Phantom

Synopsis: Kyoko is hired to play the role of Christine Daaé in Sho's new PV based on Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera. There's just one catch: Sho will be playing the part of Raoul, Christine's childhood friend and love interest. Who is playing the Phantom-the dark, obsessive musical genius? None other than Tsuruga Ren.

Disclaimer: This is a FAN-fiction; it is written for entertainment purposes only. Skip Beat! belongs to Nakamura Yoshiki and "Phantom of the Opera" is property of Gaston Leroux and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Chapter One: Overture

"No."

"How do you kn—" she began.

"Don't care," he cut her off, turning up the volume on his mp3 player.

"You're being ridiculous." Her heel tapped smartly against the floor tiles. He didn't even bother to glance at her over the back of his chair. Instead, he reached for a bag of potato chips resting near his feet on the glass coffee table. However, it was empty, so after tossing back the crumbs, the rock star crumpled it up and tossed the bag carelessly over his shoulder. He wiped his greasy fingers on the upholstered chair and frowned. The woman bent down and picked up the bag, discarding it in the trash. From where she was standing, she could just make out the heavy bass and thrashing drums coming from his earbuds. She leaned over the chair and yanked the cord—hard.

"What the hell was that for?" The musician demanded, rubbing his left ear. It didn't actually hurt that much, but he wanted her to feel a bit guilty. His manager just rolled her eyes.

"Would it be so hard to be serious for one moment?"

"Yes."

"Sho…" His manager scowled.

"It was a joke."

"Oh?" She raised her eyebrows. "Well then, whatever you were doing must have been super important."

"It was." He tried to sound cool; it came out as defensive. The look on her face clearly said that she thought him dumb for even thinking about pulling something.

"Really? So important you needed to skip the production meeting this morning?" Her voice was acidic.

"I was…" he struggled for the right words. "I was busy keeping myself up to date on the industry. You know, catching up on my competition." Yeah, that sounded good. Before he could react, Shoko snatched his mp3 player from its resting place on the chair's arm. She looked at 'Now Playing'. Dear God, she wanted to smack herself in the face. No, she wanted to smack her charge in the face.

"I didn't know there was another Fuwa Sho." Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

"The song before that…" he said weakly, trying not to cower in his chair. She pressed the back button. His previous month's hit. She hit back again. His November single. She honestly couldn't believe his ego sometimes. "Well, let's face it," he said, with a smug grin, "I'm my only competition, really." Shoko just sighed. It was too early in the morning for a headache this big.

"Let's just get going. You have a shoot to be at in twenty minutes." Sho stood up lazily and stretched, while she gathered his things and attempted to neaten up. The air was tense as they walked to the car. Shoko smacked his hand when he turned on the radio. He attempted a diversion.

"So, how'd the meeting go?"

"If you want to know, maybe next time you'll consider showing up." He grunted and stared out the window. She paused. "Asami-san made her decision about the cast."

"…and?" He sounded bored, but she could see the tension in his bare arms and shoulders.

"Well, since you weren't there to say otherwise, she offered him the part." He began a streak of curses and complaints, but she cut him off. "Face it, Sho. For this project to be successful, we need someone who can not only act, but make you respond, too. Who else is better suited?" They both knew Sho could grumble all he liked—but as producer, Asami-san had the final word. He sulked in silence for the rest of the ride. Two minutes later, when they pulled into the parking lot at their destination, Sho finally gave in.

"I really hate that guy."

Mogami Kyoko's listless form dragged itself through the halls of LME. Passersby shuddered at the creeping, cold aura of total anguish and shuffled towards the other side of the hall, hoping to avoid an interaction. Kyoko took no notice. Her feet felt like weights, dragging on the ocean floor, deadening her pace. The stroll down the hall to the LoveMe locker room seemed to take an eon. Then she stood, her face two inches away from the door, staring blankly up, sinking further into her sea of despair every minute. In her limp hands was a notice informing her that she was behind two payments for her acting class.

This wouldn't have been so bad, except that she had spent so much at Christmas, having so many people to buy for. Moko-san had wonderful, classic taste, and never wore cheap things—like her—and Tsuruga-san probably received mountains of expensive, brand name presents. She could never even dream of being able to give him something with an expensive label—but he was her sempai, and she owed him so much—so she had to get him something nice. And on top of that, Maria had wanted to exchange presents, and being the granddaughter of a company president, she was used to expensive things, and Kyoko had scraped by and slaved for weeks to afford the charm bracelet from Maria's favorite boutique. And of course she had to get something for her landlords, because they were so generous and kind; they had absolutely insisted she not pay rent, even though she knew hadn't been working enough recently to cover her share of household expenses (because she had been so busy planning, since Maria wanted to have another Grateful party this year). Then there were school fees, and the baking supplies for the Christmas cookies she had given to acquaintances (Yashiro-san, the Ishibashi trio, her cast mates from Box R, etc.), and New Year's celebrations too. All of that, on top of her normal expenses.

