Skip Beat! 1. Chapter 1

Lory Takarada sighed and rubbed his temples. 'This shouldn't be this hard, they should be together already' he thought. 'I have been working on this relationship for over a year and this is all that comes of it?! Should I send them on a trip together, get her jobs that match his, trick them into dating?' He rubbed his temples even harder. "I CAN'T DECIDE!" The last bit he screamed aloud.

Sebastian, clothed in his usual turban, stuck his head around the corner. "Sir."

Lory scowled "What is it now? Can't you see that I am trying to make a very important decision here?"

Sebastian wasn't fazed. "You asked me to bring you Mogami and Tsuruga's files?"

Lory brightened up in an instant. "Of course, of course, set them here." Sebastian set the files on the couch next to the President of LME and left as quietly as he had come.

Lory paused his 'Lovely Love High School 3' game and picked up the thicker of the two files. Opening it, he stared down at a picture of the twenty-two year old actor who was currently Japan's most eligible bachelor. Tsuruga Ren. Ren, as always, worked diligently and gave the best results, but was making no progress on the love front. Sighing, Lory set Ren's file aside and picked up the smaller one. Mogami Kyoko, stage name Kyoko. A newbie and the first member of his LoveMe Section, her talent was surprising. In less than a year she had skyrocketed to having major roles in not only PVs and commercials, but also on game shows and TV dramas.

But, like Ren, she has made almost no progress when it came to love. Lory frowned. He had worked very hard to get them closer by assigning them the role of the lovey-dovey Heel siblings. But it didn't seem to be working as well as he would have liked. He needed to come up with a new strategy and fast.

He was shuffling through their papers absentmindedly when something caught his eye. He pulled out the sheet of paper and stared at it, his brows knitting together in one of rare expressions or concentration.

The words on the paper stared back at him. "To Tsuruga Ren, we would be honored if you would agree to take part in a joint TV drama and subsequent movie production of 'Paradise Murder.' This project is a joint production between entertainment agencies in both Japan and the USA. We have left details of this project with a Mr. Sawara of the LME agency. We hope that you will agree to work with us on what is sure to be a worldwide sensation. Sincerely, Janet Smithens, Vice President of Human Resources and Communications, Silver Rain Entertainment."

Lory, a smile spreading over his face, rifled quickly through Kyoko's papers. He was sure that he had seen the same paper in her file, he was sure of it… ah. Lory pulled the paper out triumphantly. It was the same letter addressed to Kyoko.

Ecstatic, Lory dialed Sawara's number. The man picked up the phone on the third ring. "Sir, you do realize that I am not on the clock right now? It's past midnight!"

Lory laughed. "I have a question to ask you. The joint project with Entertainment, can you tell me about it?"

"Now?!"

"Of course!"

Sawara sighed. There was no stopping the president when an idea got into his head. "The file is on your desk. I gave it to you three days ago. You need to authorize it before I can give the job offers to our talents."

Lory hung up without saying goodbye, and ran into his study, searching for the file in question. After about 20 minutes, he found it under his newest plan for a Valentine's Day bash, despite the holiday still being months away. He read over the proposal, his smile growing. It wasn't a bad plan, and the publicity for LME would be great. Looking up, he checked his world clocks that hung on his wall. If he remembered correctly, his old friend had mentioned to him about being selected as a candidate to star in this new drama. Chuckling, Lory picked up his phone and dialed the number in front of him.

It rang twice before he heard "Silver Rain Entertainment, How can I assist you?"

"My name is Takarada Lory and I am the President of LME in Japan. I would like to speak with whoever is in charge of your new drama Paradise Murder."

"One moment please, while we verify this call." There was a long moment of silence before he heard "Your request has been verified, please hold while we transfer your call."

A monotonous beeping could be heard as his call was being transferred. He then heard a brisk voice answer the phone.

"Smithens."

"Hello, my name is Takarada Lory, President of LME in Japan. I am calling about your offer to us about the new drama Paradise Murder. I have looked over the file and I believe it will be not only a beneficial project for both of our companies, but also a big hit. May I ask what you had in mind for this project?"

"Well, Mr. Takarada Lory, I am glad that you have accepted our proposal. We want to experiment with how an American crime drama will flourish in Japan if the plotline is acted out by famous Japanese actors. The shoots for the TV drama will be shot in Japan, and the movie scenes will be shot around the world. Since this will be primarily a Japanese drama it will be composed of primarily Japanese cast and crew. However, we will send over at least one actor, a producer or director, a cg specialist, and a costume-makeup artist to assist. The movie will mostly be in Japanese with some English portions. Since you fully agree to this, I will send you a copy of the electronic contract for you to look over and sign."

Lory's computer on his desk started to sing about love, signaling that he just got a confidential email. Lory opened the file and read it quickly, absently listening to the soft humming that what emanating from his phone. Satisfied, Lory signed and dated the document and sent it back to Smithens.

"All right, I have received your contract and it is now verified. I will send over the scripts and cast listings for you to review and assign to the proper individuals. Please note that your company is not the only entertainment company working in collaboration with us and as stated in the contract, any inter corporation conflicts are not to affect the film's progress in any way. Do you have any questions?"

"Yes actually. I was wondering if you could allow my company to house and care for your people when they are here in Japan."

"…That is a somewhat unusual request, Mr. Takarada. I would have to take it up with the boss but I do not see any problems with this arrangement, but may I ask why?"

Lory laughed. "Not at all, my dear, not at all! A good friend of mine told me that she was one of the actor candidates for this film. I owe her a great deal and wish to repay her."

Lory could hear Smithens' voice grow hard. "So are you stating that you have agreed on the condition that your old friend be our representative actor?"

"Oh no my dear, I am not forcing you or your company into anything. I simply wish to be kind."

Smithens chuckled. "She told me what you were like but I didn't believe her. Since you have already signed and submitted the contract, I can tell you that Ms. Carlita Monterro is our representative actor. She is the one who suggested that we extend a partnership to LME. We agreed with her after looking into your company's reputation and relations. Now, President Lory, is there anything else I can help you with?"

"No, no, my dear. I do not believe so."

"Well, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. The press conference announcing this joint production will be in three weeks in Tokyo, and our people will arrive shortly before that. Shooting should begin in no more than 6 weeks from now. Please send in all actor information before the press conference. We will send you our people's information, as well as their arrival information, before that time as well. It has been a pleasure talking to you and on behalf of Silver Raincloud Inc., we hope that this production will be a success."

Lory smiled and hung up. Grinning he looked up at the clock. Four in the morning; the perfect time to call her. Reaching once again for the phone, he dialed the all too familiar number.

The phone rang twice before a woman answered.

"WHAT!?"

Lory winced slightly at her tone. "Now Cara, is that any way to greet an old friend?"

"Yes it is Lory, especially when that old friend calls so early in the morning! What do you want?!"

"Early in the morning?" Lory glanced at a clock on the wall. "But it's almost noon there."

"Yeah, but I was at work all night. Now tell me what was so important that you had to wake me up?"

Lory chuckled. "I have a proposition for-"

"No." Cara cut him off. "I will not marry you so that you will have an excuse to come to California and waste time in Disneyland."

"You're so mean Cara, and that wasn't what I was going to ask you."

"Then what?" Cara asked, exasperation and irritation creeping into her sleepy tone. Lory could hear her get up and walk around. She had started pacing. "What is so important that you have to wake me up early in the morning without caring about my fragile state? You know I cannot function unless I sleep! So if you aren't trying to sneak into Disneyland using me as an excuse, what in God's name-"

"I need your powers of cupid."

He could almost hear her snap out of her irritation.

"I'm listening."

Lory grinned; this was going to be great. "Well, you see, it goes like this…"


	2. Chapter 2

_Two Weeks Later_

"Alright Ren, this is your last appointment until tomorrow. Your interview that was this evening has been rescheduled for tomorrow morning at 6:30. Apparently the reporter's child got sick and she apologized for her last minute rescheduling. Also…" Ren nodded as Yashiro went on. He was glad that he would be able to have the night off. His schedule had been jam packed lately and he would really enjoy a night to relax and review the lines for this new drama.

Ren was still listening absently to Yashiro as they walked towards LME's elevators when a small figure rounded the corner to his left and almost ran straight into him. Ren's arm shot out and grabbed the small woman before she fell.

"Thank you, thank you." Ren helped the woman steady herself before releasing her arm, studying her features. She was definitely a foreigner; she was a foot shorter than him, her skin was a flawless gold. Her eyes were an astounding turquoise hue set in a heart shaped face. Her black hair was up in a bun, showing off her slender neck and delicate shoulders. She wore a plum colored blouse with long sleeves and straight black dress pants that showed off her slender frame and ample bosom. Her shoes were plain black pumps with two inch heels and she wore a minimal amount of makeup.

"There is no need to thank me. Are you alright?" Ren was in full on gentleman mode.

"Yes, yes, thank you." She had a slight accent, though her Japanese was near perfect. Her voice was soft and gentle.

"If you don't mind us asking, why are you in such a hurry?" Yashiro had come to stand beside Ren.

"Oh yes, yes. I am sorry. I am lost. I need to get back to conference room 607A but I cannot remember how to get there. I need to prepare for the meeting but all of my equipment is still in that room."

"Well, we can take you there. We are actually heading there ourselves."

"Really?! Oh thank you so very much." She fell into step on Ren's left side as he led the way to the elevators. She was watching them intently as the elevator climbed towards the sixth floor.

"I know of you. You are the actor that was chosen for one of the main roles in this drama. Tugura Rin, yes?"

"It's Tsuruga Ren."

"Yes, that's it!" The elevator doors opened and they stepped into hallway. "I have heard a lot about you. Is it true that you are the number one bachelor and a very popular actor right now?"

Ren chuckled slightly. "I am flattered that I have been labeled as so."

