Chapter 14: A Romantic Resolution

Ren was pacing in the hallway outside of Kyoko's hospital room. On chairs nearby sat Yashiro, Moko, the President, and Maria.

"Why don't you sit down while we're waiting?" Lory suggested to Ren.

The younger man sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I can't sit still. It's too much."

Finally the doctor stepped from the room and Ren approached him immediately. Lory also stepped up to listen to what the doctor had found.

"It would appear that she may have had something trigger her memories to return but it might have been too much for her body to handle and that's why she collapsed. We won't know anything for sure until she wakes up though." He sighed as he looked at Ren's hopeless expression. "I wish I had more answers for you right now."

He shook Lory's hand before stepping away into his office.

Ren felt numb. They were right back where they'd started. He felt angry at Sho, at himself, at the taxi driver who had caused all of this from the beginning by being drunk while driving Kyoko. But mostly he just felt empty.

He entered Kyoko's hospital room and sat in a chair that felt all too familiar to him. He stared at her lifeless body. She was too still. He watched closely to see the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. What had she ever done to deserve this?

"It's not fair," he whispered.

"Big sister doesn't deserve to be so sick."

Ren turned and saw Maria standing in the nearby doorway. She was carrying a book in her arms.

"I hope it's okay I came in." she continued as she stepped closer to Ren. "Moko mentioned that Kyoko might like hearing some more fairytales." She held up the book and Ren saw that it was indeed the same book of fairy tales he had read from what seemed like forever ago.

He pulled Maria up to sit on his lap and told her to pick a story. She flipped through and settled on Sleeping Beauty.

Ren read the story allowed for her as well as Kyoko. By the end of it he could feel teardrops landing on his hands. He looked at Maria.

"Why are you crying?" he asked gently.

"I just wish it was as simple as this. A true love's kiss." She sobbed softly.

He smiled sadly at her. "I do too." He patted her head, then stopped.

Hadn't that been what had woken her the first time? "True love's kiss…"

Ren smiled again but this time was different. "Maria, I think you are a genius. I had forgotten that that was how I woke her the first time."

Maria's eyes lit up. "That makes you like prince charming and she's the princess!" she began pulling at Ren's arm. "Kiss her!"

He laughed at her earnestness. "We don't know for sure it'll work, but I'll give it a try."

He stood and walked to where Kyoko lay. He leaned down and softly allowed his lips to touch hers.

Please awake my princess…

He pulled away and for a moment nothing happened. But then…

In Kyoko's mind a bright light began to emit from the coffin where her true self lay.

"What's happening?" the other spirits asked.

Pure Kyoko could only smile. "She's waking up."

"Ts-tsuruga-san?"

A bright smile lit Ren's face at the sound of his name. He had missed the way she said it.

"Kyoko…" he breathed a sigh of relief. He looked towards Maria. "She's awake. Can you go tell everyone?"

She nodded excitedly and ran from the room.

Ren turned his attention back to Kyoko. Her eyes were full of confusion. Ren gently touched her hair.

"I'm so glad you're awake." He told her.

"Where am I?" she asked weakly.

"You're in the hospital. You've been through quite a lot lately. I'll explain everything later."

Before Kyoko could ask anything else the doctor entered the room. Ren stepped out of the room as the doctor did his examination. He immediately walked to Lory and gave him a hug. He was so relieved.

She's awake, and everything is going to be okay.

Over the next couple of days, Kyoko had many visitors. The president and Maria, Moko, the couple from Darumaya, and even Yashiro had stopped by to see her. Ren however had made sure to stop by for at least a few minutes every day.

On the third day after she had woken, Ren came after work to eat dinner with her. Kyoko smiled when he entered the room.

"Good evening, Tsuruga-san." She said happily, with a tiny bow of her head.

Ren couldn't help but smile when he saw her. He loved seeing her cheerful attitude, it was something he had missed in the recent weeks.

"Good evening, Mogami-san. How are you feeling today?"

"Not as tired." She said. "In fact, can you help me sit at the table for my dinner?" she pointed to the table and chairs she had in the corner of her room.

Ren nodded. "Of course," he approached her bed and helped her out of it. She no longer had an IV or any other wires connected to monitor her due to her improvement.

He helped her cross the room and sit in a chair. He sat opposite her and watched her. She laughed, "What?"

"Nothing. I'm just happy to see you're feeling better."

There's was a small knock on the door and a member of hospital staff stepped in carrying a tray of food. She set it on the table in front of Kyoko.

