I do not own Skip beat.
Neh x
In oils and memories.
"Yet there will be times and for some of us many times that we may forget this, we may stumble and be scared to move forwards afraid of what lies ahead so think on this as we say goodbye today.
If you always have strong meaningful goals, you will always have direction and purpose. Ensuring you don't drift through life with no direction. No sense of worth or meaning, but we are the lucky ones most of us have already found something we love, something we treasure that we wish to pursue whether it be music, performance, dancing or like my own acting.
So in closing I implore you to go forth from here onwards with these philosophies.
Don't live life with regrets.
Follow your heart more than your head.
Follow your intuition more than expectations from those who might seek to hurt you.
Things in life will not always go right all of the time.
Sometimes it's challenging.
If you can choose anything, choose kindness.
Stand for what's right.
Make your life beautiful for yourself and other people.
Make your life meaningful and when times are toughest remember!
Look up at the stars, not down at your feet.
I have been Mogami Kyoko speaking for cherry class 1-A." With her speech over Kyoko bowed respectfully and couldn't help but smile as the area in the crowd she now thought of as her own cheered so loudly with such passion that the rest of the polite applause was drowned out or so Kyoko thought as she smiled that new smile again and stepped of the podium allowing the head teacher to take the stage once more to end the ceremony with the closing statement.
Kyoko honestly didn't hear much of it as she was pulled down by her English teacher to take what had been the head teachers seat while the address finished and the visitors plus students exited the large auditorium to the reception hall, Kyoko waited with the teachers and exited as the last student and was shocked when as she entered the reception hall, once more she was met with applause as people congratulated her for a wonderful speech a few of her classmates had tears in their eyes as they hugged her or shook her hand, parents and significant people in their lives commended her on worthy life goals and philosophies that all could and should live by. It took her quite a while to make her way through the crowds towards her own most special people.
"Onee-Sams!" Maria cried out as soon as Kyoko had passed the last of the well wishers and people wishing to praise her, Kyoko never even stopped to think as she caught Maria mid jump and hugged the young girl tightly.
"That was a beautiful speech Onee-sama" Kyoko heard the young girl say from where her head was thoroughly tucked into the crook of her neck as the little girl hugged her back with her entire body.
"Thank you Maria-chan, I love you." She said and it was suddenly the most important thing she want to tell everyone who had come to her graduation, whom had wanted to be here.
"Can I thank your grandfather for all of this?" She washed keeping her voice low as Maria nodded.
"He wanted you to know just how special you are and I love you too, Onee-sama never forget that." Kyoko smiled, yes loving Maria was easy but it gave her strength.
"Thank you Maria." She whispered as the young girl pulled back to look into the deep golden eyes of the woman holding her.
"For what Onee-sama?" She asked as the new smile that seemed to fill her entire body with warmth flooded over Maria.
"For loving me... for never giving up on me and telling your grandfather I was too special to be let go when I failed the LME audition... for giving me strength and someone I could love so easily because you are special and beautiful and I could never have a little sister I loved more than you. Kyoko was surprised when Maria blushed as the little girl harrumphed at her, returned her head to her shoulder and hugged her once more.
"don't be silly Onee-sama, that is what little sisters are supposed to do." And with one last hug Maria wiggled and slipped down out of her arms and grabbed her hand instead pulling her towards her waiting guests.
It was as they were approaching the people she realised they were all now looking at something that had been put up on display, she looked around bemused as she realised all of the other groups were now looking at displays. It took her only a few moments of looking at a structure of a heron, wings outstretched as it started to take flight that she realised this was one of the art exam pieces and her heart thudded in giving her a moment to have a private word with Maria they had all turned to view what she guessed was her piece.
"Kyoko-chan!" Lory boomed out as Maria dragged her over to the tall mostasiod man who to Kyoko's amazement was dressed in a well cut and fitted suit and even though he looked good in it, Kyoko realised with a jolt she missed his characters Kyoko had always loved his cosplay and seeing him dressed... normally just seemed off to her, but the smile her greeted her with swept that thought from her mind and also she would think later all reason as letting go of Maria's hand Kyoko in a very good impression of Maria not a few minutes before jumped at the man who had given her so much, it will be noted that like Kyoko Lory never even thought but to catch the girl as her arms wrapped around his shoulders and hugged him tightly he returned the sentiment.
