The Forest Fairy

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat! Or Taylor Swift's Love Story, briefly mentioned.

Gosh, I'm quite nervous to be honest. This is the first time a fanfiction of mine actually has a proper working plot, and I have a rough idea of the storyline. This is a story that I'm pretty sure has never been written before in the history of Skip Beat! fanfiction. The story's extremely simple, yet so difficult to write.

Basically, this story is about how no one can ever fully run from their past; but they can still learn to embrace their future with a bright smile.

So I hope you enjoy The Forest Fairy, smile at the happy bits, and cry at the sad moments. OOC characters may be around a lot, but they're there for a reason…

Summary: Ren Tsuruga has written a movie script and gotten Director Ogata to film it, in his most ambitious plan yet to confess to Kyoko Mogami, with them as the main leads. But when things go awry on-location in Kyoto, will Ren be able to give Kyoko the 'Happily Ever After' ending she's always dreamed of? /RxK/YxK/KxC/

Dedicated To: my dear friend Janee. Word for the chapter: Tainted.

Began writing 27th March 2013.

"Talking"

'Thinking'

(A/N: … or just a random comment)

Act 1: And The Stage Is Set

-LME: President's Office, Top Floor; 11.38 AM-

The room was surprisingly spacious, large and had an open feel to it. The French windows and large, billowing curtains let the late morning sun into the office. The white fans whirred overhead, even as the heaters worked overtime to compensate for the temperature difference in this room and the outside surroundings.

It was barely the middle of autumn in late October, but the owner of this room had decided to go with a tropical summer theme for today. Various mounds of sand were piled on the floor here and there. There was all manner of palm trees and fruit trees dotting the room, and somehow there was even a huge round pond - lake? - surrounded by sand in the middle of the room.

Currently lazing on a beach chair laid out before the pond/lake, was a tall man with black hair, beautifully bronzed skin and white beach shorts: The President of LME Pop Productions, Japan.

The President snapped his fingers, and immediately his most faithful servant, Sebastian, came forward with a crystal flute of Tropicana Hawaiian, served on a beautifully polished silver tray.

He accepted the crystal flute and thanked his manservant with a thumbs-up, before turning his attention to the drink itself while Sebastian vanished as quickly as he had appeared. The liquid was almost a clear blue, and was decorated with a bright pink umbrella and some fake Hawaiian flowers.

Hmph! thought President Lory Takarada, a small smirk forming on his handsome face. I like this drink, he decided. It reminds me very much of my favourite couple in the whole entire world...

The President then reached for a PS2 game console, and snapped his fingers yet again. With almost impossible speed, Sebastian appeared yet again and turned on the plasma TV monitor placed several feet away from Lory's lounger on a TV console, before vanishing yet again.

Happily, the moustachioed President turned his favourite game on – a game he had privately called in a favour from a well-known gaming company's President, just to make for him, and him only. There was currently only one copy of this particular game in the whole wide world in existence.

The screen lit up with the game's title, accompanied by the sounds of Taylor Swift's Love Story as its theme soundtrack. The wallpaper of the Start Screen was also a rather cheery, nice-looking wide shot of the LME HQ.

KyoRen.

Well, that's what they are, thought Lory for the thousandth time in mild amusement, as he pressed the Continue Game button. This was followed by another option; Play as Ren Tsuruga or Kyoko Mogami?

President Lory pressed the Ren Tsuruga button, and the screen faded and changed to show a hallway in one of LME's many corridors.

To be exact; the corridor right outside the infamous LoveMe Office, situated on the 3rd floor of LME.

And right in the middle of this infamous corridor, two well-known people were depicted to be talking deeply about a problem.

"Problem: Kyoko is confused about what to do for her newest role. Do you: #1) Talk her through it from a Sempai's point of view? #2) Chide her for her incompetence from a Brother's point of view? #3) Offer to teach her more from a Friend's point of view?"

Lory frowned. He didn't remember getting to this point in the game before, and he had played it many, many times already. Must be some random extra pathway to earn love points, I guess.

After mulling for half a minute, Lory eventually pressed the #1 button.

"Situation: Kyoko starts to feel even more incompetent than she already is. Do you: #2) Chide her for her incompetence from a Brother's point of view? #3) Offer to teach her more from a Friend's point of view?"

Lory was now quite confused. "Didn't I already press the first button? And why does the following question have the same two options, but not the first one? Then what? The second one?"

He pressed button #2 and got yet another shock.

"Situation: Kyoko is now crying and keeps apologising to you for being such a useless kohai. Do you: #3) Offer to teach her more from a Friend's point of view?"

