Kuon 11 – A New Day

How could someone not expect me to be nervous? People now know my secret and it's not just a few people, a lot of people are staring at me because they know who I am and what I used to look like. I hear a few younger woman talk about how old I look and that they could never be with someone my age and a lot of older woman saying that now they have a chance.

I want the ground to open up and swallow me.

At least there should be some freedom in walking around as me now that people know the truth. I'm about to get myself a coffee at a shop when I see Kojima coming up to me with an awkward smile. What were the chances of running into him? I look at my hands and try to remind myself how old I look and how much older when I'm next to him that I'll appear.

"Kuon?" he says as he comes closer to me and I smile. "God, the media wasn't lying today," he says and I shake my head. He places a hand on my back, slowing his touch down as his hand gets closer as if he's going to hurt my frail body. "Wow. This must suck for you."

I nod. "How are you this morning?" I ask him and Kijima is still staring at me and trying to take all of this in.

"It's like looking into the future," he says and I turn away. We used to look similar before I took on this curse and I was appearing as Ren instead of Kuon. "Are you getting a coffee?"

"It would seem so," I try to laugh. I'm not sure if this is embarrassing or not. I shouldn't be embarrassed, I'm doing this for Kyoko and our child and I'll only be this way for a shorter time than forever. Kijima takes out a large bill and faces me straight on.

"Let me get it," he offers and I shake my head, "seriously, I don't mind doing it, I'd feel better about us catching up."

"I may look old," I chuckle as his concern is still reflected on his face, "but trust me. I can still do things for myself. Thank you for the offer but…"

"I'm not going to take no for an answer," Kijima refuses and I sigh. Maybe it would be better just to give into him. I look around and then nod. "Great, you still drinking it black?" he asks and I nod again. He waits with me noticing people whispering about me. "You still planning to go on TV, have people learn more about this?"

I nod. I'm glad that I chose an easier and more kind and respectful show in Kimagure Rock. Kyoko is good friends with the Ishibashi hosts anyway and I don't want to strain myself. People aren't ready to accept this right now. I'm barely able to accept this right now.

"So, are you still planning on acting?" he asks me and I laugh and bow my head.

"You think anyone would still want me?" I ask him and Kijima grins.

"Definitely. I mean, the roles are going to be different and I'm not sure how many old man roles or…" he looks to me starting to show how awkward he really is. "Senior citizen?" he asks trying not to insult me, "roles there are but people know your caliber. There will be directors wanting to cast you. I'm almost able to guarantee that."

"I only look old on the outside," I comment and Kijima nods.

"Yes," he says slowly, "but you do look much older on the outside."

…..

…..

The morning went fine following the coffee, I only spent a little time with Kijima when he had to go to work but I'm meeting Kyoko for a late lunch. I know that people are still whispering and gossiping when they see me. People often whisper about oddities in life. I should be glad that that's all they're treating me as and not a threat or an alien.

"Hey," Kyoko beams as she stands opposite me and leans down to kiss me, she wraps her arms around me and sighs before pulling away again. "Your morning went well?"

"I think people are scared to approach me," I tell her as I continue to see people staring at me. Kyoko looks around too but then stands up and offers her hand. She helps me get up and then smiles as I wrap my arm around her from the side. "Kijima bought me coffee."

"See," Kyoko tries to tell me as she keeps a hand on my chest, "Good things. Was it good to talk with him?" she says and I place my hand on her belly, she holds it there ignoring all the people surrounding us. "We missed you today."

"The baby is able to know that they miss me?" I ask as I kiss the top of Kyoko's head. She giggles but nods. I pull her towards me again but we both freeze as someone seems to approach us in a determined manner. Kyoko and I share a look with one another as we turn to the middle aged actress.

"You're stupid," she says and we take a step back. What is she talking about? How are we now called stupid? I'm about to take something but Kyoko takes a step forward, placing herself between the two of us. She stares at this woman who is a couple of decades older than her.

"Excuse me, did you just call my husband stupid? He has an illness. You don't go hurli-"

"You're stupid," the woman tells her and now I'm feeling angry. I was mentally preparing myself for something like this but I feel more anger at it being directed towards my wife. "You know that there are certain age brackets where it's appropriate to date."

