Recap / Skip Beat Volume 40

Let's aim for those roles!

Kyoko begins her work on creating her own Momiji character and prepares by taking lessons in stage combat under the guide of Kotetsu Uesugi. As her training continues, Kyoko actually encounters a young woman in a wheelchair, who turns out to be Erika Koenji, an old rival of Kanae Kotonami's. Revealing to be behind the calls asking for revenge to LME, her bodyguards relay the story of Erika's role having been cruelly ripped from her hands through unjust means.

Infuriated by this underhanded tactic, Kyoko's desire to play Momiji couples itself with wanting to beat the actress that did this to Erika. The actress in question is Kimiko Morizumi.

The auditions have only begun. Will Kyoko manage to take the role of Momiji or fail?

This volume contains the following chapters

• Act 237: Samurai And Hunter ^note Lory is surprised that Kyoko is trying out for the role of Momiji in The Lotus in the Mire, and realizes with relief that she and Ren have both become more free and in-tune with themselves. Kyoko meets up with Kanae to start her training in stage combat by Hiou's grandfather, Kotetsu Uesugi. She manages to impress him through her display of great etiquette due to her background in tea ceremony. The two head off to start on the actual combat part of the training.
• Act 238: Toward The Point Of Impact ^note Kanae gets stage combat training from Kotetsu, while Kyoko is relegated to the sidelines and left to cheer, playing around with batons and other sport tools. She wonders if she's being mocked and not taught anything, but Hiou sets her straight on that. Kyoko has to hurry to an appointment, heading off to the hospital to get her Love Me notebook stamped for completing her job as Chiori's manager. At the hospital, she drops her ball and it gets picked up by a woman in a wheelchair.
• Act 239: A Fallen Green Leaf ^note The woman in the wheelchair is none other than Erika Koenji, much to Kyoko's shock. She's completely different from how she was before. Her bodyguards reveal that Erika was in an accident and are certain that it was done by a rival actress, who had lost the original audition for Momiji to Erika. Kyoko recalls the story of an actress having lost her role through unjust means and asking for help in taking revenge, realizing it's a true story. Thinking of how Erika, who had actually worked on gaining roles, lost her role and got into an accident by underhanded means infuriates Kyoko.
• Act 240: A Perfect Pick-up Artist ^note Kyoko looks up Kimiko Morizumi, the woman that Erika's bodyguards are certain to have caused Erika's accident, and Yashiro notices her. Checking the staff for The Lotus in the Mire, Kyoko sees that the director is Kimiko's uncle. Meanwhile, Yashiro gives her a belated return gift for Valentine's Day, and explains that it's common in their industry to take some time past White Day to give return gifts. As Kyoko realizes she has to hurry to her next location, Yashiro drives up next to her and offers a ride. And also offers to be her manager for the next two weeks.
• Act 241: Seeds Of Worry ^note Yashiro has become Kyoko's manager while Ren is away and finishing up his work as Cain Heel, and Kyoko takes the advantageous benefits of having a manager, leaving her stage combat to have improved immensely in a few days. Much to Kyoko's dislike, Kanae, and Izumi Momose, bring up White Day return gifts, making Kyoko recall she hasn't gotten one from Ren. She does her best to convince herself that it doesn't matter, and focuses on portraying a natural Momiji at the auditions tomorrow.
• Act 242: The Rope Of Hope ^note It's the day for the Momiji re-audition, and Kanae and Kyoko separate with the promise that their next meeting will be as Chidori and Momiji. While waiting for the auditions to start, Kyoko encounters Kimiko Morizumi, who quickly strikes up conversation with Yashiro. The producer walks into the waiting room and pats the shoulder of Kyoko and two other actresses, telling them that they can leave immediately. Kyoko has already lost the audition? And why is Yashiro simply smiling about this?

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Chapters in this volume contain examples of

• The Bus Came Back: This volume depicts the return of Erika Koenji and her three bodyguards.
• Call-Back: Erika's three bodyguards react the same way they did when they first saw Kyoko, pointing out the state of her clothes and lack of makeup, in hopes of cheering Erika up.
• Character Development: Erika used to rely on her money and connections to gain roles, but has stopped doing so and worked on obtaining roles through her own acting skills. Even going so far as to use a fake family name, so as to not get preferential treatment by staff during auditions.
• Dyeing for Your Art: In-Universe, with some actresses like Kimiko Morizumi having dyed their hair black to better fit into the image of a Japanese historical drama. Kyoko mentions if she should have done this herself.
• Expressive Hair: Sapphire's ponytail turns into the shape of a lightning-bolt when shocked.
• Gratuitous English: Hiou uses some when trying to sound more mature, but realizes quickly how stupid dropping some English words into his Japanese sentences sounds.
• Hey, You!: Kotetsu generally doesn't bother to remember the names of his students, only referring them in this way. The fact that he asked for Kyoko's name makes it clear that she's impressed him.
• I Call It "Vera": The ball Kyoko gets for her training gets named Mizue-chan.
• Imagine Spot: Hearing that Ren was doing archery for work, Kyoko immediately imagined him in a position about to fire an arrow, and dressed in traditional garb.
• Meaningful Name: The Kinboshi Onigiri (Golden Star Onigiri) named after the sweet plum ball resting in the rice.
• Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!
  • Erika's father insisted on a proper re-audition for Erika's role as Momiji, or he would remove the Koenji Group's sponsoring of The Lotus in the Mire. Kyoko mentions this, but Erika's bodyguards quickly set the record straight.
  • Yashiro reveals that Kimiko is similar to this, stating that her family is very involved in showbiz. If any Morizumi is on the production staff of a project, Kimiko is pretty much a given to gain a role in said project.
• Show Within a Show: The Lotus in the Mire has its Momiji re-audition going on, and a few pages of the manga turn into pages of the The Lotus in the Mire manga adaptation.
• Suspiciously Specific Denial: Kyoko is exempt from being given a return gift from Ren Tsuruga for Valentine's Day because she didn't give him chocolates. She gave him a gelatin dessert. So, Kyoko is absolutely not worried about not receiving a return gift.
• Wax On, Wax Off: Kyoko is given cheerleading batons as the first part of her stage combat training, thinking it might be just a way to avoid teaching her anything. When Kotetsu says she's ready for the next step, she wonders this trope and receives clubs and a ball, as used for rhythmic gymnastics. The clubs do have hidden blades inside them, so they double-function as good prop weapons.
• Wholesome Crossdresser: Ruby can speak in falsetto and dressed up as Erika to request help from LME.

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