AN: I hope you enjoy. There's not a lot of movement in this chapter but I hope you still like it anyway 😊
Chapter Three – Dreams and Disappointment
Kuon nervously stood behind Lory as he spoke to the Japanese actor who was a few years younger than his father. He hated being so nervous because he had been around many of his parents' friends and none of them had ever seemed to have a problem with him. That made this morning a little strange for him to feel this way. He smiled as he heard Lory have a conversation with him and then Keitaro's gaze shifted to him.
"Wow, I hope it's okay to say, but you look so much like Kuu," Keitaro said with a smile as Kuon bowed and then looked up.
"Pleased to meet you. Honestly, I'm not that much like my dad," he said awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his neck. He tried to smile weakly as he stiffened. He had to make a good impression on behalf of his father who wasn't there. His conduct could reflect negatively on his father and mess with the Shuuhei Hozu image.
"I get it," Keitaro smiled, "You're your own person just as Kuu is. I don't think you remember but I saw you when you were tiny. Your parents think the world of you," he told Kuon who looked down.
"Ye-Yes," he said as he tried to control his nerves. He didn't know what was so special about him that his parents were always so inconvenienced by his actions and his being. He caught Lory staring at him confused and a little concerned. "Thank you."
"You're a shy one," Keitaro said. "So, I guess you're not going to be an actor like your parents. Any thoughts on …"
Kuon continued to look at the ground. He knew that this famous Japanese actor hadn't meant to say things like that. He knew that he was trying to be kind to his friend's son and he didn't know what he was saying but it was true. He wasn't ever going to be a famous actor like his father was. He was never going to have that kind of skill. He should have given up on trying to be an actor already.
"I still have to think," he said as Lory watched him but then smiled at Keitaro.
"Don't you see a star when they are standing in front of you?" Lory laughed, "He's going to be an amazing actor one day. The boy's only eleven, he needs a lot of time to polish his skills but he's going to be a first-class actor one of these days."
"Good to hear," Keitaro smiled. "Your dad told me that you were really outgoing and -"
"I'm sorry," Kuon bowed again. "I'm afraid to disappoint my parents. My mother and father mean a lot to me and recently all I've been doing is disappoi-" he caught himself and stared down at the ground. He was going to start going on and on about how much of a burden he was to his parents.
"You think you're going to disappoint the Shuuhei Hozu?" Keitaro smiled. "There's a lot about your dad that you still need to learn. The way that he always talks about you and your mom, that guy is a very loving father. I wouldn't stress about disappointing him because I doubt you'll be able to do it without intending to do it. I know your dad loves you and wants the best for you because I knew him before he was Kuu to everyone else. That guy…" Keitaro shook his head, "he's not the type of person to lose faith in people easily and especially not his family."
Kuon laughed, "I want to act," he finally said. "I've just…"
"Then what you've got to do is just act. You can say you want to do something as much as you want but you have to test it out. There are all these auditions for kids your age as well, why don't you try those out, be a temporary LME actor," Keitaro suggested before he turned to Lory.
"I've always wanted to nourish his acting talent," Lory said as he looked down on the preteen. "I mean, going out into the world and acting. I'm just hoping that he can become one of Japan's favorites instead of going back to Hollywood but he's definitely an American," he said as Kuon nodded.
"I think I need to train some more before I try again," Kuon told him and Keitaro nodded.
"Training is always good. Have you asked your father about the training courses at LME? There's an audition to get in but there are so many people in the acting field who get their start at those schools. You'd be able to get him an audition, right, president?" he asked and Kuon smiled, his eyes showing his excitement at being able to go to the school. Maybe he wasn't ready to step onto the stage at this time or even a set but honing his craft might be just what he needed.
"Of course, I'd ask your father about it tonight," Lory told him as Keitaro gave a thumbs up to Kuon.
"Now we're getting somewhere, I feel like I'm looking at a superstar in the making," he said as he saw Kuon start to show the person that he was underneath all of that fear of disappointment. This was going to be good for the kid and whatever was good for Kuon was going to be good for Kuu as well.
…
…
Kyoko smiled as she came out of her school. She sometimes walked with her friends but today she felt happy to be by herself. She thought about what Kuon was most likely learning and wondered if she would ever be good as an actress. She was surrounded by so many people who were part of the acting world but she didn't really feel it was for her. She had also debated on becoming a singer but that didn't seem to suit her either. She loved her art and crafts. She loved picturing a better and brighter world.