"Thank you Sacho, thank you so much for everything and always knowing what was best for me even when I couldn't be sure myself and... and... I love you sacho, you're like a father to me and someone I wish to emulate in my work ethic and talent." Lory never hid the tears in his eyes as he hugged Kyoko tightly once more before putting her down and placing his hand firmly on her shoulders.
"You're very welcome Kyoko and I love you too, but I think you've already realised that haven't you?" He watched as yet again that new smile, the smile that said I can love me lit up her face once more and she nodded.
"I think I'm starting to see what you have been trying to teach me all along." Lory nodded and smiled at her all his love for the beautiful woman before him radiating through him and she never shied away or hid from it as she would have done if he had shown her before.
"Now if you ever need anything you know where to come don't you, you know you will always have all and any help me, Maria or Sebastian can provide and if you ever need it a home waiting for you." For it was true from that first time he had sat the woman down before him in his office and seen the hidden depths of her pain lingering behind her eyes, the hurt and confusion she had portrayed and the self deprecation they had all witnessed over and over had made him love the child she had been like a daughter, then watching her grow, watching her heal Maria and so many other hearts had only strengthened the bond they had unknowingly to both parties had developed into something beautiful.
"Hai Sacho." Kyoko replied happily as he turned her towards the people he had invited her to share her special day.
"Moko-san! Chiori-Chan!" The Exuberant call came from behind them as Kanae sighed but in a good natured way and turned towards the blur of school clothes that was hurtling at them both she was just about to raise her well timed, well rehearsed stop the Kyoko gloom attack hand when to her shock and complete dismay Chiori grabbed it and smiled a devious grin as Kyoko collided with both of them full force almost knocking them to the ground but Chiori had somehow set her feet to not only support herself but Kanae too as the tall black haired woman stuttered and the look of shocked yet completely accepting betrayal towards Chiori whom knew she didn't really mean it, that made the laughter that erupted from the youngest girl as she hugged not only Kyoko but Kanae was the balm that melted Kanae's misgivings of hugging her friends in such a distinguished and public place.
The sigh of acceptance came just as expected as Kanae wrapped both girls in her arms and hugged them both back, Chiori grinned at her and Kyoko laughed before she seemed to calm and just look at the two women before her.
"I love you both, Moko you were my first real friend and Chiori was my second. I could never thank you both enough for what you do for me but I wanted to tell you that." The slight blush that rose to her cheeks with that new confident smile was enough to make even their hearts flutter a little as Kanae released them both and put on what they both knew was a haughty air.
"Mo Bakacarry on like this and in public no less and you won't have a best friend!" Her words where not harsh at all and Kyoko smiled as Chiori covered Kanae's mouth as she went to continue looked directly at Kyoko and smiling.
"What Kanae means and is unable to put into words right now is we love you too Kyoko and you don't need to thank us, being our friend is thanks enough." Kanae spluttered behind the hand Chiori had clamped over her mouth at the soppy reply but when both girls turned puppy dog eyes on her those eyes asking to tell them that Chiori's words where not true she just couldn't do it as she sighed, Chiori removed her hand the evil gleam back in her eyes as Kanae gave into the youngest love me girl.
"Yes fine, fine Chiori's right... now Kyoko I want to see your artwork!" And with that the sentimental missy moment Kanae always avoided and hated was over as Kyoko tried not to blanch at the thought of showing any of these people her exam piece, but mowing it would never be accepted not to do so Kyoko walked towards where she guessed her work was by the small crowd of people surrounding it.
"I can't believe she painted us!" Came the happy excited voice of Ishibasi Shinichi as he looked at what could only be the three of them seated on the bridge rock couch with a stuffed cuddly Bo on Hikaru's lap he and Yuusie had their arms around Hikaru's shoulder as they all laughed together, it was an amazing likeness of all three of them and done with such detail it shocked all three of the men as they learnt in forwards to get a closer look.
"Well you're like big brothers to me, it fits with my theme so I couldn't leave you out your my Ishibashi Nii-san's I love you all." Kanae who was wondering where all of this love talk had suddenly come from noticed the down cast look the eldest Hikaru looked downcast at the word brother, but he changed it to a smile as he honestly congratulated Kyoko on her graduation, speech and everything else he could possibly think of Kanae thought as suddenly the large canvas before her was revealed to her eyes for the first time.
