Kyoko

Kyoko stood in the stairwell, vibrating with happiness as she stared at her phone. She had a message from Sho-Chan. She wanted so bad to pick it up when it started vibrating during class, but she didn't want to get in trouble with her teachers, but she really needed something good to happen to her today. She had gotten some truly horrible grades on her tests in American History and Biology and she knew her mother would be extremely angry. She looked at the tests sitting next to her, the glaring 79% and 81% mocking her. Sho-chan will make me feel better, she thought and then pressed the button to listen to the message her childhood friend and the love her life left her.

She was numb, the message that was meant to brighten her day, made it infinitely worse. He only wanted her to go to Tokyo with him to take care of him. To be his maid?! He found a sexy woman to do it instead? The tears welled in her eyes and started to fall in an unrelenting downpour on the concrete stairs. She couldn't breathe. Why? Why her? Why do these things keep happening to her? She was so stupid, so so stupid, her inner monologue raged. Blindly she reached out her hand and her fingers found a small pouch that had fallen out of her bag. Pulling out her Corn stone, blindly, she began rocking forward and back and whispering to herself, "It's going to be OK, everything's going to be OK, over and over again."

She didn't know how long she was crying, but her normal montage really wasn't working, the tears just kept flowing, when she heard him.

"Jesus fucking Christ, you are STILL crying over bad fucking grades?" She whipped her head around at the sound of Kuon's voice. With that statement, she knew with certainty that this angry, mean boy was the same one who used to stop her tears and comforted her when she cried. She knew about his friend, his bullying, but she couldn't understand what caused him to be so horribly bitter. Even with his words, her tears continued to flow as she stared at him sadly.

"Oh, booo fucking hooo," he continued gesturing angrily at the test paper's on the ground next to her."My name's Kyoko and the worst thing in my world is that my mommy won't praise me if I don't get a 100%," he mocked in a falsetto voice.

"Boo fucking hoo. Nothing bad ever happens to me, I can just smile happily and get through all of my days because the only bad thing to ever happen to me is my mom doesn't like my grades." He continued in his falsetto, "wahhh wahhh wahhh. You're always smiling so god damned happily. Why don't you just go back to Japan, nobody fucking wants you here." Somewhere in the middle of his tirade, her tears had stopped and her anger reared up. He opened his mouth to say more when she cut him off.

"And you're so much better?" She pointed at him angrily. "You know NOTHING about my life! All you know is what child told you!" Her voice pitched louder.

"Do you know my mother has NEVER, not once in my ENTIRE life, told me she loves me?" She asked arching her brow at him and continued, "NEVER! Not once in my entire life!" Her tone grew colder and harsh, "Can you say the same? No! Because despite everything you went through, you at least you have parents who love you, who accept you flaws and all!" Her voice broke on the word accept. With these words, the incredulous look left Kuon's face and it was filled only with blank shock.

"Mine only accepts perfection. You know what I heard my WHOLE LIFE?" She pressed, "That there are no good grades or bad grades only 100%. So, excuse me, that I want any sort of affection that woman would bestow upon me! I'm sorry that I crave someone's affection. At least I don't take it for granted!" Kuon frowned at her and his eyes flashed.

"And for your information, I had to move halfway across the world, FOR APPEARANCES, not because I ACTUALLY want to. I had to give up the guy I love," for some reason, Kuon's scow became more pronounced with this statement than before, "to move HERE. AND," she dried up tears began to flow again, " just today I found out the guy I have devoted my life to, who I loved and would have given up EVERYTHING for, including going to High School, only ever thought of me as a servant." She wiped the tears angrily from her face, "So excuse me for keeping a smile on my face. Excuse me, for fighting for my happiness instead of giving up like you." She pointed at him again. "So you know what," she flicked him off and took off down the stairs. Leaving a broken heel and the bad test grades behind.

The next day Kyoko was lethargic from lack of sleep. She kept imagining how Kuon would come at her the next day. Part of her couldn't believe that she actually showed him such a rude gesture. Of course she had learned it from Sho-chan, but she didn't really think she would ever end up using it. She was ashamed and embarrassed by her behavior but she was also still very angry with Kuon. And sad. Bone crushingly sad. When she arrived at school the next day she was dreading seeing Kuon again, but she found a surprise at her locker. It was her broken heel that she had left after Courtney had pushed her down the stairs the other day, right before Kuon and her fought and her cell phone. A few days after the return of her belongings there was another thing left on her locker. It was her tests, but not just her tests. He had taken both tests, found the page number where the correct answer was on the textbook and then explained the answer, the best he could toward someone who was not a native speaker. To her surprise the responses helped her understand her classes just a bit better. They at least helped her study. While she knew that this was probably his form of apology, over the next few weeks she kept as much distance from Kuon as she could. A large part of her terrified that the demon lord would be coming for her again and she found herself repressing her smile, especially when they noticed each other. Try as she might she couldn't avoid him entirely, but she did notice a change in him. He seemed, quieter, less angry and almost, introspective. When he did happen to look at her, it wasn't with his usual glare. It was almost blank look, twinged with a sorrow. As time passed she found that she was having a harder and harder time smiling like normal. She tried to convince herself it was because of the move and the horrible things Sho-chan, no, she corrected herself Shotaro, said to her, but deep down she knew it was because of the loss of Corn. Not just the stone, but the memory of the boy who was her strength for so many years. She just couldn't seem to raise the corner of her lips into more than a cursory smile.

