Chapter 2

Kuon stood staring at the young woman who just slapped him for pestering her over her best friend. Lory had finally developed the testicular fortitude to finally tell him what had happened to Kyoko and tried desperately to apologize. However, it was one too many times to have him meddling in his personal life to just get a reaction out of him. He could handle the teasing, the acting assignments, the Heel Siblings and even the photos of Fuwa kissing her, but to manipulate him into the plan to make her jealous was too much.

He knew it was his fault too. He punished himself everyday since the moment she walked away from him. His mind had just been too proud to admit it was wrong up to that point and now he internally visualized every moment between them and saw the love in her that she held for him. He had personally destroyed that for the entertainment of a man that played love sims instead of going out and facing the love that was around him.

"If you think for one moment that I will ever let you near her again... MO! You are an even bigger idiot than I originally thought! Men like you and Fuwa disgust me! Now, you and your sick manager... just stay the hell away from this office!" She hissed, pointing to the door. She had had enough of this foolishness. She had already made arrangements for a temporary contract with Chiori's agency, Soft Hat. Today would be her last day with LME and the horrid pink curse.

"Kotonami-san, please I really need..." He tried.

She cut him off. "OUT! Find her yourself if she's as important as you say she is, but rest assured that she will not be coming back to LME if I have anything to say about it!"

RING... RING... RING...

"Hizuri residence... Kuu speaking." The call came through at 5pm Pacific Standard Time; 3am in Tokyo.

Sigh... "Kuu... I messed up. I messed up bad." Lory's voice was filled with remorse.

Kuu felt a knot starting to develop in his chest. "What happened. How's Kuon?"

He swallowed audibly. Well, he's going to find out sooner or, later. Might as well be sooner. "Kuon canceled his contract a couple of days ago. I tried to stop him. I even threatened him with legal ramifications." He chuckled wryly. "The boy just pulled out his company cards and threw them at me. Then he wrote me a check and said "don't bother looking for me.""

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?!" Kuu bellowed.

Lory was silent for a while. "I... In a nutshell... I drove off Kyoko-chan."

"You better have a fucking better explanation than that." He growled.

He sighed again. "She's in love with him... I tried to get her to admit it and I may have coerced Kuon into thinking that it would be productive to make her jealous. How was I supposed to know that she would leave? I swear Kuu, I didn't know that, that Fuwa boy had messed her up so badly. I didn't know that he had used her like that and kicked her to the curb like that. I thought it was just one of those teen-aged crushes. I didn't know that she had been betrothed to him since she was seven fucking years old, that they had stripped her of her personality and raised her to be his wife before he used her like a slave. I didn't even know people still behaved like that." He sighed again. "I didn't know he had been harassing her and Kuon... Kuu, I just don't know what to do. Kuon quit. Yashiro followed soon after. Kotonami-san moved over to Soft Hat and Amamiya-san left. I have a few others that have just tendered their resignations over this too. Those two leaving, have triggered several others. The staff that I have left is so disgusted with me they barely speak to me anymore."

"Are you sure you want to do this Kuon?" Yashiro asked in a serious tone. "I don't have a problem with it, but I just want to make sure."

Kuon nodded. "You sure you don't mind Yukihito? I know I'm asking a lot of you."

Yashiro smirked. "I'm always up for a little adventure."

Kuon shook his best friend's hand and gave him a hug before handing him the two portfolios he held. "It's going to be a little rough at first, but I trust you.".

"Alright well, somehow with you I seriously doubt that and if you're successful in this part of your plan, I will see you in a couple of weeks. I'll have everything set up for you." He told him before boarding the plane. Yukihito knew that it wouldn't be as difficult as Kuon thought, he had been doing the research and making the phone calls since the day after Kuon had proposed his plan. He was confident that things would work out splendidly on his end

Kuon waved as he watched his best friend leave him behind. He took a deep breath and finally left for the long drive that awaited him.

It was the happiest Yayoi had seen the girl since she came back. It was close to her 18th birthday, Kyoko deserved to have a little good news. She had been so melancholy since she arrived. From what Yayoi could tell, Kyoko-chan just got some really good news and there was a very handsome visitor waiting for her in the main tea room.

"I did it! Oba-chan! I really did it!" She squealed and danced around with the letter in her hands.

Yayoi swept her into a hug. "Congratulations Dear. I told you, you could. I'm very proud of you. Now, go change you have a guest in the main tea room waiting for you."

Kyoko smiled excitedly and nodded, then bowed respectfully. "Yes ma'am."

~xoxo~

Kuon sat nervously awaiting his princess, hoping that she would hear him out. Hoping that she wouldn't hate him for what had happened and hoping that she would believe him when he told her what he had to reveal. He nervously drummed his fingers on his thigh as he continued to sit in seiza as she had told him to in Guam, then he ran his fingers through his blond locks for the eighth time in the past 20 minutes. He let out a nervous sigh.

Two weeks. He had two weeks to prove to her that he loved her and was completely serious about it. It was time to stop allowing others to meddle in their business and fix what had been broken.

He heard the sliding door behind him quietly open and green eyes met wide, shocked gold.

"Corn?" She breathed out in shock.

He nodded nervously. "Kyoko-chan... I have something I need to tell you."

For two hours Yayoi sat next to the thin paper door listening to the stories that the couple shared, occasionally wiping her tears with a little hankie she kept tucked away. She decided that after everything that they had been through, they deserved to be together. Sho had thrown away his chance for happiness and she was not going to allow Kyoko to. So when Kuon Hizuri told Kyoko what he had planned for them, Yayoi quickly intervened.

"She'll do it!" She yelped as the door flew open and she pushed Kyoko into his waiting arms.

Kyoko sat in speechless shock.

Kuon just stared at Kyoko for her response.

"Kyoko-chan, you two love each other. I can see it in your eyes. You will do this. I know that this will make you happy." It was kind of an order, but not. It was the equivalent of a mother knowing her daughter, what would make her happy and grasping onto it for her. "You will do it... Won't you Kyoko?" She smiled softly and gently prodded.

Kyoko nervously glanced at Kuon then back at Yayoi.

"You will always have a home here Kyoko-chan." She told her quietly.

Kyoko nodded and gave Kuon a small smile. "Are you sure this is what you want Kuon?"

He pulled her to him and hugged her tightly. "I have never been more certain of something in my life." He kissed her crown.

Yayoi clapped her hands together. "Well then Hizuri-san, I believe we have some work to do."

Three days later the couple would discover that Yayoi Fuwa was even more efficient at planning and executing a wedding than Lory Takarada could ever hope to be, as they stood in the small church saying their vows and signing their marriage certificate in front of the Fuwas, Kanae and Chiori. Indeed Kuon was serious and the diamond, sapphire and platinum bands on their fingers proved it. If the rings didn't... their first night as husband and wife did, without a doubt.

Yukihito Yashiro awakened the day after Christmas at 5am to a text message with instructions that warmed his heart and sent a rapturous joy through his body.

PING...

Two Bedroom Flat with a small garden. Nothing extravagant. The wife would say no.

He squealed with joy. He had the perfect place. He had been going day and night for the past few days after his arrival, searching for living quarters, speaking to agencies that accepted freelancers, communicating with his contacts in the area and gathering the paperwork for work visas for his two favorite people and himself.

He smiled excitedly as he pulled out the large folder and began organizing. "Let the adventure begin."