I do not own Skip Beat!

Thank you Yoshiki Nakamura for all of your incredible talent.


Chapter 2: Music To His Ears

If one would ask Ren Tsuruga two and a half years ago who his favorite musician was, he would have told them that he didn't have a favorite, but now for some reason his favorite had been a new up and coming siren named Roxy. He was enchanted by her beautiful voice and her face haunted his dreams. He had never really been a fan of anyones except for maybe Kyoko and being Roxy's fan made him feel really guilty. He watched her music videos, collected her music and had a full collection of her movies and dramas. It kind of made him feel a little like a stalker, but he also felt pulled to her.


"Boss.."

"Have a seat my boy. What did you need?" Lory motioned him to sit.

"What can you tell me about this singer Roxy?" Hoping that Lory knew more like he always did.

"Oh Ho, sorry my boy. That one is completely off limits." Lory informed him.

"What?" Ren asked incredulously.

"Her father has requested a complete information black-out on her. If any man wants to get near her, he needs to speak to her father first." Lory stated tersely.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Well, aren't you like the King of Love or, something?" Ren asked sarcastically.

"Not in this case my boy."

"Well, who is her father?"

"He's a CEO that holds your main modeling contract." Lory answered gravely.

"Oh.." Maybe I'll meet her at the next party. He left in deep thought.


"Mo, Kyoko! Why do you always wait so long between calls?!" Kanae asked with frustration.

"Sorry Moko-san. I've just been so busy with these modeling contracts, my movie and I just released another album. I was just finally able to spend time with my father in Dallas."

"It's okay, I forgive you. I saw your new PV yesterday. It's beating out Fuwa here." She laughed.


Now this little conversation may have been over the phone privately in the LoveMe locker room but, there was one person that was listening intently through the door to one side of the conversation. His heart leapt at the implications when he heard Kotonami-san utter the name of his lost love. Kyoko was okay and from what it sounded like she went into music, but what was implied was impossible. Wasn't it?

"Kotonami-san? May I have a word with you?" He asked as he walked into the LoveMe room.

"Gotta go. Will call you back later, okay?" Kanae whispered hurriedly.

"Is he there?" Kyoko asked with annoyance.

"Yeah."

"Okay, I'll call back tonight." Kyoko told her knowing what Kanae was in for. I'm going to have to request her for one of my videos to make it up to her. Kyoko mused.

"May I help you Tsuruga-san?" Kanae asked in a sickeningly sweet tone with disgust in her eyes as she quickly shut her cell phone.

"Was that Mogami-san?" He asked with hope in his voice.

"Why yes it was." She smirked.

"Well?" he asked expectantly.

"Well what?" she answered flatly.

"How is she? Where is she? Why did she leave?" He interrogated her.

"1. She's fine. 2. None of your business. And 3. Why don't you and Fuwa put your two half brains together to make a whole and figure that out for yourselves and stop pestering me about her. If she wanted either of you two selfish morons to know anything she would have told you herself. Now if you would excuse me I have a photo shoot to get to." Kanae huffed off leaving Ren stunned in silence.


"Shoko, have you heard anything from this Roxy chick about collaborating on my next album?" Sho whined.

"Her agent said no." Shoko answered, knowing what his childish response would be.

"What? That no talent little bitch should be honored to sing with me." Sho complained with insults.

"Sho, she's international and she's rising above you on all the charts in Japan. She doesn't need you. You need her. Instead of throwing insults, maybe you should try and contact her and maybe make nice so she'll agree to the collaboration."

"Fine, she won't be able to resist me." He smirked arrogantly.

"Whatever. Here's her father's information. You'll need to go through him. " Shoko pinched the bridge of her nose. This was going to be difficult.

Whaa.. Her father is the CEO of Armandy? So she's probably a spoiled little princess. Sho snickered to himself. This would be easy.


Bzzzzt It's Daddy. Bzzzzt It's Daddy.

"Hi Daddy." Kyoko smiled gently into the phone.

"Hey Princess. Where are you right now?"

"I'm in my studio putting the finishing touches on my latest album."

"You mind if I drop by Sweetie?"

"Of course not. You can come by any time Daddy."

"Okay Sweetie, I'll see you in an hour." Kyoko closed her phone.

"Okay guys, that's a wrap. Good job. See you back here next weekend before the new release to polish for the tour next month." She said cheerily.

"Always a pleasure Roxy." Jason told her with a heavenly smile and a gleam in his eyes.

"I know I am." she replied playfully blowing him a kiss.

"Ugh, you're killing me little girl." He chuckled. "Later." He waved as he walked out the door.

Had her mother bothered to actually make an effort to look for him, she would have found him and he would have known about his beautiful baby girl sooner. Stephen Marshall finally had his little girl and he was going to treat her like the princess that she was for the rest of his life. He really did love her mother, too bad she had been on the wrong side of that case so many years ago. Fortunately he had a very understanding and open minded daughter, but he did hate the fact that he missed so many years of his little angels life and that she had been treated so badly. Oh well, I'm just going to have to make it up to her. He smiled as the florist wrapped the little white orchids for him.

"Do you need a card sir?"

"Oh, no this is for my daughter." He smiled taking the flowers in hand.


"Oh Daddy! You didn't have to do that." She gushed, taking the flowers from him to be put into a vase.

"I know Princess. I just wanted to give you something nice." He told her as he followed her to the kitchen of her newly remodeled high rise apartment. "How do you like your new studio?"

"I love it. Thank you Daddy." Smiling the same smile that had made her world famous.

"So... There's some stuff I want to get your opinion on." He said hesitantly.

"Uh huh." she listened intently as she started preparing their dinner.

"First one is, a young singer would like to collaborate with you on his new album. Personally I don't think it would help you out in your career but, I just thought I would run it by you before I told his agency no. His name is Sho Fuwa.." He knew about this little punk but, he wasn't going to say no without her consent. It would be funny to watch that little punk squirm though.

"I'll have to think about that Daddy. I honestly don't feel anything about that anymore thanks to you and the Hizuri's." She smiled. He was relieved.

"Second one is a young model I have a contract with has been asking around about Kyoko." he gingerly broached the topic. He knew she didn't want to even hear that name anymore.

"Daddy, it's okay. Kyoko died over the ocean over two years ago. She means nothing to me. If he's asking about her just tell him the truth. I don't have anything to hide as long as he doesn't ruin my name. Besides Kanae still calls me Kyoko so, I guess it's okay. By the way, who is this model?"

"Ren Tsuruga." he mumbled over the land mine.

"I see." she said quietly as her knife chopped more violently across the innocent vegetables.

"Sweetie, I'm sure he had a good reason for not telling you." he told her with delicacy.

"Yes... I'm sure he did." she answered sarcastically. "Can we drop this please?"

"Alright Roxy, but you will have to attend the party this year and he is our male spokes model and you're soon to be our female face. Just so you know, you will be running into him and he will probably recognize you." He reminded her.

"I know Daddy. Just let me enjoy this peace until that day comes." She pleaded.