Chapter 21

The weather forecast suggested that the typhoon may not hit Tokyo and might change its course, it was a probability and both Kyoko and Kuon wanted to hold onto that hope. The weather inside Kuon's condo was becoming thunderous and it was hard to decide which was worse, the typhoon or the tense atmosphere.

Kuon held onto the purple stone. He decided that he did not want to return it. Because he gave the stone to his Kyoko and this girl in his apartment was anything but that.

Kyoko kept to herself, at least the electricity and the network was back. That was progress, in every way. She was able to contact with her family which was a relief and she was feeling surprisingly warm inside to know that they have made a good relationship with the Hizuri and the Takarada family. They had left everything behind and it was nothing short of surprising that their past was catching up to them.

Since she didn't have anyone to talk to… no surprise there, she would rather die than talk to the ice prince; she apparently had a lot of time to reflect on what happened in her life in the past few months. She was heartbroken, betrayed, deceived, lost her home, cousins, best friend, boyfriend, mental peace and naivety.

Not to mentions she had gained an enormous annoyance to her existence, namely Hizuri Kuon.

She hated his guts, and for someone like her who rarely hated anyone, that was saying something. She couldn't wait for this storm to end and tell both their father that this is not something she is willing to do anymore.

But wasn't that running away? She was giving up, hiding so that the demon lord cannot rip her heart apart, well what's left of it anyway.

He is undeniably handsome, it was hard to ignore the fact and what the magazines, the internet and the news told her, he was polite, hardworking and a very matured individual. She had to double check every time to make sure she was reading about the same person.

And not to mention he looked exactly an older version of Ren. If it wasn't for the change in personality, she would've never doubted.

But the doubt was there, and it was eating at her. May be the hair was a co-incidence, but the eyes, they cannot lie. Right? Right?

She gave up under her curiosity, and picked up her phone. Went to the internet and searched for baby pictures, nothing came up. So she changed her tactic, it wasn't hard to find about Julie Hizuri and the news about her getting married to her college sweetheart Kuu. Eventually she found Jude and her brief modeling and acting career, and then, the news of Kuon being born.

There it was, a family picture, it was paparazzi shot, the Hizuri's in a restaurant. Jude was sitting opposite to her parents and holding her baby brother. Green eyes and blond hair and that smile on his face nearly melted Kyoko to a puddle.

Then with a swipe of her finger, her world came to a halt. She was staring at Ren and Ren was staring back from her phone, looking at her, 10 years old and holding his sisters hand and coming out of what looked like Tokyo airport, with his parents behind them.

Her phone slipped from her hand and in the background dramatically thunder cracked. Before she knew it she was walking towards Kuon's room and rudely walking in without even knocking.

That's what Kuon thought when she entered that she was rudely trespassing his personal space without any warning.

Her eyes were locked into his, he was still shirtless and was half lying on his bed with his laptop on.

"What do you want?"

"Don't you know how to knock?"

"Why are you standing there?"

"Well, aren't you gonna answer me?"

"Kyoko"

Hearing her name she was finally able to pay attention. Kuon was standing in front of her,

And for the life of her she couldn't utter a single word and just gaped. What was she supposed to say?

Hi Ren, long time no see?

Who knew you would become an annoying prick in these years?

I'm Kyoko, remember me?

The hamburger kid from Kyoto?

She couldn't decide so she stood and stared.

So Kuon sighed and asked again, "What do you want Tsubasa-san?"

"How long have you known?", she whispered.

"Known what?", Kuon was getting irritated.

"That I'm Kyoko"

Now it was Kuon's turn to stare, she figured it out, she knows, but how, when? But he still decided to push it, still decided that she was oblivious and was merely asking something else.

"What kind of stupid question is that?, his frown deepened.

Kyoko snapped out of her daze and stared hard, with a frown of her own. She was sure he knew, she could feel it. But going back to wherever happened between them, she didn't find any proof that he knew.

So she smiled and relaxed. "I'm sorry for barging in all of a sudden."

She turned to leave only to stop at the door, her demons coming out of her, and turned, still smiling.

