She found the little boy sitting by her apartment door at one in the morning.
It had been a tiring, exhausting day, one that threatened her sanity. Working as a receptionist had its ups and downs; the downs being that the pay was low and the working hours long and exhausting. The ups being that... well, she was lucky not to get any more downs. Oh and that she was finally capable of keeping this job for more than half a year, which was saying something. And it was, because she was famous for being clumsy and annoying and just always getting in someone's way. A lot of people tended to look down on her or just ignore her and deem her as insignificant. She didn't have close parents and the main family she had was her bossy childhood friend Sho and his family.
They were nice to her, his parents, but they weren't of the same blood. It was just different. A lot of people said that you didn't need blood relations to have a true family, and to an extent they were right... but somehow it just lacked the spark. There was just no way a person would choose someone who wasn't related to you over their own son, no matter how much you cared for that someone. Perhaps some would, but honestly these kind saints were of the rare minority.
In any case Kyoko was getting lost again in her own head, and she blinked as the current reality of her situation came back to her. She had just returned home from a long toiling day of work. Normally her shifts didn't end that late, but then because of today's exception she had missed the night train, for clearly there was no subway service after eleven.
After a few minutes of rapid cursing she had gone off to find a cab. She'd almost been tempted to call Sho, and to beg him to pick her up in his car but had finally decided not to, not wanting to wake him up from sleep, which, after all, was what people should currently be enjoying. Besides, she wasn't sure if she wanted to put up with his whining. And could Kyoko say that finding a cab was so not easy late into the night, and that it had taken her nearly half an hour to hail one. She had nearly wept in relief then; the cabby had stared.
And thus at one a.m. in the morning a very grumpy, tired young woman had staggered through the corridors of her apartment, her flats dragging along the marble floor and her dyed orange locks sticking out like an angry… sun-colored porcupine. She had no doubt that her dark eye bags were not giving her a very appealing image right now, but her legs were aching too much for her to care and she was so sleepy.She couldn't wait to leap through her door and just fall into her beautiful bed.
And then then she had spotted the boy.
He was such a small thing, his size indicating that he couldn't possibly be older than five or six. The child was seated calmly on the one concrete step leading to her front door, his legs crossed elegantly and his back straight. The casual and relaxed way he sat there in front of the door: it was almost as if he owned her place. Her own limping feet had slowly ceased to an unsteady halt as she peered down curiously at the kid.
He was so thin, and so beautiful.It was weird to call a little boy that, she knew, but that was really the only way she could describe him. His skin was a gorgeous shade of pure ivory, so very smooth and unblemished, and it glowed in the dimness of the corridor. Despite his cherubic countenance she noted exquisite slanted dark eyes looking calmly right back at her beneath thick black lashes. He had a whole head of bouncy golden curls that flowed around his little face, and almost immediately she had an overwhelming urge to touch those silken stands of gold.
The boy was dressed in a small grey hoodie sweater and a pair of blue shorts; simple clothing as compared to his devastatingly alluring appearance. He was also barefooted. And he had been watching her intently from the moment she had arrived within his sight.
Kyoko blurted out the one thing that came to her mind, her sleepiness gone.
"Are you a fairy?"
The young boy didn't reply, but his eyes did. She stared as they lightened with amusement.
Kyoko didn't know how she knew, but she knew. He was silently laughing at her.
"Hey!" She exclaimed indignantly, even though he hadn't even said a word. "I'm complimenting you, you know! Not everyone looks like a fairy-"
Something disrupted her self-righteous speech then when she caught sight of a flash of crimson. She had been too caught up in his etherealappearance to notice it before, but she saw now that the long cotton sleeve covering his skinny wrist was stained a light blotch of red. "Are you okay?"
Without thinking she dropped to her knees, grabbed hold of his little hand and pulled up the sleeve as gently as she could without jostling him. He did not resist, and even pushed his arm closer to her for inspection. She was so caught up in observing his bony wrist that she failed to realize how his solemn midnight eyes stared at her with inaudible hunger, not once wavering from her body.
"What happened to you?" She demanded, finally looking up and glaring at him. She had discovered initially concealed long cuts on his wrist, and somehow the sight of the red slashes on his beautiful alabaster skin made her mad. There was no doubt that something sharp had pierced the poor child's flesh, and even though the wounds weren't severe and were actually quite shallow, they were still something that needed addressing. "Who did this to you? It's okay - you can tell me. I'll definitely protect you."
