Before anything else! I just want you to know that the personality Kyouko Mogami is going have is the one before her Pandora's box was opened! But its going to change as the story goes as she become more confident of herself and all that. Also, she's going to have her long black hair instead of her short orange one. Please give this story a chance to warm up on you. ^_^

The song that struck me for this story was "She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5"

I Do Not Own Skip Beat! But I really want toooooo!

~*~I. Own. U.~*~

Summary:

Life for as long as she could remember has always been so hard so when her

mother disappeared and left a heart broken Kyouko an insane amount of debt, She

was just about ready to throw in the towel. But then this person she barely knows

offers to help, but with a price, of course. Desperate, Kyouko accepted and thus

began a new chapter in her life.

Chapter 1: The Hardworking Daughter

She was dreaming again. Kyouko was sure she was dreaming because she's only

ever truly happy in her dreams. When her mind wanders away from the real world

and into paradise. A world were Kyouko's mother and unknown father loves her

and Shotaro, her childhood friend and ex, would talk to her again and her puppy,

Prince Skippy, would come back. From a distance, Kyouko can hear the sound of

the end of her dream.

'Nooo! Please go away! 5 more minutes!'

Kyouko begged as the giant alarm clock looked at her with evil eyes.

"Its time to wake up, Kyouko! Wake up! Wake up!"

"Nooooo!"

* Ring ~ Ring ~ Ring ~ Ring ~ Ring ~ Ring *

Just another day.

Kyouko forced her heavy eyelids to open and stared at the pale white ceiling. The

cool morning breeze blew past the white curtains on the open window of her

room, making her shiver. After a night of heavy rain, the air smelled fresh and

inviting. Kyouko released a small sigh.

'… It's morning again… I wonder if mom's awake yet.' Kyouko stretched and

stood up to start to preparing for school. She paused for a bit after getting out

from the bed. She was suddenly feeling lightheaded and the room started

spinning. A few seconds and it was gone. Kyouko merely shook it off.

After taking a bath and changing into her uniform, Kyouko went to the kitchen to

heat up breakfast. At exactly 6:30 am, everything was prepared for her mom.

The table was set, the food was on the table and she placed a few yen in an envelope

next to an empty glass on the table in case her mother might need something.

The money wasn't much but it was better than nothing.

At 6:35, Kyouko was out the door, running towards the bus stop. She ran past her

next door neighbor who had just gotten home. He moved in 3 weeks ago. A

handsome college student who was living alone. Kyouko thought he was gorgeous

but never really cared much for such things. Her life was complicated enough, she

didn't need more things to worry about. She has her mother to think about.

'I wonder how long mom will be staying this time.'

Class went by in a blur. Kyouko didn't have close friends but there was no one to

blame for it. It's not that she's not friendly or that her classmates weren't. More

than anything, she wanted to have friends and live like any 16 years old girls,

but… It's just that Kyouko didn't have the time or luxury. Other than school, the

rest of her day is filled with responsibilities.

Working 5 jobs to pay the bills and for food. On weekdays, she comes home

at 11:30pm from the gas station she works at. Then she has homework. A good 5 hours

of sleep if she's lucky then she has to wake up for another day. On weekends she

works another three jobs. On Saturday mornings, she's a once a week house keeper for a rich

old woman who lives with her cat in a lavish apartment in the city. That's her biggest pay.

In the afternoon, she works as a waiter in a restaurant. Till 9pm then she'd get to work

on doing homework for classmates. On Sundays she baby-sits 3 kids and a baby from the

neighborhood 9am to 5pm. After her work on Sunday's, she buys the groceries and cooks

food for a good 5 days. Then does her last minute school work and so on and so forth.

That was her cycle. For so long now she, Kyouko was always working. She remembers

as a young child of 9, Kyouko would ask the neighbors to let her walk their dogs for a few coins

or weed the garden, even at school she'd doassignments for a price, anything to get money for food

Her mother was never the affectionate kind. Most of the time she would just up

and leave for a few days, the most was 8 months. At times, she would come back

with loads of money and at times she would just walk in and go straight to her

room, not even giving the lonely little girl a glance. Even so, Kyouko had never

lost hope that someday she will be able to reach her mother even if its just half

way. She just has to keep working hard!

The lunch bell rang and everyone in the class started to leave one by one. Kyouko

just remained seated, using the free time to finish her homework.

"Want to go to the cafeteria together?" Asked one of her classmates. Kyouko gave

a regrettable smile. "Thanks for offering but I'll just stay here. I'm hoping to

finish this homework today before I go to my job later."

"Kyouko! You work to hard, you need to take a break every once in a while!"

"A-Ah! I will thank you!" As her classmates left, their laughter echoed in the

empty room. Kyoukoclosed her eyes and help off the bitter feelings in her heart.

