A/N: This was sort of an emotionally draining chapter, but I hope you guys like it. I promise it will get happier after this chapter! (Well, I hope it will anyway.) :D Please forgive spelling errors. I am only one person and I try really hard to correct them, but I can't catch everything. Also, thank you so much to reviewers and favorite...ers...? hehe. Funny word. Anyway, you guys are all awesome.

Chapter 37: The Really Long Morning

"She's dead." Kuu nearly dropped the phone. Julie looked at her husband's pale face and touched his arm in concern.

"What?" She mouthed. He looked at her for a moment and took her hand, squeezing gently. She squeezed back and waited.

"Boss…what are you talking about. Saena called not thirty minutes ago." He mumbled. Julie looked confused.

"I just got a call from Sho Fuwa. Saena was staying in his parents' hotel and when they checked on her, she was dead. They contacted Sho because they thought Kyoko was still living with him."

"Boss…." Kuu looked back at the girl lying in his bed with tear streaks on her face. "Oh Lory she can't. I don't think she can handle this."

"I understand. But I need to speak with her."

"We just got her to sleep Lory."

"Kuu…we are going to have to tell her. You know that right?"

"I know." He mumbled, wishing that he never had to, wishing that she could just forget the woman. "Tomorrow. I'll tell her in the morning."

Lory sighed. "Okay, Kuu. Call me and let me know how it goes." Kuu could hear the worry in his friend's voice as he disconnected the call. Julie frowned and stepped in front of her husband.

"Kuu?"

"Her mother is dead."

"What?" Julie was incredulous. "Kuu…she just called!"

"She was staying with Sho Fuwa's parents, in their inn, and they found her and, apparently they believe that Kyoko is still living with Sho, because they called him looking for Kyoko."

Julie dropped her face into her hand. "Oh my God." She whispered. "That…bitch!" His eyes widened. "She told Kyoko it was her fault!" She whispered harshly, a tear slipping from the corner of her eye, and Kuu gently took her hand and pulled her out of the room completely, shutting the door. "She told Kyoko that she hated her, and that she wished that she had never been born. Kuu, she told Kyoko that everything bad that had ever happened to her was Kyoko's fault." Realization smacked Kuu over the head, and he leaned his head onto his wife's shoulder.

"Kyoko is going to think she caused her mother to kill herself." He mumbled.

"That certainly seemed to be her plan."

Kyoko stirred when she felt arms under her thighs and back. She opened her eyes a little and found herself being lifted against a strong chest. 'Kuon?' She looked up and found her father looking down at her. "Hmmm?" She managed to mumble, still half asleep. He smiled kindly, his eyes strained and red.

"I'm just putting you to bed." He told her softly, and she smiled happily, unable to remember why she had fallen asleep anywhere else.

"Cut! Tsuruga! What's wrong with you today?" The director marched up to the set and crossed his arms, glaring at the surprised actor." Embarrassed, Ren started to apologize. "I don't want to hear it." The director lifted a hand and shook his head, startling the repentant man. "You haven't been able to make it through one scene in three hours. If you can't act, I don't need you on set." Yashiro's eyes widened, and he started to go after the director, but was stopped by Ren's hand on his shoulder. Looking into his friend's eyes, his heart clenched at the pain there.

"He's right, Yukihito." He mumbled, his voice pained. "There's no reason for me to be here if I can't act." Yashiro sighed, pulling his planner out. "I'm sorry." Yukihito looked up.

"Ren, I understand. We're all worried about her, but what was it you told Kyoko? 'Even if a family member dies…'" He trailed off at Ren's fierce expression. "Eh…never mind. Let's go. You have a modeling shoot in an hour, which gives us time for dinner and you time to get a grip."

Ren got himself through the modeling gig by pasting a smirk on his face and posing. He kept his phone on vibrate at all times, and it never left his pocket. He was prepared to drop the act at any minute should his phone ring, but luckily for his career, it never did, and so Ren managed to smirk his way through another shoot before dropping Yukihito off at his apartment and drove home.

