AN: Thanks for your patience with the update, hope I answered some of the questions that people had
Chapter Thirty Nine – Sunset and Moonlight
Yuusei stared at the sunset once again. Despite having Kyoko say yes to the proposal, he still felt completely alone. Maybe he should have had that plastic surgery on his face, become someone new that glasses and facial hair couldn't disguise. He closed his eyes as he returned back to the Hizuri residence. Maybe he could pick up a few extra jobs, things of that nature.
As he returned, he saw his grandmother rush out. "Yuusei, honey," she said as she put a hand to his shoulder and Yuusei nodded, missing the times when he was Kuon Hizuri or even Ren Tsuruga. "We've got a visitor. You should meet him, he might be a good connection for you to know."
"Sure," Yuusei nodded as he let the woman grab him and pull him to the outside area where there was a fire pit and they would sometimes eat. Yuusei's eyes widened as he saw the visitor in question and he smiled slightly, trying to look as if this man was someone entirely new but they both knew who the other one was.
"This is our son, Kuu," she said and Yuusei bowed deeply, sharing a connection in their eyes. Inside Kuon was thrilled to see his father but he didn't want to risk exposing himself and putting anyone else in danger. He watched as Cain went over to his father and sniffed him.
"It's very nice to meet you, sir," he said and Kuu held out his hand.
"Pleasure's all mine," he winked. He looked around and inside Kuon felt relieved to see him. His father was someone he would always be happy to see and maybe it wasn't the best way to stay disguised but it was refreshing to see what his dad would risk to know that he was safe. "I was wanting to meet with you. I've heard that you like walks by the beach, maybe you know some good spots around here."
"I, well none as good as you know, I'm sure," Yuusei said nervously but Kuon's grandfather grinned to the two of them and nodded his head.
"I think that it would be best for you two to take this walk," he said and Yuusei felt a little uncomfortable as he looked between the two family members.
"Are you sure that you're okay with me taking this walk with your son?" he asked and his grandmother looked at him.
"It's okay, Kuon, you're my grandson," she said and Yuusei took a step back in shock. How did she know who he was? "Spend some time with your father."
"Did he…" Kuon asked, "How do you…"
"The last time that we visited was when you were fourteen," his grandmother said as she turned to him. "Then your disappearance happened and we were worried about you but your mother and father assured us that you were okay. Then we were watching an interview and it was obvious to both of us that you and Ren were the same person. When you turned up here, the same similarities could be seen but we know that you're in trouble."
"We would never turn away our own grandson if he was in trouble and the fact that you wanted to lie to us shows that you must be in some deep amount of trouble. We'd prefer you to be here pretending to be somebody else than risk your exposure and I take it that's why you're not with your parents." Kuon's grandfather told him and the man blinked in surprise.
They had known everything. They had known that he was Ren Tsuruga and they had never told anyone, they had never wanted to risk his identity? In a way he felt lucky that not only did his parents support him but his grandparents as well. They were even trying to keep him okay as Yuusei. He smiled before closing his eyes.
"Thank you," he told them honestly and they both nodded, accepting his deep gratitude.
…
…
Kyoko attempted to get away from Sho as fast as possible as he followed her down the street outside the TBM studio. She was sick of this. She wanted to just turn around and yell at him that he was a gigantic creep and pervert for not leaving her alone but that might damage her own reputation. Instead she was just attempting to get away from him. She froze, coming to a halt as she saw him in front of her. How had he been able to do that, when did he pass her?
"You look as if you have a problem," he told her and Kyoko raised an eyebrow.
"Really? What gives you that impression?" she asked giving a deadpan delivery.
He lifted his chin up, his expression turning narcissistic. "It's just one of my gifts, one of my many gifts. I can tell when ladies have problems and then I soothe them, relieving them of their insecurities. It's something that I've developed in the past few years."
"I'm shocked," Kyoko said as she gave a slow and sarcastic clap.
"So, what's your problem?" he asked, "I can tell that you have one."
"Great work," Kyoko said before frowning. "I do have a problem. A gigantic insect right in front of me, one with too much arrogance and too few brains and I think its name is Sho Fuwa," she said as she turned to opposite way but Sho put a hand on her shoulder. "Let me go," Kyoko said as she pulled away violently and then glared at him. "Let me go before I tell everyone your real name."
"At least it's not some sissy name like Kuon," he said and Kyoko raised an eyebrow. She shook her head. She should just leave him, he was only embarrassing himself and she didn't want to waste any more time on him. She wanted to contact Yuusei and go to his side but that was impossible. She wanted to be with her fiancé but she didn't want for him to be caught and tracked down by those men who wanted him dead.