'No, Kyouko! Stop thinking such negative things! Today's Friday, which means

its pay day.' Forcing a smile, Kyouko went back to her homework.

Class was finally over and Kyouko looked at her watch with satisfaction. 'Since

class was let off early, I can take my time getting there.' She made her way to the

rest room. Kyouko heard loud talking inside and slowly began to open the door to

not make a sound. She wouldn't want to disturb their conversation. The door was

open about 5 inches when Kyouko though she heard her name being said. She

stayed quiet standing outside the partly open door of the bathroom.

"…I know, right?"

"She is kinda weird. It's like she doesn't want to have friends or something."

"I mean, Kyouko is nice and I have nothing against her but-"

"Why is she working so hard anyway? Is she living alone?"

"No, she lives with her mother but she doesn't have work or something?"

"Isn't her mother a gambler?"

"Gasp! You think that's what Kyouko does every night? Maybe even prostitution-

"

"Eeeew! No way!"

"I can't imagine someone like her to have even held a guy's hand let alone ever

been kissed! I mean, have you seen her hair?"

"If you even call that hair!"

"Wait! Didn't we hear a rumor once that she was going out with Sho Fowa?"

"That's a lie!"

"The coolest guy in school and little miss plain and boring? No way"

Kyouko, who was listening out the door had had enough and ran. She ran through

the corridor and down the stairs, past the school gates and into the park across the

street. She stopped by a tree and leaned on it. She struggled to calm her breathing,

but it didn't lessen the pain. She had suspected how the other girls had thought of

her but to actually hear them say it…

Was is a cruel joke of the heavens that at that moment, Sho Fowa himself walked

by her together with his friends. Shotaru looked at her for a second then kept on

walking, not acknowledging her at all. As if they never knew each other at all…

As if he had never went out with her.

She knows why he is doing this. It had been Kyouko who ended their relationship

before it even started. It couldn't be helped, she was just too busy and couldn't

spend more than a few minutes with him each day. Sho was furious that she was the

one dumping him. She didn't mean to. It didn't mean she didn't love him, she really did!… But…

Kyouko let herself sink to depression for a few minutes. Gloom filled her mind.

It's no big deal, this happens all the time. Then she would stand up and dust

herself off just like what she's doing now. She looked at her watch and frowned

'… I'm late'

It was a quarter to 12 when Kyouko finally got back from work. She was feeling

more tired then usual. Perhaps she's coming down with something… Kyouko

opened the small gate to her house and checked the mailbox. 'Sigh~ nothing but

bills, bills, bills…' She stepped on the porch and started rummaging in her

pockets for her keys.

"Good evening, Miss Kyouko." Kyouko blinked and turned her head to the right.

Her neighbor greeted from the other side of the wall. He looked like he was just

about to go out.

"Good evening" Kyouko greeted back with a polite smile. She didn't know the

man's name and was feeling too tired to ask. She hoped he wasn't offended that

she didn't say his name.

"Home from work, huh? I'm just leaving for mine"

"I see, take care." Kyouko said, thinking the conversation was over and turned to

unlock her door.

"By the way, I saw your mother leaving in a taxi earlier. She was carrying a lot of

luggage-"

"What?" Kyouko's eyes widened as she hurriedly open the door and ran towards

her mother's room. She ripped the door open and stared. Her mothers room was

completely empty. All her possessions; clothes, shoes, jewelry, even the small

laptop was gone.

"Gone… Everything's gone." Kyouko said in disbelief. As if realization had just

hit her, she ran to her room and discovered in horror that her door was unlocked.

She opened it and sure enough, her closet drawers were open and her clothes were

thrown on the floor. Kyouko walked inside to check if her suspicions were true.

The money she had stashed under the tile on the side of her bed for her school was

gone. Once she confirmed it, Kyouko fell down on her knees, brought both her

hands to her face and started to cry in silence.

Her mother had disappeared loads of times in the past without telling her

anything but not like this. Not taking all the valuables they possessed and especially not

her hard earned cash. Was it possible that this time her mother didn't plan on coming back?

'She took everything! The money for this months bills and everything worth

selling. Why, Mom?… Why? Where did you got his time? And when are you

coming back? Did I do something wrong? I'm not very sharp so I won't know

unless you tell me!' The mail Kyouko had been holding fell to the floor.

Something caught Kyouko's eyes and she bent down to puck up one envelope and

opened it.

Her hands began to tremble as she began to register what it was. It was

from a bank, no not just one bank. Her mother had gotten huge loans from

multiple banks- The amount was more than the total of all her whole life's

earnings combined! How was her mom able to borrow from the bank? Questions

went around and around in Kyouko mind until her started getting dizzy.