"…"

Lory was now even more stunned than confused. Initially he'd thought the second question might be bugged but now even the third question was the same thing.

"Does that mean the last option is the correct one? But it has to do with a Friend's point of view… I'm sure Mogami-kun views Ren as a Sempai, and also as Brother, thanks to the Heel Siblings saga, but-Friend?! Well, I'm sure Ren views her as a GIRL-friend, but still-"

"-Crrrk. Scrrrch. Bzzt. President?"

The intercom system that was privately for Lory's office suddenly crackled to life, startling the man out of his thoughts. The system was connected to his secretary who had her desk just outside his office, one corridor down.

"-Yes, what is it?" he replied, trying to sound as business-like as possible. Lory knew when to draw the line at work, after all.

"-Tsuruga Ren-san is here to see you, Sir, and so is Director Hiroaki Ogata-san. Urgent business, they said."

Huh? Why would Ren, of all people, visit so suddenly, and with Ogata? And urgent business? wondered the President in confusion. Well, I'll let them in, but first-

The President hurriedly saved his game and powered the game system off before he spoke to his secretary again. It wouldn't do for Ren to see my game…

"-Let them in," called the President, hoping his aloof-sounding voice betrayed no hints of surprise.

Within the next moment, the double doors to his private office opened, and Lory saw two men come in with brisk steps. He spotted a glimpse of Sebastian shutting the doors as they entered, giving the three a modicum of privacy.

The President observed both men as they walked in his direction, feet clicking in time. The taller one, Director Hiroaki Ogata, was now one of Japan's most well-known young directors. He had a knack for filming excellent dramas and movies since his first hit movie Dark Moon, now almost two years ago to the day.

As for the slightly taller man beside him… Lory's senses tingled. As Japan's current Number One Actor, a reputed Co-Star Killer and Most Desirable Man, he was well-known for being an unfailingly consummate professional, both on-screen and off. However, Lory knew him, knew him; and right now he got the feeling, that Ren Tsuruga had something good to discuss today. The briefcase Ren held in his right hand seemed to attest to that.

Lory straightened his back in business-like fashion as they stopped two metres away from his beach lounger, heads slightly bowed as a mark of respect.

"Good morning, Sir," said Ren as he straightened his head. Ogata did the same. Lory glanced at the clock.

11.57 AM.

"Well, it's already almost afternoon but that's fine. Do sit, both of you. And tell me why you're here." Ever the well-mannered host, Lory snapped his fingers, and several servants appeared with two more beach chairs and got Ren and Ogata to sit down, while Sebastian bore a tray with three more crystal flutes.

"-I assumed you would like a new one, Sir," was all Sebastian said as he served them a glass each of Tropicana Hawaiian before bowing and vanishing with the other servants.

Ren looked at his crystal flute in barely-disguised amusement, even as Director Ogata admired the equally crystal-clear waters from the pond/lake beside his chair.

"So," said the President, as he took a big swig of his drink, "what is so urgent that you'd want to see me without even calling for an appointment beforehand?"

Ren and Hiroaki exchanged glances, before Ren nodded his head slightly to acknowledge that he would be the one doing most of the explaining. He placed his briefcase on his lap and flicked the two locks with relative ease, though he did seem a little nervous, as if fearful of some sort of rejection…

"Well, I've been writing a script…"

-LME: LoveMe Office, 3rd Floor; 2.47 PM-

Lunch hour had ended almost 1 hour ago for most of LME's employees, but for some reason Kanae Kotonami still felt hungry.

She turned to the LoveMe girl seated to her left at their worktable.

"Hey, Chiorin?"

Chiori Amamiya looked up from the celebrity magazine she'd been scrutinising and stared at Kanae in surprise.

"Got any snacks?"

Chiori's eyes widened but she shrugged her shoulders to signify a nope, sorry. In response, Kanae's own shoulders slumped and she actually groaned.

"What's wrong, Kanae? I've never heard you ask for snacks before. Like, ever."

"Yeah, I know," muttered Kanae, "but for some reason I just feel hungry."

"Too bad Kyoko isn't here, or we could all go for ice-cream," remarked Chiori as she turned her attention back to her magazine. 'She would never forgive us if we went for ice-cream without her."

"Yeah," Kanae grumbled, as she fell forwards in the hard plastic chair, propping her chin on the table with a groan.

Flip.

"Kyoko will be back tonight, right?"

"Yeah, she said so the last time we saw her. Remember?"

Flip.

"Oh yeah, you're right."

Flip.

