Chapter 2

He heard the beautiful chime of her laughter as he entered the small café called LA Hearts. Before she had discovered his lies, that laughter had been for him. Now she was sitting in a booth next to the violet-eyed, former singer laughing for him. Kuon's anger quietly seethed.

"He's her manager now." Yashiro commented as they took the next empty table that was across the room. "He's actually quite good, from what I've been able to find out. He's been interning for the past six months."

Kuon shot him a dirty look. "Singing his praises, Yashiro?" He quietly hissed.

"No... Just stating fact. Care to fill me in on what happened and why you turned down your American Debut?" Yashiro asked as he pulled out his planner to look over their appointments for the day.

A very loud, happy squeal was heard from the booth across the way. Then a chuckle and a shush.

Kuon saw red. "Let's discuss this somewhere else." He ground out and left his manager to see the rest of the spectacle in the booth. Kyoko was hugging Reino tightly and showering him with kisses.

"What on Earth?" Yashiro cringed, hoping that Kuon missed the display.

"Oh my god, Reino! Thank you! Thank you so much!" The little pixie chirped.

Yashiro really wanted to know what was going on, but had he approached her, he felt he would have probably killed the mood. Perhaps he could find out later at the office.

Yashiro wouldn't be finding out. He actually wouldn't be finding out for another year. Unknown to anyone but, Kyoko and those very close to Reino, his father was actually a notable Hollywood director and producer. Reino had told him about his little Kyoko and sent him an extensive portfolio of all of her works. His father had the perfect film in mind for her and they would keep it to themselves until it was finished.

As Kuon and Yashiro were walking through the halls, from the elevator that led to Lory Takarada's office they heard the soft sobbing of a distressed nine year old Maria Takarada.

"Maria-chan?" Kuon asked quietly as he rubbed her little back trying to comfort her. "What happened? Why are you crying?"

"sob... sob... sniff... She's gone... sniff... It's all my fault." She wailed.

"Who's gone?" He asked as he felt his chest begin to tighten.

"Onee-sama! She finished all of her scenes from her jobs and disappeared! Grandfather said she didn't even renew her contract with LME. Her phone number has been turned off and she moved out of her apartment at the restaurant she was staying at. No one knows where she went. It's all my fault! I told her I hated her when she said she loved you a few weeks ago before she got her new manager! I don't hate her! I didn't get to tell her I was sorry!" She broke down into uncontrollable sobbing and tears.

Kuon pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. "No Maria... It's not your fault... It's mine." He whispered hoarsely as he felt the hot tears flow down his own cheeks. After seeing Maria break down he could no longer control his own sadness and then being told Kyoko had disappeared... it was the final straw. He broke.

"I have the perfect one for you." He whispered to her as they shifted towards each other in the comfortable seats of first class. "Rhyannon, it's a fairy name." He smirked as her face lit up.

"Really?" She asked excitedly. "What does it mean?"

"It means: Great Queen; pure maiden and nymph. I think it's perfect for you." He told her as he stared into her golden eyes and stroked her blushing cheek.

She pulled away and quickly went back to staring at the magazine in her lap as her face gradually went back to a lesser shade of red. She cleared her throat and regained her composure. "I think it's a nice name. So... I guess we'll be using that as my working name from now on?"

He sat back in his seat and nodded. "Unless you want them to find you quickly."

She shook her head. "No... I do not. I'm not ready for any of them right now." She felt a tinge of regret for not being able to bring Kanae with her. She sighed deeply.

"Don't worry... you can call her when we land. She won't let them know your secret." He comforted her.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Kuon bellowed.

"I'm telling you... She finished all of her projects early according to all of her directors. Her modeling contracts had been negotiated in such a way that they go directly to her and her bank account has been switched to an international account. She signed a restraining order on Fuwa. Her mother emancipated her. Reino's and her phones have been shut off and turned back over to LME. And last but, certainly not least she never renewed her contract with LME... She's a free agent and so is her manager. There is no way to contact either unless they allow it." Lory barked at him.

"Sir... I have the information you requested." Ruto told him as he placed the little red folder on his desk in front of him.

