AN: Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy this chapter 😊
Chapter Seven - Sons
"Kyoko," Kuu said weakly as he looked at his daughter in law half an hour later, "Maybe you should just go, it might be easier getting whatever it is you need to get taken care of taken care of and then coming back. I'm sure that I can handle him," Kuu tried to persuade the somewhat stubborn woman.
Kyoko took a look back at Kuu and shook her head, "I can't leave you to handle all of this alone, Father." She said and then looked down. "I just wish that Sean would go away and Kuon would come back. I'm sure that you'd be able to handle the younger Kuon just fine but this jerk," she said since Sean was out of ear shot.
Kuu looked down. "I've had fights with Kuon before when he was a kid, I'm sure that those negative feelings are what Sean is made up of," Kuu tried to reassure her but Kyoko still felt uncomfortable leaving the two of them alone. Kuu was their guest and he was family. Of course, both Kuu and Julie loved Kuon unconditionally but Kyoko didn't want to see them treated this way.
"If I leave do you promise to call me immediately if something happens?" Kyoko said as she finally stood up. "If Sean says something truly evil or if he manipulates you, you'll call me, right?" she asked and Kuu nodded.
"It's fine, I'm not as weak a guy as you seem to be trying to make me," Kuu tried to say in a comforting manner. "You remember when we first met and I tried to be a total jerk to you. Making you cook me meals and then throwing it into a bag, you told me that I was acting like someone who was drunk and you were right. I was acting like someone who was drunk."
Kyoko laughed, "and then you let your guard slip and then later on I found out why you had been such a big pain to me," she bowed her head and smiled as she thought back on those treasured memories. "Alright, fine, but I'm telling you, Father, if Sean is a jerk then don't show him any mercy. It's Kuon's body and if you hit it Kuon might come back to face the pain but other than -"
Kuu laughed and shook his head, putting his hands up in protest, "I promise that I am not going to hit my son no matter how big an ass he is," he said as he saw Kyoko getting up to finally leave. Kuu watched her go towards the guest room where Sean was and looked down. It was true, no matter how cold hearted Sean was, Kuon would never hit his son especially his son who had just woken up from a coma after a plane crash and now was stuck in a wheelchair for perhaps the rest of his life.
….
….
"Sean," Kyoko said as she approached the alter, she sat down on the guest bed and waited for his acknowledgment, if that would ever come. "I'm going out now, Kuu-sama's here," she tried to tell him. "Is there anything that you need because if you ask me nicely I might get it for you?"
Sean glared at her, "Like I need someone like you," he said coldly, "Nothing that you can bring me would be good enough in fact the best gift that you can give me is you leaving. First of all, I'm trapped in a wheelchair and then second, I have to deal with someone like you. You make my life an agony," he spat at her and Kyoko rolled her eyes.
"One day you'll treat me with respect," she said before looking away. She grabbed a notebook before writing down a note and then ripping the page out. She showed it to him. "I'm going to give this to Kuu-sama," she said hoping that by repeating Kuu's name like that, Sean might actually show him some respect – a hard thing to ask for.
Sean looked at the paper and rolled his eyes, "Okay," he said bitterly. "Go ahead and give it to him," he told her as Kyoko nodded and stood. On the paper were only a few words but Kyoko felt that they were very important to keep reminding her husband if he came out.
Kuon,
Remember that I love you unconditionally.
Your Kyoko
…..
…..
After Kyoko had left, Kuu approached the guest room and considerately knocked on the door before walking over to the bed. "Hi," he said as he held out his hand. "I'm Kuu Hizuri," he said politely as Sean stared at him and then looked away.
"I know who the hell you are," he told him but Kuu shook his head.
"I don't think you understand, Sean. I'm not introducing myself again because I think you're stupid or forgetful, I'm introducing myself because -"
"You want to make a fresh start?" Sean asked as he raised an eyebrow, "Why do I need a crappy father like you? You don't know how much hatred Kuon feels towards you. You're a pain in my ass so why don't you go away."
Kuu sighed and then looked down, "Do you have that impression of me or just Kuon?" he asked. He knew that Sean was lying at him to get under his skin and Kuu wouldn't let him, but he did feel a need to ask these questions. He knew that Kuon didn't feel that way. It just hurt that he was being told that by his son's body.
"I dunno, guess I haven't given you much thought, that Kyoko keeps telling me that I'm not worth much 'cause I'm kinda an alter and she loves you and respects you and so does Kuon," he said before looking down and making a fist. "Damn it"
Kuu smiled as he saw underneath Sean's hard coating for a brief moment.
"I might be Kuon's father, but I know how he feels despite you wanting to try to convince me differently and you might be a secondary personality but that doesn't make what you're feeling and thinking less valid. I'm not here to try to oppress you or get rid of you, I'd rather you made your own opinions about that," Kuu looked down and closed his eyes.
