AN: Half for my own sanity and half so I can update more fics. I'm trying to go for an update a month depending on the number of unique hits a story has. If a story gets a really high amount of hits I might come out with two chapters for each month. I hope you continue to enjoy my work 😊

Part Five

Chapter Thirteen – A Parent's Purpose

Kuon walked down the street trying to focus on something other than the party and ruining it for Kyoko. His mother and father kept making numerous sacrifices for him and that made this even worse. If they were just the type of parents to not care and send him to live on the other side of the world at the age of fifteen then he might have a better life but now he just could see black and red ahead of him and it didn't matter. They kept trying to find a way for it to matter.

All the signs around him had kanji on them and although he could read them, it wasn't exactly the most comforting to see things that could look like the ocean or fish or smiling faces and know that life wasn't as good as the colorful blocks that children played with. Children with their heads full of songs and laughter and never stopping to think about the darkness in the world.

As he stopped outside of an athletic store, Kuon heard a panting behind him and turned around to see Cain there, dragging his leash behind him. Kuon stopped, his eyes wide as he knelt down on the ground and took the puppy in his arms. "Hey, boy," he said as he ruffled the puppy's fur. "What are you doing out here all alone?" He stared at the dog and then at a familiar pair of shoes.

He kept his head bowed as he held the dog tight to him. He didn't want to risk looking up and seeing either disappointment or anger. He wasn't ready to feel ungrateful for everything his parents were doing for him. Wasn't it a fact that if you made too many changes in your life in order to help somebody else that you would end up resenting them and he didn't want his father to hate him.

"I'm not that big on parties either," Kuu joked and Kuon kept his head bowed as he yelled at himself internally. He wanted his father to stop and shut up and be quiet but he couldn't say that. He nodded but didn't raise his head to see his father. "You're pretty quick. Would you have an interest in sports? I'm sure that your school has lots of clubs and athletic acti-"

"Stop it." Kuon said as he stood up and picked up Cain as he did so. He finally looked at his father and saw that Kuu actually appeared worried and exhausted and not angry as he had expected. The concern never left his face this day and Kuon knew that his father was struggling to figure out what to do next to be a good parent. Hadn't he done enough? It was the kid who screwed up if you couldn't find a solution to your issues as a parent. How could his father not take that hint?

"I'm sorry." Kuu said as he went and sat down on a bench. Kuon put Cain on the ground but held onto his leash. He stared at his father and looked away, grabbing his arm with his free hand. "I really can't stop it. It's my most important job."

"Your most important job," Kuon asked as he looked up at the sky and sighed. He really should have shot himself in the head all that time ago. Ever since he had tried that, his father had tried to be a white knight and a savior to him. He was already a hero and not just to him, but that had made his father think about what he could do as a dad. "You're just going to keep following me forever?"

"Exactly," Kuu nodded and Kuon turned to stare at him. Kuu sat forward and tried to keep the emotions off his face as he just watched Kuon. They both didn't look like they were going to just shopping and Kuon knew that Kuu had to excuse himself from some conversations that others would be dying to participate in. Yet, they were in a shopping area having a stupid conversation that Kuon didn't even want to be a part of. "I'm going to follow you wherever you might run. I'm sorry but you are my son. That's my privilege as a dad. I get to worry about you."

"You're worried about your psychopathic son?" Kuon laughed bitterly.

"Did you want to speak to someone? You can, I can find someone for you to talk to but I want to be kept in the loop when it comes to medication. In the future, you'll get to decide about what medication you're on but until then it's my responsibility to look out for you. And I don't think you're a psychopath. I just think you might need help and there are people who might be able to help you in a health-type manner."

Kuon sighed and went to sit on the bench next to his father. "So, you think that I'd be able to try my hand at acting again?" he asked and Kuu nodded.

"You just need to prove that nobody can knock you down," he told him before sighing and leaning forward. "I'm your biggest supporter, Kuon, but you have to tell me what to do sometimes. Not just kids have to be told what to do but parents too. I'm learning just as you are but I'm always going to be here for you to come to. I love you."

"Yeah," Kuon mumbled as he looked down, "love you too."

