Author's Note: Someone had to cross these series over eventually. I mean, both are about show business and have supernatural elements! Neither series belongs to me-- Skip-Beat is Yoshiki Nakamura's and Full Moon O Sagashite is Arina Tanemura's. The setting is during the Tsukigomori Arc of Skip-Beat and the fifth volume of Full Moon O Sagashite.
Kyoko Mogami bounced onto the couch next to Ren Tsuruga. They were in a screening room at LME. A large television hung on the wall in front of them.
Kyoko smiled to herself, her dyed-black hair hanging over her eyes. She brushed it away and looked at Ren, now her co-star in Tsukigomori, a remake of a popular televison drama.
She could hardly believe she was here. Only a few months ago, she had still been at the apartment she and her ex Sho Fuwa had shared, supporting his career as a singer. Then, she had found out he was only using her. She had vowed to beat him in show business as revenge, joined LME Productions as a talento and member of the Love Me Section, and started attending a special training school for acting. Now she was in the same show with Ren Tsuruga, the most popular male actor in Japan. Never mind that she was playing a twisted villain named Mio, while Ren was the male lead, Katsuki. It wasn't like that bothered her. Who wanted to play his girlfriend? She'd made a promise to herself-- she would not fall in love again. Besides, Ren the gentleman had a darker side to him. And it was scary!
"Hello," Director Ogata, the director of Tsukigomori, said. He was standing next to the television with a remote in his hand.
"Why did you ask us to come here?" Ren asked.
"Neither of you were here on Wednesday," Director Ogata said.
"No," Kyoko said. "I had a Love Me section assignment, and Ren was doing a variety show. But you told us you didn't need us for filming that day."
"That's right," Director Ogata said. "But it was also the day we showed the cast the new opening credits sequence for Tsukigomori." He smiled shyly. "I just thought you might want to see it."
"Of course!" Kyoko said. "We'd love to!"
Ren looked over at her in surprise.
"Well, the new theme song is done by Fullmoon," Kyoko said, looking at her hands. "I really like her!"
Ren smiled-- not a Gentlemanly Smile of Death™, but a genuine one.
Ren's manager, Mr. Yashiro, who was on his other side, nodded. "She's really talented, for someone her age. The only singer I can even compare her to is Takuto Kira from Route.L."
"Ruuto Erru?" Kyoko asked, puzzled.
"Before your time," Mr. Yashiro said quickly.
"I hope you like it," Director Ogata said, turning on the television.
The screen started out black. A few piano notes sounded, resonant and clear. Slowly, an image came into focus. It was Ren's hands, playing a piano and illuminated by moonlight. Each individual note seemed to echo.
A voice began singing, high-pitched and pure, yet somehow sad.
Moonlight like notes played on a piano
The camera zoomed out, showing that Ren, as Katsuki, was in the school music room. Moonlight glistened on the edges of the grand piano and on the edges of Katsuki's suit. Ren's acting, was, as usual, perfect. Katsuki's lonliness was palpable.
Falls on the distance between you and me.
As Fullmoon sang, the camera zoomed out further. You could see the doorway of the music room now. The girl who played Mizuki, the female lead, stood in the shadows outside of the door, wearing her school uniform. Her eyes were closed, and the longing on her face told the audience she was listening to Katsuki play. Her blonde hair blew in the wind.
When you look at me, I turn away.
The camera panned down the hallway, stopping at the doorway in front of another classroom. Kyoko recognized herself, dressed as Mio, standing in the middle of the room. Her face was in shadow, but shafts of moonlight illuminated the scar on Mio's temple. She wore a black dress with a long skirt that blew in the night wind. All of the classroom's windows were cracked or broken, and the desks looked like they had been knocked down by some invisible force.
I find myself wishing for what cannot be.
The camera suddenly zoomed into one of the windows. Images of Katsuki and Mitsuki interacting had been digitally superimposed on the cracked glass. The kanji that spelled "Tsukigomori" appeared over the images.
Shadows fall on the face of the moon.
The scene suddenly changed, to a view of the night sky. The moon was full.
The night wind plays in your hair.
The camera shifted down to show Mio and Mitsuki's house. The wind blew through the trees and bushes in front of it, scattering leaves, which flew past the camera.
Despite everything, I still love you.
