I do not own Skip Beat.
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Maria was truly happy.
The days leading up to her birthday were the best days of her life, she had been hanging out with friend Remco and done regular teenage things and for once in her life, she felt like a regular teenager.
It had became a common thing to not see Maria around much to the employees who were so used to her presence, shock.
The illusion that she now had a social life was strong and Remco was more than happy to help her mess with people head's by calling her at a time, he know she was talking to other people, especially when she was with her Grandpa, much to the man shock when Maria phone started ringing in mid conversation, Maria herself would wear something that showed where she'd been the previous day.
Not even her big sis, was spared from the call in mid conversation and even in the hallway where one of the Hizuri were passing by the phone rand and she ignored them on purpose.
All to give fruit to the mysterious of who her new friend was.
Not even her father could prey it out of her. He didn't know where she kept on disappearing to and who her new friend was, not even Lory could keep his curiosity in and asked, Maria had just given him a certain look before walking away.
But she did say her friend may come to her birthday party or not and the news spread through the whole company like wild fire and people where keeping their eyes open for anyone out of place.
Maria herself wasn't sure if Remco would come, he had mentioned something about doing a huge prank.
Ch 3: The Party that turned out good
Maria had dawned the expensive dress that she had asked, her father to buy, the dress her father original wanted for her was too childish and was similar, to what she had worn as a child making her cringe, her father wasn't very happy about her choosing a more mature dress that revealed a lot more skin but gave it to her since it was for her birthday party.
Now she was wore a purple dress, with one strap holding the dress up and a purple rose in her hair, her hair was down.
The full image was certainly a sight to see, when the guests came in seeing Maria look more mature.
"Welcome" Maria said, greeting the guests as they flooded in while ignoring her grandfather as he flashed a hundred watt smile and joined the live circus in the background, her eyes glanced back to the entrance every once in a while to see if Remco had decided to grace her with his presence.
The orchestral played the song, she hadn't liked since she was eleven and the food was thankful to adult testes because of all the adult's coming to attend.
She greeted her Uncle tiger with her usual smile and said hello to Kyoko.
"Big Sis" Maria greeted Kyoko who smiled alongside her husband.
"Happy birthday, Maria-chan" Kyoko said, giving her the gift that both she and Koun pitched in as one.
"Thank you" Maria said, hoping it wasn't what she thought it was from the shape and size of the present because she already had ten of those on the present table, she added it to the pile of presents.
"Hello Maria" Kuu said and Maria had to stop herself from outright staring at the man, there was defiantly a resemblance between Remco and Kuu-san. Kuu unaware of Maria thought's gave Maria both his and his wife present and Maria just managed to stop herself from face faulting at again at another stuffed bear.
Honestly by the night, she would have had more than twenty bears.
They all really didn't know her and she wanted to sigh, in the end, only Remco seemed to really know her.
"Thank you Kuu-san" Maria said, with a little bit of a forced smile, taking the present from the man. "Have a wonderful evening" Kuu went hand in hand with his wife and mingled with the other guests.
Maria wanted to sigh as another adult approached her looking to dance like usual, the same old kiddy song playing in the background, preparing her to hear the same old happy birthday song.
And five minutes later she did.
"Happy birthday.." Maria blocked them all out, wishing Remco was there to spice things up, she forced a smile and acted overjoyed.
The cake was huge like usual and they took a picture of her smiling next to the cake, followed with her next to her family and adult friends and Maria had never felt as miserable in her entire life.
This wasn't the kind of party she wanted at all.
She had thought, coming of age, would have made people see that she had grown up for once, that she would have the party that she truly wanted to have.
16 was her big number and she had dreamed about it since she was a little girl.
She wanted to be surrounded by family but she also wanted to surrounded by people her own age so that she didn't look out of place, being in a crowd of young faces, maybe being next to a best friend and surrounded by people she hung out with.
Which made reality that much more crawler.
She had managed to make only one friend.
She struggled to keep the tears in.
She wanted Remco, here.
Little did she know, her wish would come true.
Remco was outside the building.
Remco could feel that Maria didn't just want him to be there so that everyone could see she was right, he had seen the desperation that she had tried to hide and he would be damned if he would miss something that clearly meant something to Maria.
And just by talking with her, he got the sense that everyone around her seemed to think that Maria was still that little girl, from all those years ago.
Remco would have been in the same boat as Maria, if his father hadn't let go and accepted he was growing up, that Remco would one day leave him to venture out into the world, if his father had grown up so impendent on only himself, he would have never understood the importance of becoming independent and Remco would have been shielded and smothered from the outside world like Maria had.
Even though his time in Japan was almost up.
He felt a duty to Maria.
Maria needed him to add some normality to her life.
Remco had already brought her a present that he know she would like and had told his father that he was going to a party for one of his friends that he had made in Japan.
What he didn't count on was, the man becoming instantly suspicious and wanted to know of who his friend was, because the price of the gift for his friend was enough to send alarm bells.
Remco wanted so desperately to lie to him but the man always know when he was lying and Remco ended up telling the man who he had recently befriended, a girl called Maria Takarada, a name that had the man asking if the girl was related to Lory Takarada and he nodded slowly.
