Fan Fiction |
by teppanyaki
"There's a birthday celebration with the fan club in the afternoon on the 15th, an interaction session with fans the next day and HITO music awards ceremony also on the same day at night." Dingdang rattled on about going to try out the outfit I was going to wear for the ceremony.
Work was piling up the moment I came back. To think I was rushed to attend an awards ceremony in China that evening the moment I landed in Taiwan. I usually hated awards ceremonies.
The stress you'll feel under the stage, awaiting the results, hoping they'll call your name... That feeling was unbearable. Wen Shan was complaining I kept figeting in my seat throughout the entire ceremony. But my worrying has paid off. [Best Composer] was in my hands now, along with 3 other awards. My first [Best Composer] award. The one I've always wanted to win, but didn't get.
To tell the truth I was exhilarated. Bagging 4 awards just during the beginning of the year.
This is good. I lied on the couch to rest before the rehearsal afterwards. When I closed my eyes, all I could see was Liwen. I was dying to call her to tell her the good news when I received a message from her instead.
'JIELUN! Heard you got 4 awards in a go! Best composer! I'm so proud of you. =)'
I smiled subconsciously at the message. She's proud of me. Who wouldn't be? I grinned. Ok I should not be so big headed. I might win 4 awards this round, what about the HITO awards few days later? I might not win so many... I nodded to myself, better not get so big headed.
'Thanks. I was about to tell you the good news. How are you?'
I set the phone on the table after sending the message. Are long distance messages more expensive? I can afford it but Liwen? Or are they the usual price? Great.
I know nothing.
+++
"JieLun..." It was pitch dark.
I spun around. Liwen? She was calling me.
"Liwen?"
"JieLun..." Her voice was cracking. Was she crying?
"Liwen! Where are you?" I couldn't see anything. I felt around and only managed to touch still air.
I walked a few more steps forward and felt someone's head.
"Liwen?" I squat down beside her in the dark.
"Why are you so far away?" She sobbed. My heart broke to hear her cry like that.
"I'm here... I'm here..." I put my arms around her, to sooth her crying.
"Why... JieLun..." Her voice was getting faint.
She felt cold in my arms. "Liwen?" I called out, arms tightening around her. My hands were sinking lower. Sinking lower? I moved my fingers. I couldn't feel her anymore.
She was slipping away from my arms. Further and further away.
"JieLun..." Her voice echoed.
Until I felt nothing there, but still air.
LIWEN! I wanted to shout. But my mouth was dry. No voice came out.
"Jay! Its time for your rehearsal! Wake up." Rehearsal? It was Dingdang's voice. I woke with a start. My forehead was perspiring.
"Are you okay?" She asked. "You got an hour to prepare... You look pale. Better go wash up."
I nodded and she left the room. I stared at my hands. Liwen slipped away from me, just like that. Was this a bad omen? I picked up my phone. There was a message from her.
'I'm fine. You must be busy with work now... Remember to take care of your health. Or else your flu might get worse. Dad introduced a job for me at his friend's advertising firm as an assistant. =)'
I heaved a sigh of relief. She said she was fine. I was still afraid something might happen to her. I dialled her number and waited patiently for her to pick up.
It was ringing. For too long. Come on girl, pick up.
"Hello?" Came her voice. Thank goodness.
"*cough* Hi... JieLun here." I said.
"Sorry didn't hear the phone ringing earlier. Aren't you busy over there?" She asked, with delight in her voice.
"Yeah... I... *cough* I just checked if you were okay. Had a bad dream just now. I... I was losing you." I said.
"Don't worry, I'm fine here. Just focus on your work there, and I'll be happy enough. After all I hear about your whereabouts everyday on E-News..." She said. I didn't know how to reply to that.
"Liwen..." I started.
"Yeah?"
"Promise me you'll take care of yourself?" I managed weakly. There was this bad sensation stirring inside me.
"Don't worry I'm not a three year old kid. I can take care of myself. It's you I'm worried about, you still sound sick."
"Nah... I'm getting on fine. Look, I've got to go..." Looking at the clock on the wall. 30 minutes to get prepared.
"All right, then you better get going. Erm JieLun?"
"Yeah?" My heart surged, anticipating what she might want to tell me.
"I'm glad you called." I could hear her smiling from the other line.
"*cough* Erm... Your welcome? Talk to you another time. Bye, my princess."
"Bye, Prince Charming." With that, I hung up the call with a wide smile plastered on my face.
