-Oxford - Wednesday: Part 34-
His parents weren't exactly the quiet sort of people actually he most likely wouldn't have paid any attention if he hadn't heard her voice, swearing in Russian. Kuu trying to calm down his mother to lead her back to their table. There was a chance, of course, his father could win but he honestly doubted it but regardless they would stop. He could almost see it in his head, his father flirting with her. Trying to calm her down, the question of course what had set her off to be heading in this direction in the first place?
Sighing he placed a hand around Kyoko's he lowered the fork back to the deadly piece of chocolate cake. The confusion that was written on her face spoke all he needed to know, she believed she had done something wrong and withdrew her hand from his own as she looked down. He looked up towards the ceiling, this would never have happened with anyone else, actually, he couldn't recall any girlfriend or date he had ever allowed to feed him. The horror of being force-fed was just that strong. 'No' his eyes turned back towards Kyoko for a second. 'She has done this before.'
Kuon heard her long before she appeared. He could stay here happily being this little girl fairy prince. His eyes turned towards her as she broke free from the wooden path, she had with her a bookbag. It wasn't the first time she had done such a thing. Actually after their first day together she had begun to do this. Each day it was something new mixed with what he had come to expect in the four days they were together. Part of him wondered if it really had to end. He wouldn't mind living here in Koyto if it meant being around her but he knew that in time he would have to head back to America. Back to where his mom was. All the sadness washed away the moment he heard his name, well the name she called him. Normally when people mispronounced his name they did it to be mean but it had not been that way with her.
"Corn!" The first time he had told her his name she had heard Corn and jumped right into asking him if he was a fairy prince and before he could even answer she had this daydream look in her eyes stating it was the perfect name for a fairy prince. She wasn't breathing hard but she was bursting with energy and he wasn't exactly sure what that would mean for him.
'At least she's not sad today' he smiled down at her, "Hello Kyoko-chan" he said warmly yet she wasn't looking at him anymore. He leaned over as she knelt down in front of her bookbag her head shooting up towards him.
"You can't look!" he stared at her confused but she shook her head "You gotta close your eyes," she said closing her own as if he couldn't understand what she meant. When she opened her head he nodded his head and closed his eyes. "I made you something!" He heard the rustling of plastic and the gravel under her feet shifting, "Okay you can open them now!" she said cheerfully. He opened his eyes and found himself wanting to take several steps away from the item that she was holding a little plastic cup with a spoon inside. It was pink and he was pretty sure was a mousse. He must have shown his distaste in the item she was holding as she lowered her head. "You don't want it?" her voice sounded so heartbroken.
"I..." he watched her as she lowered herself so she was sitting on her knees, the little plastic cup sat in her lap as she held it in place, she was going to cry and he could tell that right away. "It's not that Kyoko-chan," he said kneeling down but she didn't look up at him and he mentally groan images of his mother shoving food in his face, forcing him to eat way more than he could. Him getting sick and her fear that he was doing it on purpose, which just resulted in her trying to get him to eat more. It was a horror show in his life. "I just don't like food all that much" he knew he was going to regret this, "But I will try it okay?" her eyes slowly lifted towards him she didn't say anything but he really meant it because he really did.
Kuon didn't know what to expect when he agreed to eat the pink mousse but it wasn't her scooping out a spoonful and holding it out to him. He stared at her for a moment of hope that laid in her eyes and he opened his mouth, once the mousse hit his tongue he was surprised. It was smooth but it tasted like strawberries and something else. "I made it just for you," she said happily, "I tried really hard to make it Strawberry and Rhubarb mousse did I do a good job?"
"It tastes really good Kyoko-chan," he said smiling and he wasn't pretending either. It was perhaps the best thing he had in a long time even. She scooped another spoonful and held it out for him. He sat in front of her opening his mouth whenever he was ready for another bite. He never thought being fed by someone wouldn't be scary or a nightmare. When he had finished the little cup she covered it in the little plastic film and then put it back in her bookbag before looking towards him. She was crying but he couldn't understand why. He grunted as she flung herself into him wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him as tightly as she could.
