[Fanfiction] Hadashi no Cinderella Boy [FINAL]
It was one of the rare days of Kato Shigeaki’s life since he started being on NEWS. He was free and for once, he wasn’t running from one performance to a photo shoot or writing an essay or trying to catch up on homework. For once, he lay at home with nothing to do but rest. As usual, he had Kakao playing in the background as he opened his word processor and began to type. It was one of those days where thoughts seemingly just appeared on the screen without him meaning to, but it was a good way to release frustration and lately he had a lot of that.
This is what he wrote:
I am Kato Shigeaki of NEWS, though some people believe I don’t belong there. I’m not as popular as my co-members. I’m not extremely handsome like Yamashita-kun, or a cute singing tensai like Tegoshi. I’m not genki like Massu and I can’t talk as well as Koyama. I’m also not perfect like Nishikido Ryo. I’m a useless space-filler in NEWS who does nothing special, maybe my role is just to be someone to act as a basis for the mundane so the diamonds in the group would shine. But sometimes, I feel like I should shine too. I feel that I could do something for the team aside from being their perpetual cheerleader.
I have been working hard for the past few months with the rehearsals with NEWS and had private rehearsals on my own. I work hard even when I’m not supposed to. I study fashion, dance and personality. I’m trying to find myself and find a way to shine even just a little behind them. This is because I believe that I’m special as well. I know that Johnny-sama put me in NEWS for a reason.
I feel like I’m Cinderella. I was belittled, insulted and unappreciated. I was in rags and worked hard for nothing. I felt ugly, useless and depressed. I admired the others from afar and thought that if I worked hard I could be recognized as one of them. That was my magic;- hard work and perseverance and the determination to prove myself
I have changed myself slowly. I gathered all my strengths for this transformation. Like Cinderella, I dressed myself in better clothes, changed my attitude and became a prince (like some fans call me). I wanted to show myself to everyone in the most perfect form and be recognized. I transformed like her. I only hope that the clock will never strike twelve and the magic spell will never end.
I’m now a new Kato Shigeaki. I can say that I have more confidence now. More courage in myself in my decisions and I have my own style. Secretly, I have been looking out at what my fans say about me and I found that they call me ”The Crown Prince” and “Rock Star.” I don’t know if I fit the role of a prince well because I’m far from one. But I do hope that I can fit the role of the rock star (even thoughI’m a pop star). I want to be someone who looks wild but is actually clever or smart. I want people to know that I’m not a pushover anymore.
I have one way to prove it and that is my song, that one solo that means so much to me, the one that I worked so hard for and claimed as my own. I spent many hours on it, imagining it, rehearsing it and dreaming about it. I researched each move, and felt each word. I believe that I’m ready to show the world what I can really do and who Kato Shigeaki really is.
I feel like I am living the song Hadashi no Cinderella Boy. My life lately has followed it, from travelling and finding inspiration to reinventing myself to be a better person. That is what the song is mainly about and that is what recent events in my life have involved. But I feel that I’m also reaching the end of the song and I’m proud of myself for it.
Soon, we have a new concert and I feel that it’s time. It’s my “ball” and they will soon see who the real Cinderella Boy really is.
Kato Shigeaki stopped typing and looked at his cell phone, which had started ringing. It was Koyama so he picked up.
“Moshi moshi?” he said into the receiver as he answered.
“Shige, it’s Keii,” Koyama responded. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing much, just hanging out. You?” Shige swiveled on his chair and saved his document before shutting his laptop down. “Want to do something?”
“Yeah, actually, I was going to ask you if you wanted to come with me to do some last minute shopping for some supplies for tomorrow,” Koyama asked him. He really hoped that Shige would come because it felt like it had been ages since they last hung out.
Shige agreed. “What time are you picking me up?”
“I’m outside right now,” Koyama said honking his horn.
“Brat,” Shige laughed.”I’ll be right down.”
He took his hat and jacket and ran downstairs to his best friend’s car. They drove to the nearest grocery and started shopping. Koyama had brought a list of what to buy. The boys usually took turns in doing the concert shopping and this time it was Koyama’s. The list was just the usual: bottled water, snacks, soda, energy drinks (different kinds), instant ramen, candy and cake (cake?! Who put that there?).
