I think I've put more time into this chapter than any of the others. It's actually been...
I think four days now? I'm not sure. Time moves so strangely for me, especially while writing.
Anyway, without further ado, chapter 10.
Kuon frowned lightly as his eyes flicked between the girl he loved and their faithful manager. He had been starting to consider telling Yashiro about his mixed lineage, but this was far from a time he would feel comfortable with broaching the subject. Kyoko squirmed lightly in Yashiro's arms and the bespectacled man gently placed her on the ground behind him, making sure to keep himself as a barrier between the two children and glare down at the obviously foreign boy.
"I don't know where you came from, boy, but I suggest you leave this girl alone if you know what's good for you." Yashiro threatened. He didn't particularly enjoy the thought of having to threaten of use force on a child, but desperate times call for desperate measures, and he had just walked in on a very desperate time. He knew taking that call while sending Kyoko out to fetch Ren had potential to go poorly, but this? The girl had been assaulted by some... some boy from who knows where! Most likely a European country, if his bright hair and eyes were anything to go by, but the United States and Canada also had a variety of people. Maybe France? The people are known to be less modest there, if he recalled correctly, kissing as greetings and meetings and whatnot. The kid wasn't responding, so Yashiro started to wonder if he even spoke Japanese. Who was irresponsible enough to leave a foreign child to run around when he didn't even know the language? "Do you not speak Japanese?" The manager tried to ask slowly, though still keeping his eye on the silent boy. The blond kid shifted his gaze to Kyoko who was currently peaking out from behind Yashiro's legs, and the man narrowed his eyes suspiciously, just waiting for the boy to try something. Kyoko hid her face in her hands and Yashiro felt rage boil within him, assuming she was starting to realize just what had happened to her. She must be traumatized! Hoping to console her a bit, he pat the girl's head and gave a soft assurance that he wouldn't let the boy touch her again before shooting another glare at the culprit, making shooing motions with his hands in an attempt to tell the boy he wasn't welcome. The little blond didn't move, frowning up at him defiantly. Yashiro frowned in kind at him disapprovingly before scooping Kyoko up again and starting to walk away, only to stop and spin on the boy when he heard little footsteps following them. "Go on, shoo! I won't warn you again. Get out of here before I have security hand you over to the police station. Where is your guardian? Gau~rdi~an~?" he said slowly and a bit forcefully. The boy frowned deeply and crossed his arms while a couple people passed in the hallway, obviously looking over with confusion at the strange scene. Luckily, no one had stopped and demanded answers yet.
"Yukihito-san, can we please wait until we're somewhere more private for this conversation?" Kuon ground out with a very forced smile. That got the manager to pause, staring at the blond child with bewilderment and uncertainty.
"R-Ren?"
"Actually, I'm going by Haruto for the time being, but the exact name isn't really important at the moment." Kuon stated, still holding his forced smile. Kyoko let out a tiny snort and slapped a hand over her mouth to stifle it as she realized the secret implication of that sentence. She hadn't wanted to give anything away to Yashiro, letting Ren go about the issue of his identity his own way, but she just couldn't help herself when she realized exactly why he had phrased it that way. Yashiro looked to the girl with shock, then back to Kuon, repeating two more times before giving a single slow nod and carefully setting Kyoko back down on the ground. He watched with curiosity and fascination as Kyoko happily walked over and grabbed... Haruto's hand, making Yashiro wonder even more about what exactly was going on. Clearly he was missing something. Was this a disguise Ren had come up with? That... seemed to be what he was implying, but something still didn't seem quite right. He was definitely missing something.
The three made it to the parking garage and into the car with relative silence, though Yashiro didn't start the car yet in favor of twisting in his seat to look back at the two children there. Kyoko squeezed Haruto's hand in encouragement, to which he responded with his own squeeze and a deep breath.
"Yu-... Yashiro-san," the blond started carefully, for some reason deciding to be a bit more formal now, "I... I'm not fully Japanese." Kuon said carefully before looking up to the manger, his face a bit timid. "I... actually grew up in The United States for the first fifteen years of my life, though my father is from Japan and President Lory is actually an old family friend. I...," Kuon paused and trailed off as he tried to construct a decent explanation without revealing too much. Even if he felt it may be good to tell Yashiro about his mixed race, it still stood that no-one was supposed to know who exactly he was, about his relations with his father. The older man seemed to be taking it quite well so far, mostly sitting quietly as he looked over the two children, but he didn't look overly upset or anything.
"So... you're really Ren, and Ren isn't really Japanese." Yashiro clarified slowly. Kuon scratched at his head uncertainly.
"Well... to a certain extent I suppose. My father was born and raised here in Japan, but he moved to the U.S. to start a life with my mother, so I am technically part Japanese... though I guess that depends on individual prejudice. As for being Ren... that is the character I created for myself, a... an ideal image that I wanted to fill. Tsuruga Ren is the stage name I adopted, but I'm not really sure how much of that I can say is myself." he admits softly. Yashiro looked to Kyoko now, noticing the way the girl was busying herself by playing with a little string on her dress.
"And Kyoko-chan already knew about this?" he asked carefully, though he could already pretty much tell based off the way she interacted with the boy... Yashiro's face paled lightly as he suddenly realized he had broken up the very thing he had been hoping to happen for so long! Kyoko and Ren had finally kissed, and he had come in to destroy a perfect little moment of his biggest relationship-ship! Seeing Yashiro's pale face, Kyoko panicked a bit as she assumed he was upset she had been told before him. He had been devoted as Ren's manager for far longer than she had been around after all!
"I only discovered it by chance, Yashiro-san, promise! I... It's just that I happen to have met... C-K-... H-Haruto-san when I was younger, and I recognized some of his features when the changed back into a child... and recognized some similarities from when I had run into him somewhat recently as an adult." she fidgeted lightly, wondering just how much she was allowed to say. He had told her that he wanted to hide his direct ancestry with his father for the time being, but was she allowed to talk about the fairy stuff? She still wasn't completely convinced he didn't have any magic origins, and she didn't know if Yashiro would even buy that kind of explanation. Lory had shown a surprising amount of knowledge and power with magic due to the circumstance, but it was obviously meant to be hidden from outsiders, or they wouldn't be having to try so hard to hide the fact that they were cursed into being children all over again. She was honestly surprised with how well Yashiro had taken it so far, though she suspected he might have some relation with magic due to his strange ability to short-circuit electronics with a mere touch.
