Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat but I did write this original story!

Shouko's eyes widened at the headline in the newspaper. Her hands grasped the edges of the newspaper so tightly that her knuckles turned white. As she continued to read the article, her hands began to tremble, and soon the trembling was so bad, that it shook even the news article making it impossible to even read the story.

What was she going to do? The high arches of her brows wrinkled in worry, as she rolled the newspaper up tightly. Was it possible that the story was being focus on only in the printed press and not in broadcast journalism? Staring at the television in the middle of the living room, she hesitated briefly before hastily walking over towards it. Turning on the television, she switched over to the news channel hoping that there was no evidence of the story.

With both hands clasped tightly into a fist in front of her lips, she held her breath for a few seconds, before the tension left her and a relieved smiled spread across her face. She was glad that the news being broadcasted was only talking about the huge success of Fuwa Sho's concert.

Both news casters were talking up the popularity of her young charge and her smile widened as she listened in on the unprecedented amount of praise and admiration aimed at him.

Yes, Fuwa Sho was an incredibly talented young singer, who was likely to have a long and successful career in the music industry, as long as he is able to maintain his charismatic and professional manner.

This means, as his manager, she needed to keep him within his own boundaries and out of trouble, or away from negative press. And as long as he resolves his issues with Kyoko, who was one of the few people that could cause an upstir in his composure, he should have that perfect musical career.

This was the greatest bane of Shouko's life as she recognised the long history that those two had together and keeping them from colliding in the small world of show business was not going to be an easy feat. As for resolving those issues, that was something strictly between those two individuals and Shouko had no intention of getting involved.

Shouko's thoughts were interrupted when the broadcast journalist started on another story. It was the story that Shouko was dreading. Like a scene from a horror movie, Shouko's eyes rounded in dismay as she looked at what was unfolding on the television.

Picture after picture of Tsuruga Ren and Kyoko kissing, with their arms wrapped tightly around each other was being shown. A groan passed Shouko's lips as she continued to watch, transfixed on the two figures.

Behind her, a door swung open, making her jump in surprise. Turning the television off quickly, Shouko spun around to face Sho, who still had evidence of sleep in his eyes. Rubbing the tiredness from his eyes, he walked languidly towards her in his dressing robe and boxing shorts, yawning loudly.

"Why didn't you wake me up? Are you watching the news about my concert yesterday?" He asked as a wide and excited smile crossed his youthful face.

Sho, who rarely rose before noon without complaining, couldn't help but feel delighted after last night's concert, and couldn't wait to hear the latest reviews. He was so sure he had out done all his previous performance, and was eager to hear the praises that were due to him from his loving and adoring fans.

A nervous smile spread across Shouko's face briefly, summoning a calm composure, she cleared her throat as she walked determinedly over to Sho.

"You did wonderfully, yesterday. But now is not the time to get into that." Taking his arm, she dragged him away from the living room and towards the shower.

"Don't forget, you have a lot of interviews scheduled for today, so you better get an early start," she stated as she began to pull off the last of his clothing and pushed him into the shower.

Standing in the shower, a sexy smile spread across Sho's face as his eyes smoldered darkly, before he asked, "Well, I might need your help getting me ready, why don't you come in with me?"

Cold water hit his naked form in reply, when Shouko turned on the shower and shut the door on him.

"I can't, I still have to get your breakfast ready," she answered, as she quickly exited the bathroom to the sound of Sho sputtering and choking up expletives from the icy cold sprinkle.

Grumbling to himself, Sho recognized Shouko's inattentiveness and was irritated by it. Didn't she realize what a hot stud he was? Surely at her age, she should consider herself lucky that he would invite her into his shower? What was it about the women he allowed in his life?

Choosing not to further focus on the issue, he turned the warm water on and waited patiently under the icy jets, until the water heated up to his liking before he finally relaxed. His thoughts returned to his concert yesterday and the harsh lines around his face softened, while a wide smile lit up his boyish face.

He remembered the bright lights focused on him and the thousands of screaming fans entranced by his songs. Nothing had felt more exhilarating, than feeling the love of every girl in the audience. He chuckled, as he remembered how many of them had thrown roses at him, while several daring few, had even tossed up their skimpy underwear. Sho sighed happily. He couldn't help it, he was just too handsome for his own good.