Whoever hurt a fairy – or someone who looked like one anyway - deserved damnation in hell!
All he did in response was smile gently up at her, his little slender fingers abruptly reaching up to graze her cheek wonderingly, almost as if he was touching something exotic and fragile at the same time. His dark eyes peered at her reverently.
"Hey, are you listening or not?" Kyoko demanded crossly, twitching at the coolness of his touch. This kid was really an oddball. She'd never seen a child with such… serious eyes; eyes that seemed to know things she didn't beneath all that silence. And yes, he had been really silent so far, not having even said one word. Yet she didn't think it was because he was shy, not with the daring, unapologetic way he was prodding her cheek. Also…
"Why are you outside my place anyway?" She said, holding his probing fingers in place and trying to get his attention. He stared down soundlessly at their entwined hands; his own slim fingers curled inside her slightly bigger fist. "Did you lose your mum?"
She waited impatiently a while longer, but he still didn't reply, just looked up at her with those solemn, narrow beautiful obsidian eyes. "You're a quiet one, aren't you?" Kyoko finally sighed out. "Shouldn't boys your age talk a lot? Are you… don't get me wrong, but are you… well, mute?"
He stared. A small breeze rustled, causing his golden, corn-coloured locks to stir along his round face like an angelic halo. He didn't seem offended.
''Okay, look, I don't know,'' Kyoko concluded heavily. One thing was for sure; he might possibly be mute but he wasn't stupid. The razor sharp intelligence glimmering in those black eyes told her he definitely understood and knew what was going on, and not to mention his grave demeanor spoke of someone beyond his years. Why was the child so serious? It was almost as if he had just attended a funeral. Still, it was possible she was just overthinking things, but it was fucking one at night and she was exhausted. The sleepiness was starting to come back, but she was not going to pay attention to her need until she'd helped him.
Her decision was made.
''Okay, tell you what, let me take care of your wound first,'' she told him gently. He was showing no signs of pain, and it perturbed her. Kids this young could hardly take pain, even from cuts, and yet he barely flinched. ''And then you'd let me know where your home and parents are, okay?''
Without waiting for an answer (she highly doubted she was going to get one anyway and she was right) the young woman straightened up with a small moan of relief, tugging the child up with her. He compiled quietly, his serene gaze following her like a devoted child to its beloved mother… and something more. She pulled out her key from her handbag and unlocked the door, gently guiding him into her home before following inside.
It was a small apartment unit; nothing too shabby and nothing too fancy. In other words, it was a very modern and very smart place; suited just right for her living needs. The living room was moderately sized, with a small leather couch situated at the center and a modest black television placed at a reasonable distance in front. The long blue nylon curtains dimmed and darkened the broad outline of the rectangular room but experience guided Kyoko's fingers to the light switch on the plaster wall and before long, the fluorescent bulb was shining cheerfully down and illuminating the apartment unit.
''Welcome,'' Kyoko said lamely, dropping her keys with a clank onto the glass coffee table. ''You can rest on the couch while I go get a first aid kit or something. Sitting outside my door couldn't have been too comfortable for you.'' The small male blinked.
She still wasn't sure what she planned to do with the mysterious beautiful little boy, but for now she could only make a guess that he was possibly a new neighbor's kid who had gotten lost outside her door. At one in the morning. It was all so strange.
The lady wearily strode over to her medical cardboard in her bathroom, pulling out a tube of disinfecting cream, some thick cotton buds and a few Band-Aids. Her hands now filled with said content she slammed the cardboard shut and turned around, only to let out a loud high-pitched squeak of shock. The medical contents nearly spilled from her quaking fingers.
The little boy had followed her all the way into the bathroom instead of staying put on the couch, and presently he stood right in front of her, his golden head cocked apologetically to one side as he surveyed her shocked countenance.
Her hand clutched her chest, willing her racing heart to calm down. How was it possible that she hadn't even heard him move so closely behind her? No one could be so silent when moving... Could they? Yet he stood before her by only a few inches, so very close and she hadn't detected his presence at all until she had turned to face him straight on.
