3 make up stores, endless clothing stores and a couple of stores that were entirely devoted to shoes, Kyoko was exhausted.

She had gratefully sunk onto a stone bench surrounded by bags. Julie had gone crazy spoiling her. She had snuck a peek at one of the totals on the register, after Julie had made her try on about 20 different outfits. Julie had declared them all cute and put the whole lot in the 'to buy' pile. The total had made her heart skip a beat. After that she firmly watched anywhere but the total when everything was rung up, with Ren and Lory in her head telling her Julie was having fun, go with flow, accept it.

She looked up in time to she Julie dart into yet another store and groaned. She didn't know how much more of this her poor heart could take. Or how Julie could still be going.

The woman in question flopped down onto the bench next to Kyoko and handed her a drink.

"Thank you Kyoko-chan."

"For what?"

"Letting me spoil you. I am aware I perhaps went a little… overboard. I love my son but he's not a girl."

Kyoko tried to imagine Ren on the mission Julie had dragged her on.
It was difficult.

"I think Kuu will be surprised at how little we've spent."

Kyoko choked on her drink. Julie patted the spluttering Kyoko on the back.

"Are you okay Kyoko-chan?"

"How little you've spent?! I saw one of the totals Julie-san and it was almost 6 figures."

Julie frowned at her.

"You are very frugal for one so young."

"Frugal?"

"Thrifty, penny saving…"

"I know what frugal means. I just don't know what you mean."

"Other girls your age would be overjoyed with this kind of shopping spree but you seem entirely…indifferent."

Kyoko looked at her lap and fiddled with her drink water.

She didn't know how to tell Julie she was used to nothing, having to make every penny count.

"I uh, I didn't have that growing up. I wanted to make myself useful so Sho's family wouldn't throw me away. Then when he brought me to Tokyo I had to work 3 jobs to pay for his apartment, that he was rarely ever in."

She gazed into the distance as she remembered the lonely nights, quiet days, the silence and the sadness.

"Who's Sho?"

Kyoko glanced at Julie. She had a look of fury on her face and Kyoko ducked back behind her hair. Her grudges revelled in this glorious new anger. She peeked again, saw that Julie was still waiting for an explanation.

Kyoko began in a flat monotone, still staring at her lap.

"I grew up in the Fuwa Ryokan after my mother abandoned me. I was a good girl, learning and training so they would keep me. I behaved and worked so I wouldn't be a burden. Fuwa Shotaro was my friend, but he has always been popular and so I was relentlessly bullied. They wanted him to take over the inn when he was old enough but he said no and that night asked me to run away to Tokyo with him. And I did. I gave up school and everything for him. I did everything for him."

She stopped as the pain, dulled through years, hindsight and understanding, lapped through her.

"I took him lunch one day and I overheard him talking to his manager. I was a maid to him. Someone to look after him because he couldn't be expected to do it himself. Then he said he didn't need me. He was throwing me away. Like my mother."

She took a drink and carried on.

"He said I was unappealing and boring and took great joy in the following months butting into my life and causing problems."

She told Julie about the Valentines day fiasco,popping up on sets, the calls.

Kyokos grudges were partying. Julie was shaking.

"I'm sorry Julie-san."

Julie stared at Kyoko like she had grown a second head.

"Whatever for?! That boy was horrible, using you like that, dumping you and then running back to cause problems in your life when he realised what he had lost but couldn't deal with it."

"But…"

Julie grabbed Kyokos chin and forced her to look her in the eye.

"No buts! He took an emotionally vulnerable girl and took advantage of you. He used you, in some ways abused you."
She stopped at the confused look in Kyokos eyes.

"Someone doesn't have to physically hurt you to abuse you. Calling you those names, leaving you alone, making you work 3 jobs for an apartment he never used! That is abuse to. And then you escaped and he continued to make your life miserable. You have nothing to apologise for."

Julie patted Kyokos cheek.

"Well, his loss my gain."

Kyoko looked at her and saw the shadows. She was upset.

"When I realised that I was over Sho I began to tell him off. You know, stand up to him."

Julie cocked an eyebrow.

"When I was in hospital he came by and made a huge scene, so I scolded him like a child. He fired his manager because I offered her a job after he told her that without him she wouldn't be anywhere. She works for M-Kotonami-san now."

She told Julie tales of Sho as a child and teen and the reprecussions it had had for her. She told her about TBM, Okinawa, in public, on sets.

"And he's a public figure?"

"Unfortunately so. But without Shoko-san I don't see him faring very well."

Kyoko suddenly vibrated and Julie looked worried. She laughed.

"Don't worry Julie-san, it's just my phone. Oh it's Ren. He wants to know if we've shopped enough yet, Dad is hungry."

Julie laughed.

"That man always is! What should we do for dinner?"

Kyoko had a thought and text Ren.

Does Father want some home cooking?

He says if it means yours then yes.

Take him to the Darumaya. We'll meet you there.

She called to check with Okami who was thrilled and said she could use their private sitting room. Kyoko jumped off the bench and began collecting her bags.

"Come on Julie-san. It's time for me to repay your kindness and make Otou-san very happy."

"Where are we going?"

Kyoko just winked and beckoned her. The guards fell in step a few feet behind and Kyoko was amazed they were still standing after todays shopping. They were in the car when Julie asked her again but Kyoko just giggled. She caught the drivers eye and mouth 'home'. He nodded and pulled away.

The whole ride Julie kept asking if they were there yet.