Everything had gone as expected yesterday. The only thing that could have made the event any more perfect was if Kyoko had been at the concert. Frowning, Sho reached for the shampoo as he contemplated his relationship with his childhood friend.

Was she ever going to forgive him? How much more time should he give her before he should take action, he wondered. Surely by now she should have already forgiven him. After all, she was always madly in love with him. Surely even now she loved him still.

She just didn't know it yet, he decided as he scrubbed at his hair. He just had to make her remember how awesome he was and that would ensure that she would return to her rightful place. A place that was beneath him, preferably even in his bed, a wicked smile drew across his face as imagined her there.

His hands reached for the soap and he began lathering himself up. Touching the hard planes of his own body, he remembered in contrast how soft her body had felt. The fullness of her breast was something he had recently discovered, and the smoothness of her thighs and curve of her bottom was not something he had ever known existed. Was it because her body had finally matured?

Heat emitted off his skin, as he watched his penis enlarge. He was surprised as he felt himself harden at the thought of her body. Why was she so able to arouse him even though he had spent the entire night in Shouko's bed? Yet the thought of Kyoko's body even sent his heart beat racing.

Anger flooded his being when he realised the effect she was beginning to have on him. Slamming his hand against the wall of the shower, Sho cursed loudly, "That stupid, pathetic and hopeless woman, that openly flirts with men! Who do you think you are to ignore me?"

"I need to put an end to that baseless confidence of hers, before that shape-shifting, demon, soul sucker drinks even my soul!" Sho closed his eyes and lifted his face towards the jet stream, as he recalled how beautiful she had looked and wondered if he would even recognise her if she continued in show business.

Damn her! He needed to find a way to ruin her career to stop her from remaining in show business. How could she even dare think she could ever take him on as an enemy? Did she really think she could be more famous than him and make him kneel and beg for her forgiveness? Wasn't she just a stupid boring nobody? No, she wasn't boring.

Opening his eyes wide and stepping away from the water, he leaned his head against the wall in contemplation. It wasn't as if he wanted her to go back to being that boring person that could only serve people, which was something, he couldn't even imagine her ever becoming again.

However, he would not allow her to be in show business any longer. Especially, when she was beginning to flirt frivolously with strange guys and allowing them to give her make-overs. Stupid woman, was she deliberately encouraging these guys? Did she really want to hand herself over to them on a silver platter?

The only guy she should be giving herself to on a silver platter was him. In fact, she shouldn't be thinking of anyone else but him, especially when he knew that his existence in her heart was still bigger than anyone else. He just needed to make her realise that fact again.

Finishing up his shower, he stepped out and headed back towards the bedroom. Like a good mother, Shouko had already laid out his clothes for him on the bed and he quickly dressed himself.

"Where's my breakfast Shouko?" Sho yelled from the room, not really expecting her to be making him anything. After all, Shouko was a horrible cook. In fact, none of Sho's girlfriends were any good at cooking. None, except for Kyoko.

His lips tightened, as he once again thought about her. Damn her, but why was she still popping up in his mind. She had better not be making anything good to eat for anyone. He had still not entirely forgiven her for making chocolates on Valentine's Day for that rat bastard, beagle singer.

Why would anyone think that idiot beagle singer was better than him, didn't people have eyes to see how much they copied him. He was after all, the coolest and most popular rock star out there.

His eyes lit up with glee as he stared at himself in the mirror. A cool and handsome face stared back at him. His skin was flawless and his silky blonde locks, that were still damp from the shower fell in disarray against his forehead, giving him a punk rock look. The arrogant line of his jaw was clean shaven and beneath finely arched eyebrows, laid a pair of intensely sensual eyes.

Smiling in satisfaction at how good looking he was, Sho couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't yet been chosen over Ren as the number one most sexy guy in all of Japan. In his opinion, he was still the best looking guy in show business. Damn that guy for taking the title, and damn him for thinking he can take Kyoko away from him.