His father put his hand to head, in irritation, looking like he was contemplating on if he should allow his son to go the party or not but despite his father feelings he agreed to let Remco go.
However if his Son was going to an A-List party.
Then he better dress like an A-List or above celebrity.
Remco suddenly know where he got his mischievous side from, when he watch his father gain a mischievous glint in his eyes as the man went on the phone to call in favours and dug through the prototypes that we're made for only the rich, something his father had been working on for a couple of years, a never before seen Limousine was his father pride and joy.
The aim for the night was simple.
Prove that the Dailus where better than the Hizuri's without spending a thing.
And that's, what, Remco full of cancelled mischief was about to do.
He walked into the grand hall dressed in an extremely expensive suit, his shirt was green while his trousers where black, around him was a black extremely expensive looking fur coat followed by two heavy 'bodyguards', each wearing his father latest watch which looked like it would cost the hefty sum of a car, to put it simply.
He looked like a billion yen.
He got the reaction, he wanted to see as everyone turned to look at him and their jaws hit the floor at the face of a young Kuu Hizuri with blue eyes coming through the hall with grace in his footsteps, the bodyguards immediately went to secure the exist.
Maria had never been so happy in her life.
Lory and the Hizuri's where the most shocked of all at the young man appearance, those who's brains where still working, looked back and forth between the young man and Kuu, they were shocked at the resemblance.
If Remco were to wear fake contacts and had styled his hair differently, he would have been the second coming of Kuu in his youth.
A fact that the man himself was struggling to comprehend what his eyes were telling him.
Remco ignored how the whole room was staring at him and approached a very stunned Maria, who was just as shock as everyone else at his entrance.
Remco clicked his fingers and one of the huge guys dressed in black got out a huge parcel and handed it to him, Maria just managed to catch the barely contained mischief in his eyes before looking around at the stunned and shocked faces of everyone around her, she had got a rough idea of what was happening and hid her amusement well.
"Young Master" The bulky man said as he gave Remco the present that was no doubt very expensive.
"Thank you" Remco said, and many couldn't help but go into further shock at how similar his voice was to Kuu in his younger days.
"No problem, sir" The man said, going back to his post.
"Happy Birthday, Maria" Remco said, knowing Maria had caught on to what was happening.
Maria killed a laugh and put on a face of pure surprise and went to hug Remco and said. "Remco, I thought you'll never make it" taking the present and placing it next to her.
"Well, my father was on his way to a meeting nearby and we had enough time to drop by and wish you a happy birthday" He said as he saw the amusement under her mask as she forged disappointment while laughing hysterically in her head.
"That's too bad, it's such a shame you couldn't stay longer" Maria said. "We're still on for the pool party, right?"
"Of course" He said, giving her a smile that didn't resemble Koun own at all but was just as bright. "Now, than, I must be leaving, it's not good to keep my father waiting"
Lory mind kicked in realising the young man was about to leave when he had so many questions but was shocked when he found himself blocked by one of the bodyguards.
"No one gets passed me unless the young master knows you" The bodyguard said, looking at Remco who gave one look a Lory before shaking his head.
Lory was officially closed off from reaching the young man.
In fact he wasn't the only one, as those who followed the president actions were cut off as well and the two bodyguards formed an impenetrable fort around Remco, not even the Hizuri's were allowed past.
"Well bye, Maria" Remco said, walking out of hall with elegance in his steps, his billion dollar watch flashing in the light.
Everyone followed after the young man and his bodyguards, outside and all eyes were met with the most expensive looking limousine they had ever laid eyes on, it made the other Limos look like scrap in compression.
Remco approached the Limo and immediately the driver's, door opened to reveal an smartly dress man, even amongst the other Limo drivers, the man seemed to be in a completely different league to the rest due to the fine clothes he wore.
"Young Master" the man said once he saw him and opened the diamond encrusted doors, Lory and the other's caught a glimpse of a swimming pool and a tall dark figure, giving of an air of pure mystery, a solid gold Rolex watch flashed in the darkness, it was embedded in diamonds.
Remco smiled as he saw his father and turned back to the crowd of people seeing them all still staring at him, he located Maria and waved to her and she waved back with the first true smile of the night, before getting into the Limo and his bodyguards followed after him and the driver shut the door and got into the driver seat, the man tilted his fine black hat to the crowd before starting the engine.
The luxurious Limousine roared to life before driving off leaving a very stunned crowd.
Several minutes had gone passed before everyone brain started working again.
"Maria, who was that?" Lory asked, turning to his granddaughter slowly as did the rest of the crowd who wanted answers.
"He's my friend, obviously" Maria said, before huffing. "Really grandpa, do you even know me at all?" she turned away leaving a very stunned crowd.
To her.
Today was the best birthday, she had ever had.
And scene!
Finally finished! Next chapter, everyone has questions for Maria over her new friend and keeps Maria away from him to the point, Remco has to come and get her Maria himself and meets with questions about his identity. Review/Fav and follow!