In Her Mind


Chapter 1

The sun was filtering in through the trees, dotting the clearing with little points of soft light. The water gentle caressed the tiny stones of the small brook, giving off an almost musical tone of nature as the birds quietly chirped in the surrounding trees. The smell of fresh grass gently perfumed the spring air and brought back so many warm memories. She loved it here. Some of her fondest memories took place here.

She flopped back in the delicate blades of plush green and sighed. She glanced up through the canopy of heavy green and wondered exactly how she got here. She couldn't remember exactly how that took place. She tried to remember but it just wouldn't come to her. Every time she thought of it, her world would go completely white and she would find herself standing next to the small stream once again. Standing in the same spot each time. It was frustrating. Relaxing but frustrating all the same.

"Kyoko-chan... Can you hear me? Kyoko?" Her name whispered on the breeze.

She looked up and around. "Hmm?"

"Once upon a time, there was a little boy who met a fairy princess. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever met and he was ashamed of being only a normal little boy. So when she asked if he was a fairy, he didn't deny it. He was happy that she saw him in that light." The voice paused and sounded so sad. "He didn't mean to lie to her. Over the few days that he knew her, she became the one girl that he compared all others to. No girl that he met after that could even compare to her. She was perfect. She was the most perfect little Japanese girl and no one could ever replace her in his heart."

"Corn? Is that you?" She called out to the breeze. "Where are you?" She asked as she searched the area.

The voice continued without answering her unheard question. "After many days, the boy had to return home to America with his parents and regretted it deeply. He didn't want to leave the little girl behind or, make her sad. So he told her that he had to go home to the fairy kingdom. To him, Los Angeles was similar to the fairy kingdom and it made the little girl happy to think that somewhere like that existed. He never dreamed that he would see her again and didn't think they would be able to stay in contact with each other." He paused and she could almost see the sad smile in his voice. "He gave her a special keepsake to always remind her of him and keep her company. He had found it on one of his adventures with his father and it meant so much to him. He had hoped that it would mean the same to her. With a heavy heart, he unwillingly left her behind."

The voice stopped there, for the moment. She could hear the distress in every word he spoke. She had a hunch where all of this was going. Subconsciously she had known for quite awhile. Had she not felt so much hurt in her heart, she probably would have accepted the facts long ago and willingly fell into his arms but things aren't always that easy. Are they? No, things are never that easy and she knew this. If he had known her as she was before, he would have never accepted her. She wouldn't have been a challenge for him. She had always known that love was a game. No... more like a hunt. Things were always more appreciated if they had to be fought for. No one ever wanted to eat the apple that fell from the tree and lay on the ground; they wanted that perfectly ripened fruit at the very top of the tree. The perfect fruit at the very top that was unreachable.

No, at this point she wasn't thinking of herself as that fruit. It was him, he was that unattainable fruit. She cursed herself for always wanting what could never be hers; be it friends, family, love or, anything else. She just wasn't good enough. She could love all she wanted, anyone she wanted but they would never want her back once they finally knew they had her. She wasn't stupid, she wasn't naive. This was just how things had always been for her. No matter who it was, she gave everything, she gave them her all and they always left her behind, they always kept her at a distance she saw that now.

Her mother, Shotaro, the Fuwas, Corn, Kanae, Chiori, even little Maria; she would show them a little of herself and they would step back. It wasn't a large step back but it was noticeable to her. Her mother literally pushed her away as did Kanae and Sho. The Fuwas misinterpreted her affection for a desire to become a daughter in law. Corn always left her, even after he told her that he loved her. That one made her heart ache with longing. Did he even realize what he was saying to her? No, of course he didn't. He would tell her he loved her as Corn, Cain and then he would hide behind Ren.

"You should know better..." The raven-haired scarred heiress commented as she sat primly on the large boulder, a few feet from her.

Kyoko looked up in surprise. "Mio?"

Mio narrowed her gaze at Kyoko. "Of course. Whom else could it be?"

"What should I know better of?" Kyoko asked with confusion.

Mio laughed humorlessly and shook her head. "The way I see it... You are far beyond what any of those men deserve. Too good for them, in my opinion."

"That can't be right." Kyoko told her. "Just look at me."

Mio shook her head.

"She doesn't listen to them. What makes you think that anything we have to say will change that?" Natsu commented casually as she emerged from the brush covered trail, leading to the small clearing.

"Ah..." Setsuka sighed and in her thick British accent said her piece. "But she'll believe everything that comes out of that pig's mouth, Love." She sat down next to Mio and started doing her nails.

"I do not!" She exclaimed indignantly.

Mio raised a perfectly shaped brow and glanced up from her book. "Really? Then why do you believe when he said that you were plain?"

Natsu walked to her and stood before her. "Boring?"

Setsuka continued to examine her nails. "With no sex-appeal? Pfft... As if."

"I..." Kyoko stammered and couldn't find a valid reason to dispel their argument.

"Exactly... If you were all of that, you wouldn't have all of these men falling all over themselves to get your attention." Mio chided.

"What men?" Kyoko asked with confusion.

Natsu shook her head. They had a lot of work to do with this one. She sighed. "Please... Hikaru? You render the poor man into a puddle of goo every time he hears your voice or, you look his way." Natsu chuckled and skipped a rock down the stream.

"But we're just friends!" Kyoko exclaimed. "He couldn't possibly see me that way."

Natsu continued to giggle. "Really Kyoko-chan? Do you honestly believe that nonsense? After how many times he's tried to get you to go out with him and the return gift he gave you? You really think you are only a friend to him? Stop deluding yourself. It's very unflattering." She shook her head and turned back to continue skipping stones.

