A/N: So this is my first Skip Beat fanfiction. This story was originally written for a completely different manga/anime, but the more I wrote the more I realized the characters and world I was creating didn't quite. I did some brainstorming and came to the conclusion that the Skip Beat is waaaay more fitting for the kind of story I'm trying to tell. I hope everyone will agree. So without further adieu I am pleased to present the first chapter of The Haunted and the Heartless.
Disclaimer: Skip Beat is not mine …unfortunately…because I'm not that brilliant
Warning: (The following characters- namely Seana Mogami's personality is different. I decided to tone down her antagonistic behavior and make her a more motherly figure. She's still pretty strict though. Also Sho's got a bit of a behavior change too…but not entirely. So anyway just bare with me ok? Haha)
Chapter 1(New Beginnings)
I sat in the passenger's seat next to Seana, my mother, looking out of the window. The wind blew in my face as Debussy played on the radio quietly. I let out a soft sigh. It's been about five hours and 30 minutes; we were almost there.
I lifted my right hand up to my mouth nervously, immediately my mother grabbed a holed of my wrist. "What did I tell you about biting your nails?" she scolded, "it's not lady like." She gave me a stern look and I guiltily lowered my hand.
"Sorry." I muttered, hands in my lap now. I gave her a sheepish grin. She sighed, but ended up smiling back anyway. "Almost there" she informed me in case I wasn't aware.
I leaned my head out the window slightly to get a better look and frowned. It was so crowded. So many people where out walking the swarming streets, going so many different direction all in a hurry. I wasn't surprised when we slowed to a stop once we crossed the Tokyo Bridge.
Traffic.
It was only natural with a city this busy, this over populated. I'd been and lived in many cities before but this was definitely the liveliest. All the city lights lit up the streets, bikes and cars sharing the lanes, people talking all at once. To put it mildly it was a bit overwhelming.
"It's quite overwhelming isn't it?" My mother said as if echoing my thoughts.
I nodded in agreement saying nothing. I started feeling nervous again and my hands began to shake in my lap as my mother asked me another question. When I didn't respond, she glanced over in my direction.
"Are you nervous?" She questioned. And you'd think by this time I wouldn't be. Surely I'd be able to get used to this feeling or this routine at least. This was our ninth time moving since my father's death after all. My mother gave me weary look. It was an expression I'd grown used to seeing on her face. She always seemed frustrated by my reaction to things, ever since I was a little girl. I realized over some time that she was trying to understand who I was.
We slowed to a complete stand still, as we neared a traffic light.
"Look at me Kyoko." She demanded sternly.
I didn't want to look though. I was afraid if she saw my face she'd discover something I was ready to show anyone. I just continued to stare out the window, urging myself to control my expression, so not to give anything away. To give away how very much afraid I was.
I heard my mother sigh from the driver's seat "Everything will be fine" she assured me, though in all honesty I think she was trying to convince herself. I turned my head a little, feeling a bit more confident at not look utterly miserable in front of her. I had to somehow get better at this, at acting ok. Especially since I was the reason for why we were always moving in the first place. If anyone should be allowed to complain it should be my mother not me.
I forced a smile and sat up a bit straighter. She was right; everything will be fine or I'd try to make it that way. This was a new start with new people who knew nothing about me. Even if another… incident were to happen again I'd have to somehow try to over come it, I'd be strong. I'll make sure of it. I'd do it for my mother.
Feeling a bit more confident, my shaky smile became a more genuine, determined one. My mother must have seen a change in my expression because she turned back at the road again without pressing the conversation further…or maybe the light just turned green.
We drove for a bit longer and then turn on a more neighborhood like street. The city lights where still shining brightly, but the noise was a bit duller. I noticed there where less cars on the road as well. My mother eased up on the gas pedal and we started slowing to almost a crawl. We drove into a newly developed neighborhood; all the houses looked identical and were built very close to one another. I wondered briefly if out neighbors were friendly and if they had kids. I hoped not, I'd rather keep to myself. Socializing only brought complications. We pulled into a short driveway and my mother turned off the engine.
"This is us." She murmured softly. Together we gazed up at our new house. It wasn't very large compared to the place we'd just left back in Kyoto, but it looked sufficient enough. Besides, it was just the two of us now, so we didn't really need much space. If it were too large, it would have seemed too empty like our old house back in Onomichi and that was unbearable even without my bad luck
I got out of the car behind my mother and followed her to the front entrance. I felt a rain drop fall from the dark sky and wondered if this was a premonition.
The house was very new and contemporary looking, with no hint of history or character to it, I thought and then smiled pleased. Good. That was exactly how I wanted it, the less history the better. Mother was getting good at this. Every time we moved it seemed the places we stayed in got more and more modern. I glanced over at me mother and realized she was staring at me, analyzing my reaction. Not that I could blame her really.
I wondered for a half second what it must feel like to have such a strange child. A daughter who hyperventilates whenever she enters or gets near something old with historic value. I laughed out loud without humor. It was probably a pain considering most of Japan was historical. Poor mom.
