I DON'T OWN TWGOK

Overture 3: Shining Star

Kanon was standing by the fountain at the center of the park with a fairly good-looking boy who's taller than her.

He suddenly grabbed Kanon on her shoulders, making her trembling. The boy gently moved his head towards the idol, "I love you…"

Her mind went blank. The world turned black.

The distance of their lips is only a breath away.

…

"CUT!"

Kanon instantly pushed herself away from the actor, catching her breath.

"What was that? You're supposed move your head together with him!" the director approached Kanon with anger.

"… I can't…"

"Haaa?"

She glared at the director. "I told you I don't want a kissing scene!"

He slapped his forehead with a rolled script paper. "It's just a kiss! Come on! Back to your position!"

Kanon looked around, searching for her manager, but she couldn't find her anywhere. "I want to speak with Okada-san!"

"She already gave her permission! Now go back to your position!"

"… No way…" Kanon frowned. She jumped away from him, "Then… Then I will stop! I won't be taking part in your film!"

The director heaved a sigh. He turned around and shouted with his megaphone, "Alright everyone, break for one hour!"

The crews are dismissed. Some of them grabbed a bottle of cold water and there are some of them who stroll around to smoke a cigarette. The director was the only one who stayed with Kanon only to say, "Get your self prepared. After this, I want you to follow the script!"

"… But!"

"I don't take a no," Just like that, he left Kanon.

Kanon walked back to her car with huge deppression in her heart. As an an idol and an actress, she knew that she has to keep her professionalism, accepting whatever the director says as long as it's about her job and written on her contract. However, as a woman; a young girl, at that; she felt despair when she was asked to surrender her first kiss to someone whom she did not even know.

This is not fair… The director didn't want to understand me at all. It's like I am still invisible…

… I'm still invisible after all, huh…

It's always been like that: nobody would listen to my voice; no one will notice my existence. Not my teachers, not my friends, or my family… Not even, them.

*Blam*

"Keima-kun…" After she closed the door she looked at her phone's screen, which is telling her that the last message she sent to Keima was already 30 minutes ago. "… What took you so long? I want to see you—"

"—Well, just look to your right."

…

Kanon turned her head to find her classmate, crossing his arms and legs. It's the same boy who would always be at her side whenever she needs, so it's normal for her to feel happy. "Keima-kun? You're here! Y—you're all sweaty! What happened?"

Turned out that Keima was sitting next to her. His uniform was soaked in sweat and his face was pale. Though he's catching breath, he somehow managed to keep his usual calm face. "That doesn't matter. What's more important is—"

Kanon threw her arms around Keima's neck and leaned her body towards him. Her bangs are covering her face, concealing her expression from the conquering god. "Keima-kun. Kiss me."

She was waiting for Keima to make the first move, but he's not moving either. Hence, Kanon raised her head while staring at him with blank eyes.

Yes! If it's Keima-kun, it's alright! Giving my first kiss to Keima-kun is all right!

The pink-haired girl brought her head closer to her only friend at school. Out of his habit, Keima was unusually calm. He's always shaking whenever he makes contact with girls, but he was acting normally at that moment, the moment that any boy in the world would kill to be in the same situation: kissing with a local idol at the back seat of a closed, private car. Instead of fidgeting, Keima is analyzing Kanon's awkward behavior. In a second, he already understood the circumstances.

"No," he rejected, halting her from kissing him.

"Eh?"

"You must fight back, Kanon."

"W-what are you talking about, Keima-kun? I just want to ki—"

"—This time, they'll hear you," he intervened.

The girl retreated slowly. She looks shocked.

"Keima-kun… You knew…?" she murmured.

"That is not important right now."

"…"

Keima grabbed her shoulders. "Show him your spirit, Kanon! Show him that you are strong! That you are not invisible! Remember! You are the idol, Nakagawa Kanon! No one can take that from you!"

"… Idol…"

Her eyes are no longer blank. She's showing the signs of relief. Maybe she'd feel guilty if she did kiss him out of the blue. She was glad he stopped her. She was glad he was there to give her support.

"Thank you Keima-kun," she smiled.

The director's voice could be heard outside the car. 'BREAK'S OVER!' he said.

"Keima-kun. You'll come to my concert this Friday, right?"

He nodded to send her off.

Soon as she closed the car's door, Keima looked around to seek for his PFP, which Kanon stole from him. However, he couldn't find it.

That would be cheating anyway.

