Ruto escorted Kuon down the hall of Lory's estate and guided him where they resided. Pulling the double wooden doors of the study, both Lory and Kuu eagerly waited on the couch on the other side. "Ah," Lory relaxed sipping a cup of his fine tea.
"I am overjoyed you could make it."He sounded so prim and proper. It sent shivers down Kuon's spine. Steadily taking a step in the room, the doors slammed behind Kuon. Sucking on the corner of his cheek as he examined the two. A little bug of annoyance crept up. Seeping out his thoughts Kuon muttered, "As if I had a choice." Lory's face went flat, "You know you are getting some attitude." There was a screech of a fork scraping echoing out into the room. "Didn't we just eat. Get a hold of yourself!" Lory reprimanded Kuu like a untamed child.
Whom was stuffing his face once more to calm his nerves.
"I swear between the two of you… I think you both have shorten my lifespan by ten years," Lory let out a sign with his remark. Kuon closed his eyes expressing his current thoughts,"Good, at least you can live like a normal human being." There was delicate muttering the same phrase. Kuon took a seat across from them. Taken back by the fact that it was his father stated the same words in unison. "Well it's clear to see that you two still share some qualities," Lory took another sip of his tea. Both Kuu and Kuon stared at each other in wonderment. The Hizuri men were dumbfounded.
—
Thousands of feet off the air, a miniature seagull flew passed the plane window. Kyoko darted her vision from the clear opening to find her manger across the aisle. Resting sound a sleep with a beauty mask on. Made to shield his sensitive eyes paired with a comfy blanket that he must have packed. Kyoko tried to hide her snort at the sight but the image was too much to bare witness too. Yashiro was knocked out cold snoring away. A puff of air escaped of her nose in amusement, smiling to herself. The flight was so far quiet. John was right next to her with his headphones on fiddling around a whatcha call it a D.S? Rapidly firing those tiny buttons with his thumbs. As if his life depended on getting to the next level. She laughed to herself once more, So this is the company I keep. She was almost amused with how fate turned out. These two seem so helpless. Glancing down, Kyoko thumbed her own small screen waiting for a message that was still yet to come.
Lights flashed 'Game Over' a cross the tiny screen grabbing her attention. John's face scrunched together in annoying disgust. Clasping the portable system shut. Huffing his frustration, "This game is impossible to beat." His eyes darted to meet Kyoko's doing a double take, "Oh you are still up." He popped off his headphones to hear her better. Kyoko gave a feeble smile, "I can't sleep." His eyes glanced down noticing her fingers absentmindedly playing with her phone. "Your Ren hasn't sent you one of his daily video's yet?" He playfully teased watching her lips scrunch together at the corner of her mouth. "He is not my Ren." John raised a brow as if to say really. Shaking his head in disbelief, "You two are the worse."
During the course of the week John discovered something that he doubted anyone else knew. When ever Kyoko's received any activity on her cell she unknowingly rushed toward it. If it wasn't from whom she was expecting, her expression seemed 'slightly' disappointed. But when she thought no one was looking… and it was from him. Kyoko's face came undone, melted like a used candle. It was almost unbearable. It was really disgusting, truly embarrassing. He could understand why she didn't want anyone to find out—just by the way she acts alone. These two were oblivious to the other's feeling. It was despicable. And an odd miracle that they haven't found out about the other yet. It had to be luck that their manager has yet to discover this fact yet. If he did surly Yashiro would be a giddy little school girl. Watching how they all interacted became amusing to witnessed but extremely exhausting."Relax you will hear from him soon," John reassured her. "I'm sure of it." Kyoko weak smile grew a smidge stronger with the roll her eyes, "I don't know what you are talking about." John kissed his teeth rolling his eyes in return, "Yeah…right." Lifting one of his headphones back to his ear. He flipped the game conceal back open to try and beat the boss one more time.
—
Kuon nervously began touching his face. Rubbing his chin, cheeks and nose just anything to try calm his nerves. A quick slap swatted down on his elbow from Lory's hand, "Will you stop that." Kuon's eyes narrowed annoyed that he was being treated like a small child. Kuu examined his son's features quietly. He took note of the bags under false chocolate eyes. The exhaust tint of red glazing around them. The unkept demeanor that he held. From the list time he saw his son to now; it looked like he aged 20 years with in the past few months. No longer the boy he once knew but a broken man sitting right in front of them. Kuu wondered if Lory saw it too. "You can't go a week without seeing her," Lory half teased trying to find the real root of the problem. Kuon's expression journeyed from first confused then instant shock and realizion to finally annoyed once again, "I'm not some love sick puppy." They both already concluded that much. "Then what was with this 'Homesick' act your co star was gabbing about?"
