The wine glass was shattered on the ground of the living room. The puddle of blood was on the floor and Kyoko knew what had happened. However, at the same time she didn't know what was going to happen. The ambulance and police were going to be here soon but they wouldn't be able to cure everything. She had known that she could be stepping into something dangerous when she had learned about her husband's past but she hadn't expected this. She hadn't expected for two masked people to break into her house on her second wedding anniversary and to have killed her husband and forced a miscarriage on her.

They had even taken his body. It had started with him protecting her before he was drugged by the second individual, someone who matched him in strength but wasn't preoccupied with what was happening. She definitely didn't expect to hear the sound of a gun being shot into her love's chest. She didn't want to talk to anyone, she just knew that she needed to be taken to the hospital or Kuon's spirit wouldn't forgive her.

In the span of less than twenty minutes, Kyoko had lost both her husband and his child.

She had failed everyone and as she heard the sirens, she felt it was too late. Nothing would ever be the same again.

Four Months Later

Chapter One – The Stranger I Love

"So," the morning TV host smiled as she leaned forwards to Kyoko as she and her host entertained their guest, "I've heard that you're finally stepping back into the acting scene after the tragedy that happened all those months ago and that the film will be directed by Kuu-sama."

Kyoko froze before nodding. She bowed her head as she remembered that night. She also remembered the doctor telling her that because of the way her body was hurt, she was most likely unable to get pregnant again. At least she had a valid reason to reject any man that tried to approach her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I was told by my manager that I wouldn't have to talk about my late husband." Kyoko bit her lip. Lory had told her that she shouldn't feel guilty about returning to acting. Sawara had repeated those words to her. Yashiro and the Hizuri parents were extremely supportive of her.

"I'm sorry," the host said again, "It's just that he was really beloved by this country. He died at a young age, twenty-six is a young age."

Kyoko looked at her with her eyes filling with tears. "Kuon is my everything. I still love him, I will continue to love him. Kuon's body was taken from me that night, not just that he was murdered but his literal body. I was unable to cremate him as he had requested in our will."

"Which means that you're out on the market?" the host said and Kyoko's eyes widened and she trembled a little. What kind of a question was that? Anger flashed though her that she was unable to hide and she stood.

"I can't answer that question," she said with a glare, "I am loyal to my late husband. I am his widow. I choose to remain his widow. I don't plan on ever dating again."

"And so you're leaving the interview early?" the male co-host said and Kyoko bit her top lip. She knew that that wouldn't be right for her career and she was working with Kuu on this movie, she could affect his career by not representing the film. She sat down but her eyes were shooting daggers at the woman in front of her.

"So, what can you tell me about the film?" the man asked her and Kyoko sighed.

"Those are questions that I'm happy to answer," she said before finishing the interview. As she walked off stage, she started to sob painfully. At least she wasn't on camera anymore. She didn't want to talk about the murder. She was in the middle of the murder trial as well and people had said that her return to acting was because of that, to capitalize on her fame. It had been because of Kuon. He had hidden a letter for her telling her that if anything were to happen to him, she should continue with her dreams and that he always loved her.

She looked around the studio before tossing the microphone for the interview on the ground and ignoring the people around her, including Yashiro. Maybe she wasn't ready for this? She closed her eyes before remembering how she had spoken with Ren in this same studio all those years ago when she had first appeared as Bo. She had seen him in a different light at that time. He had seemed so mature even if he didn't know what tentekomai was.

She managed to sit in his same spot and leaned forwards, her heart breaking. She hadn't wanted to talk about him. She wanted to keep his name sacred and although he still had a huge place in her heart, it pained her to realize that he had died because of her.

She remained silent as she saw someone walk over to her and stand in front of her. The man was tall, about the height that Kuon had been and wore boots that were worn in. He was wearing a large black hooded winter coat with blood stains on it. She looked up before staring down at the ground.

"I'll call security unless you leave," she said before hearing the man speak out in a dry and scratchy manner.

"I'd clap if I could," he told her and Kyoko blinked. She realized that she could only see one gloved hand, the other was missing, in fact, the whole arm seemed to be missing by the way the sleeve of the coat hung limp at his side.

"I'm serious about the security," she said as she pulled her knees to her chest. "Go! There's a punishment for stalking a celebrity," she warned him. The voice was unrecognizable to her. It was as if the man was a smoker, the scratchy voice reminded her of someone who had damaged their vocal chords.

"I'll leave if you want me to," he said and Kyoko scoffed. She had already told him to leave a couple of times, was the man deaf? No. He had responded to her so that wasn't the problem. She looked up and saw that he seemed to be having trouble standing and she felt some sympathy in her. "We haven't seen each other in a while," he told her and Kyoko rolled her eyes.

"Do I know you?" she asked and he nodded.

"I would think that you'd remember me," he said before looking around nervously. "You should stop the trial. I don't think there was a murder, attempted murder, maybe, physical, emotional, and psychological torture, most definitely."

"Is that a threat?" she asked him, snapping at him a little. She had been told a few times that continuing with the trial wasn't something that she wanted to do but fame be damned. This was her husband and child who were taken from her.