Kyoko looked up at the other two in her company. "Anything to add to that?" She asked sarcastically.

Mio gave her a feral grin. "Do you really want me to answer that honestly?"

"Of course I do or I wouldn't have asked!" Kyoko spat out irritably.

Mio sighed. "Alright, why don't we start with the obvious... Reino or, did you forget that he actually confessed to you on Valentine's Day? Granted he is a bit... disturbing but you can't deny it. He actually came out and told you, point blank that he liked you. Sure he mentioned his fetish for me and he is absolutely the strangest person you've ever met but he came out and told you and asked you for that chocolate because he wanted to be liked by you too."

Kyoko groaned. "Does he really count?"

Mio rolled her eyes. "Come on! Do you even know how stupid that sounds? Do you realize how many women would give their soul to have him wrapped around their little finger like you seem to? Think about it."

"And Nii-san loves you. You can't forget that. He even came out and said it! He said, Kyoko I love you." Setsuka added. "And don't try to tell me it was because we were acting with him. He did it again when he was Corn. So no matter who he is, he loves you." Setsuka scolded.

Natsu smiled mischievously. "Let's not forget Kijima-kun. He may be somewhat of a playboy but he likes you too. He even tried to get you to date him. Of course, as dense as you are, you thought he was teasing, but he meant it." She giggled. "Boy that pissed off the Demon Lord."

Mio shook her head and smiled, she kind of liked Kijima and she absolutely hated what she was about to say but it had to be done. "I really hate to mention the next one but you can't be so blind not to see how Shotaro is so completely smitten with you."

Kyoko deadpanned. "You can't be serious."

Mio laughed. "I wish I were joking but he's so obvious it's painful. Why would he even care if you fell in love with Ren? Why would he make you make that stupid promise? Why else would he go out of his way to find you and risk his stellar womanizing reputation to kiss you in front of so many witnesses and make them think you two were together?" Mio explained.

"Please... his fan-base has been horny young women that want to throw themselves at him. Think about it. Why would he want to risk them thinking that he had a girlfriend?" Setsuka commented.

Natsu shook her head. "And why would he always go out of his way to find out what your phone number and address is? It's not like it's public information, so it can't be easy to get and it's not like you gave it to him. In fact you've changed your phone number twice."

"I... I really don't know what to say." Kyoko answered distantly. "I really don't feel that way for him. I don't know if I ever really did, at least not the way I feel for Corn."

Mio smirked. "You don't care that he lied to you?"

"That he's your fake fairy prince?" Natsu asked.

Setsuka grinned. "That he lied to you to get a kiss?"

Kyoko sighed deeply. "I guess not. I suppose it really doesn't matter but I would like to know why he didn't tell me when he knew who I was."

"I'm eating like you asked me to Kyoko-chan. Yashiro-san made me go eat dinner and I didn't skip work because I know that would upset you." He reported to her as he sat next to her hospital bed. "I'm back now and I can finish telling you that story I started. I really hope it doesn't make you hate me, if you can truly hear me like the doctor says." He sighed sadly and began to confess his teen years and the troubles that led to the death of his dearest friend, revealing his parentage and name. "I didn't tell you because I just couldn't at the time. Neither of us were the same as we were and you already hated me for the way I treated you when we first met at LME. I am so sorry, Kyoko. I never meant to lie to you. Please wake up. I hate that I can't see your beautiful eyes or, hear your sweet voice. I love you so much. I can't bear to be without you. You are the only thing that keeps me going from day to day." She could hear the tears in his voice.

Setsuka glanced at Kyoko. "See... I told you Kuon loves you."

Mio shook her head. "He came out and said it clearly this time."

"And you weren't able to stop him this time either." Natsu added with a smirk and raised brow.

Kyoko groaned. "That's all well and good but we still have the problem of that promise to Sho."

Mio laughed. "Seriously? Does it really matter what he thinks?"

Natsu scoffed. "Promises to him were made to be broken anyway. It's not like he ever kept a promise to you and he means nothing to you, so why are you so concerned about it?"

"Besides... You never fell in love with Ren. You can't fall in love with someone that doesn't exist." Setsuka commented offhandedly.

"It's like telling the world you fell in love with the Tooth Fairy or, Santa Claus." Natsu said sarcastically as she turned her gaze to the sky and watched the dark clouds roll in.

"Please Kyoko-chan, please wake up. I miss you so much." She heard the distress and sadness in his voice as little raindrops began to kiss the skin of her hand.

"Why is he asking me to wake up?" Kyoko asked as they made their way to the ryokan at the end of the path.

"You're in a coma." Natsu told her.

Mio scowled. "You could have been a little more delicate about it, you know."

"Well, someone needed to tell her the truth eventually." Natsu retorted, enjoying the little flinch of psychological pain she had just inflicted. She was a bully after all.

Setsuka rolled her eyes at the pair. "It's really not that big of a deal Kyoko. You can leave or, stay. Your choice but I do think that it would be much more interesting for all of us and Nii-san if you decided not to stay. He does need you and it seems as though he's been the only one here for the past... I don't know, few days?"

Kyoko's eyes went wide. "I've been here for days?"

The trio nodded. "Could be longer." Natsu commented as she was examining her nails casually.

"What the hell happened?" Kyoko exclaimed in distress at the news.

"Morizumi drugged you and then she and her manager pushed you from the roof of the mall." A new voice from the shadows announced.

Mio rolled her eyes. "Always so dramatic."

Setsuka and Natsu giggled. "What do you expect from the new kid? It's in her nature." Setsuka smiled mischievously.