"So diplomatic."

Ren opened the door to the conference room and the foreign woman swept past him, flashing him a quick smile of thanks. She took a seat behind one of the nameplates marked Sliver Raincloud Inc. and opened the small laptop that lay there. Ren and Yashiro sat across from her, Ren still smiling. The foreigner smiled back and gave a little wink before checking her watch.

"I am sorry, but does this meeting not begin at 1?" Again Ren could hear the slight accent in her voice but he couldn't place it.

Yashiro nodded. "Our other actors and our directors should be here soon. They still have 5 minutes. It was only due to luck that our photo shoot wrapped up quickly or else we would not be here yet either."

The young woman gave a soft laugh that seemed to radiate warmth and gentleness. "Well, I am glad that you finished early. I would be very, very, lost if not for your help. I am very thankful. I arrived very early and I am sure that the rest of Silver Raincloud will be here soon." She smiled softly.

Ren smiled back and was about to ask her where she was from when the door opened.

"Please excuse us." In walked Kyoko. Ren inhaled slightly. She looked beautiful. Behind her were Kanae Kotonami and Amamiya Chiori. And they were all wearing their LoveMe uniforms. Ren heard the woman from Silver Raincloud gasp, and from the corner of his eye he could see her staring at them unblinkingly, her mouth open very slightly.

"Hello Mogami-san, Kotonami-san, Amamiya-san, how are you."

Kyoko grinned widely. "I'm fine, Tsuruga –san. I am really excited to be a part of this project."

"Excited or not, you are blocking the door." A heavily accented voice boomed from behind the LoveMe girls. They jumped and whirled around. Standing behind them was a very large man in a tailored grey pinstripe suit, with slicked back hair and piercing black eyes.

_'It's a mobster.'_

"Welcome to Tokyo, Mr. Smiles. I trust your flight was to your satisfaction?" The foreign woman had ceased her staring and had gotten to her feet, her voice cutting through their thoughts.

The man nodded curtly. "You are as impressive as ever, Ms. Kalakanuali, impressive as ever."

Ms. Kalakanuali smiled sweetly. "I aim to please sir." Mr. Smiles gave a gruff nod to her and looked back at the girls in pink. "Why are you still in my way?"

They stepped aside quickly and Mr. Smiles strode past them. Two ladies who seemed to be his assistants followed right behind, and took the seats to Ms Kalakanuali's right. Kyoko slid into the seat next to Tsuruga, with Amamiya and Kanae taking seats next to hers.

"He's scary." Ren chuckled quietly as Kyoko's muttered comment reached his ears. Ren could see how she would think that, but the young actor did not feel any ill intent emanating from the large man. To Ren, he just seemed rude, gruff and forward.

As the minutes ticked closer to 1pm, more and more people began to trickle into the room. Among the people he knew, he saw Director Ogata and Kijima as well as a Usuegi Hiou, who pointedly stole the seat next to Kanae right out from under Kijima, and his manager. Murasame Taira was there as well and Ren was thankful that Murasame didn't recognize him or Kyoko as the Heel Siblongs. Of those he didn't know included a very handsome woman in a white dress suit and two skinny men in somber grey jackets. The older of the two men seemed to have absolutely no grasp of Japanese.

When the clock struck 1, four seats still remained vacant; the three seats dedicated for the music representatives and the seat directly to Ms. Kalakanuali's left. Ms. Kanakanuali looked somewhat concerned, glancing from the seat to the clock to the door and back every few seconds.

The door open and Ren saw the woman glance up once again, eyes hoping, but as the three people filed into the room her face fell slightly. Kyoko stiffened beside Ren, her aura turning dark and her grudges began to appear. Ren looked up, and was barely able to keep the scowl off of his face. Fuwa Sho walked into the conference room, followed by his manager and a tall woman named Asami that Ren vaguely remembered as the producer and director of several successful music videos and PVs. They took the three seats reserved for the musical talents. Ren cursed all of the stars in the heavens. He couldn't believe that Fuwa was also a part of this project.

"You are late." Mr. Smiles was definitely not smiling now. "This meeting was to start ten minutes ago."

Sho glared at the foreigner. "I would have been here on time but I was almost attacked by a fan on my way in. I had to call security because she wouldn't stop demanding to be let in to see me."

Ms. Kalakanuali blanched at this. "A fan? Does this happen often?"

Sho smirked at her, eyes roaming over the slender woman. "Not really, but sometimes my fans just can't help themselves."

Mr. Smiles didn't even seem to care. "If this is not the first time you have had a rabid fan, then you should account for this when you plan your travel time. You are a professional, not a child. You have delayed this meeting."

Sho scoffed. "How is it my fault if I have extremely adoring fans. Besides, I still see another empty seat here, and it's for your company. I am here now, and they aren't."

Shoko gripped Sho's elbow. "Manners, Sho, be polite." She hissed. "Do not do something that I will have to apologize for later. You are here representing our company and this is a huge project. Do not start a fight."

The handsome woman, who had been addressed as Deedee by Mr. Smiles, nodded in response to Shoko's words. "Listen to your manager, Mr. Sho." Deedee's voice was somewhat low and carried a husky, sultry tone. "She says wise things. But you also do raise a fair point. Where is Ms. Monterro?" Deedee looked at Ms. Kalakanuali.

Ms Kalakanuali looked concerned. "I do not know. We came together but she went looking for a bite to eat. I hope that she did not get lost."

The younger businessman nodded. "We should send someone to look for her. If she is lost-"

The door swung open violently and a very tall woman dashed into the room. Kyoko, who had been glaring at Sho with hatred looked up and stared. This woman had to be the tallest woman that she had ever met. She had sun kissed beige skin and her dark brown hair was a mass of teeny-tiny braids that cascaded down her back. She wore dark jeans that hugged her long legs and a red leather jacket over a tight grey t-shirt. She was balanced on bright red heels so high that Kyoko really couldn't tell how tall the woman actually was before she plopped down in the vacant seat next to Ms. Kalakanuali. She fanned herself lightly with her hand as Mr. Smiles turned to glare at her.

"Carlita Monterro, you are very late. Do you believe that you are above curtesy?" His deep voice resonated with anger and annoyance.

"It's not my fault that I'm late." The woman retorted, leaning back in her chair slightly. Her accent was much thicker than the rest of the foreigners, though her Japanese was near perfect. "I was minding my own business and asking for directions back here when a runty kid called me a fan and had me tossed on my ass into the street. Took me forever to prove to those security guards that I actually had business here." She looked around and froze when her eyes landed on Sho. She jumped up and pointed a finger at the blond singer. "YOU'RE THAT RUNT!"

"Who let this fan back in here!?"

"Weren't you listening at all!? Or are your ears just for decoration!? I AM NOT YOUR FAN! I don't even know who the hell you are!"

"WHAT?! HOW DARE YO-" Sho was cut off by Ms. Kanakanuali.

"Cara, language. We are about to begin a very important meeting. And Mr. Fuwa, could you please refrain from shouting? We are here for business. Whatever personal vendetta you have against each other can be addressed on your own time. We have already wasted close to 30 minutes of this meeting and we have yet to even introduce ourselves. So may we please continue with the meeting and let bygones be bygones."

"Like hell I will, Lani. I don't care who he is, he-"

"Cara, be quiet." Her gentle tone grew stern. "And don't you start up either Mr. Fuwa. We have things to do and if you cannot accept that, then Silver Raincloud will have no choice but to request a different musician for this world-wide project. Same goes for you Carlita." Carlita stopped snickering and stared at the slender woman. "If you cannot handle this like a professional then you will be removed from this project and replaced with one of the other candidates."

Ren was impressed. Not only had Ms. Kalakanuali stopped what seemed to be an inevitable fight, but she also reprimanded both of them in a way that was neither hostile nor rude, but also left no room for arguments.

Sho opened his mouth to retort but a stern look from both Shoko and Asami made him think twice about it.

Yashiro cleared his throat. "I guess we should begin with introductions."

Deedee flashed a smile that showed almost all of her pearly white teeth. "Wonderful idea! I shall start us off, hmm?" Mr. Smiles nodded slightly. Deedee got to her feet. "My name is Deedee Grey and I am Silver Raincloud's hair, makeup and wardrobe expert. I am here to assist in any way I possibly can and will make you all look fabulous!"

She sat down and looked pointedly at Ren. "And you handsome?"

Ren grinned, and got to his feet. "My name is Tsuruga Ren and I am an actor with LME. I am honored to be a part of this project." He sat down gracefully. Deedee winked at him and turned to Yashiro. She had apparently decided that she should run this portion of the meeting.

Yashiro nodded from his chair. "I am Tsuruga Ren's manager, Yashiro Yukihito, pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Pleasure. And who are these lovely ladies in the outrageous pink jumpsuits." Blushing, Kyoko, Kanae, and Amamiya got to their feet. "They are Kyoko, Kotonami Kanae, and Amamiya Chiori. They all belong to LME's LoveMe section, though Amamiya-san is still contracted with Soft Hat entertainment agency." As Yashiro introduced them, they bowed and resumed their seats.

Hiou was up next and gave a very professional and polite, if not short, introduction for both him and his manager. Kijima was next, followed by Murasame, both of whom made Deedee gush at their handsomeness and bone structure before Mr. Smiles cleared his throat and she returned to the subject at hand.

"And you?" She asked Sho pointedly.

Sho smirked and reclined in his chair. It was Shoko who answered for him. "This is Fuwa Sho, musician with Akotaki Agency and a very popular singer right now. I am Shoko, his manager, and again I apologize for his earlier conduct." Sho scoffed, but surprisingly stayed quiet.

Asami stood up next, as did Ogata. They introduced themselves as the designated directors for the shoot. Deedee smiled at them and stood again when they were finished.