''Don't scare me!'' Kyoko blurted, her face beet-red at knowing that a kid had nearly given her a cardiac arrest. Had she become partially deaf or what? How could she not have heard him? It was implausible.
In response he lowered his head with what she could call a politely contrite air, but not before she noticed the glint of familiar amusement beneath his sooty eyelashes. She would've gotten mad again if it weren't for the fact that his silent mournful apology made him look so angelic.
Damn her soft spot for adorable, beautiful little boys.
''Didn't I tell you to sit at the couch?'' Kyoko murmured grudgingly, a small hand already reaching out to guide him by the shoulder back to the living room. The boy smiled guilelessly, and simply moved obediently. And Kyoko, paying attention this time to his graceful way of walking, noticed with some awe that he practically glided, his footfalls elegant and soundless against her marble floor. No wonder she hadn't heard him approaching.
Who was this enigmatic child?
''Come on, sit down,'' she urged wearily, softly pulling him down next to her. Kyoko picked up his wrist carefully, pulling up his sleeve to inspect the cut again before reaching for her disinfectant cream. All the while he watched her as if she was the most fascinating and beautiful thing in the world; she felt mildly uncomfortable about his enraptured attention towards her. Choosing to ignore him she began work on his wound- applying cream and wrapping it with Band-Aids. By right the disinfectant cream should have caused his cuts to sting at least a little and yet he gave no sign of discomfort, just continued gazing at her.
A few minutes later Kyoko was done and she leaned back, surveying her handiwork with much satisfaction. His cuts had long stopped bleeding and she smiled pleasedly at the Band-Aids wrapped neatly about his wrist. And to think Sho-chan always called her clumsy and useless! There - she'd proven - to herself, at least - that she was nowhere as pathetic as people made her out to be.
"You should be okay now," she told the boy, before cleaning up the mess and scooping it with one hand into a trash bin next to the coffee table. "And now, we should bring you home."
The response was near instantaneous this time. Her eyes widened in shock when the little boy abruptly threw himself onto her, his small arms reaching out and clinging around her thin waist. Waves of pretty corn-yellow locks swirled in her vision as he buried his face in her chest.
Taken aback, she hesitantly touched the soft hair. ''Don't you want to go home?''
His response was a violent shake of the head against the front of her sweater.
''But... Why?'' she asked, perturbed. ''Don't you miss your mother? She must be worried sick about you by now.''
His miniature hands simply tightened over the narrow width of her waist.
Sighing, Kyoko wondered what to do. She couldn't bring him back home if he didn't want to - since she was pretty sure that he would refuse to tell her where he lived anyway. What was wrong with the child? Didn't he miss home? She didn't like feeling so helpless. Somewhere out there she thought of a worried mother who was probably panicking over the loss of her son.
It was not a pleasant thought.
''Look,'' Kyoko finally sighed resignedly to the boy, ''Just one night - I'll let you stay only tonight-'' His head immediately flew up at her words, and she was greeted by dancing dark eyes and a wide, happy smile. ''But,'' she pushed on, ''You will have to tell me where you live tomorrow morning, and then we'll get you home, whether you like it or not. Understood?''
She felt as if she was wasting her breath, for the child didn't seem to be listening. After hearing that he could stay, he had simply eagerly buried his face back against her shirt and tuned out the rest of her speech.
Kyoko gritted her teeth, one hand running wearily through her short locks. She didn't know what to do with this fairy-like child and his open persistent affection for her. Maybe - just maybe - he had mistaken her for his mother, because she possibly looked like her?
No, Kyoko decided. The child was too clever for that. She had noticed the sharp shrewdness in his midnight eyes; the knowledge and thoughtfulness in his gaze that had seemed so... old for a child. He didn't look confused. If anything, he looked more certain of the situation than Kyoko was.
She peered down at the little golden-haired boy, who was still clinging to her, and her eyes widened incredulously.
He was smiling; smiling with a curious satisfaction as his head rested contentedly against the mounds of her breasts.
That - that little pervert!
In less than a second Kyoko tugged him away from her chest, glaring sternly at him. He gazed back, his tiny mouth pouting slightly; angelically.
''Oh no,'' Kyoko said irritably, blinking at the almost visible halo lingering above his head, ''Don't give me that look. It won't work in your favour, not anymore! We'll be getting you to bed now, and tomorrow morning you'll be off!''