Kyoko opened her eyes blearily and found herself facing the clock. The bright red numbers informed her that it was only four in the morning. 'I've only been asleep for a couple of hours.' She thought with a frown. Slowly, the events of the previous evening began to seep into her mind, and she closed her eyes to ward off the pain. 'It's not true.' She told herself, drawing on every ounce of strength she had gained recently. 'I have people who love me. It doesn't matter if she doesn't love me. It's not my fault. I'm not unlovable!' She clenched her teeth, chanting it again. 'I am not unlovable!' A tear trailed down her cheek and she took a shuddering breath. 'I don't care!' She tried to convince herself. "I don't care…that she ha…hates me." Saying it out loud to her empty bedroom made the pain worse and she literally felt it in her heart.

Knowing that she wasn't going to be able to sleep again any time soon, she slipped out of bed. She walked into her bathroom and splashed cool water on her face, trying to reduce the redness that rimmed her eyes. When she ha done the best she could, she left her room and headed down to the kitchen to find something to drink, glancing with a smile at the picture of her and Kuon that had been added to the family photograph wall.

She hesitated at the bottom of the staircase when she realized the kitchen light was on and that her mother and father were sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee. Julie looked up before Kyoko could make a hasty retreat and gave the girl a sad smile. "Hey sweetie." Kuu looked over at her in surprise. "Couldn't sleep?" Kyoko merely shook her head and walked over to join them. Julie stood and opened her arms, and Kyoko walked into them, taking a deep breath of her mother's sweet scent. "My poor little girl." She whispered, stroking her hair.

Julie looked questioningly over at Kuu who nodded. "Kyoko…" He spoke up, standing from his chair. "We um…we need to tell you something." Kyoko looked up at his tone and her eyes widened.

"Is everything okay? Is something wrong with you or Mother? Is Kuon okay?" She asked suddenly, and Kuu smiled.

He walked over and put an arm around her, guiding her to the living room and onto the sofa. Julie took a seat on the other side of her daughter. "We are fine, as is Kuon." He smiled at the relief in her eyes, but his happiness was short lived. "Kyoko…honey I don't know how to tell you this." The relief vanished and fear replaced it. His voice seemed to stop working and Julie took the girl's hand.

"Kyoko, your mother, Saena…is dead." Kyoko stiffened, her mouth falling open as she stared at Julie. "She was staying at the Fuwa inn, and…they found her. Just a few minutes after she called."

Kyoko's face was as white as a sheet, and Kuu put a hand on her back, rubbing soothing circles over her pajama top. The girl was silent for several minutes, and Kuu finally jumped up and hurried into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of tea, then returned to his seat beside her, opening it and putting it into her hands.

Kyoko mechanically brought the tea to her mouth, managing to swallow the liquid she couldn't taste past the lump in her throat. Despite the tea, her mouth remained dry. "How?" She croaked, not looking at either of them. "Who told you?"

"Lory told me. Sho Fuwa called him. I don't know how she died." He resumed rubbing circles on her back until she stood, placing the tea very carefully onto the table, and stepped past her mother. "Kyoko?" He asked worriedly.

"I…I'm going back to bed." Her pitch was perfect. Her breathing was normal and her posture was rigid. "Good night."

Julie jumped up. "Sweetie? I don't think…"

"Not now." Kyoko whispered, then ran upstairs. Kuu stared after her, biting his lip.

"I don't think we should leave her alone." He said softly.

"Me either…but she doesn't want to talk right now."

"Hmm." He walked around the sofa and followed the girl up the stairs. Knocking lightly, he pushed her door open. "Kyoko?" He whispered, seeing a Kyoko sized lump under the covers.

"Please go away." She sniffed, her voice pained, and he sighed.

"Kyoko, I'm not leaving you alone right now." He told her simply, pulling a chair over to the bed. "You don't have to talk if you don't want to, but I'm here if you need me."