"Now may I introduce Mr. Dan Divoldi and Mr. Gregory Kelp." The two reedy men in suits stood. "Mr. Divoldi is a skilled director for Silver Raincloud and Mr. Kelp is our technology wizard." The younger man, Mr. Divoldi, bowed his head slightly while Mr. Kelp just looked bored. "Mr. Kelp cannot speak Japanese, but he can speak English fluently so if you need to talk to him, either speak in English or ask Mr. Divoldi to translate." Both men sat back down. Deedee gestured to Mr. Smiles and his two assistants.

"This is Mr. Dorian Smiles, one of Silver Raincloud's most sought after producers. His assistants are Gina Smith and Laura Gold. As Mr. Smiles has other obligations to attend to, one of his assistants will remain here in his stead." Mr. Smiles grunted slightly, while the blonde Laura and the redheaded Gina nodded briskly.

"Last, but not least, we have Carlita Monterro, who is Silver Raincloud's designated actress, and her manager Kailani Kalakanuali. Carlita has worked for Silver Raincloud for years and was the one who suggested that we do this joint project with the Japanese entertainment industry."

Carlita saluted them and Kailani bowed politely as their names were called.

"And now that we have the introductions out of the way, let us begin the meeting."


	3. Chapter 3

Kyoko left the meeting exhausted. Not only was it a lot of information that she had to remember, it took a lot of energy out of her to keep her grudges under control during the meeting. Sho had been making snide and sarcastic remarks throughout the entire meeting. Shoko had tried her hardest to get him to behave but his not so subtle comments about being extremely popular had really irritated her. She sighed and rubbed her temples. She was so tired.

"Mogami-san, are you alright?" Kyoko looked up into Ren's face, which was gentle and slightly concerned. She schooled her face into a polite smile.

"I'm fine Tsuruga-san, just a little tired." She laughed. "That was a very informative meeting."

Tsuruga nodded in agreement. "It was, but I believe that Paradise Murder will be a very popular drama."

Kyoko nodded vigorously, eyes shining. "I get to play a beautiful and powerful woman who tries to root out all the evil in the world. She is like an angel!" She gushed.

Ren chuckled. "This role is also your first leading role, isn't it?" Kyoko nodded again with even more enthusiasm.

"Waaah, Kyoko-chan congratulations!" Yashiro gushed as they walked towards the exit.

"Thanks Yashiro-san. I will be sure that I make this drama a success!" Kyoko declared, eyes blazing slightly.

Ren smiled and was about to reply when he heard a soft voice call his name.

"Excuse me, Mr. Tsuruga, Mr. Tsuruga!" He turned and saw Kailani Kalakanuali striding towards him, her cheeks slightly pink from the speed at which she walked. Behind her strolled Carlita Monterro, looking extremely bored.

"Yes, Ms. Kalakanuali?" Ren asked, sparkling slightly.

"Please, call me Lani, everyone does. Kalakanuali is a mouthful to keep repeating." Lani smiled gently and held out her hand. "If I am not being too forward, may I call you Tsuruga-san? Mr. Tsuruga sounds a little formal for coworkers."

Ren shook her hand. "Not at all, Lani-san, not at all."

She looked at Yashiro next. "You are Yashiro-san, correct?" Yashiro nodded and shook her hand. "I look forward to working with you and the other managers. Perhaps you could show me the ropes here?"

"I'd be happy to."

Lani turned to Kyoko next. "I am sorry that we were never properly introduced. I'm Lani. You're Kyoko, right?" Kyoko nodded and bowed slightly. Lani bowed in return. "Should I call you Kyoko or Kyoko-san? I have been told that calling a new acquaintance only by their first name is extremely rude when you do not know them well. But I don't seem to know your surname."

Kyoko frantically reassured the foreigner that being called Kyoko was just fine, but the young woman insisted on an honorific. They finally settled on Kyoko-san.

Carlita Monterro had taken a seat on the floor against the wall during Lani's polite reintroduction. She popped her bubble gum, an almost bored expression on her face. "So you guys work for LME?"

Yashiro nodded. "Yes Ms. Monterr-"

"Call me Cara. No chan, no san… sama is fine though."

"CARA!"

"I'm kidding. Just call me Cara. Anything else makes me seem old and stuffy." Lani raised an eyebrow in disapproval, which Cara replied by sticking out her tongue.

"Cara, then. And yes we work for LME, why do you ask?" Yashiro continued.

The woman popped her gum again and ignored his question. "Y'all have more work after this?"

Yashiro frowned slightly at her bluntness. "No, this was our last meeting of the day."

Cara looked at Kyoko. "And you?"

Kyoko shook her head. "I don't have anything until tomorrow morning either."

"Good." Cara stretched and held out a hand to Ren to pull her to her feet. "Then you guys can take us to dinner."

"Cara, manners!" Lani scolded. "I apologize for her crass behavior, she doesn't react well to jet lag and to top it off she hasn't eaten a proper meal since yesterday. If it would be alright, do you think that we can all go to dinner? It will be our treat, but we just don't know where to go for good food here."

Kyoko nodded enthusiastically. "I would love to. How about you, Tsuruga-san, Yashiro-san?"

Ren smiled. "It would be our pleasure."

"That's great and all, but can you please help me up." Cara asked, slightly irritated.

Ren, apologizing, pulled the woman to her feet and was surprised that he had to look up to look her in the eye. She was at least five inches taller than him.

Yashiro gaped. He had rarely met anyone taller than Ren, let alone a woman. The size difference was astounding.

Cara's stomach growled and she winced. "Food sometime today would be nice." She began to walk towards the parking structure.

"I'm so sorry for her attitude."Lani apologized. "She is not in the greatest mood and formal and business like settings like this make her somewhat cranky."

"Come on! MERDA!"

"Cara! Language! Please!"

Ren chuckled as Lani turned to apologize to him again. "It's all right Lani-san. We will be happy to join you for dinner." Lani smiled and threaded her arm through Yashiro's, surprising him. "What a polite charge you have. I'm envious." Yashiro laughed slightly as the four of them began to walk towards the overly annoyed actress.

"Glad you could all finally join me. Now let's get going, I'm starving and my- OOF" As she rounded the corner, Cara promptly crashed into someone and staggered back, falling on her butt.

"Oye! Watch were you're going, you-" Sho looked up, and broke off mid-sentence, seeing who he had crashed into. He smirked when he realized it was Cara. "Watch where you're going woman. You could do some real damage if you don't keep your eyes ahead of you."

"Sho" Shoko warned, "Don't start anything."

Cara grinned at the singer. "I did keep my eyes ahead but I guess I just didn't see you, you little runt." She got to her feet and stood toe to toe with the singer, smirking back down at him. "I mean, maybe if you were a little taller than I would have."

If the size difference between her and Ren had been surprising, the height difference between Cara and Sho was astounding. She towered above him, his head not even reaching her shoulders. Kyoko inwardly grinned at the look on Sho's face. His height had always been a soft spot for him because he wasn't as tall as Tsuruga-san, and now, to have a woman towering over him like her was a child, made her almost burst out laughing.

Sho didn't back down, however. "I guess a freakish giant such as yourself has to pride herself on something, since your femininity seems to be lacking."

"Just like your manners, little boy. Now run along and drink your milk, this party is for grown-ups only."

Sho glared at her before turning his gaze on Kyoko and Ren. "I guess that you both are so free that you can goof off this evening. Unlike you, I actually still have appearances."

"Then, Fuwa-san, you had better stop wasting your time here and get to them." Lani's voice cut in smoothly, her tone still soft with an almost reprimanding edge. "You will bring shame to your name and that of your manager and Agency if you were late because you were delayed by us." She smiled serenely at Shoko, who smiled back, looking somewhat surprised at being addressed. "We are sorry to have interrupted your journey out of here. We too have places to be tonight. I hope that the next time we meet I will be able to get to know you better."

Shoko nodded. "I would like that. And she's right Sho, we have to get moving or we will be late." Grabbing his arm, she dragged the crimson faced singer down the hall and around the corner. "See you later Kyoko." Sho drawled right before he turned the corner and was no longer in sight.

Kyoko's grudges were out now and it was taking all of her willpower to keep them under control. _"Damn that Shoutaro!"_ she inwardly yelled. _"Must you always try to pick a fight and humiliate everyone? Why can't you-"_ Kyoko's thoughts were interrupted by Lani tapping on her shoulder.

"Kyoko-san, are you alright?"

"Oh, Lani-san, I'm fine."

Lani's kind green eyes were skeptical, but she didn't push it. "Well, alright then. Back to what we were talking about before, Kyoko, what is your favorite thing to eat here?" Lani threaded her arm through Kyoko's this time and steered her towards the parking structure, Yashiro and Ren following along behind. Kyoko brightened up immediately and launched into a conversation with the woman about hamburgers with a fried egg on top. Lani giggled and listened attentively, asking lots of questions as the young girl went on and on about her favorite food.

"She's something else, ain't she."

Ren and Yashiro jumped slightly. They hadn't noticed that Cara had fallen in step with them.

"What?" Ren asked, confused.

"Lani." Cara nodded to the slender woman who was now discussing favorite fairy tales with Kyoko. "She's good at diffusing situations. That's why she is filling in for my real manager; with my spicy nature, god knows I get into a lot of arguments."

"Your real manager?" Yashiro looked between her and Lani. "You mean that she is not your manager."

"Naw, she's just filling in. My manager Bobby Evans dropped a bowling ball on his foot last week and broke it in three places. He wouldn't be able to keep up with me on such a hectic schedule so I gave him time off and called Lani in to assist me."

Ren chuckled. "She seems like a good person."

"She is. She's a great friend and a terrible enemy." Cara grinned. Ren had to admit that her smile made her actually seem approachable. "Well, now that we've had the show, what about dinner?" Cara's stomach growled again. "I need food and if I don't get it soon, I'm going to eat my belt."

