"What I did last night wasn't what you wanted?" Lory asked, smoking a pipe. Hmm... I thought for sure that would cheer him up.

"No! Do you think you can just do that after she just gained her sight? You can't just do that! If she suddenly found out what she did meant, she would... she would-!

"She would what? Blush and try to hide herself, making you secretly love her blushes, but not want her to run away?" Lory pushed Ren's anger meter, making it rise a little higher. "But I have to admit, if it was anyone else, you wouldn't blush at all."

Ren stood still.

"You would act like a gentleman, do all kinds of things, but have no passion at all! With her, you are a totally different person." Lory smirked at Ren's blank stare. "You would finally blush, feel awkward about the thought of her doing things you always dreamed of, and finally give in, happy she feels the same way about you. That's what would happen, right?"

He continued. "The fact that she doesn't remember you, probably means she doesn't remember ever being Kyoko. But... would that make you in love with Keiko, rather than Kyoko?"

"Wh-what do you mean?" Ren furrowed his eyebrows.

"I mean: think about it. When Keiko learned she was Kyoko before, didn't she act all lovey dovey quickly? Would the real Kyoko do that?"

"..."

"And really, now that she forgot everything, she still isn't acting so much as Kyoko. So, this brings back to my previous question, would that make you in love with Keiko, rather than Kyoko?" He leaned back in his chair, puffing a few more circles. He eyed them for a while before sending his attention back to his successful actor. "Well?"

Ren was silent, more silent than he ever been. He never really thought much about it. He knew that that was Kyoko outside of the room, but... he would always find himself calling her Keiko, instead of Kyoko all the time. Did that mean he had accepted the fact that she was Keiko, and no one else?

What if... I suddenly forget who Kyoko was like? I would be overwhelmed by all of those memories with Keiko, and get them replaced! But...

"It doesn't really matter to me. Even when she does get her memories back a second time, she might not like me at all. Even with that in mind, I'll still love her." Ren closed his eyes and his fists. "I just want to make happy memories with her, till the day I die."

Lory froze. "Oh? That's right... Keiko is here because-"

"-I'm going to die by the end of the year."

Lory glanced at the closed door. It led to where Jelly Wood was doing Ren's make up, as his schedule was cleared for the day due to Yashiro's worry for his charge's health.

Since it's Boxing Day today, I thought that going shopping with Keiko would cheer him up, but... Lory rested his head on the table as he laid back on it. He gazed at the chandelier that was dangling so precariously above him. ... what I said was true. Would he be in love with Keiko right now, or was it Kyoko, who was residing somewhere.

"I'm just as confused as you are, son, but all you want are happy memories. Just being with her seems to be the one wish that you want until you..." He didn't want to finish that sentence. It was too much to bear the fact what was going to happen in the future.

He stood up as he heard the massive doors creak open.

"Darling! Ren chan is all done now! Now the whole family is disguised!" Jelly exclaimed.

Behind her, Ren was just annoyed. "President... why is Father and Mother here?"

He rolled his eyes. "What? You aren't happy that they're here? Oh, how when you were little, you would praise him so..."

"Th-that! Stop talking about that!" The grown man blushed. "Anyway, why are we even disguised like this for anyway?"

Julie, Kuu, Ren, and Keiko were all red heads with emerald eyes. They were wearing professionally-made wigs and were given a lighter shade for their skin due to make up. The women were wearing dress-like jackets with hooks and eyes as their buttons, while the men were wearing brown leather jackets. They all wore jeans, and they all seemed like a normal family. But...

"What's wrong with the disguises?" Lory asked. He looked at them, quizzing himself what could be wrong with them. "They seem fine to me."

"I'm fine with them, but I'm just asking why. I should be going to Yashiro san right now for-"

"Your schedule was cleared due to your manager's concern for your cold. And don't try to make him tell all of those directors that you're fine after he took the time to clear it for you!" he scolded. "You're going to have Boxing Day with your family!" He turned to Keiko and shook her hands. He smiled. "Keiko, take care of your baka of a brother, okay?"

"Hey! I'm not-"

"Okay! I'll take care of him!"

"Keiko! You don't need to-!"

"Okay, off we go!" Kuu exclaimed as he dragged the two off. Julie was right behind him.

"DON'T I GET A SAY IN THIS?" complained Ren.

"Oh, c'mon, Kuon. Don't pout so much!" Kuu said, laughing at his son's annoyed face. "Aren't you glad we came all this way just to see you?"

"You have work! You can't just drop everything just to-"

"I was given a holiday, same with Julie, so it's fine," he reassured him.

Ren was still not convinced. "But you must have a reason why you came. It's not like you to-"

Kuu interrupted him... again. "Do I really need a reason to see my son?"

"Well... no, but!"

"But what?"

Ren sighed as he folded his arms. "I still am not an actor where I'm proud of myself... or where I could make you proud." His eyes lowered and his eyebrows knitted. "Even after "Tragic Marker" I still couldn't keep Kuon in check. I'm just a failure still after all of these years."