Kyoko again, why was it that no matter what he did, his thoughts would always return to that stupid, pathetic, dumb girl?

"I will make that girl pay for this, even if I have to pull destiny towards me and kick fate to the ground!" he said aloud before charging out of the bedroom and back into the living room where Shouko was.

Sho reached around Shouko and circled her curvaceous hips with his arms, drawing her back against his chest. "What are you doing? I thought you would be busy making my breakfast or have you forgotten?" He asked against the smooth line of her neck.

His breath was warm against her skin and the husky sound of his words brought a chill down her spine, causing goose bumps to emerge over her skin. Noticing her reaction, Sho naturally thought it was from sexual desire. But Shouko was not standing with her back pressed against Sho in any form of sexual desire.

In fact, she was standing there in dread as she had finally convinced herself that she needed to disclose the bad news that was going on in the media about Ren and Kyoko. However, she was convinced that she would be able to postpone the matter, although she wasn't entirely sure that doing so would benefit Sho.

But her options of telling him now would surely dampen the day. He was more than likely going to revert back to his Deva King mode and spend the rest of the day in an intolerable mood. Just the thought of him appearing on television looking like that would likely draw too much attention to him, and it would be bad press that would hound him for the answers.

That was something she wanted to avoid at all cost, at least until he was done working, and could lament privately and away from the overbearing eyes of the public. The thought of Sho lamenting over Kyoko brought a small groan from her chest, it was more likely that Sho would tear the apartment down in rage than weep pitifully or quietly.

Either way, Shouko was a firm believer that she should help him through his upset with Kyoko. Perhaps it wasn't too late to get her back? Shaking her head mentally, Shouko cautioned herself about getting involved in their long standing conflict.

But what if it were possible, wouldn't it solve her own situation with Sho? Wouldn't it allow her to go back to just having a professional relationship, instead of a skewed up sexual one that constantly left her feeling like a cougar?

And if that was so, then she needed to talk Sho into doing so quickly, before Ren and Kyoko take their relationship to the next level. After all, they were only kissing. Surely a kiss was nothing to be scared of in show business. It wasn't as if they had announced that they were engaged or anything!

Laying her hands over Sho's, she held him firmly as she turned around to face the young singer.

"Sho, I have some bad news to give you," she waited to see the look of desire fade away from Sho's face as she readied herself for the repercussions for what she would be saying.

"What is it?" he asked, as he released her and took a step back. A frown marred his youthful face as he waited for Shouko's explanation.

"It's about your concert last night," again Shoko paused for a silent moment as she prepared him for the impending news.

"What is it Shouko?" he asked again, but this time there was a tinge of fear in his unsteady voice.

Shouko watched as Sho straightened himself up, bracing himself for the bad news. "There was a very famous couple that came to your concert yesterday and the press were very busy covering their story."

Sho sighed in relief, what the hell was Shouko thinking, bringing up such irrelevant nonsense, and making it sound like it was the end of the world. He was almost driven to paralyzing fear when he had seen the seriousness in her eyes. His anger flared as he told her so.

"Why are you so stupid? You had me thinking something horrible had happened! So what if some celebrity couple were covered in a story, while at my concert. It probably drew in more readers that would also read about how awesome and wonderful my concert was, right?" his tone was sharp as he lifted up dark eye brows in question.

Shouko shook her head, unable to answer him with her words.

"What do you mean by shaking your head? Their story did bring in more popularity to my concert, am I right, Shouko?" he asked, while a frown crossed his face again, his eyes probed hers for clarification.

A small groan escaped Shouko as she noticed his irritation. She clenched her hands tightly into a fist before quickly saying, "Never mind, you're right this will bring you a lot more popularity."

Raising eyes that were lit with a new found determination, Shouko decided bringing up the subject now was inappropriate after all.

A small twitch began to occur in Sho's left eye brow as he stared hard at Shouko and wondered, what was she hiding?

A/N: Hi everyone! Hope you are enjoying my newest story! I wrote it for those of you that requested another chapter of The Last Lock! Please R & R and tell me what you think!

For those interested I took into account Sho's thoughts from SB ch 141, 144 and some of the more recent chapters, while writing this.