5.13.2

Kyoko had gone to her room after she saw Kuon leave and was sitting on her bed trying not to cry. She thought that a large party would be good and a lot of fun but it seemed that this wasn't what could help Kuon and that's all she had wanted to do since she had met him. She sighed and looked up as she heard a knock on the door.

"Hi," she heard a woman say and turned to see Juli there. "Kyoko-chan, are you okay? The president, I mean, your dad helped me find your room. Can we talk?"

"Have you found Kuon?" Kyoko asked and Julie went over to the bed and sat down next to the little girl. Kyoko tried to brush away her tears and then before she could push her sleeve to her eyes, her hand was caught by Julie who hummed as she wrapped Kyoko up tightly in her arms.

"You are such an amazing girl, Miss Kyoko," she told her and Kyoko bowed her head. "To have cared for my son for so long and from such a distance. I really do think that you are the most wonderful young woman I've ever met and don't worry about Kuon, my husband, Kuon's father, he went out there to look for him."

Kyoko wrapped her arms around Juli who was thrilled to have the small girl so close to her. Kyoko had always been an impressive presence in Kuon's life and the fact that she was still there was something beyond words. With how traumatic life had been for Kuon, that Kyoko had been there for years still with that care and love, there weren't words to describe that kind of magic

"Kuon is going to be okay, right?" Kyoko asked as she finally pulled back from Julie and Julie nodded.

"I think in the end he will be. Ever since his accident, he's been having problems which my husband and I don't know how to heal. He'll only ever be okay If he decides to take care of himself and until he learns how to be strong enough to do that then we'll support him but we can't fix him."

Kyoko watched Julie and nodded. That was the truth, there was no way of instantly repairing Kuon and how he existed within this world, if so they would have definitely figured it out. Everyone was working so hard for him and the progress seemed to be too slow. Still, Corn had been her friend when she needed him and if it wasn't for the Hizuris she would still be in Kyoto and would never have heard of Lory Takarada. Everything that she had in life was because she had met and become friends with Kuon.

"I was worried that he would have died numerous times, I don't want that fear anymore," she admitted. "Please don't tell him that," she added quickly and Juli shook her head and put a finger up to her mouth to indicate that she would keep quiet about the matter.

"I won't. Some secrets have to be kept between us ladies, right?" she winked and Kyoko looked up at her and smiled. She froze as she studied Julie and then hummed to herself. "Is there something that I can help you with, Kyoko. Leave Kuon to my husband. Kuon's always been close to his dad and if there's anyone who can talk some sense into him, it's my husband. How about you though, are you okay?"

"I'm okay," Kyoko sighed as she looked down and then turned to Juli. "Kuon is really lucky to have parents like the two of you. When I think about my own mother and how I could never make her happy. Well, my mother isn't very much like Dad. Dad might not be my biological father but he loves me and wants to make me happy but he isn't the same as mother."

Juli hummed, "I've always wanted a daughter as well as a son but my husband and I never found time in our schedules to plan a pregnancy. I've always been really busy but it would have been nice to have a daughter," she commented before turning to Kyoko. "Maybe we can both help one another out with that though. I've wanted a daughter who I can teach makeup tricks to and can talk girl talk with. How about we spend some time together maybe once or twice a month?" she asked and Kyoko looked down.

"I'd like that but would it really be okay, would Kuon mind? I don't want to do anything that would make Kuon sad. I'd really be grateful to you for doing that but I want Kuon to be okay."

"Well, I'm sure that Kuon wants to start acting as soon as he's emotionally strong enough too and although your dad can't give him any special treatment or nepotism, he can help him by giving advice, making sure Kuon knows the caliber it takes to be a part of his agency. Whilst your dad helps Kuon with that, we can spend some time together. Would that be okay?" Juli asked in a playful manner and Kyoko nodded. She had always wanted her mother to be proud of her and though Juli could not replace her real mother, she could help fill a hole that was missing.

Hopefully the Hizuris remaining in Japan would be best for everyone.

End of Chapter Thirteen

Thank you for reading

Thank you to those who left a review on Chapter Twelve

H-Nala, Tam2013