"We will have hamburgers for dinner, Ren"

She left the room and a dumbstruck Kuon, mouth open and still trying to process what she just said.

And why on earth he found her evil and livid expression so alluring?

Outside in the kitchen Kyoko's heart was about to burst. She had her proof, he knew it, it was all over his face. Well what do you know, the arrogant demon lord had a face that cannot lie, once you get past his mask that is.

He was Ren and she was Kyoko-chan.

But that was back in Kyoto.

And now they are here, in his apartment and it seemed like another universe.

Satoshi was very busy plotting how to get his hands on Kyoko. But at the moment he had to give all his attention to Jude who was busy trying to make him something. He came back to the empty house after he had a good plan to execute to find his wife waiting for him like she always does. Well to tell the truth, she sucked at this. How they managed to stay alive up until now was the bigger mystery and for the life of him he couldn't refuse her. Luckily the storm has stopped for some time now and the streets are becoming busy with life.

'Wonder where Kyoko-san is...' 'BOOOOM!'

His thoughts were interrupted by the loud noise and it was coming from the kitchen. he rushed there afraid that there was fire and Jude was trying to blow up the house.

Surprisingly, nothing was on fire but the microwave oven was somehow on the floor and Jude was staring at it sheepishly.

"Sorry", she said with remorse in her voice.

"Its okay Hime, but more importantly are you okay?"

"Yes! But there is no food for dinner"

"We are going out, get your coat"

Jude smiled happily, it had been a very long time they were together like this. She almost skipped her way to her coat.

Satoshi sighed. "Troublesome women. I just cannot wait to get married to you Kyoko", he muttered under his breath.

The went out to a famous Italian restaurant. Jude was too much giddy for some reason. She was radiating and if Satoshi had paid enough attention, he would've noticed that his wife was attracting a lot of attention.

She was a Hizuri after all, her genes were programed to be attractive.

Shotaro was bored out of his mind and hungry. Contrary to popular belief, he was good at cooking, his mother was always trying to keep Kyoko by her side and by default he tagged along. He will never admit it though but he kind of felt a connection to Kyoko in case of learning cooking. She was better than him in a large margin, but he still treasured the memories. Just failed to treasure the girl in it.

He walked into a random restaurant and immediately his eyes found her. By the farthest corner of the establishment. He was stuck, as if seeing something enchanting for the first time.

Her eyes and hair were plain black. But she had foreign blood in her, he was sure. He numbly sat down in a table and watched her, talk-eat-smile to a man in front of her.

Wait! A man.

Sho hid his face in a menu and stared hard.

Boyfriend? Brother? No... something seems off.

Then he noticed the shiny ring in her finger. She was married. Hah! Just his luck, a married women. That lucky bastard.

But he couldn't take his eyes of her. He ate in silence, always watching, always paying attention until the couple left.

When she was out of Sho's sight, he was feeling surprisingly empty, like the brightness of the world dimmed a little. Well, strange things happen in life. He who was sure that his heart cannot skip a beat for anyone in the world because he had the perfect girl with him all these years but failed to be in love with her, Had fallen for a married stranger in the first sight.

He almost laughed at the cruelty of his fate.

Jude was walking away oblivious and always trying to get her husbands attention, always trying... always loving, undauntingly, unconditionally, for the hope that, for the believe that he was the only one in the world who could feel love for her.

She considered herself lucky to have him as her husband.

Unknown to her, she had left a man inside the restaurant who could willingly give her all she wanted in life and more without asking. All the love a man could posses, all the attention in the world, all the time in the world would not be enough for him to be with her. She didn't know that she had left her luck in that restaurant.

She had left the attention she always deserved in that restaurant. For he was just a stranger and her eyes were always for Satoshi.

For he, the stranger with all the love she could ever wish for was born a decade too late for her.

A/N: I am so sorry to keep you waiting. I had a huge writers block and for the life of me I just couldn't write.

I'll try to be more diligent and thank you so much for your support.

Arigato Minnasan.

Hontoni!

I do not own Skip Beat! or any of its characters. Enjoy!