For about twenty minutes they sat in silence, the only noise being Kyoko's occasional sniff. Unable to take the heat under the covers anymore, she pushed them away, curling away from her father. He sat by her side, his eyes closed, until he felt a small, hot, hand slip into his own. He opened his eyes and found her staring up at him with read eyes and tears pouring from her eyes. He pulled a tissue out of the box by her bed and wiped her face gently, then picked her up and gathered her into his arms.

"It's going to be okay." He told her firmly, and Kyoko couldn't help the sobs that shook her whole body. "You have a family here in America, another one waiting in Japan for you, and a boyfriend, and they all love you very much." She cried loudly into his shoulder. "It was not your fault, Kyoko. It had nothing to do with you." He pulled away, desperate to assure her of this. "Kyoko." He looked into her eyes. "Please, you have to understand that it was not your fault." Through her tears, she could see the pain in his eyes and nodded.

"I…know. But….she…I didn't…" She shook her head and collapsed against him, taking a shuddering breath and closing her eyes. He rubbed her back and rocked them back and forth. As he held her, she felt the pain in her heart lessen a little. "I need to talk to the President." She said quietly after a while. He looked into her eyes.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded firmly. "I need to know what happened."

Kyoko sat in her bedroom, alone this time, with a promise to go downstairs as soon as she was finished. She had almost refused to make the promise, but her exhausted parents were obviously afraid that she would do something drastic if left alone, and she didn't have the strength to argue. She waited as the phone rang, then smiled a little when the too familiar voice answered.

"President?"

"Kyoko!" The surprise in his voice was blatant.

"Good evening." She said quietly, taking a deep breath.

"Good morning, Kyoko." His voice turned gentle. "Did Kuu speak to you?"

"Yes."

"I'm so sorry Kyoko." He told her softly. "I…don't know what to say." He seemed at a loss and she suddenly felt a wave of homesickness for her strange, exotic president and her company. She sniffed and brushed a hand against her eyes.

"President, what did…what did Sh…Fuwa-san say?" Her voice came out more distant than he had wanted, but she couldn't help it. It was the only way she was going to get through this.

Lory sighed, obviously not wanting to tell her, but having no justification for not doing so. "Saena checked into the room yesterday morning, said that she wanted to visit his parents, and the three of them had lunch out together. She mentioned a business deal falling through and a problem with a man who wanted her clients. They thought she seemed…strange. Later that night, they sent a girl up to bring her dinner, and the girl ran back down and informed them that she was dead." He spoke in a cool, factual tone, not knowing how to judge her silence.

"How…what happened?"

"She…used a kitchen knife."

Lory heard her breath catch and closed his eyes, wishing that he didn't have to tell her this. "What did…she….do?" The girl's voice was weak and he was hesitant to tell her, but she would find out either way.

"She cut her throat." He heard a loud thump and called out her name.

Kyoko dropped the phone and hurried into the bathroom, slamming the door, falling to her knees and emptying what little food she had in her stomach into the toilet.

Hearing the door slam, Kuu and Julie burst into the room. Kuu grabbed the cellphone and pressed it to his ear while Julie peeked into the bathroom. "Oh sweetie." Kuu looked up as Julie pushed the door open and caught sight of his pale daughter with her forehead resting against the toilet lid.

"Hello? Kyoko!" Lory was yelling and Kuu winced, holding the phone away from his ear.

"It's me, Boss."

"Is she okay?"

"She's…sick." He watched Julie touch the girl's forehead and flinch, then get up and grab a washcloth.

"Kuu, I had to tell her!" Lory's voice sounded tortured and Kuu felt some pity for the man who obviously love the girl like a granddaughter.

"I know." Kuu reassured him. "It wasn't your fault. She's dealing with a lot, and she's exhausted. I think she'll be okay if she can get some rest." Julie was placing the now wet washcloth on her face and stroking her hair. The woman placed a hand under the girl's arm and helped her to stand and Kuu hurried forward to help.

