Chapter 128: Morning Yoga

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Kuon would make up with his parents.

Beep, beep, beep, beep…

Kyoko moaned loudly and rolled to find the source of the irritating noise. Finally, opening her eyes, she found her cellphone sitting on the nightstand table masquerading as a worn tree stump. She grabbed her phone and shut off the alarm she set the night before. She buried her face back into the pillow with another moan.

She twisted her head and reopened her eyes to tiny slits after a few quiet seconds. The other side of the bed was empty. Her eyes fluttered close again and smiled. He was probably visiting with his parents. Within seconds, she felt herself being pulled back into dreamland. She shook her head and forced herself to blink her eyes open.

She felt lethargic despite all the sleep she got in the last twenty-four hours. It was as if she was underwater. Everything but her heartbeat sounded muffled in her ears. She held her hand to her forehead and then down to her throat. She didn't appear to be feverish but it was always hard to tell temperature by oneself. It would be completely unprofessional of her to get sick during a very important week.

She rolled on her back and stared up at the lit canopy. Her eyes wandered all over the dim-lit room to confirm that what she saw yesterday was not a dream. The Hizuris outdid themselves and provided her with an enchanting room that stirred every fairy loving bone in her body. With this room, she felt the familial warmth and love extend to her from Kuon's parents. She was touched that they would go through the trouble for someone they hardly knew.

She stared at the portion of the painted ceiling not obstructed by the canopy of her bed. The celestial mural was dotted with fairies hovering around the faux tree. The way they were painted tricked her eyes. She felt like she could just reach up and hold one of the fluttering creatures in her hand. It was incredible.

The other thing that caught her eye was the large forest that now covered the glass walls. They were shades that completely blacked out the sun. Kuon must have put them down sometime last night. She glanced at his side of the bed again and noticed the trio of cranes resting on his pillow. She smiled broadly and sat up against the carved headboard to read the notes. He was still doing this even here.

She picked up the closest crane to her.

I'm so in love with you. P.S. Your sleeping face is cute.

Tears sprung to Kyoko's eyes immediately as she read his words again. He told her every day that he loved her but it never lessened the impact it had on her heart. He always knew just how to get her worked up even with the simplest of words. Her eyes narrowed as she read his postscript. She made a mental note to hit him with a pillow later tonight. How embarrassing! She opened the next one.

It's all thanks to you, I can be here today.

He gave her entirely too much credit for his bravery. She held the crane to her heart as she thought about the hardship he was enduring by coming home. She still didn't know all the details but this was a place he had to flee in order to ensure his survival. She had every confidence in him. Kuon was strong and brave enough to break free from the past to overcome the pain and come out more dazzling than ever.

Kyoko picked up the last crane and read, I am a better man because of you.

That should be my line, well, minus the man part. His love and care made her love herself more, strive for more. She probably understood what he was feeling for her because she felt the same for him. She folded the notes into their original shapes and arranged them on the table.

Her phone caught her eye again with the flashing notification of missed messages. She laid there replying to her father, friends, Fuji, Linh, and Yashiro.

Fuji's and Linh's messages contained both work and personal information. Fuji's message had scheduling information about her week in L.A while Linh's had details of her upcoming work in Tokyo. Both expressed their joy and congratulations on the song.

The message from Yashiro was addressed to both her and Ren. From what she could read between the indecipherable fangirl squeals in his text, he focused on the results of her song climbing the top of the charts not only in Japan but internationally. The live performance on Yappa Kimagure Rock and the music video increased its popularity tenfold.

Kyoko clicked the link Yashiro provided of the entertainment news segment in Japan discussing her song in detail. She frowned when they didn't get their facts right. She wasn't as talented as they made her out to be. She didn't do it all on her own. It was a team effort to provide the fans with an amazing song. She wouldn't have been able to pull off that performance without the help of Kei, Bridge Rock, and the rest of the people that provided their support. All she did was sing.

She responded to Yashiro to ask if she could make an official statement to provide credit where it was due. Meanwhile, she took to their social media page to thank her fans for their support, and while there she added a little blurb paying tribute to everyone that helped with her achievement.

Kyoko gushed to her father and best friends about her luxurious accommodations fit for a fairy princess. Her father would appreciate it more than her friends but she couldn't stop taking pictures of all the intricate details in the room and flooding their inboxes with digital photos. She fully expected Kanae to be furious with her whenever she managed to check her messages in the morning.