Huffily she grabbed hold of his tiny hand and pulled him along the corridor of her apartment. Honestly, males were all the same. Here she was at one in the morning, after an exhausted day at work and this boy - as pretty as he was - had turned out to be a little pervert in the making. Well, there was no point dwelling over it.
''This is the guest room,'' Kyoko announced, pulling the wooden door open. Inside revealed a big bed and a small study table, along with a tall wardrobe situated at the side. The truth was that this was Sho's bedroom when he occasionally stayed at her place, be it out of sheer boredom or so he always claimed. A lot of his belongings actually lay in the wardrobe, making it more than convenient for him to stay over anytime he wanted. Something told her however, that her childhood friend would not be too happy if he knew she was letting someone else sleep here.
Still, it didn't matter. What Sho didn't know wouldn't hurt him.
The little boy narrowed his eyes abruptly at the room, and he shook his head.
''What?'' Kyoko said wearily. She was very tired and she just wanted to sleep as soon as possible. ''The room not luxurious enough for you?''
The boy tugged at her hand, and nodded at another door opposite. The door leading to her bedroom.
''Wha- no!'' Kyoko exclaimed indignantly. She didn't know why she was suddenly feeling so against this boy sharing her room with her, for he was only seven years old at most, after all! Still… ''Haven't you learnt to sleep in your own room by now?''
The child shot a distasteful glance at the 'guest' room, as if it was a prison cell or something just as unsavoury, before turning back to look at her. Kyoko suddenly found herself the recipient of hypnotic, mourning night dark eyes, his little mouth quivering. She could practically feel melancholic stars glowing in the background.
Clearly she had not become as immune to his advances as she'd thought, for the next few words spilling out of her lips were, ''Oh, fine.''
The boy smiled seraphically, the pleading sadness in his countenance immediately replaced by sweetness.
She led him into her room, one hand easily switching on the light by the bed stand by memory despite the darkness. The small glow of light lit up a medium-sized, comfortable looking room, curtains drawn. Said bedroom's owner was more tired than she had thought; the sight of her large bed sent a wave of exhaustion running through her being. Absently she glanced at her digital clock, which was situated right next to her bedside light.
1:35 flashed in green letters on the screen.
It was getting so late, and without thought Kyoko flung off her jacket and tossed it on her study chair. The young boy watched her unblinkingly from where he had stood himself next to her dressing table.
''Go on and sleep now,'' Kyoko told him, gesturing at her bed. She wagged her finger at him. ''It's way past your bedtime. Don't think I don't know that!''
He stared in amusement.
''What?'' She demanded. Funny, how she felt like a kid next to him, instead of the other way round. It was annoying somehow. ''Aren't you going to sleep? What else do you need? Do - do you want to brush your teeth?'' She thought about it for a moment as it struck her, and nodded. ''Hold on a sec.''
Quickly she went inside her personal bathroom and opened her cupboard to pull out an unopened packet of miniature child toothbrushes. She had actually bought this a year ago when Sho had said his toddler cousin was coming over but in the end never did, and thus the purchased packet had been left in the cupboard to collect dust afterwards. Still, what a stroke of luck! The packet of children toothbrushes was about to come in useful after all. She turned around and jumped.
The little boy was standing right behind her again.
Less startled this time, she simply grasped her chest and glared at him. ''Will you stop doing that!''
The boy gave her another one of his gently apologetic looks before diverting his attention towards the packet in her hands. The expression on his face was an inquiring one.
Kyoko pulled the packet open with clumsy fingers, forcing the plastic to give away with a pop, before tugging out a couple of toothbrushes in one go. Triumphantly she waved them all towards the male, a grin on her face. ''Which one would you like?''
He stared.
''Let's see...'' Kyoko peered at one particular toothbrush. ''This one's a Barney And Friends one.'' She waved the purple toothbrush at him, letting him see the illustrations of the 'imaginary' dinosaur plastered over the tiny length. He shook his head in response. ''No? How about this one? It's a Sesame Street one - see, there's Big Bird on it.'' She held out a yellow toothbrush this time.
Another shake of the head.
''What? You don't like this one? All children love Big Bird!'' She said incredulously. He shook his head again. Sighing, the young woman reached for another toothbrush, not noticing the small smile on the boy's lips.