Kuu witnessed his son's face sink. His gaze landing on the ground. Arm squeezing his opposite wrist tight. He started to stammer on the words almost as if he was forcing them out, "I—I saw Tina." He confessed with full dismay lacing in his voice. Hunching is body forward, Kuon ran his fingers through his ink hair. Resting his fingers in the stands, "I think she has a child too…". Lory took another sip of his tea, "Oh so you actually did bump into her…I thought the odds were slim." Kuu's eyes darted to the evil mastermind sitting right next to them,"You knew?" Both the Hizuri men stared the deviant with disbelief and horror. Lory effortlessly took another sip of his tea, "I said I thought the odds were slim. She works as a masseuse at the resort part." Finishing off his tea Lory delicately placed the cup down. "Two of my personal favorites were going off to stage lands. Why wouldn't I research the conditions of how their residency be? How can I, in good conscience, loan my talents out?" He proudly proclaimed his words. Lory showed no hint of regret what so-ever. Kuu got aggravated on behalf of his son, "Strange lands? He was born here! You stole him away from my wife and I—" Lory's lips curved into a childish pout. "Stole? You make it seem like I have done something awful," he remarked at Kuu's word choice.
Kuon watch the two bicker back and forth like a old married couple. Unaffected to the words and world around him. In hindsight it did not matter what their leader's held knowledge was. The result was still the same, He saw Tina…they locked eyes. She knew who he was.He knew who that child's father probably was. It was simple just by it's given name. There was a brick of pain flattening out his chest. Each second a new layer of cemented guilt piled up. A new found reason to actually loathe Kuon for the sins that he committed. Another layer slathered on to shorten his breath. And another and a another, and…
His breaths were shallow and short. Anxiety pounded in his chest. Stammering on even his own thoughts as they raced in his mind. "Son…,"The voice seemed as if it was under an ocean. Kuu tried his best to sooth his child knowing full well that it would reach deaf ears. The words were unavoidable to Kuon. He was amazed he made it this long without seeping into depression's undercurrent. His vision tunneled into a desolate dark void. A globe impenetrable to pierce. Kuon tried his best to relax the tension inside of him. Closing his eyes and attempting to take controlled breaths. A memory echoed back, tingling his senses. "I'll help you," the voice was sweet, warm and inviting. It was almost as if he was welcomed home. Like memory foam his hand reimagined the sensation of what it was like to have those delicate soft fingers wrapping around tight. He was crawling but the ray's of the horizon hinted of the surface.
Gasping for air. His eyes opened to find a worried sick father and a smug president at the cost.
—
Forced to stay the night... When Kuon arose he rose slowly early in the morning. Wary of his own reflection and old haunts. Careful with frailest things such as himself. Amazingly steadily walking back to his hotel door. The words echoed in the back of his mind of the conversation he had moments before leaving the estate.
"Ren," Lory called out his name to grabbed his attention. The 'wise' man hesitated at first, Lory witnessed the limo pull in. Eventually letting his thoughts spill over. "One day I hope you will set a prayer of gratitude for each chink in the armor that you never knew you needed or had." Kuon let his words float over his head as he entered. His attention gravitated to the 'wise' old man. His parting words seemed cryptic. Leaning into the car door frame, Lory spoke once more before departing. Bagging for his massage to reach the 20 year old. "Just know that without your past, no matter how violent and brutal, you could never arrived by design or horrific exquisite happenstance…"
Numb when his eyes landed on the woman waiting for him. "…Here."
—
End of Ch 20
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A/N: I again what to say thank you for reading! I'm amazed that I wrote this much and I am beyond amazed someone has even took the time to read this! So thank you so much!
This series has grown to have a special space in my heart and you reading this too! I am planning cute treat for anyone reading this it wont be a Ren/Kyoko thing but I hope you love it like I will.
Also another fun fact about this chapter is that I said that I was going to see Taylor last month in July. And I used one of her speeches Lory's 'Wise' words. It was the getaway car speech. Needless to say I had so much fun. After I took a step back, I thought it matched Kuon in this situation. Anyways thank you for reading! Let me know if I made a mistake or any errors. I still get embarrassed when I look back and see them.
Have a nice day!