"…Chiorin, how can you possibly read the magazine so fast?" said Kanae in confusion, seeing her friend's fingers flip the page every few seconds.

"Oh, well, most of the stories are lurid gossip material. Stuff and nonsense. I see no reason to pay attention to gossip and rumours," explained Chiori as she finally closed the magazine with a soft thwack, laying it down on the table.

"Makes sense," muttered Kanae, "though I remember Kyoko's always saving every magazine she can find. Well, not all of them. Just the ones that feature Tsuruga Ren and Fuwa Sho in any form."

"Which is most of them," surmised Chiori as she leaned back in her chair to meet Kanae's gaze square in the face. Kanae nodded sideways –a bit difficult considering her head was also lying sideways on the table- in response.

"But she's always using them to make dolls and all that stuff," said Chiori, her facial expression turning thoughtful. "For clothes and modelling inspiration, I mean."

"Sometimes I wonder where her talents come from," said Kanae. "You know, she's so incredibly good at cooking, sewing, doll-making, cleaning, decorating, designing… The list just goes on and on! Did I ever tell you how she passed the LME talent audition?"

"No, I didn't hear that. Do tell me," said Chiori, her eyes lighting up in interest. Kanae sat back up again, her back ram-rod straight.

"Well, that was the first time I ever met her, and boy did she give an impression! She actually got a daikon and a large knife, you know, a professional kind of knife, and-"

Knock knock.

The sharp but controlled sound of a knock on the office door reverberated through the room, surprising Kanae and Chiori so much, they actually whipped their heads in the direction of the door itself.

"-Hello?" The sound of a rather-familiar young man's voice could be heard, and the two girls in the room sensed a hint of nervousness in the man's voice.

"-Hello?" Kanae called back cautiously. The door was unlocked, so the handle was turned from the outside and it swung open, to reveal Ren Tsuruga.

"…Huh?" said both girls in unison, utterly surprised. Ren himself looked a bit out-of-sorts, obviously uncomfortable. He was by himself, but he carried a small briefcase in his hand.

Quicker to recover, Chiori hurriedly greeted the tall man. "Hello Tsuruga-san. I'm afraid Kyoko didn't come back early today-"

The girls spotted a slight flicker of emotion in Ren's eyes, before the expression disappeared. Strangely, Ren seemed more relieved that the woman they assumed he came to talk to as usual wasn't around.

"-Er, that's good, I suppose. Well then." Ren's face smoothened and once again, he became extremely gentlemanly as usual.

Kanae and Chiori exchanged looks. Why would Tsuruga be here if Kyoko wasn't around? wondered Kanae, even as she nodded in acknowledgement.

"So what are you here for?" she asked, staring straight into his eyes, hoping to see him perhaps give a hint away.

Tsuruga's brown orbs held hers, almost in an unspoken challenge, even as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Actually, I came here to talk to the two of you," he said slowly and clearly, eliciting looks of surprise on the girls's faces.

"But why would you want to talk to us?" said a bewildered Chiori, though she gestured for him to enter the room, closing the door behind him.

Tsuruga sat down on a chair at the table opposite them. Kanae realised with a jolt that the chair happened to be Kyoko's, but before she could ponder that any further, Tsuruga opened his briefcase.

Chiori rejoined Kanae on the other end and plopped onto her chair as well, expectant.

Tsuruga took out a sheaf of papers from his briefcase and slid it across the shiny table top towards them.

"That is the script for a new movie that Director Hiroaki Ogata will be filming next," Tsuruga explained. "I have been cast as his lead actor, and was meeting with him just two hours ago to officially confirm my involvement in the movie. But I happened to mention to him that I would be heading to the Actors Head Division on the other end of this floor after our meeting, so he requested me to do him a favour, and drop by to deliver his offer to the two of you."

Kanae and Chiori blinked in confusion at the long speech.

"What?" said Chiori politely.

Inwardly, Ren was trying his hardest not to break character. I don't normally act like thissss, the actor moaned in his head. If onlyyyyyyy…

"What I mean is; Director Ogata wants you two to play side-characters in the movie. You two would be playing a couple of integral roles. I'm sure you have heard of Director Ogata; he directed Dark Moon, if you remember. He's heard of you two through Mogami-san, so he's decided to cast you two in his new movie."

Kanae and Chiori immediately exchanged excited grins. A movie with the esteemed Director Ogata would be a great boost to their careers, no doubt about it!

"Well, that's great," said Kanae with a small smile, hoping she wouldn't be too obvious about the excitement bubbling in her stomach. Chiori didn't hold back, however.

"OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOSH! IT'S A DIRECTOR OGATA MOVIE! I am so happy!"

Ren smiled a quiet smile to himself. He was glad to see her friends happy, because if they were happy, she would be too.

Suddenly, a thought struck Kanae.

"Hey, Tsuruga…"

Ren's brown eyes, which originally had a hint of a smile in them, instantly turned slightly icy.

"Yes, Kotonami-san?"

"Er-Well… Director Ogata's only asking Chiori and I to star in the movie? …What about Kyoko?"

Ren groaned inwardly. He'd been so hoping to avoid this particular question…

"…Well, as far as I know, I think the Director's got his own plans for her?" Ren turned on his fake gentlemanly smile at full power, though it only served to annoy Kanae and Chiori. Both of them had heard from Kyoko some time ago about Ren's fake smile that appeared whenever he lied, or was trying to avoid something. Of course, they were too polite to accuse him outwardly of lying, so both actresses played along with the big actor.

"…I see," said Kanae finally. "Well, please pass our thanks and gratitude on to Director Ogata, would you, Tsuruga? Chiori and I have to look over the script to consider the offer now."

"Yes, thank you for delivering the scripts to us, Tsuruga-san," said Chiori.

Ren got the hint and rose to leave, shutting his briefcase. "Well, I hope to see you both at the read-through next week, then." With another bright, fake gentlemanly smile, Ren nodded at them both, and left the LoveMe Office, his heart inwardly worried.

What if-What if they reject the roles? They can't-Please God, they can't reject it!

-LME: Talent Office, 2nd Floor; 4.29 PM-

"And I was going on and on and on about Kanae being the best woman alive, and you just interrupted me!" yelled a young boy who seemed to be very annoyed with the equally young-looking girl sitting on the bench next to him.

"So what! Kanae-nee-chan is good, but Kyoko-nee-sama is better!" countered the pretty girl with a toss of her blonde locks.

Hio Uesugi rolled his eyes at her retort.

"Come on, Maria! You and I both know Kanae would trump Kyoko's butt any day!"

Maria Takarada gasped at the insult her beloved nee-sama's name had taken. 'Why you-"

"-Hello? Maria-chan?"

The deep, rich voice that could only belong to Maria's 3rd most favourite man in the world –after her father in England and grandfather, the President- made Maria whirl round, her face expressing blissful delight.

"REN-SAMA! HUG! HUG ME!"

Even though Maria was now nearly 10, she still had a crush on Ren, though she had come to realise the year before that her Ren-sama and beloved Onee-sama seemed to have… feelings for each other some way or another. And she was totally happy for the two of them, and supported them with all her heart.

Though that didn't stop Maria from her daily hugs with Ren whenever they met, of course.

Hio rolled his eyes yet again at the sight of the girl being hoisted into the air and even being swung around a little by Tsuruga.

"Yo, Tsuruga," he called as a form of greeting to Ren, who nodded in acknowledgement as he set Maria back down on the floor slowly.

Hio was now nearly 12, but his height had not yet changed too much since he was only just entering puberty. Still, he did come from a family of actors famous for their mostly short height, and his judo/kendo skills were quite a feat for a kid his age.

Which reminds me of the task I've come to do, thought Ren as he sat down on the bench in between the two kids.

"I'd like to ask you two a question, if you don't mind."

The girl and boy looked at him, the former inquisitive, the latter surprised.

"What is it, Tsuruga?" asked Hio carefully.

"Yes, what is it, Ren-sama?" asked Maria with an interested smile.

Ren tried to calm his nervous heart, which was beating overtime.

"Are you both… Interested in acting in a movie?"

And unseen by the kids, Ren crossed his fingers and hoped.

-LME: Meeting Room #7, 1st Floor; 6.00 PM-

Ren entered the meeting room at precisely 6 PM on the dot, to see four people seated at the conference table, waiting for him.

They got up when he entered, and all 5 of them nodded at each other, before Ren gestured for them to sit.

"Thank you all for coming. Now, I've no doubt Director Hiroaki Ogata has explained a bit of what you're here for, but now I'll give more explanations in detail."

The four people's eyes all widened more or less, and gave each other confused looks. Why was Ren Tsuruga-

"Let me just double-check," Ren went on as he looked at the notes spread out on the table.

"Kijima Hidehito, Oohara Airi, Kamio Kimiko and Takagi Satoshi." The four nodded in turn as he said their names.

Ren breathed an inner sigh of relief. Things are going better than I expected…

"Very well, let us get down to business." Ren gestured to the papers on the table before everyone present.