Kyoko raises an eyebrow and then turns to me, holding onto my hand tightly. "Well, we're not dating," she says boldly, "We're already married. It's obvious that you're attempting to get closer to my husband. Let's just say that I'm the only one he cares about even if I get older as well."

"That's laughable," the woman says and I turn to Kyoko. I pull her back and wrap her up with both of my arms holding her. "Don't you know that if you were his age that there would be complications with the pregnancy." I continue to hold Kyoko close.

"Please leave," I tell her and Kyoko turns to me concerned. "I already have a wife and child on the way. You might think that I'm older because I look older but it's only in appearance. I'm not attracted to anyone other than my beyond gorgeous wife."

Kyoko turns to me with a grin but this woman seems to have had enough of that and she looks me in the eyes. I don't know what her problem is but just because she seems closer to my outward age than Kyoko does, it doesn't mean I want to be with her.

I pull Kyoko away without another word to this woman. Kyoko is looking at her in disbelief but I pull Kyoko closer to me. "Just ignore it," I try to persuade her. "We're getting lunch, right?"

"Yeah," Kyoko says as she kisses my arm. She looks up at me hesitantly and I know she's worried about me. This has been the first day to see people's reactions. It will get easier soon as people get accustomed to us. We're nearing the upscale diner where we chose to eat and where they serve an amazing hamburger and egg dish when we're interrupted by somebody who I've honestly been waiting to arrive all day.

"Seriously, Kyoko," Fuwa says as he grabs her shoulder and she pulls back angrily. "Could you humiliate yourself any more than usual?" he asks and Kyoko frowns at him, trying not to glare in public.

"I should be asking you that question," she replies and Fuwa looks at her as if she's crazy. "You dare to interrupt my lunch date with my husband. This has nothing to do with you."

I watch her. I feel that I should interrupt and end the interaction before it escalates but Fuwa's the one who started it.

"An old guy, really?" Fuwa says and I feel my hand turn into a fist. I have to calm down. I can't let him antagonize me. "Everyone's talking about you. Don't you know how easy of a person you appear to be. You don't belong with him anymore. Do you seriously have the hots for some old man?"

"First of all, he's not 'some old man'" Kyoko hisses out. "He's my husband and the love of my life and the only person to ever truly love me. Second, let them talk. People have to adjust to this and they have to adjust to the idea that despite how old he looks, I'm not going to ditch my husband. Now, get out of here because I won't let you insult him."

"He's beneath you, he'll always be beneath you," Fuwa says and Kyoko chuckles in response to that.

"What's the problem, Sho?" she asks with a raise of her eyebrow. "Jealous that you don't have a girl beneath you and you know, Kuon and I take turns. Sometimes we flip and I'm on top of him," she says with a hint of Natsu in her eyes. She's come a long way from being that shy little girl who believed love was what they wrote in fairytales.

"Not what I meant," Fuwa says repulsed. "Are you seriously screwing an old man? It's a disgusting image."

"Well you better get used to it," Kyoko warns him. "I might just go home and start screwing Kuon as soon as we get home. You see, that's the nice thing about being married, Kuon knows how to pleasure me no matter how he might appear on the outside."

"Well, I'll have to put a stop to that," Fuwa says before he tries to strike a blow to me. I grab his arm, my responses just as quick as ever and I glare at him in a threatening manner before moving his arm so that he falls onto his knees. I can hear more people starting to look at us.

"You should give up right now," I warn him as I see people start to take out their cell phones. "It'd be really embarrassing for you to get beaten up by an 'old man'." Fuwa gets up and tries to make another move, trying to hurt me and Kyoko is staring at him wide eyed. I move back, making sure that each blow he's trying to make misses.

I quickly grab his wrist and throw him onto the ground. He doesn't know that despite how I look, my physical strengths and abilities are the same. I put my foot on him, pinning him to the ground. "As I said," I tell him with a superior gleam in my eyes, "people seeing an 'old man' as you said kick your ass must be really embarrassing for you."

I look around nervously. Maybe I shouldn't have done that but everyone saw that he tried to make the first six or seven attacks. It was self-defense, right?

Kyoko takes my hand and kisses my cheek. "Let's go and get to our lunch reservation," she tells me and leads me away without so much as a second glance to Fuwa.

End of Kuon 11

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H-Nala, Kaname671, paulagato