It wasn't only the Ishibashi's she had painted, there were numerous people and it was to her stark amazement she was painted there to. She looked at the entire canvas in the top left corner was her and Chiori, in the center at the tops were Lory and Maria to the top right where Ren and Yashiro. Around the edges she could see her mother, the Taisho and Okami,and someone that could only be the Hizuri couple she talked so much about. There was also the cast and characters from dark moon, box- R, the bridgerock boys and so many people she had worked with in small works of art all over the canvas then smack bang in the middle was the most beautiful boy Kanae had ever seen, luscious blond locks over deep blue eyes that danced in the rays of light Kyoko had painted him in.
"It's beautiful isn't it?" Yashiro asked as he stepped up beside her, Kyoko and Chiori still speaking with the Ishibashi's, with Chiori filling in the last few weeks for Kyoko she new the guys like Kyoko did, giving Kanae this time to admire the work of art alone until Yashiro appeared but she didn't mind.
"It really is" she replied as she again glanced at the piece as a whole. It was amazing to think Kyoko had painted all of this herself as a little Kanae inside her head checked off yet another thing her amazing best friend could do from a checklist label Mary-Sue. She looked again at the picture of herself and could feel a flutter in her chest of complete love for her best friend. This is how Kyoko saw her, Kanae knew she was beautiful, she had been told all her life by many people. Some jealous, some enamoured, others just wanting to get her into bed or show her off for their own pleasure.
But Kyoko's picture was different she was beautiful but also she had an almost ethereal quality about her, her lips where at that point just before a smile, her eyes radiated gentle kindness and the set of her head and the way her hair was being swept away in the air made it almost look like she was flying.
She looked over at Yashiro's duplicate that sat on the canvas, his hair was slightly awry not perfectly swept back his diary in his hand and you could almost imagine it like a movie scene as Yashiro looked up at Kyoko from his diary after sorting out her difficult scheduling to fit in the hour lunchtime break so she could spend time with herself. The eyes sparkled through his glasses at a job well done as he congratulated Kyoko as she excited a set and he telling her they had an hour before their next appointment.
It was in the way his hair wasn't perfectly still and swept back that Kanae could see the type of man Yashiro was in Kyoko's eyes. He was the man who knew himself and exactly who he was and what he wanted from life, he had found his place in the world and was completely happy to be there. Even pictured next to Ren he didn't shrink or disappear, his own strong body and shoulders stood out in how she had painted him and in that moment Kanae saw a very attractive man. Yashiro must have seen the way she was scrutinising his picture as he chuckled.
" I think she's romanticized me a little." he said as Kanae the supposed ice queen of LME turned and looked at him, but she wasn't the ice queen she was the beautiful woman Kyoko had painted and as she looked him up and down he almost felt like she had not just seen his body but also his soul.
"I don't think she has." where her words as she turned back to the painting and finally Yashiro could breathe again.
"I think Kyoko just paints what she sees in us, the best parts that maybe we struggle to see inside ourselves." they were both silent for a moment as Yashiro again looked at his own picture and the warmth and truth of Kanae's words settled over him, this was how Kyoko saw him? He kind of liked that. They were both quiet again for a while as the noise around them was drowned out to anything but the artwork before them until Kanae spoke once more.
"So that's the famous fairy prince corn then huh?" Masahiro looked at her again as she studied the young boy who took centre stage.
"The one who gave her, her corn stone?" Yashiro questioned as Kanae nodded, she had once asked her one bored afternoon all about it and Kyoko had been more than happy to tell her best friend all about her magical meeting with her fairy prince beside the stream in Kyoto.
"I wonder who he was really." Kanae said quietly so Kyoko would not hear, as Yashiro lowered his voice.
"You don't think he's a real fairy prince?" he loved the snort of laughter she made as she looked up at him through her lashes.
"Why do you think he was a real fairy prince?" her eyes completely alive with amusement as he seriously stopped and considered it.
"You know this is Kyoko, honestly nothing would surprise me." and with that Kanae was laughing and she nodded happily.
"touché Mr manager-san touché." and in Yashiro's heart a box opened just a little as he looked upon the beautiful woman laughing, yes she was beautiful but as Kyoko had painted there was simply so much more to Kanae than that.
