"What's you name?" a boy asked her, in the brightness of the colorful streetlights. Her candies had gotten soggy due to holding for too long in her fist, because she had been too worried to even open them. Her tear-filled face made him reach out to her.
"Mommy…." she cried out, her heart hammering in her chest as she felt truly frightened on the night of the New Year. He came nearer, "Where is your mommy?" he asked softly, at the eight-year old amber eyed girl, her hair tied in two pigtails. His green eyes looking into hers with concern. His hair was unusually ruly and blonde. He truly did look like a Prince to her.
Her huge golden eyes looked at him innocently, as she shook her head. "I don't know." she said miserably. Her sobs growing fainter as she quivered in fear.
"What's your name?" he asked again, eyeing the pigtails hanging loosely. "Kyoko Mogami." she said in between her hiccups, handing him a sheet of paper her mother had given her when she left her for a moment.
His eyes widened as he read it. Being twelve he knew what it meant. Even though he'd never received it, he was mature enough because of the atmosphere in his house.
"You're a menace, I'm leaving you on your own.", it read. His blood boiled just thinking how cruel it was to leave one's own daughter alone.
"Do you know her name?" he asked again.
She nodded and he quietly took her along with him, telling her some new tales he'd read. Like the Pied Piper. Her sparkly eyes and glowing face made him smile and brought the feel of a true friendship grow in his heart.
His information to his parents made them reach their hearts reach out to her, as they showered her with gifts to see the bright smile on her chubby cute face. The most fascinating toy she had ever seen was a tiny lady with fairy wings.
She laughed along the family, forgetting that she didn't find her mommy. As she skipped her way behind the three-beautiful people. She suddenly saw Cinderella, a small doll holding the hand of her Prince Charming.
Her eyes sparkled and she stared at it. "Do you want it, dear?" asked the rich beautiful lady. Her eyes fell on the silk paper and remembered that her mother was lost. Her eyes watered and she started to sob.
"Mommy…." she said, the need to see her mother grew more.
He pulled her from that shop and made her stand in front of a streetlamp. Her sobs becoming unbearable for him to handle. "Kyoko, please take this. It will take all your sadness away." he told her, turning his hand, revealing a dark purple spectra colored stone. He held it in front of the light and it shimmered. Sniffing, she gazed at him then at the stone. She stared at it in awe, while his parents came back with another couple. Her silly grin was back and he laughed.
"She is the one…." his mother said to the other ordinary looking woman.
That woman came near and hugged Kyoko. "I will take care of you. From now on, you are my daughter." she declared.
His eyes turned sad, knowing that he couldn't have a sister as her. She skipped her way, holding the stone towards the light. Suddenly she stopped and ran back to him. "I didn't ask your name, thank you for taking my sadness away." She said, bowing.
Then she rose and looked at him for answers. He smiled one last time and said, "Koun."
"Bye Corn!" she said, and he chuckled.
He turned his back on the cute girl and silently followed his parents. His mother couldn't adopt another child because of the problems that may arise in his father's life.
He only wished they could meet again.
xxx
Her hands were paining from all the cleaning and decorating she had to do. She stared blankly at the ceiling, as the voices downstairs got louder. Her dress was plain, a dirtied pink sundress with a white jacket covering her upper body.
Today was New Year, and she wasn't allowed to go down in the party. She sat up, an idea already forming in her head.
She wasn't allowed in the party, but she was allowed to go out. Her hands trembled as she quickly slipped socks on her feet and a thick coat over herself, her heart drumming with nervousness at the stunt she was going to pull.
The cold was far away from her skin, as her feet touched the snowy floor outside her adoptive parents' house. Their son was very spoilt, he would never help her when she would get scolding's, always stare at her while she cried in her room, or just ignore her.
His good looks got him through every detention. He would always ignore her. Not many had lemon blonde hair and blue eyes. At age twelve he already had gotten arrogant for his own good. The girls in her class would pick on her, always leaving her alone. Her lunch would turn cold everyday while she would go through the torture they would plan for her.
She held her precious stone in the light. It still shimmered and made her smile. It had been four years since she last saw him.
Her legs were freezing due to the thin socks, the coat on her wasn't hers to begin with. It was a hand-me-down of her adoptive mother. Because they just wanted her to ease their tasks, they never considered her happiness as a priority.
"Happy New Year!" came the loud voice, as the clock struck twelve, cutting through her thoughts like a knife and stood up. Gazing at the clock, she wondered if this was the same feeling Cinderella felt when her stepmother tortured. Or like Rapunzel, only she wasn't caged like her. But being under the feeling of gratitude was shared between them.
She smiled and whispered, "Happy new Year to you too, Kyoko Mogami."
Walking in the streets that she never visited, made her feel self-conscious of herself.
"Hey you!" came the voice of a teenager, who looked mature and older than her. More like a street punk.
