Chapter 2

Why was he here? He knew that she hated him or, was it just the cold indifference that was washing over him now? Whatever it was he was standing in front of her dressing room door at the studio where the final scenes for her movie were being shot.

He gently knocked on the ominous door decorated with a large gold star and the word Kyoko under it.

"Enter." A calm female voice granted entrance and he obliged.

She looked up at the tall disguised male in her doorway. "Oh... It's you." She said emotionlessly. "How can I help you Tsuruga-san?"

"Kyoko, I..." He started and she cut him off holding up her hand for him to stop.

"I would prefer Mogami-san, if you don't mind. I'm not comfortable with my name coming from your mouth at the moment." She informed him.

He swallowed. "Mogami-san, I wanted you to know how sorry I am."

She stood quietly and pulled her costume from her rack and started to undress. "I have to get ready if you don't mind." She told him. "If you're looking for forgiveness... I feel nothing. Go talk to your little tabloid whores in LA. Maybe you can find comfort with them to ease your conscience. As for me? I couldn't possibly care any less than I do at this very moment." She held tightly to her mask.

He stepped closer to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Kyoko please listen to me."

She shot him a deadly glare as she shook off his hand and pulled on her blouse. "Look Hizuri-san, this is neither the time or, the place to discuss any of this. If you are doing this for your ego then leave. If for some fucked up reason you want to see your son before you run off to Kami knows where for three more years with no contact, then you can forget it. I won't allow my son to be abandoned like I was and left to think that he has no one. If you think for some strange reason that you wish to show me love and affection, you would only be wasting your time. I don't have the time or, the patience for it and I don't need any more scars." She told him as she sat at her makeup mirror and applied more cover-up to her neck and forearms.

"I am not leaving here without discussing this with you Kyoko." He was getting irritated from being rebuffed time and again. This was worse than she was with Fuwa. He was going to need a hell of a lot longer than the week he had been given for this.

She hung her head in thought. She looked at him through the mirror. "Fine. I'm willing to at least listen to your excuses."

"I'll wait for you." He told her as he stepped out of her dressing room and closed the door.

Deep inside of a lonely ice fortress, a heart encased in iron pulsed once and a small crack could be seen.

Lory looked up at Ruto then back at the planner that sat before him on his desk. He took a long drink of the gold liquid that tingled on its way down. "Is there any way we can give him more time?"

"I'm not certain Takarada-sama. I'll look over it again. Yashiro-san is very efficient when scheduling her." He answered looking over his own copy of Kyoko's itinerary.

"We need to find him more time. Somehow I think that he may be the only one that can clean up this mess. Kuon-chan deserves to know his father and Kyoko needs him, whether she wants to admit it or, not." Lory told him.

"Takarada-sama, after all she's been through... You aren't thinking of interfering, are you?" Ruto asked with worry.

Lory shook his head. "No... He's on his own this time. I'm only going to try and give him the time he needs. The rest is up to them."

"Cut!" The director called out. "Thank you Kyoko-san, wonderful job!" He beamed. "Perfect as usual."

"Thank you Sir. It's always a pleasure working with you. I'll see you in four months for the reading on the other one." She gave him her professional smile and bowed regally.

"Of course! I'm looking forward to it. Oh! I got you a little something to show my appreciation." He pulled out a small, long, black velvet box and gave it to her.

She opened it to find a diamond tennis bracelet and smiled. "Thank you sir."

He smiled. "Hurry along, your guest is waiting."

She nodded and left for her dressing room with Ren following her. "Was it really necessary for you to wait on me like a lost dog?" She bit out.

He bit his cheek. I deserved that. "No, but how else am I supposed to discuss things with you if I can't locate you?"

"Hmm... Didn't seem to bother you for the last three years. Don't see why it would now." She commented as she entered her dressing room and pulled out her phone.

He started to comment.

She held up her hand to stop him as she pressed her phone to her ear. "Ah... Maria. I'm finished. I'll be by to pick up Kuon in about 20 minutes... Yes... Mmhmm... Well, go ahead and let him have it. You know how much he can eat. It won't spoil his appetite... I know... Yes... I'll see you then. Bye." She stored her phone in her bag and grabbed her street clothes. She stripped and dressed as Ren sat on her sofa staring at the floor. "I have to pick up Kuon. We'll be having dinner at my place." She informed him as she started removing her makeup.

His eyes went wide as the makeup remover revealed a long scar across her throat and large zig-zag scars across her forearms. "Kyoko..." He stood and quickly stood behind her, staring at the glaring marks on her pristine skin. "Did you..."

"Don't be ridiculous!" She hissed. "Reino did this after he raped me." She laughed. "Sho and Kanae are the only two that know. Well, I guess you now too." She commented casually as though she were talking about the weather.

Ren's eyes turned dark and deadly.

"Oh... Give it up. Sho took care of him a long time ago." She brushed it off. "Made himself think he was owed something from me for it." She laughed. "Lucky for Reino that Kuon was okay or, he'd be dead instead of a eunuch. Yuki thinks I tried to commit suicide. So melodramatic." There was so much pain behind those golden orbs staring back at him through the mirror.

He spun her around and wrapped his arms around her tightly.

She stood stiffly. "Please... don't do that." She choked out. It hurts... "I need to pick up my son." She quickly regained her composure as Ren fought the burning sensation behind his eyes.

He pulled away and nodded.

The crack grew larger and a soft glow was emitted.

At 5 pm a queen arrived at the LME playroom of Maria Takarada to retrieve her toddling fairy prince with a remorseful black knight at her back.

Maria looked up and noticed the tall man behind her Onee-sama and scowled. "Onee-sama... Um, I made sure he only ate from the bento you left for him, but I think he's still hungry. He's been really good today." She tickled the toddler as he giggled and ran to his mother.

"Thank you Maria." She smiled softly and startled Ren with her change. She kissed the little imp and held him tightly. "Of course you're still hungry."

"Fishes Mama, Fishes!" He squealed and squirmed in her arms, then planted a cute baby kiss on her cheek.

She giggled and kissed him back. "Yes Sweetie, Mama will cook fish for you tonight." She cooed as Ren's heart melted while watching her.

"Do you need me tomorrow Onee-sama?" Maria asked sweetly hoping to watch her favorite person tomorrow.

"No... I have the day off. Kuon and I still have packing for Australia to do." She informed her as they turned to head out of Maria's office.

Maria smiled. "Alright... I'll see you later." She waved to Kyoko as she breezed past Ren and left to meet her grandfather.