-Oxford - Wednesday: Part 9-
Kuu ran a hand through his hair. He was frustrated but not for anything more than he had a series case of the munchies. His black hole gut allowed him to eat just about anything that his beloved Juliena cooked for him but it also meant he was quick to his hunger. Which at that exact moment was his problem because the little old lady who sat next to him was indeed eating, he had turned from the in-flight meal that he would have enjoyed because they had no way to really feed him and it would be nothing more than a tease to him. Oh was it a tease the woman was eating smoked salmon rice bowl.
The woman raised an eyebrow and he flashed a smile at her, she huffed. It was clear she was bothered by the fact that he was watching her eat and he thought it wouldn't be long before she was stabbing him with that plastic spork of hers. He lowered his eyes back to his laptop trying to focus on the scripts he had photocopied for him by his manager. Like always this flight might be the end of him. Yet such as when they served the in-flight meal he had found that he couldn't focus on them. Which would do him no good, so he went back to his emails instead.
To say he was surprised to get an email from Lory that wasn't about an update on how Kuon from their little daily talks surprised him. Not that he got daily emails but he did get several a few times a week. They weren't anything much, just letting them know how he was doing, that he was healthy all things that they could see when they looked at Ren Tsuruga but it was better this way, it felt more like Kuon would return. Though it did hurt that after four years they still hadn't heard anything from their little boy. It was like he died when he was fifteen years old and perhaps that was the real reason that Lory emailed them about him as Kuon and not as Ren. So they could have that little bit of peace of mind that they would not really get any other way.
No, if he had to say what hurt him the much was how little that he knew of Lory's life after he left Japan 20 years ago, setting his stage name to rest in the process and openly being with the beauty that was Juliena. Part of him wondered if his son could find someone he wanted to be with more than anything else that he too would feel more complete and not feel like the only way he could make it in the showbiz world was to outdo his father. That someone could love him for who he was and not who his parents were. That his past, the accident that he was not at fault would really take hold of his heart. Yet with him denying who he really was and living and being with Ren, what kind of relationship could he hope to create. That was what worried him more than anything that his son would never truly be happy because he didn't have someone who stood at his side and saw him for who he really was... because his parents were just not enough.
Kuu found himself looking over the emails:
Hey Kuu, Ruto informed me that you will be in Oxford to be Juliena for the end of the fashion show. That's great news. I needed a reason to see my daughter she forbidden to be there and me visiting a dear old friend he can't complain about it at all now can she?
That had been the first time he heard about him having a daughter. So it hadn't been a surprise that he replied with such a simple: You have a daughter?
Ah, I forgot to tell you? Well, it is pretty common knowledge. Yes her name is Kyoko Mary-Leiko Takarada. She born on Christmas Day. With my little Maria being born on Christmas Eve I can safely say my girls are Christmas Miracles or maybe angels. Here are some photos of her. Isn't she just the cutest... and she's gotten only prettier her as she gotten older.
He had sent attachments of a small little baby with black hair. Then through the ages, golden or perhaps amber eyes flashing through the ages. They sometimes had others in them. He had noted Leiko and Mary but most of them he was sure was of just her kids. Kuu shouldn't have been surprised by this knowledge seeing as it took him two years before he even told him about Maria, Kouki and Lina had informed him. The man was all about love but when it came to these sort of updates where most parents would be shouting from the rooftops he was very private. Even so, 15 years is a long time to go without telling his best friend about not having a daughter.
So Kuu did what any rational human being would do. He googled her. There were thousands of pages on the girl nothing really standing out though. She was more like a background noble child. Living with the royal family but not fully with them. Still, he was amazed at the little group photos that were shown of the family. 'Guess when the world seemed to make a big deal about the birth of the little lady there was no point to tell his friend' he frowned.
The more he thought about the more he realized it wasn't likely due to that, with Kouki his wife his whole world had been alive. This girl had been born out of wedlock and the mother was nowhere to be seen or heard from. Yet the reason he even brought her up was that something had happened and she forbid him to show up. However, she couldn't deny him being there if it was to see his friend. So all he could do accept this, with him knowing about it wouldn't be a surprise and if she said anything he could just play the role with him. Still all the pictures... he couldn't help but think that there was this deep sadness in her eyes. 'What has she gone through to create such a sadness?' then again now that he had seen what had ended up with Kuon he was able to see it better than he would have ever been able to do prior.
He supposed that was true. He stated at the handful pictures of a little black hair girl with golden eyes, 'she seems happy and yet there is sadness in those eyes.' Kuu was focusing on the images of the girl when a message popped up from Keiji saying got an email. This took Kuu by surprise seeing as Keiji rarely ever sent him emails. The fact the boy seemed to hate the digital world, or that's what one would think but that was far from the truth and those who knew him knew the truth of this matter. Still, Keiji tended not to write much more than what was required. Simple and to the point.
