Originally posted 1/8/2013 by Elizabeth Carpenter. No Beta was utilized, thus all mistakes are those of the author. All characters, unless otherwise stated, are owned by the author of Skip Beat! Nakamura Yoshiki-sensei. This is simply fanfiction. Constructive criticism is welcomed. Updates will be posted as time allows, but at least one update should be present a week. My apologies to anyone who got an alert to last chapter only to realize they had already read it-I was trying to simply add in a scene that was misplaced in my notes and wound up having to delete the chapter and repost it. In case you did not notice, that scene was the one where Kyoko's angels-yes, in my story she does not have grudges, because she does not have a burning desire for revenge-lock away her heart. Additionally, I noticed after that update I have for some reason been having Kuu call Kyoko with –san. Not sure where my mind was on that one, but before I post chapter four I will fix it so please think nothing of it if I manage to accidentally send out another redundant alert. For today, I apologize in advance for the flashbacks and dialogue, but they are necessary for the progression of the story. One more chapter like this, and I hope to be able to cut back on them significantly. Many thanks to all the reviewers, as well as those who have already marked this story for alerts/favorites; I find myself completely floored by the confidence placed in me by those who have marked me as an alert/favorite author particularly.

Chapter Three: Remembering Lost Lessons

Kyoko nervously glanced up at Kuu as they ate the meal she had prepared at his family home. Honestly, when he told her how much food was needed she had wondered how much company they would be having. Now, observing Kuu happily consume fifty servings of miso soup, grilled fish, and sushi, her own stomach was starting to hurt. Still, she was happy to observe the food disappearing before her eyes; she was at least able to have some use.

"Well? Mogami-chan? Are you ever going to begin telling me how, exactly, it is that I came to find you so upset?" Kuu had withheld his curiosity fairly well while they were in public, but now that there was no one to overhear what she had to say-or recognize the legendary actor-he could no longer restrain himself.

Kyoko's eyes widened and her heart twisted painfully. Quietly, she asked, "Must I?"

"Eventually, yes, I would ask that you please do. I really cannot leave such a young girl as yourself in such obvious distress without some explanation as to what landed you in that position. For now, though, I might be appeased with another explanation instead. How on earth do you know my son?!" Kuu was disappointed that she would not yet open up about her difficulties, but he resolved to allow her time to process things on her own. Meanwhile, he really did want to find out the miraculous connection that seemed to exist between his Kuon and Kyoko. Really, what a strange set of coincidences must have occurred.

"Hai, of course!" Kyoko brightened considerably with the change in topic. Besides, she loved talking about Corn, er, Kuon; several of her fondest memories happened in those few short days she had known him. Before that, though-

"Hizuri-san?"

"Un?"

"Are you really Japanese? Because, really, one must use proper honorifics. Honestly, you are as bad as your son, only in reverse! You can call me Kyoko-chan, considering I am much younger than you and in no way rank above you."

Dumbfounded at being scolded and coached in proper honorific use by a girl younger than his own son, Kuu could only respond, "Of course," and grab at the first piece of readily understandable information about Kyoko's relationship with his son she had offered. "So, he tried to call you by name?" Kuu inquired while gesturing at the last portion of sushi that was left untouched.

"Arigatou, but it is yours, Hizuri-san. And yes, moments after we first met he tried to call me Kyoko. I had to stop him then and there and remind him to call me Kyoko-chan!" Kyoko smiled in remembrance. "Ah, well, I suppose I should begin at the beginning. I was upset because my grades weren't good enough, causing me to be scolded by okaa-san…"

Eyes streaming, Kyoko raced down the path towards the stream. 'Mustn't let Sho-chan see me, he won't know what to do and will feel bad, but I can't hold it in any longer!' the young Kyoko had already grown enough to recognize what that frozen expression on Sho's face meant. Birds and small animals all around scattered in the path of the child until she finally arrived at a tall tree and collapsed. Loud, aching sobs echoed around as Kyoko let it all out. Suddenly, she heard a noise and turned towards it.

At this point, Kyoko started chuckling. Kuu looked at her bewilderedly. 'Will I never understand this child? What is so funny?' Just as Kyoko gained control of herself, she caught sight of Kuu's face and burst into laughter once more. "H-Hizuri-san," she gasped, "you really shouldn't make that face; I'll never stop laughing!"

"Well, then quit doing incomprehensible things! Kyoko-chan, if you are just going to randomly start to chuckle to yourself, you really must let others in on the joke," Kuu gently chastised.