Kyoko glanced at the time on her phone. Twenty minutes had passed since she woke up. She didn't want to seem like she was hiding in her room. She put her phone back on the nightstand and went to the bathroom. She wasn't sure what their plans for the day were but decided to find out before taking a shower.

The bathroom once again astounded her. She had no idea an indoor bathroom could look like this one. She went straight to the pocket door that hid the modern toilet from the rest of the room to do her business. When she was done, she glided over to the sink and found a note stuck to the driftwood-framed mirror.

I went to the beach with Dad! *heart* K

She was a little disappointed that he went to the beach without her. They never did get the chance to go while in Guam once they transformed into the Heel siblings. She turned a deep shade of red remembering how Kuon, the mermaid, emerged from the clear blue sea with the water cascading over his body. Before she could overheat from her perverted imagination, Kyoko felt a little stab of pain in her heart as she was reminded of those stone-cold emerald eyes gliding over her like she was lowly mortal trash. She never wanted him to look at her that way again. Kyoko smacked her palms against her cheeks and stared at her reflection.

"He came back for you! Don't let that one moment get you down."

Her mirror image smiled back at her as she recalled the rest of that day spent with Corn. The thought of her first kiss had her blushing again. The memory of her shamelessly and unknowingly rubbing said kiss into the perpetrator's face after dinner had her rolling on the ground howling.

She needed to pull herself together. She dusted herself off and turned on the sink. The little waterfall spilling into the basin was a welcome distraction. She brushed her teeth and washed her face then proceeded to go through the motions of getting ready for the day. She opted for some leggings, a tank top, and a long knit cardigan. She was satisfied with her outfit. She hoped her choice gave off the vibe of comfy yet sophisticated and would pass Julie's fashionable inspection.

Sliding on her fancy house slippers, Kyoko grabbed her phone and headed out. What caught her attention immediately was the sound of cicadas and birds chirping. Someone had slid the large glass walls open to the courtyard. The sound of her feet tapping against the paved stones joined the sound of nature as Kyoko walked to the center of the opening and looked up through the cutout in the roof above her. It could have been the largest skylight she had ever seen if there was a window overhead.

She spun around slowly admiring the view of the blue sky from this vantage point.

I wonder what kind of stories Kuon would have of this place. Did he sit here and read a good book? Or maybe he sat around the fire pit with his parents in the evening sharing their day.

Kyoko let her imagination take her away as she visualized her young fairy prince in this space. A sound from above had her turning in the direction of the stairs. We're the men back? The thought of facing Julie alone made her nervous but she couldn't be that kind of girlfriend.

It was difficult to take that first step but once she did the rest was easy. She made it to the top floor and stood awkwardly. They did say to treat the place as if it was her home but Kyoko still felt like a trespasser. She caught a glimpse of Julie through the glass walls holding a bundle under her arm as she walked down the length of the house and straight out to the patio.

Kyoko gave herself a small pep talk and followed her. She called out a greeting as she approached the opening but Julie didn't seem to hear her since she was immersed in the task of rolling out a mat on to the floor.

"Oh!" Julie startled, with a relieved smile. She pulled off tiny earbuds that Kyoko failed to notice and placed them on the nearby table. "Good morning, sweetie." Julie stepped toward her and pulled her into her arms. Kyoko stood stiffly but eventually relaxed returning the taller woman's hug. She was slowly understanding that hugging and showing affection was normal in this family.

"I'm so glad you guys are here," she said pulling away and swiping at her eyes. Kyoko smiled shyly. She was glad they were here too. She wanted to know more about Kuon and for him to make up with his parents. Kyoko stared at his mother entirely too long. The woman was just absolutely breathtaking. Kyoko couldn't help gathering Julie's physical data. The sun glinted off her wavy golden hair the same it did Kuon's giving Kyoko the impression that they were otherworldly. Julie's dazzling green eyes didn't have the same hint of brown like Kuon's but the shape was similar. She had the same high cheekbones as her son but her face was softer, more feminine.

"Are you hungry? Thirsty? Can I get you anything? The boys aren't going to be back for another hour, I believe," Julie interrupted Kyoko's thought process.

"I'm fine for now, Juli…um Mom," Kyoko corrected herself quickly before Julie could reprimand her. It was still early. She thought she could hold out a while longer. "What were you doing out here?" Kyoko changed the subject and pointed at the mat.

"I was going to do some yoga. It's such a beautiful day for it."