"Kuon isn't a sissy name. In fact, because of Kuon, a lot of people are now using that for the name of their children," she said before crossing her arms. "You'll never match up to who he is anyway."
"You mean who he was," Sho laughed, "I mean, maybe it's bad humor to joke about but the guy's deceased, he's more of a has been than a living being," he said and then saw Kyoko pale. Maybe he had gone too far. He didn't want anyone close to him to die and he was now taunting a dead guy just to make a point. He was better than that.
"Don't talk about things that you know nothing about," Kyoko said and Sho stared at her in shock, he blinked. She wasn't talking about him as if he were dead anymore, this wasn't like the last time he had talked to her about the death of that arrogant actor.
"He's alive?" Sho asked and Kyoko glared at him.
"I didn't say that," she said but Sho leaned in closer to her.
"He's alive, isn't he?" he asked and Kyoko stared at him. She blinked nervously before biting her lip. She shifted and Sho was able to read her body language. So, this was a huge con, a scam on the Japanese public. This would definitely ruin his reputation for sure and that would make it easier for him to be the top male idol in Japan. "I mean, even for that guy, that's a little insensitive."
"You don't know anything," Kyoko said desperately, "I didn't say anything like that. Please don't spread this, I'll do whatever you want but please do—"
"Break up with him," Sho said and Kyoko shook her head.
"Anything but that," she told him as she looked down, "Nothing that hurts him," she admitted and Sho looked around. He didn't want for her to start crying and for him to be blamed for it. He sighed and looked at her, "Nothing that will hurt him," she said and Sho shrugged.
"Forget it," he said and Kyoko looked after his desperately. He wasn't going to tell the Japanese public that Kuon was alive, right? They didn't need to find him. Maybe him being with his grandparents was still too close for comfort.
…
…
"So," Kuu asked as he walked with his son down the beach, "How are things going for you? Have you thought about any plans either as Yuusei or Kuon?" he asked and Yuusei shook his head. He grinned at Kuu, glad to have his father there with him. He knew that Kuu wanted the best for him and maybe this was all that he could hope for.
"I don't know if I should get plastic surgery," he admitted and Kuu frowned.
"You know that I think it's better for you not to do so. Boss is working on getting the gang uncovered and incarcerated. If that happens then you can come back as Kuon Hizuri or even try to work under the name Ren Tsuruga again but you need to keep your features the same if you ever want to take back your life." Kuu advised. He looked out at the way the moonlight hit the ocean. "It's beautiful here."
"It would be even more beautiful with her beside me," Yuusei said honestly before smiling to his father, "Did she tell you that we're engaged?" he asked and Kuu opened his mouth, his eyes showing his surprise when his son told him that. He hadn't have thought that she would have agreed with something like that given the circumstances.
"Is she okay with that?" Kuu asked, "the plastic surgery?"
"I want to keep us safe. I think she feels the same way but that's another reason why I don't want to change like that. I know that she's willing to marry me and for me to stay Yuusei but I think that changing my appearance might be too much for her. We won't be getting married or making the engagement public for a while but I thought you should know," he told Kuu and Kuu wrapped his arms around him in a Papa bear style hug.
"You need anything, you get in contact with me, okay?" he asked and Yuusei nodded. "You're still my little boy," he assured Kuon and the man looked around nervously. He didn't want any of his loved ones to be targeted but it seemed to be safe right now.
"Dad," Yuusei whispered, "You'll help her, right? I can't have much contact with her but you'll make sure that she knows that I'm always thinking about her."
"I promise you that I will," Kuu said before looking around. He missed being with his son in public whilst Kuon was actually Kuon but he would take whatever he could get and exploring Hawaii was definitely something he had done with his son when Kuon was still a child. "I'm happy that you're alive," he commented and Yuusei nodded.
"Be happier about me staying alive," he said bringing home the point that even if things seemed okay now, things might not be okay forever.
Kuon wasn't aware that back in Japan there could be cause for more concern especially with his once-rival knowing the truth about him being alive. Hopefully things wouldn't turn too bad as the days passed and the moonlight reflected off of the ocean.
End of Chapter Thirty Nine
Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated
(yes I type that out every time, not just copy and paste it
Thank you to the reviewers of Chapter Thirty Eight
Brennakai, Guest, Guineapigs1, Kaname671, kotoko-98, PaulaGaTo
Author Response:
A lot of questions will be answered as the characters reflect on their choices including the question of where they will end up in the future and the danger hasn't all gone. The sacrifice line last chapter wasn't physical or at least it wasn't initially intended to be referring to physical sacrifice 😉