''How about this?'' Kyoko demanded, whipping out a Pokemon toothbrush. ''You can't possibly say no to this! Every living boy in the world loves Pokemon!''
Instead of responding to her, the boy suddenly reached into the open packet and pulled out another toothbrush. A pink one.
''That's...'' Kyoko stared at the object. She recognized the illustration of a small cartoon-ish girl wearing a tiara plastered over the toothbrush. It was a new children's cartoon that had only started airing on television a few years ago: a story depicting the life of Princess Kyoko. It had been quite a hit among toddler female viewers.
It was hilarious, she had to admit. A cartoon character with the same name as her, but played a princess in her cartoon world instead of a sad receptionist. What a contrast.
The boy looked down at the pink toothbrush with satisfaction, and nodded.
She stared. ''Hey... That's for little girls you know. That toothbrush. You're not saying you want it?''
The child looked at her defiantly, almost as if he was daring her to challenge him.
Kyoko rolled her eyes, and relented. Strange boys were strange boys. What could she do about it?
''Guess what,'' she said, reaching for her own much bigger toothbrush, ''My name's Kyoko too, same as that character. Bet you didn't know that, did you?''
The boy simply smiled.
She began applying toothpaste to both their toothbrushes. ''That reminds me,'' she said, glancing at the lad, ''What's your name?''
He looked at her silently beneath thick sooty eyelashes.
Kyoko sighed, handing him his toothbrush. White toothpaste gleamed like cream on top of the tiny bristles. ''Well, it was worth a try,'' she mumbled as she stuffed her toothbrush into her mouth and began scrubbing. Her companion immediately followed suit. ''You're so quiet you know, that it's so sad. Boys your age should be noisy. Sho was never this quiet as a kid. No way.''
So caught up in her dialogue, she missed the fleeting look of disdain crossing the boy's delicate semblance.
Kyoko, who had long mastered the art of talking while brushing her teeth, continued talking in a muffled voice. ''You're going to be a real lady-killer when you grow up, you know.'' Her eyes absently traced the fine, slanted features of his round face, his smooth pearl skin and his corn-gold curls. He returned her gaze with eyes that were intent dark pools of intelligence. ''Women are going to be raving mad over you. You've got the looks alright. And trust me, they love the strong, silent type. I'm not sure if you would be strong, but you're definitely silent.''
The boy continued staring at her, moving his tiny bright pink toothbrush in his mouth with perfect, precise strokes. The amusement was back in his expression.
They rinsed their mouths along the basin and cleaned their toothbrushes with the tap water before tucking the objects back into a small plastic holder by the tap. The child smiled fondly at the arrangement; a discreet smile that the oblivious Kyoko had no way of noticing.
She waved her hand dismissively at him then. ''I'm going to change now. Go to bed, Mr Corn. Goodnight.'' The statement was accompanied by a pat of his bright coloured locks and a grin on her lips when she caught sight of his surprised countenance, before abruptly letting him go.
Without further ado the young woman turned and reached for her bright pink PJs, which were hanging from a metal hook on her bathroom wall. She frowned as the more rational half of her urged herself to bathe, while the other more tired side of her nagged at her to sleep. Eventually the exhausted side won and she began unbuttoning her shirt, making a mental note to shower the next morning instead. It was almost gross to sleep without showering, Kyoko concluded sourly, but she was so tired right now that she suspected she would fall asleep in the shower. Her fingers pulled open another button of her shirt, revealing her bra straps.
She paused abruptly - the silence was... unnerving-
Kyoko swung around, her open collar flapping. The child was standing at the door, watching her innocently. He had never left the bathroom at all.
''I knewit,'' Kyoko announced grimly, storming up to grip the boy's sleeve. This time he didn't bother to look contrite, but simply sighed wistfully, his obsidian eyes twinkling childishly in contrast. Only there was nothing child-like about him at all. ''You really are a little pervert, aren't you, Mr Corn?'' She added irritably.
He gave her an affronted expression, lashes flickering.
''Honestly! Not even Sho was this perverted when he was this young, and that's saying someth- Hello, where are you going?''
The young boy's teasingly affronted expression had suddenly darkened at her words and the next thing she knew, he had left the bathroom with those silent, cat-like footsteps. She watched him disbelievingly, still rooted to the spot, as he crept up her bed with feline ease and gracefully curled himself beneath the thick comforter, not looking at her.
