Hey everyone. I feel like it's been forever. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter, I got stuck for a little while near the middle. I hope it all makes sense! happy reading to ya...

Recap:

The video feed popped up and Kyoko was surprised to see blond hair and blue eyes staring back at her.

"Ren!"

"Dad?"

"Father?"

"How's your honeymoon?" Kuu asked happily.

"Dad," Kuon rolled his eyes. He was agitated.

"Father, why did you call Kuon Ren?"

"You never know who's around. I assume then that you're alone?" Kuu asked.

"Yes," Kuon said.

"Oh I'm sorry." Kuu said. "Was I interrupting something?" he hinted.

Kyoko nodded. "Yes you were." she admitted. Kuu smiled widely.

"Oh really? How was it?" he asked leaning forward.

'Don't ask things like that!' Kuon thought and opened his mouth to scold his father.

"Hot and messy." Kuon quikcly looked over to Kyoko. "This sandwich is spilling everywhere every time a try to bite into it." Kyoko said holding up her meatball sandwich.

Kuu blinked, not understanding. Kuon did.

"We were eating lunch." he explained.

Kuu nodded. "Oh, I see."

Kuon glared. "Don't sound so disappointed."

"No, no." Kuu held up his hands. "I'm not. Is he eating right, Kyoko?"

Kyoko nodded. "Don't worry, father. I'll make sure he eats."

"Oh good. I got to go now so I'll talk with you kids later."

"Bye dad," Kuon growled.

"Goodbye father!" Kyoko said as she always did.

Kuon shut the laptop and sighed.

"Eh? Is something wrong?" Kyoko asked.

"Kyoko, come here." Kuon lifted his left arm to rest on the back of the couch. Kyoko put her food on the table and sat close to Kuon who, once she sat close to him, rested his arm on her shoulder.

"You seem upset." Kyoko said idly. "Does father annoy your that much?"

"It depends." Kuon said.

"Depends?" Kyoko felt warm and a little tired. She almost wanted to fall asleep. She closed her eyes and leaned against Kuon's chest.

"Yes. It depends." he held Kyoko tightly. "Kyoko?"

"Hm?" Kyoko smiled lightly. She felt so comfortable in her character.

"Will you look at me?"

Kyoko adjusted her head as much as she could. Kuon put his arms around her waist and pulled her into his lap. He held her close so her chin rested on the back of his neck.

He felt Kyoko stiffen, he didn't want her to. He wanted her to relax, but he didn't want to say those words again. It hurt him every time to say those words. Right now he just wanted to feel her in his arms and realize that she was his.

'No other man can do what I am right now.' Kuon thought. The thought consoled him. He rubbed her back mindlessly. 'I just don't want to let go.'

Recap:

'Besides, I do kind of like him. And I must admit, I like having someone care.' Kanae thought.

They looked at their menus and Kanae twitched hearing a woman's voice call out happily:

"Yukihito!"

Kane saw Yukihito freeze and turn around to be pulled up into a warm embrace.

"Yukihito it has been to long! To think of seeing you in a place like this. How are you?"

"Mother, I can't breathe!"

Kanae's head snapped to Yukihito. 'Mother?'

Yukihito's alleged mother released him and sat at their table.

"Oh, Yukihito why haven't you returned my calls?"

"I don't have much time nowadays." Yukihito said.

"Your father is here too. Isn't this wonderful? We can spend the whole day together."

"Mom, I would like to introduce you to..."

"I want to show you around this little place. It's so wonderful. Have you been to the beach yet? You must go. Did you order yet?"

"Um, no. not yet. We..."

"We?" Yukihito's mother looked across the table and saw Kanae. "Yukihito who is this?"

"Mom, uh, this is..."

Kanae stood up and bowed lightly. "Mrs Yashiro, my name is Kanae. I'm an actress at LME. The agency Yukihito works at."

Yukihito's mother snapped her head towards Yukihito. "Yukihito?" she asked and turned her head back to Kanae. "You call him so casually all the time?"

"Are you ready to order?" a waitress asked.

Kanae was surprised when the new woman ordered for all of them, including her husband who was on his way and for Kanae.

"Isn't this wonderful, Yukihito?"

Kanae looked at Yukihito and bit her lip. This was going to be a very interesting day.

Kyoko was beginning to wonder if Kuon fell asleep. His hand was still rubbing her back so of course he hadn't.

