AN: Hope you enjoy. Thank you for your patience with the updates 😊
Chapter Five – The Next Stage
Boss has seriously lost it.
After Kuon told me that he is okay with me going into LME as his father to talk about the different ways to proceed with his acting career after the incident and him saying that he would publicly come out as Kuon Hizuri within the next week, I didn't think that I'd actually be telling important people myself about our relationship. I phoned Kuon to make sure that it was okay with him and he told me to go ahead as long as it wasn't to a reporter or on live TV.
Boss even asked me to deliver Ren's file as well as a copy of his passport to the acting department's head though I knew him as an intern when I visited years ago. I can hear people whispering my name and asking me why I'm here. I know what they are thinking and I'm thinking the same thing. Why couldn't an assistant do this? Why couldn't someone like Kyoko do this?
I know why. My son is very important to me and though Kyoko could do this just as well they need to make sure that the file can get from Point A to Point B without anyone in the middle knowing. Okay, so I'm good for that but it does cause gossip to start around me.
As I enter the acting department, all the conversation stops and there are crickets. People are just staring at me and I smile weakly, there are a few people who I remember from my time here. "I've got a file that needs to be dropped off," I tell them before walking forwards and spotting the head of the department. "I need to hand you this," I tell him before seeing that everyone is watching me with interest. "In private."
"Ye-Yes of course," he says as he gestures for me to follow him to the office. "What is this about?" he asks as he gestures for me to sit down. I shake my head and put the documents in front of him.
"Kuon Hizuri needs to take a break from his work for LME," I tell him and Matsushima stares at me as if I've lost my mind. I'm repeating the words that the president wanted me to say, why are they looking at me like I've offered the emperor dog food? I cough and gesture to the folders.
"Kuon Hizuri doesn't…doesn't work here," Matsushima says and I sigh.
"He does but under a stage name. Many people don't know about our connection but he wants to come out because of his accident. I'm in Japan hoping that he'll…" I see the other man open the file and then look at the passport before his mouth drops open and he's just staring at the materials in front of him. It can't be that big of a shock, can it? He's trying to find some kind of sense or logic but the passport has his proper name on it, that's why he's always flown alone or never let someone else see the document.
"I…heard that Tusurga was taken to the hospital," Matsushima says as he looks through the documents and then faces me. "I just never knew that…"
"We had our reasons for not disclosing our blood relations," I tell the other man. "If there are any fees involved for putting him on temporary hold then please tell the president to bill me for the amount. Kuon or as you know him, Ren, has enough to deal with right now. I am very proud of my son and I care about him deeply, I am trusting you with something of the most value to him, his career.
Matsushima nods as he studies the files again, he still seems in shock, am I really that powerful here? I feel like some type of Yakuza boss. I bow to him before taking my leave and he immediately locks the file in a safe. I approve of that. It takes a good man to do that.
…
…
I feel the wall as I attempt to stand up out of the wheelchair. Mom tells me that we're outside of my apartment but it feels painful when I try to find the place to put my key card in. I feel the door but it's as if I have to put my hands all over it just to find the gap. I feel as if my acting techniques, being able to visualize a set as the place where my character exists is failing.
I can't even picture my own front door well enough to put a key inside of a slot.
"Darling, let me do it," Mom tells me but I try to keep the card to myself. I don't need any help. I can do this. I hear noise behind me, another step of footsteps. Too light to be Dad. I then realize that I know the smell of this shampoo and the light perfume. I smile but still attempt to find the place to unlock the door.
"Kyoko-chan," I smile and hear a small squeak from her direction, she'll still have to become used to my saying her name like that. It makes me feel excited to hear her cute squeaks and murmurs. "You came…"
"Yes, I…Ren-san?" she asks as I hear her turn in my direction, "Are you having any trouble with the door?"
"Just let him figure it out, Kyoko." Mom sighs. She sounds exhausted and hopefully I'm not draining her of too much of her energy. I want to find the way to open the door and yes, we've been out here for a while now but I don't want people to start doing things for me just because I can't see.
I feel Kyoko place her hand on my wrist, "You're nearly there," she tells me and I feel comforted by her. "Just a little more to the left and forward just an inch or so more," she tells me and helps me guide my hand to the part where I insert the key. I feel her holding my hand and I manage to get the door open before putting the key in my pocket and hear Kyoko hold the door for us to go in.