Had she offended him somehow? How ridiculous; was she not the one currently playing a kind host?
Sighing at the enigmatic boy, she headed back to the bathroom and quickly changed. Tossing her dirty clothes into a laundry basket beneath her basin, she headed back out, feeling cosy and comfy in her PJs, her bare feet sliding over the smooth timbre floor.
The slender boy was still lying motionless on her bed, his back to her. Despite his apparent and sudden displeasure with her he had left enough space on the wide mattress for her to slide in next to him.
She did so, her sore legs rubbing against the softness of her bed sheets. She allowed herself to sink onto the bed, her head settling comfortably onto her fluffy pillow. The girl resisted the urge to moan in joy, one hand reaching to switch off the light by the bed. Darkness flooded her room in a soothing flow. Finally. Repose.
Not yet though.
Through sleepy eyes Kyoko turned her head to gaze at the child next to her. The moonlight streaming in through the material of her long drawn curtains illuminated his blonde curls, making them glow like a halo in the dimness of her room. Not for the first time, she wondered who he was. Sho would definitely be mad at her if he knew she had let in a complete stranger into her home, even if he was only a child.
''Hey,'' She called softly.
Abruptly the boy turned against the pillow, his eyes glowing like liquid darkness at her. Clearly he was not asleep.
''You're not mad at me, are you?'' Kyoko asked beseechingly, her words tumbling out awkwardly. ''I know I'm not exactly very likeable... But please don't be mad, okay? I don't know what I did, but I'm sorry.''
Unpredictably, his face softened at her words, and she nearly jumped when she felt his small hand touch her own under the blanket. It was a very warm, delicate hand, and she could feel the slightly rough surface of the Band-Aid on his wrist. Still, she hadn't expected this fairy child to be capable of being angry, to be honest.
Suddenly she knew what had happened. Or at least, she thought she knew.
''You had a fight with your mum, didn't you?'' Kyoko demanded, her own eyes wide with realization at her sudden theory. He blinked blankly in response. ''That must be why you won't go home! You're mad at your mother, aren't you?''
He blinked again, long lashes flickering against her pillow.
''Well I must say that this isn't right of you, Corn,'' Kyoko continued passionately, using his new nickname. ''Do you know what kind of danger you put yourself in when you leave home alone? There could be kidnappers! Your mother must be worried sick about you by now. No matter what your argument with her was about, you have to know she loves you.'' She smiled thoughtfully as wistful nostalgia inadvertently crept up in her mind. ''All mothers should love their children.''
'Corn' looked at her unfathomably, the flawless planes of his face indecipherable.
''Mine never really loved me, you know,'' Kyoko murmured absently, momentarily not noticing him. For a heartbeat she was no longer lying on the bed next to the small boy, but rather she was back home ten years ago, being reprimanded by a tall slender woman in a suit. ''But at the very least... She's still someone, I guess. And I won't let myself forget her, or just let her go, just because she might not have loved me as much as I wished. You should never let go of your loved ones - no matter how difficult they might be. I believe you should hold on, and hold on tightly at that.''
Her hand unconsciously tautened over the little boy's hand as she spoke, hazel eyes staring unseeingly at the dark shadowy ceiling. She wasn't sure if it was longing or regret that currently filled her.
The young woman was abruptly brought out of her reverie when the child next to her lowered his head on her shoulder, curls spilling against the pink of her PJs. A small, curious smile played with his pale lips as he closed his eyes against her scent.
''So promise me you'll go home tomorrow, will you?'' Kyoko murmured, her own tired eyes fluttering to a close as well. She chose not to mention how much she would unexpectedly miss this silent, beautiful and compelling boy when he left. Somehow there was something about his quiet, gentle demeanor that made her feel he understood her, at least during their brief moment together. Or maybe she just liked having one-sided conversations.
Who knew?
The moonlight shone down onto the two sleeping creatures: a boy with corn-golden curls curled lovingly next to a young woman beneath the sheets, as if she was the most important thing in his life.
