There's another side to you
That so many adore
Aside from your temper
Everything else secure
You're good for me, baby
Of that, I'm sure
Cause over and over again
I want more

Underneath It All, No Doubt ft. Lady Saw


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Chapter Dedicated to: Sampung-piso for making me an awesome fanart of 6.8.12.

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One hundred and seventy-two missed calls.

Eighty-three messages.

Minute-to-minute nonstop ringing from the LME office phone lines bombarded every staff with questions pertaining to a certain actor and his (now) rumored 'girlfriend.'

By the time a dwindling single bar battery on his sixth phone, Yashiro had had enough.

The president, as much as the blond-haired manager could contain his excitement, had nearly burst with ardor in the early morning (the ungodly hour of 2AM) after reading an advance copy of the newspaper that was set to come out for the public at dawn. It had taken him at least two dead phones as the president talked like a flighty school girl giggling for a crush, at the prospect of his protégé's blooming love.

It had taken him at least another hour to pacify said eccentric president from calling in the reserves to take a search on the now "missing" actor just to satisfy his own curiosity that seemed to be bursting in the seams as Lory conjured possible love traps in his mind.

And to top it off, said actor had conveniently turned off his phone and whisked away to god-knows-where.

Sure, as Ren's manager, Yashiro had taken his share of hard work, filing his schedules, accompanying him in shoots and fending off rabid fan girls. But the worse torture - the one he couldn't feel like sitting back and watch- was the fact that his charge had taken his love interest somewhere and...

Yashiro let his mind wander as wild as the president.

Hopeful at the prospect that the two actors that had taken their time apart from each other, would then realize their love for each other (or at the very least Ren will). But if Kyouko was anything but what he thought she might do, Ren's chances were slim to none. If she was still the same oblivious, anti-love, hell bent on revenge and unflinchingly stubborn...it was safe to say that Ren wouldn't take another step from the senpai-kouhai boundary.

It was enough to dampen his mood considerably, no matter how much the tabloids speculate about his relationship to a certain 'girl.' It exploded his bubble of expectations given such facts as he let out another long and withering sigh.

Just thinking about the pitiful state of having Ren so close yet so infinitesimally far away from his goal, brought a grim and teary look to Yashiro's visage as the thought alone brought a weary sigh to his lips. He just didn't know why and how the raven-haired actor could possibly stay sane after pining for the same oblivious girl in over three years. The thought of Ren so deep in love showed the extent of his sincerity, but from what he heard from the president, Yashiro knew he wasn't a patient man either.

The longer the fair-haired manager thought about Ren's attitude, the more questions than answers appear. From the moment the actor was assigned to him, he was aloof yet polite. He had a friendly exterior and listened to anyone with care, but Yashiro noted that while he was close to others, Ren kept himself away from them. The women he had before he met Kyouko were one time flings, none lasting more than five months. It was a pattern that Yashiro observed from the moment he was close enough to his schedule to see any difference in his attitude, and by then the actor had relaxed enough in his presence to slip his façade a few times.

He was an enigma. A puzzling character in a jumble of unmatched pieces.

But three years ago, the moment Kyouko stepped into his world, Yashiro saw glimpses of human emotions. Ren got angry, amused, worried, content, proud, dejected, protective, and even jealous. All such feelings were provoked whenever her name was mentioned. She was the trigger in his flood of forgotten sentiments that grew day-by-day as he interacted with her.

Although before he took on this job as manager, Lory warned him of who exactly was he in charge of. The president gave a vague description of Ren's background and an overview of his personality, all of which were forgotten the longer he worked with a rather gentlemanly and overall pleasant disguise of Tsuruga Ren. But one thought did embed itself into memory and a face to match resurfaced from the night in Karuizawa when Kyouko withheld the information of her stalker and Sho's inevitable rescue.

'That boy is unpredictably influenced by the smallest things that matters to him.'

Back then, the fair-haired manager wasn't exactly sure what the president meant and not only until recently did he figure out the hidden context.

Kyouko mattered to Ren.

Probably even more so than he does himself.

It struck him with such clarity by then that Ren sincerely loved Kyouko like a man does a woman. Without knowing it, his charge was a changed man because of her...or maybe, she drew him out his shell to reveal his true self.

