12/31/10 Message from Fangurl Ayane and Jhiz:
The gauntlet has been thrown at the feet of all skip beat fan fiction writers... Do you dare to accept the challenge?
In five chapters or less, write a story that keeps true to the character's personalities (which means having a rational reason for personal growth) and allows Mogami Kyoko to not only see Ishibashi Hikaru as a potential suitor but also acknowledge him as a forerunner for her heart (in other words, establish that he has a portion of her heart reserved for him that says 'boyfriend' not senpai, co-star or even best guy friend). Alternative reality fictions will not count as part of the challenge (in other words, no removing Ren or Sho from the universe to make it work).
Good luck if you are up to the challenge! Oh and if you write it, please mention Hikaru Challenge in your summary... have fun!
A/N: I do Not own Skip Beat.
I saw this challenge, and thought, Oh how fun! I love Hikaru! haha Then Chapter 170 came out, and that pretty much killed it. But Jhiz requested that I still try. So here is my attempt to at a Hikaru/Kyoko story. It's not suppose to be OOC, and it takes place after 170. *gasp* Sorry, I couldn't give Hikaru MY kind of smexy action. So rated T for language and safety. Please Enjoy.
Special Thanks to Desertliliac for beta reading this story for me.
Chapter 1
Kyoko stood in the middle of the hall in a daze. She knew time was ticking away rapidly. The party was going to come whether she liked it or not. There were simply too many things she needed to do for her to be standing around thinking about her ill-fated heart. She took a step and then another. Her senses were numb to things around her. She could only hope that she responded politely to anyone who approached her.
Suddenly, she felt someone touch her hand. Kyoko moved her head down slowly to see whose warm fingers held her hand. It felt like her body was moving in sludge as her eyes identified the beautifully manicured hand that belonged to her best friend, Kanae.
"Moko-san?" Her voice was distant and even Kyoko heard the detachment in it. Didn't they already talk? Did she forget something? She forced a smile on her lips and saw the fear and concern on Kanae's face.
"Let's go," Kanae ordered, taking Kyoko's wrist firmly in her grip and started walking towards the exit.
Kyoko struggled to keep up. "What's wrong, Moko-san? Where are we going?" She asked but didn't get a response from Kanae, so she continued. "Stop, I need to get a dress from the costume department," Kyoko pleaded, but it didn't stop her persistent friend.
"We are going to go buy one for you. We have time," Kanae said and abruptly stopped midstride. She turned to Kyoko with a deathly glare. "And you are going to tell me EXACTLY WHAT is wrong?"
Kanae didn't give Kyoko the time to lie to her concern. Kyoko didn't know if she could talk about this, not right now. Though, she didn't know if she could ever talk about it. She didn't want to acknowledge it, just like with Reino stating that Corn was probably dead by now. If she said it out loud, it would make it real, something she couldn't take back later.
Kanae stuffed them into a cab and gave directions to the driver, but Kyoko wasn't listening. They rode in silence. Kyoko was staring at her hands in her lap, while Kanae irritably sat beside her, trying hard not to throttle her. Soon the cab lurched to a stop. Kanae paid the man leaving the minimum tip and dragged Kyoko out onto the street. She marched them into a large popular store. There wasn't very many people shopping around. Kanae weaved through the story, around all the different racks and displays towards the dresses.
A sales woman stepped up to them with a professional smile and spoke, "Can I help you find something?"
"No," Kanae barked, "We're fine." The woman jumped in shock, but regained her smile and turned away quickly. Kanae randomly grabbed a dress in Kyoko's size and steered them to the dressing rooms.
"One," Kanae snapped at the dressing room attendant without stopping. She went to the booth at the very end of the row and locked both of them into it. Kyoko started going through the motions. She took off her uniform jacket and started to unbutton her white shirt, not caring that Kanae was in the room. They changed in front of each other before.
"Mo! Stop," Kanae ordered, but then took it back as she looked at the dress she picked out. It actually might work well for her. "Well, okay, go ahead and try it on, but you have to talk. Now!"
Kyoko sighed. "What do you want me to say?"
Kanae sat down on the little bench and looked up sadly at her friend. "What's wrong? What is making you feel like this? The truth, Kyoko."