"Darling, please sit back down," Mom says and I hear the sound of the wheelchair that she's holding, moving it slightly. I don't want to resort to being in a wheelchair. I'll be fine without a wheelchair. A cane. Don't a lot of blind people use canes to get around and make sure that they don't trip. I could use a cane.
"I'm fine," I tell her but I have never noticed how slippery the tiles are of how the walls felt. I was living in this apartment the whole time and I wasn't able to notice such small details. I have no right to call myself an actor. I could have collected all of this data but I was just focusing on how it looked. Have I not been experiencing the world in the ways I should have?
"I'm going to make us some tea," I hear Kyoko call out from the area of the apartment where the kitchen is. "Please let me know if you'd like your tea made in any kind of special way," she says, "Black, right?" she says and I know that this time her voice is directed by me but it makes me kind of uneasy that she didn't say my name. Would that be a stupid thing to request?
"Black," I nod and she turns. I figure out that she's left by the sound of her footsteps but I wouldn't have been able to tell otherwise. I try to reach my fingers out to find something familiar. This is the living room. I know that we have the chairs, table, TV…I walk forwards but feel myself trip on a cable and Mom has caught me and is shifting my weight to a seat. I feel her kneeling opposite me.
"Darling, are you okay? Are you hurt?" she asks and I sigh, dropping my head. It's getting tiring not being able to tell where things were. "You just tripped over the wire for the TV. Maybe we can move these so you don't trip over," she says and I freeze before nodding. I don't want to be a burden on my parents, I've spent so much time being independent and I don't want to have to rely on anyone.
"I think I'll just go to bed," I tell her as I know that if I count the rooms, I'll be able to find the one with my bed in it. As I stand up, I know how to get to the hallway and from the hallway I'll just count the doors as well as my steps. I take a deep breath and hit my head on the wall. Damn it! I just walked right into it. It's as if I smacked my forehead on a door when entering a building. Forget grace and refinement, I'm a real mess right now.
"Darling!" Mom worries again, "Kyoko-chan can you bring some ice? Oh, Kuon, are you hurt?" she panics and I try to laugh through the pain.
"Don't worry so much, okay?" I ask her and she doesn't answer me but her hand is against my back and I feel her shivering as she attempts to not cry. I can hear her breath catching in her throat. I feel terrible that I am the reason why my mother is wanting to burst into tears.
…..
…..
How can he not see that I only want to help him? I know that I was a terrible mother by the time he was fifteen and I didn't know what to do. I wasn't as strong as I am now. I didn't know how to treat kids who had a harder time than others and maybe I was in my own dreamland, my own fairyland, but my neglect doesn't mean that I didn't love him. I didn't even realize what was going on until I was scared on what might happen to him.
I never wanted him to leave for Japan anyway but it was the best decision for him at the time and he became motivated with his dream of acting and with that motivation he blossomed and grew and became the man he is now. Still, I want to be of as much help as his mother as I can be and it hurts my heart to see him in so much pain.
As I see his toe catch on the cord going to the TV, I immediately step out in front of him and catch him. He isn't that heavy. I've definitely caught a few male models in my time and a lot of tall female models wearing impossible to walk in shoes.
I just want him to use the wheelchair for right now, let someone else take care of him until he's stronger. If a dog broke their leg you wouldn't let them run around, you'd get them one of those devices so they could rest their broken leg. I don't want to hear them say I'm being over protective. I'm his mother. I get to love him and take care of him more than anyone else does.
I hear him tell me that he's just going to go to bed and I watch him nervously. Is his bed made? He probably does make his bed but I want to make it. I want to wash his sheets and put them back on his bed as if he's fifteen again. I hear a thud and see that he's walked straight into the wall.
My poor baby! I jump up wanting to help him but I'm scared he'll push me away again. I know that he's used to being independent but I want to prove to him how truly loved he is and how Mommy wants to keep him protected from harm. I haven't had my son within my reach for such a long time, would it be too bad for me to want to take care of him, have him depend on me for a change.
End of Chapter Five
Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated
Thank you to reviewers of Chapter Four
Ashenvale, Kaname671, Kris XD
Author Response:
Yashiro will be giving some aid to Kuon and yes, Kuon. I think Yashiro is going to have a POV next chapter if I remember to write it that way 😊 Anyway thank you for all of your support