Dark Moon had paid well, but her involvement had been long over, and Box R didn't start filming for the new season again for a week or so. Her job as Bo was a steady sum, if not large, but the producer still hated her so she hadn't gotten any sort of holiday bonus, and her paycheck wouldn't' come until the end of the month. She felt like Cinderella before the ball—dressed in a rag (her LoveMe uniform wasn't a rag, obviously, but it was about as attractive as one), without two 5-yen coins to rub together.

She looked at the notice again. She had ten days to pay, or her spot would be given away to another student. That couldn't happen! Maybe she could talk to the President, and explain. No! He had already been so kind as to let her pay in installments, she couldn't ask for an extension. It would be too much. She would just have to find another job. But who would hire her, on such short notice? Kyoko was stuck underneath a crushing boulder, in the bottom of a chasm of hopelessness in the sea of despair.

"Ah, Mogami-san, there you are," Sawara-san said cheerfully, waving her down. It took a minute for her to register that someone was speaking to her. Inch by inch, she dragged herself out of her mind, where she was wallowing in self-pity. Sawara-san waited, still a bit unnerved by the number 1 LoveMe member's unusual habits, as the odd girl shook herself awake and she stepped back from the door to return his greeting. "I have a job for you!"

"What kind of job?" She tilted her head to the side, curiously. The last thing she needed was more LoveMe work right now.

"We've gotten another request for you, from Asami Haruki, of Akatoki Agency." Sawara began very excitedly. "She is offering you, exclusively, the part of the female lead in a promotional video. Needless to say, this is a very special opportunity…" Kyoko wondered why the director's name sounded so familiar. She frowned. Sawara-san took no notice and continued to talk. "I was looking over the proposal, and it looks particularly interesting—I've never heard of anything like it. Furthermore, Asami-san must want you a great deal—the salary she's offering you! Unheard of for a newbie. Especially for such a small project…" At the word 'salary' Kyoko's eyes became large. She wanted to drool. Sawara could have sworn he heard a cash register chime.

"I would very much like this job!" Kyoko managed to squeak out, bowing low. "Please accept it for me!" The older man paused. She looked at him like he had extended the hand of salvation (which, in a manner of ways, he had).

"Don't you want to hear more?" He said doubtfully.

"No, thank you! I'd really like to accept this job right away!"

"I'll let Asami-san know right away." He thought about shrugging, but then smiled, and handed her a manila envelope before departing. As soon as he was down the hallway, Kyoko lifted up the envelope and swung it in a full circle, grinning so wide she could have split her cheeks. Her money troubles were over! She waltzed into the LoveMe room, sat down at the table, and immediately began reading the papers Sawara-san had handed her. Enclosed in the envelope was the production schedule, plot summary, character descriptions; she shifted through these with mild interest. She reached the character description for her role—a young singer named Christine Daaé. As she read, her eyes grew wide and glittery. Kyoko leapt onto the table, jumping up and down and shrieking with glee. She skipped about the small room in giddy circles. Before her eyes, good luck fairies sparkled and fluttered around her.

"This is the happiest day of my life!" Kyoko cried, tears streaming behind her.

And then she smacked her face into the open door.

"Ah, mo!" she heard her best friend say from behind the large slab of wood Kyoko had collided with, "I told you, you need to look before you leap!" Kotonami Kanae shut the door.

"Moko-saaaaaaaaaaan!" Kyoko launched herself at her friend.

"Mo! Get off already!" The tall brunette tried, unsuccessfully, to detach the other girl. Finally, Kyoko let go of her own accord and stepped back, looking incredibly pleased. She offered her friend a seat, which Kanae declined. After all, she had only stopped by to collect a change of clothes from her locker. She glanced back at the papers scattered over the table. "What's that?"

"Moko-san, I just received the most incredible offer! Asami Haruki-san has offered me—" Kyoko began, the tears of happiness already threatening to spill over her face.

"Asami Haruki? You mean Fuwa Sho's producer?" Kanae asked, curious. Kyoko's face began to slip down, like rubber, until it detached from her head and dropped to the floor, where it became a sad puddle. She let out a howl of despair. Three stories above the LoveMe room, back in his office, Sawara-san covered his ears.

