AN: I realize that there are multiple things to point to that might not make this story feasible but I really loved the idea so decided to write it 😊 I hope that some people out there enjoy it as well.

Acceptance

Chapter One – Coming Home

It had been two years after they had started dating that Kuon had asked Kyoko if she would marry him. At first he had seen her hesitance, but after he had assured her that nothing had to change and he would split the housework with her and that he would try to eat proper meals and learn how to cook better, she had said yes with one condition.

She didn't mind how long it took for him to be ready to do it, the twenty year old did not want to be married to anyone other than Kuon Hizuri which meant that before she would marry the man she loved, he would have to come out to the world as the man he really was.

He had promised her that he would do so if she would become Kyoko Hizuri and she had accepted happily.

The ring was gorgeous and every time Kyoko would look at it she would feel her heart flooded with the love that only her Corn, her Kuon could make her feel. All those story books that she had read had a happily ever after moment with the prince. She was beyond happy that this prince, who was standing at LAX baggage claim, was also the emperor.

"You know," Kyoko smiled as she waited for Kuon to pick up the bags. "As much as I love your 'Corn' look, you didn't need to dye your hair and take out your contacts. How am I supposed to explain this to Japan…to your fans that I'm spending time with another man."

"I'm sorry, I don't speak Japanese," Kuon said in English using his Californian accent. He winked at her as he grabbed the last bag off of the belt and came to stand beside her. She rolled her eyes and looked up at him.

"Well, then I don't believe we've met. I'm sorry. I must leave. Goodbye" she teased him as she spoke in English but with the foreign accent over the words. Unlike Ren, she hadn't had to speak in English for a lot of parts and even then Kuon had spent most of his life talking in English. She would have to try to improve her accent.

"Alright," Kuon laughed as he came over to her and kissed the top of her head. "I surrender, plus, I don't think that anyone is going to pay attention to us so we don't need to be careful like we would in Japan," he said as he held her hand. "Besides, I've already arranged a press conference to cover my coming out, thank you for allowing me to do this one last thing though."

Kyoko laughed softly. She was excited to see Kuu-sama again as well and to meet Julienna for the very first time. She had suspected news of the two of them dating had either been found online by the Hizuris or Lory had told them. She had wished that Kuon had told them too. After eight years, Kuon was finally in LA and seeing his family. She knew that his international projects hadn't been shot here and she wondered if surprising his parents was really worth it.

Kuon had even arranged for a hotel room in case they needed it. Hopefully they wouldn't.

Kyoko silently followed Kuon to the rental car office where they were going to give him a vehicle for them to use during this stay. Kuon had been excited to show her parts of the US that he had grown up visiting or enjoyed spending the day at. It was really exciting to see the place that her future husband considered his 'home'.

"Are you excited?" Kyoko asked as Kuon returned to her side with the keys.

"Excited and Terrified," he told her with a playful smile. "I haven't been brave enough before. I think that with my princess by my side however I'll be able to greet my parents. I feel guilty that I've spent so many years avoiding them, especially my mother."

"It's alright, you're here now," Kyoko said as she kissed his cheek. She just hoped that there wouldn't be too much tension when they arrived.

…..

…..

The drive to the Hizuri estate was filled with traffic, but at least it gave the two of them time to talk to one another. Kyoko grinned as she saw how excited her fiancé was about returning to his roots. She also saw how nervous he was about the possible rejection from his parents. He had told her a lot of darker stories about what had happened here and if those were her shadows, she would most likely run from them as well.

The house was amazing, Kyoko saw the garden, the swimming pool around the side, the topiary and the three storey building. How did Kuu live like this? No wonder Kuon had had to punch in a security code at the front gate. Fortunately, it hadn't been changed in ten years or they may have had to call ahead.

"It's bigger than I remember," Kuon told her as Kyoko laughed.

"I imagine so," she said with a nod. She knew that Shoutaro's parents owned numerous inns in Japan, but none of them looked like this. "This place is incredible," she said as Kuon got out of the car, leaving the bags behind. He stretched before pausing as he caught the sound of a young girl singing.

He looked around and then saw that the side gate was open. Had some kid just run in here and started playing? Maybe it was his mother looking after the daughter of a friend or a coworker. Kuon took a deep breath and went towards the sound, Kyoko following after wanting to match Kuon's moves.