She loved nature and nature always reminded her of that fairy prince that she had met in the woods in Kyoto.
As she looked up, she saw some birds in one of the bird houses that students had built. She wondered how it was to be a bird and to be able to fly so high in the sky. Maybe she would never meet a fairy but she believed that they were out there. Maybe the fairy council went around riding the birds and they just couldn't see them.
Kyoko smiled again as she watched the birds and though to herself. Kuon loved birds. Of course, Kuon loved all nature and animals and he was a warm-hearted person who always thought about others. Birds though, he had pointed some out to her and told her that he had once had a little bird guide where you wrote down the date you saw that particular bird. Kyoko was interested in interior design herself and a bird house was just that a house for birds. Maybe if they were to build a bird house together then they would both have fun.
She wanted him to have so much fun whilst he was here and though she knew that she would never find a way to cure his depression alone, she could help distract him and make the time he spent in Japan with her memorable. She smiled before taking out a sketchbook and drawing the different birds that she saw.
If birds were this important to Kuon then she really wanted to draw some pictures that he would love. One day she might even be able to bring up her courage and ask him if she could draw his portrait. She hoped that he would be here for that long. Secretly she would want him to stay here forever. She would want them to always be near one another and able to help one another, but he lived in America and she didn't want to tear him away from his parents. They hadn't been the best before but they were trying very hard to make up for their mistakes.
Kyoko smiled as she sketched the wings of the birds. They could fly so freely. She got out some colored pencils before starting to work her magic in bringing the birds to life. She was always praised for her artistic skills and maybe this was a gift that she could share with Kuon. As she finished her drawing she heard a voice behind her and looked back to see one of her schoolfriends.
"That's a wren," the girl grinned as Kyoko nodded.
She'd give this picture of a wren to Kuon and maybe he would hold onto it and treasure it. She wanted to explain that she wanted him to fly as freely as a wren working his own magic. That was his importance to her.
…..
…..
Kuon smiled as he tried to think calmly whilst watching the phone. He had already told Boss about the fact that he had arranged these phone calls with his father, he just hoped that his dad wouldn't forget or that he wouldn't be inconvenienced by it. Kuon looked nervously at the clock as it moved to the hour and he heard the phone ringing. He checked the caller ID and smiled as he saw the name Hizuri.
He picked up the phone, "Hello, this is Kuon," he said quickly before smiling as he heard his father's voice.
"Hey, it's Dad" Kuu said as Kuon kept both hands on the phone. "How are you? Did you have a good day today?"
"I did. How are you and Mom?" Kuon asked as he tried not to think of his father staying up this late to call him. He wanted to try to think about what his father's friend said about him not being a disappointment to his family. It was hard to keep it from his mind though.
"We're doing well, we're thinking about taking a family vacation this summer," he said as Kuon smiled.
"Are you sure that's alright? If you and Mom have work that -" Kuon protested.
"It's all taken care of, both of us want to spend this summer as a family. It's been a long time since we've been out in nature together and we're learning. Both of us are learning how to prioritize our family," Kuu smiled. "How do you feel about Australia?"
"That would be amazing," Kuon said before looking down, "Is Mom there?"
"She is," Kuu nodded. "I think she's trying to imagine both -"
"Can you put me on speaker phone?" Kuon asked as he looked at his feet and tried to not feel homesick. He loved his parents and he always felt that his family loved him no matter how much he screwed up. It wasn't as if he was a teenager yet and not even two years ago, he was dealing with not being able to move his arms and legs. Home felt safe as much as he felt insecure.
"Hi darling," Julie smiled as Kuu put the speaker on. "How are you?"
"I'm doing better," Kuon told them. "There was something that I wanted to ask for…"
"Sure, darling," Julie smiled. "Go ahead and ask. Your father and I will do everything we can to help you. Did you want one of us to fly over there. I can be on the next flight if you want."
"No, it's…" Kuon said as he listened to them, "Can I go to the acting classes for the younger students at LME?" he asked and he heard Julie laugh softly whilst Kuu gave a sigh of relief.
"Definitely" Kuu nodded. "You just tell us what you need from us. I know you'll do amazing at those classes. I hope that Keitaro -"
"He motivated me," Kuon admitted quickly. "He told me that I wouldn't disappoint either of you. It was nice to hear him say that."
"Never," Kuu said, "I am never going to be disappointed in you."
"We're so proud to be your parents," Julie added as Kuon smiled. Those were just the words that he needed to hear.
End of Chapter Three
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