My mother gave me a strange look from my little humorless outburst. She opened her mouth to say something, but then thought better of it. Instead she dug around in her purse until she found the front door key. The door creaked a little bit when it opened. Not a good sign. Did the builders take old doors from an even older building and installed them here? If that was the case, what else had been recycled? It was a far-fetched idea but not entirely illogical. I made a mental note to check the door screws later.
"Kyoko, aren't you coming in?"
I looked up to see my mother already moving some of the boxes around in the small living space. I was still lingering in the doorway probably looking suspicious standing in the now drizzling rain.
"right…of course." I headed into the room and shut the door behind me. It didn't screech that time, which calmed my nerves a bit. I was probably just paranoid.
Taking in the room I noted the hardwood floors and clean white walls, nothing unusual so far. I looked at the parade of boxes surrounding my mother and myself and sighed. It was protocol for us to send most of our things ahead of us, with the movers. So now all we really had to do was unpack it all. Seana wasted no time either. She was already heading back for the car to gather the last of our things. I joined her silently and we quickly unloaded our suitcases.
"Your bed should already be in place upstairs. I made sure to instruct the movers to put your dresser and desk up there too. She informed me.
"oh ok…thanks." I said awkwardly. I stood with my arms folded when suddenly my stomach growled.
"Oh. You're hungry?" She said wearily; I watched as she looked despairingly over at the cramped empty kitchen. Seana never cooked much because she's always working. If she prepared dinner it was always with a phone and a take out menu in hand. I typically fended for my self, food wise.
"No just tired." I assured her. I didn't want to make a fuss. Plus I wanted to check out the upstairs. Make sure there wasn't an attic up there. Nothing good took place in attics "I'll just grab my suitcase and head to bed if that's ok with you?"
She nodded slightly not arguing with me. "If that's what you want." That was one thing about my mother; she was never pushy. We always stayed out of each other's space and we got along just fine that way. "Don't forget you bed sheets right there." She pointed to a box a few feet away from me. "And don't' forget to set you alarm clock for six tomorrow morning. You have your first day of school is tomorrow and I want you to be on time.
"Right…ok," the thought of school made me nauseas, but I kept my feelings to myself. I gave my mother enough to deal with; I don't want her to worry.
I proceeded to gather my things while heading up the staircase.
There were two bedrooms on the second floor, the master for my mother, and my own room. The bathroom was in the hallway for us to share. I opened the door to my room slowly, taking in the small space and then lugging my suitcase inside.
Like my mother said my bed was already in place along with my dresser and desk. I rolled my luggage into the center of the room and immediately started making up my bed, trying not to think and just do.
Checking the clock on my cell phone I saw it was only eight thirty. I climbed under my covers and looked up at the sealing. The pitter-patter from the rain echoed through the walls giving an all most rhythmic sound. I closed my eyes, trying to focus on the sound of the rain.
"It's going to be ok." I said aloud trying to mimic my mother's tone from earlier, but I wasn't very convincing, even to myself. I heaved a heavy sigh and rolled over. Willing sleep to come and take away my consciousness.
At last I fell asleep.
It was 4am when I jolted upright in my bed. My head was swirling, heart hammering in my chest as beads of sweat rolled down my face. I could barely see from the dizziness I felt.
As the storm blew, lightning flashed outside and illuminated my room. My eyes widened in fear as a tall dark figure loomed in the corner of the cramped room. Looking down at me.
It's eyes where a haunting gold color shining in the darkness. Even as the lightning flashed away, leaving the room in total darkness, the eyes still blazed. Jumping back, I gasped in terror as fear took over my body. I slammed my body up against the headboard of the bed, leaning away from whatever it was in my room.
I leaned over and switched on the lamp next to my bed, frantic and when I looked up again, it was gone. Disoriented, I tried to gather my bearings as best I could, placing my hand on top of the other to calm the shaking.
"It was just a dream…or maybe my imagination." I told myself "probably conjured up by my anxiety I'm feeling for tomorrow." Only I couldn't shake the feeling I was still being watched. I glanced in all the corners of my room making sure it remained empty.
"Calm down Kyoko. You just sat up too quickly earlier and started hallucinating." Unsatisfied with my explanation, I cautiously laid my head back on my pillow, still too shaken to stop my mind from racing.
But the more minutes went by the sillier I felt. I rolled over checking the time on my phone again, 4:23 am. Suddenly I felt sleepy again, my eyes beginning to drift. I pulled the covers over my head, but decided to leave the lamp light on…just in case.
I closed my eyes, my breathing slowing and fell back to sleep. Only the strange eyes in the corner never left me. Its presence continued to burn into the back of my eyelids even as I slept.
A/N: I hope I didn't bore you guys too much with this chapter haha. I know it's going pretty slow and not a lot has happened yet, but I promise in the next chapter there will be a whole lot more action and yes, some questions answered. Let me know how you feel about it. I'm interested to know everyone's opinion good or bad. Reviews always cheer me up. So thank you all so much for reading and expect updates soon!