Lani laughed at Cara's comment when the three of them drew close to her. "Well you are in luck. Kyoko really wants to get a hamburger with an egg on top and I really could go for anything quick. What do you say?"

"I say Hallelujah!" Cara sang. "Where to? I can't read any of the signs in this town."

"Do you have a car?" Ren asked, unlocking his. Lani nodded. "Good, then you can follow us." Ren helped Kyoko into the back seat of his car as Cara danced towards a silver jeep. "Food, food, food!" She sang.


	4. Chapter 4

"So Lani-san, how come the rest of your co-workers are not having dinner with you two?"

Lani looked up from her yakisoba and swallowed. Patting her mouth with her napkin, she replied, "Oh that? Well, Deedee is visiting a friend in the city and is staying there for the next few nights. Mr. Smiles and his assistants had some work to complete so they returned to our hosts house. Mr. Divoldi and Mr. Kelp decided to go back to our host's house as well and call home to wish their kids and wives goodnight. Mr. Divoldi has three girls all under 5 and Mr. Kelp's wife, daughters, and granddaughters just got back from a fashion show in Milan. Apparently they got food poisoning and he wants to make sure that they are alright. That just left me and Cara, but we don't mind. Because of that, we got to get to know you all better."

Ren swallowed his bite of sushi and nodded. "I'm glad that we were free tonight. The president really wanted us to get along with the Silver Raincloud representatives."

Lani cocked her head to the side slightly in confusion. "President? You mean Takarada Lory?"

Yashiro nodded. "Do you know him?"

"Yes, actually. We are staying at his estate during our time here. He is quite… memorable."

Ren thought back on the president's eccentric entrances and parties. "Memorable is one way to put it."

Lani laughed warmly. "Yes I do say that it fits him well. Speaking of people not being here," she turned to Kyoko who was taking one savory bite after another of her hamburger and egg. "Where are your co-workers, those two young ladies who were at the meeting with you? I would have liked to have invited them to dinner as well."

Kyoko swallowed her hamburger and wiped at her mouth in a way similar to Lani. "Well, Amamiya-san had another meeting to go to and Moko-san, I mean Kanae-san, went with Hiou-kun to their shoot. They are in a TV Drama together."

"I see, well, I guess that I will have to get to know them another time. Shame though, this was a wonderful evening." Lani finished her yakisoba and gently rested her hands in her lap. Beside her, Cara had fallen asleep after inhaling two plates of Gyoza, a bowl of Ramen, three plates of omurice, and two bottles of sake. Her jetlag had finally caught up to her. "I had better get Cara back to the president's villa. I guess we will see you all in a few days at the press conference?"

"Do you know the way back?"

Lani nodded as she shook Cara awake. "Yes, I finally figured out how to work the GPS that President Lory gave us. Thank you so much for accompanying us for dinner. It was a pleasure to be able to get to know each other better." With one arm supporting Cara, Lani reached into her purse and pulled out a wad of bills.

"No please, let us treat you, after all you are our president's guests, as well as guests in our country." Ren protested as Lani counted out the right amount and set it on the table.

"It's perfectly alright. We ate the most and we were the ones who disrupted your plans for the evening. You can pay next time." Lani's voice was kind and gentle, but her tone clearly stated that she would take no arguments from them.

Kyoko jumped up from her seat. "At least let us help get Cara-san into your car, she looks very tired." Lani dismissed her protests with a wave of her free hand.

"No need, I've got it under control. Cara" Lani's voice became stern and she spoke rapidly in a foreign language. Cara immediately opened her eyes and dashed out the restaurant door and to the car, sliding into the passenger seat before promptly falling back asleep.

"What the..!" Yashiro tried to process what just happened. "What did you say to her?"

Lani put on her coat and buttoned it up quickly. "I just told her that if she didn't get into the car that I would leave her behind with no money for food." She shook both Yashiro and Ren's hands and pulled Kyoko into a quick hug. "It was a wonderful evening, thank you. We will see you in a few days and if you ever want to find us, here's our numbers, and I'm sure you know where President Takarada lives." She handed Yashiro two business cards with telephone numbers on them. Looping her purse over her, she gave them one last wave before she left the restaurant and drove away.

Kyoko waved goodbye until their car was out of sight. "They were really nice don't you think Tsuruga-san, Yashiro-san?" she asked, following them as they walked to Ren's car.

Yashiro nodded. "They certainly were. Cara-san is somewhat unprofessional and she seems like a handful, but Lani-san seems very dependable."

Ren nodded in agreement and unlocked the car, allowing Kyoko to slide into the back seat before getting in himself. It had taken a lot of manipulating, but he finally got Kyoko to agree to let him drive her back home. "I have a feeling Cara-san will surprise us when filming begins."

Yashiro looked slightly confused but let the matter drop. He conversed with Kyoko until her exhaustion caught up to her and she promptly fell asleep.

Ren gently shook Kyoko awake when they arrived at Daruyama. He waited until she was safely inside the restaurant before he got back in his car and drove to Yashiro's apartment.

"What did you mean by that earlier, Ren? About Cara-san?"

Ren shrugged as he pulled up in front of Yashiro's apartment complex. "I just have this feeling, that's all."

Yashiro shrugged and got out of the car. "Well, it doesn't matter. I will see you tomorrow at LME. Remember you have a photo shoot at 7am and then a short break before your interview at 9." Yashiro waved goodbye and headed towards his apartment.

As Ren drove home that night, he thought about the project. He smiled to himself as he pulled into his parking spot and made his way upstairs. He would make this movie a success no matter what. After all, it was his first drama with Kyoko acting opposite him. Smiling at this thought, Ren entered his apartment.


	5. Chapter 5

Kyoko yawned and rose from her bed, the morning looking clear and beautiful. Smiling, she bid good morning to the light fairies that flitted outside of her window. Today would be a beautiful, wonderful, perfect day. The sun is shining, the sky is blue, and she had a wonderful dream about making Sho cry, begging for her forgiveness by groveling at her feet. It was the perfect dream for the perfect morning.

She got dressed and headed down the stairs smiling brightly and bidding Okami-san good morning.

"Good morning Kyoko-chan. It's good to see you, but don't you have a shoot today?"

Kyoko nodded happily. "It's not until this afternoon. Moko-san and I are going to meet up at 10."

"But Kyoko-chan, its 10:15 right now"

"KYAAAAAAA!" Kyoko ran back upstairs and grabbed her bag. Panicking slightly, she sped back down the stairs, grabbing her bike and, at speeds that were humanly impossible, she rode away. Okami-san looked at her husband.

"You would think that after all this time she would set an alarm clock." Taisho grunted and continued to peel that day's vegetables.

"She'll learn eventually."

Kyoko made it to the shoot in record time, almost crashing into the wall as she parked her bike. She ran to the studio and skid to a stop in front of Kanae and Hiou, both of whom stared at her in disbelief.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry! " Kanae caught her before she could fling herself into dogeza.

"MO, enough! You are not that late! We are still waiting on the rest of the group! Now get up or I will never speak to you again!"

Kyoko shot back up, her back perfectly straight. "HAI!"

Kanae rolled her eyes and returned to her conversation with Hiou. Kyoko sat on the floor and continued creating her newest curse doll, muttering curses against Fuwa Sho. Kanae distinctly heard her mutter about how he made her late today.

It was 11 o'clock when Ren and Yashiro arrived with Ogata and Amamiya in tow.

"Good morning." Ren flashed his brilliant smile.

"Good morning Tsuruga-san!" Kyoko jumped to her feet, quickly stowing her curse dolls back in her bag before Ren could get a good look at them. "How are you this morning?"

"I am fine thank you."

"Did you eat breakfast?" There was silence. Kyoko narrowed her eyes at the tall actor, who just continued to smile serenely. "Tsuruga-san, no matter how much you hate eating, you have to eat proper meals. You didn't eat breakfast this morning, did you?"

Ren held his smile. "Of course I did."

"What did you have?"

"Rice and coffee." Kyoko frowned. That was not a nutritious breakfast and he knew it. She rounded on Yashiro. "Yashiro-san, you cannot allow Tsuruga-san to make his own meals. If he chooses to eat at all, he never picks anything healthy and-" She was cut off as she was spun around, coming to a stop in front of Deedee, who was staring at her intently.

"I think that she will look best in lighter colors and in shoes with high heels." Deedee muttered to a young woman with long blond hair with a notepad. She began to play with Kyoko's hair, smoothing it this way and that, before mussing it and starting over. "hmm" She frowned slighting before smiling again and moving on to Ren. She pulled his head down to her level and messed with his hair briefly before walking in a slow circle around him, muttering to the blonde woman. She gave this same treatment to Kanae, Amamiya, and Hiou, who complained loudly about the treatment, earning him a flick to the forehead.

"Well," Deedee exclaimed, clapping her hands together, "It may be a bit of a challenge, but I can get them to work." She turned to the blonde. "Take these notes to my trailer and prep the makeup counter for our dear boys." She winked at Ren and Hiou before turning to the girls. "I will deal with you girls after so go with Rose here" she pointed to the blonde, "And she will get you measured for your outfits."

Waving them off, Deedee grabbed Hiou by the shoulders and steered him towards the makeup room, ignoring his protests of being treated like a kid. Ren and Yashiro followed behind, Ren smiling slightly. When they reached makeup, Deedee pushed both Hiou and Ren into the room and instructed them to take an empty seat. The she ushered Yashiro out if the room.

"Sorry love, actors only. The other managers are in Break room 5 with the directors to hash out shooting schedules and manager responsibilities and other busybody things. Don't worry," She smiled at him, were teeth eerily white against her red lips. "The shoot isn't until later." Closing the door in his face, Deedee returned to the makeup room. Hiou was in the farthest chair, actively ignoring her as Ren smiled his gentleman's smile.