He grasped Kanon's phone that's lying next to him and punched the buttons with his thumbs. "Hmph, you are hopeless…"

Keima got off of the car and spun the pink-colored phone back to the seat. He strolled around to get a better look at the film shooting, "She won't do anything. She's a real idol. She won't do what a heroine idol would do."

While Keima was watching the shooting from afar, Kanon was made to act in the same scene again. She was at the very same situation as before. The actor was only millimeters away from her. This time, however, Kanon's eyes were gleaming and spiritful. Even the director said 'This is it!'. He was very delighted, until…

Suddenly Kanon jumped away from the actor again.

The director was furious, but he still hadn't cut the scene. He could see there's something different with Kanon this time.

Everyone was staring at Kanon; they fixed their eyes at the idol.

A moment later, she danced.

Eventually, she started singing.

Everyone was amazed. Even the cold-hearted god-of-conquest was amazed. He never thought he'd witness the very same scenery as the one he once experienced in a game.

Keima closed his eyes and thought, 'She did it again… '

Then he smirked, "Maybe she's different after all… Maybe she could pull it off."

"…"

"What the heck did I just said?" Keima popped back after a few of struggle with his own brilliant mind.

"CUT!" The director's voice echoed throughout the park.

"I'm sorry, Director!" Kanon bowed slightly "I can't kiss after all. I'm an idol! My job is to sing! I want to sing! I want to reach everyone with my songs! I don't want to disappoint my precious fans by playing a kiss scene!"

"Well said, Kanon…" Suddenly, Kanon heard a calm, firm voice.

"Okada-san!"

"I'm sorry, Kanon. I was careless."

The manager walked towards the director in a very quick pace and then hit him with the script violently. "What is this, Director? I never heard of a kissing scene before!"

"Ukh…"

"You sent me back to the production house so you can take this kissing scene, didn't you?" She pulled his collar and glared at him with enormous anger. "Do you know how much trouble will we face if you air that scene?! You low scum!"

"O-Okada-san… It doesn't matter anymore! I've decided to change it into a musical cameo instead!"

Kanon was watching her manager from her position and made a sigh of relief. She was glad she decided to fight, showing her identity as an idol. It was all thanks to Keima who gave her a push, a gentle push to put her back on her feet.

Thank you, Keima-kun…

…

"I'm home… Haaaa…" Keima threw himself on one of the café's sofa.

"Welcome home Keima Nii-sama. Where have you been? Why do you look so exhausted? Did you just run a marathon?"

"It's… none… of your…. Business," he answered while catching breath. "By the way, could you… bring me a glass of water… my dearest little sister?"

"De—dearest? Awawaawawa… Is this a dream? I'm dreaming right?" she expressed, blushing.

"Just! Get me! The drink! Please!"

Him making a request to his foster-sister was abnormal, but calling her as his dearest little sister was unbelievable. Though Elsie had just become the happiest girl on earth, she couldn't help but to think that he was very serious at the moment.

"Here you go, Master Nii-sama!" Elsie served a glass of cold water. He gulped it in an instant.

"What irony. To conquer a girl using the same method in games would seize a great amount of stamina. This world is unrealistic…"

"Err Nii-sama. I don't get what you're saying, but this world is reality."

"I know! Sucks isn't it?" he threw a glare at her sister.

"By the way, Nii-sama!" Elsie filled empty the glass with water. "There will be a huge Kanon-chan concert this Friday! Would you come with me?"

The main star herself already invited him. There's one thing she hadn't informed though. He decided to ask his sister. Keima took the glass from Elsie who had just returned from the bar, "Huge concert, huh? Where?"

"Narusawa Seaside Hall!"

"Agh that's far!" Keima felt like his head fell down to the table.

"You'll come?"

"No, it's far."

"Whaat? I already bought two tickets!"

"Sell it."

"Eeeeh I can't do thaaat!"

"Tch. Lemme do that," Keima picked one of the tickets from Elsie's hand.

"You really won't come? I'll be alone tomorrow… Please come…" She pleaded.

"No is a no."

"Uuu~ you meanie!" Elsie puffed her cheeks. "You won't get anything but pickles for dinner!"

"You've gotta be kidding me! I need food, dammit!"

"No worries! I heard pickles are good for your stamina!"

"You—"

Thus, their banter continued until the mother appeared and arbitrated her children. Moments later, the dinner were served on the dining table.

"Keima."

"What, Mom?"

"I don't know if this is just me or not… But you are different nowadays," she said.

"Different, how?" Keima replied after he gulped a dish.