"Kuon is really worried, Kuu. He was sent home because he couldn't focus on work."

"I'll tell her call him in the morning. Let me call you back, okay? We need to get her to bed and try to keep her there." His voice was wry and Lory nodded, though Kuu couldn't see him.

"Sure. I'll talk to you later. But you need to get some sleep too."

Kuu walked over and touched Kyoko's forehead. It was a little hot and he frowned at Julie.

"I think it is just shock." Julie explained. "She'll be fine." She told him as they helped the girl onto the bed and Julie wiped her mouth again. Kuu handed her the tea that he had brought up earlier and Kyoko took a little drink to rinse her mouth, then placed it on the table.

"I'm sorry." She whispered tiredly, and Kuu pulled the blanket over her.

"Don't be sorry. We all need some rest. I don't think anyone is going to work tomorrow, so sleep as long as you want." She thanked them softly and almost immediately drifted off.

In their own bedroom, Kuu wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed her cheek. She nuzzled her nose against his neck and they let themselves finally go to sleep.

Kuon paced. 'I can't call her. Not yet. Lory said she was sick and exhausted. I can't wake her up. Dad promised to have her call me. He wouldn't forget…right! Maybe I should call…no. Mom and Dad are exhausted too. I hope she's okay. Why did this have to happen while I wasn't there?' He groaned and fell back onto the sofa. 'What am I doing. I need to get my mind on something else. I never ate dinner, did I? I'm not hungry but I think I forgot to eat….I should eat something. Kyoko will be upset if I don't….' He stood again. 'I can't wait until she gets back. I miss her so much. I need to see her. It's been two weeks! I need to call her…I can't call her! Not yet!' He began pacing again.

"She'll be fine." Yukihito stroked Kanae's hair and nuzzled her neck. She looked away, obviously not moved. "Please stop worrying. She's fine."

"I haven't seen her in months. She was in the hospital and I couldn't be there. Now her mother dies, and I can't be there." She sighed and crossed her arms. Yukihito pressed his lips against her neck and she gasped lightly. "Yukihito! I'm worried about Kyoko and all you do is…ah!"

Yukihito smirked. "Why don't you let me distract you?"

Kyoko finally awoke at noon, marveling at the fact that she had slept so late. The pain and heartsickness that had been so overwhelming a few hours ago seemed to be receding into a throbbing that she suspected may never go away. She sighed and looked around her room, at the washcloth and open bottle of tea on the nightstand and the used tissues on the floor. She slipped off the edge of the bed and flinched the faint pain in her knees. 'How did…oh. Bathroom…sick…moth….no. Not thinking about that again just yet.' She began cleaning, picking things up off the floor, and made her bed, deliberately keeping her thoughts on folding the sheets under the mattress and pulling the comforter up. Taking a deep breath, she hurried into her closet and changed into comfortable clothes, trying not to think about the fact that she was skipping work.

She caught sight of her cellphone on the nightstand and took a deep breath. 'I want to talk to him. I love my mother and father, and I want to talk to them, but they were up with me all morning...' She picked up the phone, debating with herself. 'Does Kuon know? I can't remember if Father said anything about that. Will I have to tell him what happened? Do I really want to talk about this?" She found her fingers dialing the familiar number. He picked up on the second ring.

"Hello? Kyoko?"

"Key Kuon."

"Oh, Kyoko. I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" His voice was soft. "I mean, of course you aren't, but…are you…is everything…"

"I'll be fine." She assured him, unable to bear the sorrow and fear in his voice.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked gently.

"Um…not right now." She closed her eyes, suddenly finding the thought of discussing her mother unbearable. "I just…I just can't right now." She whispered.

"Okay. But if you ever want to talk, just call me, okay? It doesn't matter when it is, I want you to call me." His voice was pleading and she smiled.

"Thank you." She took a deep breath. "So…how was work?" She asked lightly, trying to change the subject.