'I must relax.' she thought. 'I must not look like an uncaring wife in public. If I cannot do anything in private, how can I do anything in public? People will hate him. I can't let that happen, but I can't relax!'

"Stop," Kuon whispered. "This isn't a game, Kyoko."

'What on earth is he talking about?' Kyoko wondered.

"Kyoko, I was not forced to sign anything. I willingly signed that licence. Can't you understand that?" Kuon pulled her away to where he could see her face.

"I understand." Kyoko said moving to sit on the couch. "And I am grateful, sempai, that you're willing to protect me, even having to go to such a great extent."

To Kuon's disappointment, she did look grateful. Kuon stood.

"Kyoko, I would not want to let anyone, save me, be so close to you."

Kyoko stared at Kuon as he looked down at her. 'Any girl would think this is a confession of love.' Kyoko did a pose in her mind. 'It's a good thing I'm not just any girl!'

"Tsuruga-san, you mustn't say things like that."

Kuon's eyes flashed. 'What did she call me...?'

"You really must continue calling me either Kuon or Ren." Kuon said hiding his anger.

'He's mad! I know that smile. Hesmadhesmadhesmadhesmad'she ranted.

"I'm sorry!" Kyoko was going to attempt a bow, but Kuon pulled took her hand and pulled her close to him.

"Kyoko, I want you to do something else, besides call me by my name." Kyoko stiffened a little. "Kyoko I..."

Yukihito and Kanae ate their food silently while Yukihito's mother talked her tongue out.

"And your father should be here soon. I do wonder what is taking him so long. He said he was making a call. I hope he isn't in the technology store again. You know how he is in those stores, Yuki. He cannot stay out of them, but honestly he should be put into a straight jacket first. We'll have to shop for some new clothes for you, I'm sure you haven't gotten good clothes for yourself."

"Mom, I'm thirty years old. I am perfectly capable..."

"You're so thin! What have you been eating. You're like a stick."

'Why do I feel like I'm a piece of glass right now? I'm here, but they see right through me. ... Actually I would not like this woman to know I'm her legal daughter-in-law. Please Yashi-Yukihito. Don't tell her! Who knows how she will react!'

"I'll help you with your bags when you leave," Yukihito's mother said. "You cannot possibly carry them with how thin you are."

"Mother!"

"Yukihito my boy!"

Yukihito and Kanae looked over and saw a man in his fifties walking over.

"Dad,"

'This just keeps getting better.' Kanae thought.

"Riko said she saw you." he said sitting at the table. "I didn't believe her. I saw the pretty woman beside you and thought you had to be someone else. Don't be rude, son, introduce us."

"Huh?" Yukihito looked over at Kanae who looked dazed. "Oh. father, this is Ko-Kanae. She is an actress at LME."

"An honor m'lady." the man said bowing. "My name is Chisoku." he said kissing her hand.

"Father get back in your seat." Yukihito said.

Yukihito's mother (who Kanae now knew to be named 'Riko') looked at Kanae with a harsh eye.

"So, what are you two doing here?"

"Movjectoot." (A/N keep reading, Yukihito and Kanae just tried making two different excuses and it sounded like one word)

Riko and Chisoku looked at each other.

"You both spoke at the same time," Chisoku said. "What did you say?"

Yukihito and Kanae made eye contact. Yukihito cleared his throat.

"A movie shoot. A special project." he said combining what they had said.

'Hmph, a project would have been fine. Why did you insert it as a movie shoot too?'

"Oh! Why didn't you say anything?" Riko said.

"Dear, he's busy."

"But today is their day off." Riko insisted. "Or they wouldn't be eating leisurely at a restaurant."

"Actually we are a little bus-"

"Then it's settled!" Riko said happily. "We'll go shopping first, then sight seeing. Oh what a wonderful day! Kanae, I'm sure you'll be wanting to study your script."

"Oh, no. I am done all movie shoots until next week. Yukihito, uh, manages my schedule. We were just talking about it when you came up. Weren't we?" she hinted and thankfully Yukihito nodded.

"Yes, we were. Kanae-chan. You are indeed free until next week. Don't forget though that when we fly back to Tokyo we need to meet up with Kyoko and Ren, then head back to see..."

"Ren?" Chisoku said. "As is Tsuruga Ren?"