Ren's eyes turned back towards the piece of cake in her hand she looked sad again. Like she had that one day but unlike before he knew she felt like she had done something wrong. He took the plate from her, he could explain to her that it wasn't normal to feed someone unless they were sick or maybe a bite or two. The fact he already went through half of that damn piece of cake that he was pretty sure was far larger than it should have been. He sighed mentally to himself as he put it on the table, "I just need a break, it's really... sweet" way too sweet actually. Yet he didn't want to bring that up, he was tempted to have her try it but he really didn't want to end up with another bite of his own even if it meant getting rid of one bite for himself. He leaned his back into the booth, there was also the fact he really didn't want either of his parents seeing him being fed. Ren could feel her eyes on him as she shifted her back leaning into his side and again he realized that this was also something she would do as a child. Only she didn't have a book with her, she also wasn't having her lunch either. Not that she didn't always try to make him eat with her even then. 'Guess I been fed a few times by her' his eyes turning towards her and the phone she held in her hand. "Who are you talking too?" he was tempted to grab it, tempted to take it and see but he didn't have to do that at all. She held it up towards him.
"My father," not that he had been able to actually read the text at the moment, "Daddy says, not to trust you to behave yourself. You either will attempt to bed me or make me cry because you don't want to bed me" she tilted her head "I've told him that it didn't matter, I didn't want to sleep with you at all." she said turning back to her phone, "Then he said that you lack the ability to act as someone who is in love unless you planned to have sex with the person and that it was sorely lacking because all you have to do is smile." he could almost hear her eyes rolling.
He growled under his breath, he couldn't understand why Lory was making him sound like all he thought about was sex. "Maybe you want to try and convince him that you don't desire to sleep with me," she said waving her phone at him. He stared at her phone for a moment before she took his hand and put her phone in his hand. "You can check for yourself if you don't believe me," she said simply as she turned from him again.
His eyes turned towards the phone. He really wondered if it was a trick of some sort. As if he looked it would say he didn't believe her and if he didn't he would be missing getting an idea on their relationship and exactly what was being said. He closed his eyes finding himself torn between the two choices when he felt her move from him. His eyes darted towards her, she was standing in the booth again, in stockings as if it wasn't that big of a deal. Yet that hadn't been the worse of it was the fact she had a glass of water or what had been water and she had poured it on someone's head. He winced slightly, that wasn't going to be good as he rose from his seat.
Tomi lifted his head looking towards his door, he clicked his tongue against his teeth as he leaned back in his chair. He lifted the phone in his hand once more looking at the message from Reino. The young man really didn't like being dragged into things and he really didn't like his mother or his father being dragged into this world either. He accepted that he really had no say, no it was more like he had a bit more freedom than he would ever have.
The Eye is looking for information on a female, someone he thinks my father has been with either a stripper or a second kid. - Reino
Tomi wondered exactly what the old man was looking into that got Igor interested. He ran a hand through his hair as he tossed the phone on the desk. Not only that but it seemed he was under house arrest not that they could actually hold him here. Right now he would play along he supposed. His eyes turning towards his computer screen for a moment. He smirked as he leaned forward looking at the information on the screen. He couldn't help but grin, on the screen was the bank account for one Sho Fuwa. Bank of Tokyo. He had a grand total of 1,694.05 yen or about 15 dollars to his name. The funds had been transferred under several sites, mostly porn sites but all actually ran by his family or the associates to the family. He wasn't that good to do much more, the fact he hadn't hacked at all, he simply had contacts and contacts is all you really needed in this world. They were more than happy to get a good chunk of cash to help out anyways.
This was of course just a small start for him, this would all fix itself. Well not really fix it but he would get his money back in time. He had been nice because he knew his Hana didn't dislike his parents to not take it out on them. He pulled a cigarette out his pack before lighting up he picked up his phone and made another call. "Yo," he said in perfect Japanese as he let out a cloud of smoke, "You at his apartment?"
"Yeah, his cleaning lady let us in. Nice lady, she apparently doesn't like him much, says he's always complaining but she's only cleaning not his caretaker, she said a lot of other things but you get the idea." The man said simply, "You still want us to sell everything?"
Tomi couldn't help but smile some as he stares towards the door, "Yes, make sure you leave what I told you to leave behind. Give the old lady half of whatever you get and remember I will know if you attempt to cheat her. She's worked hard and it will make it clear she won't say who did it either." He really didn't need these guys getting caught, "make sure you clear out all evidence afterward with the landlord."
"Got it, Tomi. Besides, she's really nice so I don't even want my cut this time. We'll be done by tonight."
