"…Here", lies before him his long awaited court date. Standing before Kuon was the judge, jury and executioner. All waiting for him to make his final statement to the court. Kuon knew that he couldn't runaway from this woman standing in front of his door any longer. Eager to give a piece of her mind. He was numb barely feeling anything at all. But one thing is definitely clear, Kuon was tired. Tired of hiding away from the damage he has inflected to this family. Peering through the stands of his dark ink hair. Their eyes connected, Tina's gaze enlarged with anger. Waiting to throw all of the past six years of built up at him like a nuclear bomb. Understandably so, even more with the new found information he had just discovered. They did not say a word till he made a complete halt, standing face to face. "After how many years… You some nerve to coming back here," Her voice was unwavering with an even tone. Probably safe to assume not to make a scene out in public.

Kuon did not utter a word as his fingers grabbed the room key out of his pants pocket. Letting Tina stew in her emotions as the plastic slipped between the key slit. The light quickly turned from red to green allowing them access to the hotel room. Tina's manicured hands aggressively turned the nob and a assertively made her way in. Throwing her purse onto a nearby surface. Pivoting herself around to face the actor. "Are you going to start talking…?" Her heels softly tapped hitting the rug and then clanking on the kitchenette wood floors as she strode her way to Kuon. Piercing stare aiming right through him. Her face twisted with disgusted. "You have nothing to say," Bitterly expressing her thoughts. "After all that he has given you, … his life too."

Kuon stayed silent allowing her to vent out her frustrations. Shadows of his dark bangs concealing his expression along with his thoughts. Only the sunlight of the morning dawn backlit the room from the balcony. Wind roaring beating agents the building's concrete."You may have grown but …" Tina's voice was sour, "You are still a chil—". "I know," Kuon snapped. Their faces was both flushed finally meeting each other's gaze again. A sting was rushing, reaching to the under lids of his eyes. Calmer, Ren spoke softly with a scratchy voice. He repeated his words, "…I know ..I am." The apple in his throat bobbing as he choked on those words. Tina's head kicked back exhaling a held breath. She sat in the kitchen chair. Pools of water that were held in her eyelids tricked down. In that moment there was something… less about her. Her tears like diamonds glistening on the table's woodwork. Kuon didn't know what he was supposed to do. If he could do anything really. Like a nervous tick, he bit his bottom lip. Forcing; suppressing what he finally came to realized were salty tears emerging. He made his way to his bed. Exhausted as he sat on cushion.

Tina stared off into the distance. Deep in thought, she shook her head eventually rubbing her eyes. Attempting to wipe the water from her crying face. "You didn't even go to his funeral…you prick." Kuon let his words over flow like a dam, "I couldn't even look myself in the eye for over a year." He ruefully admitted, his father, Kuu was right. The hammering of his knuckles seem like a gavel now, 'A woman always find out the truth.' Reverberated in his ears. He half laughed at the irony 'Always'. "I couldn't live with myself… Not after what I did. I wanted to die…" Tina's head slightly turned to hear his voice better. Kuon half laughed again, "I did die." She fully turned all of her focus on the man speaking now. "I ran. Changed my name and ran as fast as I could," years of remorse was laced in Kuon's voice. "I changed everything that I was." Tina witnessed the glistening water stinging his eyes. "I thought, if he can't get to live why do I." Kuon knew no amount of apologues could ever effectively communicate his deep and truest remorse. How many nights did he laid awake with the guilt raging in him. The quiet filled the room.

An invisible scripture witting on his skin. Monster, Murderer, You should be the one that died. Panted, splattered all over his flesh. Kuon braced himself for the righteous abuse. Tina's eyes studied his face from a far.

