Chapter Forty Six – A Free Man

Kuon sat on the bed in his old bedroom surprised that he had been able to come home. He knew that he might still be a target but he had won over the gang leadership. He was considered their boss but that might put him in an even worse situation. Kuon still hadn't called Kyoko to talk about what had happened, he was still in shock. There wasn't any repercussions for what he had done? The police were even going to help him by staging a takeover.

He had to tell Kyoko but knowing that there wasn't any punishment was bewildering to him. He was seen as a victim and today they would be taking him and anyone who wanted to be with him into their protection until the date of the trial. He wouldn't have to change his identity, his face, or even his name. He was a free man. After so much time of pain and heartache, he was a free man.

Kuon looked to the door as he heard a knock and then saw Cain rushing towards him. He took the dog happily in his arms, brushing his hand across the dog's head. He was so faithful to him. Kuu watched him with a relieved sigh.

"We'll be leaving tonight," he explained to Kuon who nodded. He smiled to his dad who seemed so happy that things had turned out this way. Kuu walked over to Kuon and placed a hand on his back and his shoulder. He looked at him lovingly. "The trial, they said that you'd only need to be in hiding for a month and a month, when you think about it -"

"Is better than a life sentence for my crimes," Kuon completed for him and Kuu nodded. He looked around with tears in his eyes and Kuon felt a little guilty. Hopefully he wasn't too much of a burden on his father. Kuon would still have the press to deal with. He knew that when he returned alive and as Kuon Hizuri to Japan, the press would swarm around him wanting the story of the year. He just hoped he could give it to them. Then there was the psychological torture which he had endured and the desire that this would not be passed down to his child.

His child. He was actually going to have a chance to be a happy family with Kyoko. He wouldn't have to only be a story, a mystery, for his kid. Kuon choked back a sob wondering how Kyoko would take this and Kuu turned to him with concern in his expression.

"Kuon?" Kuu asked and the younger man nodded with a smile.

"I'm okay. I just have to call Kyoko," he said and Kuu nodded. He tapped on his leg for Cain to come after him. Cain whined and looked to his master wanting to stay by his side, after all, they had rescued one another. "He's fine here, Dad. Kyoko knows that he's a part of our family. Cain is really gentle too, when he's not being protective. He would never hurt our child."

Kuu nodded before seeing Kuon take the house phone and place a call through it. Kuu had been careful to make sure that it wasn't bugged and had even worked with a friend of his who was a pro at technology. Kuon waited for Kyoko to pick up. It might be the middle of the night for her but he should have told her immediately after he had found out the truth.

Kuon listened to the ringing of the phone and then smiled as he heard a sleepy voice on the other end of the line. "He-Hello, Father?" Kyoko asked sounding as if she had obviously been crying. Kuon felt his heart aching again. He hadn't meant to worry her. He had wanted to be with her at that moment but he didn't know whether he would be able to be with her for a month. He took a weak breath in.

"Hey, it's me," he said and Kyoko felt her breath catch in her throat.

"Ku—Kuon?" she asked hesitantly. Kuon could hear her shuffle, attempting to dry her eyes so that Kuon wouldn't become aware that she had been crying and had been extremely upset. Kuon knew that Kyoko didn't want to worry anyone with how much she was hurt by his absence. He wanted to hold her in his arms, promise her that everything would be okay. They were separated by too great a distance for that to happen at this moment.

"Listen, I need you to listen to me," Kuon said and Kyoko sniffed again. "I have to go away into hiding again, one month, part of the -"

"I thought you were going to go to the police," Kyoko said and Kuon took a slow breath.

"I did go to the police. They say that because I was acting in self-defense and have been able to deliver crucial information about the gang and the members within it that they are letting me go free. I don't have to do any jail time. However, I have to be put in victim protection for a month. After the trial I will return to you and our child."

Kuon felt the hope in his voice, the beginning of his strength being built up again but even with his hope growing and his eyes seeing a bright and brilliant future before him, there were still things that could go wrong, reasons why this future wouldn't happen. He had to try not to think about the negative possibilities. He wanted to be with Kyoko and their child. That was all he wanted right now.

"Soon it'll be the four of us, right?" he asked.

"Are you including Cain in that?" Kyoko laughed in relief. Finally her sadness was being lifted off of her. "Then yes, it'll be the four of us. Cain is always welcome. He saved you," she said with a few relieved laughs.