Coupled with such overwhelming facts, Yashiro took everything in his (manager duties) power to set them up with the best opportunities. He lied, bribed, cheated and in occasion helpfully (annoyingly, if Ren had a say) tried to uplift his spirits by adding his own opinion of Kyouko's behavior towards him. Though of course, most of them ended in a deceptively disappointing fashion, one step forward always throws them two steps back until both would settle in the middle without conclusion, much to Yashiro's chagrin.

It was a frustrating series of events to see them going around each other in such a tedious pace that the fair-haired manager was starting to wonder if Ren was a masochist. He understood Kyouko was completely loose-screwed in the concept of love and she was wholly clueless to a point someone needed to illustrate Ren's depth of feelings for her to actually see him differently. It was also the raven-haired actor's fault for being too vague (though he had been quite forward with the paparazzi fiasco) in expressing his feelings. But Yashiro was secured over the fact that Ren will someday snap and do something irreversibly regrettable that would stake his point. Honestly no man could possibly stay remotely in control of his feelings, right?

Not to mention with an eighteen month absence Kyouko had inexorably matured in her acting skills, her features more beautiful yet her innocence was still her charming factor that Yashiro would bet his ridiculous amount of salary, Ren would not be immune to for long.

With such a thought, Yashiro have high hopes that even if the two artists' weren't going to do anything revolutionarily different in their relationship tonight...he could still dream about their cutesy moments, right?

Though thinking of fluffy moments...it was hard to picture Ren with anything but silent understanding.

Grimacing and gawking silently like a horribly-made statue, Yashiro made a face that gave several of his colleagues a worried pause before going about their way and shrugging, quite used to the eccentricities of LME staff. Working for the most unusual president of a company had its own adverse effects after all.

Without success Yashiro shook his head, dispelling the horrid image from his mind as another round of ring went off from his desk. There was no time to think of how Ren was faring (though he had used considerable amount of time imagining), Yashiro took out a box of gloves and set back to work, hoping that wherever the actor was, he hoped the boy was doing a lot better than answering phone calls.

"Hello, LME Manger's office, this is Yashi—"

"IS IT TRUE! DID REN MARRY THIS WOMAN!"

In all honestly...Yashiro would strangle Ren if he ruined his chances, because this was not worth anything he had ever done for him.

"No, ma'am. Where'd—"

"I can't believe it! This is outrageous!"

Yeah, and Yashiro was nearly mad with curiosity himself.

After this debacle, he was so going to demand a raise.

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It was odd.

Kyouko thought to herself a frown marring her face as she bit her lips in deep contemplation while her eyes glossily stared at the dishware entrenched in soapy warm water bubbling with a foamy citrus scent. Her hands automatically gliding and rubbing the porcelain as her mind traveled elsewhere.

After finishing dinner with an amicable end to Ren's description of the girl he admired, Kyouko wasn't able to think straight and it was nearly driving her insane with the intensity of her curiosity. In excuse, she quickly ushered the elder actor to take a bath, admonishing him that she would be quite a rude guest if she kept the host to entertain her while obviously exhausted. But in stubborn retaliation, the taller actor shrugged and smiling a genuine yet lazy smile with a "I would rather keep you company instead." That had the raven-haired girl stuttering incoherently, and blushing to the tips of her ear.

It was bold, yet not unexpectedly so as Kyouko straightened up her spine at the light mischief reflected in his eyes, a telltale sign of his teasing as she glared at him and eventually threatened to leave if he didn't take care of himself first. Acquiescing to her request with a half-hearted sigh, Ren dragged himself towards his room, promising to come back all the while mumbling childishly of her uncanny mother-like attitude before he was too far in his room for Kyouko to throw a slipper at him.

She thought it was a perfectly executed pretext to distance herself (at least mentally) from the actor. Kyouko's thoughts then immediately mulled over his words, trying to piece his story together to form the picture of the girl. Assessing all the evidence, Kyouko listed the distinct impressions of her background.

One: she was sixteen.

Two: obstinately stubborn.

Three: determined to get into a prestigious school.

Four: mutual hatred between her and Tsuruga-san. An implication that both had been regularly acquainted with the other.

Five: accepted into said prestigious school.

Six: she was sixteen...

A full minute pass as the water stilled under her fingertips and tiny bubbles popped in silence as a revelation of her thoughts encompassed her mind at the last piece of evidence.

'Wait...what?'

That would make...if the girl was sixteen years old two years ago, wouldn't it make her eighteen by this year?