"Good" he hung up the phone before turning back towards the door, why did it feel like the old man was once again going to attempt to bring someone into the fold? He closed his eyes thinking back on Reino's message, no he had an idea what it was about. Why he was being babysat at the moment. It seemed like the old man was going to attempt and reach out again, his idea of the Russian's master race being those who carried the gene for violet, golden and red eyes. Those who were said to be gifted. The idea that he could have gotten his hands on his Hana in the first place for that exact reason for making more babies for the Family had been the reason he had called Kuon instead of his father. He didn't want to risk him finding out. Yet she was gone now, out of his reach and he wasn't about to let his little Hana get trapped by his father or this family.
Kyoko couldn't believe it. Juliena was here and there was yet another man who was after her. She was trying to get him to leave her alone, without making a huge scene but she wasn't exactly sure what it was about only that her Nephele was very unhappy with the tall blonde man. She was sure it was the same one that had helped her and that had been the only reason she had chosen the water, she didn't want to stain his clothes or anything but with water, he could at least go and dry off somewhere away from her Nephele. She slipped her shoes off for easier balance, stockings in her mind had been better than trying to stand on a cushioned booth again in heels. She just hoped it wasn't that big of a deal to the people who worked here or anyone who was here trying to enjoy their meal.
Kuu lifted his head up towards the glass cup that was held in the petite little Japanese woman. His eyes shooting towards his Juliena as she placed her hands over her mouth clearly trying not to laugh at him. "Isn't she just perfect?" she had quickly made her way around him and towards Kyoko who she wrapped her arms around tightly, Kyoko had only been able to get one arm down her side seeing as Ren had grabbed the glass from her all she could do was bare the shooting pain. The woman she reminded was a lot stronger than she seemed.
Kuu had noticed the difference in her eyes, even if her face had not really given her away. He was amazed by the skill that took as he took one of each of Juliena's arms and pulled her free. He wrapped his arms around Juliena's waist pulling her into his chest. His eyes never leaving Kyoko's as he watched Kuon or more correctly Ren put the glass down on the table. He saw the worry on the boy's face even if it was only there for a moment. Kyoko was nursing it seemed the one side where her arm had not been a barrier, carefully touching it. Kuu knew his wife had a death grip but it wasn't one that would hurt someone unless they were already hurt. Afterall once Kuon had been strong enough to break free from her grasp, the force-feeding habit became one of them and then the tears as if she could guilt trip him into eating. It worked most of the time when he was still young but as he got older even that stopped working. "Juliena, love. Careful." His eyes turned from his wife falling onto the girl who had lowered herself to her knees, her whole body straight. The look on his son's face told him everything he really needed to know. He didn't know how to help her, how to make the pain go away and it bothered him greatly. "We are ruining their date, my love," Juliena looked up at him. She wasn't happy it would be hard to get her to move back to their table unless she got to spend some time with the girl he had torn her away from. His eyes darted once more towards Kyoko before settling on his son, his son most of all didn't want either of them there but the ice was broken quickly by Kyoko herself.
Kyoko kept her arm positioned just where it hurt that way if she was given any more hugs or pulled anywhere else she could at least keep it protected. It was a become a task to pretend it didn't bother her, didn't hurt her. Yet she could pull it off. She had dealt with far worse and she couldn't let anyone worry about her. If they worried they might attempt to stop her. So she carefully sat there on her knees. She was staring at the tall blonde that Juliena didn't seem so bothered by at the moment and felt Ren move closer to her but not touching her, which she was thankful for more than she could say at the moment. "That's her husband Kuu" his voice was soft and only the slight tickle of his hair told her just how close he was and that he had seen. He knew she was hurting and that was not going to help her at all. If he was being that careful with her to the point he feared even the lightest of touches where he had not been at all worried prior he might say something to her father or Ruto.
Closing her eyes she tried to relax her body, she felt the shot of pain in her side but she smiled anyway, her eyes trailing him length before turning back towards Kuu's length and back to him. "Just how tall are you?" It wasn't so much she needed to know, she already did know. It was the fact she could not think of a single man she had come across not even when it came to the models that she had helped Kyo with being as tall as him. No, they were close, her father and Ruto for example she figured was about the same size as him and she could only say that because Ruto was taller than her father by a couple of inches and Ren was taller than Ruto by several more inches. Tomi was tall as well now that she thought about it but even compare to Ren she knew that it was likely extremely close between them and she got a sinking feeling that Tomi was shorter.