Kuon held the phone to his cheek, "I love you," he told her with genuine happiness and Kyoko inhaled before laughing again.

"I love you too."

….

One Month Later

Kyoko had a huge pregnant belly at this point and she also had some information that she wanted to tell Kuon in person about the pregnancy. She nervously looked around at the people arriving from America and landing at the Kyoto airport. She took a deep breath in as she spotted that blond hair and heard the chattering of the crowd. She knew that it was him. He was back. He had security guys who no doubt the president had assigned to be with him and everyone was surprised to see the former Tsuruga Ren both alive and looking healthy.

Kyoko pushed through the crowds despite her size and went over to him. She wrapped her arms around him in a big hug. They had jailed all of the major leaders of the gang and Kuon wasn't even going to be punished for Rick's murder. They could have a happy life together just as they had each wanted and dreamed of.

"Hi princess," Kuon said as he looked around and saw everyone staring at him. "I didn't think that I'd get this reaction. I'm wondering how they even found out…no, they were here already and I surprised them didn't I?" he laughed and Kyoko grinned at him. She bowed her head, shaking it and laughing with happy tears in her eyes.

"Does it matter?" she asked him before smiling, caught as always by those amazing emerald eyes. "You can exist. You can be Kuon Hizuri. You can even be Ren Tsuruga. You're back and you're mine and you're free and I don't want for us to be apart from each other ever again."

Kuon pulled her into his chest, being mindful of the pregnant belly which held his offspring. He kissed the top of her head whilst he held her close, wanting to hold her forever and ignoring the multitude of onlookers snapping pictures or telling their friends what they were seeing. Kuon felt one of the security guards nudge him and Kuon nodded. He held Kyoko's hand in his own and led her away from the crowds.

Kyoko kept looking around but Kuon only had on a backpack and a small suitcase. He was missing something very very important. "Where's Cain?" she asked and Kuon smiled.

"Dad said that he'd look after him for another week and then he's going to travel with him. Cain is being very spoiled right now but he deserves it, he deserves some time to be spoiled," Kuon commented and Kyoko grinned.

"So do you," she said happily and Kuon hummed with a smile on his face. He took her hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed it in a romantic princely manner.

"All I want to do is be with my princess and take care of her," he admitted. There were things that were much more important than acting to him these days. Whether he had ever thought that would have been the case or not, it made him extremely happy that it had turned out this way.

….

….

Kyoko grinned as she finished making the soup for her and Kuon. She didn't know what Kuon's plans were now that he was free again and she didn't want to ask about it. Along with his freedom, he was getting some government money for the pain he had bee through but it didn't seem enough. He had had to spend so much money just hiding away from life to protect himself. There was nothing that Kyoko thought was good enough but he could now start to earn for them. It didn't matter to her what he did but she knew that he would have to do something to keep his mind from racing away from him.

Walking into the main room, she saw Kuon on the phone and stopped a little bit as she heard who he was speaking to.

"Boss?" Kuon asked as he paced, his pacing reminded Kyoko of how she had seen Kuu do that when he had been stressed, it brought feelings of being at home back to the ryokan. She watched him curiously. "I'll consider stepping back into acting. I love acting but I need to readjust to life again…yes, it'll take some time but I know that I can do it." Kuon listened to Lory speak and noticed Kyoko watching him. "You're right, I do have a wonderful woman supporting me in my endeavors…..I'll speak to you later….Thanks for everything, Boss."

Kuon put the phone down and Kyoko walked over to him, he pulled her into his arms and she smiled enjoying the way he held her even though she was bigger than she ever had been. She clutched to his shirt and exhaled deeply. She stayed that way without speaking for a while before looking at him.

"Twin boys," she said and Kuon looked at her confused, he blinked not quite sure what she had said to him.

"That's great," he said as it finally hit him. He'd have two twin sons. He wanted to take care of them like his dad had taken care of him. He just was hoping that Kyoko wasn't too disappointed that she wouldn't have the little girl she seemed to crave for.

"We can always try to have a little girl," he told her, "someone to share princess stories with."

Kyoko hit him playfully, "You surprise me, Kuon," she said and he tilted his head to the side. "Don't tell me that you're not into strong women as you've always said you have been. Boys can listen to princess stories too. Don't tell me that they -"

"Of course boys can love princess stories too," he winked. "After all, I'm a guy who's in love with his princess."

End of Chapter Forty Six

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Guest, H-Nala, Kaname671, SpiritedRanger