Kyoko stayed silent. Where do I start? What do I say? How do I even begin to explain it? Before she knew it, tears started to run down her face uncontrollably. She felt Kanae stand up and wrap her arms around her. She started to hum a soft tune that Kyoko didn't recognize. After a few minutes, they sat down, and Kanae pulled out a tissue for her to use.
"It's happened again," Kyoko said in a thick voice.
Kanae frowned not understanding. She leaned down to peer into Kyoko's face and asked, "What happened again? Did Fuwa kiss you again?"
Kyoko was taken aback and let out a little laugh. "No!" She was smiling, her fingers playing with the damp tissue. She shook her head. "No. This is about someone else," she said softly.
Kanae straightened up, apprehension filling her. "What did he do to you?" There were only two people that Kanae knew of that could make Kyoko feel this distraught, Fuwa Sho and Tsuruga Ren.
"Nothing, it's not his fault," Kyoko whispered, then her voice went cold and cruel, "I'm the stupid one."
"You are not stupid," Kanae countered, "Just tell me what happened?"
"I failed," Kyoko sobbed, "I swore to myself, to everyone, that I would never ever let myself feel this way again, but…" Her voice cracked as more tears ran down her face.
There was a soft knock on the door. The dressing room attendant voice came through came through the door timidly, "excuse me, is everything okay?"
Kanae stood up, opened the door just enough to glare at the woman. The attendant took a step back in fear as Kanae snarled, "We're fine. We'll be out in a minute."
The older woman put her hands up in surrender. "Take all the time you need," she said and quickly walked away from the booth. Kanae quietly closed the door and hesitated. She didn't know what to do. It was all too clear what Kyoko was talking about. Kanae has never fallen in love before. She simply never gave anyone the chance to get that close to her. Her desperate need to escape the life filled with poverty she grew up in forced all romance to the background. Still, her first and closest friend needed her, and she would do what she could.
Kanae sat down next to her weeping friend. She took out another tissue and wiped away her tears. "It's not your fault, Kyoko," she said softly and then her voice went colder, "If anyone should take the blamed, it's him."
Kyoko blinked swollen red eyes up at Kanae. "What? Why? He's not in love with me."
Kanae looked at her confusedly and frowned. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized what happened. She fell in love with him before he confessed? She thought for certain Kyoko's heart wouldn't wake up until after Ren confessed. It's no wonder why Kyoko is feeling this badly. Kyoko believes she is in another one sided love affair.
The little dressing room grew dark as Kanae's anger filled the room. That stupid slow greedy bastard! How dare he put her through this hell again, that damn ungrateful pushy ass! Kanae gripped Kyoko's shoulders and forced the bawling girl to look at her.
"This is not your fault," Kanae started talking, "It's his. He knew how you felt about love. He knew how hurt you were because of what that damn emo singer did to you, and yet he pushed and pushed you." She paused and took a deep breath. "If you are feeling this way towards him, you are not to blame. You told me he was a playboy. His whole career is based on him charming women to love him."
Kyoko shook his head over and over again making Kanae stop speaking. Kyoko spoke looking down into the lap, "It's my fault for assuming his kindness was something more than that. I shouldn't have believed him. It's my fault for thinking he was sincere with all the dinners, rides and advice. He was just being himself."
Kanae eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Dinners? Rides? I knew about the advice, but he's been taking you to dinner? Driving you around town?"
"Sort of," Kyoko whispered, "I cooked dinner for him a few times at his place, or he will buy my lunch for me when we are acting together. Sometimes, he would drive me to the set or take me home after we are done. He was just being kind to his kohai."
Kanae pressed her lips together. "Did he offer anyone else a ride? Did he buy anyone else their lunch? I know that his manager doesn't drive, so that is obvious, but has he ever bought him lunch? I'm sure he doesn't invite any other women to his apartment."
The air around Kyoko grew dark at the mention of other women in his place. The thought of him touching other women reminded her too much of Sho and his wondering eye. Kyoko spoke like a threatening storm, "He doesn't belong to me, who he has in his apartment is none of my concern."
Kanae snorted. "Your body language says otherwise." She sighed and continued, "My point is that he pushed his way into your heart. He knows the effect he has on the opposite sex, and you, Kyoko, are only human. He does all these nice things without a second thought. I'm sure that if he gave me the same attention, I would have fallen for him too." Kyoko glared up at her friend, and Kanae glared back. "Don't go there," Kanae threatened.
