Chapter 1

Author's Note:

Skip Beat! and its characters belong to the creator Nakamura Yoshiki. Skip Beat! is serialised in 'Hana to Yume' magazine (Hakusensha) and licensed in English by 'Shojo Beat' (VIZ Media, LLC — manga/print/skip-beat).

The work below is written in the spirit of fan appreciation.
UK English has been used throughout. The story was started after chapter 228 was released.
This is my first fan fiction. Let me know what you think in the comments.

"Good morning, Tsuruga-san. Have you been offered a role in 'Aozora no Yume' as well?"

The tall actor returned Kyouko's smile. "Yes. I got the call via Yashiro-san last night. Are you here for the meeting too?"

"Yes, that's right."

They stood outside a meeting room at TBM, both a little early for the meeting as per usual.

"Which role have you been offered?" asked Kyouko. "Ooshima Kazufumi, the love interest?"

"Yep. How about you?"

"Takamatsu Tomoe."

"That's the main character's little sister, isn't it?"

Kyouko smiled up at her sempai. "Yes. I'm really excited to be offered a role like this. From the scripts for the first three episodes, it seems the role isn't a bully role at all. Finally, I get to play a sweet girl."

Tsuruga-san smiled one of his true smiles. "Congratulations for being offered another role in a drama. It's good timing with Box-R wrapping up soon. I can't wait to see what you do with this new role."

Kyouko grinned. "Thank you, Tsuruga-sempai. By the way," she said, "do you know what this meeting is about? From what I read of the script last night, my role seems quite simple. I don't know why I need to be at a special meeting like this."

Tsuruga-san shook his head. "I'm in the dark, too. I would have expected the actress playing the main character to be here, but Yashiro-san said the meeting would be between me, one other actor, and the director. Since you're here, you must be that other actor."

Yashiro-san walked down the hallway towards them. Beside him walked a man in his mid-thirties with collar-length hair and who was wearing a blue tartan riding coat over a white t-shirt. He looked very fashionable and dapper to Kyouko, although not quite as much as the man standing beside her.

Yashiro-san introduced them all. "Mifune-kantoku, this is my charge Tsuruga Ren and the actress Kyouko. Ren, Kyouko-chan, this is Mifune Ryou, the director of 'Aozora no Yume'."

The three recently introduced people bowed and each said 'yoroshiku onegaishimasu'.

"Shall we go in?" said the director as he stepped into the meeting room. They all took seats around a meeting table, and the director laced his fingers together on top of a bundle of papers he had brought with him. "I'm sure you are both wondering why I've asked you here to meet with me away from anyone else involved in the project. But before I can say anything, I need to ask you to sign these non-disclosure documents." He pushed a piece of paper to each of them, Yashiro-san included. "The reason I want you to sign these is because I need to discuss something with you that will be kept secret for as long as possible during the filming. Because neither of you have accepted the offered parts yet or signed any contracts, our legal team want me to make sure I'm as careful as can be. I'm sure you understand."

Tsuruga-san watched as Yashiro-san picked up his copy and read it all the way through, so Kyouko also waited.

"It looks fine to me," Yashiro-san finally said. "It's a standard NDA. So long as both of you keep quiet about what we discuss here even if you don't take the roles, then there will be no problem."

Tsuruga-san picked up an offered pen and signed his NDA, so Kyouko also signed hers and added a stamp of her hanko (personal seal).

The director collected all three forms and put them in a tidy pile in front of him again. "Thank you very much for that." He smiled. "The lawyers will be pleased, I'm sure. Now, the reason I've asked you to meet me today is because there is more you need to know about the offered roles and their story lines before you can make an informed decision whether to accept. You see, I've always planned to 'pull a fast one' on an audience, so to speak. That's to say, I want to do a character role switcheroo."

"A switcheroo?" asked Tsuruga-san.

"Yes. Now, this might concern your manager here a little because basically the switch will mean that by the end of the show your character won't be the second most important after all."

Tsuruga-san and Yashiro-san gave each other a quick look.

"What do you mean?" asked Yashiro-san.

"I mean," said the director, "that publicising Ooshima Kazufumi as the lead character's romance interest is a fake-out. A fake-out that I'm hoping the audience won't question with an actor like Tsuruga Ren in the role."

Kyouko's stomach dropped slightly with a sense of foreboding. "Excuse me, Director, but what does that have to do with me?"

"Ah, yes," the Director smiled, "the end-game pairing for Ooshima Kazufumi will be Takamatsu Tomoe instead."