"You know, like… Softer? Your dense expression is gone and you smile more."

"Meh. Please…"

"You also don't play as much as you did. Is something happened?"

Well apparently I had finished games that come out this week in a single night. I don't play much in front of you basically because I don't have any game to play! If I had that game back, I'll play it anytime!

Though he thought those monologues, what left of his lips was: "No, nothing happened."

"Don't tell me, Nii-sama has…"

He sighed. He knew exactly what the next line would be.

"… Fallen in lov—"

"—Nope! Never. Thanks for the food!" He stood and retreated to his room.

Me, the god of conquest, changed? Huh! I wonder about that.

It's a cold Friday evening. It's the beginning of spring, but it was still cold in the city. Nevertheless, people seem cheerful as usual, especially those who's lining at Narusawa Seaside Hall at Narusawa City, the neighbour of Maijima City. It was a very large hall. It was only used ocassionally, so it's usually empty. This day was special. In only two hours, there'll be a solo concert by the rising young idol, Nakagawa Kanon. Everyone was waiting eagerly for the event.

Unknown to those people, the idol herself was sitting on a stair at the other side of the building. She was wearing a black jacket for staff to reduce the cold and to conceal herself while she was waiting for her only friend.

"Keima-kun~" she waved. "Over here!"

"Hmm…"

"You know, I will be having a concert tonight."

"Of course I know. You invited me."

"Ah you are right. Hehe," she walked away stepped away from him, circling on a track made by colorful patios just by the stairs. "But I bet you don't know that there'll be 10 thousand people watching! Amazing isn't it? I've never performed on such a big stage~ It's like a dream comes true!"

"Hmm…"

"Incredible isn't it?"

"Hmm…" he gave another hum.

"Geez~ Keima-kun. You're playing with your game again. I was talking to myself!" Kanon stopped following the tiles and approached Keima. Soon as she arrived, she noticed that he was not playing a game. She suddenly picked the earphone from Keima's ear, "Ah! You're listening to my songs!"

"It's for preparation!"

"For what?"

"Uuh… You know…"

Ignoring her previous question, Kanon threw another. "My songs, do you like them?"

"C—Can't you tell by yourself?" Keima panicky reacted; his cheeks were reddened.

"Ehehe~ I want to hear it from Keima-kun!"

"D—Don't get too cocky, real woman!" he pointed at her.

"I want you to praise me if you like them!"

"Ugh…"

This is for the conquest! This is for the conquest!

Keima rose from the stair and patted Kanon on her head thrice, making her extremely happy. But that instant happiness was gone the moment she hit Keima's words during the incident at the shooting place.

-This time, they will hear you!-

…

Cold wind blows. Kanon hung her head; her expression became concealed under her bangs, "Keima-kun. I'm not invisible, am I?"

"Yes. You are not invisible."

"But you knew, Keima-kun! About my past! About how the three of us failed in this same stage!"

"Kanon…"

"… and about how I failed to save my friend on the other day… You knew!"

"Kanon, calm down!"

"If I couldn't do it together with my friends, how could I perform all by myself?"

Kanon turned around and ran away from Keima.

"Kanon! Tch. My legs hurt like hell!" Nonetheless, Keima still tried his best to after her.

That's right… This is what I learned from the Internet: Kanon started her career as an idol from a group of three called 'Citron'. Everything went well for Citron. Each of the members did well in singing. Their songs were selling well. They were doing great until the moment the other 2 members noticed that Kanon stood out the most in every performance. Looking at this fact, their manager decided to put Kanon in the middle, which meant she'd act as the main attraction of the idol group, the captain. It was a right decision. Their group gained more success and more fans. However, the previous captain didn't seem to enjoy it. Kanon also noticed it and requested the manager to repeal her captaincy. Of course the manager shook her off.

Not so long after that, they were going to perform at Narusawa Seaside Hall as a side guest. It was their dream to perform at such big stage. Unfortunately, they didn't do well during the concert. Since then, their performance went downhill. They finally reached the point where they decided to disband the group.

The three of them went back to the normal daily life. No more practice, no more singing or dancing. Just study as normal student. Kanon were schoolmate with the other 2 members, but they never looked together ever again.

One day, there's an accident, a traffic accident. One of the members was a victim.

Kanon was seen near the scene. Though the picture was blurry, I could tell that she was crying.

…

"Tch. What a troublesome woman. Acting like true heroine all of a sudden!"