"Un! Of course. Gomenasai, Hizuri-san. It's just, I finally realized that it wasn't so much that your son told me he was a fairy, as I just assumed it. He just never corrected me. You see, when I saw him flip across the stream, much as you did, and the sun flickered off his blonde hair…he looked for all the world like a fairy, flying across the stream and enjoying nature. I called him "Fairy-san" until he introduced himself, and then I mistakenly called thought he said his name was Corn. Of course, I already told you after that he tried to call me Kyoko. It really is quite eerie how similar my meetings with you two were. No wonder I mistook you for him at first."

"When did all this happen, Kyoko-chan? I suppose it could have only been on that last trip; how old were you?" Kuu was still trying to put together a timeframe.

"Eh, well, I was about six years old at the time. I am fifteen now…so about nine years ago? In any case, Kuon and I met several times out near that stream, and he helped me a lot. When he had to go, I asked about a way to keep in touch, but he said our worlds were too far apart. Naturally, I thought he meant the fairy world. I suppose Hollywood is close enough, though…" Kyoko's eyes glazed over as her thoughts drifted to those few happy days.

"That little rascal! He never said a word, though he did seem inexplicably happier than normal for that short time period," Kuu couldn't believe his beloved son had kept his friend a secret.

"Oh, well, it probably didn't mean a great deal to him, but he was the only friend I ever had besides Sho-chan. I was so upset when he had to leave, but he gave me this," here Kyoko pulled out her Corn stone, "and told me it was magic and could absorb whatever bad feelings I had. It might not be a fairy stone like I thought, but it has brought me a lot of comfort over the years. Whenever I feel sad, I come to the streamside and concentrate on this stone."

Kuu had at last finished eating, and now just sat back and watched the play of emotions across Kyoko's face. "Who is Sho-chan?"

The sky outside remained clear, though the sun was setting. The birds continued chirping. But, despite all this, one truly terrifying storm began brewing at the question. Not a storm of fierce thunder and lightning, but rather one of torrential downpours. Kyoko's face played the theater for the storm in mere seconds, while a dumbstruck Kuu observed in horrified fascination. "That's…related to why I was upset. Can we skip that for now?"

'Hmph. Really, I would rather not. But, quite honestly I am a bit scared what face she might show if I forced her to discuss it right now. So, I suppose Sho-chan will have to remain a mystery.' "Alright then, for now we can let that drop. At least I know how you and Kuon knew one another now. What were you saying about me tearing his wings, though?"

Kyoko blushed. "Go-Gomenasai," she stooped to bow several times, only just being stopped by Kuu before going into a full dogeza.

"It's fine, it's fine, Kyoko-chan, I just want to understand. What did you mean by that?"

"Eh, it is something Kuon told me. He talked about his father, the Fairy King. How he was great at everything, and how he loved him so much. But, Kuon said that he couldn't get out from his father's hands; they were just too big. Kuon's own wings kept getting caught in his father's hands, so he couldn't fly. I would get mad, but he just smiled and said it couldn't be helped, that it wasn't your fault. He would just have to grow big enough to get out on his own."

Kyoko had been so caught up in recounting what she had been told she had neglected to pay attention to her audience of one, but as she did so now she was shocked. Tears fell down in face in parallel columns, eyes widened so they seemed to take over his entire face, and the normally jovial Kuu seemed to be in the depths of despair. "Hizuri-san!" Kyoko cried in alarm, "Are you okay?!"

"Okay? How could I ever be okay? My handsome, smart, humble, talented," Kuu continued on for some time, while Kyoko, with a slightly taken aback face, considered, 'oya-baka,' "…son was forced to move away and reinvent himself after getting mentally scarred…and it's all my fault! My own shadow was just too strong! Oh, Kuon! If I had only known sooner! At that age-only ten-and you were already struggling so much!" Kuu continued to work himself up more and more, until at last Kyoko had had enough.

Splash! Silence. Water dripped down Kuu's face as he stared in amazement at the girl who had dared to dump cold water all over one of the legendary Japanese actors and top Hollywood actors of all time. "Finished? Good. Now, Hizuri-san, could you please explain yourself? Where is Kuon? What's going on!"

Kuu wiped his face of the tear remnants and water that stained it. "It seems, Kyoko, that he never did get away from my hands. He…well, the story isn't mine to tell. Nevertheless, he got hurt. Not physically, but hurt nonetheless. A friend came and helped him reinvent himself, but Kuon…I'm afraid there towards the last he felt like he had nothing to offer anyone. His existence didn't matter. Of course, that is all utter nonsense, but he lived in my shadow for so long. Then, after that incident occurred, he hated himself even more. Now, he is lost to me and Julie until, in his own words, he has 'surpassed' me."

