A/N: I do Not own Skip Beat!
Hi all! First I would like everyone reading this to know that this a sequel to Misconceptions, my Hikaru/Kyoko challenge. If you don't read that first, you won't know what is going on, or why.
It took me so long with dwindling inspiration and other ideas crawling through my mind, but it's finally here. After writing this story, it confirmed one thing for me.
I Love Ren. As soon as you read this, you'll all see my biased opinion; HOWEVER, it worked out really well for the story. I do hope you enjoy it.
This first chapter is a recap for Misconceptions. If you remember the story or just read it, feel free to skip this, otherwise I thought I would help others remember it since it was posted so long ago. Cheers!
Prologue:
Excerpts from Misconceptions: Chapter 1
"We are going to go buy one for you. We have time," Kanae said and abruptly stopped midstride. She turned to Kyoko with a deathly glare. "And you are going to tell me EXACTLY WHAT is wrong?"
Kanae didn't give Kyoko the time to lie to her concern. Kyoko didn't know if she could talk about this, not right now. Though, she didn't know if she could ever talk about it. She didn't want to acknowledge it, just like with Reino stating that Corn was probably dead by now. If she said it out loud, it would make it real, something she couldn't take back later.
"I failed," Kyoko sobbed, "I swore to myself, to everyone, that I would never ever let myself feel this way again, but…" Her voice cracked as more tears ran down her face.
"What if he feels the same way you do?" Kanae offered.
Kyoko snorted. "That's a mean joke, Moko-san. There is no way he would feel that way to a lowly newbie actress. I'm not good enough for him," Her voice drifted off dolefully.
"I will not have you talk to my best friend and rival that way!" Kanae said angrily, which made Kyoko smile her first sincere smile since they met up today. Kanae smiled back happy again. "So then the only other thing to do is to move on," she said softly. "Kyoko, you found love again. You found the missing emotion that you have been so desperately trying to find. It's back!" She said encouraging.
Kyoko tried to look happy about it but fell short. Kanae smiled softly at her. "Don't close up again, Kyoko. You just need to find someone who wants you in kind."
Chapter 2:
She heard their voices mumble as they spoke to each other casually. She waited for their laughter to spill out of the room like it normally does, but it didn't this time. As she neared the opening of the door, her footsteps slowed and stopped as their voices became clear.
"Why don't you just tell her how you feel?" Yuusei said calmly.
"Yeah, man. You've been asking Kyoko-chan out every week for the past year! Go confess to her, and she will finally say yes," Shinichi spoke making Kyoko gasp soundlessly.
"...If she is simply not ready to date, then it's only a matter of time before she will say yes. Either way, I'm going to wait until she is ready. I don't want to push her into something she doesn't want with a brash confession."
"And you asking her out every week isn't pushy?" Shinichi teased, and they all laughed.
"Hey, I can't give up. What if she says yes? It would suck to miss the opportunity. She has yet to say, 'No, I don't want to date you, because you're too short.'" Hikaru badly mimicked her, making the other two laugh.
Kyoko shook her head. You're not short, Hikaru-san.
"I didn't know, Hikaru-san. I'm so sorry," she breathed. Their voices and laughter faded away as they left the building, and she deemed it safe to do the same. Her mind was plagued by the recent conversation.
Hikaru likes me.
"Hikaru-san likes me," Kyoko said out loud. She found herself shaking at the thought of it. Her chest felt like it was about to collapse as she contemplated dating him. She always wanted someone to care of her, so why didn't this feel right?
Chapter 3:
"Stupid heart," she mumbled to herself. "Haven't you learned your lesson?" She asked herself, and she felt that muscle start to race. Nope, I'm a fool. She continued to stare at Ren's picture and her heart started to trigger memories. People say that the mind is the most powerful thing in the world, that you can wish yourself to die, and you could do so with absolutely nothing wrong with you. Kyoko thought that a lie.
The heart was much more powerful. It caused her to see his face, to hear his laugh, his voice. His scent permeated everything around her, and her hands could still feel the warmth that radiated around her as Ren broke through that last carefully placed lock.
Kyoko may be in love, but she didn't have to be stupid about it like she was with Sho. If she remembered correctly, Ren was here too. She reached into her purse and pulled out a small notepad. Since Yashiro wasn't with the Heel siblings and Cain refused to talk about Ren's schedule, she roughly copied his schedule each week. She flipped through the pages, hiding in the shadows of the building and found today's entry.
Kyoko watched him drink down a water bottle from full to empty in seconds. The perspiration was evident on his skin. She wanted to help him. The desire to wipe the sweat off is chest made her body ache, and she unconsciously took a step forward. She stopped when one of the models came up to talk to him. The girl was gorgeous, with long, dark hair that fell down to the small of her back. She was tiny, about as tall as Kyoko but with a fuller figure and a more mature face. She smiled seductively up at her tall senpai, her teeth perfectly white, shinning between red lips.