"Mogami-san, making such a noise is not acceptable in the office space. It is very unprofessional." Tsuruga Ren's million-volt gentlemanly smile pierced straight through her heart.

"Please forgive me, Tsuruga-sempaaaaaaaaaaaaaai!" She wailed desperately as she immediately dropped into a dogeza, forehead nearly slamming into the concrete floor. "Please forgive this lowly kohai! It's just… it's just the thought of working with him! That pesky, self-centered, arrogant—" She never wanted to see that idiot Shotaro again. Not unless it was at the bottom of the sea. She fumed. How dare he? Especially after he kisse—… Kyoko sat up, slapping her cheeks.

"There's no way you're still thinking about that?" Ren said, still sparkling with obvious scorn. "A true professional doesn't waste time worrying over such insignificant matters. Don't tell me you're still bothered by something so small and meaningless?"

"Mo! Are you talking to another one of your weird dolls again?" Kyoko looked up at her friend from the floor where she clutched at the doll, with watery eyes. The raven-haired beauty bent down to inspect it, only to find an identical copy of Tsuruga Ren's expression of utter disapproval, though in chibi form, staring back at her. She clapped her hand over her mouth, trying to suppress the laughter bubbling to her lips. Her cheeks puffed out at the effort.

"Moko-saaaaan, I don't know what I should do!" Kyoko wailed, and latched around her friend's ankle. Kanae sighed. It was time for her to go to her next job.

"Haven't you already accepted the job?" she replied. Kyoko nodded mournfully. "Well, you don't have any choice. Besides, you can always have more work."

"But Moko-san…" Kyoko said piteously, staring up at her friend with sad puppy eyes, even though she knew it was true. She couldn't afford to pass up the money. Not if she wanted to stay in acting class.

"Mo! Let go of my leg!" And with that, the older girl extracted herself with a yank, leaving her friend in a dejected heap on the floor.

Meanwhile, upstairs in his lavish office, Takarada Lory, the head of LME, sat on an ornate sofa, a cup of tea in one hand. His other hand held a riding crop, which he toyed with as he read a proposal, smiling quietly to himself. Two soft knocks interrupted his train of thought. He looked up.

"Ah, Ren," the president smiled brightly, "Come, sit down." He motioned to the opposite couch. Ren sat, looking at the president's ensemble for the day: breeches tucked into tall brown riding boots, a long moss green overcoat, with a cravat tucked neatly into a silk vest underneath. He thought the top hat was a bit much. But then again, the president was always a bit much.

"You needed to speak with me?" He asked politely.

"Ah, yes. There is a job offer I'd like you to consider," the president began. Ren wondered why the president hadn't simply given it to his manager to look over, but didn't interrupt. "I owe a producer from Akatoki Agency a favor, you see, and she's requested you for a project. I know you've been busy, and it's not the sort of project you usually do, but as it's a rather short project, I'd like it very much if you would consider doing it." The president's manner was so normal, Ren was momentarily stunned.

"Of course," He agreed. After all, he owed the president quite a bit, and rarely had an opportunity to pay the man back for all he had done. Moreover, his schedule was relatively free, for the first time in quite a while. "Anything I should know?"

At this, Lory's eyes twinkled mischievously, but only for a second. If Ren had been paying closer attention, he might have been worried enough to reject the project. But as it was, his thoughts were more pleasantly occupied, wondering if his scheming manager would use the free time in his schedule to have Ren run into his favorite LoveMe girl.

"Filming should start in a few days." With that, the president waved him off, so Ren stood and left, wishing the president a good day. As soon as the star had left the room, Takarada Lory burst into a giddy smile. He could not contain his glee. He spent the rest of his day in an unnervingly good mood.

Outside president Takarada's office, Yashiro was busy looking over the day's schedule. When Ren exited, he fell into step as they headed down the hall, grabbing the first available elevator.

"What did the president want?" He asked, using all his power to keep his face and voice properly businesslike. The elevator dinged and the doors opened.

"Ah, nothing in particular," Ren said, flashing his signature gentlemanly smile as he exited. Every woman (and even some of the men) in the busy lobby clutched their chest as they tried not to faint. "Just a project he wanted me to accept." They had reached Ren's car.

"And did you?" Yashiro inquired, looking away as he buckled his seatbelt. Ren began to back his car out of the space.

"Yes. I hope it will be interesting." He replied, pulling into the busy Tokyo traffic.

"Oh, I think you'll find it most interesting," Yashiro couldn't keep the teasing out of his voice, "Fuwa Sho's PVs usually are."

The car screeched to a halt.