A day faster than I thought, which is a good thing.

Special thanks for iceangel43, Evangeline43, 24, MythicalNights, GhiraLink, WitchMagpie, Bard the Wordy, firemageallanna, SKIPBEATfanfanfan, and Lapsina for faving, following, and reviewing the previous chapters.

And for the loyal readers, thank you for reading and reviewing again and again. I could not have gone on with this story without you guys.

Disclaimer: I do not own Skip-Beat!

Chapter 14: Epilogue ~Before The Next Episode~

"And... CUT!"

The staff started lowering Kanae down. Asami and Marina looked at the monitor while the director replayed the captured scene.

A wide, but still professional, smile spread on Asami's face. "This is fabulous! The first seconds are even better than the previous take. I don't think we'll need another take. Any opinion, Akatoki-san?"

"I have the exactly same thoughts as yours, Asami-kun," Marina replied with a small smile. "I am just more than glad that the same unfortunate incident did not happen this time. We might as well offer a prayer of thanks for that."

The other crews then set into motion. They swarmed around Kanae and Kyoko and unhooked them from the wires. All three actors - the two actresses and Ren - could not stop smiling in relief, more than happy that the climax scene was finished and over with.

Hiou walked towards them and grinned widely at Kanae, who gave him a smile back. "I haven't seen you since the start of this scene," she said.

"Ah, well," Hiou mumbled, scratching his head. "As much as I wanted to watch, I have to admit that I was pretty bored. So I was spending time in the dressing room, studying the script for my drama tomorrow, and when I glanced at the clock, it was already this time."

Kanae just chuckled. "Just admit that you didn't really want to watch," she teased him.

Hiou's face got flustered. "No, seriously, I really wanted to watch it, especially the parts you were in!" he said with spirits, but then he froze and mumbled in a small voice just above a whisper, "But the romantic scenes between the Black Demon and Tsuruga were so freaky they gave me goosebumps."

The ravenette could not help but laugh. As good and mature an actor he was, Uesugi Hiou was still a growing kid at heart, and she adored that side of him.

Kanae froze. Wait, did I just think that he was adorable? Her train of thoughts was cut when she heard his voice again.

"So?" the teen actor asked. "Did I miss something?"

"Actually, you missed on a lot," she replied. "Although I thought your manager knows about all that has happened up to this moment."

Hiou could not help but get curious.

On the other side of the studio, Ren and Kyoko walked hand in hand towards Yashiro, who apparently was struggling to tone down his squealing due to Kyoko's presence. The couple kept glancing sideways lovingly at each other with smiles on their face, making Yashiro's struggle not easier.

"Good job, you two," the bespectacled man said while trying to contain his fan-girl grin. "But I think it can be expected from you. One more scene and they can wrap it up."

Kyoko blushed lightIy thanks to the compliment. At the sight of that, Ren could not help but chuckle.

"What?" Kyoko asked, rising an eyebrow.

Ren smirked, and then lowered his head so that his lips were near his girlfriend's ears. Kuon was in total control, and he slyly whispered, "Have I ever told you how cute you are when you blush?"

Kyoko's blush deepened ten shades of red, causing Kuon to want to tease her more.

"Yeah, just like that," he whispered again. "You're as red as tomatoes I can just eat you up."

"Ku- Ren!" Kyoko snapped, still blushing deeply. "You're impossible!"

The tall actor just laughed, while Yashiro was curious on what his charge had said to the budding actress.

The doors suddenly burst open, revealing a parade of dancers dressed like nereids. Everyone was speechless as Lory Takarada, this time dressed like Neptune, complete with a golden trident in his hand, walked in and straight to Kyoko's direction.

"Mogami-kun!" his voice blared. "I heard that you were met with an accident?"

Kyoko sweat-dropped. "Err... Yes?"

The eccentric man grabbed Kyoko and started inspecting her for injuries. Ren could swear that his boss looked slightly disappointed when he could not find any, which drew him to a conclusion that may be, just may be, Lory had planned something grandeur amd dramatic in case Kyoko was really injured.

The president of LME then turned to Ren. "What about you, young man?"

"Well, at least I'm still kicking," Ren answered casually with a shrug.

Lory sighed, "Good, because if you don't, I don't know what to tell Kuu tomorrow and he will definitely behead me if he find out his 'son' and her boyfriend got hurt. Ah, good to see you, Marina-chan."

Ren and Kyoko turned around to see Marina standing near them with an amused look. "It is nice to see you again, Takarada-san," she said. "But sadly, I have to take your two talents here from you, because they have to go to costumes. Now."

A tall man with short, black hair was strolling on the even pathway on a lush meadow. He was clad in comfortable shirt and pants, and he looked relaxed, although if someone had a look very close, his eyes could show his loneliness, as if be was missing a part of his soul.

That was when he saw her, and was frozen in anticipation.

The girl was sitting on the middle of the meadow just near him with her back facing him. The top of her long dirty blonde hair was covered under a white hat. She was reading a book when a gust of wind blew her hat away towards the man.

She turned around and that was when he saw him.

Both pairs of eyes, black and blue, widened in surprise, and only seconds after that, softened with love and joy. The girl got up and she strode towards him before being caught in his embrace.

Yashiro could not be more surprised when he saw his boss crying in awe. He had known for so long that Lory was a big supporter of everything related to love, and it might not be an impossibility that the man agreed to colaborate with Akatoki Agency just because he wanted to be involved in something full of love such as this project.