A halo of light circled above her head as the raven-haired girl made quite a sight with her yellow gloves amidst a bubble of soap and dishes with eyes gleaming upwards in quiet gratefulness for the answer.

It was such an obvious disclosure of events that Kyouko wanted to dunk her head underneath the sink at the thought, or scream in giddiness at her easily equated discovery.

Thoughts from her previous talk with Tsuruga-san as Bo in chicken suit filled her mind. His dejected look, his troubled heart and his weary countenance all spoke of his forbidden love with an underage girl (though she quickly justified that age really doesn't matter if one is in love). Now it all made sense, Tsuruga Ren suffered insecurity of being labeled a pedophile (or something hopefully less severe because of such an insignificant age gap, right?) in front of the media that he withheld himself from claiming the girl!

Kyouko was torn in jumping with joy at solving at least one mind-boggling puzzle, but also nearly cried in horror of the thought that if Tsuruga-san were less than mindful of his reputation would lead to his destruction. The picture in her mind sending shivers of denial and revulsion at the newspaper article not so subtly reading: "T.R in love with child."

She quickly stomped the thought away as the word "child" disturbingly made her think of someone close to Maria's age...that was just wrong.

Shaking herself from the disconcerting stupor, Kyouko rubbed furiously at the forgotten dishes, trying to dispel such depressing thoughts as she went back thinking of something else other than the disastrous prospect of such an early relationship. With a positive disposition, Kyouko calculated the facts again assuming that the girl was now considered a legal adult. In such a case, Tsuruga-san would be able to pursue her wholeheartedly without disruptions or limitations. He wouldn't feel so insecure anymore and he can easily woo the girl with his charms...

Such a discovery twanged painfully in her chest as she frowned in pensive thought, eyes returning to its dull color and her movements slowed. That would mean...

'He wouldn't have time with me anymore—"

The actress quickly gasped at such an unbidden thought as if physically burned, rapidly shaking her head in disbelief. Why would she think that? It was so unlike her who always supported her senpai, yet for her to consider such a selfish idea in her head was alarmingly out of character. Maybe all this thinking was giving her a headache? Or maybe she was steadily going mad out of her stupid curiosity?

Making a horrid face, she was about to slap a hand to her forehead, unaware of its soapy condition—

"Do you need help, Mo—"

"Aiieee!"

...until Ren decided to make another ninja-like appearance and promptly scared her half to death as dishware clattered onto the sink with an embarrassing splash right onto the raven-haired actress, soaking her front shirt and dripping down her skirt.

Ren didn't expect such a reaction as he casually appeared from the hallway and voiced his concern. Truthfully, Kyouko seemed spaced out lately but he remembered she wasn't usually so out of focus. His eyes immediately softened in apprehension, taking quick strides towards the actress.

"Mogami-san are you alright?"

"Uh-I...er," Kyouko colored embarrassingly, noting that her senpai just got out of bath with a towel draped over his shoulders as he donned a cotton shirt and silk pajamas.

It had always been a sight to see him at the comforts of his home seeing that he looks great in practically everything he wears, but seeing him again like this brought a color to her cheeks at his bold familiarity. House clothes always suits him better. Mentally filing his outfit to upgrade her dolls later, Kyouko turned away to hide her heated cheeks, "Yea, it's fine I don't think the plates are broken! I'm sorry for the noise Tsuruga-san, I didn't know you were there..."

"It's fine as long as you're alright. Here, let me-"

"Ah, no it's okay! I got it."

And Ren promptly halted in his steps as Kyouko carelessly turned around to assure him, exposing her drenched blouse that outlined her curves and a tasteful green lacy bra peaked from underneath—

'Badtrainofthought.'

A million things had quickly flashed in his eyes that he had to forcibly blanked out any other thought from passing his mind and panic immediately came over him. Although outwardly his face remained neutral and devoid of expression, a war had began in Ren's mind and the torturous decision of desire and logic tugged him mercilessly into action. Somehow, a quick snap of his logic tapped his ego over the fact that he was an actor, and by god if he didn't pull out a miracle right now just by seeing her like this then he was seriously in deep trouble.

Swiftly averting his eyes at the more interesting part of his olive-painted wall, the elder actor coughed silently and tried to still the heat from its travel to his cheeks as the oblivious Kyouko continued to express her regret.

Great, that was his magnificent plan? Glare at a wall and blush? Yashiro would have a field day.

