CHAPTER 3
A Rare Specie
"Rise and shine, kiddo." Kuu knocked on his son's bedroom door and waited for a response.
"I'm up, what time are we leaving?" Kuon yawned and hopped off the bed, arranged his pillows and blanket.
"We're going after breakfast. Your Mom needs to meet her business friend for a meeting that is why we need to be early." Kuu explained. Meanwhile Kuon ignored the rest of what his father was saying and checked his phone to see any messages from his crush, saddened that there were none. Thus, he decided to greet her good morning instead. While having breakfast with his parents, Kyoko made a quick reply making Kuon smile, his dad noticed the silly smile he was wearing, Kuu however kept it to himself and allowed his son to have a good morning.
Once breakfast was done, they all hopped to his father's car, making a short drive to the said family friend's house, and to Kuon's surprise they are in a very familiar direction and when Kuu pulled over to a certain gate that Kuon clearly remembers. Kuon kept his excitement and composed himself. Once his parents stepped out their car. He too followed however, he failed to contain his smile when Kyoko appeared to greet them.
On the other hand Kyoko was a little surprised but politely greeted the family, especially Kuon. "I take that you have meet, Kuon-san at school already?" Kyoko's mother asked.
"We did, mother." Kyoko tried to hide her blush after Kuon dropped her home yesterday. The stern looking woman kept her amusement with how her daughter reacted. "Was he a gentleman to you?" she pressed and gave a little smile teasing her. Kyoko nodded and Kuon internally beamed with pride.
Now that Kuon met her mother, the woman seemed cold and uptight. Really similar to his crush, "Let's head in." Kyoko's mother invited and his family followed with merry greetings. "Kyoko, keep Kuon-san company." Kyoko's mother requested, which Kyoko obliged, Kuon followed her like a lost puppy going to the backyard; It was beautiful sight, with a well maintained garden and pond.
They sat there awkwardly, "I'll get some snacks." Kyoko tried to excuse herself but Kuon stopped her.
"It's okay, we can have that later, I just ate my breakfast before coming here." Kuon tried to convince her, and Kyoko noticed that Kuon was not fond with food after their little chat over the phone yesterday.
Her eyes squinted, "Are you sure?" Kyoko doubted him.
"Promise, I'm still full." The young man managed to convince the girl.
"Mraaaw~"chipped by a ginger cat that decided to rub itself on Kuon's legs, "Hello?" Kuon greeted and wanted to pet the feline but he first turned to Kyoko if the cat is friendly to allow him for pets. Kyoko amused, gave a short giggled and nodded. Kuon gave the cat some good chin scratch and pets until it asked him to be picked up. Kyoko took the cat and placed it on his lap who then started to snuggle and purr.
Kyoko was amazed that the stubborn and mean cat actually liked someone other than her and her brother, "Awe, Butters usually hates other people but somehow he likes you." She giggled and gave the cat some affectionate belly rubs too.
"Oh! It is named Butters? How cute." Kuon chuckled at the cute name, "Is he yours?"
"No, the cats are mother's pets." It came as a surprise to Kuon that the scary woman owns the fur-balls. "However, it's Otto-kun who cares and provide for them." Kuon, surprised that the stoic younger man is actually fond and affectionate towards the felines.
While the two teens talk, it seems that Kyoko's father by the glass balcony with Kuu is watching them like a hawk. "If your son tries something funny, I swear I will dismember you and your son." He glared to Kuu.
"You do realize that our wives already had a long time agreement that our kids will be engaged right?" Kuu cockily challenged the bigger man.
"Yeah, but it is up to my little princess if she wants your spawn." He snorted.
Kuu sported a cocky smirk, "By the looks of it, she likes him alright." Trying the limit of his friend's patience.
Saena approached her husband, "Gaijin, where is Otto?" She coldly asked where her favorite son is, the poor husband just pouted.
"Now that you asked, I haven't seen him after he headed out earlier." He noticed and Saena pulled out her phone to check.
"You put GPS on your children?" Julie gasped, "I know we're helicopter parents but I never knew you're that worse, but that's ingenious!" Julie clapped, Saena is a bit offended being called worse but shook her head with a smile knowing it's her good friend.
"Naruhodo-san's daughter was kidnapped few months' back, I'm worried for both my spawn. But he seems to be nearby, just over his friends' place." Saena breathed in relief. "And he knows he has a tracker, that's why he always wears the necklace of the ring gaijin gave him." She clarified, "Oi, gaijin, go pick-up your mini demon." With that said her husband gave a mock salute and a quick peck on his wife's cheek, rushing out the house to get their son.
The Hizuri couple gave a stunned look after Saena give her son a not-so-affectionate-name. However Kuu barked a loud laughter after watching his old friend 'the feared Colonel' being ordered by a petite and shorter woman around.
Back to the teens, "You know.. I noticed that you have been extremely tired whenever you attend our class or when you wait by the library, are you okay?." Kuon asked in concern.
"I'm fine, it's just a campus event will take place in a few weeks. I'm dealing with meetings, paper works and few ground inspection before I approve some class proposals." Kyoko gave a long sigh.
"Don't you have people or officers to help you?" Kuon furrowed his brows quizzed why Kyoko is doing everything herself. "Please utilize the man power you have, it pains me to see you always tired." Kyoko was speechless at how affectionate the young man was to her.
"I have certain representatives to deal with their own specified roles, but most of the important details needs to be done by me. Mother never likes half done job, and I do my best to put some extra." She simply replied, "And besides, the school festival will start soon, and I need all preparations and papers done for the chairman's approval." She sighed.