Kyoko glanced around the new area and rushed to the edge of the patio. "Wow!" she exclaimed. What she took for a low wall dividing the space was a long narrow pool with an infinity edge. The water was so calm and glassy that it reflected the giant oak tree towering above.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

Kyoko nodded vigorously to Julie's question. "It's like a mirror." A copper-colored leaf fluttered down from a branch by a passing breeze. It landed on the surface of the water causing a tiny ripple. Her eyes shifted upward to view the large canopy of the tree. Its leaves were a mixture of fall colors. Her eyes trailed a few brown leaves falling into the water. The leaves floated gently over the edge and were out of sight just as the thought of what a nightmare it would be to clean popped into her mind.

"I can only credit our architect. Kuu and I asked him to keep the natural surroundings in mind during the design phase and he came up with this masterpiece."

"It is a masterpiece," Kyoko murmured observing the view of the land and sea surrounding the house.

"This is a lap pool. It's good for exercise and you can change the settings to add current for a more strenuous workout. But if you want to play…" Julie beckoned Kyoko to follow her to the other end of the pool. Wide stairs took them down to a spacious pool deck that led to a larger pool. "I suggest this one. The pools are heated so you're free to swim year-round."

Kyoko closed her mouth quickly as she gaped at the second pool. They had two pools!

"That's the pool house," Julie pointed to a large room with glass walls similar to the main house. It was the first time that Kyoko regarded the house in detail from the outside. It was larger than she originally thought. There were more rooms left to see and another floor above the main one.

"If we open the windows," Julie continued. "It can double like a cabana. It has floats, towels, a bathroom, and a stocked fridge if you get thirsty….Are you sure you don't want anything? Please don't be shy. I want you to think of this place as your home too, okay?"

Kyoko reassured her that she was fine. Kyoko could tell Julie considered protesting but was glad she let it go. She really was fine. "And this, I'm ashamed to admit, is what I mostly use out here these days," Julie announced as they moved to the other side of the pool.

Kyoko stared at the churning water while steam rose out of the four by four square. "Ooh, a hot spring," she exclaimed. Two pools and a jacuzzi, wow! It was a different lifestyle here. Then again, Lory did live in a mansion.

"Yes, only this water is not naturally fed like it is in Japan. The minerals in the water over there always made my skin feel smooth. Was there an onsen in the ryokan where you lived?"

Kyoko described the layout of the ryokan in Kyoto with enthusiasm. It had both public and private baths available for guests. Some rooms had their hot spring right outside their rooms. She was happy she could now speak fondly of the Fuwa couple and her childhood home as they walked back to the upper deck. Julie told Kyoko to sit while she went into the house to retrieve bottles of water for them.

Kyoko tried to stop her but Julie wasn't having any of it. She plopped down into the chair and gazed at her surroundings. Her eye caught the mat still sitting on the floor. Ahhhhh! I interrupted her work out! I'm such an idiot!

"I'm so sorry, m-mom," Kyoko shrieked, falling into a dogeza once Julie reappeared.

"Kyoko, what's the matter!" Julie cried in alarm. She rushed to kneel beside Kyoko urging her to tell her where it hurt.

"It's not that! I'm sorry! I interrupted your workout. I've committed a grave sin," Kyoko insisted sitting up.

Julie laughed with relief. "Oh thank goodness, you're fine. Don't ever scare me like that again. I thought it was something serious."

Kyoko sniveled and wiped her nose.

"But your workout?" She whimpered pitifully.

"It's nothing but a series of stretches to start the day. Missing it won't kill me. Besides, I was enjoying time with you."

"Would it be okay if I did it with you?" Kyoko asked bashfully.

Julie's green eyes lit up at the idea. "I would love that. Go change and I'll get another mat from the gym." Julie disappeared into the house before Kyoko could ask to come with her.

Kyoko looked over her outfit then shrugged off her cardigan and waited for Julie to return. She guessed that the gym must be located somewhere down the other corridor on the lower level.

"I'm back," Julie called out and unrolled the yoga mat for Kyoko under the shady spot. "Are you familiar with yoga, Kyoko? If not, I highly recommend you add it to your daily routine. It's great for your overall health."

Kyoko hummed. "Fuji-san, I mean Mr. Fuji, advised me to do more yoga. But, please don't change your routine for my sake. I will do my best to follow along. "

"Very good advice. I'm looking forward to Fuji's show and not because my son's walking in it. That's a bonus. I like his overall designs. I think Earl would be pleased with the direction his protégé has taken his brand."

