AN: If you read this before I forgot to change Kuon's speech at the end to affected speech. Oops
Chapter Forty Five
I hold the phone to my cheek. I know that I'll probably need to just leave a message and he'll call me back but if I can do anything at all to help Kuon, I want to. Kuon landed himself in this position because he saved my life. If I can continue helping him to enjoy life then I want to. I take a deep breath before hearing the voice of the man that I was calling.
"Kyoko," he laughs happily before his voice turns serious, "Wait. You're not going to tell me that Kuon's condition has relapsed, that the party is cancelled, that he's gotten worse."
I take a deep breath and sit. I put one hand to my heart whilst the other knocks three times against a wooden surface. I don't want to hear those words. I don't want to imagine those thoughts. Kuon has to keep improving and healing and getting better.
"No. He's okay. He's doing really really well," I try to tell the president before looking away. I need to keep repeating those words in my head. Compared to only a few months ago, Kuon is no longer at death's door, he's healing. "But, yes, this phone call is on his behalf. Kuon told me that when he heals, if his condition permits it, he'd like to try acting again." I close my eyes, hopefully this isn't asking too much or speaking above my position. "I was hoping that you -"
"Would help him improve his techniques again?" the president asks and I slowly breathe out. Maybe what I'm about to ask for is really too much? I mean, if the president doesn't have the same amount of faith in Kuon that I have and most probably Father has as well then asking for him to reenter LME is presumptuous of me.
"No. I was hoping that you would allow him to audition for LME? We'll be moving back to Japan anyway and even if it's just the chance of an audi-" I try to ask this politely but the president cuts me off before I can finish my thoughts.
"Why would I do that?" the president asks and my back straightens.
"Don't think badly of him," I try to argue. "Nobody thought that he would improve as much as he has in such a short time. He might have some disabilities, some difficulties in doing things that he did in the past but he still knows all the techniques, he can still deliver lines better than most actors out there despite how hard it sometimes is for him to get his words out clear-"
"And you're misunderstanding me," the president chuckles. "Why would I waste both my time and Kuon's time with an audition process. The man has won what people call the most prestigious award in acting. Once he recovers enough to the point where I feel confident in him, he'll be part of our LME family with no conditions. Well, even though he's not a young adult any longer or even a man in his twenties, I would feel more comfortable if he had a manager to be with him in case something happened. I'm sure everyone who works with him would understand that."
I take a deep breath in. Okay. Maybe I was quick to judgment again but I can't help it when it concerns Kuon. I smile as I bow my head and feel excited. Kuon just has to continue working hard and he'll be allowed to attain his dreams. I'm so proud of him.
"Thank you," I tell him and the president sighs in a pleasant manner.
"No. Thank him, many would sacrifice a lot to have the former Ren Tsuruga as part of their agency. You know that Kuon is like family to me. I will do anything to help him achieve his dreams and I'm impressed by him every day that he keeps working hard for your family."
I smile, "I know," I reply, not sure what else to say. I really do know how happy we all are, how impressed we all are by him, how much pride he brings to all of us even if he's sometimes too shortsighted to see it in himself. I really know how hard he's working and thrilled that all that hard work is finally paying off.
KyKuKyKuKy
I don't know what presents are adequate for Valentine's Day. I realize now that I have never truly been someone's girlfriend before and though I felt an unwavering devotion to Shotaro for many years, the situation was much different. If Sho hadn't liked my present when I was living with him and his family then they couldn't kick me out. Is there a repercussion if I get Re—Kuon the wrong gift?
I sit in front of the TV but I'm not watching it, instead I am staring at the ground and frowning. What am I supposed to get for him? That being said, his birthday is less than a week away, only a few days. Yes, I've bought him a gift but is it enough for a man who has everything? I freeze as he hands me a cup of tea and looks at me suspiciously. Has he developed the ability to read minds along with his vast range of other skills.
"Kyoko," he says as he looks to me and I raise my head to see that, he's already taken his contacts out tonight. His emerald eyes are so enchanting and the fact that only the president, the muse, and I are allowed to see the true Kuon is absolutely thrilling. "I want to apologize for what I'm about to tell you. I should have probably told you this beforehand but I think it's important for you to know -"
"Did I do something wrong?" I ask and he shakes his head, looking surprised that I even asked that. "if I did something that you didn't like, can I at least have a chance to fix it before we -" he raises his hand and shakes his head.
"I'm not breaking up with you," he tells me and I blink before exhaling in relief. "No. I lied to you, not just you, all of Japan well…apart from the president." I stare at him. He's got ANOTHER secret identity? He's a spy for the FBI or something? "My birthday," he says before sighing, "the date that you know is wrong."