Yashiro looked between the two somewhat fidgety children for a moment longer before he let out a heavy sigh as he finally turned back around and started up the car. He could tell there was still a lot they weren't telling him, but Ren had always been a very private person. He supposed he should just be happy that their relationship was finally developing... though he had apparently ruined a precious moment for the pair. Yashiro let out a slow wine as he hung his head, causing Kyoko to inquire about his well-being, the kind person that she is.
"I'm fine, Kyoko-chan. It's just..." another heavy and somewhat dramatic sigh, " I can't believe I ruined such a happy and joyous moment between you and Ren, and right when you two were finally letting your relationship blossom." he whimpered and forced himself to keep his eyes forward as he stewed in his ignorance and misery while driving. Kyoko turned bright red. It wasn't difficult to realize what he was talking about.
"That... I-It's alright Yashiro-san. We shouldn't have been doing that kind of thing in such a public place anyway." she mumbled out timidly, startling slightly when she felt Kuon grab her fidgeting hand again, keeping them in her lap. The boy smiled quietly in reassurance, but Kyoko just felt more embarrassed. Even so, she couldn't bring herself to untangle their fingers, instead holding his hand in both of hers. Silently, she wondered how different it would be to do this as adults. She knew Ren had larger hands than her due to her extensive body data on him, but she couldn't really recall a time that she had held his hand quietly like this. The only time that even came close was during their time as the Heal siblings, but even that was somewhat brief and shrouded in a haze of all the other things happening at that time. She made a small scoot closer to him before carefully leaning over to lay her head on his shoulder, looking up at him with a soft blush when he turned his head to glance at her. As if to encourage the little gesture, he smiled that brilliant loving smile at her and lightly nuzzled the top of her head. Yashiro silently bit his tongue as he drove, taking a few excited glances into the rear-view mirror. They were so perfect together! He didn't even care how much he had to work to ensure their schedules lined up and worked smoothly together, it was all worth it for such a beautiful scene to unfold between them in his presence. Selfishly, he was happy that some unknown force had brought such a weird and fantastical curse on them. So focused on the excitement of the two finally coming together, he didn't even have any brain power left to spare on Ren's new revelation. Who cared where he came from? He was an amazing person, and he perfectly complimented the perfect girl beside him. Yashiro just felt happy to see the wonderful couple find such happiness in one another.
"I'll miss playing with Ren-kun and Kyo-chan." Maria said a bit sadly. Apparently, she was going to spend time with her father for a few days.
"But Maria-chan, don't you want to spend time with your father?" Kyoko asked worriedly. She was under the impression that their relationship had been improving after the Grateful Party last year. Now she was starting to grow concerned that perhaps it wasn't faring well. Maria laid Kyoko's worries to rest quickly with a shake of her head and a happy smile.
"I'm very excited to spend time with father, but I will still miss two of my favorite people. Also, we don't know how long you'll be dealing with this curse, and I finally was able to play with you both." she stated sadly. Kyoko frowned at that. Was Maria feeling lonely before because of their busy schedules as adults?
"Oh, Maria-chan..." Kyoko cooed as she hugged the other girl, who eagerly returned it.
"We're always happy to play with you Maria-chan," Ren spoke up encouragingly, "even as adults. We might be busy a lot of the time, but you can always tells us when you want to have a play date. I'm sure Yashiro would be happy to give us a few hours break from work every now and then. Just let us know when, and we'll figure something out, okay?" The young Takarada looked aprehensive at first, but then slowly smiled and nodded happily before giving each of them another hug and running off.
"Bye Ren-kun! Bye Kyoko-chan! I'll see you later!" she giggled as Ruto followed after her. Lory smiled as he watched the interaction and goodbyes. Those two would surely make amazingly loving parents once they got over their own fears and self-inflicted restraints. Alone with the two children again, Lory cleared his throat a bit to get their attention.
"With Maria off to spend time with her father, I believe this is an opportune time for you to spend time with your own father, Kyoko." he stated, taking a sip of some drink Ruto brought him. Kyoko looked up at the company president in confusion.
"Um, but I don't know my father, president-san. My mother doesn't even know where he went." she explained, a little unsure about the topic. Then again, Lory already showed ability in magic. Did he somehow possess the ability to find her father as well? But why would he do that now of all times? This was the worst time to try and connect with her estranged father! Lory shook his head with a chuckle and Kyoko wondered what he could find so funny about this.
"No, I don't mean the man missing from your history and life. I was actually referring to the man that has all but adopted you as his own son." he explained simply. Kyoko looked puzzled for a moment before her eyes grew wide and her mouth opened in a small 'o' of wonder.
"K-... Father is coming back to Japan?" she asked excitedly, only barely remembering Kuon's earlier assurance that the Hollywood star would prefer she continue to call him so fondly. If Lory noticed, he didn't comment on it. Kyoko's excitement then froze as she realized that would mean he would find her in this strange state. "But I'm under this curse! How am I supposed to explain this to him?" she cried, grabbing her head as she fretted over it all. Not only would she have to explain her appearance, but what about Kuon? She looked over to the currently disguised boy with uncertainty. Ren had briefly run into them while Kuu was in the country last time, but... it didn't feel right to flit around the boy's father while he himself had to continue acting like a stranger.
"That's all taken care of, Kyoko." Lory's voice snapped her back to attention, looking over to him with surprise. Seeing that she was listening, Lory nodded and continued. "Kuu has been a very good friend of mine for a long time now, so this is hardly the first time he's been tossed into a strange circumstance regarding magic and curses and the like. Even if he hadn't... well, I suppose that's for the people involved to tell you. In any case, he's already aware of your situation. That's actually the main reason he decided to come back to Japan for a while. He wanted to fly in as soon as he found out, but his schedule had to be arranged accordingly, and he couldn't pull himself away until now. That's part of the reason I encouraged Maria to go see her father. He'll be in disguise, but it's always best to avoid as many risks as possible." he explained before shooting back the last of his drink. Kyoko had to admit that she really wanted to spend time with her father figure, but... "But, what about Tsuruga-san?" Lory paused and looked up from his phone he had opened, staring at her with surprise and curiosity.
