Summary: A type of song fic, what happened when Kyouko is tricked into singing a song that she might just really.. hate?
Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat or any of its Characters ! If I was the author, it would be over by now with fluffy cheesy ending. LOL
*Thoughts are in italics*
*Bold letters for singing voice/Lyrics*
It was such a fine day. The preparation for the 2nd Grateful party is going so well, and it's now December 23rd. Bouncing on her feet towards the LoveMe room with a smile, Kyouko thought about the desserts she had planned for the party.
"Ah, Mogami-kun, I was looking for you," Kyouko heard a voice calling her from behind. She turned around to find the President of her company, Lory Takarada, dressed in full Santa outfit along with the fake belly and jolly beard. Behind him, Sebastian followed closely in his elf's outfit and an entourage of loaded sleigh pulled by 8 reindeers. Where he could have gotten the reindeers, Kyouko didn't think she wanted to know.
"Yes, President," Kyouko bowed politely to Lory.
"Ah, Mogami-kun, I have a request for you. But I need to know first, do you sing?" Lory asked her.
"Eh? Sing? .. I prefer listening to songs than singing them," Kyouko replied with a confused look on her face.
"Ah, but.. can you sing?" Lory asked again, and before Kyouko could reply, he continued, "I didn't mean 'professionally', I know you never trained in vocals for singer before. I just need to know if you can at least carry a tune."
"I think so, I can sing songs that are not difficult to sing, not very well I'm afraid, but I don't feel I was out of tunes,… but…, President, I can't judge it myself." Kyouko responded, "May I know why you ask?" confusion colored her question.
"Yes, I would like you to sing a song during the Grateful party, we need some entertainment and since you're one of the party hosts, I need your help with it." Lory said with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Eeeehhhh?," Kyouko exclaimed in surprise, "On stage in front of the guests? But… what if I'm not good enough? Can't we get some of our LME famous singer to do it? We have Matsunai Ruriko-san and many others, they sure could do it very well…," Kyouko hurriedly said. She was starting to worry that the President was serious; she had no confidence in singing in front of audience.
"No.. no.. I need your help.. Consider it a LoveMe assignment," Lory said, "Besides, the song is a theme song from Cinderella."
Kyouko's eyes went sparkling and she was immediately off to LaLaLand, she stood smiling to herself," Ah.. YES… Cinderella, must be a very beautiful romantic song." Her mind is spinning around the images of castles, princesses, puffy dresses, the dance ball, glass slipper, and tiara.
"I'm glad you agree, I'll contact you later with more details." With that, Lory turned around and claimed into his sleigh, the song "Jingle Bells" is playing from the speaker installed to the sleigh after he did a few tap on the Ipad screen located next him, his whole entourage pulled the wheeled sleigh across the hallway of LME. Several employees hurriedly moved out of the way and cringed while watching the parade passed them.
Snapping back to reality after 5 minutes later, "Aaahhh! Did I just agree to sing?" Kyouko wailed in dismay. Then she sighed, "Well, I guess it can't be that bad, I just have to practice the song until I feel comfortable with it, besides, it's Cinderella song, it must be beautiful…," with that, she walked into the LoveMe room with a dreamy look on her face.
Later that evening, Sebastian delivered an envelope containing the music score for the song with an instruction to practice on the tune, the lyrics will be provided later during the party, and then he walked away without another word.
Confused, Kyouko stared at the music score, "Well, good think I know how to read it, I'll just practice with 'lalala' for now, I wonder why the lyrics is not here?" Kyouko pondered, but she is used to the President's eccentricity, so she didn't think much of it.
It was the night at the Grateful party. Maria was floating around the grand ball room of the Takarada's mansion greeting her guests, while Kyouko as usual was busy in the kitchen assisting with the deserts. Around 10.30pm, Maria went into the kitchen to pull Kyouko out, reminding her to greet the guests whom she had invited, like Kotonami Kanae who had been waiting to meet her. Also, there's Tsuruga Ren and his manager who just arrived few minutes earlier.
After running to hug her best friend with her usual "Moko-san" attack and listened to Kanae's half-hearted complaints over the calories in the deserts, Kyouko went to greet Tsuruga Ren and Yashiro Yukihito and chatted with them for a while.
Then Maria reminded her that it's time for the show. She went to the back of the stage, Sebastian handed her a box and asked her to change into it. After thanking him, Kyouko pulled out a beautiful simmering blue silk and chiffon A-line gown with empire waist. Kyouko couldn't help but went in LaLaland as she dressed herself.
"It's Cinderella dress," she said with dreamy expression.
Jelly Woods who was there waiting to do her hair and make-up could only smile upon seeing the lovely girl's antics.
After she was dressed and made up to look as lovely as a modern Cinderella, Kyouko stood waiting at the side of the stage where the bands were ready for the performance. She received another set of papers from Sebastian, "This is the same music score with the lyrics on it, and if you have practiced the tunes in the score you should be able to sing it with these lyrics." With that instruction, he walked away again without another word.
Kyouko glanced at the music score, the title read "I still believe" by Hayden Panettiere, it was a theme song from Cinderella Movie III. Before Kyouko could read more on the actual lyrics, the cue to get on stage was given and she walked to the stage, place the papers on the music paper stand set in front of her, and stood in front of the microphone.
As the band started the music, Kyouko followed the tune and started singing….
