Disclaimer: I love Skip Beat!, but that doesn't 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 doesn't know whether to stand her ground and act…or 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 can't ignore one-sidedness from strange Reino, eh? Also a dark horse in the running you won't expect.

No Light, No Light
Chapter Two: It Starts…

Kyoko hurried to get ready after waking up a little late. She rushed through her morning routine and had just finished brushing her teeth when Kijima called her to tell her he was there. Finishing up, Kyoko went downstairs from her room to see Kijima chatting up the old couple she lived with in the Darumaya restaurant.

"Ah, Kyoko-chan! Ready to go?" Kijima asked when he saw her.

Kyoko smiled widely, blushing a bit. It really was so kind of Kijima to offer to drive her to the meeting. He'd really been nice to her and she enjoyed hanging out with him. She didn't really have much friends, so it was great that it seemed she could count him as one.

"Ready, Kijima-san!" she called out chirpily and he escorted her to his car after they'd said their goodbyes.

From there, he took out a plastic bag and opened up the container that was inside, which he then produced two wonderfully smelling taiyaki just after she finished putting on her seatbelt, and handed her one. She almost squealed happily as she accepted hers, inhaling the delicious smell happily.

"Oh, is this the taiyaki from that place?" she asked eagerly.

"The one and only," he said smugly.

She couldn't help grinning widely and biting into it already. It tasted as good as she remembered it first tasting like.

"I thought we could snack on these while we drive to the meeting. Also, the meeting might take a while, so this should keep us a little full while we're in there," he explained as he began to drive.

"I'm really excited," Kyoko confessed. "I have a much different role than I usually play, and I really want to do well."

"You shouldn't worry. You're an excellent actress," Kijima reassured her. "I think you'll do brilliantly."

Kyoko beamed at him happily, a slight shade of red flushing her cheeks a bit.

"I look forward to working with you and Tsuruga-san," she bowed slightly in her seat.

Kijima laughed lightly, though he inwardly huffed at the mention of Tsuruga. "I always look forward to working with Kyoko-chan!"

Kyoko wanted to hide in the ground somewhere and just not face anyone anymore. Kijima had a knack for getting her extremely embarrassed, and she swore her face would become permanently red because of him.

For the rest of the way, they chattered about the show and speculated on who else would be cast and who could be the director. Their talk lasted all the way to the LME building, to which they traveled quietly to the President's office, where the meeting would take place at. Since Kyoko was more familiar with the place, she was the one that led. And it felt odd but cool to be the one leading and helping, especially a sempai.

Before too long, they had reached the President's office, with the secretary letting them in and informing them that they were the last to arrive. Hurrying in, all eyes turned to look at them and Kyoko turned red, bowing immediately.

"Sorry for the lateness!"

The doors opened and Ren felt his hackles rise as the sight of Kijima standing coolly by Kyoko's side, a nonchalant look on his face accompanying his laidback posture and slight smirk. He didn't miss the fact that the two had entered together, and wondered if Kijima had waited outside, patiently biding his time until Kyoko came to come in with her. He wouldn't put it pass the other and Ren tried to keep hiding how upset he was at the moment.

"That would be my fault," Kijima lazily held up a hand. "By the time I picked her up, traffic had gotten heavy from where she lived to here."

Ren clenched a hand and knew that Yashiro was looking at him worriedly. He silently willed his manager to look away, to not make it so obvious that he was upset by this piece of news. This was even worse than what he'd originally thought and he tried to reign in his emotions.

Kijima had picked up Kyoko?

How familiar were they with each other by now?

"Oh?" Takarada sounded curious, but Ren was sure he had detected a thread of amusement lining his voice. "I didn't know you two were close."

Kijima smiled widely then. "Kyoko-chan and I are good friends," Ren bristled and tensed up at that. "We go out often!"

Kyoko's face was still red, which made Ren mentally frown. "Un! We go taste test lots of sweets together and grade them."

What? Since when? When did this-this thing between the two start?

Ren had been so sure that he'd scared off the other that time, but now he had confirmation that his warning had gone unheeded. Or had this started even before that? He wasn't sure of anything anymore and he didn't like that.

Kyoko was much too innocent to be pursued and toyed with by the likes of Kijima, the womanizer that the man was. Ren wouldn't stand for it if Kyoko got hurt because of the other. More than that, the idea of Kyoko with someone else brought a pang to his heart and he did his best to push down that feeling. It was hard though and he found himself unhappily watching the proceedings with a close eye.

"Excuse me, but perhaps we should get started? I'm sure those two would like to be able to sit down."

Kyoko turned to the new but familiar voice, delighted to recognize who it was when she saw the man. "Director Shingai! What are you doing here?"

Shingai laughed, smiling kindly at Kyoko. "It's not obvious? I'm going to be the director of your new TV show."

She broke out into an unrestrained grin. "That's wonderful, Director Shingai! I would love to finally work officially with you, sir!"