"Well, since you boys are the first ones here, well start getting you ready now." She made her way over to Hiou and clipped a drawing to the mirror in front of him. "Your character is Nagasaki Kota, the young computer genius, so you are not big on your looks." Deedee mussed his hair. "So your hairstyle will be almost like bed head and you will need big square glasses for your look. However," she looked intently at his face, "your skin in too dry for an OCD guy who is big on hygiene; you are going to need a facial."

"What!?"Hiou looked at her, horrified. "That's for girls."

"And for indignant little boys with dry skin." She pressed the lever on the left side of the chair, causing it to recline. She reached for a facial mask and before Hiou could escape, slathered the blue mask over his face. She smacked his hand when he tried to wipe the goop off. "Boy, you can either deal with it now or keep wiping it off but I will tell you, I will keep applying it until it has done its job. So either act like a professional, or act like a child, but the end result will be the same."

On that final not she turned and glided over to Ren, who was chuckling slightly. "Actors these days, so dramatic." She smiled widely. "Thankfully you take good care of your skin and physique, but I heard that you have not been eating." Ren froze and Deedee made a soft tutting noise. "Now I'm going to tell you this only once, either you eat properly, or I will make you eat. Fortunately, we have some delish fruit here so I am commanding you as your beautician to eat an apple. Hiou-chan," Hiou glared at her as she set a large red apple in front of Ren. "Make sure Ren-chan eats the apple. If he doesn't, tell me immediately. No I will be back after checking in on the girls; the rest of the boys should be here shortly. And if any of you bring any kind of bad energy into my makeup room, I swear I will make you cross dress and put the images on the internet."

Sighing slightly and muttering under her breath about stubborn, unprofessional children, Deedee left the room, shutting the door behind her.

There was a moment of silence.

"She's one scary obaa-san."

"She'll probably be even scarier if she hears you calling her obaa-san."

"Like I care…" There was another pause. "Do you think she likes torturing people?"

"I dunno." Ren sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "I just hope we never have to see her when she is angry."

Hiou muttered something under his breath that sounded liked the words 'scary,' 'demon,' and 'America,' though he couldn't be sure.

"She said you have to eat that apple."

_'Nosy kid,"_ Ren thought, biting into the sweet fruit. "_I wonder how Kyoko is holding up."_

Unknown to them, the girls were going through their own special brand of scary.


	6. Chapter 6

"NOOOOOOO!" Kyoko backed away from the assistant, fear in her eyes. "No! Absolutely not, I refuse!"

"Kyoko-san, you have no choice, you have to." The costume assistant insisted, her voice almost pleading. "If Ms. Deedee comes here and finds out that you refused, we'll all be in big trouble. She's scary when she's angry!"

"But why?! Why this?!" Kyoko backed farther away, eyes darting back and forth like a small animal about to bolt.

"MOE!" Kanae yelled, marching over to the assistant and snatching the clothing out of her hand. She turned to Kyoko and shoved the offending piece of cloth at the girl. "Who cares, Kyoko?! You're going to be wearing clothes over it, so it doesn't matter does it?!"

"Exactly! If it doesn't matter, then why-"

"What is going on here?" Deedee strolled into the dressing room. The assistant trembled as Deedee's eyes settled on her.

"Ms. Deedee, w-we are having a s-slight disagreement about Kyoko-san's c-character design. She refuses t-to wear the entire o-outfit."

"Now, now, now that won't do." Deedee turned to Kanae. "Do you have a problem with my designs, Kanae-darling?" Kanae shook her head, the woman's cold voice startling her into silence. Deedee turned to Amamiya, who had just walked in. "Chiori-dear, do you think that my outfits are unworthy of you?" Her voice had gotten harder.

Amamiya, looking confused and slightly scared at the woman's tone, shook her head quickly. Deedee nodded briskly before turning back to Kyoko. "And I know for a fact that Cara has no problem with my outfits whatsoever, for she has worn more daring outfits than these in the past. Now, what makes my outfit for you so terrible that you refuse to wear it?" Her usually husky and sultry voice had become dangerously icy. The assistant was visibly shivering from the woman's tone.

Kyoko gaped at the designer, at a loss for words. Instead she pointed a shaky finger to piece of cloth that she had dropped after Kanae shoved it in her hands. Deedee picked it up… and began laughing, a deep, rich sound that cleared away most of the ice in the air.

"This, THIS, is what scares you!? Dahling, it's just a thong."

"But, but, why do I have to wear it if no one else will see it. Can't I just wear my own underwear?!"

Deedee's gaze snapped back at her. "No, you may not. Your character is a beautiful, sexy female detective. And a beautiful, sexy female detective would wear a thong. Not only does it tie into your character's personality, but a thong is the only type of underwear that can be worn with your outfit or else underwear lines will show through and ruin the image. Now," She tossed the underwear back to the teenager and made her way towards the door, "I have to go and help the boys finish getting ready. Hair, makeup, wardrobe, NOW! If you three are not ready to go when I return, I will strip and dress you all myself, and let me tell you something; you ain't gonna like it! Now chop, chop! And you," she pointed at the assistant. "Use all necessary force to get them ready. The shoot starts in less than two hours; that singer boy and those two gorgeous actors need to get ready as well and seeing as they have just arrived, I need to tend to them. Come join me in the men's dressing room when you finish with these girls."

She stalked out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her without waiting for a reply. The actresses just stared after her while the assistant breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank god she didn't get too mad." She turned to Kyoko. "Just wear the outfits that she puts out or the shoots will be hell for you." Shoving the rest of the girls' costumes into their arms, she made her way towards the door.

"I have to go help Ms. Deedee now. I will be back in 15 to do your hair and the final touches of your makeup. If you aren't dressed by then, I will dress you myself."

Kyoko, Amamiya, and Kanae stared as the assistant left the room. Kanae sighed and made her way over to one of the dressing areas. She shut the curtain with a snap and began to undress. Amamiya did the same.

"But, but…"

"MOE! Kyoko, just get dressed already. You are a professional! Stop complaining! This. Is. Our. JOB." The tone of her voice made it clear that the discussion was over.

Steeling herself, Kyoko walked into her own dressing area. Wincing inwardly, she removed her clothes and put on the thong. She felt so naked. Slowly, she grabbed the next article of clothing.

Kanae and Amamiya stepped out at the same time.

"You look good."

"So do you."

"I know. I didn't think I would like it but-"

"WHAT IS THIS?! HOW IS THIS A BRA?!"

Amamiya and Kanae were listening to Kyoko in exasperation when the door opened again.

"Good, you two are dressed." The assistant had returned. "If you two would take a seat, I'll finish your makeup and hair. And Kyoko-san, be quick; we are running behind schedule."

Kanae reclined slightly in her chair as she watched the assistant apply makeup to Amamiya and fix her hair. She began to relax as she listened to Kyoko's muttering from behind the curtain. She smiled. Tsuruga Ren was going to flip out he sees what Kyoko is wearing.

"Alright Kanae-san, let me just fix your hair and touch up your makeup and you will be good to go." Kanae nodded and closed her eyes, allowing the assistant to transform her.

It was almost an hour later when the assistant led the three actresses to the shoot location. It was amazing; costumes were everywhere, the shoot backgrounds ranged from solid colors to patterns and landscape backgrounds. Lights hung from the ceilings and there was a padded table which sat over a half a dozen cameras.

"If you will wait over there with Mr. Kelp, I'll go and fetch Cara and the boys. And don't you dare do anything to mess up your makeup or clothing. We won't forgive you if you do." She stalked off, leaving the three girls behind with the old man.

Mr. Kelp was dressed more casually than the last time they saw him. He had lost the full suit and instead was wearing tan dockers and a peach plaid polo shirt. He wore white tennis shoes and a white herringbone driver's hat. He nodded slightly at them, seeming bored.

"**H-hey-lo**" Kanae and Amamiya said in shaky English.

"**Fine, fine. If you want to get started, could you stand in front of the green screen here? I need to test out different backgrounds for the shoot.**" Mr. Kelp asked in his deep, gruff voice.

"What did he say, Kotonami-san?"

"I don't know. I only caught something about us being green."

"Green?"

"**Well, are you going to work or just stand there?**"

'_Oh god, he's getting angry-'_

_'I don't know what he said-'_

The girls thoughts were cut off as Kyoko answered the man.

"**Please excuse us sir. My friends and I are not used to talking to native English speakers. Our English is actually very poor." ** Kyoko bowed her head slightly as she spoke, every inch the well mannered young lady. She was surprised at his next words.

**"I don't like excuses. Your accent may be a little strange, but, as professionals, you should be able to understand simple instructions like 'stand over there.' I am an old man; you cannot expect me to learn an entirely new language just so that you children can be lazy. Isn't English taught in your schools here?"**

**"Yes sir but-"**

**"Then study harder or bring a translator. I did not leave my family and travel halfway around the world just to babysit spoiled actresses." **He stood up suddenly. **"I am going to get a drink. You had all better be ready when I return with the photographers." **He walked away, leaving a stunned Kyoko gaping after him.

"Kyoko, what did he say? He sounded really mad." Anamiya asked, her face a little pale. Slowly, a few of Kyoko's little grudges popped out.

"What a rude old man! He called us lazy because we aren't perfect at English! And he could have at been polite and said 'hello' back!" As Kyoko continued to rant, she didn't notice that the other actors had come up behind her. She jumped when she heard Ren's voice.

"Is everything alright, Mogami-san?" Kyoko spun around to face him. "Tsuruga-san!" She looked him up and down, embarrassed that he heard her outburst. Frantic, she said the first thing that came to mind. "You look good!"