"Not a threat," he coughed as if he had hurt his already damaged vocal chords. He lifted a hand shakily and pulled back the large hood before giving her a weak smile as her eyes widened. No way.

She froze as she saw that there was a long jagged scar over a white eye whilst the other emerald eye showed his exhaustion. There was also a burn over his throat that said the word 'monster' in kanji. He had patches of hair and it appeared that someone had attempted to scalp him but he was here. She couldn't believe that he was here.

"Kuo-" she said as tears flowed from her eyes. She bowed her head and started to sob uncontrollably before running to him and wrapping her arms around him. She had lost her mind. She was seeing him again. She froze as she heard his nervous breaths and then felt him wrap one arm around her. Wasn't he going to embrace her as he usually did?

"Sorry it…took me so…long to get back here," he said and Kyoko gently touched his throat. He flinched as she did so. They had tried to take away his voice but he was strong. Why wasn't he holding her the way that he usually did? He would usually wrap her up tightly with both arms and she would feel his warmth but it was just the arm that she could see that was holding her to him.

She paused as she felt a cold chill throughout her body and she nervously reached out to his shoulder. His shoulder was there and then, right beneath it was a stump. His other arm wasn't there. She took a step back studying him again. She hadn't seen him in this much pain or this exhausted before.

She looked him over before her eyes widened and she turned to stare into the one white eye and the one emerald. "Where's your arm, sweetheart?" she asked and he bowed his head, closing his eyes.

"They took it," he told her and Kyoko put a hand to her mouth shakily as more tears slid down her cheeks. She took his arm and pulled him so that he was sitting down and he reached for the hood to protect his identity.

"Let me see," she whispered before slowly unbuttoning the coat. She looked at the shirt he was wearing and gently unbuttoned that as well to see that there was only about one-fifth of his arm there that was badly sewn up. She touched it before he flinched again and she quickly removed her hand. That had been his dominant arm although he was nearly ambidextrous. "I'm so sorry," she whispered as she looked at the wound. She quickly dressed him again, being extremely careful to not bring him further pain. "Baby," she whispered through tears, "I am so so so sorry."

"I'm sorry too," he told her and Kyoko shook her head. She should have been more persistent, she shouldn't have just believed that he was dead.

"Let's get you back home," she whispered as she helped him up. She hadn't been immune to seeing the bruising around his lungs, the scars from knives, the burns on his skin. It was just that a lost ligament seemed to be more than that.

"I'll wait here," he told her and Kyoko blinked at him. What was he talking about? Wasn't he going to go home with her? She knew that the blood scared her from ever entering that room again but home was safe now. Their bed was safe now.

"I don't want to leave you," Kyoko cried again as she hugged him tightly, she sobbed, dampening his shirt with her tears. She shook her head quickly and he took a shaky breath.

"I don't want people to know," he said and Kyoko froze as she realized how weak his voice was and the pain that he was going through, "not yet. I only gained consciousness yesterday, left medical this morning. Apparently the men who did this were apprehended but they still didn't find me."

Kyoko stiffened. She felt selfish but she had to ask him. "How about Yashiro? The president? What about your parents, you should tell your parents," she said and he nodded.

"I intend to," he said and Kyoko tried to pull him to the dressing room. He sighed and followed her.

…

…

Kyoko had meant to keep Kuon's identity a secret as they made their way to the dressing room. She opened the door, holding it for him before her eyes widened. Yashiro was in there. She put a hand to Kuon's chest, "You sit over there," she pointed to a sofa and looked at Yashiro. "I need to get dressed," she announced and Yashiro turned in shock to the stranger.

"You're going to get changed with him in the room?" he asked before looking at Kyoko in shock.

Kyoko nodded, "Of course. I'd feel better if he was with me, in the room with me."

Yashiro's jaw dropped. He had been managing Kyoko's social calendar and work schedule for a while and he hadn't ever heard of her dating anyone before and it seemed like it would be a huge scandal for her to just drag a friend in here to watch her change. What was she thinking? Had the pressure of the interview pushed her to get some random guy to watch her get dressed.

"Who is this creep anyway?" he asked her, "How have you had time to meet someone?"

Kyoko looked at Yashiro with a slight annoyance in her eyes. "Don't insult him. I won't stand for you insulting him. He's going to be here, watching me change and then I'm going to take him home."

"Kyoko," Yashiro said in horror as he couldn't believe her decision. She had just said in the interview that she refused to date again and now she was pulling some guy in here. Had she lied to the host to protect her image? "You can't just - who is this?" he asked and Kyoko looked at Kuon before returning to stare at Yashiro.

"My husband," she said boldly before seeing Yashiro's bewilderment. She stood firm as Yashiro turned to look at the hooded figure. Had Kyoko fallen and hit her head? From the description she had given on what had happened that night, there was no chance that Kuon was alive.

End of Chapter One

Thank you for giving this fic a chance, reviews are greatly appreciated

AN: I know this is weird but I hope that you enjoy the fic as it progresses.