"Here you go, Mogami-san." She turned to Ren. "Can I get you anything, Tsuruga-san?"

Ren started to answer, but Kyoko interrupted him. "Have you eaten dinner, Tsuruga-san?"

He shook his head no. Kyoko gave him a look that said she knew that's what his answer would be. "Please bring him something also."

The staff member nodded before stepping back out of the room.

"You can begin eating. You don't have to wait for me." He told her.

She shook her head. "I don't mind waiting. It'll stay warm as long as it's covered. I have a question though."

Ren raised his eyebrows in response. "Ask away."

Kyoko looked down at her hands. "What happened while I was unconscious? The last thing I remember is being at your apartment when I borrowed the book from you. Everything is a blank after that."

"Well," Ren began but he was momentarily interrupted by the hospital staff re-entering to deliver Ren's food.

"Itadakimasu!"

As they began eating, Ren remembered he was supposed to be answering Kyoko's question.

"You were in a car accident after leaving my apartment. An investigation showed that the taxi driver was drunk and it caused him to crash."

Kyoko stopped eating as she listened intently.

"After that you were unconscious for a few days, and when you woke up…"

"Yes?" she asked.

Ren sighed. How much should I tell her? He wondered.

He imagined Kyoko freaking out over everything she had done while not herself. He couldn't do that to her.

"You were suffering from memory loss due to a head injury. Then a few days ago something happened and it triggered your memories to return, but it also caused you to resume unconsciousness."

"What made my memories return?"

Ren cringed at her question. "Fuwa kissed you."

Kyoko's jaw dropped. "He what?!" her face fell in distress as she realized what that meant.

After a moment, Ren understood her concern. "It doesn't count as a real kiss. You weren't yourself." He told her as he reached across the table and touched her hand.

She nodded and looked at him sadly.

"If it makes you feel any better, due to Fuwa's recent actions concerning you he's been put on probation at his agency."

"Really?"

Ren laughed at the fact that she couldn't help but smile and they enjoyed the rest of their meal without Ren having to delve more into the recent events.

A few days later, Kyoko was released from the hospital and she returned home to Darumaya happily. She tried to offer to work there, since she wouldn't be returning to her show business work for another week still, but they refused her. Taisho had even asked her to relax and come eat in the restaurant during her time home.

When her time was up and she was allowed to return to work Kyoko was thrilled. She skipped cheerfully through the halls, greeting everyone who passed her.

She spent the morning with Sawara-san going over new offers she had recently received and organizing her current jobs for her make up work.

After her meeting she returned to the LoveMe section to look over the files she'd been given. As she opened the door she ran into Moko.

Her files fell to the ground and she expected her friend to yell at her, but instead she smiled at her.

"First day back and you're already causing trouble," Moko said, laughing.

She leaned down and helped Kyoko gather her papers. "Are you going over new jobs?"

Kyoko nodded. "Sawara-san gave them to me this morning."

"Hey, did you want to have lunch together? My treat." Moko offered.

Kyoko's whole face lit up. Normally she was the one having to beg Moko to eat with her. "Definitely!"

Moko smiled back at her. "All right, I'll order us some food for delivery." Half an hour later the table in the LoveMe break room was filled with delicious food that Kyoko loved. She couldn't believe her friend would do this for her.

As they ate, they talked about work, and life, family, and eventually reached the topic of Kyoko's time she didn't remember.

"Tsuruga-san told you about everything, right?" Moko asked as she ate another spoonful of rice.

Kyoko took a drink of tea. "He told me some of it. Just that I lost my memory for a while. That's all really. Why? Was there more?"

Moko stared at her as she tried to hold in her laughter. That man didn't tell her anything!

"Did you want to know everything?"

Kyoko looked uncertain. "I think so. I mean, yes, I do!"

The conversation that followed was a long one. Moko told her what she had heard from Ren and Yashiro about Kyoko's time as Mio, as well as what she had witnessed of Kuon, and finally Natsu.

Kyoko blushed madly when she was told of her dating Ren. She was sure she still wasn't receiving all the details, because Moko could only tell what she knew, but Kyoko was terrified at the thought of all the trouble she must've caused everyone.

"I-I can't believe he didn't tell me all that." She finally said in disbelief.

Moko laughed. "Why are you so surprised? Of course he'd try to protect you."

"What do you mean?"

Moko stared at her best friend. Does she really not get it? After all this time?