"You knew Mr. Mandy?"

"Yes," Julie groaned. "My age is showing…I first met him when I was a teen. I modeled for him in his international collection. It was how I met Kuu. It was a tragic loss to the fashion community but Fuji took up his mantle without a hitch."

"Mr. Fuji is amazing. I would love to hear more about your work and your love story one day," Kyoko sighed at the romance that probably surrounded the Hizuri couple. She couldn't wait.

"I'll be happy to share with you while you are here," Julie said kneeling at the end of her mat. Kyoko followed and nodded when Julie turned to make sure she was ready.

Julie started them off lightly in a child pose. Kyoko groaned internally. She didn't realize she was so tense. She focused on her breathing and listened to the melodious voice of Julie as she walked them through various poses such as mountain pose, downward-facing dog, and several warrior poses. Kyoko swore Julie was taking it easy on her but came off like a Yoga master in one of her videos. She had a knack for instruction. She kindly gave Kyoko gentle reminders to relax her neck, control her breathing, or modify for a less strenuous stance. They ended back where they started in a child pose.

"How do you feel?" Julie asked, beaming a dazzling smile in Kyoko's direction worthy of disintegrating her grudges if they ever came out of hibernation. "Better?"

"Yes, my body feels much lighter now."

"Great, I'm glad." Julie stood and began rolling up her mat so Kyoko followed her. "The boys should be home soon. Let's get some breakfast. Don't think for a minute I didn't hear your stomach rumbling through that routine."

Kyoko flushed red. It was hopeless of her to think that the sounds of nature would drown out the noise of her traitorous stomach. She didn't realize it was so loud.

...

Kuon pulled the cart into the garage. It was probably selfish of him to leave Kyoko for so long with just a note. He wondered if she was still sleeping as he helped his dad unload the boards.

"Do you want to finish off the session for old time's sake?" Kuu asked excitedly.

Kuon chuckled and studied his dad. He always knew his dad made him win in the past. Although his father was in excellent shape for his forties, Kuon was now taller and had more muscle. It was clear who would come out victorious.

"Okay, but no cheating," Kuon warned as they stepped out of the garage. He kicked off his flip-flops and got into a ready position so Kuu followed suit. "I'll count," he told his dad.

Kuon started at the count of three but before he could finish saying two, Kuu took off.

"That's cheating," Kuon shouted, hot on his heels. Kuon could hear him cackling as he ran ahead. His dad was fast but unfortunately for him, Kuon was faster. He overtook him with little effort but Kuu surprised him with a burst of power. Kuon had to work to keep his lead and pumped his arms like a sprinter. He jumped on the ledge of the lap pool without breaking his stride. When he got to the end, he jumped, somersaulting, into the other pool below. Kuu immediately followed it up with a cannonball of his own.

Kuon surfaced from the water laughing. "You tried to cheat!" He yelled, splashing his dad with water. They got into a splashing match until Kuon saw Kyoko walking down the steps.

"Hi, baby," Kuon greeted, nonchalantly swimming to the edge. He must look unrecognizable to her right now. She had the most amused expression on her face as she knelt by the edge of the pool. Big mistake. He was tempted to find out if she could swim but figured she wouldn't appreciate getting soaked while fully clothed no matter how humorous it would be to him. He opted for something better. He gripped the pool deck with his hands dipped down and used the momentum to push himself out of the water kissing her right smack on the lips.

"Kuon!" She shrieked. He dropped back into the water with a juvenile laugh.

"Get out of the pool, both of you," Julie scolded with little conviction. She barely contained her smile. "Kyoko is starving and refuses to eat without you. I swear if I hear her stomach growl once more you'll both be in trouble." She walked to the pool house and returned with towels.

The Hizuri boys stepped out of the pool still wearing their wetsuit with the tops hanging down at their waist. Kuon gazed at Kyoko as she toweled herself off from the water he splashed on her. She didn't seem uncomfortable which was a good sign that she was getting along with his mother. He walked up to her while rubbing the towel over his hair.

"Sorry, I didn't think I would splash you that much."

She flashed him a loving smile in return. "It's no big deal. I need a shower anyway."

Kuon whimpered inside. She was still his sweet innocent girlfriend. She didn't know how torturous her simple words were on his libido. Or did she? He stood dumbfounded when she winked at him before walking away.

"Take a quick shower and come to the kitchen," Julie ordered the men and followed Kyoko inside.

