Disclaimer: I love Skip Beat!, but that doesnt mean I own it. Pure fan love here.

Story: Kyoko ends up in another drama, this time as leading lady and with both Tsuruga Ren and Kijima Hidehito as her co-stars. When tensions between them start echoing in real life, Kyoko doesnt know whether to stand her ground and actor run screaming from both men. Set sometime after chapter 193, and going off on a limb Spoilers: Yeeeessss. Yes, yes, yes. Beware? Warnings: Hm, I need to think about this time. Pairings: Kijima/Kyoko, Kyoren, eventual Kijima/Kyoko/Ren, side-(very downplayed XD) Kyosho, one-sided Hikaru/Kyoko.and we cant ignore one-sidedness from strange Reino, eh? No Light, No Light Chapter One: A Mnage a Trois EH?! Takarada Lory smiled widely, very pleased with himself and the outcome of his scheming. He had felt a bit bad after the whole Heel siblings stuff and that Kyoko did so much and without question (at least to them; she probably had plenty in her mind), and had basically did it without benefit. So hed found a drama series coming up, now that Kyokos role in Box R was over, and hed managed to get her the lead role in it. It would be interesting to see her play a victim this time. Mogami Kyoko, on the other hand, felt terribly, terribly confused. Grateful and excited, but confused. Not sure why the President had gotten her the role (and personally at that) or what she had done to deserve it, she still was very eager to tackle it on and be able to expand her skills as well as to get this chance to play a role other than a villain. So how about it, Mogami-san? Yes, sir! I would love to accept the role, President! Pleased with the enthusiastic response, President Lory handed her the papers with information about the new drama. Now, it isnt a villain role, so I know youll be happy at that. But itll also be different from what you are used to, so you may have trouble. Its okay, I believe you can do this role. However, thankfully for you, just in case you do feel like you absolutely need help, you have two sempais to help you out in this role. Both Tsuruga-san and your other former co-star Kijima Hidehito-san will also be working on this project and co-star in it with you. Overjoyed and excited to be working with both men again, Kyoko bowed low to President Lory and thanked him again. When she was dismissed, she happily skipped out and headed to the

Love Me sections headquarters, hoping to catch Kanae and tell her the good news. Maybe Chiori would be there too Unfortunately neither one was there, so with a pout she started to change out of her Love Me uniform and into her regular clothes. She absentmindedly walked out, contemplating sending the two a message about the news instead, when she bumped into Ren. Ah! Tsuruga-san, Im sorry! Please forgive me! He smiled at her while Yashiro greeted her from his side. Its fine. What are you doing? Oh, Im leaving now. I was hoping to look over the new drama Im going to be in. Im very happy that Tsuruga-san is going to be in it too. I hope you will take care of me favorably, as you did in Dark Moon, she said formally as she bowed, her slight blush coloring her cheeks. Thats great, Kyoko-chan! Youre going to be in Secret of the Inn too! Yashiro grinned cheerfully. It will be interesting, hm? Yadoya no Himitsu is about the young daughter of the innkeeper, and with a side-plot filled with romance about two suitors. Kyoko missed it, but Ren didnt miss the mischievous glint in Yashiros eyes. Yes, Im looking very forward to it! Kyoko burst out vibrantly. Im really happy that Im finally going to be able to play a role thats very different from Mio and Natsu, and is very far from being a villain. I hope I will do a good job. I have no doubt youll do well, Mogami-san, Rens smile grew slightly. I also look forward to working with you on it. Would you like to come with Yashiro and I to the cafeteria where we can talk about it, and maybe get a head start? Kyoko shyly bit her lip, glancing at Ren before looking and determinedly focusing on Yashiro. Um, if Tsuruga-san and Yashiro-san doesnt mind, that sounds nice. I would like that a lot. Then its settled! Yashiro surprisingly moved behind her and started slightly pushing her forward, to head the way. Ren mentally shook his head, but followed the girl he liked and his manager all the way to the cafeteria, letting Yashiro fill in the silence with his chatter. The man was up to something, and he also knew that he was probably going to have to endure a lot of teasing from Yashiro later on, once Kyoko was gone and Yashiro could go free reign on his taunting. Hopefully, there wouldnt be any sneaky eyes going on during this talk, though he had a feeling that he was going to have to see plenty of it (with Kyoko oblivious and missing it) from the older

man, who would be thoroughly enjoying himself and taking note of every little thing between him and Kyoko and also everything that Ren said and did towards the girl. He really wished the man would get an actual hobby, aside from fangirling over him and Kyoko all the time. It wasnt like Ren was having any actual luck anyways. His thoughts drifted to the new drama. Kyoko was playing the hidden daughter of the madame of the ryokan, named Yuurei. Like her name, she worked, moved, and lived through the ryokan like a ghost. The madame and her mother was abusive to the girl, which serves to help make her more meek and obedient. However, one day two men become long-term residents of the ryokan, and soon begin to notice the odd workings of the inn due to the ghost girl. Separately, both begin to quietly dig and eventually find out about Yuurei. They slowly coax her out of her hiding and try to get to know her, until they both end up falling in love with her. Both he and Kijima were playing the roles of the two men gently charming and loving Kyokos Yuurei. He frowned as he thought of the other man, and of the fact he was going to have to share Kyoko with him (even if it was only on-screen). Paired with the fact that in real life, Kijima was genuinely interested in Kyoko, it made everything worse. Even after the little sort of confrontation hed had with Kijima that night after the shoot of the coffee ad, he wasnt completely sure that the other man had given up. He had been completely certain then that hed managed to warn Kijima off, and that the reveal of his own feelings would put off the other manbut there was this niggling feeling in his gut that said it wasnt over and that Kijima wasnt going to back off, like hed initially thought and had been so sure of. Kijima wasnt the type for fights, but there was a certain oddness in the way Kijima had been pursuing Kyoko and in the way he talked and interacted with the girl an oddness that put Ren on edge and made him insecure about everything, as well as put doubt in him that Kijima wasnt actually messing around and was actually very serious about Kyoko. It made him very worried and wary. And if it was like that, then he wasnt happy to have the other man co-star with him and Kyoko on this new drama, or of the fact that he was the other love interest for Kyokos character. It made him tense with anxiety about Kijima working with them, especially in that environment and with that storyline, and with how he was going to handle the other actor being there and working with them. Moreover, he was intensely thinking about how to keep Kijima away from Kyoko and monitor the mans actions and intents towards her.

