A/N: Couldn't leave you guys hanging in good conscience, so here you go. Not sure if I will make this the last chapter or not. *wink*
Chapter 7: Ice Cream & Wildfires
Maria sat squirming in her seat in the little ice cream parlour with a look that told him she had something important to say, something he was going to regret hearing, but she looked like she needed to get it off her chest. Kuon sighed. "Alright Maria... What did you want to say." He asked defeatedly. And this is only day two. He groused inwardly.
"Kuon-sama..." She whispered as she stared at the little bowl of strawberry ice cream in front of her. "I wanted to apologize for trying to fix things between you and Onee-sama. I didn't know that you didn't love her. I was just trying to help. She helped me understand that you are grown up and you get to decide who you love. I'm very sorry. Please don't be mad at me."
Kuon let out an inaudible groan. "I'm not mad at you Maria and I do love your Onee-sama. Things are just a little... complicated." He explained.
"I don't understand... All you have to do is apologize and tell her the truth. Is she not more important than that other girl?... Oh... I guess I really don't understand." She stopped herself from saying any more than she'd already said.
"Maria... I don't love Morizumi-san. That ring I gave her was just a thank you gift." He explained. How many times do I have to say this?
"But it was a Promise Ring... Didn't you know that when you put it on her pinkie?" She asked innocently.
"I..." He thought back to the day he had done it. I suppose, I did know. His brow furrowed and he frowned. I kind of knew deep down. He hung his head and buried his face in his hands. "I love Kyoko... I don't know why I did that." He confessed to himself quietly. "I honestly don't know what I was thinking." He said sadly as his head sunk to the table with his arm cradling it. "I wish I could go back and take everything back. She's right, I'm a no-good playboy, that plays with women's hearts. I don't deserve someone as wonderful as her. Why am I even here? Did I actually believe I was worthy of her? At least Fuwa was honest about being an ass." He chuckled wryly forgetting the little girl that was witness to his confession. "Even Kijima was honest about his intentions toward her and I... I chased him off. She might have actually had the chance for someone to tell her they loved her and I took that away without telling her honestly, as myself that I loved her. Why did I do that? Why did I pretend to be her fairy prince when I told her? Why couldn't I just say, Kyoko... I Kuon Hizuri am madly in love with you?" He groaned into the table with his eyes closed and the feel of the cold metal on his skin, then heard the sound of a paper bag filled with a carton of fresh ice cream hit the floor. He looked up to find a golden-eyed blonde staring at him with wide eyes.
She swallowed the thick lump in her throat and Maria watched quietly. "Is this true?" She whispered. This was something that she hadn't expected. She came in to get her ice cream and saw them sitting at the little table. Neither had seen her and she was prepared to take advantage of the fact by leaving as quietly as she had entered, at least until she heard his heart-felt confession.
He nodded his head silently.
She backed away from the little table and picked up her lost purchase. She watched as he fell to his knees, placed his hands and forehead on the cold tile and sat prone before her. She heard the gasps of the surrounding patrons of the little shop as she stared in horror at what he was doing. "Kuon! Get up... Please." She whispered harshly.
Maria gasped.
"No... Not until I have apologized properly for all of the horrible things I've done to you and put you through." He spoke into the cold tile.
"Kuon for the love of all that is holy, please get up. This is certainly not necessary." She begged, blushing and hiding her eyes.
And then he began as both girls watched with mouths agape in stunned submission.
"I Kuon Hizuri... Owe Kyoko Mogami-sama a deepest and heartfelt apology for all of the wrongs I have committed against her in the past and present. I lied to her about my identity from the day we met. I mislead her about my intentions and feelings. She had the right to know that I love her with all of my heart and soul and every fiber of my being. I frightened her when she wanted to do nothing but help me. I left her open to the bad intentions of another person, that knowingly used her feelings against her. And I jealously chased away prospective suitors and ruined her chances to find someone that she loved. I made her feel unloved and unwanted and nothing could be further from the truth. I am so sorry Mogami-sama... Please forgive me." He finished and peeked up to find a teary-eyed pixie staring down at him.
All anyone else would see was a tall, young, blond, male with green eyes on the floor babbling something in Japanese to the beautiful Actress/Model that had recently been featured in three men's magazines and said young woman with a small smile and tears streaming down her perfect ivory cheeks. Which from beginning to end, would minutes later spread to the internet like wildfire.