Shige laughed as he looked at the list again and recognized Massu’s handwriting. “Why did Massu write cake on our list? Do we even have enough money for all these?”
Koyama shrugged. “He was there when I was getting the list and the money from the office. He said he wanted to see the list. I didn’t even realize that he put it on there. If we have enough money, we could grab a small cake to share for the first concert.” He was busy trying to figure out which was the most economical buy for water.
“Just get a couple of those boxes over there, there’s twenty four bottles in a box and it’s on sale,” Shige said as Koyama nodded and picked it up. “It’s Sendai now, isn’t it?”
Koyama smiled. “Yeah, Sendai is always fun. Remember last year?”
“Of course I do.” Shige smiled. “Do you think that bathhouse is still there? It was pretty old but it was the best bathhouse I’ve been to in a while.”
“Maybe,” Koyama said as he glanced at his best friend. He wished that Shige wasn’t as quiet about his feelings. He had been worried about him for a long time, ever since the Nagoya concert and Shige hadn’t mentioned a thing about it. Then again, maybe there was nothing to worry about as Ryo and Shige seemed to be on speaking terms again.
“Should we get a few bottles of the ginseng kind? I know Ryo-chan finished those the last time,” Shige said as he put some cans of energy drinks into the cart.
Koyama nodded. “Yeah, he liked that kind. Put extra.” He paused and looked at Shige. “Anou~ Shige. About Ryo-chan…” Koyama started to ask the question he had in his head for a long time.
“Hmm?” Shige looked at Koyama and smiled. So, Koyama was worried about that after all. “Don’t worry about it, Koyama. It’s all forgotten. Ryo-chan and I are alright.”
Koyama breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, is that so? That’s great. I’m glad. I thought you guys were still fighting.”
“You know, Ryo. He’s just crabby when he’s tired and that day I was too.” Shige patted his friend on the back reassuringly before he pushed the cart away. “He’s just born crabby and you worry too much.”
“I’ll tell him you said that,” Koyama teased as he laughed more at himself. Shige was right, he was a worrywart. But it was only because he hated conflict between the members and would do anything to save NEWS’ relationship and keep them united.
***
They reached Sendai a day early for the concert. The first thing Kato Shigeaki did after checking into the hotel was check out the stage. He already talked to the stage manager to allow him a few hours onstage that night to rehearse Kakao. He wanted everything to be perfect. All he had to do was find an excuse to disappear for a couple of hours that night and rehearse alone.
That afternoon’s rehearsals were a breeze. It was a simple run-through and they basically did a short version of the concert. Ryo’s watchful eyes saw that Shige was serious about this concert and was putting in more effort than usual. He felt something change within his friend since their last conversation and he smiled. Did he really have to push him that far to get this result? Shige was now performing at his best, he looked better and he looked like a star. Maybe Shige was one of those people who took time to bloom. He watched him with approval; he knew that this time, it was his friend’s time to bloom. Maybe then he would stop giving him a hard time, just maybe…
That night, Shige told Koyama that he was going out for a bath in the bathhouse and he wanted to relax alone. Koyama had no qualms about that as he was exhausted and wanted to go to bed. He made his way to the stage and thanked the stage manager for the time. The stage manager said that he could just call him when he’s done so he could lock up and Shige nodded.
Now he was alone onstage again and he started his rehearsal. He pushed himself harder this time, all the rehearsed moves were coming to him easily, his body moved to the music and his voice was clear. He was confident that this was the way he wanted Kakao to be sung. This was his stage and where he belonged. He imagined the crowd screaming his name and cheering for him. He imagined the stage lights and the tension in the air. He was ready; the image in his head was clear as day and he knew that it would be real very soon.
He was so engrossed in his rehearsal that he didn’t see a figure watching him in the audience. Nishikido Ryo smiled and watched as Shige moved easily to Kakao. Shige had changed and now he knew that the boy would finally be recognized properly. Shige had grown up; he had more confidence now and he was living the image that Ryo had wanted the boy to have from the beginning. Shige was now a rock star.
***
The concert was once again sold out as Shige was put on stand-by for his solo. This was it. The moment he prepared for. There was no turning back now. Shige closed his eyes and let the image envelop him. In his mind, he was perfect - and he let this feeling continue as he came out on stage and started his performance.