Somehow I know I will find a way
To a brighter day in the sun ….
*Kyouko smiled in a good mood. Such a beautiful song*
Somewhere I know that he waits for me
Someday soon he'll see , I'm the one… *Kyouko frowned*
I won't give up on this feeling
And nothing could keep me away…
'Cause I still believe in destiny
That you and I were meant to be *Kyouko's frown deepened*
I still wish on the stars as they fall from above
'Cause I still believe, believe in love… *Kyouko squeaked out the last word with horrified face*
*She didn't want to continue singing.. This was such a torture…. It was going to get worse, she just knew it, and the lyrics would get even worse… *
I know what's real cannot be denied,
Although it may hide for awhile *Kyouko flinched*
With just one touch love can calm your fears,
Turning all your tears into smiles *Kyouko's face darkened*
It's such a wondrous feeling … *Yeah, Right.. Kyouko thought darkly*
I know that my heart can't be wrong
*She so wanted to curse that love maniac, it's all his fault… why didn't he tell her what song this was before she accepted it… only Cinderella would believe in such a thing… oh right, this IS a Cinderella song… Kyouko couldn't even go to La La Land with the thought, the next line of the lyrics made her want to gag.*
'Cause I still believe in destiny
That you and I were meant to be * Kyouko winced*
I still wish on the stars as they fall from above
'Cause I still believe, believe in love…
*Kyouko's voice cracked a little at the last word*
*she couldn't even mumbled out the curse, the microphone would pick it out, and everybody at the ballroom would hear her cursing her own company's President.. who knew what punishment he would give her if he heard the curses currently running rampage in her head… hell, it couldn't be any worse than this torture, could it? Wait, it's the love maniac, of course it could be worse… and it will be related to….*
Love makes miracles, Change everything
Lift you from the darkness and make your heart sing
*the temperature on the stage suddenly dropped 20 degrees*
Love is forever, When you fall *Yes, just fall to the death, stupid love*
It's the greatest power of all
*Kill me, please just kill me now, Kyouko thought furiously*
*Kyouko glanced hopefully in what she hoped an inconspicuous manner at her best friend, Kotonami Kanae who stood right in front of the stage staring at her with disbelieving eyes… MOKO-SAN! Help ME! Kyouko's look suggested at her.. Kanae flinched visibly and turned her head away, she shut her eyes tightly in regrets in a manner that spoke.. I'm sorry, I can't help you with this, or HE might make me sing that embarrassing song too.*
Oh I still believe in destiny
That you and I were meant to be
*Can I just toss this paper on the ground and stomp on it while screaming in frustration?, Kyouko thought hopefully*
I still wish on the stars as they fall from above
*No, Kyouko glanced at Maria's happy face and the guests of the party, I can't ruin this party, Maria-chan will be devastated, she looks so happy with her father currently, she thought regretfully*
'Cause I still believe, believe in love *Oh lord spare me please, Kyouko thought*
Yes I still believe, believe in love
*NOOOOOOO… Kyouko screamed in her head while squeaking out the last word in a higher tone *
*That Love-Maniac was staring at her with a disappointed face? Ugh! Did he find out? He must have sensed her disdained voice lacing that last note… Ah, I have to act like I'm happy, or he will punish me even worse… *
I still believe in love
*Hitting the higher note, Kyouko stared blankly at the audience in front of her and gave a very strained smile*
I still believe, believe in love *Kyouko felt numb to the "L" word by this point*
The music continues until it slowly ended while Kyouko stood stiff as if rooted to the stage.
Finally.. It's over, Kyouko felt extremely exhausted just from this one song. She kept on her strained smile as people unenthusiastically clapped at the end of her performance, Kyouko did okay, not great since the song had no emotions or very contradicting emotions emitting during the whole performance and the audience just didn't know what to make of it, they knew she wasn't a professional singer after all and was just helping with the show.
Kyouko sighed and resisted the urge slump her shoulder in exhaustion and walked briskly towards the side of the stage after bowing to thank her audience. Now she just had to find a hole or dig one to hide herself from embarrassment and misery for the remainder of the day, maybe for the next whole year too. She can't believe she sang that… 'L WORD' out loud.
Tsuruga Ren and Yashiro Yukihito stared at the stage where Kyouko stood on just less than a minute ago..
"Well, that went well..?," Yashiro inquired unsure of the look on Kyouko's face. "That smile seemed.. really strained." He wondered out loud.
Ren chuckled amusedly, "Well, I'm sure she wasn't happy with the lyrics. I wonder how the President talked her into doing this?" Although she looks stunning in that dress, Tsuruga Ren thought with a small smile. Well, time to look for her, it's almost midnight.. with that, he excused himself from his manager and walked off to the direction of Kyouko's retreat with a smile, he wanted to be the first one to wish her a happy birthday. He was sure she would be happy with her birthday gift, he just need to weave another fairy tale around the gift. I hope this will make her feel better, he thought hopefully.
Author's note: That's it, hope you guys like it. Just an idea I thought of after listening to the song, I thought it was a sweet song and I wonder if I could torture Kyouko with it. LOL.. Please R&R if you can. Thanks for reading!
Also, I don't own the song, it's "I still believe" by Hayden Panettiere, a theme song for Cinderella movie III - it's available in YouTube if anyone is interested in it.