"What about Ren?" he hedged slightly, wondering if she really might know about Kuu and Ren's actual relationship. His eyes flicked to the boy for a moment, but Ren wasn't showing any real reaction to the question.
"Well..., it feels a bit rude to leave him by himself while I go and have fun with father..." she explained slowly, looking to Ren with uncertainty. Did even Lory not know about it? No, that couldn't be right. He clearly knew everything surrounding Kuon's situation. But then..., did he want Lory to know she was aware of it as well now? Ren looked back at her with a reassuring smile.
"I'm willing to let you hog father to yourself if you really want, but I was hoping you would be willing to share a bit this time around." Kuon said with a teasing glint in his eyes. Lory sat up straighter at that, looking between the two children with surprise.
"Ren, could it be that you...?" He started slowly, leaving the question hanging in the air as he tried not to give away too much until he knew for certain of if his suspicions to be true. The boy looked back at president Lory with a smile and a nod.
"I told her this afternoon." he confirmed, though conveniently held back from giving away what else he confessed and did. Lory didn't need to know just yet. In any case, the man seemed far too preoccupied on the information of Kyoko being told about his ancestry.
"That... that's good; surprising, but very very good." the company president let out another long sigh as he slicked back his hair thoughtfully, then turned to look at the children with a smile again. "Alright, you kids can find your father in the salon with Ten. Ah, but Kyoko, she doesn't know if Ren's relation with Kuu, so she'll be under the impression that he's only here for you. Just keep that in mind, and you'll be fine. Off you go now, go welcome your father home." he says. Both children decidedly ignored the teasing glint in the man's eyes as they turned and headed out excitedly.
Ren and Kyoko could hear the excited rambling of the hair dresser as soon as they opened the door to the salon room, finding the Hollywood star patiently sitting in her chair as he listened to her talk about Kyoko joyfully. His hair had been died black, styled a bit differently for added effect and his eyes were a dark chocolate brown. His clothes were casual, a simple button-up and blue jeans, with a pair of simple but nice sneakers on his feet. He looked all the part of a man enjoying a casual and care-free day. The adults then paused their discussion on Kyoko as the door let out a small squeak, looking over as the two children slipped into the room. Kuu stared at them with bewilderment, then letting his face become joyous and excited as he got out of the chair and knelt on the ground.
"Kyoko!" he called happily, opening his arms wide for her. Kyoko giggled and rushed over, barreling into the man as he chuckled fondly and wrapped her in his arms. The young girl bubbled with laughter as he stood and spun twice with her in his arms. "My little Kyoko, you're so cute!" he gushed proudly, giving her a small bounce on his arm as he made sure she sat comfortably in his embrace. It was interesting for the girl, being small enough to easily sit in the man's arm. She hadn't ever been held this way before, even in her own childhood, so it was quite the new experience.
"Thank you father." she said timidly, still not used to being gushed over, especially by a parent figure. The adults had always treated her kindly of course, but Kuu's fatherly affection was something else entirely.
"Pleased to meet you again, Hizuri-san." Ren said with a small bow as he stood before him. Kuu looked down at him with interest, something Kyoko realized now was part of their act. She hoped it wasn't too painful for the two of them to act like such strangers. She wasn't sure how she would handle having to put such a loving parent at a distance. "Ah, Tsuruga Ren, correct? Lory told me that you were in this strange predicament with my son." he offers. Ren nodded with a smile and Kyoko quickly tried to think of a way to get the three of them alone so they could stop with the charades for a while.
"Father, how long are you going to be in Japan this time? You left so early last time." she asked, hoping it wasn't too short. The more time she had to play with, the better. Kuu chuckled lightly as he bounced her in his arms affectionately.
"It'll only be for three days, but I intend to spend as much time as possible with you. Actually Kyoko..., how would you feel about meeting your mother? She's been eager to meet you ever since I told her about my new son here." he explains happily. Kyoko seemed a bit worried for a moment before realization dawned in her expression and her eyes widened as she clasped her hands tightly in front of her chest.
"I would very much like to meet her royal majesty!" she gasped out before she could even think to stop herself. Kuu faltered a bit, staring at the girl with shock.
"Her... Kyoko, she's not royalty. Of course she's the queen of my heart, but there's absolutely no reason for you to address her as such. She's sure to adore you, so don't put up barriers before she even gets the chance to have a good relationship with you." he scolded lightly. Kyoko blushed and looked down, too embarrassed to admit that she had been lost her grip on reality for a moment. Glancing over to Ren, she pouted as she noticed his head turned away and trying to hold in his laughter. With a cute little huff, she leaned into Kuu's shoulder, trying her hardest to get used to being loved so dearly by the boy and the man with her. Kuu pat her head softly as he turned and thanked Jelly Woods for her services, then started to head out, still holding Kyoko like a proud father as Ren trailed behind them.
"Tsuruga-san can come too, right?" Kyoko asked, looking up to Kuu with wide hopeful eyes. The man looked a bit uncertain, glancing to Ren before the boy spoke up.
"I wouldn't mind having you and mother over for dinner, father." he says with a cheeky smile. Kuu faltered in his steps, staring at the young boy with surprise.
"You..." the man looked down at Kyoko, finding the girl holding back little giggles behind her hands, "when?" It was hardly a full sentence, but the children could more or less figure out what he was trying to ask.
"Kuon told me earlier today." she explained timidly. Kuu's head whipped back to look at Ren, pausing for only a moment before he scooped up the boy in his other arm and causing Kyoko to giggle cutely at his excitement.
"This calls for celebration! Tonight, we feast!" he exclaimed, already making his way down the LME halls as a brusque pace. Ren groaned his dread at the idea, but Kyoko seemed to be having lots of fun, giggling in Kuu's arms as the man rambled off various things they could make for their feast. "We can go to the hotel I'm staying at. There's already plenty of food supplies waiting for us!"
Kyoko gripped Ren's hand tightly as he stood in front of the hotel door, eyes staring a hole into the wood as if it had personally insulted him.