Kyouko froze.

"And Takamatsu Rina, the main character? She won't have a romance story after all?" asked Tsuruga-san.

"Not so much. She'll fall in love with someone else by the end of the show, but I want the story to focus more on her other relationships and her personal growth. You know, a more natural, healthy sort of focus."

Suddenly, Kyouko wished she was a more famous, mature actress so she could have been cast in the main role. She shook off the thought and concentrated on the rest of the conversation.

"Does Naomi-san, the actress already announced to play the role, know this?" asked Tsuruga-san.

"She does not. And we'll keep it from her for as long as possible, just like anyone else."

"Why?" asked Kyouko when she found her voice. "Why does it need to be so secret?"

"The fewer people know, the less likely it is that someone will accidentally give something away. One of the themes I want to explore in the drama is just because you like a person, doesn't mean they'll like you back. They might be interested in someone else. Dramas are often too predictable in their love pairings. I want the audience to be as shocked as Rina, so they sympathise with her journey more."

Tsuruga-san sat back in his chair. "What about the lag between filming and screening? Surely the cast and crew will see the switch long before you want the secret out publicly."

The director took a deep breath. "That's one of the main reasons that I wanted to discuss this with you before you signed anything. My plans involve the two actors, hopefully the two of you, filming additional scenes with a skeleton film crew late in the evenings and early in the mornings while the rest of the cast and crew aren't there. It would mean some very long days."

Kyouko thought back to the weeks when she had been playing both Natsu and Setsuka Heel at the same time. She could handle the long days. It wasn't that which had her heart pounding in fear and a sweat breaking out on her brow! Tsuruga-san's on-screen love interest? Surely this was a dream. Or rather, a nightmare! She took a calming breath and used all her acting ability to keep her face calm.

"Are you quite sure I'm a good choice to play Tsuruga-san's onscreen love interest, Director?"

Out the corner of her eye she saw Tsuruga-san give her a sharp look and felt brief annoyance at herself for obviously saying something unprofessional again, but she kept her eyes on the director.

He chuckled. "Your beautiful angel in Fuwa Shou's PV caught my attention, and your glamorous and intense Kitagawa Natsu made me sure you could do this. And, actually, your age and newcomer status will also help me play this trick. The audience also won't expect you to be Tsuruga-san's love interest, just like you yourself have reservations."

Kyouko felt a touch on the back of her hands, which were clasped on the tabletop. Tsuruga-san had reached over to touch her. Against her will, her eyes were drawn to meet his gaze.

"I believe you could do this if you try," he said, and somehow his certainty took up residence in a corner of her mind and tried its best to shout over all her swirling doubts.

"There's no need for either of you to make a decision today," said the director. "Look over the script again, talk to your managers or Takarada Lory-san; he knows the details too."

I bet he does, thought Kyouko. This sounds a lot like something he'd be involved in.

"Then tell me your decision within the next couple of days," continued the director. "All I ask is that you abide by the NDA and speak only in general terms if you speak to anyone other than those of us in the room or those I've mentioned."

"Hai," said both Tsuruga-san and Kyouko.

"Right, before I let you go, I'll give you a few more details and answer any questions you have."

An hour later, Ren and Yashiro-san were driving to the set of a photo shoot. Ren tried to keep his attention 100% on the road, but it was difficult with Yashiro-san looming in his peripheral vision making that face.

"Just say what you want to say, Yashiro-san. Your face is weird and would scare small children."

"How rude, Ren. There are no small children here, so what does it matter?"

"Just spit it out."

Yashiro trembled, clutched his hands into fists, and then let out a squee. "You and Kyouko-chan! On TV! Together!"

"We've been on TV together before, remember? Dark Moon?"

"Yes, but this time she'll be your girlfriend. You'll get to kiss her. I'm so happy for you, Ren!"

Ren sighed. "It's not as if kisses in front of the camera and a camera crew are even remotely romantic, Yashiro-san. In fact, they're just work."

"Whatever. She may need to practice first, Ren. Practice." He winked.

"She may not even take the role, you know. She probably finds the idea abhorrent. So don't get your hopes up just yet."

At that moment at the TBM building, Kyouko stood behind a concrete pillar in the parking garage near the bike racks with her phone pressed tightly against her ear.

-Moshi-moshi,- said a voice on the other end of the line.

"Mouko-saaaaaaan! What do I doooooooo?" Kyouko cried into the phone immediately.

