AUTHOR'S NOTE: Just a quick bit from me. I meant to get this up faster, but work's been kicking my butt and I've got deadlines for other things to make. I'm going to try and get as much of this done today and up as possible. Please forgive me if there are any massive typos and the like. I am reading each chapter as I put it up, but I'm not using my fine-tooth editing comb right now ^^;
Transparent Wings is updating tomorrow as well and I need to go through that too while I'm working on getting this one done today. Thankfully I've got the highlights of Flight 62 together, I just need to fill in what happens in between them.
Thank you for your patience with me!
Across the Sky
Kyoko woke up to light streaming in through her windows and turned to look at the clock that was on the bedside table and her eyes went wide. She never slept past 7 AM and here it was inching towards 11:30! She sprang out of bed and scrambled into her clothing before tumbling down the stairs coming to a halt in the dining room where she saw Kuu and Julie talking quietly to each other over empty dishes.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to sleep so long! And I fell asleep in the middle of your important film…" Kyoko exclaimed and dropped into dogeza, "please forgive me I shouldn't have…"
Kuu was there in a moment and urged her up. "Why are you apologizing?" he asked. "You had a long flight yesterday and you're on vacation…"
"But I didn't make breakfast and…" Kyoko began.
"You are on vacation, Kyoko," Julie repeated, glancing at her over the rim of her coffee cup.
"But, I…"
"No buts," Kuu frowned and pointed to a seat at the table. "Sit. What would you like on your omelet?"
He rattled off the ingredients they had on hand and Kyoko stared down at the tablecloth for a moment before answering hesitantly. "I'll make it, you stay right there," Kuu ordered her.
Kyoko did as she was told and Julie put down the paper. "Kuu got a call from his manager today, he has an emergency meeting with one of the production teams for his next film," she said. "We were thinking that while he was in his meeting, he could drop us off to do some shopping and he'd meet up with us afterwards. Would that be all right with you?"
"Yes," Kyoko smiled.
She wouldn't be able to buy very much, but it would be fun to look at what the shops in the US had versus what she saw in the shops in Tokyo.
A few minutes later, Kuu emerged with an omelet and placed it in front of Kyoko with a flourish. "I'm sorry this meeting cropped up during our family vacation," he said, settling back in his seat with another omelet for himself. "I've told him that this is the only one. If anything else comes up it can wait."
"But…" Kyoko began.
Kuu shook his head. "I told them I was on vacation this week," he said. "I shouldn't have agreed to this meeting, but I promise it will be the only one."
Kyoko shook her head. "Don't worry about it."
"Even if you don't worry about it, Kyoko, I will," Julie said. "This is family time."
Kuu gave his wife an apologetic look.
"You shouldn't have picked up that call this morning," Julie said.
"I did it before I realized it," Kuu said. "I'm sorry, honey."
"Tell them I only have three weeks to live and you want to make the most of it," Julie instructed then took another sip from her coffee cup before setting it down. "I'm going to go change clothes. Make sure you wear some comfortable shoes, Kyoko, I'm going to show you all my favorite stores."
"Three weeks…" Kyoko trailed off a horrified look in her eyes as they turned to Kuu.
"She's exaggerating," Kuu reassured her.
"A-all right," Kyoko said hesitantly still worried about Julie's announcement.
They got into Kuu's car, a red sports car Kyoko didn't even think about looking at beyond thinking how flashy it was as she climbed into the back seat. She couldn't talk to the other two much over the wind through the windows and instead watched the landscape flash by as they drove. She paid only half-attention to the conversation going on in the front seat between Julie and Kuu and was startled when she heard her name.
"I'm sorry, what?" Kyoko asked glancing at them.
"We were talking about what to make for dinner tonight so we can stop by the grocery store for ingredients before we go home tonight," Kuu said. "Do you have any suggestions?"
Kyoko shook her head. "Not right now. Whatever you like is good."
"Kyoko," Julie frowned.
"What?" Kyoko asked in confusion.
"It's okay to have an opinion and tell us what you want," Kuu said looking at her through the rear view mirror.
"I really don't have a preference. I've not eaten American food very often," Kyoko said.