Those types of thoughts bothered him, as they had since learning of Kijimas casting in the drama with them, but he tried to keep them in check as he talked with Kyoko about the new drama and of their individual roles. After a while, he and Yashiro had to leave and they separated from Kyoko, just missing her receiving a message from Kijima, the very man Ren had been worried about. When the message revealed a picture of a really delicious-looking sponge cake, Kyoko nearly salivated on the spot. The accompanying text held an invite to go with Kijima to the bakery hed recently found and had discovered the cake. Hesitating only a moment, Kyoko quickly text back an affirmative and then received another message stating he was half an hour away and would see her upfront. She smiled and her eyes drifted to the dark purple font of the message. While he occasionally used other colors in his messages to her, the main message was always in purple. Ever since she let slipped that she liked princesses and princes, Kijima had told her hed save the purple font especially for her, because purple was supposed to be the color of royalty. The red blush that had stained her cheeks after that, hadnt left her the entire day as she worked. While waiting in front of the L.M.E. building, she wondered if she should ask Kijima about his role in the drama and talk with him about it like she had with Ren. Then again, she wasnt even sure if he had accepted the role or really wanted it. But she should ask, shouldnt she? And it would be nice working with him again. His sleek black car drove to a stop in front of her and the window of the driver side rolled down to reveal the actor, who waved at her with a smirk. Kyoko-chan! Over here. Slide into the front seat already. Without missing a beat and worried another car would come by and be held up because of them, she rushed over and went over to the passenger side of his car, opening the door quickly and slipping in. Once she had her seatbelt on, he started to drive. Looking forward to the taste testing? he teased, keeping his eyes on the road though. Yes! The cake looked very delicious. Kijima-san has very good eyes, she complimented. Aw, thank you. But I bet Kyoko-chan is even better, he sent her a wink. Flustered, she could only give a small smile and feel odd flutterings in her stomach she didnt understand because of his attentions on her. She tried to ignore it, focused on that as they rode in companionable silence to the bakery. Once there, Kijima found a parking space and had gotten out and opened her door before she could. He offered her a hand and didnt let go as he led her to the bakery.

Inside, she smelled the heavenly smells wafting through the air, unconsciously smiling softly in enjoyment and eyes becoming lidded. Kijima, on the other hand, had unfortunately caught the look that came over her, and he licked his lips nervously and took a deep breath. Now wasnt the time for staring or pouncing on her, he tried reminding himself. Instead, he seated them at a table and promised her hed be back as he ordered up front the two slices of the sponge cake theyd come there for. Holding the small plates with the cake on them carefully, he traveled back to her and set hers down first in front of her before putting his down and then sitting at his seat. Bon appetit, Kyoko-chan, he toasted with his fork. She grinned eagerly at him before digging into her slice with a huge gusto. With a chuckle, he echoed her. Sograde A to E, what do you think? Kijima asked her, using the grade levels theyd come up with to judge the sweets theyd been going out to eat together. Grade A, grade A! Kyoko enthusiastically said. She really liked this. It was nice of Kijima and rather sweet that he would go out hunting for the best looking desserts and pastries, and then the two of them together would go out to taste it. It was even nicer to know that he waited for her to taste it with, rather than tasting it first and then taking her, and that way they could judge the sweets together without him having tasted and decided beforehand. Mmhm, I agree. Better than the taiyaki I first told you about? Nuh uh, I still think the taiyakis the best so far. I really liked it, Kyoko reminisced on the dessert that Kijima had first messaged her about. He smiled too at the reminder of the first message hed ever sent her, also remembering that she had text the same words back to him in her reply. I really like it. That had made him happy to see (especially that shed replied at all), and hed been ecstatic and grinning the entire night, only becoming upset after Tsurugas confrontation about messaging versus phoning. Though after going back to his phone and seeing her message again, his cheer had slowly come back to him. Kijima-san, um, are you working on Secret of the Inn too? she brought it up.

His eyes lit up in excitement. Ah, Kyoko-chan is starring in it, right? I was really excited. When I was offered the role, it seemed interesting, but I wasnt sure. Then I heard Kyoko-chan was going to be in it, and then I definitely had to accept! She didnt notice it, but she started blushing again. Please take of me, she bowed in her seat, repeating her earlier actions with Ren. But instead of the reply she was expecting, the tip of Kijimas fingers touched her chin and directed her to look up at him. The odd smile he had on his face startled her, especially after what he had just did. Please take care of me. Her jaw drop automatically and she stared at him, but hed gone back to calmly eating his cake and focusing on it. Geez, really. She would never really understand Kijima, she was pretty sure. They finished up there, talking idly about random things happening in their respective lives. Kijima offered to give her a ride to the scheduled meeting with the director that was for the next day, which she accepted, and Kyoko brought up a restaurant shed passed by the day before that advertise cute looking strawberry shortcake on sale. They made an appointment to check it out together after they met with the director, and then the two of them started getting up and getting ready to leave. Politely stacking up their plates and forks, Kijima took her hand again with a smile and led her out of there and to his car without further preamble. Started 10/20/12 Completed 11/20/12