Chapter 21

"Are you okay?" He asked as she sat quietly on the sofa after he'd enjoyed the wonderful gift she'd given him.

She gave him a small nod. "I'm sorry." She said quietly.

He looked at her a little confused. "Why would you be sorry. It wasn't your fault he came in. Security should have paid more attention."

She shook her head. "Mother and Father told me last week about that barbaric tournament." She said a little angrily.

He gently stroked her hair. "That isn't something you should worry about. You have enough on your mind with the coronation. Let me worry about it." He gave her a mischievous smile. "Besides, I will not lose. I guarantee it." He chuckled.

"Kuon... this is serious. You could get hurt and it would be my fault." She whined a little.

He looked up in thought. "Hmm... I wonder how a traditional tournament, that's been around for at least a thousand years, could possibly be your fault. I wonder how you could possibly be at fault, when I willingly had my father submit my name for it... Kyoko, I will not allow anyone else the chance. I..." He paused. He wasn't sure if she was ready to hear it or if he was ready to say it.

She looked up at him with eyes aglow in expectation.

"I... I love you. I always have. I never forgot you. That stone I gave you, was a betrothal stone. A promise from me to you." He finally let it out.

She was speechless. That was certainly a small tidbit she didn't know. "Y-You do? I... I love you too, Kuon. I'm sorry I forgot about the meaning of the stone." She started sobbing. "I don't know why I can't remember anything. I hate not remembering anything from then."

He pulled her into his arms and gently caressed her back as she calmed with his scent. "Kyoko, you were very young. It's normal not to remember much from that time anyway. Besides, you were kidnapped by a shifter, the gods only know what they did to you before you were found by the Fuwas."

She nodded quietly. "I still hate it." She pouted, wiping her tears, and sniffling.

"I know, Princess. I know." He murmured.

"What the fuck?!" Sho ranted and Aki stood in the corner worried about his demeanor. She was happy that he'd been able to find a solution to his predicament, but now he was in such a state that had her seriously worried. He'd been ranting about a coronation and tournament for the past 3 days.

He couldn't be talking about the coronation for the Royal Princess in 5 months, could he? Why would he be so worked up about something like that? "Sho... If you want we can have Akatoki-sama submit your name to be considered for the entertainment. I'm sure the Royal Family would be more than happy to have you entertain their daughter." She told him not realizing exactly who she was referring to or the impact it would have to further his ire.

"I wouldn't sing for that plain, fake, nobody if my life depended on it!" He hissed out.

Aki groaned a little. He really needed to change his attitude if he wanted to survive in entertainment, and in life. She really hoped that he would never spew this garbage in public, it could mean his downfall in more ways than one. "Sho, you should really think about what you're saying before it comes out of your mouth." She scolded. "Didn't you say once that you wanted to be at the top? Didn't you say that your family was part of the nobility? I'm sure if you called your parents they would be able to get you in with no problem." She reminded him, not realizing that everything he'd told her had been him making himself out to be more than he actually was or so he thought.

Actually, he never really thought to ask his mother. She'd mentioned a long time ago that they came from nobility, and that's what he'd been basing all of his boasting on. He knew he wasn't anything like a true prince, but he could have been considered nobility. He sat and wondered if his mother still had enough pull to get him in. He went to his room and left Aki to clean up the mess he'd made from throwing things during his tantrum.

"Mom... Did you receive an invitation or anything?" He asked quietly.

Yayoi sighed. "Why do you need to know something like that Shotaro?"

He was quiet for a moment. He supposed she needed to know now. "Because, it's for Kyoko's coronation and the tournament for her suitors." He said halfheartedly.

Yayoi raised a brow. "Are you sure about that?" She asked a little worried, remembering the last tournament over 20 years ago for Her Royal Highness Princess Saena. Japan's Royal Prince, Kazu had nearly died and she certainly didn't want that for her son.

He groaned. "Yes, I'm sure. Her manager told me himself."

"You aren't going... You've done no training... You haven't been through the trials and you have absolutely no markings. It's too dangerous. You would never survive. My family hasn't participated in that barbaric display for at least 400 years and I will not have my son maimed for it or killed." She told him sternly. Regardless of what Sho thought, Yayoi knew that vampires were not invincible, especially against the types that would be participating in the tournament. She shivered at the thought that little Kyoko had been the missing princess and was thankful that she never decided to use her abilities against the children that picked on her as a child, including Shotaro.

"But... It's Kyoko. You wanted me to marry Kyoko." Now that she told him no, he most certainly wanted to do it. Kyoko's status had become a little more appealing now that he had calmed enough to think about it.

"No... No amount of training, in this short of a time will prepare you for the tournament, even if you did it everyday for the next year. I know you think more of your career than to just toss it aside for something like that." She told him, revealing that she knew of his plan in the first place. She knew about what he'd planned the moment he left her office at the ryokan, and she knew that he would rather cut his own throat than give up the life he had currently.

Now that she had this new news of Kyoko-chan, she was most certainly not going to sacrifice her son to have Kyoko-chan in Kyoto. Kyoko had her own family now and Yayoi knew that Shotaro wasn't serious about her. "Find another Shotaro. I refuse to submit my son's name for a slaughter. Besides, it's too late, the deadline passed last month. Find another bride Shotaro." She told him firmly. "Find another and I will release you from your debt."

"Fine..." He turned off his phone and flopped back onto his bed gracelessly.

He felt invincible! She loved him! He could safely say he'd never felt this way before. He still had the nightmares occasionally about Rick and the circumstances surrounding his death, but there was something different in his dreams now. It had been a great long while since he'd seen his friend not broken and covered in his own blood, but the dream he had the prior night had set his mind at ease almost.

{"It's good to see you living again, Kuon. You had me thinking I would have to kick your ass." Rick chuckled and patted him on the back as he sat next to him at the bar, sipping his drink.

Kuon laughed. "I have no doubt that you would find a way." He was silent for a moment. "You were right you know. I thought I'd lost her. I thought that there was no one for me." He confessed.

Rick shook his head. "I told you before not to lose hope, that she was out there."

Kuon sighed defeatedly. "I know... Sorry..."
Rick smiled and took another drink. "Don't be... I understand. Just don't let it happen again. Okay?"

"Thanks man... I don't know what I would do without you." Kuon sat back in his seat and sighed.

"What's wrong now?" Rick teased a little.

"I'm just worried I'm not good enough. I've been training and all, but I don't know if I'm what she needs." He confessed.

Rick chuckled. "Why don't you let her decide. From what I've seen... I think she's already made that decision. You shouldn't worry so much. You'll do fine." He reassured him, patting him on the back.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. Wish me luck." He smirked and downed the last of his drink.

Rick nodded. "As if you need it. She's already started working her magic on you... In case you haven't noticed."}

Kuon's eyes popped open in the dark. "What the heck was that? Her magic? What did that mean?" He glanced at his clock and groaned. "3 am... Two more hours..." He rolled over and fluffed his pillow, then pulled the covers over his shoulders and snuggled deeper into the bed. He needed all the rest he could get for his 2-hour, 5 am training session before he started his workday.