25 Women 1 Wife. (A Skip Beat! Fanfic)

First challenge.

The day of their first challenge arrived quickly and passed even swifter. The groups had been pre-arranged, splitting up the friendship groups. Kyoko as per her usual luck was scheduled to be part of the last group on the Thursday of the rose ceremony though she told herself at least it gave her time to not have to think about being dropped that evening.

Kyoko looked through her wardrobe, it was 5:30 am and she couldn't sleep. She hadn't really been sleeping well since the date actually. All she could think about was the way Kuon had held her and the way they had danced together. She hoped he would hold her closer, kiss her even...Kyoko shook her head trying to shake off the thoughts. There was no way Kuon would be returning her feelings anytime soon.

*sigh*

"OK so what are we sighing about now?" Kanae asked, leaning against the doorway to the dressing room. Kyoko was standing with her head against the door of her clothes unit as she looked up at Kanae.

"Sorry did I wake you?" Kyoko asked as she pulled the doors open once more, obviously avoiding Kanae's question. It was her turn to sigh as she walked into the room, shutting the door before seating herself on the bench in the middle of the room.

"Sit" she commanded as she patted the bench beside her. She had not asked, it was an order so Kyoko sat beside her without hesitation.

"What's wrong? Are you worried about today?" Kanae asked as she looked at Kyoko's profile, reading her eye and facial expressions.

"A little...not really...it's not like I have never done this before and this time there's 3 of us looking after Kuon." Kanae nodded.

She had done her managing stint on Monday with Mimori and Ruri. Chiori had gone Tuesday with Naomi and Airi. So Kyoko knew from them it was simply following Kuon around to the few jobs he had been allowed to book during the show scheduling. She would be working today with Hana and Sachi so it wasn't like she was worried, they both seemed to be lovely women. She supposed if it had been Oka or Yuka she would have worried slightly as their snide remarks and comments had been more frequent and hurtful. Though she still couldn't find it in herself to hate any of the girls she was working with, they were all simply just different people.

"Is it the rose ceremony?" Kanae asked and saw the slightest tinge of sadness in Kyoko's eyes. Her friend could deny it as much as she wanted, Kanae had her answer.

"It's just..." Kyoko just didn't even know what it was?

Was it the fact Kuon would never love her as she loved him? Or had she already fallen so deep to the land of no return it was already hurting her? She sighed again, but a soft hand reached around her shoulder and pulled her into a hug, a very rare sign of affection from Kanae. Kyoko felt better, she would always have Kanae and Chiori. Honoka had said how when the show had finished she would like to spend some more time with her and so had Hotaru. Kyouko wrapped her mind around the idea that even if she left the show tonight without Kuon, she was leaving the show with new friends so that was something.

The door to the changing room opened again and Kanae swiftly pulled away. Displays of affection were one thing she did rarely, but to be caught in the act was unthinkable. Chiori stood there, sleepy-eyed as Tama ran through the doorway right up to Kyoko's leg as she leaned her front paws on Kyoko's knee, begging for attention. Kyoko smiled. She was leaving with another new friend too.

"She was crying to come in." Chiori said as Kyoko smiled at her very tired friend.

"Thanks, Chiori." Kyoko said picking up the small dog and placing her on her lap, Chiori waved her thanks away, shutting the door and probably heading back to bed Kyoko thought as Kanae stood.