The fact that Keiji sent him something first, 'Got a bad feeling about this' he thought as he looked at the subject line of "Here." Kuu sighed as he opened the email and the simple message of "Watch - Keiji" and a video attachment. 'Yep straight to the point' he thought as he pulled out his headphones before hitting play.
Kuu watched as a young blonde hair man was leaning towards his wife asking her to be his muse for his next song. This wouldn't have bothered Kuu to much but it was the way he was looking at his beloved Juli. The smile seemed more or less harmless but the look in his eyes did not hide the fact that he desired her more than just to be his muse. His eyes narrowed as he watched the blonde boy keep pushing himself on Juliena. Inside he was boiling that Keiji was just filming it and not telling him to do something but then again, Juliena could handle her self. At least when it came to this sort of attention and the fact he saw how her displeasure was raising up and that she was holding herself from slapping the boy, most likely due to the fact he was no older than their son when he left them.
'Juliena...' Kuu growled, he wasn't upset with her. Kuon leaving left a scar that made her more likely to put up with such attention that to handle them like she once did. Which meant putting them in their place unless they really pushed it and from the look of it the kid was on the verge of doing so. That's when a pretty little chestnut girl appeared, 'Well she'll be a real beauty when she grows up... almost could rival up to my Juliena.' It was her words that threw him, she just told the boy not to touch her Nephele, "What the hell is a Nephele?" He watched as she tried to push him away but the boy didn't budge and there was something in his eyes. Something that worried him before the camera turned off. 'Keiji...' he whined wanting to know what happened.
He looked back at the email as if it would magically tell him something more about what happened afterward but there was nothing new. Just the two words. So Kuu was left trying to figure out who the boy was, the girl, and what a Nephele was. Well other than that it referred to Juliena. He played the video again and this time he realized who the girl was, Kyoko. Lory's daughter he had missed it the first time because he had been looking at old pictures of her as a child. "She's cute, Juliena's going to kidnap her but that boy is so dead if he goes near her again" he muttered darkly at the thought of that kid touching his Juliena like that.
Kuu realized that he had said that out loud when the older lady next to began to cough and he winced slightly, flashing another smile, "ah sorry got a little too into my drama!" he quickly sent a message and the attachment to Lory before closing the laptop. The lady didn't look at all like she believed him either as she stared at him warily as if he might turn on her or murder everyone on the plane.
Ruto stopped walking as she seemed to want to run, he waited until she was within reach and pulled her to him, "Are you alright Miss Kyoko?" he spoke softly but he knew she heard him as she sighed heavily like the world was crashing around her and she was just being carried away in the storm. His eyes looked towards Kyo and Juliena, both women looked worried, no Ruto thought carefully, 'Kyo seems to have accepted whatever she said, Juliena looks upset and worried about her. So whatever it is Juliena doesn't know and Kyo does.' He also noted that the way he looked at him told him that if he wanted to know he would have to get it out of the girl herself.
He felt her pull away from him looking down, he knew that she understood something about herself before looking back at him, "I don't like what I realized about myself…" she whispered softly but it was loud enough for him to hear her and that was all that mattered in the end to Ruto. He could get the rest of the information once they were alone. After all, didn't they have an agreement if she came to him and asked him not to say anything he would do just that? Did he not do that for Lory too, it seemed only fitting to do it with the girl who had become like a daughter to him.
"We are going to go to Kyo's room. Unless you wish to be around the others right this moment." Kyoko shook her head, he figured that she wouldn't want to apparently Keiji figured that much out as well. "Very well, Miss Kyoko." he stepped to the side allowing her to walk past by him. He watched as her shoulders sagged for just a moment as she stopped before taking a deep breath and straightening them, 'A mask...' he mentally noted before turning to the two women. A slight nod of his head before he followed after his goddaughter.
Ruto noted that when they reached the end of the hall she paid little mind to either of the two men. He had to admit he was a bit surprised by this, 'Whatever it was really troubled her mind.' He, however, noted how Keiji was leaning against the wall with his right shoulder, looking off to the distance. Ren was leaning against the left wall but there was no sign of relaxation, 'No That's Kuon' he noted the difference in how the boy held himself, the way his eyes looked. 'Yes Kuon is showing,' Ren didn't allow his true nature to show. Something was truly troubling him enough to unsettle him in a way that he had not regained himself. As he passed them he pulled out his cellphone, Lory would need to know this.