"Kuon... Please get up." She knelt down and ran her fingers through his diamond colored soft locks. "Kuon... I forgive you... Please get up." She softly begged.
He rose to his knees and quickly pulled her to him in a hug, kissing her cheek. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... I'm sorry about everything... I love you so much my sweet Kyoko...I didn't mean to hurt you." He whispered to the initially stiff girl that was now relaxing into him.
Maria patted Kuon and Kyoko on the shoulders. "Onee-sama... I think we should leave." She pointed out that they were being watched.
Kyoko giggled while wiping her tears and sighed. "I suppose you're right." She held up her bag of ice cream that was starting to soften. She nodded to Kuon and took Maria's hand. "I think we should continue this at home." She told the pair. "In private."
By the time they reached Kyoko's apartment two cell phones were ringing mercilessly. Neither wanted to answer for fear of who was on the other end.
Maria skipped to Ruto's room to ask him to take her to the park for awhile and after the conversation with Lory he welcomed the break.
Kyoko stood in her kitchen after putting away the softened ice cream and finally answered.
"MO! What the hell, Kyoko? Things certainly don't happen to you in halves do they? Couldn't you guys at least have waited until you were home for that display? You're all over the internet!" Kanae scolded with the news.
"Moko-san? What do you mean?" Kyoko asked in confusion.
"Oh my god, Kyoko! Kuon Hizuri's confession and apology to Japan's #1 Sweetheart! Congratulations by the way, on that new title." She grumbled.
Kyoko's eyes went wide. She ran to her bedroom and booted up her laptop.
~xoxo~
In The Living Room:
Kuon hesitantly pressed the accept button on his phone and cautiously held it to his ear.
"Jeez! What the hell, Kuon!? You certainly don't do things by halves do you!? Couldn't you have at least waited until you were in private to drop into dogeza for your apology and confession? You're all over the internet!" Lory railed.
"Boss... What do you mean?" Kuon asked in confusion.
"Dear lord, Kuon! It's all over the internet... Kuon Hizuri... Missing son of Kuu... Publicly Apologizes and Confesses to Actress and Model Kyouko... Japan's #1 Sweetheart! Congratulations by the way... I didn't know you had it in you." Lory chuckled. "Now... We have other things to discuss when you get back in four days. I'll let Yashiro-kun know. Enjoy the rest of your vacation." Lory ended the call and Kuon sat of the sofa, stunned.
"Eek!" Kyoko squealed.
Kuon quickly sprung from his seat and ran to the bedroom to check on her. "Kyoko? Are you okay?" He cautiously opened her bedroom door to find her sitting on the floor hyperventilating. "Breathe, breathe." He took her phone from her.
"MO! Kyoko! What's going on?" Kanae asked in panic.
Kuon brought the phone to his ear and answered. "Kotonami-san... Can I have her call you back?"
"Tsuruga-san? What are you doing there? I thought she was with Kuon Hizuri..." She asked him even more confused than before.
"I'll explain later when I get back. Is it okay if I have Kyoko call you back?" He asked again.
"Yeah... Okay... make sure she calls me back as soon as she can." Kanae hung up.
"Kyoko? What happened? Are you alright?" He asked with worry.
She pointed to the web page on her little laptop that was sitting on her bed as if she were pointing to a crime scene. It was a cell phone video of everything that had happened not even an hour ago. It was titled. "Kuon Hizuri Apologizes & Confesses To The Goddess of Japan, Kyouko!" It was one of the many that popped up and already had almost a million hits and still counting. The comment section was already filled with hundreds of positive comments about the couple. Their ship had been launched whether they wanted it to sail or, not.
Sadly for poor Ren Tsuruga, he would not be sailing on that tide of affection. Kuon Hizuri had claimed her in front of the world and she had acknowledged his claim. The Kyouko, Japan's newest #1 Sweetheart, was now off the market after only 4 days of carrying that particular title. Male and a few female hearts, across the land were breaking as they sat in her bedroom cuddling on the floor. Cuddling and continuing where they had left off in the ice cream shop as Ruto and Maria took dinner in the park and discussed their favorite couple's future.