"I'm sorry. I'll be cleaning it up real quick." she smiled up at him in earnest, unaware of her state of dress. "And I was hoping you'd like some tea and—"

"Do you have extra clothes?" Ren managed to ask in a nonchalant voice, beating himself up inwardly over such a completely callous question. Of course, it was quite an obvious question if you further want to embarrassed the girl you love by telling her, 'Hey, it's great you're in my home and all but since I can't stand you walking around in such delightfully wet clothes, would you like a pair of dry ones in order to save my sanity?'

He could just see her bolting away from him like an expectedly violated maiden.

"E-eh?" brows furrowing further, Kyouko blinked at him in question, Ren's eyes averting hers. Did...was he angry that she nearly broke his Faberge dinnerware that he was hoping to throw her out and not have her clumsy hands break anymore of his things? Her face quickly turned ashen.

Before the raven-haired actress could pay tribute to his marbled floor, Ren quickly amended his statement, (resolutely keeping his eyes above her neck) and a deceptively bright smile was all it took to fortunately distract the actress from figuring out his dilemma.

"Ah, I just thought you'd want to stay, since it's late," he took quick steps forward, steering the obviously confused girl by the shoulders and towards the main bathroom. "You should go clean up, and don't worry I'll finish the dishes."

"W-wait! Tsuruga-senpai!" Kyouko tried to stop the actor's rather forceful tug of her shoulders, in an effort to turn and gauge his sudden reaction. The deceivingly bright smile she received earlier was enough to confirm that she had done something wrong and it was clearly her fault. Although she couldn't think of anything that would set him off (were the plates that important?) and she didn't think he was mad earlier, Kyouko resolved to know what exactly was he miffed about.

Planting a stubborn feet resolutely onto the seemingly slippery marble floor, she managed to push against him and lash out a rather childish, "What did I do wrong?"

Her counterattack took him completely by surprise, cursing himself silently again as his treacherous eyes were drawn south of her neck. What did she do wrong? Absolutely nothing but standing there innocently without knowing she was making him lose his mind.

"How much are the plates?" she snapped back at him, eyes defiantly daring him to name a price far from Ren's perceptive cognizance of where the conversation was heading. "I swear, they weren't even chipped! It's your fault for sneaking up on me anyways!"

If he wasn't in the guise of Tsuruga Ren, all his hard built effort would've crumbled as the twitched of his hand was the only indication how much the actor wanted to touch her, either by strangulation or a tender caress.

But he settled by thanking the gods that at least he fell in love with a woman so completely oblivious to her surroundings it was at least a quick turn off.

"Mogami-san," breathing heavily through his nose and (futilely) clearing his mind, he summoned the last of his acting stand and manage to convincingly portray an exhausted visage. "I couldn't possibly let you stay here without cleaning up..."

"E-eh..." the raven-haired girl's brow shot up in befuddlement. Wasn't he angry about the plates? "But I thought—"

"Don't worry about the plates," he skillfully suppressed a tick of his brow, and relaxed his face to pull in a tear-jerker, "But would you seriously let a tired actor like me take you home?"

Her face crumpled in horror at her inconsiderate thoughts. Completely forgetting the fact that Ren didn't really need to give her a ride home.

She didn't want to become a burden any longer. Earlier today he had protected her from dozens of paparazzi, took liberty of his kitchen, and now thoughtlessly demanding that she be brought home (though she didn't voiced it). How heartless of her to use her senpai after his exhausting trip back home! And what if—she gasped inwardly—what if the paparazzi were still after them? Her mind quickly conjured of the thousand ways fan girls would do to her and the utter shame of Tsuruga-senpai's name.

Her chances of ever beating the crap out of Sho would go down the drain!

Sighing dramatically as he inwardly apologized to the girl at his drawn-out lie (judging from her terrified face), he turned back to her, intending to get to his room, "I guess it's rather insensitive of me to let you stay. Hold on and I'll get the keys—"

"Wait!" Kyouko quickly grabbed his arm, shaking her head in the negative. She was intruding enough in his home already, but to trouble him more out of her own convenience was not something she was willing to let her senpai do. Besdies, it's not like she hasn't stayed over before, "Ahaha! On second thought, it is pretty late. I'll go wash up!"

Nearly skipping towards the bathroom, Ren held his smile painfully until the click of the door.