Kyoko sighed. "It doesn't matter whose fault it is. The fact still remains the same. The question is what do I do about it? He is going to the party tonight. I can't, I won't let him use me like Sho did. I refuse to let someone take advantage of my feelings for them to get what they want," she paused. "What does he want?" Kyoko asked, looking at Kanae like she had all the answers.
"Who cares," Kanae said dismissively. She thought she knew what Ren wanted from Kyoko, but she didn't know for certain. If he wanted her love then he would have to tell her that himself. No way was she helping him if this was how he was going to treat her. "As for what you are going to do, well that is up to you. You can tell him your feelings and see what he says."
Kyoko shook her head.
"What if he feels the same way you do?" Kanae offered.
Kyoko snorted. "That's a mean joke, Moko-san. There is no way he would feel that way to a lowly newbie actress. I'm not good enough for him," Her voice drifted off dolefully.
"I will not have you talk to my best friend and rival that way!" Kanae said angrily, which made Kyoko smile her first sincere smile since they met up today. Kanae smiled back happy again. "So then the only other thing to do is to move on," she said softly. "Kyoko, you found love again. You found the missing emotion that you have been so desperately trying to find. It's back!" She said encouraging.
Kyoko tried to look happy about it but fell short. Kanae smiled softly at her. "Don't close up again, Kyoko. You just need to find someone who wants you in kind."
"No one wants me," Kyoko said sadly, making Kanae's heart break.
"Someone does. Trust me," Kanae said confidently, but Kyoko didn't look like she believed her. Kanae glared at her. "Are you thinking of me as liar?"
Kyoko shook her head franticly, "No, Moko-san. Never! You are one of the most brutally honest people I know."
"Um… thank you, I think," Kanae said confused. "Now as for tonight, we are going to get you the prettiest dress this store has to offer. If you can't afford it, I'll pitch in the difference." Kanae stood up and picked up the forgotten dress. She hung it up on the little hook and straightened it out. "Let's have some fun. Don't worry about tonight. I promise that you will be so busy talking to every other person, you won't even think of him."
Kyoko started to smile as Kanae tried her hardest at keeping her mind off things. She poked fun at some atrocious dresses they found and made funny little faces. Kyoko soon started to laugh again. They did find a dress, a sweet peach strapless taffeta dress. It had a sweetheart neckline with little floral cutouts at the hem that hit mid thigh with a black belt that clinched at her waist. They even bought new shoes and make-up for the occasion.
Kanae delivered on her promises. She stayed at Kyoko's side throughout the whole party. Kanae asked thousands of questions, asking her to introduce her to everyone and anyone. Even if Kyoko didn't know who they were, Kanae made it seem so natural to talk to them. She had never seen this side of her dark haired best friend, Kanae the Socializer. They did have to say hello to the male lead of the show. Kyoko felt her heart thrashing in her chest as his dazzling smile found her.
"You look beautiful, Mogami-san," Ren said affectionately. He smiled that heavenly demon killing smile that she now realized melted her icy walls. Her breath caught in her throat as her face heated up. She felt the world slowly drip away until it was only them, his eyes looking down at her, softly making the blood in her veins rushing towards the surface, her skin aching to touch him.
"Thank you, Tsuruga-san," Kyoko breathed the words while looking at the ground. She felt someone squeeze her arm.
"And what about me? She's not the only woman in the room, Tsuruga-san," Kanae said accusingly. Kyoko heard Ren chuckle and address her friend.
"You look lovely, Kotomani-san. Are you enjoying yourself tonight?" Ren forced his eyes away from his heart's desire to her friend.
"Yes and thank you," Kanae said and turned to Kyoko, who was shyly stealing glances at the insanely tall actor. "Come on, Kyoko, let's get something to drink." Kanae tugged her friend's arm, trying to kick start her internal motor.
"Oh, okay, Moko-san." Kyoko looked up at her sempai and lifted her hand to say goodbye.
Ren licked his lips and held his hand up, "I can get…" They left him alone, and he finished in sentence, speaking to no one, "…drinks for you." He lowered his hand and watched Kyoko being dragged across the room by Kanae.
The night continued, and Kanae kept Kyoko away from the persistent handsome actor. One thing that Kanae noticed was how much Kyoko's spirit lifted after talking to him for that brief minute. She was smiling more naturally, laughter bubbled from her mouth quicker, and her eyes shinned just a little brighter.