Strings Attached

by

dancingfingers

Disclaimer: I don't, under any circumstances, own Skip Beat! and its characters.

AN: This is a beta version. All (beta) credits goes to Roshelle Diall, who suggested to change some particular parts in this chapter. Thank you, dear!

Chapter 6

January 27, 2013

Holding her fork, Sachiko played with her food absently. Her eyes were empty as she stared at her plate. The whispers she heard yesterday still left an unpleasant feeling in her chest, making her eyes sting with tears she tried to hold back and barely breathing. She might not know what 'bastard' meant, but she knew that it was not a good word when she saw her mother smile sadly as she asked about the meaning. She only caught some words she understood like "I love you", "Don't listen to them" or "Your family loves you, Sachiko".

The little girl frowned.

She had that strange feeling of... what did Okaa-san say again? She racked through her mind, seeking for the best word. Sachiko clapped her hands. Longing. The other word for missing. She longed for a father figure whenever she saw her school mates picked up by their father or their mother or even both. She wanted to know how it felt when your father brought you in his large, warm arms. How it felt when your father kissed your hair or held you high in the air.

Sure, she had Uncle Sho and Jirou jii-san and also Lory jii-san. But she felt something was still missing, and the little sound in the back of her mind told her that it was because she never knew her father.

Sachiko had asked Okaa-san about her father's whereabouts once, only to find her frozen at her question before she sobbed quietly, saying "Sorry." over and over again.

She vowed to herself not to ask about her father anymore since then. The sight of her crying mother broke her heart. She loved her too much, and didn't want to see her Okaa-san's cries anymore.

But that didn't erase the longing feeling in her heavy heart.

Sighing once more, Sachiko finally ate her cold lunch.

January 27, 2013

Later that night

Kyoko sighed as she sat down. The inevitable day of revealing Sachiko to her father would be here. She wasn't sure what to think. How would she react when she saw the man that she loved again. What would he do when she told him? Even though the start of their relationship was different the fact was that they loved each other and that a beautiful child had been the result of their union.

Who am I kidding? I can't even answer my daughter without crying when she asks me about him." Kyoko muttered bitterly.

The day she had broken off the engagement had been playing over and over in her mind lately. That night had been one of the worst days of her life. When she learned she was pregnant she wanted to reach out to him. Instead the look on his face when she had placed that ring in his hand played in her mind over and over. She made the decision she did for his sake. At least that's what she told herself. Just because her life had been bad didn't mean she needed to make things bad for him too.

'I love you, Kuon. I'm sorry.' she thought silently as she watched Sachiko eating dinner.

January 28, 2013

1 a.m.

Kuon was back at home, exhausted from his long day. He lay back in bed his mind going in circles, replaying that night over and over in his head. Opening the drawer of the nightstand, he pulled out the ring. Ever since that night he hadn't gotten rid of it. He felt that he needed the constant reminder. If he ever saw her again he would make things right. Start off better than he had the last time. He thought he had done enough to show her he loved her, but remembering that conversation let him know that wasn't the case. Kuon sighed, closing his eyes as he focused on her voice, the last time he would hear it.

Kuon threw a brown envelope on his coffee table. He had a dark aura surrounding him, his fists clenched tightly on his side.

Kyoko arched her eyebrows. "What is this?" she asked, trying hard to not tremble under Kuon's hard gaze.

"What do you mean by 'what'?" He snapped in rage. The blond merely threw pictures on Kyoko's lap with his trembling hands. "What. Is. This. Kyoko?" He said in a low and dangerous voice.

Kyoko shut her mouth. She fidgeted with the hem of her blue blouse and didn't look up, in fear of Kuon's wrath.

"TELL ME WHAT THIS IS!"

The raven-haired beauty gulped nervously and sucked her breath deeply before she opened her mouth. "These... are photos."

He clenched his jaw, really mad at her indifferent response. "Is that woman... you, Kyoko?" he asked in a tight voice.

She braced herself and raised her head, locking her eyes to his darkened green eyes. "Yes," she answered. "Yes, that's me." Her heart broke as she saw Kuon blanch at her confession, a look of disbelief and hurt filled his eyes. She gulped again.

"Why, Kyoko? I just want to know why?"

"Because I'm a selfish and terrible person. I don't deserve your love." she paused. "Or anyone's. I'm broken. I..."