"You don't have to do this, Kuon." Kuu said softly, kneeling beside his son with a look of concern. He was having fun, getting to see the boy again from when he had been so young, so hopeful and bright, but the fact still remained that Kuon had gone through a lot. Even if he was physically at the point before he knew the cruelty of the world, he still held the mind of a man who had faced one too many hardships and one too great of a loss. They should have noticed before, should have seen how his innocence and bright nature were slowly crumbling and becoming fake frozen smiles, but they had failed to see it. He had failed to see it, how his constant rising fame and stardom made Kuon struggle to stand on his feet more and more. It wasn't fair, but life rarely was. As his father, Kuu felt responsible for failing to see the struggles of his child. Now, all he could do was support him, no matter how long it took to gain him back in their lives.
Ren let out a slow breath and shook his head. "No, I want to. I just... I wonder if it's cruel of me, to give her back Kuon for such a short amount of time, only to leave you two again." he said softly, hanging his head. Kuu did his best to not focus so much on his desire to have his son back. Kuon was being considerate and thoughtful, keeping a level head and taking Jullie's feelings into account. They both knew how much this separation had hurt her. She hadn't even been permitted a goodbye last time. Kyoko squeezed his hand encouragingly again, drawing his attention long enough for her to shoot him a small smile. He gave a halfhearted one back in response, the nerves obvious in how strained it was.
"Kuon," Kuu spoke softly as he placed a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder, "your mother and I will do whatever it takes to ensure you're happy and healthy. If that means we can't meet you for another five to six years... then so be it." Ren looked up at the man uncertainly for a moment before he looked down again and shook his head with a nervous chuckle.
"No..., I don't think that'll be necessary. I don't know when I'll come back home, but for now I would very much like to have dinner with you, and getting to see Kyoko and mom meet will be an interesting bonus." he chuckled, already imagining Kyoko's la-la-land face in reaction to the woman. His mother wasn't known as the most beautiful woman for nothing, after all. Strengthening his resolve, Ren gave a firm nod and gripped Kyoko's hand as he looked to his father. "and action." he said somewhat jokingly, happy to see the responding smile from his father. Kuu reached out and paused with his hand on the doorknob for a moment, giving Ren one last chance to change his mind before he opened the door and walked in.
"Julie-dear, I'm back!" he called in English, ushering the children inside before he shut the door and started pulling off his shoes. Kyoko was curious about the lack of response but stayed silent as she and Ren followed suit, taking off their shoes in the entrance before following the man as he slipped further into the hotel. Kyoko heard the audio from a tv before she recognized it, hearing young Ren's voice before her own response. She certainly sounded different in audio, but that was to be expected she supposed. They found themselves in the main room of the suite, the large tv playing a recording of one of the play-times Ren and Kyoko had done with Maria earlier in the week. Someone had taped them? When? She heard Kuu chuckle and looked up to him as he passed her by, giving a small wink before turning his attention onto the woman with beautiful flowing sparkly hair, currently sitting on the floor far too close to the tv and a remote in hand as she rewound the tape to a part where Ren was jumping down and grinning before running after a squealing Maria, Kyoko hot on his heals. It was rewound again to the same spot, paused for a moment on Ren's excited and youthful expression, then played again. Kuu knelt beside the woman quietly and started petting her hair as he gazed at her softly. "Are you really going to watch those tapes the entire time we're here?" Kuu asked gently. She let out a soft hum of acknowledgement as she fast-forwarded through some part where Lory was in front of the camera to explain something, playing again when it started on another one of the trio's play dates. It must have been Lory who recorded them, which was only a small relief to the children. "I think I have something you'll like. I picked it up and brought it straight here for you." he coaxed gently. Ren stayed standing next to Kyoko, his eyes trained on his parents as Kyoko took the moment to glance between him and the two adult.
"I want my Kuon." The woman's voice was soft and beautiful, like the soft tinkling of the most pleasant bells. Kyoko caught her breath, anticipation her meeting with such an ethereal being.
"Which one?" Ren unexpectedly spoke up. Kyoko watched the woman's back straighten and her shoulders stiffen before she whipped around, her body twisting so quickly that Kyoko was sure she heard the woman's back pop. Juile Hizuri was most definitely the most beautiful person Kyoko had ever seen, the resemblance between her and Ren so crystal clear. It was no wonder the man was so beautiful, with a mother who looked like a true goddess descended from the heavens. Vibrant green eyes watered as the woman gracefully stood, then ran over quickly and snatched Ren up into her arms, hugging him tightly to her chest as the boy squirmed uncomfortably. "Mom, I can't breath!" he gasped. Kyoko quietly stood to the side, her hand feeling a bit cold as soon as Ren had been yanked from her grip. She didn't miss him long, the boy taking her open hand again as soon as he was set down. Julie stared of Kyoko with wonder, her eyes shifting between her and Ren a few times as the boy fidgeted slightly. "Mom, I'd like you to meet Kyoko. She's..." he paused and looked over to Kyoko with a bit of uncertainty, licking his lips before continuing, "She's my best friend..., and the girl I unintentionally fell in love with while pursuing acting, the person that made me start to think that maybe... maybe I can be allowed a bit of happiness. Kyoko, this is my mother, Juliana Hizuri." he introduced. Julie's hands daintily covered her mouth for a moment before she snatched Kyoko, her hand not feeling quite as cold when she lost her grip on Ren's this time.
"It's so nice to meet you, Kyoko!" Julie practically sobbed as she hugged Kyoko and twisted left and right. Kyoko found herself struggling to take in air, but was dealing with far too many emotions at the moment to ask for a breath. Luckily, Ren made sure to remind his mother about the need for air before Kyoko could pass out from the bear hug.
"It... It's nice to meet you too, Mrs Hizuri." Kyoko stammered out with a formal bow. The woman seemed perplexed at the greeting, so Ren quickly explained that Kyoko was usually a very formal person.
"I see..., but don't you call Kuu 'Father'? That's what he told me, anyway. Do I not get to be 'Mother'?" she asked, looking a bit hurt, but not wanting to push the young girl too much. Kyoko gasped and blushed brightly.
"To speak to the queen of the fairies so informally, I..." Too late, Kyoko realized her slip and blushed a vibrant red. Julie blinked quickly for a moment as thought trying to clear something from her eyes before she tilted her head slowly.
"Queen of the fairies?" the beautiful person echoed curiously, looking to Kuu and Kuon curiously. Maybe it was a Japanese thing? Kuon shuffled his feet about awkwardly.