Kuu couldn't help but laugh, "Don't you watch TV? Ren Tsuruga is exactly 190 cm" he paused for a moment, grinning slightly as she turned to look back at Ren. He mentally winced as Juliena moved to slide in next to her, Ren's arm moved so it was on the side where Kyoko was favoring and he noted quickly how that seemed to not sit well with the young woman's mind. He wasn't sure if it was for some other reason, he had a feeling it wasn't the contact or lack of contact in this case even as he watched as Kyoko took Ren's hand and held it to her lap. His eyes quickly darted to his son but if he was surprised by the contact it didn't show, only worry seemed to flash through his eyes.
"I don't really watch TV and I honestly don't care all that much about showbiz at all." It was the truth and Juliena smiled towards Kuu.
"She doesn't even look at the TV when it's on. It's amazing really, I always thought people would look of course no matter what but unless a certain name or topic is brought up, it's as if it was nothing more than two people chatting in the distance." Kuu was sure they should leave but he sat down some next to her, a few moments wouldn't hurt was the look that his beloved wife was giving him and who was he to deny her anything?
"So you don't recognize me?" Kuu said pointing at his face before pointing towards his son, "But you know him?" Somehow this surprised him more than he wanted to admit she slowly opened her eyes and he noted the pain in there for just a moment before she smiled warmly at him.
"Well in fairness, I wouldn't know who he was either if a little girl in my life didn't go on about him" Kuu noted how her eyes narrowed, "and another person distaste of him." Ren's thumb trailed the top of her hand, it was a small gesture but it had Juliena looking up at him as if it was the world and he didn't have the heart to tell her, that Kyoko was not really returning the affection at all. "I have never seen anything he's been in and I don't really care about fashion magazines all that much" she did look at cosmetics but that was about it. Shoutaro was always reading magazines, watching TV and movies. She helped in the Ryokan because unlike Shoutaro she always worried about being a burden to the point she took on his work too. Her belief that if she worked really hard that when he became famous like he always said he would that it would all pay off. That she could take it a little easier, not work so hard. So it had become easier every day to pretend that the noise from the TV was nothing more than people talking and the only thing that really had changed from then and now was that she now had people she wanted to keep an eye on. Names of men, women, and her own family. Sometimes a name seemed familiar but when she saw their faces she knew it wasn't them.
"Maybe you should check out his work and mine while you are at it. Though I guess it would be hard not speaking Japanese" he said frowning slightly, "I mean watching his stuff, mine well I'm a Hollywood Actor" he said proudly. Yet he sighed heavily when he saw that she didn't even seem surprised by this, "You know most people would be in awe of meeting a famous actor" Kuu was pouting and his wife had taken it upon herself to kiss his cheek as she snuggled into his side.
Kyoko, however, seemed to have care about easy his hurt pride as she pointed at herself, "My Auntie is the Mother of the Queen, I live with the Queen, the Prince Consort, the Future King, four Princes, two Princesses and unless you are going to show up in a dress you aren't likely to awe me... then again... Daddy does dress differently so that likely wouldn't be enough either."
Ren couldn't help but cover his mouth, his wife was doing the same thing. They were trying their best not to laugh at him because of her statement and Kuu sighed heavily. "Guess you will just have to find a new way to impress her," she said looking up at him. "I'm sure you can think of a way to do so," she said kissing him softly before turning back towards the two. Kuu ran a hand through his hair his wife was almost jittery over the fact the two of them were touching but as he looked once more at them. Kuu watched as his eyes darted towards Kyoko's one more she must have done something so minor in her movement that it had him worried. At least that's what Kuu was seeing as the moment but he had not noticed it, so it had to be something she couldn't control.
So Kuu unlikely his beloved wife was not surprised by Ren's tone of voice, "Was there something you needed?"
Kuu smiled, "Oh well Juliena said you did something very kind for her the other day. She was hoping for a dance with you since we were both here." Ren's eyes narrowed slightly he really didn't like dancing and Kuu knew that it was the perfect excuse or would have been if it wasn't for that petite woman at his side.
"Really? We can dance here?" Both men looked at her in pure awe it was as if the pain she was in was truly gone, she was as jittery as his wife was at the moment.