Dinner plans
To say the day had been long would be an understatement and an insult to long days. Hizuri Kuon was ready to be done with absolutely everything and just go home and… drink? Sleep? Make out with his beautiful girlfriend? He wasn't sure what he wanted to do, that last one sounded promising, but he was absolutely certain he wanted to go home. The only reason he stayed in the restaurant being teased by his parents and friends was because he could see how happy Kyoko was.
The secret was out, his parents were ecstatic. They were using this opportunity to gloat and do all of the embarrassing parent stuff they had been denied in the past 8 years. If he had to listen one more time about any type of diaper story or how his mother would sing his boo boos away he was going to stand up and leave in the middle of conversation. Kyoko, noticing the tired and annoyed look on his face, gave his knee a squeeze under the table and smiled. "I think it's time for us to go" she whispered so she wouldn't interrupt Kijima telling his favorite Ren moment of when he didn't dodge a low door frame.
"You are the most amazing woman I have ever met and I love you from the bottom of my heart" Kuon said kissing the top of her head feeling waves of gratitude coming off him. She chuckled in response, you'd think she was suggesting they leave a dentist appointment or the DMV but she knew there was only so much the newly revived Kuon could handle in one day. She finished her water and waited for everyone to finish laughing after Kijima's story to announce their departure. "I couldn't be more thankful to have such an amazing group of friends and family that have supported both of us and accepted Kuon with open arms" Kanae shot one more glare towards the now blonde actor, she might have rolled with it but she still was concerned about her best friend.
Julie knew this was Kyoko's way of saying they were leaving, and as much as she wanted to stay and continue talking about Kuon she knew that her baby was probably tired, it had been, after all, a really big day for everyone. "Kuu, i think the children want to go home but are too polite to say so" she dramatically entoned to her husband. After a few chuckles from everyone at the table they started saying their goodbyes. Julie hugged Kuon with tears in her eyes and whispered "I will never get enough of being out with you" the actor knew how hard it had been for his parents to stay away and pretend they didn't know him the times they had been seen together with Tsuruga Ren and he was happy their suffering was over. "And I will never get enough of calling you mom" he whispered to her while he hugged her tightly making the model start crying again.
Kyoko was saying goodbye to her friends and wishing them a good day at work tomorrow "Don't you have work too?" asked Chiori as Koga helped put her blue coat on. "Actually, the president had all of my projects for the rest of the week cancelled. I think he just wants me to support Kuon and the Hizuris the next few days while they do interviews and talk shows" she said animatedly. "Have you considered the possibility that you also have to appear in those same interviews?" asked Kanae to her best friend. She didn't understand how the gold eyed actress still didn't think she was relevant. "Oh not at all! I just have to make sure that there's enough food for Hizuri-san and ensure that Kuon eats something" she smiled at her friends.
The sound of broken glass and someone falling to their knees brought everyone to attention "How you wound me Kyoko!" Kuu grabbed his chest in pain, the young actress ran over to the veteran actor trying to determine if there was a medical emergency as he continued "I just survived 8 years of my first son away from home to have my second son deny my fatherhood!" Kuon rolled his eyes as he held back a smile, he knew his parents were prone to theatrics which is why they got along so well with the president, but the concerned look on his girlfriends face was just too adorable to fully repress his laughter.
"I am so sorry! I didn't mean to cause you distress! I just… you know.. With Kuon back I didn't know if… he is your real son and..." the actress continued mumbling looking at the floor in embarrassment. Julie hugged Kuon one last time and went over to her fallen husband who was now lying on the floor in pretend death. "Kyoko, you are still our child, no matter what. We love you so please don't distance yourself from us. Just because Kuon is back doesn't mean we will love you any less, if possible we love you even more since you're the reason he's here with us today" she said as she hugged her adopted daughter. Kuu jumped to his feet to hug his two favorite women. "If i hear you call me Hizuri-san one more time I will legitimately die".
Kuon couldn't hold back his laughter anymore "You sound just like mom" he said as he continued laughing. Lory couldn't contain his laughter either, it was truly amazing to see his friends be happy again, and he was even more glad that they not only had their son back, but had also gained a daughter, and that his #1 Love me member had gained a family. The president clapped Kuon in the back "Congratulations my boy, I am glad to see everything turned out well for all of you" he said as they both looked at the Hizuris hug Kyoko as they reassured her of their love.
As everyone finished saying their goodbyes Kanae grabbed Kyoko to the side "Are you sure you're okay? Today was a lot" Kyoko smiled at her friend waiting for the best opportunity to hug her as she said "I'm sure. I'm more worried about Kuon" the taller actress sighed as she said "Of course you are. Mo! It wouldn't kill you to worry about yourself a little!" Kyoko saw her chance and jumped to hug her best friend. "I don't need to worry about myself when I have you! You're concerned about me! You're the best friend anyone could ever ask for!." Kanae was struggling to push her off as they heard a snicker behind them.