"I... may have romanticized you and dad a bit when I met Kyoko a while back." young Ren explained awkwardly. "I didn't expect it to cause her to believe those things up into adulthood but... I mean I've already explained that I'm not really a fairy, but I suppose some mindsets are a bit more difficult to get out of."
"Hold on," Kuu spoke up from the entrance-way of the kitchen, currently munching on some snack he had dug out of there, "do you mean to tell me that you met Kyoko-chan before? When you were younger?" Ren nodded slowly, feeling a bit shy.
"We were really young back then, when you took me to Kyoto for a short while, but we spent enough time playing together and made a big enough impact on each others' lives that I suppose we never forgot that time. She didn't know that 'Corn' and 'Kuon' were the same person until today, though." he explains, already knowing that he would be questioned for-
"Corn?" yep, there it was. This time it was Kyoko's turn to blush a bit next to him.
"I... hadn't heard and pronounced his name correctly, and he hadn't bothered to correct me." she explained timidly.
"I see, and this thing about a fairy queen...?" Kuu asked slowly. Was that why Kyoko had called Julie 'her majesty' earlier? Kyoko and Kuon explained somewhat vaguely about how Kyoko had been lead to believe Corn was a young fairy prince, with his father being a big a powerful fairy king with the most beautiful and graceful woman as the fairy queen. The children conveniently avoided talking about Kyoko's woes with her mother and Kuon's story of being unable to fly because of his wings getting caught in the fairy king's hands. The time together had been brought about by bitter and painful parts of their lives, but they didn't want to taint the wonderful story of their time together with the dreary events that surrounded it. Kuu suggested they talk more about it while they cook and eat, and Kyoko excitedly agreed.
Kuon and Julie were banished to the living room so they couldn't do anything to inadvertently sabotage the feast. It seemed to do them good, the beautiful woman happily convincing Ren to remove his disguise as they chatted about work and modeling, Julie subtly slipping in a question about Kyoko every now and then. She was obviously very happy and excited, though she showed it in much more subtle ways than her excitable husband. While Kuu moved with power and pride, Julie was all grace and dignity, complimenting one another in the most subtle of ways. Kyoko returned to her stool beside Kuu after peeking in on the blond pair, quickly getting back to work on preparing the feast with the man. Kuu chuckled as he looked down to her.
"So, I suppose this explains how you seemed to know Kuon's character so naturally." he teased lightly. Kyoko looked up at him with surprise. He didn't seem mad, but she hadn't been around him enough to truly know what kind of tells he would have. Would he smile brightly and stiffly? Would he have a glare that rivaled the demon lord like his son? Or did Kuon get that from his mother? Kuon/Ren seemed to have more of her traits after all. Kyoko shuffled her feet a bit on the stool she was using to allow her to work next to her father figure.
"I... with all the confusing and obsessive traits you gave me to work with, I just couldn't imagine someone so spectacular while still being human. When I considered a fairy like Corn, though... I thought he would definitely be the kind of son that father couldn't help but brag about so extensively. I suppose I was lucky that I chose Corn of all people to base Kuon's character off of. Somehow, it feels a bit like I cheated now." she admitted with a sigh. Kuu hummed lightly in thought at that.
"You could look at it that way, but I would rather look at it like this instead; you used a past experience to consult when faced with a very complex character. Knowing what kind of person would be best to base your character off of is also an important factor. All characters are based off tidbits of real life people with a few unique pieces thrown in here and there, so it's just a matter of using the right pieces for the right character." he explains. Kyoko looked up at him with delight sparkling in her eyes. She wanted to cling tightly to his every word, soak in all his knowledge and hone her skills as an actress. She was ecstatic when Kuu asked her how her acting had been coming since he left, and she eagerly and delightedly recounted her role in Box R and the ninja she had recently gotten the part for. Kuu happily gave his own input on the action part of movies, and Kyoko asked him anything she could think of, happily soaking in the parental love as he talked and pat her on the head, subtly slipping in compliments and praise for her work and cooking. By the time dinner was ready, Kyoko was practically glowing and bouncing with happiness. She was so glad she could call someone like Kuu 'Father', even if he wasn't her actual father. What was blood relation when you had someone love you so much without it?
Dinner was filled with happy chatter as they ate together. It seemed Julie had convinced Kuon to shed his disguise while Kuu and Kyoko cooked, which only served to heighten Kyoko's excitement as they ate. Kuu talked about the work he was currently working on, and Julie passionately spoke of the latest fashion trends in America, all too happy to share her opinions on the best and worst things to wear. Once the adults have given a bit more information on their own lives, they gently asked about 'Corn', which Kyoko was all too happy to tell them about. Kuon poked at some little pieces of food on his plate as he blushed lightly, pouting with every little tease from his parents about how much it sounded like he enjoyed playing as a fairy prince for Kyoko.
"I was so surprised when I saw him in Guam!" Kyoko gushed happily, her own plate already empty and pushed away slightly to show she was done.
"Guam?" Julie echoed, looking at the two children curiously. Kyoko nodded, happy to recall the memory.
"I've always thought that no one but Corn could have such sparkling and bright hair, and his eyes are so unique and beautiful!" she gushed, not even noticing the darkening blush on the boy next to her. She was too excited and absorbed in her recounting of the events. Kuon didn't miss the prideful and teasing grins on his parents faces. Even if they hadn't discussed it so much while waiting for dinner earlier, it was obvious to him that his mother was already hooked on the adorable little girl as well, now likely on the same page as his father in trying to think of ways to gain Kyoko as their new daughter in law. Hopefully she would still be too bitter toward Lory to join his love-force or whatever, but he wouldn't put it past the woman to put it aside in favor of having Kyoko join their family. The little dark-haired girl was precious like that; people just wanted to have any part of her that they could.
"So you recognized him by his features, and then you two reconnected during your vacation?" Julie prodded. Kyoko didn't seem aware of it, but Kuon knew his mother well enough to recognize that glint in the woman's eyes, as if she was hearing some delightfully juicy gossip and plotting to use it to her advantage. His mother isn't a malicious person by any means, but she is very manipulative. If she wanted something, she would do everything in her power to get it, including her favorite threat of reaching the end of her life.
"Actually...," Kyoko hummed lightly in thought, "It's a bit more complicated than that." Kyoko gasped as her eyes widened and she glanced over to Ren thoughtfully. "Now that I think about it, I must have put you in a really tight spot, recognizing you and pointing out all your similarities to Tsuruga-san." she says, looking a bit apologetic. Kuon smiled and shook his head.