"Tell me that you wouldn't be getting to know me if I wasn't in your son's body," Sean challenged him.
Kuu opened his eyes, "I can't tell you that. Sean, you've never had a true existence have you. You've never really experienced a life before of your own so you will be surrounded by Kuon's friends and family but fortunately there are many people who care about him. I'm here because you are in Kuon's body and you get leniency for that. I'm not here to talk to Kuon though, I'm here to talk to you."
Sean looked at him surprised, masking a bit of hope that came from hearing that, "Why? Aren't you just going to try to trigger me to be Kuon?"
"Now that doesn't seem healthy," Kuu said as he thought it through. "Kuon will come back when he comes back, but I don't think forcing him out helps. I'd like to get to know you. You're right, I've made some huge mistakes in my parenting but that doesn't mean that I'm not working towards learning my son and supporting him in his life." Kuu looked down as he turned his hand over and studied the lines. "I have a lot of time that I have to make up for, a lot of time that I let my son suffer alone. However, I'm sure there are things that you have done or said even in this short time that you don't want to carry with you."
Sean looked down, "Well, Kyoko's okay. I've been giving her too tough of a time, but it doesn't excuse her," he argued.
Kuu nodded, "I'll talk with her about it. You know, I know this might sound obvious but Kuon had a period where he was just as defensive as you are, he wouldn't let anyone in. I still loved him and I think, if you'll let me call you another son, I'll love you too."
Sean stared at him with hope in his eyes and a weak smile, "Really? You'd do that? Even someone as angry as me."
"It's what being a father is, it's what being a parent is," Kuu told him. "I'll speak to Kyoko. I think she's just upset that she almost lost Kuon, but if you really care about being one of my sons then try to give her an easier time. If you treat her with the respect that she's asking you to, I have faith that she'll want to get to know you and she'll care about you."
Sean nodded. "Thanks, K—Dad" he tried to say and Kuu nodded.
"Any time," he saw something flash in Sean's eyes and then his eyes widened and Kuu saw him look at him with a sigh.
"Hi, Dad" he told him in his Californian accent and Kuu continued to smile.
"Hey, Kuon. How are you feeling?" he asked, "Anything I can get for you?"
"Maybe something to eat," Kuon shrugged, "Who was I just now?"
"You've been Sean for the past hour or just under an hour…something like that," Kuu replied before putting a hand on his son's shoulder and giving it a light and supportive squeeze, "Nothing to worry about though. I think we're getting a better understanding of him and Kuon, if you want food you've come to the right person."
Kuon nodded before watching his father, he was very glad that he had his parents support despite the alters that kept appearing. He knew that his loved ones would never treat him as a freak.
….
….
Kyoko didn't like this. First of all she didn't like being away from Kuon's side. Maybe it could be seen as her being clingy or too dependent on her husband, but she didn't want to leave him in a comatose state even for a second. What if he woke up and didn't understand why she wasn't there? Secondly, she didn't like how the president had insisted that she speak with a therapist because of his fear that she couldn't face the impacts of reality.
This was pointless. She was able to take care of herself and she didn't need to talk to anyone especially those who would bring up the subject of the possibility of Kuon passing away. She would deal with that if it happened, but it wasn't going to happen. She wouldn't let it happen.
"Hi," the therapist smiled as she looked across at Kyoko and saw her tense position. "My name is Sachiko Tanagawa and I hope it will be comforting to know that I'm actually a therapist for celebrities. I have the highest privacy and confidentiality orders and I'm glad that I got to meet with you today."
Kyoko looked down and nodded. She didn't want to be disrespectful but she also didn't want to be here. She wrapped her arms around herself.
"So, Takarada-san has given me some information on why he wanted to set up this meeting between the two of us, but I'd like to know from you why we're here."
Kyoko stared at her before looking down, "Kuon," she said before feeling the tears in her eyes.
"So, you need to talk about your husband?" Sachiko asked as Kyoko looked away from her. "Everyone knows that Kuon Hizuri is a big star and everyone knows about the pla-"
"I want him awake," Kyoko whispered as she closed her eyes and shivered, "I want him here with me." She couldn't keep herself from breaking down and Sachiko reached out and passed her a packet of tissues. "I want Kuon," she whispered and Sachiko nodded.
Already they were making progress.
"Is there one thing that you miss most?" she dared to ask as Kyoko dabbed at her eyes.
"His smile, the way his whole face lights up when he smiles, his emerald eyes when he's happy," she said without even needing to think about it. She just missed that blinding smile that appeared whenever he was truly happy.
AN 2:
Thank you to everyone who continues to support this story no matter which ways you chose to. Thank you to AmbersAndEmerals, NoLifePrincessAlura, and Rashel Shiru, for favoriting and/or following this story since the last chapter. Nobody reviewed last chapter so no special shout outs but I do love writing this regardless. I do have to say that I love the username AmbersAndEmeralds though 😊