Kijima Hidehito was trying to be subtle, but seeing Kanae's flustered face as the little actress forced her love upon her was more than he could handle. "I didn't mean to interrupt, I was just wondering if you needed a ride? Chiori and Koga already left" Kanae looked around and glared towards the exit as she felt her phone vibrate.
I KNOW WE WERE YOUR RIDE BUT KIJIMA WAS LOOKING LONELY.
Irritated by her other friend's antics she started looking up the number for a taxi company as another text message came in.
I ALSO HAVE YOUR WALLET SO A TAXI IS OUT OF THE QUESTION.
"Mo! They have to be kidding me!" she claimed as she fumed. "What's wrong Moko-san?" asked Kyoko, worried about her best friend. "Do you want to ride with us instead?" she asked innocently. The taller actress knew that Kuon would give her a ride even if it annoyed him, she knew him well enough to know he was ready to be alone with Kyoko. Her phone buzzed once more and she steeled herself for whatever else Chiori was about to say.
LIVE A LITTLE. XOXO KOGA
Kanae was irate and was ready to accept Kyoko's offer when she felt Kijima behind her trying to peek at her screen. "Fine! You can give me a ride. Let's go" she said as she grabbed his hand and remembered her earlier promise to give the guy a chance. "I will talk to you tomorrow" she threw at Kyoko as she exited their private dining room. The actor looked a little surprised but pleased with himself as he said goodbye to the people left in the room over his shoulder.
Lory approached his friends as they observed Maria, Kyoko and Kuon say goodbye to Yashiro Yukihito. "It has been a while since I last saw you both so relaxed" mentioned the president of LME. "Seeing your children happy will do that to you, I'm sure you were the same with Kouki" said Julie with amusement in her eyes imagining his response, Lory sighed in resignation "I have never once been relaxed when it comes to Kouki, his seriousness really wounds my precious heart" he said with mock distress. "I truly do wonder where we went wrong with him".
Having heard her own grandfather speaking about her dad Maria came running to defend his honor "Perhaps you should be more like Papa! He is serious about his work and is really good at it!" Julie and Kuu chuckled seeing the little girl defend her father so intently, they still remembered how shy she had looked during the first grateful party where they had finally reunited. "Maria-chan, would you happen to have some time available to meet with me this week? I'd like your help with something for Kyoko's birthday, as you know she is turning 20 this year" Julie mentioned to the girl. "Of course Julie-san! Just let me check my calendar and I'd be happy to pencil you in!" she said excitedly.
"What calendar? What are you so busy with that you need to check your schedule?" said Lory with real distress this time, it was not lost to him how fast his beloved granddaughter was growing. "You are too young to have a busy schedule! I refuse!" Maria laughed at her grandfather and cheerfully said "Relax Grandfather, It's just ballet classes and school" and after seeing her grandfather relax "as well as meetings with a dress designer for my piano recital, invitation designers, caterers for the tea party I have planned, and 2 different entomologists for some… projects" she giggled at his distraught face. "Come on child, let's go do something reckless before you become too much like your father" he said, grabbing her hand and leading her away.
Kyoko and Kuon walked back to their parents having seen Yashiro off and found them laughing at the retreating president and his granddaughter. "What's so funny?" asked Kuon. "Nothing" both of the adult Hizuris said in unison which made them burst out laughing even more. They both knew how fast children grew and found it hilarious that Lory was just realizing how grown up Maria was becoming. Julie thought it was payback for her missing out on Kuon's youth. The younger actors looked at each other in confusion but didn't say anything, allowing them to finish laughing.
"Do you want me to take you home?" asked Kuon hoping she said no. He had tried convincing her to move in with him multiple times throughout their relationship and she had refused every single time saying it wouldn't be proper, even if she kept various changes of clothes and toiletries at his apartment and spent half the time there. He had even redecorated his guest room to be more of her taste in hopes she'd at least accept to be roommates with no success. She had admonished him for spending money unnecessarily saying the room was perfectly fine as it was before, even if her eyes had become dreamy at the little decorations he had gotten to make the room hers.
The actress looked at her boyfriend and smiled gently "I know you well enough to know you're offering out of politeness, but you don't have to keep the gentleman persona up, Kuon. Tusuruga Ren is dead. You're allowed to be selfish, if you want me to go home with you all you need to do is ask" He hadn't realized it but she was right. He didn't need to be prim and proper all the time anymore, with the secret out into the world he was allowed to feel human again. Not to insult Ren's image, but he had always felt fake to him and Kyoko had gotten to know the real him and was able to see past the image he had tried to portray.