The boy is not well - R
His true nature showing? - L
Yes - R
Do you know the trigger? - L
No, I noticed due to Kyoko. - R
Is our girl alright? - L
She is unhappy about something about herself. - R
What? - L
I don't know but I am more worried about the boy. Keiji is with him now - R
I'll call him. Keep my girls safe - L
As Ruto and Kyoko left the lobby, she felt that there was something that needed to be said but she felt Juliena's eyes on her and so she turned towards her friend. "She's very close to him isn't she?" The way that she said it, showed that it bothered her. Kyo couldn't understand why she would be bothered unless she just assumed that there was something more.
"She's not Kuon," she said simply before crossing her arms and looking back towards the wall. No, both children were used by adults of course but where Kuon had chosen to allow this to go on, to use those who used him. Allowing himself to slip further into the darkness that only one person seemed to be able to reach him... and even that was questionable to Kyo. Kyoko had been forced to allow those adults to do such things because it truly meant her survival. They were both hurt, yet one didn't deny what had happened she accepted it made it part of her, or perhaps that was because Lory had seen it. Yes the story changed some, had to change to fit the new life that was created for her but every little painful thing that happened was included, added into the very being of Kyoko. Kuon ran from it all. He didn't want to really face his past, he rather pretends it never happened to try and create something in himself that didn't include the pain and darkness that had held him so tightly. They both needed healing and for her, she was wondering who would truly survive the darkness of this world that so many couldn't truly understand.
"There is nothing to worry about Juliena, Yes she trusts him. I can't say I understand the connection myself but I believe it is safe to say that she has two fathers instead of one." No, what surprised Kyo the most was that Ruto had become so attached to her in the first place. The man did not make attachments easily, he followed one person and one person alone. His last ordered was to be loyal, to support and stay by Lory's side. He had done just that, the fact was that Ruto personally had taken the role on to put Kyoko in such a position, that was not something she ever would had expected of the man. 'He may end up more loyal to Kyoko than Lory...' she mentally sighed 'Not that Lory will mind.'
'That girl... how could she have lived such a life when so many of us care about her... can't see a life without her in it anymore? As if she had always been there, that we hadn't been real until she appeared?' Kyo mentally shook her head not wanting to figure that out. When it came down to it, based on the girl she saw and knew. There was no way anyone would or could toss her to the side. 'Yet she draws that sort of thing to her too...' she held herself trying to refocus on Juliena instead of on something she couldn't understand.
"Two fathers..." Juliena bit her lower lip, "Where is her mother?"
"She doesn't have a mother... she was born to a woman who couldn't love her," she said simply, Kyo, of course, was surprised that for a girl who owns parents didn't want her, a father who disappeared long before she was ever born and a mother who looked at her with such disgust. To have two men who doted on her in their own ways was amazing in itself. 'Guess that makes me the Kidnapper in this relationship' she mentally sighed at the thought before looking at Juliena. "Though that woman did try to do her best to assure that she would be happy." she turned towards Juliena, "But she has strong women in her life so there is no need to worry about her in that respect."
"What happened to her Kyo?" she knew this was going to be asked but it wasn't really her place to say any more than what Kyoko had hinted at already.
So that was what the focus on, because the truth of the matter, Juliena's worry was her heart not the time she was with those men, men she thought just kidnapped her and held her hostage. A part of her past that they all knew she didn't want to think about or relive and they respected it, as it wasn't her not hiding from it, she accepted it happened but the nightmares she had sometimes were too much and perhaps they were going about this wrong but none of them thought that was the case. "She was in love Juliena. Truly in love and she trusted him and he used and abused that trust and love. Add in Kouki's pain over Lina and I guess she just doesn't believe in that sort of love anymore because in her mind it all leads to pain." her eyes turned towards Juliena.
"I thought she would be perfect for Kuon," she said softly before looking down at the hall.
"Kuon doesn't even know her." Kyo knew it was harsh to say the words, "He made his choice, Juliena you must accept it. Kuon nor Ren can be with her. It would only be a lie besides its been 4 years and Kuon's made no contact to any of us. Who knows when he will." She looked at her and smiled softly some "But for her, this is all still very fresh, I will keep believing once her heart has healed, she will see what love can really be when it's returned."
"And Kuon?" the worry in her voice was heavy, "Love might be the only thing that brings him back to us Kyo..." she said so softly.
Kyo wrapped her friend in a hug, "Then perhaps we should hope that he can learn to love and she can open her heart to it again. That's all we can do for those two children right now." she felt her friend shake as she began to cry.
"Why is the world so unfair to such pure children?"
"I wish I knew the answer to that..." and she truly did. Yet she would never understand why bad things happened to good people, no more than she would ever be able to understand why good things happened to bad people only that sometimes perhaps more often than either of them realized it happened. Then as Leiko would say it becomes there personal battles and they can only try and show them the way out but the fight is their own to win.
A/N: So glad Keiji didn't end up hated :P I totally adore my little Keiji *pets him*