"It was a bit risky for me, but I'm glad it happened. You helped me a lot that time." he tells her. Kyoko blushed lightly and looked down as she fiddled with her fingers, mumbling a timid 'Any time' in Japanese. Kuon didn't miss the widening grins on his parents' faces at Kyoko's response to him. Even though they had conveniently left out the little tidbit of Kuon and her kissing to break a curse, as well as his flashy farewell, Kyoko's reaction was a clear indication that a relationship between the two of them was far from unlikely. He could practically hear the gears turning in their heads as they plotted. Maybe they wouldn't even need to conspire with Lory. They might just make attempts on their own until the end of their stay in Japan.
"I understand that these contributed to your discovery of Ren and your 'Fairy Prince Corn' being the same person, but what about you, Kuon?" Kuu asked curiously, wanting to pull out this interesting topic as much as possible. "Did you know Kyoko was the same girl as back then the whole time? Or maybe you found out when she recognized you in Guam?"
"I... I found out a little while after she joined LME, actually." Ren said, glancing over to Kyoko somewhat timidly. He hadn't had the chance to talk to her about this very extensively yet. He had been hoping to sit with her and have a long chat once they got over this strange curse. The girl stared back at him in surprise, and he gave her a somewhat awkward smile. "You still hated me a lot back then, and I didn't particularly know how to handle you either," he explained, his focus entirely on her as he slipped back into Japanese, "so I was quite surprised to discover you were the same person I had cared so deeply for ten years prior. Of course, you couldn't have brought this revelation on me softly either, barreling down the stairs and yelling out that character's name... searching for a very peculiar little stone I had given you so long ago." A smirk pulled at his lips as recognition filled her widening eyes, her mouth opening slightly before she shoved her hand in the pocket of her dress to pull out a familiar tiny purse. Julie was trying to whisper-ask Kuu what was just said, but the man simply placed a finger to his lips as he watched them. Kuon didn't care at the moment, too absorbed in Kyoko's actions as she snapped open the little purse and pulled out a familiar stone. Julie shot up suddenly, startling Kyoko as the chair scraped and clattered loudly.
"Is that...?" The woman spoke excitedly, her eyes on the little blue stone. Kyoko looked puzzled as she looked at Julie and Kuu, then Kuon. The boy gave a small smile before he looked to his mother sheepishly.
"I know I said I lost it, but really I gave it to someone I wanted to help. Sorry for lying to you about it." he said. Kyoko looked shocked as she turned quickly to the woman.
"So then... this actually belonged to Hi-... M-m-mother?" she asked, stammering a bit as she tried to say the word. It was just a tad easier to try it in English for some reason.
"No," Kuon turned back to her and shook his head, "Mother got it for me in hopes that it would help. She knew I was having trouble in the acting jobs, and the stone had superstition behind it that it supposedly was supposed to bring clarity and peace for the mind. I think it has to do with the way it reflects the light differently when you hold it up."
"It's a very good material for enchantments and blessings." Julie added, a soft smile pulling at her lips as she held a far-away look in her eyes. "I gave that stone to Kuon in hopes that he could use it, for the superstition or to put a blessing on it." She explained. Kyoko latched onto the new information.
"Put a blessing on it? So... It really is magic!" She said as she looked to the blond boy excitedly. Kuon watched her excitement with amusement. She's just so cute.
"I admit, I had my doubts back then." Kuu spoke up as he set down the last of his plates. Everything had been effectively inhaled now. "I may have spent a lot of time around Lory when he was working with magic, but I don't have any real talent myself. The most I can do is enhance my physical ability ju~st a little. It's nothing overly impressive, and certainly nothing that could draw questions. If anything, I was liken it to having an adrenaline rush at will. Julie, however, came from a family that dabbles very heavily in magic, especially blessings and purification. Luckily, Kuon inherited a wonderful tallent for blessings from his wonderful mother." Kyoko clasped her hands together with glee as she gazed at Kuon. The boy smiled a bit sadly at her, however.
"While that may be true, I don't possess the ability to do so anymore. I lost it a while back, before I left the states." he admitted, watching at Kyoko's face fell. Kuu let out a soft sigh.
"Yes, magic is a very tricky thing. I looked through all of Lory's books on it as soon as I found out, but there was already nothing I could do. There isn't a whole lot of text on it, as it's not a super common occurrence, but apparently it's often refereed to 'Broken Spirit Syndrome'. Most people don't survive very long afterward, sinking into a deep depression until they just... waste away, but essentially their spirit is broken by very stressful and hurtful events, usually at the hands of very cruel people. Hollywood is not a safe place. There are a lot of bad people there, and Kuon was easy prey due to trying to make his way from the bottom. On top of that, my fame put a target on his back, like a baby rabbit tossed in the middle of a pack of wolves. I hadn't even noticed until..." Kuu fell silent with a heavy sigh, and Julie leaned over to wrap her arms around him, clearly doing what she could to reassure him and provide support. Kyoko could easily see how much they loved one another. Looking over to Kuon, she noticed he was fiddling with his hands, trying to distract himself. They didn't need to continue to explain. She understood just from that much and seeing them. Kuu blamed himself for Kuon's spirit being broken and losing his magic. Kuon felt ashamed that he had been broken so easily. The family had gone through some very difficult times in the past.
"I think I was able to hold onto myself a little longer, though." Kuon finally spoke, a halfhearted smile pulling at his lips as he reached over and held Kyoko's hand that currently held the little stone. "Because my parents loved me so much, and because father gave me the opportunity to come to Japan and meet the most amazing little girl, I think I was able to hold onto those little things and keep going for just a bit longer. I was able to associate Japan with good, and to pull myself up from the ashes, start a new life with a new name, to keep living even when I thought I should just fade away. If it weren't for the people that cared about me, I could have given in. Thank you father, for being my father. Thank you mother, and... thank you Kyoko. You've given me so much, even if you didn't realize it. I'm glad I was born. I'm glad I was able to meet you." Kyoko looked up to Kuon's shining green eyes, her own watering a bit before she threw her arms around him and gave him a firm hug. Kuon chuckled softly and held her in his arms, silently thankful as his parents took that as their cue to slip out as quietly as they could. They didn't bother with the dishes for the moment, knowing that the clinking of the dishes would break the moment and draw Kyoko's attention. For now, it was best to give the children some privacy. Kyoko and Kuon stayed like that for a bit, silently locking one another in a firm embrace before Kyoko spoke up softly.