-Tch, what happened this time?- asked Kanae-san.

"I've been offered a role but I don't know whether I should take it."

-Offered another role without needing to audition? Mou, why you? Dark Moon was sure good for your career, wasn't it?-

"This time they don't want me to play a bully or an evil girl. Actually, she seems really sweet."

-Isn't that just what you've been waiting for? Why are you hesitating?-

"Because, Mouko-san, it's a l-l-love role!" Kyouko sniffed, trying to keep from bursting into tears.

-Mou! It's just acting, Kyouko. They aren't asking you to actually fall in love with whoever will play your love interest.-

Kyouko paled at her friend's words. Kanae-san had unknowingly hit near the target with that comment. Kyouko couldn't tell Kanae-san who would be playing her love interest because of the NDA. Besides, she hadn't yet told her friend that she'd fallen in love with Tsuruga-san, so she couldn't say that the reason she was panicking so much was because she was afraid of letting him know about her feelings by accident during filming.

"But the role involves kissing scenes, Mouko-san." More than just that: the director had even hinted there might be a 'these characters will be having sex during the add break' scene. Which, Kyouko supposed, probably wasn't all that much different from a normal kissing scene, but even so.

-Who will play your love interest? Is it someone you know?-

"Sorry, Mouko-san, but I can't say. I signed an NDA."

-OK, I won't hold that one against you.-

"What do I do?"

-Hm, I do understand why you're nervous. But I also think this could be a good opportunity for you to avoid being typecast. Who knows when you'll next be offered a non-bully role?- There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line. -I know you can't say who, but if you do know the actor or actress playing your love interest and you're comfortable talking to them, why not discuss it with them? If they seem professional about it, you may find that you can feel comfortable about working with them. If they seem like a playboy actor looking forward to fooling around in front of the camera then forget about it and wait for the next opportunity.-

"Thanks, Mouko-san. You give such good advice. I'm so glad you're my best friend!"

-Mou! Whatever. I need to go now: my break's almost over.-

"OK. Thank you so much! Bye!"

Shortly after he got home that evening, Ren was startled by the buzzer ringing. He put down the glass of Scotch he'd just poured himself and walked over to the control panel. "Yes?" he asked. He never introduced himself to people ringing his apartment's call button: if they didn't already know who he was, they didn't need to know.

-Tsuruga-san? It's me, Mogami.-

He smiled. "Good evening, Mogami-san."

-May I come up? If you're free, that is. I want to talk about today's meeting.-

"Sure, come on up." He pressed the button that would unlock the apartment building's door for her. While she rode the elevator up to his floor, he poured the Scotch back into the bottle. He would probably need to drive her home, and he always kept Japan's zero alcohol tolerance policy in mind: if he was ever caught with alcohol in his system while driving, not only would his identity be revealed by investigating law enforcement, but he would be deported back to the US. It wasn't something he ever took lightly.

A few minutes later, the apartment doorbell rang and he let Kyouko-chan in, led her to the living room, and then served her a coffee.

"So, what would you like to discuss?" he asked as he nursed his own cup of coffee.

She smoothed her skirt over her knees. Even sitting at his coffee table she sat in perfect seiza worthy of a ryoukan okami or even a geisha. She ruined the effect slightly by reaching forward and fiddling with the handle of her coffee cup.

"Well, ah, you see Tsuruga-san, today I was wondering if I should take the role of Takamatsu Tomoe, and I called Mouko-san for advice, and she said I should talk to whoever will be playing my love interest in the drama before I make a decision, and actually the director also said I could talk to you, and so I'm here. I'm very sorry to bother you with such a thing."

"What exactly do you want to talk about regarding the role?"

Kyouko-chan blinked. "Ah, I didn't think that far ahead." She blushed and chuckled. "To tell you the truth, I just charged over here single-mindedly. I'm sorry I'm so impetuous."

Ren rubbed a hand over his mouth and jaw as he tried to decide how to approach the topic.

"Mogami-san, I'll spare you the embarrassment of explaining your thoughts. You're unsure about playing a love role, right?"

Kyouko-chan's blush deepened and she nodded.

"I know enough about your history to know why you're nervous. You're not in the LoveMe section for nothing."

Kyouko-chan seemed briefly frozen, but then she sighed. "It's impossible, isn't it? How would I convey that emotion?"

"I don't think it's impossible." Ren took another long drink of his coffee as he thought of a way to talk her into trying the role for her own good (and his own selfish reasons, too, he had to admit).

