Skip Beat! is by Nakamura Yoshiki

The lyrics to the song Solanin by Inio Asano, who also wrote the manga of the same name.

Asian Kung Fu Generation's Goto Masafumi added the music to this beautiful song (youtube link: /watch?v=1uo-gdsW6Mk).

思い違いは空のかなた

Misconceptions beyond the sky.

さよならだけの人生か

A life saying goodbye?

ほんの少しの未来は見えたのに

The small bit of the future that I saw

さよならなんだ

was saying goodbye to me

The next few weeks proved to be quite hectic, with a new album in the works and a concert to prepare for in two months' time. They finally decided on the ten songs that would comprise the album, including the two bonus tracks which would be acoustic renditions of his earliest songs. It all sounded so good on paper, but after the remastering was done and the demo album was compiled, it was a completely different thing all-together.

"It's rather, I don't know..." Shouko tapped her fingers against her chin, looking for the right term. "I think they kind of feel a little out of place, somehow."

"That's not quite it." Asami turned to Shou and decided not to mince words, "The acoustic versions fell flat. Instead of being the highlight of the collection, they seem to weigh the album down."

He had to concede his producer's observation. The songs that comprised the album might, at first, seem like a rather holistic mix, but they all had a common underlying theme. The two acoustic tracks shared that same theme, but their arrangement were not quite up to par with his more recent songs.

"Well, we could always scrap them off the list," Shouko suggested, "or we pick something else to replace the two songs."

"Or we could add power to the piece by having string-orchestra accompaniment," Shou mused aloud, staring at a game soundtrack CD that someone left behind in the recording booth. He looked up to see the two women with matching Cheshire grins on their faces.

It took them a better part of two weeks to get the music arranged for a string orchestra, sign up a string section of the Tokyo City Philharmonic and book a place for the recording session.

Shouko and Haruki watched the amazing performance from behind the glass of the recording booth. Shou was once again at the top of his game - one could even say he was leagues better than he ever was. They could practically feel the world holding its breath with them as the last sustained chord faded to silence.

"Damn," Haruki muttered under her breath, "that was awesome. We're going to break records with this release."

Shouko asked with a smirk, "Double platimun, you think?"

"Triple," the recording director declared, sagely nodding his head.

"Okay, people! That's a wrap! You guys are awesome!" Haruki announced, garnering a round of rowdy applause and hoots from the talented bunch at the other side of the glass.

Shou made his way to the door of the booth amidst much back-slapping, handshakes and even hugs from the female members of the orchestra. His manager could tell that this was the happiest he had been since his bout of depression last Christmas. Maybe he really meant it when he said that it was time for him to move on.

昔 住んでた小さな部屋は

The small room where I once lived

今は他人が住んでんだ

is now occupied by someone else.

君に言われた ひどい言葉も

The horrible things I told you,

無駄な気がした毎日も

the days that were wasted

あの時こうしていれば あの日に戻れれば

If I had taken that chance, if I am able to return to that day

あの頃の僕にはもう 戻れないよ

But I'll never be that same person again

Shou passed by his old apartment once to collect any mail that had been sent to his old address during the week he moved. He coincidentally met the new tenant at the mailbox lockers at the ground floor. She was a small lady, about a foot shorter and around five years older. She had an electric guitar slung over her slight shoulders.

Later over coffee, as they sorted through the mountain of junk mail, he discovered a few things about his host. She never cared for Visual Kei but was an avid advocate of Indie Rock, which would explain why she never recognized him. And the Mustang she carried around had belonged to her dead boyfriend, who used to be in a band.

"I used to hate him for dying. We all did." She sighed and sipped her coffee. "What if I was more understanding? What if I was more appreciative? What if...?" She stopped and laughed - not a note of bitterness tinged her laughter, only sadness. "But playing out different 'what-if' scenarios in my head doesn't change anything. In the end, we just have to forgive ourselves for any shortcomings, both imagined and real. He's gone and nothing is going to change that - we just have to accept it and move on."

"So, how do you forget?" He ventured to ask, "How do you get over someone you love and move on?"

"What made you think that I have?"

Shou sputtered into his coffee, "But you just said-!"