"What's your name?" he asked, eyeing her. She ignored him and walked, on. Many others had started to follow her. Jeering and trying to get her attention by calling her with endearments.
"Leave her alone!" a shout stopped her. Her eyes met emerald. His eyes were similar to the boy four years ago. It couldn't be….
"You shouldn't roam in the dark like this." he muttered, pulling the head cap and putting over her head. "There you go." he said, blinking his eyes, his blonder hair in full view. He was like a Prince.
Like Corn.
Murmuring thanks to him, her back turned on him and she walked into the dark. What really made her move was the clothes and the way he was. His dark clothes and scowl on his face didn't exactly help.
"Wait!" he called out. She panicked, sensing that he was walking behind her, making her heart speed in fear. Her hand searched for the stone to give her confidence. Her legs stopped moving as her came up empty. Her heart turned cold, already the feeling of dread and guilt spreading over. Her heart hammered painfully as she looked around her for it. Her eyebrows knit in concern and a tear almost fell from her eyes.
That was her only haven from the life she was living in.
A tap made her turn, again, her tear-streaked face reminding of how he found her four years ago. But she was still the same cute innocent girl from the toy market. "This must be yours." He told her, observing her reaction.
Her hands enclosed over that stone and she pulled it close to her heart. "Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me." she mumbled, still crying. Carefully keeping the stone in her pant pocket, she thanked god.
"What happened to you, Kyoko." he asked, taking her appearance in. She looked like she needed help, like he should've stopped his parents from making her put up with the Fuwas.
Her heart went out flying in shock, that word of recognition made her aware of herself and she knew that she was right. A silly grin spread on her face and she hugged him. "How I missed you, Corn." she whispered in his hair.
He hugged her back, glad that he wasn't the only one who missed the her and wished he could play with her again. Unlike the school girls who would always try to use him for their advantage. He even remembered how his first girlfriend tried to seduce him to bed.
"I missed you too, Kyoko." he said back.
She giggled and pulled him to a creak in the dark. Sounds of fireworks silenced his words. pointing towards the sky, she gazed with awe. He gazed at her and desperately wished he could help her. But her happy and peaceful face made him look at the sky, while lying on the snowy grass; convincing that she was okay.
She pulled him to a near park and started talking, about fairytales. Her bright smiles brightened him up and he missed his parents. They were only a call away, in Romania. But he didn't want them to know anything about him. He told her about his school girls and how different she was from them.
Her embarrassment just made him think how much cuter she had gotten from before.
"Kyoko! Where the devil are you? Do you think you can run away like this?" came a growl of an angry woman.
Her eyes widened in panic, leaving him with just a hug. He tried calling her, but she was long gone.
He could only imagine how he should've run his hands through her soft black hair to see if it was really soft than his ex-girlfriend's. He shook his head, she was four years smaller to him, it was wrong to think of her that way.
Shoving his hands in the pant pockets, he went back to his gang. "She was one heck man, why did you take her for yourself?" one of the member asked him, already the lust clouding his eyes
He glared at him and punched him. "I never do such things. And don't talk about her like that!"
That was his second best New Year Eve.
xxx
Her cries were louder than the strong howling of the wind. They couldn't do this to her.
She was twenty years old damnit! Just a few hours ago as the clock struck twelve, they announced her engagement with Shotaro.
The uproars were louder, many compliments on finding such a fine bride made her shout out that it was a lie. Her adoptive father was dead, and her mother had already been declared dead, Saena Mogami.
Soon, it was found out that her daughter was an inheritor of large property since Saena had no other heir than her. So, her adoptive mother decided that she was perfect for her son and decided to steal her freedom from her the night of New Year.
She looked for her Corn Stone, trying to find the comfort in that stone like she always does. She enclosed her fingers over the stone and pulled her hand towards her chest. Gazing at the starry night, she wondered what would he be doing now. Where would he be? Would he still remember this girl? She sat on the window sill.
A car pulled in front of the house, her eyes widened looking at the famous doctor step out of the car. She remembered talking to him when her adoptive father was going to go under the surgery. He was the doctor, Ren Tsuruga. His face seemed similar. Except that his eyes were brown and his hair was sleek black.
Of course, she met him two years ago, whilst holding her Corn Stone and praying hard. He introduced himself and they talked about her father.
She remembered how girls sighed behind her in the hospital, imagining themselves in her place since he didn't give them any attention at all.
She wondered why did he even bother to speak to her when her stepmother was standing right beside her, feeling neglected.
If any different, he looked more handsome and built.
The room door burst open and he was tight lipped with Mrs. Fuwa right behind him. His dark aura was emitting the entire room.
"Mogami Kyoko, you are being evacuated from this house since the court of law demands you to return to your biological mother's house. Pack your bags now." He said calmly like a judge sitting behind the large desk giving orders for a case. She nodded and pulled the suitcase from inside the cupboard.
Her adoptive kept yelling at her to change her mind, but her mind was blank. It was her hands that were having a will of their own.
