasure your presence in my life far more than I should admit, so thank you."

Kyoko blushed and was blinded by his radiant smile and was stunned as he leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay…" Kyoko mumbled as he left.

A/N: Thank you for spending some time in my head. I hope you enjoyed it. Love, AB.