"I see, though if you need help just ask me, okay?" he caressed her cheek.
Kyoko blushed with his gesture, "Okay… but why are you so nice to me?"
"I really don't know, but I'm just following how I feel right now." With that said, "By the way, why do you always decline my help?" he finally asked.
"It's not that I want to decline, it's just I learned from the past." She looked away and Kuon remembered the blonde wannabe that barged to their school.
"Is it because of that guy that came to our school?" He asked and Kyoko remained quiet. Kuon got the hint and and dropped the question confirming his hunch. "I won't press about it, but I promise you not all guys are assholes." He assured and Kyoko turned to him with hopeful eyes.
Kyoko is aware that men like her father is rare, "I know what you mean. Take my dad for example, he's quite the gentleman and a saint despite my mom being all mean to him." She thought of her stepfather and giggled. Kuon found little light in her words, and planned to push his luck. Being busy talking all sorts of things, the never noticed the time passing by quickly.
Saena came to get her daughter, "Kyoko, can you help me make some lunch?" With that said Kuon stood first and held his hand like a true gentleman and Kyoko took it, they headed in the kitchen and Kuon was amazed to see how detailed it was, complete with all those professional appliance.
Internally whistling, "This is bigger and better than dad's" Kuon thought taking notice at the closet freezer.
Kuon watched his father help Kyoko, while Saena whipped their drinks for lunch. "I got the rascal." Kyoko's stepfather came in and patted Kyoko's brother who had some motor oil stains over his shirt, Saena and Kyoko could not hide their amusement about the irritated look on Otsukinoji's face. "Rascal and the ragrats were patching up Kuran's kid's gator and somehow they made it work." Kyoko's dad sounded proud patting his son's shoulder.
"But now I'm a mess and got stains." The youngest Mogami complained and immediately excused himself to change.
While everyone is enjoying their lunch Kyoko noticed Kuon eats like a bird and pecks on his food, out of nowhere he was scolded and his parents were so amused at the scene, "Goodness, Kyoko is so much like you." Julie took a bite on her food and Saena gave a one-sided smile.
"Thank you for the compliment." Saena replied taking a bite of her stake.
"At least my baby girl knows how to put your kid in place." Snorted by Kyoko's dad.
After their lunch, Kyoko and Kuon took a stroll on her street, unlike the busy areas of Tokyo, Kyoko's neighborhood seemed to have less people on the streets. walking, Kyoko said hello to some friends their age and when they headed back, Kyoko felt sad after Kuon and his family headed back, the young man felt the same.
Kuu noticed his son's long face, "You know you're no longer four right? You're going to see each other on Monday and we know you guys are chatting." Kuu teased and Kuon stared at his father wanting to disown him.
Meanwhile, Saena mused that her daughter really liked the Hizuri boy the same as the past except this time there was no crying, latching, hugging and tantrums.
After the Hizuris left, "How nostalgic, although this is convenient because I don't have to pull you off from the boy." Her mother snorted and Kyoko looked horrified, confused if she and Kuon met when they were children.
"Mother, is there anything I need to know what happened?" Kyoko pressed.
"I thought you remember?" Saena was shocked her daughter completely forgot, "Still, how can you remember." She gave a small giggle, "You were four and both of you clings to each other when we left America." After saying that Kyoko gasped in shock and blushed running off to her room squealing finally remembering fragments of her blonde prince charming.
When she's in the safety of her room, she pulled out her phone and noticed Kuon sent her something, "Mind if I share this to my account?" He asked sending the said picture of them, where they were in the garden holding the ginger and fluffy white cat. It was a cute picture and she covered her face to squeal.
Shortly she responded with a yes and she followed with, "Did you get home safe?" Kuon without a minute replied too.
"I did, I miss you already." He teased and Kyoko could not help but to shriek on her pillow again.
Remembering what her mother said earlier, "Say, do you remember anything when you were little? Mother said we already met." She asked.
"Not that I remember, though when I am around you, it seems that we've known for a long time but can't remember, maybe that's the reason? But do you miss me?" He joked and Kyoko cutely pouted at his comment.
"We'll see each other on Monday." Hiding her feelings.
"Aww, and here I thought you missed me too." Instead of attaching a sad emoji he however sent her his own pouting face which Kyoko saved again. "Also, I heard from your mom, you liked my old series~" He teased and Kyoko this time groaned to her pillow from embarrassment.
"I just liked the plot, I did not know you were the actor." Again Kuon sent her his sad face. Kuon did not reply with words which made her a bit sad until he sent her another picture and it was Kuon all dressed and styled his hair in character. Kyoko excitedly gasped and stopped herself from bouncing on the bed.
Tofu, the white fluffy Maine Coon hopped to her bed and asked for some scratches, having the idea she took the poor cat and used it as pillow to muffle her squeal again and took a picture of her with Tofu covering her face to send to Kuon.
Meanwhile, Kuon who embarrassingly dressed up to make Kyoko happy. Grinning ear-to-ear saving the picture, after he changed and sat to his bed, holding the ship pillow. "Wait…" He realized the best friend is actually Kyoko.
~Chapter END~
A/N: Welp I forgot to explain the AU on this one. Kyoko and Ren are close to age, Ren being almost 17 and Kyoko 16. And thank you for reading. I guess I will have more time right now because I finally resigned from my stressful job and now a full time law student again. I will have a bit more time to edit my fic and hopefully you can tell me what you think.
Also, I added details and clarified things. I finally caught up with my slight edit. I'll be making chapter 4 tomorrow!
Again, thank you for reading, love,
Sarge.
~TBC~