After she was out of sight and the sound of running water hit his ears, Ren heaved out a heavy sigh at the predicament he torturously put himself through. They all started innocently enough, her charm being the obliviousness to her surroundings was starting to frustrate his already addled up nerves just by being close to her. And here they were in his apartment alone with the girl he loves cooking him a fabulous dinner was starting to turn out as a test of endurance and wills.

He was starting to think these series of coincidences were a curse.

The memory of her transparently soaked blouse clinging sumptuously to her luscious curves, baring deliciously pale skin—

'And here I thought the cold bath was enough...'

Pinching his nose with a thumb and an index finger, Ren inhaled a lungful of air as the unbidden thought of playing host to an unexpected stay-over guest filled his mind. Now he would need to find clothes that fit her...

A new slew of tantalizing images filled his mind that Ren, in an unexpectedly uncharacteristic manner lightly banged his head on the wall he was intently observing earlier. He had to composed himself better than this, his mask was slipping, and a darker side of him that was reminiscent of his pass indulgences resurfaced. A flash of pain reflected through his eyes as forgotten memories of his previous identity reminded him of unpleasant thoughts. Clenching his fist in resolution, the raven-haired actor pulled back from the wall and started on the dishes quickly. He focused more keenly on his thoughts, hoping to infuse himself to act nonchalantly towards Kyouko thereafter to avoid his crumbling wall of willpower.

Kyouko was different, he reminded himself. He would never let him or anyone hurt her...

The rain clouded his vision, blood marring his temple, trailing a rivulet of crimson to his cheeks and down his neck.

There had been fifteen of them this time just outside the club he left. He wasn't aware, neither did he care that the girl he took for a wild night of passion was another gang members' bitch. In all honesty, he thought they wronged him. She was the one who came to him, quite frankly it was the guy's fault he let the girl astray in the first place.

Spitting a mouthful of blood, he turned his eyes on the woman huddled in fear near the dumpster, voice dripping with venom. "You know this was coming, don't you?"

"I-I'm sorry!" the girl pleaded in tears. "I'm sorry! Pl-please don't h-hurt me!"

A sardonic smile came over his handsome yet marred face as he threw a punch against the wall near the woman's cheeks, leaning over her with a deadly sneer. "Don't ever come near this part of town again."

The memory of those eyes...

Ren gripped the plates to disperse the darker images, his back rigid and arms taut as he willed his strength from snapping the porcelain beneath his fingers. He didn't want her to worry...

Yet those eyes that remained hauntingly terrified seared into his memory was difficult not to imagine with her face.

He vowed - Kyouko would never ever see that part of his past. Even if her discovery of his true self from someone else may eventually turn her away.

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A steady stream of sunlight filtered his room as the actor groaned in irritation. A headache was quickly making itself known in his temple as he rolled over to peer at his clock. Ten o'clock. He slept in and Kyouko...

Ren quickly bolted upright, ignoring the sudden nausea as he planted his feet on his carpeted floor and forcibly waded out of his room to meet the actress. He cursed at the fact that he had overslept and missed the chance to talk to her.

Sure she stayed over a few times in lieu of acting lessons and unpredictable circumstances, and he had always managed to have complete control of himself, but the moment he had fished out whatever unused clothes he had from his closet for her to wear gave him enough reasons to bar himself. It took him even longer to sleep, thus he woke up late.

Ren had apologized first at the unexpected stay, but she cut him off with an assuring smile while shouldering the blame instead that made him all the more guilty of his manipulative actions.

As a man, he really should have known better. From his previous romances, he had never let any other woman wear his clothes or went to such an extent as to act dramatically in order for her to stay (in fact he usually used his skills to get rid of them). But the moment she stepped out of the bathroom, shyly peeking up at him in his overly large t-shirt swallowing her frame as it look like a sleeve shirt and the pants dangerously hanging low to her hips held only by garter strings that refuse to tighten around her petite figure was nothing short of disaster.

After he had instructed her to put her clothes at the dryer for the morning, noticing the blush that stole her cheeks, he resolutely steered clear of any other comments. He preferred that she acted like nothing about the incident and both were glad that that was the end of it. If she was embarrassed, she made sure not to bring it up, and for that he was relieved.

In all honesty, he thought it would be a great idea to take her home in his apartment, enjoy a good meal, talk over their experiences in acting from the past year and basically bask in each other's company.

