AN: So I have been writing other fics but am planning on releasing new chapters every Sunday of those. Hopefully I can write a lot but I need to get caught up with work and school 😊 Hope you enjoy this chapter since it shows more classic Kyoko.
Chapter Fifty Four – Hope for the Future
As Kuu brought Isabella back home after school the previous day, the two of them came up to the house and heard a lot of construction work being done including several boxes outside. This was strange. Isabella reached for her grandfather's hand as they entered the house and saw that some furniture had been moved around and one of the room on the ground level had a bed in it with a chair and dresser as well as a lot of space for somebody to move around in it. There was more space for a wheelchair all around the house in fact and there were some temporary ramps in some of the more difficult parts to maneuver a chair.
Kuu looked out into the living room and saw Kyoko following a blueprint. She had a sweatband around her forehead and looked much more like the Kyoko that Kuu had known. He approached her and when she found them to be watching her, she stood.
"Hi, welcome home," she said as she smiled to Bella before turning to Kuu, "How are you, Kuu-sama?" she asked as Kuu looked around at all the new equipment like a shower chair and different metal apparatus that someone who couldn't use their legs would use. Along the wall were some large and neutral rugs that had a backing to them that wasn't going to slip on the tiles or wood paneling.
"What is all of this?" Kuu asked as he saw a pile of books about helping someone who had a traumatic brain injury. "Did you -"
"I made a second bedroom for Kuon because they say that he might not want to go upstairs or he might feel too exhausted so it's right by the front door and the living room and the kitchen in case there are times when he just wants to rest. I've made some changes in our living room and the bathroom and I'm going to do some work on the kitchen so that he feels confident being in those rooms."
Kyoko picked up a hammer and held it to cheek as she continued to talk about all of the home modifications that she had done so that she could do her best to take care of Kuon. "I bought the rugs to put down so that the wheelchair won't slip. I know that he's got control of things but I don't want him to accidentally get hurt but I am worried about what he said about Japan," she admitted and Kuu looked at her curiously.
"What he said about -" he asked and Kyoko nodded.
"When I was there last night and when I visited him this morning he said that he wanted to go back to Japan. I can tell that he really meant it and he's told me before that he feels much more comfortable when he's in Japan than America, I know that he wants to go back but is it best for him?" Kyoko asked and Kuu froze.
"He wants to go to Japan right now?" he asked. For years Kuon had been saying how he wanted Isabella to grow up with her grandparents and he had been performing magnificently at work. When he was a small boy he hadn't wanted to go to Japan at all, he had been completely disinterested in even the thought of going. He wanted to go back now?
"I don't want to just say that we can't go," Kyoko said as she tried to think through the problem, "It's just that I'm worried about how he'd heal if we went. His therapists are over here, you and Julie are over here, and there are some great places that specialize in helping brain injury but I know that he might feel threatened and overwhelmed being here as well."
Kuu sighed, "There are good places in Japan as well," he told her and Kyoko nodded. "I mean, you're still a Japanese citizen so the two of you can go and I know that boss would do everything that he can to help but is this really what he wants."
Kyoko nodded, "He says that he'd feel less pressured, that there's less people who he'd have to see in terms of the media and that it wouldn't be like Hollywood. Apparently he's always thought that it was slower and calmer in Japan and that the main reason he moved here was so that he could be with you and Julie and Isabella."
Kyoko and Kuu looked up at the little girl that they had ignored and yet had listened to the whole conversation.
"Bella, I…" Kyoko struggled. She knew that Bella had her own friends here and her own life and Kuon wouldn't have even brought it up if it wasn't important to him. Kyoko knew that even with the limited functioning he was going through, Kuon wouldn't do anything to harm Bella intentionally. "I…how do you feel about that?" she asked nervously and Bella looked at her.
"I want to ask Daddy, if Daddy thinks it's best then I'll do it," she said before wrapping her arms around herself, "I'd miss Grandma and Grandpa," she said as she attempted to stop her sobs.
Kuu hummed before looking at the two of them, "Give us a month and Lory and I will think of a way for the five of us to move over there," he said and Kyoko's eyes widened.
"Kuu-sama," she said quickly, "Please don't do that. I don't want to inconvenience you. You and Julie have your lives here and…and it would be wrong for -"
"If this is what Kuon thinks is best for him, this is what we'll do. He rarely asks for anything and I don't want to not be with my son or my granddaughter," Kuu told her, "besides, with the way that they treat actors of my age, I think I'd get more interesting roles if I did move to Japan."