As the weeks passed she noticed something else about her former childhood friend. She wasn't sure what to make of it it, but he started becoming more active in drama class. He even went as far as starting to act out scenes with some of her classmates. He was good. Really, really good. Every time Kyoko watched him, she couldn't help but stare in awe. He was an incredible actor. He seemed to embody any character he was asked to play and was able to calculate his scene partner's reactions to his acting. It was incredible. She had a hard time imagining all the things she heard about him being repeatedly fired from roles.

After one scene she swore she saw hearts in the eyes of, not only the girl acting across from him but half the girls in the class. She really couldn't explain it but watching him manipulate her classmates made her so mad. It was like remote telekinesis. He was the master puppeteer and she didn't want to be bent to his whim. She was determined that when her time came to act across from him that she wouldn't be sucked in. She wouldn't be controlled and she wouldn't be manipulated. She would force him to acknowledge her as an actress. Suddenly it was what she wanted more than anything in her heart of hearts. Once she started really focusing on her theatrical arts class, it quickly became her favorite. She really enjoyed taking the opportunity to step out of herself and become someone else, live their lives, even for a little while. One of the stranger things that happened since "the incident" as she's come to call it is that, on occasion Kuon, though he wouldn't look her in the eye he would give her acting tips. Though part of her was she was loath to trust him, she took every piece of advice he gave her to heart. Who wouldn't, after seeing him act.

Things started to change one late afternoon a little over a month since the scene on the stairwell. The typical sunny California day was interrupted with the worst storm Kyoko had saw since moving out there. It was like the sky decided to open up and pour down upon her. She looked out upon the rain-soaked parking lot and signed. She dug through her bag and looked at the sky again. Of course, it was just her luck. Today was the day she forgot her umbrella. Sighing she closed her eyes and mentally prepared herself to get drenched on her walk home and mentally she cursed herself for not buying her bike. With a bike she could have made it there in less than half the time. She was just about ready to step out into the rain when she heard a honk. Startled she glanced around. There in a red mustang was Kuon. Honking and gesturing at her to join him. Not wanting to face the long walk in the downpour she decided to risk it and take him up on the offer, after all he did give her some help with her tests...and her acting.

"Do you have to go to work today?" He asked as she entered the car. Shaking her wet head he nodded once to indicate he understood and drove off school grounds. Heading into town there was a tense silence.

"You have to turn left here," she indicated by pointing her finger down the road that was upcoming.

"I was thinking we could talk for a bit. Since you don't have to work." Kuon said and kept driving. Kyoko just nodded her agreement again and fidgeted at the tense silence of the car. There wasn't even any music on to distract her from wondering what exactly was going on.

He drove to an isolated spot that overlooked the ocean. In awe she stared at the large mass of water. The deep blue waves crashing against the shore in the rain. She could just imagine an angry Poseidon, his wrath causing the violent storm and waves. She was also in awe of the people who were out on the water, gracefully riding out the storm on the backs of the cresting waves. Since moving to California Kyoko hasn't visited the ocean, she could imagine it being beautiful if the weather was different. It was a small movement to her left that brought her back to reality and what was going on and who she was there with. A tremor of fear wracked her body, quickly turning toward the driver she bowed and said "I'm sorry," in English at the same moment he said the same in Japanese. Freezing she then blinked up at him and she cocked her head to the side as she heard him chuckle. Why was he apologizing? She was the one who threw a rock at his head. Why was he laughing? Running his hand through his golden locks he looked at her.

"Listen, Kyoko-chan," She blinked up at him warily, "I'm really sorry, the things I said...shouting at you...it was horrible and I-I shouldn't have said any of that." He looked at her, his expression contrite and sad. "Spending time with you in Kyoto was pretty much my happiest memory from childhood and I had to become such a bitter asshole and ruin it." His expression became nervous, "Will you forgive me, maybe… if you want to…. Be my friend again?"

"But, I threw a rock at your head!" Was the only thought Kyoko could manage. She was expecting his wrath, not someone who bore a semblance to her former childhood friend.