"I love you Kyoko, will you please come home with me?" he asked with too much intensity for his father to witness. " Let me walk you to the car my sweet underage daughter, this son of mine is looking at you with impure thoughts and needs to cool off" Kuu exclaimed as he grabbed the actress and started walking away "Otou-san! You can't say things like that! People will get the wrong idea!" she exclaimed as they walked out of the room. Kuu had seen Julie's eyes tear up with emotion at the girl's words and realized she might need another moment with their son. They had both thought that once he announced who he was to the world everything would go back to normal, but listening to Kyoko they both realized that Kuon might still need some time to adjust to being himself and not the fake persona he had been for almost a decade.
Julie took one look at her soon gazing lovingly towards the door her husband and daughter had just left through and stated as she dried her tears once more "I swear to God if you don't buy her an engagement ring I will buy her a family ring and legally adopt her as my daughter. Do you want her to be your sister? The adoption documents are already in my inbox waiting to be signed." she said with incredible seriousness. He didn't have to know that she also had a marriage certificate ready with both of their information filled out, as well as her and Kuu's updated wills leaving everything to the future children of Hizuri Kuon and Hizuri Kyoko. The family lawyer had been confused by the request as he hadn't heard a single thing about Kuon in years and suddenly he had children? Having worked for Julie for so many years, the lawyer knew to not ask any questions when she had asked for the documents to be drawn.
Kuon took one look at his mother and went to look for his jacket. Taking out the little velvet box he had been carrying in his pocket and showed it to his mother who gasped and stared at her son. She had intended to scare him into action, she didn't know he was ahead of her ideas. "I've been carrying this with me for weeks now." he said as he opened the box.
The black velvet box looked ordinary from the outside, but once opened it had a single miniature spotlight that shone light directly at the ring he had designed himself. The band was platinum and thin, completely covered in diamonds on the top, front and back, the only side not covered with diamonds was the one that would be in contact with her skin. What made the ring so unique was the 5 carat iolite stone showcased in the middle. The way it was framed made the round cut stone base sit on a small circle of diamonds, which allowed the purple stone to be seen from all angles, from the round top to the pointy end, and the way the spotlight in the box shone on the ring made the reflections of the diamonds shine light through the stone, making it seem different shades of purple, indigo, or blue depending on where you looked.
Julie gasped when the light hit the ring "This is your stone" she said looking at the beautifully crafted ring. His parents knew all about Corn, after all they had purchased it for him in India after seeing him fascinated with the changing colors when he was 8 years old. He had told his Dad the stone was now with someone who needed it more when Kuu had noticed he didn't have it on the way back from their first trip to Kyoto. That had been Kuon's first lecture on the value of things given how expensive the stone had been.
"It's the same type of stone, I've been working with the jeweler for almost a year now, I wanted it to be perfect" he said as his mother took the ring out of the little box. It truly was a lovely delicate thing, without the spot light it looked a deep indigo color but with Julie's refined eye she could tell that the stone had no inclusions or blemishes and had been cut to maximize the color effect of the iolite. All of the smaller diamonds were also of incredibly high grade to be this reflective that even without direct light they shone through the centerpiece.
"It's beautiful Kuon," she said, looking at her son tenderly admiring his creation. "It's a very special ring for a very special girl" she mentioned as she put the ring back in the velvet box. "What are you waiting for? Are you afraid she'll say no?" she couldn't imagine why he'd wait weeks if he had been working on the ring for half of their relationship. Kuon chuckled at the idea "it's not that, god i really hope she says yes, but i just didn't want to ask while being Ren you know? I want to give her the world and I just couldn't do that while lying to everyone. She really pushes me to be better mom, and she doesn't even try. I want to be better, I want to be the best so she'll never be sad again, so I can give her everything her heart desires, and take her to all of the amazing places I know she'd love. I want her to forget the world exists and just be happy. I am just so lucky to have in my life and I don't know what I would do without her" he rambled on running his free hand through his hair.
How Julie hadn't become dehydrated was a scientific mystery as she had fresh tears running down her face for the thousandth time in the day. "Oh Kuon" she said, hugging her son. "She is just as lucky to have you." The mother and son continued to hold onto each other thanking the stars that Kyoko had come into their lives. After another moment of comfortable silence he stepped slightly back so he could see her face clearly. "Did you really have adoption papers drawn for my girlfriend?" he asked, raising his eyebrow. "Hush, it doesn't matter now, does it?" she said after a few heartbeats of now uncomfortable silence grabbing her purse and walking towards the door "I have a wedding to plan" and with one last shining smile she left Kuon alone in the private dining room.
Next chapter: After hours