Backstage, Ryo and Yamapi were watching him on the closed circuit TV quietly. Yamapi glanced over at Ryo and nodded. “It seems that your plan worked, Ryo. Shige’s really a performer now. This performance is impressive. He must have worked hard.”
Tegoshi and Massu stopped and watched the TV for a few minutes while adjusting their costumes. “He’s really good today,” Massu commented as he pointed to Shige, who had the audience captured by his new-found charm.
“Something’s new with Shige.” Tegoshi smiled. “I can’t put a finger on it, but he seems sexier.”
“He worked hard for it,” Ryo started and smiled as Koyama joined them. “He’s been secretly rehearsing onstage at night every chance he gets. I watched him rehearse last night. He was really into it.”
Koyama stared at Ryo for a few minutes before turning his attention to Shige on the screen. So that’s what he’s been up to the whole time! “Maybe we should do something special for him at the MC today.”
Ryo nodded. “Something that he deserves, I have a plan.”
***
The MC finally began for the Sendai concert and Shige was still beaming from his performance. Massu had greeted him that he had done a good job and Tegoshi had high-fived him. Ryo was the topic starter of the day and Shige was a little nervous when he heard this.
Ryo had passed by Shige several times that day and said nothing. Maybe he didn’t watch him. It was possible because he was preparing for his own solo. Ryo started the MC by greeting Sendai and asked them if they were having a good time. Ryo seemed to be in a particularly jolly mood that day and was poking fun at Massu about his dancing habits. It seemed that Massu would make faces as he danced and this seemed funny to Ryo.
“As if you don’t have any dancing habits!” Massu protested. “You play with your tongue and push your cheeks out when you’re concentrating on a dance. I’ve seen it a lot.”
Koyama laughed at this and asked. “How about me and the others? Do we have any dancing habits?”
Massu thought for a moment and pouted. “Well you do this lip thing when you dance and so does Tegoshi…”
“What lip thing?” Tegoshi pouted.
“You know when you purse your lips like this to act all sexy?” Massu said as he imitated it and the audience squealed.
“And me?” Yamapi asked Massu genuinely curious.
“Yamapi always licks his lips when he’s dancing. He also bites his lower lip a lot -wait no, that’s also Ryo-chan. OH! He also sticks his tongue out like this,” he said and mimicked it. The audience squealed again.
“That’s familiar to me, kinda,” Ryo said and then suddenly a moment of realization hit him. “Isn’t that just like Akanishi-kun’s trademark move?”
Tegoshi looked again and smiled. “It is! I saw him doing that all the time when I watched KAT-TUN’s old concert on DVD the other day!”
“Isn’t it funny that Yamapi does the same move as Akanishi-kun does?” Koyama asked.
“Maybe he’s trying to be as cool as Akanishi-kun,” Tegoshi suggested and then laughed.
“That wouldn’t work, no one is cooler than Akanishi-kun,” Shige entered the conversation, glad for once that he wasn’t made fun of in this MC at all.
“Shut up, Shige,” Yamapi shot back at the boy as the audience laughed. “How about you, Shige? Who were you mimicking when you were performing earlier?”
Shige gulped. Uh-oh, he spoke too soon. “I don’t need to mimic anyone, I’m an original.” Shige laughed when the audience squealed in agreement. He waved to them and winked.
“Whoa!! The tension seems high over there!” Koyama said and pointed to where Shige was standing. “Who is that anyway?”
“It is! I can feel the heat coming this way, it’s too strong!!” Massu said and pretended not to recognize Shige. “Who are you? That isn’t Shige is it?”
“Chotto matte! I was just answering Yamashita-kun’s question. What was wrong with that?” he said in protest to the two that were acting strangely. “And I’m Shige! What are you guys talking about?”
Ryo walked across the stage and looked at Shige in the eye. “Are you sure? Shige isn’t this cool.”
Shige was taken aback by the statement and started to blush. The words that Ryo said had a great impact on him and were the words he had been waiting for from the boy for a long time. “I’m Shige! Don’t you recognize me?”
“Ah, I recognize the Mohican, it is Shige.” Ryo winked at Shige and patted the boy on the back. “We thought it wasn’t you because you were so cool in your solo earlier. How do I put it? You were very sexy.” At this, the audience squealed again.