He did. His hair was styled in a way that looked professional but not like her spent more than five minutes on it. He wore a cream colored shirt that had the top two button's unbuttoned and a tie was tied loosely around his neck with the ends tucked into his breast pocket. He wore dark grey slacks and matching loafers, and in one hand was his suit jacket. On his left wrist was a gold watch, and peeping out from beneath his shirt, the lines of a tattoo could be seen on his chest.

She instantly clapped her hand over her mouth but she wasn't quick enough to catch the words. Ren chuckled at this. "Thank you, Mogami-san, you look good too."

And he really thought she did; in fact, he had been shocked when he first saw her. Her hair was brushed back in a way that made her seem older and more mature. She was wearing natural looking makeup that had the same effect. And her clothes looked great on her. Her button down baby blue blouse and black suit jacket accentuated her small waist and delicate shoulders. Her black slacks made here legs look long and she was every inch the mature working woman. She wore black boots with a two inch heel and had a black leather purse with her. She wore gold posts, a delicate gold chain necklace with a clover shaped pendant on it, and a small gold and silver watch on her left wrist. She looked stunning.

Kanae rolled her eyes at the stupid look on Kyoko's face.

"You look nice." Kanae looked down at Hiou who had come to stand beside her. He wore a pair of baggy jeans, a red zip up hoodie over a long grey t-shirt, and well used sneakers. His hair was messy and thick black glasses framed his eyes.

"Thanks Hiou-kun." Kanae blushed and looked down. Her costume consisted of a deep red shirt and a grey skirt suit with crimson three inch heels. Her long hair was in a professional up do and her ensemble was completed with a black leather briefcase.

"You all look good." Lani, Yashiro, and the rest of the managers seemed to have finished their meeting. "You all looked exactly how the characters were imagined."

Amamiya had been transformed into a casual waitress, her blue jeans and red button up t-shirt paired with a pair of black pumps, a red headband with her hair in a ponytail, and a black apron. Kijima looked half his age, wearing white cargo pants and a dark green skin tight t-shirt and tennis shoes. His looked screamed 'hot guy' without overly flaunting it and like Amamiya, his hair was pulled back in a ponytail. His face even sported a small goat patch beard. The makeup artists had done their job; when Amamiya and Kijima stood near each other, you could really see the 'family resemblance' between the 'siblings.'

Even the self-proclaimed bad boy Murasame was decked out in a full police uniform, complete with hat, working radio, and weapons. Scar makeup had been applied to his nose, making it look like it had once been broken and had not set completely straight and his hair had been lightened up so make it more of a mousy brown color.

"Really? I think I'm still the most handsome." Kyoko felt her grudges come out and her heart almost stop when Sho came up and draped an arm across Lani's shoulders. He looked like he did before he got famous. His hair was a chestnut brown and his face was clear of makeup. He wore faded and ripped jeans and a light grey t-shirt with a vintage looking leather and jean vest. He wore brown boots and chains draped over most of his outfit. He had a long earring in one ear. The only thing that had really changed was his eyes. He was wearing contacts, which made one of his eyes a clear grey, and the other a deep brown color.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ren saw Kyoko stiffen slightly. His eyes narrowed._ 'What is she thinking about that is making her so uncomfortable? Is it something to do with Fuwa?'_ His eyes narrowed even more at this thought.

Lani shrugged Sho's arm off of her shoulders. "You look very good Fuwa-san, however, you need to practice a little more. If you're not careful, your flirting can be misinterpreted as harassment and an invasion of personal space." Sho glared at her, surprised and angry at the same time.

"What-"

"OMG, you're right Lani! He does kinda come off as a stalker."

Lani turned to face Cara. "I said they may be unwanted invasions of space, not the hallmarks of a stalker."

"Same diff." Cara flipped her braids over her shoulder and placed her hands on her hips. "Besides, y'all ain't got nothing on me. She posed and if these actors weren't so good at hiding their true emotions, all of their mouths would be open. Her outfit was…outrageous. She was wearing a black and white pinstripe suit with no shirt on, showing off her lacy red bra. Her sun kissed beige skin seemed to glow slightly in the light and on her chest and neck wears small but exquisitely detailed black lace-like snowflake tattoos. She wore black and white high heels that seemed extremely difficult to walk in, though she still stood with balance and poise. On her head was a black and white striped fedora. A rifle holster was strapped over her suit and she wore big hoop earrings and a sliver and ruby bracelet.

"Cara, why aren't you wearing a shirt?"

Cara winked. "Jealous, Lani?"

Lani rolled her eyes in response. "Of course not, but your character is a successful businesswoman and a black market dealer. Do you think you can pull it off looking like that?"

"Of course; there actually was a shirt with this but Deedee told me not to wear it all of the time." She turned and grabbed Kijima and Murasame by the shoulders, steering them towards Mr. Kelp and the photographers. "Now, let's make some beautiful pictures. SAY CHEESE EVERYONE!"

Lani rubbed her temples; she could see a massive headache in her future.

"Is she always this childish?" Lani looked up and her gazed rested on Shoko.

She grimaced. "No, but to tell you the truth, she is even more unbelievable when she's being serious."

Shoko shrugged and elbowed Sho. "Sho, stop glaring and go; they are getting ready to take pictures."

Sho walked away, mumbling under his breath. The rest of the actors made their way over to the photographers as well.

"What was that, you runt?!" Cara shouted at Sho as he got near her.

"Shut up you old hag!"

"It's so nice that our charges can get along, isn't it?" Shoko leaned against the wall next to Lani, watching as the photo shoot commenced and Cara and Sho continued to fight.

"They must cause you two a lot of grief." Yashiro joined them.

"Sometimes." Lani stared at the bickering stars intently. "What surprises me is that Cara's being so nice to him; usually when people piss her off or call her old, she ends up in a fist fight."

Shoko and Yashiro stared at her. "Fist fight?! How wild is she?!"

Lani laughed and watched Mr. Kelp break up the fighting by tripping them. "She's probably one of the most sincere, interesting, memorable people that you are ever likely to meet!"


	7. Chapter 7

"Now, raise your left leg… your other left leg… good, now rest it on the back of the couch… hold it, hold it… you know, I don't like it, it just looks stiff. You need to sell this character to me. Now tell me, who you are?"

Kijima answered immediately. "Hanna Akira, a lazy man who barely graduated college and is an extreme playboy. He has a new girlfriend every few weeks. He has no desire to work because his looks usually get him gifts from girls. Everything else that he needs he mooches off of his sister."

"YES!" The photographer, Mike, cried. "Yes, yes, yes! You are a low energy playboy who never has to try to get a date. He's a scoundrel and a dog, yet he knows he will be forgiven because he is handsome. I need you to look sexy, not 'look at how sexy I can be', but naturally sexy. I need you to sprawl on that couch and just be sexy without looking like you are trying. You are alone, so you need to look bored, and look like you don't have a care in the world because you don't! And for god's sake, stop looking directly at the camera!"

Kijima nodded and complied, sinking into the couch with one leg sprawled over the back, one hand behind his head, the other hanging over the side. He sank into his character and, a minute later, a lazy playboy emerged. Mike was pleased, taking pictures faster than the speed of light and shouting orders in a mixture of English and Japanese to the crew as he worked quickly.

"That photographer is intense." Kyoko muttered to Kanae, as they sat in chairs designated for the actors waiting their turn.

Kanae nodded. "But he does seem to know exactly what he is doing."

"That's 'cause he does." Cara plopped into the chair on Kyoko's other side. "Mike has been with Silver Raincloud longer than I have and he is one of the best photographers out there that does natural shots, not just beauty, masculinity, or sex. He rocks and he is the best person to ask for tips about finding the light and your best side and so on. He's one of the main reasons I was chosen for this project. His photos of me in my portfolio were amazing."

"And don't forget that you promised to date his roommate in exchange for those pictures." Lani said smiling, handing Cara a bottle of water before offering some to Kyoko and Kanae, who graciously accepted.

Cara sighed dreamily. "Oh, I won't; Clark is so fine! I have a date set for when we are done today. Lani, remind me to buy some chocolates; Clark loves chocolate."

Lani nodded and turned back to Kyoko and Kanae. "So have you guys taken your shots yet?"

Kanae shook her head. "No, they are doing the boys' individual shots first. Kijima, Fuwa, and Tsuruga are the only ones left."

"Well you might as well relax right now." Yashiro and Ren had come up behind them. "I heard from Deedee that we will break for lunch after Ren finishes his individuals." Yashiro continued. Ren smiled at all of them and turned to Kyoko.

"NEXT!" The photographer's shout drowned out whatever Ren had said. "I SAID NEXT!" There was a moment of silence before the burly photographer yelled again. "SOMEONE GET THE NEXT ACTOR!"

It took the staff five minutes to find Sho and another ten minutes to tear him away from the three busty fangirls who had cornered him in the hallway. Unlike the rest of the American photography crew, Mike wasn't upset, just annoyed. "When I say that you are next that means you need to be ready whenever for whenever I call you. Now your shooting time is going to run into Tsuruga's. You are going to need to get these photos done right on the first try if you and Tsuruga are going to have time to eat. You're playing a rock star, so it shouldn't be too difficult; just be you but less Visual Kei and more… cool rock." He turned and looked at the other actors. "All of you break for lunch. I will be done with Fuwa and Tsuruga as soon as possible."

"FOOD!" Cara yelled, jumping out of her chair and sprinting out of the room. "FOOD FOOD FOOOD! I'm starving!"

The Japanese actors just looked after her, dumbfounded. She was like a little kid. A quick glance around showed that the American crew wasn't even fazed by this behavior; they must have been used to it.

Lani just shook her head. "Sometimes I swear that I am looking after a six year old." She rubbed her temples before getting to her feet. "Come on; we'd better get in there before she eats everything in sight." She followed her charge into the break room, filling a plate with food and taking a seat next to the tall actress. The rest of the cast and crew who weren't needed for the boy's shoot trickled in after them.