"Oh, God…" Kyouko can't possibly pay for all of this! Her breathing came in

short gasps as little by little the events of the day came back at her. There was no

one Kyouko could turn to for this. Other than her mother, Kyouko didn't know

any other family. She's only 16! Where was she going to get all this money?

Kyouko couldn't stay in school if she going to get a better job to pay for all this!

Why, Why, Why-

Kyouko didn't know how long she stayed hunched down and crying. It was only

when she felt a gentle hand on her head that she became aware again. Kyouko

looked up with a tear-streaked face. And just for a second, she had thought it was

her mother coming to help her. Gentle light brown eyes stared at hers. It was her

neighbor again. The man really was handsome. His dark brown locks framing his

smooth face, broad shoulders and long legs. A perfectly fit body. 'Maybe he's a

model,' Kyouko thought numbly. Kyouko could see the man was saying

something but she couldn't hear anything. Kyouko began to feel very exhausted

and decided to just close her eyes for a bit…

'So tired…'

…

"…ko…"

…

"…youko…"

…

"…Miss Kyouko"

Kyouko could hear someone calling her. She tried to say something but nothing

came out. 'My throat's too dry… I feel hot' She was sweating and the sheets on

the bed was very cold against her skin. Kyouko tried to raise her right hand but

felt it too heavy to move.

"Don't move, You have a very high fever," said the same voice that was calling

her name earlier.

"Mmm…" was all she could say. She felt someone slide a hand under her head

and slowly pushed up. Something cool was against her lips and Kyouko realized it

was a glass. She drank greedily. The lukewarm water smoothly ran down her

throat, quenching her thirst. She sighed in relief when she was done and

her head was laid back down. Slowly she opened her eyes.

"… W-where am I?" She said in a whisper. The room she was in was very clean

and expensive looking... Sitting on the bed next to her was the man again. 'Why

am I always seeing him today?'

"You're in the guest room of my house… I couldn't just leave you in the state you

were in yesterday night." He said with a smile. He took of the cooling pad of her

forehead and replaces it with a new one slowly. Kyouko flinched at the coldness.

"Y-Yesterday?… I have school, and the house is-"

"Right now, you need to rest. We'll deal with the problems once your fever is

gone"

She closed her eyes for a moment. Instantly, she started thinking about her

responsibilities. The house, her school, the banks… She has to go to the bank as

soon as possible and explain to them her situation. Then she has to call her boss

and tell him she wouldn't be able to come to work- 'Oh, wait… It's already night…

I hope I'm not fired. Maybe if I beg the boss for forgiveness, he will just

let me off with a warning...'

"You're not resting" She heard the man say. Kyouko opened her eyes and looked

his straight in the eyes.

"Sorry, I was thinking that I need to call my boss… And there's a couple of more

things I need to do… I'm causing you trouble… Sorry."

"…"

"… I don't know… What to do…" Kyouko felt the weight on the bed leave and

realized the man had stood up. His back was faced to her and Kyouko couldn't

held admiring his clothes. They were clearly expensive brands.

"Ano… Thank you so much for all you've done…" Kyouko began. The man

turned to Kyouko then, looking angry. As to why, Kyouko doesn't know.

"I can help you solve all your problems," he suddenly said. Kyouko's eyes

widened as she stared up at the man.

"W-What?"

"You need money, right? I can take care of all of your debt. You don't have to

work so many jobs anymore or worry about what food to buy or your house bills. I

can even take care of your school expenses. Everything. I can help you with it all."

Kyouko opened her mouth in disbelief then closed it again. This repeated several

times. The man never took his eyes of hers. Kyouko swallowed, feeling a sudden

pressure in the air.

"I can't possibly let you do all that. I don't know you that well," She said in a

small voice. "We're strangers." Although she said that, Kyouko felt a spark of

hope light inside her.

"You don't have to feel guilty or in debt to me. My help won't be for free. But it's

still better than your situation now," he said in a calmer voice.

"I… Didn't catch your name," she said, her eye lids started to feel heavy again.

"What can I do… In return for… Your help…?" The man gave Kyouko a

mysterious smile and there was something in his eyes that gave her a strange

feeling in her chest. The man sat back down on the bed, took a face towel that was

placed on the night stand beside the bed and started to gently wipe the sweat on

her face. Kyouko was starting to drift off to sleep at the rhythmic strokes on her

face and hair. Just before falling asleep, Kyouko was able to hear the last thing he said before darkness took over her consciousness.

AndIn a soft whisper, he said,

"My name is Ren Tsuruga… And what I want is…"

TADAAAH! ^_^ My first ever skip beat fiction!

How did I do? Is it okay?

Thanks so much for reading! Please review! 3 3 3 xD