"You have really good aim Kyoko-Chan, you hit me right in the common sense." He replied without a trace of bitterness in his voice. Kyoko narrowed her eyes at him. This made no sense to her.

"What happened to you?" She decided to ask since he wasn't getting angry at her, she felt emboldened. "I know your friend died, but why were you so horrible to me?" She couldn't keep her voice from breaking a bit as she looked at him. "For the longest time, I really only had your support to get me through things." Shame swamped Kuon's face, then as she continued the shame changed to shock. "I would like to be there for you too if you would let me." She bit her lip and reached out to tentatively touch his hand. She felt him stiffen slightly under her touch

"I… I just.." Frustrated he tore his hand through his hair, unable to meet her eyes. "It all just seems so stupid now, you know? After hearing about your problems, my problems just seem so… juvenile." The last word came out laced with heavy shame.

"You can't help your feelings, Kuon" She scolded, sounding a bit like his mom and he couldn't help the snort of derision that he expelled.

"You want to know my feelings?" Finally, he looked at her again. "I feel like I have no right to be happy. It's my fault that Rick died. I killed him. I took away his and Tina's happiness, so what right do I have to be happy at all?"

Kuon jolted in surprise as her hand firmly connected with his face with a resounding thwack.

"You slapped me?!" He gazed at her in wide-eyed shock.

"Yes, yes I did, and you did not kill him." She said angrily.

"But…"

"NO buts," She yelled. "You didn't push him in front of that car. You didn't force him to go that night. Rick made his decisions because he loved you, but they were his decisions to make. Not yours. If he didn't do what he did, you would probably be in jail."

"I would rather be in jail then him be dead." He frowned and she squeezed his hand again.

"I know, but that doesn't change the fact that he made his own choices that night. What would Rick want you to be doing right now? Wallowing in the fact that he is dead? Or living your life?" She asked with an arched brow. He furrowed his brows and thought for a few minutes, chewing on his lip and tapping his fingers against the center console of the car.

"He," he began, then stopped and looked at her again. "He would want me to be strong, to fight for what I want." His eyes filled with resolve as he spoke the words his heart knew to be true. "You were right, I gave up. I quit fighting because my fighting is what got Rick killed. Ugggh," he exclaimed slamming his hand on the steering wheel, "How do I fight, but not fight? I feel like I am stuck in a maze and I can't get out."

She looked at him, a light of determination filling her eyes, "Not all fighting is with your fists Kuon."

"How do you do that?" He had the look of a hopeful puppy and she blushed a bit at it.

"It's really not that hard Kuon. When you see something you want. You go for it, if you don't get it then. You figure out another way to accomplish your goal. You don't back down. You keep trying and striving and when you hit a wall, you find a way to break it down.

After that Kuon drove her home and they chatted about other things. Kuon parked the car in the parking lot to the apartment that they were renting.

"Is your mom home?"

Kyoko glanced around the parking lot and shook her head in the negative. "No, not yet, she is working on a big case so she hasn't been around a lot lately. I'm not sure why, but she refuses to work on anything work-related at the house, so she practically lives at the office."

Kuon frowned, "That must be lonely."

Shrugging Kyoko pulled her bag up and put it on a shoulder, her hand resting on the door handle, "I'm used to it."

"Did you get in a lot of trouble? For the test scores."

Blushing she shook her head, "She didn't even ask, so I guess she doesn't care, as long as I'm not causing trouble at school, but I would really like to get those scores up." She smiled brightly at him, "Oh, thank you for that by the way, your notes really helped me understand." Kuon blushed slightly under the praise and Kyoko smiled for what felt like the first time in days, he looks like an embarrassed young girl.

"Well, why not on days you don't work of course, come over to my place and I can tutor you." Kuon blurted out, he seemed just as surprised at his offer as she was at receiving it. A blush filled her cheeks and she looked away from her companion, "I… I can't do that, I wouldn't want to burden you or your parents like that."

She felt his hand brush her tinged cheek and then ruffled her hair. Startled she met his eyes and was frozen by the soft smile on his face. "It would be no burden, and my parents couldn't stop raving about you after the tea ceremony. I actually think they might try to adopt you." He smirked a bit but Kyoko saw a bit of pain in his eyes. Smiling softly she nodded at him, "I would appreciate your help very much." Kuon must have thought she would reject his offer and he smiled broadly at her, "Awesome, do you work tomorrow?" Kyoko shook her head in the negative.

"Great, then we will start tomorrow." Nodding again she opened the door and stepped out of the car to go into her apartment. Before she closed the door behind her she ducked down and looked at her friend.

"You should do that more often you know." Kuon just arched his brow at her in a silent question.

"Smile." Blushing again she closed the car door and bolted into the building before Kuon could say anything else.