The camera zoomed in to one of the windows of the house. The woman who played Mio's mother stared outside, looked just beyond the viewer, with a hard-to-read expression that might be either anger or sadness. Her face was cloaked in shadow.
I want to embrace you but I don't dare.
The wind scattered more leaves, and one covered the camera's lens entirely.
Moonlight like notes played on a piano
When the leaf blew away, the scene had changed again, this time to a meadow at night. The camera zoomed in on a small patch of grass bathed in moonlight.
Bathes your outstretched hand in light.
The camera zoomed out again, to reveal a wide shot of Katsuki and Mitsuki standing in the meadow. This time, Katsuki was wearing a white dress shirt and black pants. Mitsuki was wearing a knee-length white dress with an empire waist and thin spaghetti straps. Moonlight shone on both of them, and the paleness of their clothes and skin seemed almost luminescent. Mitsuki's hand was outstretched, just like the lyrics.
The promise I made not to fall in love
Slowly, the camera zoomed in, until Katsuki and Mitsuki's faces became visible. Mitsuki's expression seemed open. She smiled at Katsuki. He, meanwhile, seemed conflicted. Once again, Kyoko marveled at Ren's acting. You could see the conflict on his face-- the desire to take her hand, and the fear of what might happen if he did.
Is shattering quietly in the night.
The camera zoomed in as Katsuki extended his hand to Mitsuki's
The dark moon watches
The camera suddenly turned upwards, where the full moon was suddenly consumed by shadows.
As I take your hand.
The camera stayed on the shadowed moon, and slowly, an image came into focus in the shadows. The image was Katsuki's hand taking Mitsuki's. The image lingered for a few moments, until the last note of the music had sounded.
Director Ogata turned off the television. Kyoko was clapping, and even unflappable Ren looked impressed.
"She wrote the song from Katsuki's point of view," he said. "I'm surprised."
"She said she understood him better," Director Ogata said with a shrug.
Ren raised an eyebrow.
"Don't blame her for being a little weird," Mr. Yashiro said. "You should hear some of the stories about her manager."
"Ms. Oshige seemed very nice," Director Ogata said, confused.
"She is," Mr. Yashiro said. "She's just a little too fond of sake. And she's obsessed with Wakaoji from Route.L."
"You mean Fullmoon's producer?" Director Ogata asked.
"He's actually producing?" Mr. Yashiro asked, surprised. "He hasn't done anything in the music business since Route.L broke up!"
"How come?" Kyoko asked. This was beginning to sound like a good story.
"The band only broke up because one of the members, Aoi, died in a car accident," Mr. Yashiro said.
"Oh," Kyoko said. She felt bad for him. He must have been really upset, to give up being a singer.
"Stop being so dramatic," Ren said. "Wakaoji also quit because he wanted to become a doctor. He was studying for his doctorate the whole time he was in the band."
Kyoko started having a fantasy about going to the doctor and meeting Dr. Wakaoji. She thought he must be really good looking, with a name like his. She imagined him treating her like a princess, and taking her to a ball, and…
"Earth to Kyoko," Mr. Yashiro said, waving a hand in front of her face.
"Oh!" Kyoko said. "Sorry. I was…thinking."
Ren had his hand over his mouth, like he was laughing. Kyoko glared at him.
"Should I tell Fullmoon that you liked her song?" Director Ogata asked.
"Please do!" Kyoko said.
Then, Kyoko's cell phone rang. She blushed. "I'll go take this," she said.
She opened the phone. It was Lory Takarada, the president of LME.
"Kyoko, I have a Love Me assignment for you," he said cheerily.
Kyoko groaned inwardly. She was not going to like this.
NinthFeather: One chapter down. Hope you liked it!
Ms. Oshige: Mr. Yashiro! What did you think you were doing?
Mr. Yashiro: Huh!?
Ms. Oshige: Gossiping about me? In front of Ren Tsuruga?
Mr. Yashiro: Umm…
Ms. Oshige: Go. Away. Before. I. Hurt. You.
Mr. Yashiro: I thought you liked Wakaoji!
Ms. Oshige: So it's okay to gossip about me to people I don't like?
Mr. Yashiro: …*runs*
NinthFeather: Please review! And don't make too much fun of my poetry; at least I tried. See you!