+++
"*cough* Hi... Here so early?" I said, seeing Hou PeiCen already seated at the studio, ready for rehearsal.
"I thought I'd come early to get myself ready. I'm so excited..." She gave a nervous laugh.
"Relax... Or else you'll hit the wrong pitch later. What songs are we supposed to cover?" I asked.
PeiCen handed me a stack of scoresheets. I can handle this.
"I didn't know you can sing English." I stared at the alien English words under the musical notes, "You know this song don't you?"
"Yes. I've practised it already." Good.
"Seems like you've done your homework." I said.
"Its my first time singing on stage. Of course I've to be well prepared."
I stared at the beansprout like musical notes and started playing at the piano. I felt myself drift along dreamily with the wonderful melodies. I am most at ease when I play the piano, as if it was the world I can identify best with.
"Handsome?" I asked, satisfied with my own performance.
I half expected her to laugh it off or give me a negative reply.
"Absolutely." She giggled. I stunned for a moment. It was the same reply Liwen once gave. I thought I saw Liwen sitting there hearing me play instead of PeiCen.
I cleared my throat. "I mean, does it sound all right?"
"Yes, yes of course. You're a professional." She added.
I smiled slightly, to show appreciation of her remark.
'Absolutely.' I shook my head slightly and threw that thought to the back of my mind. Liwen isn't Peicen. But come to think of it they do seem a little alike. Matured, yet innocent and cute in their own way. Just that Liwen is more sharp tongued than PeiCen.
You think about her too much.
I guess I do.
+++
'Zhen ming le yi qie dou shi zai pian wo'
'Ba wo de ai qing huan gei wo...'
"Let us welcome, Hou Pei Cen." I said into the microphone, my fingers never left the ivory keys of the grand piano.
'Somewhere out there, beneath the clear blue sky...'
The moment she opened her mouth, I was slightly taken aback at the clarity of her voice. No wonder she's a broadcaster, with an operator voice like hers. And for a first timer without singing lessons, she really can sing well.
I never stopped playing notes on the keys, changing to Wu Ding's melody now.
'Ban ye shui bu zao jiao, ba xing qing heng chen ge'
'Zhi hao dao wu ding zao ling yi ge meng jing...' I sang with confidence oozing from my voice.
'Shui meng zhong bei qiao xing' PeiCen was walking towards the piano.
'Wo hai shi bu que ding, zhen hui you dong ren xuan lu zai dui mian de wu ding...'
I couldn't help but smile. That was a little off pitch, and she was shaking from nervousness. Haha. I told her to relax already.
'Wo qiao qiao guan shang men, dai zhe xi wang shang qu'
'Yuan lai shi wo meng li chang chu xian de na ge ren'
She turned towards me, as if afraid I would forget to continue my part. Silly girl. She really reminds me of Liwen. I wonder if Liwen was watching this now.
PeiCen was still trembling slightly. I guess she's really nervous.
We continued the duet, and I thought that sounded really good. Perhaps she could be my guest performer at my next concert.
"How many marks would you give PeiCen?" Tao Zi asked after the performance.
"Full marks." I said.
"Do you prefer Jolin's singing or PeiCen's?" They can never get off me and Jolin's backs can they? Those rumours has been there since 4 years ago. Don't they get bored of it?
I pointed to my right at PeiCen. Probably this will result in stories being brewed between me and PeiCen. But I was just being truthful. She DOES sound better than Jolin. (A/N: JAY REALLY SAID IT! I didn't!!)
The hosts seemed shocked and exclaimed something about Jolin being disappointed. PeiCen just laughed.
I smiled and rubbed my nose.
They'll never know I already have Liwen.
---
hm~ bad omen. ITS A SIGN. catch it! =X this part of the fic is like the transition stage la. towards the sad part... so it wun be as interesting as the previous sugar-sweet chapts. i like hou peicen(as if u duno tt already) so i added in that part though it doesnt haf much impact on the fic la. haha.
anyway those who duno whos hou pei cen go here: http://www.aziotv.tv/program/easia/index.asp shes the one smiling sweetly at you. shes the host for YuLe@Azio on Dong Feng.
anyway, HAPPY 26th BIRTHDAY TO JAY! its his birthday!! 18th JAN! *waves a 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAY - THE SEXIEST MAN ALIVE' banner frantically* hahha. YAY. YAYAYAYAYAY! im going bonkers. its 5am already!
-T.