Recap / Skip Beat Volume 5

They'll stop at nothing to achieve their dreams!

This volume contains the chapters:

• Act 24. "The Other Side of Impact" ^note After Kyoko talks to Ren as Bo, she must wrestle with whether or not to reveal that she was the one inside the chicken costume.
• Act 25. "Her Open Wound" ^note Kyoko is ready for her first commercial audition! And who should she run into but her Love Me partner Kanae Kotonami — her dear Moko! But Kanae's thoughts are preoccupied by the resurgence of an old enemy: Erika Koenji.
• Act 26. "Ready for Battle" ^note Kyoko rouses Moko from the depths of her depression. Together they decide to do whatever they have to in order to stand out, even if it means wearing the hated Love-Me Section uniform. But the director of the commercial finally shows up, and the criteria for the audition has changed!
• Act 27. "The Battle Girls" ^note Erika tries to bribe her way into getting the role on the commercial, but fails. Kyoko and Moko show up to the audition with the same "curse" they both have; the Love-Me Section jumpsuits. Fortunately, they are paired up to audition for the two roles now available — unfortunately, Erika objects to the two girls "who know each other so well" getting partnered up, so Kyoko and Moko aren't given any time to prepare a scene together. When the moment of truth arrives, will they be able to act natural?
• Act 28. "A Desperate Situation" ^note Kyoko and Moko passed the first stage of the audition thanks to Moko's idea on how to stage a convincing fight, but now Kyoko must come up with an equally convincing apology. Trouble brews when Erika steals Kyoko scene and performs it first, leaving Kyoko with no time to formulate a backup plan.
• Act 29. "The Reason for Her Smile" ^note Kyoko pulls off a last-minute save that puts a unique spin on the idea Erika stole from her. A spin that just might help her and Moko nab the roles in the commercial.

---

Chapters in this volume provide examples of:

• Bad Job, Worse Uniform: Again, the Love-Me Section jumpsuits. During a conversation with Ren, Kyoko admits that she hates wearing it because it draws too much attention. He chastises her for this attitude, telling her that in show business she'll need to use every tool at her disposal to stand out. She takes this advice to heart, and even convinces Moko (who hates the uniform even more than Kyoko does) to wear her Love-Me Section jumpsuit when they return for the second day of commercial auditions.
• Flower Motifs: It's a shoujo managa after all - most chapters have a few instances of panel backgrounds filling with unexplained flowers.
• Food Porn: As part of her introduction, Rich Bitch Erika is shown eating "beautiful sweets" with gold leaf on them.
• Get A Hold Of Yourself Man: When Moko has lost the will to stand up to Erika, Kyoko slaps her and delivers a Rousing Speech to fire her up again.
• Rich Bitch: Erika Koenji in a nutshell. She throws her father's money around when she doesn't get what she wants, and expects everyone she meets to fall in line when she barks orders.
• Rock Theme Naming: The three mooks that Erika keeps around are nicknamed Emerald, Sapphire, and Ruby, and each has an earring that corresponds to the gemstone they're named after. The author affectionately calls them "The Jewel Squad."
• Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: Erika's modus operandi - she tries to bribe the director of the commercial to get the acting role that Moko and Kyoko were auditioning for.
  Erika: No. 1, Erika Koenji! My hobbies are horseback riding and traveling overseas. I'm good at elegant classical ballet, as you can see, which I dance like a pro!
  Top Manager of Kaindo Dorinko: Koenji! You're—
  Erika: The daughter of the head of the Koenji Group? My dream has always been to become a star and represent Japan. I have the confidence to become one! If you use me, the Koenji Group will do everything in our power to make this new product a hit!
• Spoiled Brat: Also Erika - she's so used to getting what she wants by throwing money at it, she's willing to resort to putting Moko in the hospital when Moko gets the role they both auditioned for.
• Sweetheart Sipping: The title page for Act 29 shows Moko and Kyoko sharing an over-the-top ice cream sundae Umbrella Drink with heart-shaped straws. Moko looks a little nervous, but Kyoko is playfully winking at the reader.

---