*Swak!*

"OW!" Ren rubbed his forehead. When he glanced up, he saw his father's Demon Lord.

"Do you really think I wouldn't be proud of you? Even if it will take centuries for you to come back to us, I'll wait. I'll even support you if I could, but you won't let me," he pouted.

Ren saw him grin happily at him. This astonished him. "But! But all that Kuon did was-!"

"-not his fault. He was provoked. Anyone would break a vein or two just to shut those guys up. You were bullied, Kuon, and it was because of us." He sighed. "Are you still beating yourself about Rick?"

He saw Ren twitch. He continued. "But you didn't kill him. That driver was the one responsible and-"

"But if he never met me, he would have still lived. He would be alive with Tina, and he wouldn't have to see me go crazy."

"Kuon... I..."

"It's okay. No matter what you say, I know that I'm the one that killed him." Ren gave him a sorrowful look. "Let's just... go buy something for the girls, 'kay?" And with that, Ren strode off.

"O... Okay," agreed Kuu as he followed him into a store.

"So Ren's real name is Kuon?" asked Keiko, as she twirled the racks around. She saw a cute dress before somewhere, but it was mobbed with all of the other clearance sale clothes. Where was it?

Julie laughed at Keiko for her persistence of finding just one dress. "Yes, and I'm his mother. Don't you remember talking to me before over Skype?"

"Yes, I do, but..." Keiko had her finger on an empty hanger as she stared at it. I can't remember why I was talking to you... It's only coming as a blank. What reason would I have for talking to you, unless... Ren was my victim at the time.

Ugh! How can I not remember anything! Even his voice... I don't recognize it in any of the conversations I had before! Keiko scrunched up her face as she laid her fist on her forehead. How is it that I remember other voices, yet I can't pick up a familiarity with his?

Julie saw Keiko look apprehensive, and felt sympathy towards the girl. So it was true...

*Flashback*

"Hey, is it okay if you don't talk to Keiko so much about... being Kyoko?" Ren asked, as he eyed Keiko going into a store as she saw so many clothes in it.

"Why? I want to know why she loves you, what she think of you, and..." Julie would trail on forever if it weren't for her son's sad expression. Huh? What happened?

"It's just... she forgot who she was again." Ren forced a smile and laughed. Julie gaped at this and shook her head at this. Ren waved a hand, forcing himself to smile again. "It's okay! She would remember who you were, and the only other person she forgot was... me." Ren slumped his shoulders and stared at Keiko as she ran up to him.

"Ne, Nii san! There was this dress that looked... prutty?"

He laughed. "Pretty. You think it looks pretty?"

"I think... I don't know what pr-pretty... is suppose to look like. But this dress made me want to go "Uwah!"" Keiko opened her mouth cutely and shined a smile at him.

"Is that so?" he continued to smile, but Julie could tell that he must be wishing that she didn't forget him.

*End of Flashback*

"Mother! I found it!" Keiko shoved the dress at her, surprising her as she snapped her senses back into her brains. Right... she was shopping with Keiko. She shouldn't just space out like that!

"Doesn't it look nice? I think it would look pretty on you!" Keiko eyed her and nodded, "Yep, it would! This colour looks pretty on you!" she exclaimed, using her newly learned word.

Julie chuckled as she saw the girl look like stars were going to shine around her. "It would... but I think it's a little bit too small for me."

"Small?" Keiko looked back at the dress, then at her. "Small?" she repeated.

"Small, yes, small. It wouldn't fit me very well," Julie explained.

"Oh... maybe I should find another one..." Keiko went back to clothes hunting.

An employee saw this interaction and chuckled. "Oh? I think I have the same dress in your mother's size. I'll go get it and we'll see how much more prettier she can get, 'kay?" she gripped on Keiko's shoulders and looked at her in the eye. "Other than that, shouldn't you find one dress that looks good on you? Wouldn't you like to dress up for a boy you love?"

"Love...?" Keiko stared at her and bit her lip. "I... I don't have anyone I love."

"You don't? Well, even without a boyfriend, you should still try to look cute! Oh! I'll just get that dress now!" And she left.

"Cute? What's cute?" Keiko asked Julie as the woman went away. She then became frightened. "Is it bad?"

"No! Cute is... cute is..." Julie mulled over this. How can you explain cute to a once blind girl? "It's the same as pretty!"

"Then she said I should look like a dress?"

"No, sweetie. It's..." Julie shook her head and led her to a mirror. It was a miracle that the mirror was available at all despite all of the full dressing rooms, "like this! You're cute!"

That still doesn't answer my question... thought Keiko as she saw her reflection. Is that what I look like?

Seeing the girl's expression, she laughed as Keiko blushed a little. "Well, since you chose a dress for me, I guess I should return the favour."

I thank the four day weekend! Well, I only have Monday left but still, it's good that I could type up a chapter at all. I might be busy around this week due to a presentation I have to do. It usually takes up a whole week for me to prepare since I get stage fright too often. I might type up a chapter in two weeks since that's when my next day off is.

BTW, does Japan even have a Boxing Day? I'm not really sure...