Kyoko wanted to hate her. She wanted to storm out in a jealous rage and claim him as hers. Of course, she couldn't. Ren didn't belong to anyone. He was his own man, and he stated that he wasn't interested in anyone dozens of times in interviews and such. He nodded to something she asked, and Kyoko could see her jump on the balls of her feet excitedly. What did he agree to? Was he going to drive her home? To her home or his? Are they going to have dinner first?
Kyoko stepped back, deeper into her hiding spot with tears in her eyes. Is he going to kiss her? They look really cute together. Perhaps they are already seeing each other. Flashes of his smiles and cute puppy dog faces appeared in her mind. The pretty woman appeared into the image leaning up to return his smiles with a kiss. Her arms wrapping around his slim waist as Ren held her in his warm embrace. She violently shook her head trying to erase the image.
"I can't do this," Kyoko whispered quietly to herself and ran to the door.
Chapter 4:
It was over before it even began. Kyoko wanted to rant and scream at someone, but she only had herself to blame. Neither man asked for her love. Neither did anything special with her or treated her any differently from other woman. They were just apart of her life like Maria was or the Daruma-ya couple. It was her brainless heart that decided to fall in love with them. She can't be angry at them if they never wanted her love to begin with.
She sighed and forced her eyes away only to land on another picture. It was of her and the Ishibashis after the show. Kyoko thought she looked horrible in it, forced to take a picture after sweating in the Bo suit for an hour and a half. No one seemed to mind, the three of them huddling around her, grinning like idiots. She smiled softly and lifted the picture, her mind focusing on a certain man in it.
Hikaru likes me.
She stepped back and sat before her little table. She set the picture frame down in the middle and rested her chin on her forearms. She stared at it, at him. He looked like his normal self, smiling brightly with laughter in his eyes. He had his arm around Shinichi but hovered around Kyoko more than the other two Ishibashis. She let her mind wonder at the thought of him.
Kyoko looked over the picture once more and something inside of her clicked. She realized what she was doing to poor Hikaru. He was in the same boat she was in, forced to live in a one-sided love. Every week, he had to endure seeing her, taking his heart out and letting her rip it apart every time she unknowingly rejected him. She hated this heart wrenching feeling, and if she could help her friend overcome that then she will do whatever she can. She didn't know how she felt about him, but everyone deserves a chance or at least some real closure.
Chapter 5:
"Ah," Kyoko smiled and replied, "yes, It's Kyoko. Um, am I bothering you?" Her heart was beating rapidly as she started to ramble nervously, "I didn't wake you up, did I?"
"No," Hikaru said quickly, "No, it's great hearing from you. I was just a little surprised. I wasn't expecting a call from you."
Kyoko smiled. "I was wondering if you were free today?" She asked bashfully, "Maybe for lunch or something?" She could feel her face burn in embarrassment. He did this every week?
"YES!" He yelled out into the phone as soon as she finished asking, causing Kyoko to jerk it away from her ear. She laughed as he mumbled his apologies.
...
"I should take you home, right? You need to be somewhere at five?" Hikaru asked, his voice a little sad. She nodded. She had to meet up with Ren after his shoot to assume the Heel sibling roles. As they climbed onto the bike, her mind drifted to the other man. Her chest felt tight as she thought of him, wondering how his shoot was going, then she closed her eyes and relaxed as much as she could on the back of the bike.
Hikaru felt her arms tighten around him suddenly. He didn't make a turn or speed up unexpectedly, so there was no reason for her to cling on to him. He smiled and sped up the bike a little in celebration. She had having fun! She enjoyed their first date! The date was more than anything he could hope for. She was exciting and funny. She was open to new things, and lets him take the lead in their date acting totally cute and sweet. But she will voice her opinions and concerns like a real person. He hated mousy passive girls and at the same time, he couldn't handle the fiery ones that dominated their dates.
He took a step back, "Well, have a good night, and I'll see you for the show."
Kyoko frowned confused. She saw him turn towards his bike, ready to put his helmet back on, when she grabbed his arm. He turned towards her waiting for her to speak.
"Um, I'm free at six this Sunday," she said to the ground, "If you are free too, maybe we can go out again, if… you… want…." Her eyes moved up as he approached her, finally meeting his as she finished her request. He looked darkly into her eyes, hope and affection danced in his dark irises. His fingertips touched her cheek softly causing a shiver to run down her skin. She looked up at him, and her eyes widened as his closed.
He…he… he's going to kiss me!
She licked her lips and her body wanted to retreat, to hide. Her arms wanted to shove him away, but her mind forced her to stay.
You are dating him! Kissing is something you do with your date. Stay still!
His fingers tickled her as he caressed her cheek. Hikaru pressed the softest of chaste kisses on her lips. She barely felt it. Was that my first real kiss?
She slipped inside and closed the door with a final goodbye. She leaned against it and waited until she heard the sound of his bike drift away. She took a deep breath and touched her lips.
Maybe this is what real love is supposed to be like, simple, calming, and fun. Kyoko couldn't say that she loved Hikaru, but maybe after some time, she could. Her heart was opened to it now, and Hikaru is safe. Her heart is safe with him.
Hikaru likes me.
I like him.
Like can turn into love.
Right?
A/N: Now, for the rest of the story...