"Remember what you said to me when I was sick?" he said.

She blinked. "Which thing? That you're surprisingly childlike at times?"

"No! Not tha—"

He stopped when he saw the mischievous smile playing at the corner of her lips, the ghost of Setsuka Heel wanting to come out and play. Damn it! She's teasing me! Why am I so damned happy about that? Am I an 'M' after all?

"I meant how you said you wanted to act to find 'Mogami Kyouko'. Do you remember that?"

"Of course!" she cried balling her hands into fists. "It's the rule by which I live my life!"

Ren fought the grin that wanted to burst out all over his face. "I understand that feeling well. The reason why acting can help with that is because we can 'try on' different personalities and situations to see how they fit, rather like trying on clothes."

Kyouko nodded while her intense gaze held him captive. "Yes, I've often had that thought."

"So isn't this an opportunity to 'try on' a love that's different from what you felt for— from what you had in the past? One that, from what the script seemed to show, won't resemble anything you've experienced before? And you wouldn't run the risk of being hurt because it wouldn't be real." However much that hurts me to say it, he thought. "Wouldn't that be a valuable learning experience both to grow as an actor and to learn more about yourself?"

"But it wouldn't be entirely different, would it? L-love is still love."

"Is it?"

She looked at him expectantly. "Well, is it?"

Ren, much to his chagrin, flushed slightly. He scratched the back of his neck and smiled at her. "I don't know either. I know you like to suggest that I'm a playboy ..."

"... because you are one ..." she muttered.

Ren sighed, then pretended he didn't hear her comment. "... But I don't have as much experience as you think I do. I think this role would be as much of a learning experience for me as for you. That's why I want to accept it."

She sat quiet for a moment looking at her clasped hands. "Even if you have to play it opposite me?"

Her and her damned lack of self-confidence. I'm going to wring Fuwa's neck one day.

He gave her a blank, uncomprehending look and held it until she'd glanced up and seen it. "Why would acting opposite you be a problem? We've acted together before."

"Yes, but not like this."

Ren looked away and cleared his throat. "Disturbingly, I don't think the Heel siblings were that far off, actually, and we performed that act together well."

He looked at her out the corner of his eye and saw that she had gone bright red. A less than pure part of his mind prompted him to push her just a little farther.

"You know, considering that night ..."

"Yesyesyes, Igetit!" she cried as she threw up her hands as if to ward off his words.

Obviously she still wasn't ready to talk about that event.

"OK, I'm sorry for bringing it up. It just seemed relevant."

She stared at the tabletop, her arms crossed and her brow furrowed. He watched as she thought so furiously that he was surprised smoke didn't come out of her ears. Then she smiled and nodded to herself.

"Have you made a decision?"

"Not just yet," she said as she met his gaze, "but you have equipped me with the right weapons for this battle, Sir Quartermaster. Thank you very much." She bowed to him from her seated position.

Sir Quartermaster? Where exactly had her imagination gone this time? The trenches of World War I? Ah, no, probably Camelot or something.

"Glad I could help. Feel free to call me or drop by if you need any more advice, whether or not you take the role."

"I will. Thank you."

He was about to offer her a ride home, but he noticed that she was still chewing her lower lip slightly. "Is there something else that's bothering you?"

"Well, ah, it's just ..." she took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders further. "Are you OK with this role? I mean, not the role itself. Obviously you can play it, but I mean with me? I mean, yes, we have experience acting together, but am I the right look for the role? I don't want to tarnish your image by not being up to the standard your fans would expect of your onscreen love interest."

Ren couldn't hold in his sigh. He didn't know how to help her with this particular problem. She was so stubborn about her belief in her supposed plainness.

"I don't see a problem, but somehow I think if I try to convince you of that you'll just accuse me of being a 'playboy' or a 'conman' again. So I'll just say this: Go speak with Jelly Woods about your concerns. She's a woman, and she's a professional. She works with models and actresses all the time. You can trust her opinion. Believe me: Ms. Woods is more than capable of brutal honesty. She isn't the kind to say only what she thinks others want to hear."

Kyouko-chan's eyes widened. "I wouldn't want to bother her. She's so busy ..."

"It's fine," said Ren. "Last time I saw her she was asking about you. She said she wanted to catch up with you sometime. So give her a call."

Kyouko-chan nodded vigorously. "I will."

"All right, then. Shall I give you a ride home? Your landlords must be wondering where you are."

Next time: President Takarada has a new assignment for the LoveMe girls.