"A quick scan of these papers will tell you that it's a contract for a particular role in the upcoming movie that Director Ogata will be filming. As he is the one who arranged this meeting on my behalf, I suppose you know that at least. But I'd like to draw your attentions to the script itself. Let me explain…"

The four men and women flipped through the papers and were rather impressed…

-LME: Front Desk, Foyer, 1st Floor; 8.46 PM-

Ren Tsuruga sat on a bench that was deep inside the inner part of the foyer, so that no fans or paparazzi could possibly see him and make a ruckus to disturb his precious rest.

His precious briefcase lay on his lap, tightly shut and considerably lighter than it had been this morning when he'd set out for LME in his Porsche 911 Carrera S(port). All the papers he'd been giving out today were surely helpful to his plans... Though the light briefcase didn't lighten the load in his heart.

At the moment, he wasn't Tsuruga Ren, the consummate working professional actor, nor the perfectly handsome RMandy Brand Model, or even a charity-drive Ambassador… He was simply a man.

A lonely, hurting, tired and sorrowful young man in love.

And oh, how complex his heart was! Ren remembered clearly, one of the President's favourite lines that he adored to say every day, "Oh, the complexities of a human heart! 'Twas love never so tender?" As much as Ren had tried not to laugh whenever he'd heard the Boss's words, he realised it applied to his own life now more than ever.

Kyoko Mogami.

Mogami-san.

Kyoko-chan.

Kyoko.

Kyoko.

Kyoko…

Ren could spend hours just staring into space, thinking of her- he'd proved it too once, alone in his expensive, expansive apartment in downtown Tokyo. There was one time when he'd been particularly bored, and decided to try out an experiment. He'd started a stopwatch, and left it on the triangular coffee table, before lying on the sofa and just thinking of her.

Kyoko.

Kyoko.

Kyoko.

How much he missed her. (Also, the stop-watch had ended up stopping only the next morning, since Ren had fallen asleep on the couch, and dreamt of her that night...)

Kyoko had been away from Tokyo for an on-location shoot with Box "R" to film one of its very last episodes – after a successful year-long run – and had been gone a whole two weeks. Sure, she was coming back tonight, but that wasn't the only thing bothering the troubled young actor.

He'd been busy, but so had she. Even before she'd left for her location shoot two weeks ago, he had started to realise Kyoko had a life outside of his. Since Dark Moon two years ago, they hadn't had any chance to act together in any dramas, movies or even commercials. Which was why Ren had been consoling himself with visits to the LoveMe Office whenever possible in his schedule…

But it hadn't been enough.

He longed for her, longed to be near her, to see her, talk to her, smile with her.

He wanted to be near her every single day. If he could, he would've willingly shifted all his work to weekdays and work from dawn till dusk, just to clear up a 2 hour slot for dinner with her on Saturday evenings.

There were so many things he'd dreamed of doing with her, even to her – though he always berated himself for that part – but he was terrified.

He was terrified his actions would one day hurt her, and make Kyoko tainted beyond repair, should he lose his careful control.

He just wanted to spend time with her.

Unfortunately, Ren had had to adjust to Kyoko's further-rising star. While he was proud of her achievements, he knew the trade-off was less time to spend with her, and he'd decided to do something about it.

Which was why, after realising Kyoko's birthday this year was her 18th, Ren had decided to write a script for a movie.

But it wasn't just any script.

It was a script based on Kyoko's life, albeit slightly altered…

Altered enough, that Kyoko couldn't possibly realise the story was based off her own life, even.

Ren had written a script that would, when filmed, require much CGI effects – due to all sorts of magical creatures involved – and lots of outdoor location shoots.

And they were all going to be a special place.

A very, very special place.

Ren smiled to himself.

Maybe, he supposed, things will finally work out. I've got the script with me, the Boss's approved of it, Director Ogata's agreed, and most of the main actors have been convinced…

Now for the hardest part of all-

Convincing Kyoko Mogami to act opposite a Co-Star Killer.

Author's Notes:

Thank you all for reading this far! I'm so glad it's finally one chapter on! Sorry the plot might seem very slow-moving and all that, but things will surely get more and more interesting (I hope? *sweatdrops*) as the chapters go on ^^

The next chapter would involve the script-reading for The Forest Fairy, so do look out for it when it comes out! ^^ Also, Yashiro's disappearance from Ren's side in this chapter will be explained in the next chapter, in case you guys ask about it xD

Reviews would be much appreciated, and would encourage me to update faster! Thank you for reading this chapter! ^^