She only remembered how he held her hand that night and escorted her to her rightful house. It felt like her hand belonged in his.
That night, she opened another chapter of her life.
xxx
She never knew why he would always smile at her, mostly in the night while she would be drawing the curtains.
He would be standing in front of the gate and gazing at her window, which was in the second floor; large and spacious.
But never come up. She forced him to come into her house the night of the christmas and fed him dinner.
On the night of New year, he declared that Ren Tsuruga wasn't his name.
"Then what is your real name?" she asked, frowning, setting her cup of hot chocolate down.
He sighed and looked straight into her eyes. "I am Koun Hizuri, but don't tell this to anyone." he quickly added after revealing his name to her.
She was shocked, and fascinated. For sure he wasn;t kidding.
Recovering quickly, she started talking about her career and listened to him when he did.
xxx
She gkared at him as he tried to step into her house.
She had banned him out of the house, after findibg out that he had tricked her. However, she had forgotten that she had given him a spare key to her house.
"Please, I didn't want to hurt a girl's feelings. I knew you would be hurt if I told you the truth." he pleaded as she stood in front of him.
It was clearly visible that she was fuming. God, how he gulped looking at her sweater, and slacks. And the clip holding her hair wasn't exactly helping his hormones.
"And you didn't even bother telling me the time you met me." she glowered.
"I know, I thought that it would break our friendship." he desperately said.
"But now it just did." she said turning her back on him.
"You don't undertsand, Kyoko." he said. The way her name rolled off from his tongue ran a shiver down her spine.
"Why? What is it that you get after doing this to me? What do you get after-hmph!" her eyes wodened in alarm, her heart stopped.
Her legs were numb, hands stuck on the same position that were only a few inches from pushing him away.
He pulled away before she could respond.
"I didn't any of this for my satisfaction. In fact, you were the only reason I could live further on. There were days I would think endlessly about you, I couldn't erase you. You are like the blood running in my veins. And I cannot get you to hate me. After falling in love with you, everything about you makes sense." he rambled.
Her mind kept replaying those words again and again.
He loves me.
He needs me.
That's a lie
She met his expectant eyes and searched for the truth. "Since when." she mumbled, clearing her throat awkwardly.
His eyes softened and a small smile appeared on his face. "Since the time you appeared in my life."
At that moment, she forgot why she was angry at him, her words died in her throat.
"It's understandable if you don't feel the same way, we can be just like this forever-"
"Koun."
He looked into her eyes and wondered what was going on in her mind.
"Why did you kiss me?" she asked him, to confirm.
He gulped, thinking how sexy she looked with her fuming face; but feeling worried all the same.
"Because, I love you." he repeated.
She was still as a rock. "It can't be. You have so many girls out there. Don't play with my feelings. Just because you don't love me don't lie. I hate it when you lie to me." she sobbed, falling down as her heart refused to believe any of the words he just said a few moments ago.
He knelt in front of her and kissed her soundly. She didn't respond to his kiss and tried to push him away with his hair. He wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her closer the second time he clashed his lips with hers.
Their breathes were mingled, her mind blank and their heart racing. "I wouldn't stop until you believe me."
He crushed his lips with hers and she responded, her will already gone. as they pulled away, she looked into his eyes before he could lean in to leave her more breathless than before.
"I believe."
He smiled, "i will say it again, I love you."
Her heart fluttered as he declared it to her.
"I love you too."
xxx
Epilogue
They laughed as they watched her eyes sparkle at the decor. It was all like a dream.
"You remembered," she said, laughing at her husband's childish grin. Koun's parents were retired, so they were on yet another vacation.
This New Year they planned to celebrate alone. He came closer to her, watching her excitedly look at everything. "Thank you."
He pouted. "I want a reward." he said.
She raised her eyebrows, feeling drawn towards the fairy tale creatures.
"What should I give you..." she said flickeringly.
He pointed a finger towards his lips. She shook her head and resumed to admiring the tiny fairies hanging by their wings.
He tried to get her attention for a few more minutes when he sat on the couch, feeling neglected. She sat beside him, smirking.
"So, I think Mr. Koun Hizuri doesn't want his reward. So I will go on and-"
Before she stood up, he pulled her towards him and pulled her in for a kiss.
She laughed as he picked her up bridal style and took her to his room. "Happy New Year, Koun." she whispered as they both fell on the bed.
"Happy New Year to you too, Kyoko."
And they knew that whenever a new year was to come, their lives would have a new chapter ready for them.
Author's Note:
I know it's a bit early but I can't post this on the three days. Except I have one chapter to complete in my other story, so I may post in somewhere in between.
I wanted to write something special on this occasion for you guys.
Thank you for reading and reviewing my other stories, I would've gladly written your names here, but I don't think I might be very energetic(I am extremely lazy to begin with XD)
Please don't forget to review/follow/favourite this story. I would be extremely glad to read your thoughts, each one of you.
Until next time, Bye!