Having heard Kanae laughing and wondering why Kyoko, Chiori came over leaving the Ishibashi's talking to Maria, they had a soft spot for the little girl who would occasionally come with the president to see there live shows so we're happy to sit and chat with her whenever they could after Kyoko's introduce Maria to her big brothers. Kyoko would swear some of Maria's new tricks had come from talks with the boys.
"Do you like it?" Kyoto asked worriedly as Chiori spotted her own likeness on the canvas and was shocked.
"Kyoko if you ever wish to give up being my rival you would make a marvellous painter." Kane said in a sideways compliment that had Kyoko smiling.
"You painted me too?" came Chiori's shocked voice as Kyoko nodded
"Of course I did you are my friend Chiori-chan I wanted to paint you, it fits the theme." Chiori looked at Kyoko and then up at herself, she looked cute standing beside Kanae, her own hair tossed and yet beautifully framing her face in it's motions as she looked out of the canvas at the viewer.
"What was the theme again?" Chiori asked, wondering how such a mixture of people in different places and stages of Kyoko's life and acting career could fit into a single theme.
"Enchanting." Kyoto replied as she looked at the painting and then around at the people looking at her questioning her to explain so she did.
"We hadn't long come to Tokyo when I got my first job at a Mcdonalds. There was this English song that one of the girls who worked there would play and I really liked it. It made me think about Corn and the time we spent together. There was this one line that said;
And it was enchanting to meet you
All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you.
It always made me happy and then when the teacher was reading out the prompts for the exam it hit me how lucky I was to have so many people who love me, people who had a choice not to but choose to anyway. I was enchanted to meet all of you, whether it be through wishes or curses it was enchanting to meet every single one of you. I'm no longer alone anymore wondering who I am or what I'm worth, I'm not the little girl chasing after the boy I wanted to love me like a little sister. I'm not the little girl chasing after my mothers love when I know now she's just as broken as I thought I was." it was as she was speaking Kyoko brushed light fingers against Corns face and as if everything fell into place she huffed a slight laugh out as she turned to face the people behind her she had felt approaching they had been even more popular than she had been and it wasn't surprising Lory had, had them as Hizuri Kuu and Julie opened their arms wide Kyoko didn't care she was in their arms and hugging them fiercely.
"Oh my baby girl." Julie cried out as she held her tightly wrapped in her arms and Kuu encircled them to.
"That was a beautiful speech poppet, truly lovely." Kyoko could only nod as she tried to stall the tears that had come unbidden to her eyes.
"Thanks mom, thanks dad. I love you." she said quietly as Julie's own tears started to fall slowly she looked up into her husband's eyes and he knew exactly how she felt.
Reb helped wheel in the tables that contained the food the Taisho and Okami's friend had prepared specially for the graduation. It was the least they could do and they had said they would celebrate with everyone. He looked up as he pushed the last table into place and the Okami tapped his arm in appreciation as her husband flicked the tablecloth into position the servers would do the rest. He looked up to see Kyoko in his mom's arms, his dad holding them both and his heart ached. He wanted that, he wanted it so badly it hurt like a physical pain he knew when he had agreed to them coming to Kyoko's graduation that it would hurt but not just quite this much.
He felt a big hand on his shoulder and looked over at the Taisho with the Okami standing next to him smiling softly.
"You're a good boy Tsurugu Ren, but you'll never know unless you ask her and you'll live to regret it if you don't." With another clap on the shoulder, he took his wife's arm and guided her over to the others in their party as the servers started bringing in the food.
Kuu saw the couple coming; they had spent a very pleasant morning talking about Kyoko and everything in between he talked Julie and she released Kyoko holding her at arms length.
"Now you say hello to your mom and dad then you will show us all your artwork young lady and that's an order." Kyoko Was confused for a moment before she saw the couple who had just stepped up beside Lory and with her new understanding in hand she stomped on the distance she had kept between herself and the wonderful couple who had told her how much they loved her.
"Okaa-san! Oto-san!" and she was before them and in their arms in moments as the Okami told her just how wonderfully she had spoken and how proud she was of her, the Taisho had just nodded agreeing adding he liked her philosophies, she had laughed telling him a lot had come from him.