“Really?” Shige couldn’t believe it. Ryo not only compliment him once, but twice and he was not being sarcastic about it. The boys look pleased with him as well and he almost cried in joy. Finally, he was recognized as an important member of NEWS and it felt like he was on top of the world. “Arigato minna! This makes me so happy. I worked hard for this.”
“We know,” Massu smiled at his friend. “You are very passionate about your work and it shows. Good job, Geshiko!”
“Yeah! I want to be as sexy as Shige now.” Tegoshi smiled and went over to Shige. “What was your secret?”
“Hard-work and patience and support from fans,” Shige said as he smiled and bowed to the fans. The fans squealed even louder.
Ryo smiled and turned to the audience. “I think I know what to call Shige now.”
“What is it?” Koyama asked as he approached Shige and put an arm around his best friend proudly.
“A Rock Star,” Ryo announced as big bold letters saying ROCKSTAR appeared on the screen underneath Shige’s performance screen cap.
Shige almost cried when he saw this and smiled as he reached out to Ryo and hugged him. He was so happy that he was speechless.
Yamapi then roused the crowd as he asked the audience in front of him. “Who’s a Rockstar?”
The audience answered. “KATO SHIGEAKI!”
“WHO’S A ROCKSTAR?!” Massu asked the audience to the west.
“KATO SHIGEAKI!”
It was like his dream come true. Kato Shigeaki, the Rockstar was now on cloud nine. He had succeeded in transforming himself into a better person and he was proud of himself. He was truly like Cinderella because now, the wish that he made had come true. His hard work and tears were not for nothing because now he was recognized by the people who matter the most.
He looked out at the crowd at the people cheering his name and waved. Shige finally knew he was home. This is where he belonged and these people on stage with him were his family.
THE END.
Epilogue: Little Fairy Godmother
That night, Shige sat in front of his make up mirror again and smiled at the doll in front of him. It was that doll that inspired him to transform and he thought that the doll was magical. Maybe the girl who made it was his fairy godmother. He chuckled at the thought and made a mental note to send a special gift to that fan when he got back to Tokyo. It would be nice if he could meet her and thank her personally.
He put the doll down and turned around as one of the staff members had entered and was looking for him, saying that there was someone looking for him. He was curious as to who it was and stood up to follow her into the greenroom where the boys were gathered around a little girl in a wheelchair. She was carrying Shige’s uchiwa and had a present on her lap.
“Shige.” Koyama smiled. “This is Rin. She’s a big fan of yours and wants to meet you.”
Shige smiled at the girl and knelt in front of her wheelchair. “Rin, I’m Kato Shigeaki. It’s nice to meet you.”
The little girl’s eyes widened as she beamed and nodded. “Ueno Rin, 12 years-old and I’m your biggest fan Kato-sama.”
“Oh? What makes you say that?” Shige smiled at the little girl.
“Because I know I am! Kato-sama is very handsome, cool, smart and sweet. Of course all of NEWS are, but to me, Kato-sama is the best” She grinned. “I sent you a present before and you replied that it’s the best present you ever received. So I made you another one.” She handed him an oddly shaped package and smiled. “I hope you like it.”
Shige laughed at this. Rin was really cute. He stared at the package he received and immediately had a flashback of when he first found the Happy Music plushie. He opened the package carefully and it revealed a plushie of him in his Kakao outfit, complete with the new mohawk. Shige stared at it and fingered it carefully. This was probably the best day of his life. Not only did he perform well and was recognized by everyone but he also found his little fairy godmother.
Shige smiled at Rin and gave her a hug. “This is the best present I have ever received. Did you make this yourself?”
Rin nodded. “My mom helped me cut the cloth but I sewed it all by myself,” She said proudly. “Do you like it?”
“I love it, and the Happy Music plushie you made for me, I have it in my dressing room table right now. I bring it everywhere with me. It reminds me to work hard, because you also worked hard for me. Thank you, Rin. You don’t know how much this means to me.”
Rin smiled and nodded. The staff member entered the room and took a picture of them before leading the girl away. Shige insisted that he wanted to push the wheelchair out of the room to the gates. It was the least he could do for Rin, who had done so much for him in her little ways.
Kato Shigeaki looked up at the night sky and smiled before heading back towards the dressing rooms. Tonight, he was the happiest guy in the world