"Then maybe cheeseburgers off the grill, salad, and something that looks good from the bakery?" he suggested.
Kyoko smiled shyly. "Sounds good."
They pulled to a stop and Julie and Kyoko got out. Kuu caught Kyoko's arm. "Don't worry Father will be along quickly to carry yours and your mother's bags. I plan to make this one of the quickest production meetings on record."
"Don't be too long dear," Julie smiled. "Or I may just buy out most of the stores."
Kyoko saw the same mischievousness flash across Julie's face as she had the night before when the blond woman suggested "stealing" Kuu's chocolate ice cream and couldn't help but giggle. She paused for a moment and wondered why it seemed familiar and then realized that it was something that Setsuka may have done to Cain Heel had they perpetrated the Heel Siblings further.
Julie was greeted by name when they entered the first store and a salesperson was immediately assigned to assist her. The girl started showing things to Julie and the blond woman held up a hand. "Today, I've come to shop for my daughter," she announced firmly and gestured at Kyoko.
"What?" Kyoko exclaimed her grip tightening on her bag.
Julie smiled. "So what kind of clothes do you like? Is there anything here that appeals to you?"
Kyoko looked around and nearly backed out of the store the moment she took a look at one of the price tags. "Um…I…" she began.
Julie caught her hand as Kyoko yanked back from the price tag. "An actress must have a complete arsenal available at a moment's notice in order to do her job," Julie said. "That arsenal doesn't just include your talent."
"But…" Kyoko began. "I can't…"
Julie grinned. "I can," she said. "Let's shop."
Kyoko found herself caught up in the whirlwind that was Julie Hizuri's shopping expedition and found herself having more fun than she'd had in a long time. They bought clothing and went through some of the other shops and put on silly glasses and scarves making jokes and giggling at each other. Kuu called while they were in the fourth store to tell Julie things were taking longer than he thought he would and he wouldn't be able to join them until later in the afternoon. Julie had pouted at him through the phone while Kyoko stifled a giggle as she noted the humor lighting the other actress's blue eyes.
Throughout the expedition they'd talked about many other things ranging from the things that Kyoko was doing in Japan to the differences between the way the American movie industry worked compared to some of the other industries that Julie worked in. Over the course of their shopping trip, some people recognized Julie and had asked for autographs and pictures which Julie allowed, but for the most part they were left alone. Kyoko eagerly took in Julie's attitude in dealing with the occasional fan and talking to others and added it to the list of things for her to work on perfecting as she reached for the highest star in acting.
Finally they wound their way to a book store and Julie pointed at the café that was inside. "Let's rest for a little while," she suggested. "They have some amazing pastries and their vanilla iced chai is something you shouldn't miss."
Julie picked a table in the back corner and they settled into the booth and started drinking their tea and chatting some more. About halfway through their drink, Julie's soft blue eyes met Kyoko's and she touched the younger girl's hand, drawing her attention. "This has been so much fun, Kyoko," she smiled, "and I've loved hearing about everything in Japan, but, as much as I love hearing about Mr. Tsuruga, Miss Moko, Maria, and Mr. Takarada, there is someone I'm far more interested in getting to know."
"W-who?" Kyoko stuttered.
"I'm really, really interested in Kyoko Mogami," Julie said with a gentle smile. "Can you tell me all about her instead? What does she like? What are her favorite things in the entire world? What kind of books does she read? What kind of dreams does she have? Will you tell me about those instead?"
Kyoko's breath caught and tears flooded her eyes. Julie pulled a handkerchief out of her bag and handed it to Kyoko. "Don't cry," she said. "Hasn't anyone ever asked you that before?"
"I, um…" Kyoko's voice choked off and she took a deep breath. "No, not really…"
Tsuruga-san, Moko, and the others had talked to her sometimes about that sort of thing, but none of them had ever pushed directly for answers, respecting her wish to keep the past in the past.
"Then tell me everything," Julie said. "I want to hear all of it. I'd like to get to know my daughter the way I eventually hope to get to know my son again."
Kyoko choked up again, but managed to eventually start answering the beautiful woman's questions.