"Thank you for everything, I love you both." the Okami choked up slightly, glad the girl had finally got the message and the Taisho smiled. The gushing over Kyoko's picture now in full swing as Lory Joined in, it was only the Taisho that noticed and touched Kyoko's arm. Nodding towards the door, the tall form of Ren was just disappearing through Kyoko, stopped, smiled and nodded understanding as the Taisho helped her slip away unnoticed.
Ren sat on one of the walls legs stretched out before him as he leant back and gazed up at the stars that were just beginning to appear overhead. He wanted to be in there now with Kyoko, he wanted to look at the picture Kyoko had painted of him and let it tell him what her eyes saw when she looked at him like Yashiro had told him it had for himself. Yet as he had gone to join in the rest of the graduating congregation had found him and when he had finally escaped he suddenly felt out of place... It felt like he didn't fit again... Like he still couldn't live up to anyone's expectations, let alone Kyoko's expectations.
Lory had already forewarned not only him but his parents what Kyoko's picture had contained; he had even shown them a picture he had taken just of young Kuon, telling them they would have to see the rest for themselves but what he had seen in that picture alone was terrifying. How could he ever live up to the expectations of Corn? He had to explain of course. Had to tell Lory and his parents everything and as they gushed about fate and how they were supposed to be he just saw her eyes filling with resentment as he explained how she believed he was something he was not.
How could he tell the woman he was in love with that he wasn't really a fairy prince, he wasn't even really a man. He was a monster really, the boy who killed his best friend because he couldn't control his anger. It was like a fairytale alright but it fit more in the the brothers Grimm than it did in the world of Disney.
Dropping his head into his hands he tried to push away the depressive thoughts he had to be happy today, his friend was graduating and she was his friend she had told him so, he had to be content.
He felt the body sit down next to him rather than saw the person, he guessed it would be either his dad of Lory with the way they simply sat beside him rather than allowing him the courtesy of wallowing in his self pity alone like a good Japanese person would so he was completely dumbstruck when Kyoko spoke out next to him with a sigh.
"I thought you would have at least listened to my speech a little bit better Ren." she said as he confusedly removed his face from his hands and looked at her sideways she was looking up at the stars.
"How so Kyoko?" he asked, trying to remain calm with the fact she had called him Ren with no honorific.
"Well for one I said make your life meaningful and when times are toughest remember! Look up at the stars, not down at your feet." She looked at him then her eyes shining with starlight as she smiled at him tenderly his heart felt like it would burst. Then if that wasn't enough she picked her hand up from beside her and ran her fingers through his hair. If he hadn't been so stunned at the action it might have made him sit up straight but her next words basically floored him.
"I prefer you with blond hair, I think Corn." And in that moment his world crashed down around him.
"What!... how!... what!..." he stuttered and Kyoko laughed! She laughed at him as he flailed around for something to say and she continued laughing as she looked back up at the stars resting on her hands before she spoke again to the man who had her full attention.
"You know I always found it strange that thing you said when you asked if I lived in Kyoto because of my Corn stone, I found it odd when you were able to tell me you knew Corn was flying free now because of my help and even though I think I new in guam I was still to incomplete to fully understand." She watched Ren wince, after her Epiphany I had only taken seeing her own picture and the faces shown there to realise what her heart had probably known all along but she had never wanted to listen to it.
"Now I don't know everything, but I would like to tell you what I do know, I know that Corn was not a fairy prince but he wanted to make a hurt little girl happy for a few more hours. I know that Koun was troubled and that being his father's son was difficult because no one would ever look at you for your own merit but his shadow. I know you tried really hard and failed a lot and I know you must have hit a breaking point which is what affects the pain and hurt inside you and causes your episodes.
I know you can be cruel and unkind, I know you value professionalism and your work very much and that you don't look after yourself very well unless made too. I know you are not in contact with your family and I think you might understand how it is hurting them as I think you're hurting also. I know you are kind, I know you are caring and I know that because of your past you push people away and are lonely. I know you value the friends you do have and you are nowhere near perfect, but I also realised a long time ago when a hurting little boy performed tricks for a hurting little girl that you are perfect for me.
Tsuruga Ren, Hizuri Koun or fairy prince corn you don't need to answer me now and I won't be offended if you don't feel the same way, but I'm very much in love with you and it took me gazing into oils and memories to have the slightest hope that one day you could love me too."