Boy, was he wrong.

To him it just felt like trudging through multiple traps that made him twice as exhausted from his fourteen-hour flight from New York to Narita. Any man would've easily gave up and submit themselves to their baser instincts. The only thought that stopped him from doing so (fortunately or not) was his memory of frightful eyes and silent pleas.

Without taking up her offer for a tea (for he feared something worse will happen again) Ren convincingly excused himself for the night, blaming himself for being a coward and not wisely spending his time with the raven-haired actress. But anymore of tonight's incidences would break him.

Tomorrow, he promised, 'I'll make it up to her.'

Shaking his head, the actor headed to his kitchen. It was empty, but the unmistakable smell of recently made breakfast wafted throughout the room. Reaching his island table besides an assortment of eggs, bacon toast and gooey green concoction was a quickly scribbled note.

Tsuruga-san,

I'm sorry I couldn't make anything great for breakfast! I'm running late and I have to stop by Daruyama to get my clothes. Thank you so much for last night. I hope I'll see you again later.

Kyouko

A slow quirk of his lips crept up his face, metallic eyes softening in lighter hues. How could he control himself if she's making it extremely difficult to be not endearing to him?

But a strange sound snapped him out of his musings. Furrowing his brow, Ren heard it again, a vibration. Turning his ear towards the source led him to his leather sofa as he spotted a sleek pink phone jutting out in between the plush seat.

Frowning, he turned over the phone in his hand as it lighted an unknown number.

Curious and knowing nothing could hurt from answering the phone, the actor thumbed the call button and answered.

"Hello?"

There was shallow breathing on the other end...then silence.

It echoed mutely in his ear as the actor cocked his head in interest, pulling away from the phone and back again, "Hello?"

No answer.

Was it a wrong number?

Pushing the end button, he perused through the incoming calls number. It was a blocked call, with seventeen missed calls. How odd...

Was it an urgent call from work?

Shaking his head, Ren shrugged inwardly and pocketed the phone to hand the actress later and ask her about the strange call.

Not knowing that one simple and harmless action of answering Kyouko's phone triggered a disaster that was yet to come.

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"Sho! Where are you going!" Shouko-san helplessly tried to keep up with her charge's stride as he bulldozed out of his room and nearly ran into several people. His face a lividly demonic mess as he made an angry beeline towards the basement parking lot.

He continued to ignore her until the blonde-haired manager finally got a hold of his arm and tugged hard, "What's wrong! Where do you think you're going!"

"The basement." his voice was eerily calm, that Shouko took a step back in fear.

"W-what? But you have a recording this afternoon! You can't possibly—"

"Cancel it."

His severe tone, made something snap inside Shouko. He can't possibly be thinking to jeopardize his career and thoughtlessly cancel a record-breaking deal. Her grip on him tightened, "Sho. Stop."

At her hardened voice, Sho halted, refusing to acknowledge his manager's silent plea.

"Where exactly are you going?" she whispered, dreading the answer that the elder woman already knew.

Finally turning to the blonde-haired woman, a sneer came into Sho's face as if daring her to stop him while shaking off her arm.

"To claim what's rightfully mine."


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*Is banging her head against a wall* I know, I don't like this chapter at all. It's seemingly OOC and repetitive and shallow plot! UGH. Although I like making Ren squirm (fuwahahahaha!), I felt that I covered too much of that here. *le sigh* I had two versions of Kyouko's wet scene moment in which I fairly cannot decide which scenario would be more fitting. But since it's harder to gauge Kyouko's reactions I focused (a little too much) on Ren. I'm making things quite difficult for Sho and my apologies if a lot of you were expecting him in this chapter...but that will be next.

I'm really disappointed with the OOC. It's getting hard keeping them in character as chapters go on, (and my grip on humor is slipping! T-T) but I avow to make it better the next chapter. Not only that, it seems that I've been writing about this incident for the past few chapters. -.- I'll move on soon. Also, pertaining to Ren's turbulent 'past' many of you may or may not know, I have a feeling that's one of the major reasons why he wouldn't make a 'move' or anything on Kyouko. Just a thought, ya know, don't wanna spoil anything with the original. xD

Btw, as usual this is not beta'd, any misconceptions you guys can perceive that my bat-old eyes couldn't, please do point out and I would be extremely grateful. :3 Advance apologies if said errors are eye-gouging.

...I love reviews...:]