**"So," **Cara drawled, switching languages. **"What do you think of these people?"**

Lani shrugged. **"They are certainly good at what they do and they seem like genuine people. Why do you ask?"**

**"Well, Lory wants me to play cupid while I'm here but I dunno; this will definitely be the toughest match ever. I see so many people who would make great couples but none of them are willing to make the first move. You know, there's Ren and Kyoko, Kanae and Hiou, Shoko and basically any handsome man-"**

**"Now just stop right there. I came here to help you work, not pursue that stupid ideal that you and Lory are supposed to bring love back into the world. You two are not cupid, or any connotation, and the last time you tried to play cupid you were almost run over by an angry ballet teacher because you set up her husband with another woman!"**

**"Well how was I supposed to know that that woman was her sister!"**

**"They were twins, Cara, identical twins! It didn't once occur to you that they may be sisters since they look exactly the same?"**

**"Nope."**

**"And you really couldn't blame the woman; you broke up her marriage by setting up her husband-"**

**"Who she had separated from!"**

**"-with her twin sister! Not only that, but you didn't even try to pretend to be sorry. And if you weren't such good friends with at least half of the police department in Los Angeles, she wouldn't have even been arrested because there was no proof that she tried to run you down!"**

Cara scrutinized Lani for several minutes before speaking again. **"So what's your point?"**

Lani rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. **"The point is that your cupid schemes do nothing but get you in trouble. I can't stop you from interfering, but I am warning you, if you do something stupid like that this time around, I will not bail you out. Your meddling also must not interfere in any way with your work, or mine. Got it?"**

**"Sir, yes, SIR!"** Cara shouted, jumping to her feet and saluting. The people around them stared, and the people from Silver Raincloud who had been close enough to hear the conversation laughed before returning to their meals.

Lani ignored them all and returned to her meal, her patience with the conversation seemingly gone.

Kyoko and the rest of the Japanese crew just stared at them. Whatever they were talking about, Cara seemed surprisingly serious about, while Lani just looked annoyed. It was also weird that they weren't speaking Japanese or English. Whatever language it was, it sounded pretty and they were speaking extremely fast.

"I wonder what they are talking about." Kanae voiced what they all were thinking.

Amamiya shrugged. "I want to know what language they were speaking. It wasn't English."

Hiou just grunted. "If they don't want us to know what they're saying, then we won't know. It's probably not very important anyway."

"But it's quite rude. They could be talking about us and we wouldn't even know it." Murasame and Kijima took seats at their table. "If they don't want us to hear it, then they shouldn't talk about it here."

"Talk about what?" Deedee appeared behind Kyoko, her arrival causing the young girl to choke on her food in surprise. Deedee thumped her on the back until she could breathe again. It was Amamiya who answered.

"We were curious as to what Lani and Cara were talking about, since they switched languages." Deedee looked over at the two women who were now have an intense exchange, judging from the fierceness in Lani's eyes and the serious look on Cara's face. The handsome woman listened closely before laughing lightly.

"Nothing to worry about, dahlings, nothing at all. And curiosity did kill the cat."

"What?" Tsuruga took the seat next to Kyoko, a small plate of food in his hand. "Who is curious?"

Deedee smiled brightly at him. "Finished already, dahling? That was fast."

Tsuruga nodded. "It was decided that my pictures would be taken first so that the photographer could spend more on Fuwa. He apparently was over-posing."Tsuruga inwardly grinned at that. "So, what about Lani and Cara?"

Kanae snorted. "They suddenly started speaking another language and are acting weird."

Deedee tutted. "And I told you dahling, that's normal."

"Normal how?" asked Kyoko.

Deedee smiled. "What they are speaking now is Spanish. They are probably just talking about Cara's life back in Los Angeles because they start speaking Spanish every time that topic comes up. Spanish is Cara's first language after all and she is much better at it than she is Japanese."

"Does that mean Spanish is Lani's first language too?" Murasame asked.

Deedee shrugged. "You'd have to ask her. Lani is not a regular at Silver Raincloud; she just shows up to help Cara from time to time. But," she pressed a manicured finger to her cheek. "I think she once said that Spanish was one of her best languages. If I remember correctly, she said she was fluent in five or six of them. I just assumed her real job is of an international translator." Deedee looked at her watch. "Sorry dahlings, I have to get the outfits ready for the next round of photos. Excuse me." She strutted away, barking out orders to her assistants.

Kanae just stared after her. "For someone who says she knows nothing, she seems to know an awful lot."

The table chuckled at her remark before everyone got to their feet. There was still 20 minutes left in the break and they were going to use it wisely. Kyoko turned to Tsuruga to ask him how the pictures came out when she saw what he was eating.

"TSURUGA-SAN!"

Ren sighed. He was hoping that she wouldn't notice how little he had taken for lunch. Guess he could kiss that dream goodbye as he readied himself for Kyoko's infamous lecture on eating right.


	8. Chapter 8

"NEXT!" Mike bellowed. "Come on ladies, we have only one left to go before we can take a group picture! Let's move, move, MOVE! You in the glasses, careful with those cameras; YOU BREAK IT, YOU DIE! I need the blue background, lights one, three and seven dimmed, raise four and six…" He continued to bellow his orders as his assistants and any staff members he had deemed competent ran to and fro, some literally jumping over their peers in their haste to follow the photographer's orders.

Kyoko watched in awe as the American crew worked tirelessly and in organized chaos to create the next scene. She had never seen a photoshoot operate like this. The way that they all worked smoothly together was as if someone had kicked over an anthill and the workers were scrambling to fix it.

"Whatcha staring at?" Kyoko started at the sound of Cara's voice. She turned around and saw the actress all ready for her shoot, makeup and clothing flawless and without a wrinkle or spot. Realizing after a minute that she should probably answer Cara's question, she pointed to Mike and his assistants.

Cara smiled. "Yeah, it makes you get a headache just looking at it. Their entire work is about getting everything done perfectly in as little time as possible. Being polite and courteous to others' personal space just doesn't fit here. Anyway," She turned her sharp green eyes on Kyoko, "I came over here to congratulate you; was this really your first major photo shoot?"

Kyoko nodded and Cara whistled. "That, _chica_, is impressive. I wasn't nearly as good at my first shoot; got so nervous I nearly fainted halfway through. Though, that could also have been due to the face that I had not eaten in two days because I was trying to watch my figure."

"A healthy lifestyle requires regular meals made of healthy and fresh ingredients." Kyoko said automatically. She had told Ren that the first time she had been put in charge of his lunch or the day.

Cara nodded. "Oh yeah, Sister Aggie back home was always saying the same thing, and like usual, she was right." She looked at Kyoko hard before opening her mouth to ask a question; Mike cut her off.

"Cara, let's move! You're up!"

"Wish me luck!" Cara winked and made her way over to the cameraman before Kyoko could respond.

Ren came up not long into the shoot to stand next to the copper haired actress. He jerked his chin at Cara. "You wouldn't believe it just by looking at her, but she is good at this."

Kyoko nodded in agreement as she stared at the Latina. "The cameraman hasn't criticized her once. He just says where she needs to go and what she should portray for the next shot and she does it flawlessly."

Kyoko wasn't wrong. Cara had taken on a hard edge, with a look that spelled trouble for anyone who dared to cross her. Her fun, vivacious attitude had sunk below that of a business woman who was confident enough to make deals, and ruthless enough to follow them through. Even though her outfit was somewhat racy and left little to the imagination, she looked powerful and professional. Every popped button was a way to make a deal, the peak at her bra a negotiation tool. It wasn't cheap or vulgar or crude like Kyoko first thought; it was a weapon for this woman. This incredibly powerful, incredibly dangerous woman who is an arms dealer, drug smuggler and mob member.

Cara acted flawlessly for the camera, every turn, every pose perfectly reflecting the character that she had become. Even just looking straight ahead into the camera, Cara was international arms dealer and mob boss Yvonne Du'Clair. She was a completely different person.

"AND THAT'S A WRAP!" Mike bellowed. "NOW, EVERYONE GET UP HERE AND POSE WITH EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT, 'CAUSE I HAVE A BEUATIFUL WIFE WAITING FOR ME AT MY HOTEL AND I'M NOT GOING TO KEEP HER WAITING ANY LONGER! MOVE, PEOPLE, MOVE, WE ARE GETTING THIS IN FIVE SHOTS!"

It only took another thirty minutes yelling to get everyone on set and get the perfect photo. The moment that was done, Mike and his assistants packed up and were out the door in less than ten minutes.

Cara laughed at the looks on her coworkers faces. "Mike and his team don't like staying longer than they have to. Mike's crew all go out for dinner and drinks if they're single, or back to their families if they have them. Mike's wife has a rule that if he is late coming home he won't get any."

Ren and many of the other actors and managers blushed slightly at Cara's words. Kyoko looked confused. "Won't get any what?" She looked to Ren for clarification, but he wouldn't meet her eyes. Neither would Kanae or anyone else who didn't look downright confused.

Cara winked at her. "Oh, honey, don't worry, you'll get some someday too. Maybe one of these handsome men could help you with that." Her grin turned cheeky. "Or one of these beautiful women; no judgement."

Those who were blushing blushed deeper, along with a few more who understood that particular hint. Kyoko looked even more confused.

Lani came up behind her charge, smacking Cara on the back of the head with her briefcase. Ren was impressed that the petite woman was even able to reach that high. Cara gave a yelp and glared at her manager. "The hell, Lani!?"

Lani raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "You really need to think about what you say before you say it. It's called a speech filter; I know that Sister Agatha installed one in you, but you still refuse to use it. You don't go around asking people about their sexual orientation or intimate frequencies! This is not America; people here are probably more private than the people back home." Kyoko blushed along with everyone else, now finally able to read the actress's subtext.