"I'm glad I was born, too. I'm glad I was able to meet Corn, to meet Ren and Kuon and the person under all these layers of characters. I... I love you." she hid her face against his shoulder, still embarrassed to utter those words but knowing that she needed to say them, knowing that he needed to hear them. Kuon held her a little tighter at her confession, burying his nose in her own shoulder.
"I love you too. Thank you. Thank you so much, Kyoko." he mumbled.
It was a good while later that the two finally separated and Kyoko noticed the absence of the adults. Kuon merely laughed and explained that they likely wanted to give them privacy. She could hear the recording Lory had taken of their play-time with Maria going in the main room again, so she knew they hadn't left. The two children quickly decided to clean up the table and dishes together, though Kuon protested that Kyoko should get the easier tasks since she had also helped cook. In the end, he let her do as she pleased as he did as much as he could to try and lighten the load of responsibilities. Kuu and Julie soon walked in, objecting to the children doing all the cleaning, and soon the four of them were all cleaning up together, laughing and playing throughout as they flung water at one another.
Once the kitchen and dishes were all clean, Kuon and Kyoko were sent to change into their night clothes and the happy family settled into the main room together and debated over what movie to watch. Kyoko and Kuon were insistent that they see one of Kuu's more recent projects, so they put on western action film. The two children fell asleep before the climax, cuddled up together and nestled between the adults. Kuu chuckled as he turned down the sound, then gently picked up Kuon. Julie scooped Kyoko up soon after, smiling as the girl curled up cutely in her arms.
"Having a daughter would have been nice..." Julie says slowly, gently petting Kyoko's soft hair. "I think I'd like a granddaughter once they get married." Kuu chuckled as he carried Kuon into the second bedroom of the suite, tucking him into bed. Julie settled Kyoko in next to him, making sure the cute button-down nightgown didn't twist uncomfortably around the girl before placing a kiss atop each of he childrens' heads.
"Do you think it's okay to have them in the same bed like that?" Kuu asked, frowning lightly in concern as he watched the two sleeping peacefully. Julie lightly smacked his arm.
"Kuu, they're children!" she hissed disapprovingly as she leveled a frightening glare on him.
"Not mentally though!" he objected back in a low voice.
"Mentally, they are adults and can make their own decisions. Kuon isn't going to attack her, and Kyoko's a modest girl. They're not going to do anything they shouldn't."
"You were the one talking about grandchildren!"
"After they get married!"
"Mom, dad," Kuon's sleepy voice interupted suddenly, causing the adults to turn with guilty looks to their son and hopeful daughter-in-law-to-be, "goodnight." That was all he had to say for the two adults to shuffle out of the room like a couple of scolded children themselves. Kuon chuckled lightly and scoot a little closer to Kyoko, finding her hand and gripping it softly before drifting off to sleep. Today had been absolutely amazing.
Kyoko woke up in a warm embrace, firm arms wrapped securely around her waist and a steady breath at her back. Opening her eyes blearily, she saw a large hand just beneath her pillow. She stared at it for a bit, tracing the shape and contours with her eyes before slowly reaching up to gently trace the fingers with her own. She wasn't worried. She knew this hand. She'd examined this hand thousands of times in thousands of different ways. It shifted under her touch, closing in and pulling her flush against a larger body... and then she noticed that something wasn't quite right. She could feel that she was wearing clothes, but it was somewhat drafty in various places, and wasn't her hand more slim than it had been the past several days; longer and more defined? And the hand that was now holding one of her breasts...
Kyoko gasped and jumped up out of bed, tumbling backward off the edge with a loud THUMP! She looked down at herself, long adult legs propped up on the side of the bed as the rest of her [mature] body sprawled on the floor, barely covered by what looked to be scraps of her child's nightgown. All the buttons seemed to have been popped off and open from her sudden growth-spurt in the middle of the night, and the seams were all ripped open with the gown itself having a few holes. Her little girl panties had obviously not survived.
"Kyoko?" Kuon's adult voice spoke groggily, and then he peered over the edge of the bed, pausing for a moment before his eyes opened wide and the sleep vanished from his face. Kyoko screamed and kicked him, barely managing to remind herself to aim for his [bare] chest instead of the actor's face so as to keep from breaking his nose or giving him injury that would hinder his work. Kuon thankfully didn't try to look over the edge of the bed at her again, but then the door slammed open to reveal a frantic Kuu and a half-asleep but worried Julie.
"What happened? Are you kids okay?" Kuu yelled worriedly. Kyoko screamed again and tried to cover herself with her arms, tears welling up in her eyes. The Hollywood star was barely in the room before a pillow was chucked forcefully in his face, and then a blanket fell over Kyoko. She found herself holding her breath as she lay in the darkness of the blanket for a moment. "Kuon? What happened? Why are you naked?" Kuu's voice could be heard, and Kyoko slowly manuvered herself under the blanket until she could sit up and peek out, holding the cover around her securely.