The two of them were stunned to see a six year old playing with a teddy bear and having him make tracks in the dirt. This was a really strange sight.

Kyoko couldn't help but think about the long blonde hair of the little girl and how she looked similar to how Corn had been. She had emerald eyes which matched Kuon's. Maybe a cousin or something. She did have to say with the green dress and plastic tiara she was wearing she looked like the most adorable princess.

"Hello," Kuon said as he approached her, he saw her flinch but then look up at him in wonder. Her young eyes filled with so much curiosity about the man who approached her. "Who are you?" he asked as she clutched to her teddy. Kuon sighed, did he really come off that scarily to her?

"My name is-" he started, it might be better to say that he wasn't going to hurt her.

He just wanted to find out what she was doing here. He wondered if any of his relatives had brought their child here, maybe his maternal aunt.

"You're the man in the pictures," she said pointing to him as Kuon blinked. Okay, so she was most likely a relative. It was nice that his family had photographs of him though he did feel guilty about isolating himself for so many years.

"Oh," he said with a nod, "Maybe, I haven't seen them. Are you visiting the Hizuris?" he asked as the girl shook her head.

That seemed out of place.

"No. This is my house," she pointed as Kuon looked at her in shock. Maybe one of his relatives had lost their job, he could understand how his parents would allow someone to live with them. The house was big enough and his parents were always so kind and loving.

"Oh," Kuon nodded as Kyoko stood back, she didn't feel it was her place to interrupt. "Is your mother's name Ana?" he asked as the little girl shook her head.

"Nope," she replied as Kuon felt confused. So, she wasn't his aunt's kid, then who was she. "Mommy and Daddy have lots of pictures of you, there are pictures where you wear a lot of black and look really sad. You don't look sad now," the girl pointed to Kyoko who smiled but kept looking back at Kuon as if not knowing what to do. "Is she a princess?"

"Well, she's a princess to me," Kuon smiled before hearing his mother's voice, he would have recognized it anywhere.

"Katarina!" Julie called out before the next words caught Kuon completely off guard.

"Mommy!" Katarina called as she grabbed her bear and ran over to Julie who was trying to put a cardigan on her. "Look! It's the man from the photographs," she said as Julie laughed.

"What man?" she asked before she looked up at a wide eyed Kuon. She paused as she saw the fear throughout his body and how he was completely stuck. What on earth was happening? "Ku-"

Kuon quickly got to his feet and before he could listen to another word he had run off, he was unable to think about this, unable to comprehend.

"Kuon!" Kyoko called after him, she looked back at Julie and quickly bowed. "I'm so sorry Hizuri-san, I really wanted to meet you but I have to make sure that Kuon is okay," she said as Julie nodded looking very guilty about everything.

"You're Kyoko aren't you?" she asked as the auburn haired girl nodded and then tried to run to catch up with her fiancé. What on earth was going on here? It was true that Kuon hadn't come back for eight years but there had to be another explanation other than the obvious one that he had a sister his parents had never told him about.

As Kyoko passed the car she jumped in, knowing that it might be easier to catch him and then they could go to the hotel room to talk. She had no idea how to console him over this. She just wanted to be his support and after a shocking blow like this, he needed her support.

….

….

Katarina meanwhile looked up at her mother. Other than that man being the one in multiple photographs throughout the house, she had no idea who he was. She had always heard that he was someone important to her parents that she would hopefully meet one day. She hadn't known that he would just turn up when she was playing.

"Mommy," she asked with her wide eyes, "Who was that man? He's the one from the pictures, right?"

Julie took a deep breath in. "Katarina," she said as she held her daughter close to her. "Please don't ask too many questions right now, I know this is going to be hard to take in, but that man is your older brother. Remember how you always asked me for a sibling?"

Katarina nodded, "but I wanted to be the older one," she said before looking at her mother. "Will he come back?"

Julie sighed, "I hope so, I really do hope so and if that happens, we have to be very welcoming and understanding. We want him to feel that he's a part of our family, right?" she asked as Katarina nodded. She was extremely confused about why her mommy and daddy had kept this a secret from her and it seemed from that man, her big brother, as well.