"None of that," he waved at her. "Just call me Seiji when we're not shooting."

She blushed a bit before she shyly nodded. She felt a nudge to her side and she saw Kijima smirking at her, gesturing at the two last empty seats that had been reserved for them. She followed Kijima over to them, sitting next to the director from her right and Kijima to her left.

"Okay, let's get started!" President Lory clapped his hands. "Shingai-san will be directing the new drama. Mogami-san will be the star, while Kijima-san and Tsuruga-san will be the other main stars and also love interests. Has everyone read the script for the pilot?"

When everyone echoed their 'yeses', he continued and spoke about how long it's expected to run (one season, like the Dark Moon remake was supposed to be), and then asked if there was any questions from anyone.

"Do we have a cast for the mother?" Shingai –Seiji asked and Kyoko realized that there wasn't anyone else there that would have obviously been the actress for her. "You asked me to wait on her, since you were thinking of someone and had already allowed me my pick of actress for the main role."

Kyoko bit her lip and refrained from reacting, but to find out that Sh-Seiji had specifically asked for her made her feel both embarrassed and flattered. She would definitely need to do her best!

"Not yet. I still have things to work out about it," President Lory said vaguely. "Anyway, I did pick out the drama, you know," his eyes twinkled. "And I'd wanted to ask you first to let her have the lead role, but you surprised me by asking for her first!"

S-Seiji looked over to Kyoko and his smile became smirk-ish. "I was very impressed with Mogami-san when I first met her during the audition-face off with Ruriko-san. Isn't that right, Tsuruga-san?" He turned to Ren expectantly. "She had never really acted before, but that she managed to act so well with you at that time…"

Ren nodded and glanced at her. "…That is very true. I…was caught off guard by her back then."

While Kyoko was sure that she was turning into a tomato, she was surprised at that and looked at both Ren and…Seiji with that surprise, having not thought much of it or what they thought of the time. She'd personally been disappointed in herself though, because she felt she had been led on through the scene by Ren, and had wanted to be able to be the one capable of such a thing.

"Very true!" Kijima added on enthusiastically, tossing her a teasing grin. "Kyoko-chan was very impressive when I filmed with her during Dark Moon. She was so intense during filming."

Kyoko sputtered, before bowing in her seat. "T-thank you for your compliments!"

She didn't know what else to say. She was very shocked to hear some complimenting things from everyone and it just made her feel all warm inside. It felt like she really was making progress on herself and her acting, and hopefully this drama could only help make her acting skills better.

After that, talk turned back to the new drama and they discussed more over it, before the meeting slowly came to an end and it was time to get ready to go. At that point, Seiji (she was determined to get used to his name) spoke up in curiosity and brought everyone's attention to him.

"So what is everyone going to do after this?"

"I believe I have no plans for today," Ren said calmly and looked to Yashiro, who shook his head.

"No, nothing was scheduled," Yashiro confirmed.

"I have my favorite shows to watch, but other than that nothing," President Lory said happily.

Seiji turned to her and Kijima. "What about you two?"

"Ah, Kyoko-chan and I are going on one of our outings. She brought up a restaurant selling a strawberry shortcake yesterday, so we were going to check it out after the meeting," Kijima answered, grinning widely and giving her a fond look.

"Oh really?" Ren asked, starting to smile too, but this brought up warning bells in Kyoko's head and made her feel terrified, like she usually was when one of those smiles of his popped up.

It was so fake and dangerous, and it brought shivers up her spine. She eyed Ren suspiciously and warily.

"Oh, that's wonderful. Mind if I tag along?" Seiji said suddenly and caused both Kyoko (her attention brought off of Ren) and Kijima to look at him in shock.

The two of them looked at each other and Kijima shrugged. She turned back to the director.

"Um, no, of course not! You're welcome to come with us, Seiji-san," Kyoko said, starting to feel excited about him coming along.

He walked passed her. "Great!" He lightly hit her head with the script. "Leave out the 'san' though, Mogami-san."

"Eh? T-then it's just Kyoko, S-Seiji!" she called out, grabbing Kijima's hand to follow after and catch up.

"Ah, it would be nice to come as well," Yashiro called out, glancing at a stoic Ren. "I like strawberry shortcakes! And Ren has nothing to do anyway."

"Me too!" President Lory enthusiastically said as well, moving around his desk to follow after them.

Kyoko blinked. Huh. Her outing with Kijima became a group outing so suddenly. Oh well. At least it was a chance for the whole cast to hang out together (well, most of the cast).

Started 1/30/15 – Completed 12/1/16

A/n: Soooo…Long time no see, eh? I'm not sure how often this will be updated, but I figured since I was feeling like writing and finishing this chapter, to get it done and post it up. First of my birthday updates (ah, geez, I'm 26 now…)! Please remember to review! I always feel bad when I work hard to write and don't get any reviews.

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