"Horrible." His voice was depressed and her eyes widened.

"What happened?" She cried.

"I…was worried about something."

"Oh no! Kuon! You were worried about me, weren't you?" She bemoaned. "This is my fault!"

"Kyoko! It's not your fault. Please don't blame yourself for this. I was worried, but it will be fine. There was no irreversible damage." Kyoko smiled a little at his teasing tone. "I'll apologize to the director and everything will be fine now that I know that you're okay." Kyoko blushed, smiling a little.

"Kuon…" She reprimanded. "You shouldn't say things like that." He chuckled.

"Why not?" He teased, and she found herself laughing softly at his tone.

"Have you eaten?" She managed to switch the topic again, and he rolled his eyes.

"Yes. I have a very healthy dinner, and ate almost all of it." He fudged the truth a bit. It had actually been half of a sandwich and tea.

"What did you have?" She asked suspiciously.

"A sandwich."

"How much of a sandwich?"

"Um…most of…"

"Kuon!" She cried. "You have to start taking care of…"

In Japan, Kuon smirked at the phone, glad to hear her sounding so lively again. 'At first, she sounded so sad…maybe I can help her get through this even though I'm not there.' He heard a pause and he decided to cut in. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. As soon as I get off the phone, I'll make myself something healthy, I swear." He tried to appease her.

She smiled. "Good. You have to take care of yourself or…" She broke off, closing her eyes. 'Too close. It hurts too much to joke about that. The thought of loosing Kuon like I did….' She clenched her teeth, surprised at how easy it was to reinjure the sore spot in her heart.

"Hey. Don't think like that. I'm fine. I'll eat, okay. I promise." His voice was sad and pleading, and she sniffed.

"I'm sorry." She sighed. "This is just hard."

"I know." He told her gently. "I know it is." There was a pause. "You aren't going to work, are you?" He asked suddenly.

"No. Father told me that I should stay home…and I didn't feel like arguing. I know it's unprofessional…but I don't think I could have gone in today. I know you said that a true professional is able to…"

"Please don't finish that." His voice was pained and she stopped.

"What…?"

"Kyoko, there is nothing wrong with you taking a day off after what happened. I…it was an exaggeration, what I said. Anyone would be upset after the morning you had."

"Are you sure?" She asked in a small voice, and it was obvious how much she craved his approval.

"Of course I am. If anything ever happened to my parents, or, God forbid, you, there would be no way I could go back to work. I love you too much." She blushed again.

'I wish he wouldn't say such embarrassing things…' She thought with a tiny smile.

Kuu looked up at his daughter's entrance into the kitchen and smiled. "Good morn…afternoon sweetheart."

"Hi Father." She walked over and hugged him, kissing his cheek.

"Are you hungry?"

"Very. What's for breakfast?"

He grinned childishly. "Chocolate chip pancakes." She smiled and grabbed a plate. "Kuon is worried about you."

"I called him. He's coming this weekend." Kuu nodded, smiling. He was always glad to see his son, and seeing his son and daughter together was always wonderful. Also he knew that Kuon would be able to help Kyoko in ways that he couldn't. Seeing her excitement dampened by pain, he touched her hand.

"I know you miss him." He told her kindly.

"I wish…" She looked away. "I wish he was here." She admitted softly. "I really wanted him here when I found out…" She trailed off, staring at the ground, and Kuu nodded.

"I know. And I'm sure he hates himself for not coming sooner. But you'll be back home soon." He reminded her. She nodded.

'My contract ends in September, which is only two months from now, and filming will be done sometime around then. I guess after that…I'll be going home.'

A/N: Okay, we are getting past all the sadness for Kyoko! (I think...unless I get another idea.) By the way, I sincerely apologize for the profanity. (Just a teeny bit of it though) I loathe profanity and never use it, but honestly I couldn't think of a better word for Kyoko's mother. It was true. That's probably the only bit you will ever see in my stories. Anyway, let me know what you think.