Wow I haven't written a fanfiction in a long time. But my god how I've wanted to! And this particular plot bunny wouldn't leave me alone! And why wouldn't it? What with all that's happening in Skip Beat at the moment. It did start out as a one-shot, but I've expanded it. There may be slight spoilers if you haven't read the latest chapters of the manga. Just a forewarning! Enjoy!

Flirting 101

Chapter 1

The script was trembling in her grasp, the words blurring as her entire body shook with the force of a hundred gushing emotions, each wanting to take precedence. Fear, happiness, shock, horror, relief, and so many more- it was hard to name them all.

'But...what... are you sure they want me? I mean if they truly do then of course I accept! I will accept with all my heart. It's just that...well; the role is the complete and utter opposite of anything I've played before.' Kyoko questioned, her voice was quivering and her eyes never once left the script in front of her.

'It's not a large role per say, a secondary character in a mini series. But they wanted you because of your Natsu and Mio.' Sawara-San replied patiently, leaning over his desk. He was watching the girl curiously, as if waiting for a sudden outburst. Nobody would blame him for thinking such things. The girl was so ridiculously unpredictable. He supposed that was part of what made her such a fine actress, the ability to keep people on their toes even when she wasn't acting out a role.

Kyoko's head snapped up at his response and she couldn't help the incredulous eyebrow that rose in Sawara's direction. 'Huh? But neither Natsu nor Mio are like this character at all. I'm afraid I don't quite understand what Director-san expects of me.'

Sawara bit back a chuckle at that. Trust Kyoko to start calling the director by a formal name, even though she didn't actually know his name yet 'The director is called Yamasaki, and he told me on the phone that he was impressed by your eyes in both of the characters. Though they are bully roles, each have a mark of tragedy or sadness behind them- and it was the way you brought that out in your expressions particularly which compelled him. You see on the surface, whilst these characters are all completely different from each other, they each come with a distinct mark of sadness.'

The orange-haired actress listened to his description with the rapt attention of a soldier on the front lines, the script now clutched to her chest. Her body and mind seemed to clear, the slightly more negative emotions evaporating into the cosmos. However she still had doubts, it was such a different role and the things required...

Sawara-san noticed her thoughts begin to wonder again and, taking a very good guess as to why, stood up and made his way towards her with intent to reassure. But he stopped short. Throughout his entire career he'd had to give motivational speeches, pick-me-ups and condolences whenever he was needed and he did a damn good job of it. He wasn't one of LME's top managers for nothing.

But... Kyoko seemed to be an exception. It was all part-and-parcel of the aforementioned ability the girl possessed. He could never guess what side of her he'd have to deal with. And perhaps it was her role as Love Me member number one, but her doubts and fears seemed to be a hundred times stronger than any other actor he'd had to deal with. This was ironic considering she held, within her, the ability to far outshine the vast majority of actresses or actors that he'd met in a career that had spanned longer than he'd care to admit. If she could only get rid of those demons and see the true potential locked away within her.

Sawara-san sighed and, despite his trepidation, placed an encouraging hand on her shoulder.

'Mogami, I know you've gotten used to playing only certain types of roles and this is completely new ground. It's natural to feel nervous. But I've seen you come through and exceed expectations before and I have no doubt in your ability to do so again. And, if anything, it'll give you a chance to broaden your skills as an actress and prove to yourself and others that you play more than just bully roles. And if you need any help, you have your friends. The other Love Me girls...oh wait I guess they wouldn't really be able to help here...' Sawara-san paused, a frown making the faint lines on his forehead more prominent. Kyoko gazed upwards in hope that he would NOT suggest what she thought he was going to.

'Ah! Why don't you ask Tsuraga-san?' He replied brightly with a snap of his fingers.

And there her hope died.

'Does anyone else feel that?' A crew member for LME glanced over his shoulder. 'The air, it feels thicker here, gloomy.'

'You're right it does, doesn't it?' his colleague nodded, noting the slight chill running up and down his spine. 'Kind of like a sad spirit is lost here or something.'

'Oh come on guys- that's stupid.' A third crew member rolled his eyes as the first of his colleagues stopped to drink from a nearby fountain. 'There's no such thing as spirits, or thicker air, or anything like that. I think you guys need to chill o-'

'Excuse me.' A deep, miserable voice interrupted him and he turned around to apologise.

'Sorry didn't mean to get in your way- AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!' The crew member shrieked when he saw the gloomy blue expression on the face of Love Me member number one. She looked like all hope had been sucked from the world.

Kyoko didn't notice the screaming, and just passed him by, seemingly floating away on a cloud of her own misery.

'Hahaha Hiro-kun you shoulda seen your face!' The second crew member laughed. 'You almost pissed yourself!'