Kuon came closer, "That's not true, Kyoko."

"Isn't it?" she asked. Kyoko took a shaky breath and continued, "I know I agreed to doing it and I had no idea that someone was watching but when I." she stopped again and looked at Kuon, defiance evident in her golden orbs, "When I did it, I wanted you to feel just a little of what I felt every time you were with her. Even though you're angry with me it doesn't change the fact that at one time, you went out everywhere with her while I had to stay hidden behind these doors. I felt like I was nothing to you."

Kuon stood silently as he listened to her heartfelt confession. The truth was he did love her. Why couldn't he have just said it then? He knew she had been through so much. In the beginning he knew she was afraid of love and he wanted to be close to her. Now Kuon could finally see that he had hurt her. What was worse, he wasn't sure the damage could be easily repaired.

"Kyoko, I." he began but she cut him off.

"I'm sorry Kuon. The start of our relationship was a mistake. I should have never agreed to being friends with benefits. I knew when I started that I didn't want to share you. Like I said, when I did this." she said focusing on the pictures, "You were still with her. I couldn't believe the day you asked me to marry you. I was so happy. Knowing you loved me and I loved you. It was too good to be true. Now…" she said, "It looks like it is."

"Kyoko, I love you. If you love me, we can get through this. I promise you I won't hurt you."

"I'm sorry, Kuon. It just...it hurts too much. I don't think I can do this. Maybe these pictures showed up at your doorstep for a reason. Maybe it's a sign and it's telling us that we shouldn't be together." she said as a single tear dropped from her eye. "I have to break off the engagement. I'm sorry."

Kyoko stood up and pulled off her engagement ring, placing it on her now ex-fiance's palm who was too shocked at hearing her words. Kyoko hastily grabbed her purse but Kuon grabbed her arm.

"Kyoko, do you still love me?"

The tears flowed now as she met his gaze, not giving him an answer before she turned back to the door, "It seems this is how my life is meant to be and I don't want to hurt you anymore." she said quietly. "I'll send someone for my things. Goodbye Kuon." she said sadly as she opened the door.

Kuon dropped to his knees as he heard the soft click. A tear rolled down to his cheek. "Why?" he asked, his voice shaking. "We loved each other so it should have been enough."

Flame danced in his fireplace, emitting an eerie light to his dimly lit apartment.

"Kyoko, I love you." He stared at her ring and sobbed. "I love you, I love you, I love you."

He collected the pictures, trembling. Kuon stood up and headed to the fireplace, orange flames danced in his dull green eyes.

He watched as the photos of Kyoko with another man – naked – burned into ashes.

Kyoko leaned her body against the door. Her whole body was shaking. She bit her lip so hard and blinked back the tears that still threatened to fall. She rummaged through her purse shakily and found her cellphone.

"Sho."

A velvety voice answered her. "Done?"

Kyoko made her way to the elevator. Fortunately for her, the elevator was empty. She replied in a hushed voice, "Y-yeah. It's hard... It hurts so much..." The image of Kuon's hurt expression plastered in her mind and she felt her breath catch in her throat, leaving her gasping for air.

"I know, I know..."

She choked. "S-Sho... Kuon... Kuon hates me..."

The doors opened, revealing the young, blond in leather jacket and fashionably ripped jeans. Kyoko ran to his arms quickly and sobbed. They were hugging each other like that for a while, until Sho dragged her limp body to his car.

"Kuon... Kuon..."

He gently sat Kyoko down in the passenger seat, closing the door and walked to his side of the car. Once he got in, he searched for her hands and squeezed it gently. "It will be okay, Kyoko. Everything's going to be okay."

The raven-haired girl nodded absently, her tears rolled down her cheeks again and Sho gripped the steering wheel tightly as he saw those lifeless golden eyes again. He was mad at everyone who did this to her, stealing her happiness – her life from her. His azure eyes flashed dangerously as he made a plan inside his head; In Kyoko's words he was a cunning, conniving bastard after all, and for his precious childhood friend, Sho vowed to do anything for her. As long as she kept smiling with her sparkling golden eyes – the last time she had was at age 7, the last time Kyoko smiled before she lost her innocenc

Hitting the gas, he drove the car out of Kuon's apartment complex and headed to his place.