Lory opened the folder to find photos of Kyoko putting her luggage into a taxi, getting out of the taxi at a later point at the airport and finally boarding a plane. Lory looked up at him. "Are you sure? Where did they go?"

"Apparently they landed in Los Angeles an hour ago Takarada-sama, but there is no trace of where they went after they left customs." Ruto informed them.

Kuon groaned in distress. "We'll never find her now." He hung his head low and covered his face with his hands.

"You should call him..." Reino told her as she stared at her phone a little longer. "He is going to play your father in the movie. You can't very well avoid him and he'll know as soon as he sees you."

Kyoko sighed deeply. "I know... It's just. He lied to me too."

Reino shook his head. "I don't think he did that on purpose. He probably didn't know."

"Fine... I'll call him." She conceded in a tiny huff.

Reino patted her on the head then stood. "I'm going to go take a shower. Don't stay up too late." He warned as he left for his bedroom in the new two bedroom apartment he had rented for them.

"I won't... Thank you Reino." She picked up her phone and stared at the little piece of paper with the Los Angeles phone number on it that Reino's father had given her. She sighed and then dialed.

It only rang a couple of times before answered.

"Kuu speaking..."

"Father?" She answered timidly.

"Kyoko? Is that you?" He asked in surprise. "Where are you?"

"Father... If you really would like to know... I have some things I need to tell you and you have to promise to keep it secret." She begged.

Kuu sighed deeply. "Kyoko... there are a lot of people who are worried about you." He scolded.

"Yeah... the same people who lied to me and hurt me all over again." She commented sarcastically. "I hope you aren't one of them, considering you are his father."

Immediately Kuu now understood. "You found out without him telling you...Kyoko... I'm sorry. Had I known... It just wasn't my place to tell you. I've only seen him once in the past seven years." He confessed. "I promise they won't find out from me." He told her. He wanted to at least be able to enjoy one of his children. "So... Where are you?"

Kyoko was taking a big risk in her opinion, giving Kuu her new information. "I'm at..." she then proceeded to give him her new address and phone number.

"You're here in LA?" He exclaimed excitedly. "Stay where you are. I'll be by in a few. You're only a few blocks away." He then quickly hung up and dragged Julie out the door with him to meet his lovely, talented, beautiful, versatile, sweet, smart, loving, caring, cute, wonderful cook, and the list went on... Daughter.

Julie Hizuri seethed in anger. It was not enough that she felt completely discarded and abandoned by her own son, the young man that she literally gave blood sweat and tears to in birthing and raising, he had to go and create a grand lie to the girl that loved him so dearly from the very beginning of when they first met. At any point of their acquaintance he could have come clean and he chose not to. Instead he expanded upon that lie, according to Kyoko, in Guam and used it to lead her on with a declaration of love and seal it with a kiss, when he had no intention of staying with her or, even taking her with him, it seemed. The fact that Lory Takarada (Henceforth known as Kidnapper and Grand Schemer, according to Juliena Hizuri.) had aided in this little farce pissed her off even more. Kuu only escaped her wrath due to his complete ignorance of the whole fiasco and his solemn vow not to reveal anything to anyone under penalty of no sex for the rest of their lives if he breathed a word of it. This is one threat that he took very seriously. She was not losing a newly found daughter to that man... ever.

So now Kyoko, aka Rhyannon, had a new mother and father and after spending a considerable amount of time with Reino, a new brother. They had both decided that the feelings of love they held for each other weren't quite as strong as a lover type of feelings and more muted and playful as siblings. To think of each other any other way after their first month together, just felt weird.

Julie loved her new daughter and spoiled her in every way possible. She took her out to help clean up her new visual image, bought her clothing and on their free time they would either work out, relax at the spa or, shop. When Julie was done, Kyoko truly looked the very image of a sister of Reino. Platinum hair, violet eyes and an uncanny sense of style.

It had been eighteen months since she and her new manager fled Japan and she was elbows deep into the making of her third movie. Julie had gotten fed up with her not having a beau and decided some intervention was needed, so she introduced Kyoko/Rhyannon to a very delicious looking, sweet young model named Nick Giles. From the very moment he spoke to her, he was completely smitten and he was not going to let this little choice morsel get away. He spent every moment he had available with her and made his intentions very clear after they had been dating for three months. By this point she had told him everything about herself, leaving out names and he completely understood.