Kanon arrived at an empty skywalk bridge. The sky was darkened, the atmosphere was cold; Everytime Kanon passed a street lamp, it turned on, enlightening the road for 3 minutes. Seems like the energy-saving system made it that way.

"Kanon!"

The idol could hear a cry from afar. It was Keima's.

"Stop… haa… right there…" Keima tried to make a shout, but Kanon kept running. "Or else I will be dead, dammit!"

Keima walked towards her. She obediently stayed at her position, looking down to the floor to hide her expression.

"Kanon… Are you afraid of becoming invisible again?" Keima who had just arrived said. "You became an idol twice so people would notice you."

"Your songs were a big hit; your fan base grew… but you were always worried."

"You felt it after your group was disbanded. You went back to your normal life, people stopped paying attention to you, stopped praising you, and eventually you became invisible again."

"That's right!" Kanon rose her head. "Keima-kun understands me after all!"

As snow started to fall down, tears were starting to run down her cheeks. She ran at Keima and clung her arms around his neck. "All those times, if only I was not invisible… I'd still be friend with Lime-chan and Yuri-chan! If only I was not invisible, if only my voice could reach Lime-chan… She wouldn't have to die!"

"She didn't."

"Eh?"

"That girl Lime didn't die from that accident. Her wounds were fatal, but she made it," Keima informed.

"Really?"

"It was because you freaked out everytime you heard her name, but that was not the case right now, Kanon." He gripped her shoulders and pushed Kanon away. "You are having a huge concert today."

"That's right… That's right, but… I'm alone this time… I can't do it on my own… I can't do anything alone…"

"Yes you can! You already have!" Keima shook her.

"But… but…"

"You don't need anyone to shine! If you rely on someone, you'll be left and you'll be invisible again!" he gaped, blushing. "Your… Your singing is fine the way it is…"

"It is?" she sobbed.

"It is. I can guarantee it," Keima let go of Kanon. "After all if it wasn't, they won't come here."

"…"

"You hear those cheers?"

Kanon immediately turned around, gazing at the building where thousands of her fans are waiting eagerly. She could hear them calling her name. She could see the stage as well as the colorful spotlight. Finally with that, Kanon had her confidence back. Her fans have always been her energy. She felt she could do anything right now!

"Everyone's been drawn here by your light. I can't keep you to myself."

"…" Kanon turned her back at Keima and smiled, "I'd have willed to sing for you only."

She walked away from him slowly…

But then she stopped and ran back at him again…

… and kissed him.

It was her first kiss. She had given it to the person she would always love the most.

"See you again."

She left him dumbfounded. Kanon giggled the moment she noticed his tensed expression: flushed, blushing red with bloodshot eyes.

After awhile, the cold snow snapped Keima back to reality. "… ah… J—just now… Did she… Did we… Kissed?"

Keima closed his eyes, trying to remember what had just happened a moment ago. He couldn't help but to scream, as strong as he could. "A real woman just kissed me! Damn it! It's not like I'm happy or anything! This is for my game!"

"Yeah, that's it! I'll play to forget what just happened!" Keima pulled out his PFP. He also noticed that there's a piece of paper that fell from his pocket.

It's a ticket to Kanon's concert from Elsie.

"…"

Keima heaved a sigh. He put his PFP back to his pocket before he picked the ticket up and walked towards the crowded building.

At the end...

The concert was a success.
Everyone was cheering.
Everyone was happy.

The boy was right.
The idol was not invisible.
The idol could shine by herself.
She doesn't need to rely on others.
For she's already a bright star.

...

After the memorable winter concert, the girl ensured her feelings to the boy.
She always tried to meet him in every of her free time.
Seeing his face makes her at ease.
Hearing his voice makes her calm.
It was a bother for the boy.
But never once he mind it.
For the girl had also brought him reasons to live...

...

Author's Note (A/N): It's the end of the prologue arc. Finally! Yay! It might be boring since it was very similar to the original, but the real deal starts on next chapter! Not sure if it will amuse you, but I wish so.

Let me remind/tell you, in case you are confused: First Chapter (title: 'X') happens after this prologue arc (which are chapter 1-3: 'The Encounter' until 'Shining Star').

I'm sorry for my cheap English btw.

If you have time, please drop a review...Because unlike Kanon-chan, I can't shine on my own. I'm not that strong...

Tell me what I'm lacking of. Tell me what my weaknesses are. Flame me. I don't care.
Wait, the latter was a lie. Don't flame me. Don't flame me too harsh.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for your support till thus far.