The manager himself had to be equally awed. It might be just fate, or Marina may be a psychic, but the whole story of 'True Reflection' had accurately mirrored Ren and Kyoko's relationship, although more dramatic with the fantasy and all.

Not that he needed to concern himself with that, he thought with a slight shrug of his shoulder.

Sho did not know what else to think.

The song 'True Reflection' was written to express his feelings for a certain childhood friend of his. And he had always thought that he understood her the best.

He was proven wrong.

As he saw Kyoko smiling happily in Ren's arms, in and out character, he realized that he did not understand everything about her. Sure, he knew all of her habits and usual antics, but deep down, she was not what Sho had always labeled her as in his mind.

The true Mogami Kyoko was not a helpless crybaby or a simple-minded girl who would do anything just so that people would love her. This girl was strong to stand on her own, with compassion for others and love towards her job and friends.

Too bad for Sho that she was already taken, by the man whom he had sworn to defeat nonetheless. But there was no way he would give up the fight. He let himself a smirk as he remembered the excitement in Sanada's eyes when he told her about him and Kyoko, and from the looks on the journalist's face, it would appear on the gossip column sooner or later.

Let's see what you would do about that, Kyoko, Sho thought as he strode towards his dressing room to prepare for his part of the shoot.

A pair of golden eyes was eyeing the scenery from the window of the hotel room. It was showering outside, but the clouds did not hide the rays of sunlight, making the view just more beautiful for the owner of the said eyes.

The black-haired man was sitting on a chair near the window. His gaze was raking what he saw for details, and lit up when he could see some elves and undines flying around in the greeneries. They brought a smile up on his handsome face.

One of his hands was holding a pencil, gliding flawlessly over a sketch pad supported on his lap by his other hand. On the nearby table, a letter he just finished writing was lying next to a new envelope.

The only thing written on the envelope was 'Akatoki Marina'.

Kyoko was mildly surprised when she found Ren waiting for her in front of the dressing room. Kanae had gone home earlier, and the make-up artists were busy preparing Sho for the shoot, leaving Kyoko alone in the room.

She blushed mildly at the sight of him, and mumbled softly while suddenly finding her toes very interesting. "Good work today." She then looked up only to be greeted by his gentle yet blinding smile.

"You too," Ren replied. "Can I come in?"

In silent agreement, Kyoko stepped aside from the doorframe, letting the handsome actor in. Ren walked into the empty room and sat on the sofa, motioning for her to join him, which she gladly complied with.

"Where's Yashiro-san?" she asked in an attempt to break the awkward silence.

"The last time I saw him, he was talking to the President," Ren answered, his fingers playing with her chestnut tresses. "And before I forget, the President told me that he wanted to see you in his office later tonight. He seemed really pleased, so it might be a good news."

She only hummed in understanding, enjoying the feel of the delicate touch done by his rough fingers on her hair.

He brought her closer to him by circling one arm around her shoulder and sighed. "You can't imagine how glad I am that this's all finished. I can't stand being in the same room as that a******."

Kyoko just giggled at that, widening the smile on Ren's face into Corn's old childish grin. She loved it when he smiled like that, as it reminded her of their time in the clearing in Kyoto when they were little.

"However," Ren continued, "I'm not regretting being in this project one bit. I can't believe I'm now thankful that the Boss forced me into this."

Kyoko pulled herself away from him so that she could look at his face. She asked, "And why is that?"

Ren's gentle smile was back as he leaned his forehead on hers and they were just a breath away, nose to nose. "Because I got to hear you say that you love me. That, Princess, was the best time in my life ever."

He leaned in closer, hesitating a bit, waiting for Kyoko to pull away, but instead, Kyoko closed their remaining distance and gave him a peck on his lips, which then grew into a passionate kiss. Their lips moved slowly at first as they savored the feelings of being together with each other, until Kuon took over and deepened their kiss.

Kyoko gasped when she felt his tongue licking her bottom lips, creating an opportunity for his tongue to enter her mouth. Kuon took the chance and slipped his tongue in, tasting every corner of her and stroking her tongue. The girl felt a pleasant jolt along her spine when he did that, and involuntarily, she let out a soft moan.

Kuon groaned inwardly. You've just been together with her for a week, dammit! Have a self-control, or else you'll scare her away!

It took him all his sanity to tone down his kiss, keeping it chaste while once in a while nibbling her lips. When they broke the kiss, they looked into each other's eyes lovingly with gentle smiles on their face.

"Want to hear a secret?" Kyoko whispered. Kuon raised an eyebrow questioningly. "I don't regret any of this either. Not the PV, not meeting Shotaro, and most of all, not about falling in love with you, my fairy prince." She almost could not finish her sentence when Kuon pulled her to plant another passionate kiss, and she smiled on the touch of his lips on hers.

Because Tsuruga Ren, or Hizuri Kuon, or Corn the fairy prince, was the only one who could see her true reflection and loving her as she was, and she had nothing to regret about it.

And that is the end of "True Reflection". I will continue the story in the sequel, "The Next Episode". This chapter is a bit short, but all in all I'm pretty pleased with this chapter.

I am also thinking of writing a one-shot with Maria as the star, but looking at how I have not thought about the right plot to go with my initial idea, the first chapter of "The Next Episode" might come out first. Or the one-shot will be canceled, which I dread to happen. But we'll see.

And I need ideas for Lory's cosplays for the next Skip-Beat! fanfic I write, so if you have any, please PM me if you want to share.

Please review :) Thank you!