Mogami Kyoko stirred slightly against her white pillow, a half-asleep moan falling from her somewhat open lips. It took another few minutes before she blearily opened her hazel eyes, her vision slowly coming into focus. The familiar outline of her long curtains gradually registered within her sleep-dazed eyesight, and she could make out the dim rays of sunlight struggling to filter through the dark material. It wasn't meeting much success, however; the whole of her room was still quite dark despite the fact that the sun was already up-
The sun was already up?
Groaning once more, Kyoko forced herself to sit up on the comfortable haven that was her bed, her thick comforter rustling along with her lethargic movements. Even without looking into a mirror she knew her bronze-colored hair was currently a dishevelled mess. She couldn't complain though, for she had just had one of the best nights of sleep in her life. It had been an utterly dreamless one, filling her with such unexpected peace and security as she slept-...
She stretched, her body feeling contented and drumming with energy. She was prepared to face a new day, including bringing that little boy home-
Kyoko nearly reeled from the sudden return of memory that flooded her head, her eyes widening. Quickly she turned, looking for the child who she last remembered was sleeping beside her.
Only he wasn't. Not anymore.
Panicking she wrenched herself off the bed, her eyes frantically raking the now empty mattress as if doing so could somehow conjure him into the air somehow. But there was no denying it; the side of her bed where the child had originally occupied was now empty and unwrinkled, as if no one had even touched it before. For a brief moment doubt struck Kyoko - had it all been a dream late at night? After all, she had been very tired last night... And in the current glow of sunlight washing over her it did make the events of yesterday night seem - almost surreal...
However one frantic look into her bathroom changed everything; the sight of his little pink 'Princess Kyoko' toothbrush right next to her own in the plastic holder immediately wiped off her doubts. Last night had been real. The only thing was, where was the fairy child? Had he flitted away to his otherworld?
Kyoko paused suddenly, her nose sniffing. A delightful scent was wafting towards her olfactory senses; the faint smell of deliciously fried bacon and fresh omelettes. and above all, typically the aroma of appetizing breakfast...
For Kyoko, this was a smell that she barely got to experience. Being a terrible cook she lived off on instant noodles or take-away food. Of course, there was quite a few times where Sho - who disapproved deeply of her lifestyle - would invite her over to his place to eat the sublime home-cooked dinner prepared by his amazing mother. Kyoko loved those times, and not just for the heavenly food. Eating with Sho and his family made her feel warm inside; it highly beat eating alone, which was something she did very often.
Attracted to the scrumptious scent she trailed almost blindly out of her bedroom door, still dressed in her now crumpled pink PJs, her mouth slightly open and her eyes dazed. Now and then she gave a hungry sniff, and much to her rumbling stomach's satisfaction, the scent got nearer and thicker with every step she took. It seemed to be drifting right from her own kitchen-...
Kyoko Mogami came to a stop right outside the entrance of her kitchen and stared at the tall, lean figure of a young dark-haired man standing inside by the counter, frying an omelette expertly on a crackling pan. She noticed plates of cooked bacon and toast on the surface next to him. He was dressed in nothing but an apron (her own) and a pair of jeans which she recognized was one of Sho's that had been left at her place. The old jeans were too short for the mysterious tall man, however; his ankles and the creamy skin above were exposed. Kyoko stared dazedly at the taut, sleek sinuous muscles along the man's naked pale back, and privately knew that this sight would be enough to reduce an average woman to a swoon.
Instead, she screamed.
The young man turned gracefully around, one slender large hand releasing his grip on the frying pan so that it was lowered back onto the stove. She stared fearfully into the now revealed angular, aristocratic features of a flawless serene face, smiling pale lips and a pair of beautiful slanted dark eyes. His thick dark hair was overlong; silky strands of it curled across the sides of his striking face. And then - he spoke.
''Good morning, Koibito.'' His voice was a rich drawl, smooth and velvety with an affectionate lilt in his baritone. ''Just a few more minutes, and breakfast will be ready.''
Kyoko responded by grabbing onto an apple from the fruit bowl on her coffee table before brandishing it menacingly at the mysterious male, who still stood in the kitchen. Or as menacingly as she could ever get with a fruit.
''What did you do with Corn?'' she demanded hotly, ignoring her racing pulse. ''Answer me!''
Amusement lightened the man's dark eyes, and something about that very gesture of his sent a wave of deja vu crashing through Kyoko. She suddenly missed Corn very much, and inwardly she cursed herself venomously for letting the delicious scent of food distract her earlier. Something had obviously happened to Corn; committed by this man!