"Kyoko... Baby... I have something very important I would like to ask you." Nick stopped and turned to her as they stood on the moonlit pristine beach, near her apartment. "You know I love you." She nodded and he kissed her cheek.

She blushed. "I love you too Nick."

God she's so cute like this. He beamed.

He let out a big sigh of relief. "Good..." he told her as he knelt before her and pulled a beautiful little gold ring with a heart shaped pink diamond and presented it to her. "I can't imagine how I ever got along without you before we met. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

She gasped in shock and stared deeply into his blue eyes. She stood and thought deeply. She nodded and emphatically told him as she flung herself into his arms. "Yes Nick! Of course!"

He let out a breath he had been holding in and wrapped her tightly in his arms. "Thank you." He chuckled lightly, then gently nipped at her lips and pulled her into a slow, soft kiss.

5 Months Later

Nick Giles was finishing up his photo-shoot in Okinawa when he was greeted by his long time Japanese friend Ren Tsuruga. He was pretty excited to see this guy, he hadn't talked to him since six months ago, right before he proposed to his perfect little goddess Kyoko.

"Hey Nick. How ya been? Haven't seen you in a while." Ren patted him on the back. "Congratulations, I heard you're getting married. Who's the lucky girl?"

"Ah no... I'm the lucky one. Rhyannon is perfect." He told him in a wistful voice.

Ren chuckled. "Would really like to meet the girl that you say that about. How did you meet her?"

"Oh... Her mother, Julie Hizuri introduced us." He snickered remembering how overprotective Julie had been.

Ren froze at the news. "Julie... Hizuri?"

Nick nodded then pulled out his phone and pulled up the many pictures that he had of him and Kyoko. "We're getting married next month."

Ren stared at him in shock.

"Beautiful isn't she? She's very talented and smart too." Nick gushed.

Ren nodded. "Quite..." He whispered hoarsely as he felt the tightening in his chest. "It... was nice talking to you again." he told him in a rush and turned to Yashiro's direction, leaving a puzzled Nick.

"Hmm... I wonder what that was about." Nick murmured to himself, shrugged it off and went back to the photographer to finish up his shoot.

"Ren?... Are you alright?" Yashiro asked in a worried tone. He hadn't seen Ren this bad since Kyoko left.

Ren nodded. "I think I found Kyoko." He whispered in distress with his head in hands as he sat quietly.

"Oh... OH! How? Where?" Yashiro asked excitedly.

"No... She uh, she's an American actress. She's engaged to Nick Giles. They're getting married next month." He told him with finality in his voice. "Apparently Julie Hizuri introduced them to each other."

"I see." Yashiro commented thoughtfully as he sat quietly next to his friend, thinking of all of the times that he had warned Ren of this very occurrence.

"Hold still Kyoko. I'm almost done. Oh! Have you called Kanae? Is she going to be able to make it to the wedding?" Julie asked as she made the final adjustments to Kyoko's gown.

"Mmhmm. Moko is taking a couple of weeks off to help out." Kyoko told her standing as still as a marble statue.

"Did you invite your mother?"

Kyoko nodded. "She'll be here next week."

"I'm glad you two have started talking again. Children shouldn't avoid their parents. Too many things can be missed." Julie told her thinking about Kuon.

"Have you tried to talk to Kuon?" Kyoko asked. She knew everything now. She forgave him in her heart but, he just didn't have the special place in it he once held.

"The Kidnapper won't let us talk to him." Julie sounded a bit sad as she told her.

Kyoko sighed in resignation. "Mom... I know how you can get him to let you talk to him."

Julie looked up at her in surprise. "No Kyoko... I won't do that. Lory has ruined enough playing with your life. I won't let him do it again." She told her.

Kyoko sighed again. "Mother..." She stepped off the pedestal and wrapped her arms around her. "I love you. Thank you for everything you've done for me."

"Anything for you Sweetie. You know Kuu and I love you very much." Julie told her as she kissed her forehead. "Now let's get that off of you. Reino will be here any minute to pick you up for your photo-shoot."

"Hah! You're right!" Kyoko squeaked and ran behind the changing screen to quickly change.