Kuu broke down again. "Surpass me?! But, it might take years longer! No! I have been without my son for four years already! Ach, but I must be strong. He will come back to me. And if he doesn't, my beloved Julie will drag him back forcefully!"

Kyoko had been silent all this while, but she finally spoke up. "He…thought he didn't have worth? He said that?"

"Eh? Not exactly. More that he thought his worth was easily surpassed by the amount of hurt he caused others, I think? Again, baka! I just want my son back! He doesn't have to be any certain way or be better than me; he has his own path to take and place to make!" Kyoko was barely listening, though. Her mind had already went back, for the umpteenth time that evening, to that brief time period nine years ago.

Kyoko played with a stick in the water as she and Corn talked. "Corn-san? Do you ever wonder what you're here for? Like, why you matter?"

"My worth, you mean? Of course. Don't we all wonder why we are here sometimes?" As usual, Corn seemed so much more mature than anyone his age should be.

"H-hai! But, for you it is obvious, ne? You are the fairy prince! So, you will one day take the Fairy King's place," Kyoko smiled happily; for her, it was a simple fairy tale come to life.

Corn smiled slightly, though Kyoko's young eyes missed the painful glint to the otherwise beatific gaze. "I suppose so. What about you, Kyoko? What is your worth?"

"My worth?" Kyoko stopped her playing for a while, getting more and more quiet. Finally, she spoke. "I wish it was to make others happy. But, I can't do anything right. I try so hard, but look at me! You saw me crying the other day; I can't get a perfect score to make okaa-san happy. I try to make Sho-chan happy, but somehow I screw that up all the time, too. I have no worth, really."

Corn had been simply watching Kyoko as he leaned against the tree, but watching her stare into the water he suddenly moved over next to her and stooped down. "Kyoko-" he started,

"Kyoko-chan! Really, Corn-san, you must get your honorifics correct!" Kyoko interrupted.

"Arigatou, Kyoko-chan, I will remember from now on. As I was saying, before, though, there is something you need to realize. Kyoko-chan, everyone has worth. From the least significant ant to the greatest whale out there, everything has a place and its own importance. We are no different. You have worth, but you can't take advantage of it until you recognize it. Until you acknowledge your own strengths and talents, of course you can't take advantage of them. So, pay closer attention, eh?" Corn lightly bopped Kyoko's chin up and grinned at her, trying to lighten the suddenly heavy atmosphere.

Kyoko's face lit up with undisguised delight, as a tiny seed of belief was planted in her heart. "Hai!" she happily agreed."

"-ko-chan? Kyoko-chan? Are you okay?" Kuu was worried; Kyoko hadn't responded in some time.

"Eh? Ah, gomenasai, Hizuri-san. I am fine, just remembering something Kuon told me. Hizuri-san, Kuon may have been confused, but he knows he has a place in life. In fact," Kyoko smiled suddenly, "I think I may know where he learned it from. Hizuri-san, tell me, if I told you I had no worth in life what would you say to me?"

Kuu looked at Kyoko strangely. "Why do you think I got so upset listening to you scream out? I don't like to hear such similar things to what Kuon said! It is ridiculous! You baka, listen up before I flick your forehead! Everyone has worth! We all have our own place in this world, big or small. We may trip or stumble along the way, but we all have a role to play. If you insist you don't have worth, that you don't have value or a place in life, then I tell you now you simply don't realize it! Find and acknowledge your place in life. You have worth, but you must recognize it before you can utilize it."

Pffft! 'Father and son really are alike! Back flips, blonde hair, honorifics, and cheering me up…so much these two share. Kuon will be okay. He knows in his heart he has a place. He just needs to get the courage to grab it. Meanwhile, I better say something before I get scolded for laughing to myself again!' Indeed, Kyoko was once again being subjected to Kuu's wounded eyes.

"Forgive me, Hizuri-san. You proved my point. Kuon will be fine; he learned from you well. He once told me the same thing you just did. He knows the answer in his heart, even if he has yet to fully embrace it," Kyoko stated confidently.

"Hai? Well, good then. You should learn it too, especially if you've already been told once before. Now, do you think you feel up to telling me what landed you on the stream side this time?" Kuu was more than ready to find out what was wrong in this young girl's life; from her connection with Kuon he already felt close to her and found himself quite angry at the idea something was still causing her pain.

Kyoko smiled once more. Her heart was settled, and after recognizing how similar Kuu and Kuon were she realized how much talking about her problems could help resolve them. Besides, it was getting late. She needed to tell her tale so she could find somewhere to sleep tonight!