"Get out." Kuon growled. Kyoko peeked over the edge of the bed at him with surprise, but found that the menacing glare from the blond was directed at his father instead of her. Kyoko's eyes greedily noticed that he was indeed naked, scraps of his pajama shirt hanging on his arms while the rest of the shredded cloth seemed to have been left behind on the bed. Kyoko was silently glad she didn't have as dramatic a change in body size as the man. At least she had a few scraps left to cover her a little. Kuon currently had a pillow strategically placed over his crotch, but his toned chest and arms were in full view for her to admire. Her face tinted a couple shades darker as she heard Julie coaxing a worried Kuu out of the room, telling the man that Kuon and Kyoko would need privacy as they gathered themselves and worked things out like the adults they were. Kuu made a feeble protest, stating that Kyoko was only seventeen, but made no other objection as he followed his wife and shut the door. Alone again, Kuon sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair before his vibrant green eyes lowered to meet Kyoko's golden amber ones. An awkward smile pulled at his lips. "Not the way that I wanted to get you into bed with me, but I'm not sure I can really complain... other than my parents barging in of course." he spoke. Kyoko squeaked and tightened the blanket around her at his flirtatious remark, causing him to chuckle. "Relax Kyoko, I'm not going to eat you..." He had to hold back from adding 'yet' at the end of that sentence. 'Coooool down, Kuon. Don't freak her out just because we're adults again.' He thought to himself with slight amusement. She was just so cute when she was embarrassed, though. Kuon shook his head with a smile and looked around, finding their travel bags off to the side. He did the best he could to shift off the bed before waddling over to the bags, keeping the pillow in front of his crotch the whole time in an attempt to not expose himself so blatantly to the innocent girl on the floor. Unbeknownst to him, said innocent girl was now staring at his exposed butt, blushing furiously but unable to take her eyes off of him now that she had indulged. He pulled out a pair of adult clothes and stood, turning around only to freeze when he found Kyoko staring at him, chewing her bottom lip lightly. Her golden eyes flicked up to meet his and the light blush on her cheeks darkened significantly as it spread all over her face. Kuon rose an eyebrow curiously as a smirk tugged at his lips. "See something you like?" he teased, chuckling lightly at the squeaked. "I would say that it's only fair for you to show me yours now that you've seen mine, but I'll let you wait until you're more comfortable. I'll get dressed in the closet." he says, slipping into the little closet of the room with his clothes held somewhat precariously where the pillow had been. Kyoko watched as he closed the door to the cramped space, silently thinking that she should be the one in there instead, but then her eyes fell onto the pillow he had left by his bag. Nope, that was enough dirty thoughts for one day!
"I am a pure maiden. I am a pure and untainted..." she mumbled to herself, trailing off as her mind wandered to the body she had seen and found herself desiring so greatly. She could hear the light thump when Kuon moved around in the closet, the space obviously not being big enough for him to move around and dress comfortably. Quickly, she ran over to her own bag and put on her underwear. She paused as she started to get her day clothes on, recalling his little tease. It was indecent... but she wanted to get him back a little. And... she had worn incredibly skimpy things as Setusuka Heel, and he had seen plenty of those outfits at the time. Steeling her nerves, she cleared her throat before calling out to him. "Okay, you can come out now." she called as she sat on the bed and slipped her feet into her pant legs. She watched the closet open as she pulled on her pants, her heart thudding away in her chest and glee filling her body with warmth as she saw Kuon freeze, gawking at her and green eyes following her movements as she pulled the pants up, then slipped on her shirt. "S-see something you like?" she stammered just a little as she threw his tease right back at him. She was a little surprised and a little proud as he slowly nodded, wide eyes still trailing all over her form and his mouth still hanging open slightly. Kyoko giggled and fiddled with the dark hair brushing against her shoulders. It was so... encouraging, having him show such obvious interest in her appearance. She felt confident, courageous, like she could do just about anything! She had somehow captured the heart of Japan's most desirable and amazing bachelor. Her eyes flicked up to meet his as he suddenly walked over, his long adult legs eating up the distance within seconds so that he could stand before her and reach up, pausing when he was only a breath away.
"Can... Can I kiss you?" he spoke so softly, as if afraid to spook her. Kyoko smiled with a cute blush as she nodded, letting her eyes slide shut as he leaned in and conncected his lips with hers. 'This kiss,' Kyoko thought as she pressed just a little more into it, 'is deffinitely filled with magic.' And indeed it was.
fin
Wow. This has been such a long ride! Haha. I've been writing for a very long time (ever since elementary actually), but I've always struggled with completing anything. I had piles of papers and spirals, binders bulging, folders overflowing, all filled with writing that I either never finished or was unsatisfied with. It's always been the same story/universe, but it's evolved quite a bit from when I was a lonely third-grader, and I'm glad it's come as far as it has, but I wish I could actually finish it instead of leaving it as a bunch of scenes that flash in my mind. The characters are all developed and moving about for their own story, but it's just so difficult to sit down and write it out instead of letting my daydreams go on and on without being recorded.
With that in mind, this has kind of been a bit of a project for me. A test if you will. I wanted to complete a story no matter what, and be able to get some feedback from people to see how they like my style of writing. What needs to be improved? What seems confusing or out of place or just plain nonsensical? What makes it appealing? What makes you come back for more? I do admit, I haven't really done a very good job of proofreading the chapters. Sometimes I go back to read a previous chapter and I'm just like "Oh, that's wrong. That got auto-corrected to the wrong word. Wrong. Wrong. Bad. Oops. Hope that didn't bother anyone too much." haha, but I think it came out well enough.
I wish I could respond directly to the guest who commented on my last chapter, but I guess I'll have to hope they come back and read this.
-I understand the confusion about magic knowledge. I try not to tell the reader this outright like "this is not a common known thing" or "this is a monologue on such-and-such's feelings", but I also know that being too subtle can make things a bit confusing. I hope it got cleared up a bit in this chapter. In this case, Kyoko is being submerged in a whole new knowledge of the magic that runs unnoticed under our noses, which also means she gets to learn a few of the people close to her that delve into that magic. Kuu and Lory are clearly very good friends in the manga, so I figured that Kuu would at least be exposed to it enough to know about the things that go on. On top of that, I had this idea from the beginning that Kuon once had the ability to bless things, which is why the stone is as effective as it is. It's filled with the power to clear up the user's sadness, clearing the clouds of sadness and helping them to find the light of happiness again. Basically, even if 'Corn' or 'Kuon' isn't a fairy, he still very much had magic that he bestowed upon little Kyoko back then.
-As for the "sense" thing... yeah, I struggle with that one a lot. I know my There, They're, Their, and whatnot to the point that I'm constantly badgering my fiance when they use the wrong ones, but some others I have gotten in the bad habit of just using one version of the word out of pure laziness. Thank you so much for getting on to me for it. One of the main reasons I'm posting these stories is to improve myself, and it really helps when people call me out on my shortcomings (does that sound sarcastic? I hope not :/). Thank you for your comment, and I hope you come back for future stories. :)
There will be an epilogue to this story (how can you not?), and I honestly wish they could have had a bit more time as children with Kuu and Julie, but it just didn't feel right to drag it out any further. I'm just glad that they got the chance to spend time together at all, and of course Kuon's parents will still hang around during their days off to take whatever time they can with them.
Thank you so much for reading!