Final reminder: I do not own Skip Beat.

Chapter 12 – Welcome home

"Are you sure he is going to be there?" Kanae asked for the third time.

"Yes. Shoko-san said that he got off at 4 tonight, and he wasn't going to pick me up till 6:30 for our date," Kyoko explained.

"Shouldn't you call him first? What if he had to stay late?"

Kyoko shook her head. "I want it to be a surprise plus Yashiro-san sent me a text saying he was heading home. It's almost 5. He should be there."

"Ok! But if he isn't there, I'm leaving you there. I'm not letting you back in my apartment," Kanae griped. Her fridge was full of food that she had to cook before leaving and about a quarter of it were deserts.

Kanae helped her with her luggage and arrived at his door first. She quickly kicked it hard then waited. Irritation started to take over but soon the door was open.

"Kotonami-san?" Ren was shocked to see her here.

Kanae shoved her way through and dumped the luggage onto his floor and grumbled, "She is all yours. I am going to be running for a week straight to lose the weight she gave me." Kanae stomped over to Ren and pointed a threatening finger at him and snapped, "Don't let this happen again." Then she left.

He was more than confused but the sweetest face in the world popped her head around the door frame with a shy smile. "Hi," she greeted with contained excitement. Her voice was warm and her eyes were glossy as she stepped over the threshold.

Kuon smiled and pulled her in. She dropped her case and the door shut closed as he pulled her to him and kissed her. He had never tasted anything more sweet than her lips. She wrapped her arms around his chest, and she felt the heat in their kiss. She felt the love and was able to return every bit of it back.

He pulled away, his fingers brushing strands of hair away from her face. "Does this mean what I think it means?" He sounded hopeful, desperately so.

She nodded.

"What about the file with all the information?" He had to make sure it was real.

"He gave it all back yesterday, and I gave the PI's info to President Takarada. He said he would handle the rest," Kyoko told him happily.

Kuon yelled out excitedly, lifting her up in his arms and swinging her around. She laughed as she held on and then he suddenly pulled her down for a kiss. She dived in, her hands clinging to him, her tongue searching out for his. She moaned into his mouth as his arms squeezed her against his hard frame. She missed him so much. She missed waking up to him every morning and being able to see him every day. She wanted to spend a week in his arms to make up for lost time.

He pulled away from the kiss and started to set her down but she didn't want to stop. She kissed his jaw down to his ear. She flicked her tongue out and licked it and he laughed but it quickly turned into a groan as she nibbled down his neck, her hands moving to the buttons on his shirt.

"Kyoko, wait," Kuon urged. She made an impatient sound and didn't stop, her hands slipping to the revealed skin of his chest that made him weak. He licked his lips and pulled her arms from out his shirt then gently pushed her away.

"What's wrong? I've missed you." She tried to kiss him again but he stopped her.

"I missed you too. You have no idea how much but stay here for one minute ok. Not even one minute but wait." Kuon left to the bedroom leaving Kyoko cold and alone.

"Kuon, can't it wait till after," she whined.

"No," he returned, and she struggled to find what had changed. "It has to be now," he said determined. He walked swiftly over to her and then just as quickly went to his knee and opened a little black box in front of her.

"Marry me, Kyoko. Promise me you'll never leave me again."

If Kyoko could breathe, she would be hyperventilating. Inside the pure black box was a large round solitary diamond set in a platinum band. But the band was made up of two thin bands one was solid platinum the other was a band of pink diamonds.

Kyoko looked into the face of Japan's number one actor, most desired man, her mentor, her teacher, her friend and her lover and she knew no other answer. She nodded.

"Yes. yes, yes a million times yes," she cried. Kuon smiled a smile that she will forever get to see. He pulled the ring out and slipped it on her finger, and then he picked her up bridal style.

"Now, we can continue what you started," his voice implying everything she wanted and more.

Eight months later...

A young couple stopped in front of a music store and stopped as they watched an advertisement on one of the many screens.

"Out now! Fuwa Sho's new album, Starting Over. It features his number one hits, Don't Take Your Love Away and Fade Away." Flashes of Fuwa Sho singing sadly into the mic and another of him in his newest PV played on the screen. Then the CD came rushing out and stopped on the screen with a picture of him strumming his guitar solemnly.

The hand on the woman's shoulder tightened and he kissed the top of her head and whispered, "It's ok, you'll see him tomorrow." Kyoko smiled up at her fiance - soon to be husband, and nodded then tney continued down the sidewalk.

A/N:

I hope you enjoyed this story. And maybe even some of you felt a little bad for Sho.

Those are real songs and I encourage you to listen to them. I think he would write songs like these after this experience, and I always associate rock songs to Sho.

Starting Over by Killswtich Engage

Don't Take Your Love Away by Vast (haha this isn't really a rock song but it fits.)

Fade Away by Breaking Benjamin