I pause. It's wrong? I got it wrong last year too. I know that acting under a stage name isn't unusual but changing your birthday every year, there has to be a rule prohibiting that because it's just not fair for people who want to buy you gifts.
"When?" I ask, "Don't tell me that I just let it pass and didn't say anything about it. I'm sorr-" I begin to apologize but he cuts me off.
"February 19th," he tells me and I blink at him. Wait? His birthday really is the 19th? Everyone kept telling me that I was wrong, he even went along with them saying I was wrong. I blink at him. "Yes, I know what you're thinking, when I made my debut the president put the date in correctly but I didn't want to risk it. If someone did a report on my father and managed to find out the date of his son's birth down to the year and searched that up, they would find that I was born on the exact same date. When I asked the president if he could change it, he said that I had two choices, the 18th or the 10th because those would be easy to call mistakes, I chose the 10th because it was further away from my actual birthday."
I blink at him. He sounds serious and I can follow and understand his story. Does this mean that he's been alone on each birthday with only the president able to wish him a happy birthday. I look down. "So you have two birthdays," I tell him and he looks at me cautiously.
"No, just the one," he corrects me but I shake my head. "Just the 19th. Just like everyone else, I was only born once."
I shake my head before smiling at him, "I'm choosing to celebrate both," I tell him and he opens his mouth to protest. "Now I just need to find you another gift." He opens his mouth to argue but I deliver him a look telling him to just go along with it. He nods and sits down opposite me. I just get to celebrate him twice as much. That is a resolution that I'm more than happy with.
KyKuKyKuKy
I know what she's doing and I don't deserve it. I don't know who she thinks that I am but I don't think it's the person I've become. I take a deep breath and push my hand over my head, flinching as I touch the grove in my skull. I am probably the luckiest man ever to even be alive after what has happened. I feel a sadness inside of me as I think of the other birthdays which we've celebrated.
I don't notice that the air in the room gets cold around me, I guess I become blind to those things. It sounds selfish of me that I do so. It's not until I see her enter the room and freeze, her smile fading that I realize that my outside must be reflecting those thoughts inside.
"Do you want to go back to bed?" she says as she comes closer to me. She kneels down before me and feels my forehead. "Slight fever but nothing too high," she says and I feel that she's talking to herself and not really to me. "Breakfast can wait until you fe-"
"Wh-Why?" I ask not even knowing the rest of that question.
Kyoko blinks but settles down in the traditional Japanese kneeling position. "It's okay if you're feeling tired. I know that sometimes the energy people build up when they are excited makes them tired. Did you want me to come to bed with you."
I look at her before feeling something unusual, a few tear drops on my cheeks. I'm a professional actor - or was – I know how to cry if a scene calls for it but I didn't really ever cry even as a kid. Kyoko rises and wraps her arms around me.
"Corn?" she asks as she pulls back and pushes the tears away with one of her thumbs. "Talk to me, is this chemical or is there something -"
"Wh-Who ammmm I?" I ask her and she opens her mouth to say something before tilting her head.
"What do you mean by that?" she asks me. I know that she's worried about memory loss, maybe some dementia type symptoms that might be side effects of my medications. No. It's not like that.
"I ju-sst fe-feel ol'er," I tell her. "I kn-kn-know who I...ammm, or wa-wa-was, I ww-was a su'essful ac-ac-tttor, I wa' Ren Tsuur-ruga bu' I ju-just feel so m-mmuch ol'er than la-sss' ye-year."
"Well in nine days, you'll be exactly one year older," she tries to joke before sighing. "You've worked so hard to get to the place where you are now," she nods and takes a deep breath before cupping my cheek. "Your body, I can't imagine the pain and stress and exhaustion that your body must be going through but I support you, we all support you. You might feel different but you're still my amazing prince Corn, still the man that I love."
I nod as she tells me this. She bends down before kissing me passionately.
"Do you want to talk in the bedroom?" she asks and I hear a slight hopefulness in her voice. I nod and she grins before waiting for me to lead the way. She always seems to get excited when I tell her the problems which I've been having.
End of Chapter Forty Four
Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated
Thank you to the reviewers of Chapter Forty Three
Kaname671, kyoko minion
AN 1: I'm thinking of a few other directors before Ogata making their appearances
AN 2: Just a heads up, the part at the end kind of mirrors a feeling I get most days. If there's too much hope, happiness, or excitement, a crash usually happens afterwards. I used to think that it was a warning to me that I should never be happy but these days I'm taking it as a special feeling so I can always attempt to find my own happiness.