"I know exactly what I just said," she shrugged unrepentantly as she tossed him a couple of tissues, "I'm just the kind of person who's good at giving advice but really bad at taking them."

寒い冬の冷えた缶コーヒーと

Cold cans of coffee from freezing winters

虹色の長いマフラーと

That long rainbow colored scarf

小走りで路地裏を抜けて

As I wander down the back alley

思い出してみる

It all comes back to me

Since he gave her their old photograph back in middle school, he reasoned that it was only fair that they take a new one for him to keep. It did not take long for the ink to dry.

For something that was taken with a phone camera, the quality was not half-bad. He picked up the picture from the printer tray and gingerly tucked it into his newly-bought frame, his eyes lingering on the faces that smiled back from behind the glass. Her orange parka did clash horribly with her hair and the muffler around his neck did look ridiculous. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying and her smile was tremulous at best. Even now, he still believed that she was at her loveliest back then.

"I really can't take this," Kyouko said, fiddling with the clasp of the charm bracelet, "It's just too much for a birthday present!"

"Are worried about what he would say?" he asked, his breath fogging up in the frigid air.

"Well, I wouldn't want him to be giving expensive jewelry to other women as a birthday present," she explained, scrunching up her nose. "Except for his mother, of course."

He snorted and kicked his empty coffee can in annoyance. "Then tell him it's an early wedding present, and that he should consider himself lucky that I'm not going to be there to run away with his bride."

Shou chuckled at the memory and how he managed to finally convince Kyouko to keep the bracelet. Once, he used to wonder whether there was a meaning to a failed love. He used to think it was something best forgotten, a memory that would fade in time and cease to exist as if never happened. But now, he knew better...

"Despite the heartbreak, I'm still glad I fell in love with you."

たとえばゆるい幸せがだらっと続いたとする

Even if somehow, that fragile happiness had lasted

きっと悪い種が芽を出して

A bad seed would already have sprouted

もう さよならなんだ

So, I guess this is goodbye

"Once upon a time... I thought that every fairy tale ended with a 'happily ever after'," he said, strumming a tune while he chatted up the crowd. "Guess I was wrong - or maybe it just wasn't my fairy tale to begin with."

Everyone laughed, his easy demeanor lulling them into a comfortable but expectant atmosphere. This was the first time that Fuwa Shou was going to perform an acoustic encore - and with an entire string orchestra. He definitely went all out with his first concert at Tokyo Dome, and it was not over yet...

"The woman I love got married today," he declared, causing a ripple of surprised gasps and exclamations to course through the crowd. "Not to me, unfortunately."

His words stunned the entire stadium into silence. The camera panned for a close up. The audience could only watch the screens with bated breath, mesmerized by the solemn expression on his handsome face, as he continued to speak.

"But to wish for one's own happiness is sometimes coupled with another's unhappiness." Shou searched the sea of faces, even though he knew that he would never find her there. "I've been selfish for far too long. This time, I would pray for her happiness instead."

And, amidst the tears, the crowd cheered him on as he plucked thru the opening chords of the song.

さよなら それもいいさ

Goodbye, that's enough

どこかで元気でやれよ

You can make it anywhere

僕もどーにかやるさ

Goodbye, I'll manage somehow too

そうするよ

Goodbye, that's what I will do.

A/N: For everyone who managed this far, thanks for taking time to read the story. Hopefully, it was not a wasted click of the mouse. Shou was a joy to write, it was not exactly a huge surprise for me, since I've always been known to cheer for the anti-heroes.

To everyone who came to like Shou in this story - Thank you, for giving him a chance. m(_ _)m

To everyone who hated me for not having Shou end up with Kyouko - Well, I did say that this was going to end in Charm. Just because their names are in the character description does not necessarily mean that they would end up together. To be fair, I had to remind myself about that during the time I was writing the rest of the chapters. (.&lgt)

To everyone who wants to see an alternate ending where Shou ends up with Kyouko - It can still happen! But I won't be the one writing it. Whoever is up to the challenge of writing an alternate ending to Longing, I shall fully support you! (^.^)v

To anyone who's wondering who the heck I'm going to write about next... I don't know either... (T_T)

Again, thanks for reading and kudos to anyone who can correctly name the new tenant who is renting Shou's old apartment.