Cara pouted. "That doesn't mean that you had to smack me!"

"Actually it did. Now," She handed over a box of chocolate. "Clark will be here any minute and I believe you promised your date a romantic night. So go!"

Cara blinked before grinning widely and rushing off to get changed. Still blushing, the others followed suit, and it was thirty minutes later that they were all leaving the studio. Soon the only people left were a few crew members still cleaning up, Ren, Yashiro, Lani, and Kyoko. Cara was still getting ready.

'Lani." A petite woman in her late twenties walked up to them. Kyoko recognized her as part of the American camera crew. "Cara where is?" Like most of the American crew, her accent was thick and her words were jumbled and clumsy. She looked at Ren and stuck out her hand. "Sorry, me Izzy. Day long, want home."

Ren smiled his gentleman smile and shook her hand. "**No problem.**" He had switched into English. "**It is nice to meet you Izzy. Are you looking for Cara?**" Izzy nodded.

"**Yeah, do you know where she is? I'm kinda in a hurry.**"

Lani jumped in. "**She should be back any minute now… oh, there she is**!" Lani pointed at the woman who was now making her way down the hall. Kyoko watched Cara with awe as the Latina was quickly applying her makeup without a mirror, and doing it flawlessly, while making her way towards them. But that wasn't the only thing that stunned her. Everyone else was speechless.

Cara looked completely different. She wore a sleeveless sunset orange romper with a pair of white cowboy boots and a white jacket. Her hair was down in her hundreds of tiny braids and she wore a thick white headband on her head. She looked stunning, but that wasn't the most jaw dropping thing about her.

Though still extremely tall, she had shrunk quite a few inches, now able to look Tsuruga dead in the eye rather than look down her nose at him. Kyoko guesses her height to be just an inch or two over six feet, her height just an inch below the talented actor's.

She caught them staring at her. "_Que_?" She looked down at herself before looking back up. "Oh, the height?" They nodded at her. She grinned. "I decided not to wear my heels tonight. Clark doesn't show it, but our height difference is a sensitive issue." She turned to Izzy and switched to English. "**Ready to go**?" She offered Izzy her arm, which Izzy took gratefully. Cara steered her away from the group, lazily waving goodbye over her shoulder with the box of chocolates.

Lani waved goodbye absentmindedly to the two before turning back to Tsuruga, Kyoko and Yashiro with an exasperated look on her face. "Well, good thing Cara doesn't have any work to do tomorrow; I know I won't see her until at least the day after next. Hey, I know this is last minute but, - hun why are you looking over there like that? You can't see them anymore."

"Oh," Kyoko looked a little stunned. "It's nothing."

"That look isn't nothing, sweetie. What's confusing you?"

Kyoko looked abashed. "I just thought that Cara-san was going out with someone named Clark tonight."

Tsuruga grinned slightly at the blank look on Lani's face. He had a pretty good idea of what was going on.

"She is. You just saw them." Lani waited a moment, but the blank look on Kyoko's face, as well as the better disguised one on Yashiro's face, didn't change. She noticed Tsuruga trying to hold back a knowing grin, but Lani had a feeling that Tsuruga would be no help to her right now. They must not have known. "Cara already left with Clark."

No change in reaction.

"You just saw them both."

Nothing.

"You even talked to Clark."

Crickets.

Lani sighed, a little annoyed that Tsuruga was finding this situation amusing and doing nothing to help her. Finally, she threw tact out the window. "That young woman Izzy?" Kyoko still just looked at her. "Her full name is Clark Izzolo."

Now Kyoko got it, if the blush that just crept its way over her cheeks and ears was any indication. "I-I-I…"

Lani patted her on the shoulder. "It's okay. It's a bit confusing since only Cara and three other people actually call her Clark. Everyone else calls her Izzy; calling her Clark is something only people close to her are allowed to do."

Kyoko was blushing so deeply that Lani wondered how the poor girl was still standing. Any other person would have fainted by now.

"S-so, Cara is…" Kyoko stuttered, clearly embarrassed.

Lani nodded. "Very open and free with her relationships; if she likes someone, doesn't matter if it is a man or a woman. Cara likes people for who they are, not what they are." She patted Kyoko on the shoulder. "It is okay, Kyoko, I know that this may be shocking to you. You seem very…pure and innocent, and this is probably the first time meeting someone like Cara." She smiled. "There is no need to be embarrassed."

"Is it okay for you to be telling us this?" Yashiro asked. "Isn't this, I don't know, a very personal topic? Won't Cara get mad at you?"

Lani shook her head. "It's not like it's a secret. Everyone knows on the crew and it is just a matter of time until everyone else finds out. Besides, Cara finds no shame in it; in fact, she expresses it with pride. She couldn't care less what other people think. Last time someone gave her grief about it, she spent the night in jail for starting a bar fight. The other guy had to get stitches and never bothered her about it again." Lani shrugged. "She is a very prideful, live in the moment type of person."

"I-I see." Yashiro was still a little shocked. He was starting to get a better picture as to the type of person Carlita Monterro, though he wondered if he would ever stop being shocked.

Tsuruga cleared his throat and changed the subject, realizing that Kyoko might faint if this conversation continued. "Lani-san, you were going to ask us something?"

"Hm? Oh, yes, I was wondering if you could give me a lift to this restaurant." She handed over a piece of paper with an address on it.

Tsuruga looked at it and raised his eyebrows. This was to the most expensive restaurant in Tokyo, and was very upscale. Ren knew from experience that you either had to be incredibly rich or incredibly famous to even be considered for a reservation and that it often took months, sometimes even years to get a reservation there.

Yashiro looked at the paper and his face morphed into one of shock and amazement. He had recognized the address too.

"Is something wrong?" Lani snatched back the paper and looked it over. "Did I write the address wrong?" She looked back up at them. "Is this not the address for the Jiroshima?"

Kyoko started at the name. "Jiroshima? The Jiroshima!? That place's food is legendary! I've always wanted to try it, but it is so expensive, they would never let someone as lowly as me in!" She eyes were sparkling and shining as she fantasized about the food at the exorbitantly famous restaurant.

Lani frowned. "Is it really that expensive?" Kyoko nodded so hard that Lani was afraid that she would give herself whiplash. Lani was silent for a moment, contemplating something before she shrugged her shoulders. "Well, either way, I do have to make that meeting." She turned to Tsuruga. "Tsuruga-san, can you give me a lift? Cara and Izzy took the car and I do not want to be late to my own appointment."

Tsuruga nodded as they made their way towards his car. "Of course." He opened the doors for Kyoko, while Yashiro did the same for Lani. It wasn't until they were all buckled in and on their way to the restaurant did Yashiro start asking questions.

"If you don't mind my asking, what is so important that it requires a meeting at the most expensive restaurant in town so late at night? Jiroshima should close in the next half hour."

Lani yawned slightly and took a moment to collect her thoughts before answering. "This meeting is for me and my attorneys. There was a slight… problem that came up at my other job and I really need to fix it right away. Since Cara will be off the grid tomorrow, it is the perfect time to try and sort this out without interruptions." As she spoke, she took out her phone and began to rapidly text someone, presumably her attorneys. "I have put a lot of effort into my job here, but my original duties take priority over everything else."

Before Kyoko could ask her about her other job, they were pulling into the drop-off for Jiroshima. Valets opened the doors and held out their hands to help the ladies out. Lani gratefully took her valet's helping hand and allowed him to help her out before answering another text. The other made no moves to leave the car. Kyoko was staring at the building in awe and in longing, while Yashiro and Tsuruga tried not to do the same.

The valets looked at everyone else in the car, as if waiting for something. Finally one asked. "Is something wrong?"

Res smiled his gentleman's smile. "Not at all, we were just dropping off a friend." He made to wave them away when Lani's next comment made him freeze.

"Nonsense! I know that you all are hungry, so please, enjoy yourselves." She stowed her phone back into her purse before looking at them. "My colleagues just informed me that they were able to switch our table to a private room so that we will disturb anyone while we talk. Since there is a table open due to our error, I insist that you use it, on me of course."

Kyoko immediately started to protest, saying that it was too expensive, and that she was too shabby and unworthy to eat there, while Tsuruga and Yashiro tried to politely decline. Lani would have none of it.

"I have been nothing but bothersome to you three since I met you and I would like to repay you. I know you are hungry and if you do not take it, the reservation will just go to waste. I insist; think of it as a thank you for all that you have done. You can also use the boutique here if you feel that the clothes that you are wearing are not fancy enough, again on me." She turned to the valets. "These three will be taking the Hurston reservation at 11:30. All charges, dinner and dress included, are to be sent to me." The valets nodded and once again stood at attention, ushering the stunned actors and manager out of the car.

Lani ignored their protests as she pulled them into the restaurant and handed Kyoko over to the in-house boutique. She turned back to the shocked Tsuruga and Yashiro, winking at them. "Just enjoy yourselves tonight." She stood on her tiptoes and whispered something into Ren's ear before bowing to them and following a waiter to her private room.

Yashiro gaped after her. "What-? How-? Huh?"

Tsuruga nodded. "I feel the exact some way. I thought her to be a competent manager but apparently she is much more than that… to be able to afford this place…"

Yashiro nodded. "No wonder she is able to handle Cara; she got us to come here and we couldn't even refuse." He looked at his charge closely and noticed that Tsuruga's ears were pink. "What did she say to you?"

Tsuruga ignored him, but Lani's words kept repeating over and over in his head. '_I'm probably the last person you expect to hear this from, but don't let this chance slip by. Even if Yashiro is here, have a nice date with Kyoko-chan._'

He blushed a little deeper. He was _not_ in love with Kyoko.


End file.

Skip Beat!, Drama, Romance