Kyoko smiled as she tried to dab away at the tears in her eyes, "One month," she said in agreement. "Okay, let's get started on this."
…
…
Kuon walked into the house that he had just bought. It had cost him so much money so he was glad that he had had a successful Hollywood career already, not to mention Ren Tsuruga's wealth. He knew that this was extravagant but maybe he was an extravagant guy. Considering the presents that he had bought Kyoko when she was alive, well, that more than proved it. He couldn't wait to get Bella's help in decorating her new room.
The little girl was looking around the house completely stunned and she grabbed to her daddy's hand. "Is this a palace?" she asked innocently and Kuon chuckled. He crouched down beside her and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"Not quite, but it is pretty big isn't it," he told the little girl. "I hope that we have a lot of fun memories in this place," he kissed the top of her head as he crouched down opposite her and found Bella to rush into his arms, wanting a hug which Kuon immediately gave to her of course..
"It's pretty," she said and Kuon nodded.
"I think your mother would like it too," he said and Bella looked at him. She had gotten used to the way that her father spoke as if her mother was coming back to them. She had learned that it was his way of coping although Bella didn't know if the word coping was accurate. In her young mind, whenever she asked for things and didn't get them right away she was sad. Was her daddy sad about asking for her mother and never getting her. He seemed to like the house.
"I hope Daddy smiles," she grinned to him and Kuon looked at his daughter with so much love in his eyes.
"I hope we both do," he told the little girl.
…
…
Kyoko smiled as she sat on Kuon's bed as he looked up at her. She looked down at one of the books that she had bought about how to help a loved one who had sustained a traumatic brain injury, however she had bought a book cover in case Kuon thought it was rude or felt uncomfortable with her reading it around him. He continued to watch her without her knowing that he had woken up.
As she turned the page, she saw his emerald eyes gazing at her and she quickly shoved a bookmark in and put it down on the floor beside her. "Hi," she smiled softly to her husband. She got down in the bed next to him and touched his cheek, showing her love for him and how grateful she was that he had accepted that love.
Kuon curiously looked over at what the book was and Kyoko paled. She wasn't sure whether to tell him or not but she had promised herself that she was going to try to not keep secrets from him any longer. She reached down and sighed, "I've been reading about your injuries," she admitted as he watched her. "I want to know how best to help you."
"Aaan-nyth-ing intt-ere—sttting?" he asked her and Kyoko smoothed down his hair. She didn't want him to hurt himself especially if it was because of her.
"Well, they say to let you be a bit more self-centered," she said with a laugh, "You've always had trouble with that one," she saw him looking at her, "I mean they also said inability to empathize with others but that's never been you, even when you ten you still cared so much about me and I'm so grateful for that. There's also mood swings mentioned but we can handle those," she said as she saw his worry.
"Oh, sweetheart," she whispered as she kissed his lips gently. "It's okay. Nobody wanted this to happen to you. It's not your fault at all so if you get aggressive or frustrated or depressed then I'm here, I'm not going to run away," she attempted to promise seeing his disappointment over that being a definite possibility.
"Honey, I know that you're doing your best. You have to keep doing your best, okay?" she asked as she took hold of his hand and smiled softly. She kissed him again before placing a hand on his cheek, "I'm getting things ready to go to Japan and your dad said that he wants to go back too. He said something about wanting to get back in touch with the president and that he thinks that he might be able to get more acting roles."
Once she mentioned acting she saw the light fade in Kuon's eyes and she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face deeper into his chest. "The doctors told me that if you keep progressing the way that you have, you might be able to get back into acting in a couple of years or even a year and a half."
Kuon sighed, "Ii-I'll n-nn-ever bbe aa-ass gg-oodd," he told her and Kyoko shook her head.
"The doctors said you will be or they don't see any reason why you wouldn't be but right now you have to rest because if you push yourself too much then it'll take a much longer time." Kyoko kissed him again before laughing softly, "I wouldn't worry too much though because we already know that you can do anything," she said as she held his hand, "I've never met someone as amazing as you and I know that I never will."
End of Chapter Fifty Four
Thank you for reading
Thank you to those who reviewed Chapter Fifty Three
Ashenvale: No but Sho did use their shower
Erza: Hopefully once I've got school and work in order I can update more of my fics because So Lucky to Have You will have some things like the pregnancy idea
Loyalty counts: Wow, impressive 😊 I kind of like torturing people especially Kuon because I love him so much
Paulagato: I never said anything about the gender of the baby/ies 😉
Undertheskys: She's going to try her best for her husband but only he knows of the pregnancy