''Just so you know, I'm a Karate Black Belt!'' she bluffed bravely, her back straightening as she waved the apple (her impromptu weapon) once more. In her bright pink PJs, no less. ''So you'd better tell me where Corn is, if you don't want to get crushed!'' The young woman tried to ignore the fact that she could easily make out the lean taut curves of his lengthily muscled frame beneath his (or her) apron, and how he easily towered over her.
Not that he seemed affected by her threats in the first place. At least, not in the way she wanted him to. To Kyoko's outrage, the attractive man let out an amused chuckle, the deep noise rumbling in his throat almost sultrily. And to her greater alarm, he began moving towards her - in gliding, silent footfalls that were all very familiar, his apron flickering and his long sinuous legs striding languidly like a lazy cat's.
Frozen in fear, Kyoko clutched the apple as if it was the world's greatest protection, waving it in front of her towards him. She hissed and spat as he neared her, refusing to back away but at the same time too terrified to retaliate. And when he was finally standing right before her, when she could see every outline of his long sooty eyelashes, and just how unblemished his smooth pearl skin truly was... The woman glared defiantly at him, hoping that her inward mix of fear and fascination was not at all exposed. Her fingers were still tightly curled over her apple, and she inhaled tersely - heart pounding madly - as the man leaned down gracefully, his mouth breathing huskily against her outstretched hand. And then, she jerked when he opened his mouth, revealing sharp ivory teeth, and took a bite out of the apple.
Stunned then, Kyoko finally leapt away, her hand hastily dropping the bitten apple as if it was on fire, which fell right into the man's awaiting dexterous palm. He smiled gently at her flustered semblance, one hand absently cradling the abandoned apple as he chewed thoughtfully on the fruit. She flinched as she felt his intense dark gaze abruptly rove every inch of her outline, taking in her PJs, her dishevelled hair and bare feet.
Right next to his perfection, she felt like a stray dog.
''Who do you think you are?'' Kyoko burst out, unable to contain her confused myriad of emotions anymore. ''Breaking in like this, like a-a ninja - and give me back Corn already!''
She knew she was not making much sense, and she resented herself for it.
His gentle smiled widened contentedly, like a cat that had just finished lapping a huge bowl of milk. ''On the contrary, Koibito,'' he murmured softly, ''I did not break in. I was invited in, by none other than yourself.''
She stared confusedly at him, her ire rising. ''What are you talking about? I most certainly did not invite you into my house!''
The Adonis toyed lazily with the bitten apple with slender artistic fingers, his dark eyes observing her with such intensity that it made her uncomfortable. The way his acute attention lay right on her - as if she was the sole thing in the world worth looking at - was stifling.
''Come now,'' he prompted teasingly. ''Have you not been looking for me ever since you awoke? Surely you cannot have forgotten about your guest already?'' He stretched out his large hand towards her, the smile on his lips turning tender. ''I am right here, Koibito. I have never left. And I will not be doing so anytime soon. Tell me... do you believe in things like guardian angels? Some people do. For I am yours,Koibito.'' He took a single step towards her, her apron drifting lightly across his long legs. ''I have loved you since you were only a child.''
Kyoko stared, her mind a drunken, blank mess. Why did he keep calling her that? She was trying to register what he was saying, in that tender languorous baritone of his, and not quite succeeding. It was all nonsensical, and yet...-
''You're crazy,'' she whispered.
He let out another affectionate chuckle, and carefully he placed the bitten apple back onto the coffee table, before turning quietly back to her. ''Did you not tell me yesterday, Koibito,'' he murmured slowly, ''not to let go of my loved ones? Right now, I am simply exercising that judgement.'' He gazed at her, and right at that heartbeat she stared into the familiar sweet obsidian eyes, framed by thick lashes. Her heart lurched as she finally, finally recognized those dark eyes. ''I will not let you go.''
The signs had been telling from the start, but she had simply chosen to ignore them. The way the man walked, so very silently and so very-cat-like, the gentle disposition in his smiles, the way he looked at her with quietly reverent attention and- those devastating eyes. Silently her gaze darted to his slender pale wrist, where a Band-Aid lay, clumsily plastered on as if done by an amateur.
She couldn't deny it any longer.
The man before her was Corn.