She leaned on the table to look closely at Kyoko. "Kyoko, Tsuruga-san wants to protect you because he loves you."

Kyoko was so flustered by Moko's words she knocked her drink over. She quickly wiped up her mess.

"And you love him too. So why not just admit it and put both of you out of your misery?"

Kyoko stopped. "Why would you say that? Of course I'm not-"

"You're not what?"

Kyoko and Moko both turned to see Ren standing in the doorway, Yashiro behind him. Kyoko was frozen in place. Why did he have to come in now?! She wondered.

Moko smiled mischievously before jumping up. "This was nice, Kyoko, but I have to get back to work. Tsuruga-san why don't you join Kyoko for some lunch, there's a lot of food. Yashiro-san, can you help me with something."

A moment later, both Moko and Yashiro were gone leaving Ren and Kyoko alone.

"Do you mind if I sit down?" he asked as he gestured to the seat beside her.

She nodded. "That's fine." He noticed that she wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Are you okay, Mogami-san?"

She shook her head, and Ren felt his concern grow. "Moko told me what happened. The truth."

Ren ran a hand through his hair. "So that's what you're worried about."

"Of course I'm worried! I caused everyone so much trouble." She cried out. "Is there anything else I need to know about? Anything she wouldn't have been able to tell me?" she asked as she gazed into his eyes seriously.

Ren sighed "I guess she wouldn't have been able to tell you about Setsu..."

"I…was…Setsu?"

Ren nodded. "For a couple of days. That is until you attacked my co-star…" Ren told her the story as she sat in shock, blushing furiously.

"I'm so sorry, Tsuruga-san. I've caused you so much trouble. I don't deserve to be treated so well by you. I'm sorry."

She moved to bow to him from her seated position.

"Kyoko."

She looked up and was met with his lips crashing against hers. They were soft, and warm and she could feel him smiling.

He pulled away slowly and looked at her closely. "Shut up. I love you, and I was happy to take care of you."

Kyoko stared at him for a moment before she felt her heart swelling with happiness.

"I-I love you too."

A smile lit up Ren's face and he leaned in and kissed Kyoko once more.

A/N: Thank you so much for reading my first Skip Beat fanfic. I hope you enjoyed it! I have already began writing my sequel for this story. Here's a preview for it!

Title: Healing a Broken Heart

Summary: Kyoko and Ren are finally dating and Ren is over the moon with happiness the only issue is Kyoko doesn't know how to be in a healthy relationship and her fear of reverting to her old ways is keeping her from getting close to Ren. Will they be able to find a compromise in their desires, or will it all prove to be too much for them to handle? RenxKyoko a sequel to my story The Accident.

Chapter 1:

That moment replayed in Ren's mind over the next few days both when he was awake and asleep. Unfortunately he had not gotten to see Kyoko since then because they were both busy catching up on missed work and (for her) schoolwork. As much as he wanted to spend every moment with her, he was a professional actor and had to remain focused on his work.

He had just arrived back at LME for a meeting in the afternoon. Yashiro was walking with him giving him details about the meeting. When they turned down the next hallway they saw Kyoko. She was wearing her pink LoveMe uniform and struggling to carry three somewhat large boxes.

Without a second thought Ren moved forward, a box began to fall from Kyoko's arms but he caught it. He took a second box from her leaving her with only one.

She looked up to say thank you but the words caught in her throat when she saw who it was. By this point, Kyoko had convinced herself that the kiss and love confession had all been in her head.

Her face blushed bright red. "Thank you, Tsuruga-san."

Ren smiled at her. "You shouldn't be carrying so many boxes at once. You only just returned to work."

Kyoko nodded her head but was no longer able to meet Ren's eyes.

"I'll help you carry this. I have time before my next meeting. Where are we headed?"

Kyoko stared at him in shock. If I'm right and that kiss was an illusion… he's tricking me again. Testing me.

Ren was surprised at the gloomy expression that crossed her face. Kyoko smiled at him quickly. "You don't have to help me. It's LoveMe work so I shouldn't receive help doing it."

If they were still just co-workers and he was hiding his feelings he would've just tossed the boxes back into her arms and been on his way. But now that she knew his feelings, he could help her honestly.

He leaned down towards her. "I really don't mind, Kyoko. Besides, I don't know that you'll be in the LoveMe section too much longer after we talk to the president."

I'll be posting the first chapter tomorrow so please be on the lookout!