"Of course." Kanae said.

"You will be joining us on our outing today. Won't you Ms Kanae?"

"Oh I don't know," Kanae said.

"Then it's settled. We will all go out together."

Kanae and Yukihito looked at each other in surprise. Of all the things to happen, this is not what they expected.

"Kyoko, I... I want you to hug me."

Kyoko froze.

"W-what?"

"You asked in the limo if you had to hug me, now that we're married. I want you to hug me, Kyoko."

Kyoko gulped. 'It's just Kuon. Corn. Tsuruga.' she smiled. 'It's just Ren.'

Kuon was a little surprised that she jugged him tightly. It almost felt like she wanted to. Kuon wrapped his arms around her and felt a little content.

"I just want you to be you." Kuon whispered.

'It's progress. Very little. But progress nonetheless.'

Kuon sighed. "Let's go see a movie,"

"Good idea." Kyoko turned quickly away from Kuon towards the coat rack.

Kuon grinned at the blush that rested on Kyoko's cheeks.

Kanae and Yukihito walked down the street with Yukihito's parents.

Chisoku and Rinko were in front and Yukihito and Kanae were behind them.

"Oh look at that. Yukihito come here." Kanae said and pulled him towards a store window quickly. She faced the window and looked straight at Yukihito's reflection.

"Kanae I need a favor, don't tell my mom we're married yet."

"Funny," Kanae said. "I was about to ask you the same thing. I have a feeling it won' be pretty if she found out. So how do we cover our relationship?"

Yukihito grinned. "Are you admitting we have a relation-"

"If you finish that sentence, once we get a divorce you will have no reason to have another 'relationship' ever again."

"I get the hint. So we are in agreement, that mother shouldn't know?"

Kanae nodded. "Secret. Until we do, just call me 'Kanae' say it's a stage name and I have no last name or something."

"Agreed."

"Yukihito, what are you looking at?"

"Nothing important. It isn't what we thought it was." Yukihito said.

"Well come this way. I found something you will love."

Riko grabbed Yukihito's hand and Kanae grinned as he mouthed the words 'Help me.'

It was seven pm when the movie finished and Kyoko and Kuon got out of the theater.

"I enjoyed it," Kuon said. "But did we have to see a movie of me?"

"I loved it!" Kyoko said. "I learn so much from you." Kyoko began to rant of his extraordinary ability to act.

While Kyoko ranted Kuon saw a shadow behind them.

"Kyoko, I want to ask one more thing from you."

Kyoko looked up. "What's that?"

"Play along." he said and kissed her.

Kanae and Yukihito were about to go crazy with Riko. Chisoku wasn't that bad, but something about Riko put Kanae on edge. They were sitting in a booth in a restaurant. Kanae sat next to Yukihito, and Yukihito's parents sat together.

"Guess who we saw last week, baby?" Riko asked after ordering for them all (again).

Yukihito winced at the name. "Who?" he asked.

"Hana. She seemed so excited at the thought of seeing you again."

Yukihito's hand clench under the table.

Kanae felt the temperature drop in the room.

"Hana," Yukihito said. "And I, have nothing in common."

"But you two played so well together. You made such a cute couple." Riko almost whined.

"That was a long time ago. Nearly fifteen years. Surely we can let this drop after so long?"

"Now about that," Riko said making sure the matter did not drop. "I was thinking. Maybe it would be good for you to get married. To have a wife is a wonderful thing. You would visit more often, have children. Be happy."

"With Hana." Yukihito glared. Riko shined.

"Who else, dear? You're thirty years old. You're not getting any younger. You need to find someone. Hana is perfect. She's actually not an hour car ride away. It wouldn't be that much to hop in and see her. Maybe something will happen to remind you of what once was..."

"Enough!"

I should write more Kuon/Kyoko. I feel like I'm straying away from them.(Author goes into overdramatic mode) *sniff sniff* don't worry my little darlings (Author sees characters as her own... children if you will.) Mommy is here now. (Author picks up 'darlings') I will write you in more. Mommy promises, that I do. It's okay now. (hugs 'darlings' close to heart.)

Lol. :) Will try to write some more, but I'm 5,000 words behind in my contest for nanowrimo so to be honest I may not update soon. :( I'm really enjoying this. I hope it's not true and I will update soon. Peace rest on ya!