The silence that filled the air was just the jury piling in with the final verdict. It rattled Kuon to his very core. He sat there waiting for the sentencing. A shift of weight ruffled from the far corner of the hotel room. Her footsteps making her way over. Expecting her to give him his rightfully harsh punishment, …but when the feet halted by his bedside. Tina didn't throw her force at him. Ren rose his vision up meeting her gaze. Hesitating on what might come next."What happened to Rick… was a tragedy," She was carefully deciphering her thoughts. Possibly lamenting on how it all played out, "And I blamed you for the event's of that night." Tina reflected putting her own self also on a critical light. Letting out a sigh of regret. "Regardless of how Rick ended up on that street, You weren't the one driving that car." Maybe it was the years that had made her softer or her child, but when she actually got a chance to actually look into those monsters eyes. Tina saw a broken man, that was when she realized. "For all these years, you believed me. I was an vindictive woman back then…." She paused for more thought. "…We all knew what you were going through… Rick would be so ashamed of the words I said." Kuon's face tightened, unexpressed shock formed. Slowly coming with realization. "Rick…he wouldn't want two lives dying that day Kuon. That's no way to honor his memory." A sympatric understanding was given between the two damaged people. Both never thought this day would ever have come. Sitting side by side with one another. Golden daylight casting a halo from the heavens embracing them with warmth.

—-

17 hours later John and Kyoko now knew the true meaning of what a 'red eye' flight was. Exhausted form their trip all three tiredly made their way to the front desk to retrieve their room keys. Towing their luggage along first they dropped off Yashiro to his room. Bidding him a good rest, Kyoko and John then strode their way down the extended hall. A hotel door up ahead cracked open …

"You should stop by every once in a while," a soft female voice exited the door fame. Kyoko's gazed landed at them.

Kuon and Tina sat there in comforting silence for quite sometime. Till finally one of them broke the tranquility. Expressing their fond memories about the late Rick to each other. The stories bloomed into tales of their lives. Events that had happened in the past six years. Kuon found out that Rick jr. was in first grade and only would come with his mommy to work after school or on weekends. He loves playing in the hotel's daycare. Born eight or so months after his father died. He was, "Rick's final gift" to Tina. And just by seeing the boy Kuon could easily tell, he's the spitting image of his father. Kuon told her about his life in Japan. "Ren Tsuruga," the 'top' actor of Japan. Or so the media loves spew out. Just how far he has made it just to get back fully ready to relieve this guilt that has been harboring in his chest. But that wild beast was more tamed then ever before. They spent well over an hour in his hotel room hashing out old feelings.

Finally walking Tina to the door, Kuon leaned in to turn the nob escorting her out. "Don't be a stranger anymore. Stop by every once in a while," Tina stepped out of the door frame to the outside. Kuon followed her lead, stepping out too."I'll try," nervousness carried in his voice. She made a small laugh, "Maybe I'll give you a free massage when you do." Given the towering man a sly wink. "I know someone that would love to see you." She playfully patted her palm on his shoulder. Causing Kuon lips gave way a feasible smile. "You are just so tense too." Kuon's tension breathed out of him, "I'd like to that." Tina mouth motioned into a warm smile as she parted ways. Passing the two on lookers that were standing in the hallway.

Kuon's gaze steadily watched Tina leave for her work. Landing his shifting focus on the pair that were standing there not too far away.

Kyoko's grip had tightened round her wheeled luggage. Sight was fixated on the actor standing in front of his hotel room door. Witnessing the man's face pull back in surprise. His throat slowly bobbing as if he was trying to find the words to speak. The woman that come out of his room was long gone now. It was safe to assume that she was the reason for the radio silence. John's mouth matched Ren's, hanging open. Caught in a wild fire. While Kyoko's lips was pressed together. "Ah…I..," Tsuruga's voice was strained. John for the second time now it seemed. Felt like he just caught the great Ren Tsuruga in the act. There was a bubbling in the pit of Kyoko's stomach. it was turning into pain with every quiet second. Having enough, Kyoko forced herself into her host persona. Plastering on her best performance, "Good morning… I'll see you on set." Her fake smile was stitched on tight. Taking her things, Kyoko headed to her assigned room. John did a double take but followed after her, "Hey Kyoko wait up!"

End of Ch.21


A/N: This one took a bit longer to produce and to be honest I wasnt going to post it yet till the next chapter was done. But considering that it's been so long I knew I shouldn't hold off on it. I originally planned of this story to be over by the start of September. I hope I can still make that personal dead line but a lot of events have popped up in my life. And by September rolls in, just even more will follow. Thank you for taking the time to read my story. It means the world to me! and I plan to reach the end of this story no matter how slow I go. :3 Just hopefully no other side tracks besides maybe collage. Oh and if there is spelling errors that I miss please tell me! The worst thing is to look back after weeks, months, years go by and notice it myself. It's the most embarrassing thing ever. lol