'Oh shut up.' Hiro-kun grumbled.

Meanwhile the gloomy young actress trudged through the halls of LME. It was the end of a long day of work and she had been looking forward to going home and having a nice bath, relaxing and unwinding so she could focus on the next box-r shoot, which was to be a rather intense exchange between Natsu and a rival bully gang.

Kami-sama, why do you have to give with one hand and take away with another?

She knew she should be feeling over the moon. This was her first non-bully role that would be played to major audiences. She should be feeling on top of the world, she should be dancing and celebrating with her faerie friends coming out to sparkle and share in her joy-

'Mogami...'

-and yet she felt the prospect of this role entirely daunting. And not completely because of the role itself, but who's advice she had been told to seek-

'Mogami?'

-after all she hadn't truly been alone with him since Tragic Marker shooting had ended and they'd gone back to being just Kyoko and Tsuraga-san. But things had changed now, and she was still unsure of how to hide her new found feelings towards him. And she had to do that, she had to, at any cost she needed to protect herself against these feelings- and the man that caused that most hated of emotions...

'Mogami, are you alright?'

'AIEEEEEEEE!' Kyoko let out a cry not unlike the one she had elicited from the poor unsuspecting crew man just minutes previous. When she looked up at the one who'd caused her heart to momentarily stop, it caused her heart to wake up with a vengeance and the blood to instantly rush to her face.

'Ah, sorry to startle you.' Ren blinked in surprise, wondering how long it had been since he'd seen a reaction like that from her- and he tried to hold back a smile. Instead he raised his hands innocently. 'You looked like you were deep in thought.'

Kyoko seemed rooted to the spot, her brain seemed to stop working- except to tell her information that was completely the wrong type of information to be focusing on. The way his hair sometimes fell in his eyes, she quite liked that- or the glint in his eyes when he was trying to hold his amusement back. He thought her reaction was funny. She blushed again and hated it even more. Lord how she wished this emotion would just go away and leave her alone forever!

'I suppose you did.' She replied, awkwardly spluttering out the words, when her logical brain decided to finally catch up to the moment. 'Um, did you need anything? I'm sorry if you were trying to get my attention.'

'Hm? No I didn't need anything in particular. I just noticed you walking past so I thought I'd see how you were.' Ren shrugged slightly and because I missed you these past few weeks is what he really wanted to say. But he held his tongue as always.

'Oh. Well, I'm fine. Thank you.' Why was it so awkward? It was so painfully, painfully awkward. And Kyoko knew why. If this damned emotion of love were a rock, I would take that rock, put it in a large slingshot and shoot it straight into the sun where it would burn to a crisp never to curse me again!

'Yes, I noticed how fine you were as you marched through the hall with a face like thunder.' Ren grinned and it was a full teasing grin. Kyoko looked up and frowned. He obviously didn't feel awkward at all! It was infuriating! Here she was suffering this stupid, stupid, STUPID curse of an emotion and he was just standing there all STUPIDLY handsome, completely fine and safe in the knowledge that he could have any woman on the planet. It made her feel murderous.

Ren knew enough about the girl before him to know that she was suppressing a great deal of negative emotions right now and tried to fight the jealousy attempting to flare up within him. He had one guess as to who these emotions were aimed at. She'd obviously had a run-in with Sho Fuwa. Nobody else was able to bring about such strong feelings within her...

He sighed, hoping that the flow of air out of his lungs would calm him- that his jealousy would just float away. After all, the last time he'd let his jealousy get the better of him where Kyoko was concerned- well, he didn't want to think about it.

'I'm off the clock now. Filming has finished for the day, and I was wondering, since we are both free- if you would join me for dinner? Perhaps you'd feel better if you shared what was bothering you. I have two ears you can borrow.' Ren said, smiling in what he hoped was an encouraging and persuasive manner. Little did he know of the thousands of panic bells ringing in Kyoko's mind the second he uttered those words. The alarm bells that stated, with absolute clarity, that she was to never- NEVER- be alone with him. At least until she'd gotten this whole love thing out of the way, or under control at the very least.

'Um...well...I'm not sure. I have work early tomorrow you see and-'

'You know I really miss Setsu's cooking. It was so good. All the convenience store food just doesn't compare, it tastes so much worse now.' He knew it was a cheap shot, he knew it was a dirty trick. But if it meant spending more time with her than he'd never wipe the puppy-pout off his face.

And it was with a wide smile on his face, that Ren drove them back to his apartment, the sun setting over the skyscrapers casting the car in a beautiful orange glow.

For Kyoko, the sunset symbolised her defeat and, most definitely, her doom.

Reviews are love :) This chapter was basically an establishing one so not as much action. However fluff is on the horizon, that I most certainly do promise!