"Yes, dear," Kuu called after her, walking beside Kuon.

Kuon was held back by his father, "I'm glad your home son. I enjoyed spending time with you."

"Me too, Dad." Kuon draped an arm over his father's shoulder while they resumed walking. It had been too long since they shared moments like these even before he ever left for Japan.

Kuon took a quick shower and headed upstairs. He would have to talk to Kyoko about eating without him whenever she was hungry. It was cute that she waited for him but didn't like that she put him before her comfort. A waft of familiar smells assaulted him as soon as he entered the kitchen making him hungry. Various Japanese and American breakfast dishes covered the counter.

"How can I help," he asked, walking over to Kyoko standing at the stove.

"I'm almost done with this," she nodded to the rectangular pan in her hands. He didn't even know his parents owned a pan like that. Kyoko often used it to make tamagoyaki. He watched her expertly roll the last egg layer and turn it until it was finished.

"Can you pass me that plate?"

Kuon looked behind him and found the plate that already held one of the omelets. She knew how his father's stomach worked.

"My ladies," Kuu bellowed when he entered the room. "Everything smells and looks delicious." He kissed each woman on the tops of their crown.

"Thank you for making breakfast. I'm in charge of dinner tonight...ugh… that is if you don't have any plans."

"We'll be home for dinner," Kyoko blurted out. "Right, Kuon?"

"Of course, we'll be here."

"Great! Let's eat now because I'm starving."

Breakfast was served buffet style. Everyone filled their plates and sat down at the table in the kitchen nook.

"Delicious!" Kuu praised as he slurped the miso soup. "It reminds me of my hometown. You, my dear, have a future in the culinary arts."

"She would also make an excellent instructor. She showed me how to make these cute little fruit animals. Isn't Mr. Bunny adorable?" Julie held up a mutilated slice of apple. Kuon nearly choked on his sausage and grabbed a glass of water.

"Okay, I'll admit mine didn't come out as cute as Kyoko's," Julie pouted.

"You did well for your first time, Mom," Kyoko responded so naturally that Kuon nearly spat out his water. Kyoko narrowed her eyes at him. He ducked his head and concentrated on his overly full plate. He might as well hunker down and eat every morsel otherwise Kyoko would get on his case. He didn't mind eating. He still planned to avoid anything his mother prepared starting with those rabid looking bunnies.

The breakfast conversation consisted of Kuon recounting his surf adventures after so many years.

"Would you like to try sometime, Kyoko?" Kuu asked between bites of his meal.

"Sure, it sounds like a lot of fun," she agreed eagerly.

"Speaking of which, Kyoko, do you know how to swim?"

"Eh?" She frowned, confused by his question.

"There has never been an opportunity before so I wasn't sure," Kuon sheepishly replied.

"I do. I mean, I'm no Olympian but I know all the proper strokes."

That's what she said! Kuon sniggered to himself then cleared his throat at Kyoko's curious stare.

"Next time you go out, be sure to wear sunblock, please. Kuon has some redness on his face," Julie told him. "I'll give you some aloe so it won't dry up. It's not good for a model to have sun damage."

"Thanks," Kuon replied meekly. "I didn't think since it was dark when we left."

The conversation lulled at the table until Kuu piped up, "What's your plan?"

The loaded question was directed at Kuon. He stopped chewing and put his fork down to address his dad. He knew what Kuu meant by the question but he took a chance anyway with a more lighthearted answer. "I thought I could take Kyoko on a walk on the grounds and then maybe show her some of the more popular sights in L.A." He wanted to keep his plans for tomorrow a secret, which he shared with Kuu while they drove up the cliff.

"But I don't think that's what you meant," he concluded by his father's expression.

"I don't have a plan," he sighed. "Jelly Woods will be here the day after tomorrow and I will become Ren once again in public." He glanced up to his parents to gauge their reactions. They would once again have to treat him like a stranger. Technically, they were closer than strangers since he was now Kyoko's boyfriend.

"I came home prematurely. I contacted you prematurely. I contradicted the vow I made to Lory six years ago and what I promised in the video." He expected to see the disappointment in their eyes but was confronted with expressions of unconditional love and acceptance.

Kyoko flashed him an encouraging smile. "I'm sorry for not keeping my word after you've endured for so many years. Most of all I'm sorry for leaving the way I did in the first place."

Kuu stood and kneeled on the floor in front of him. "You did nothing wrong. You don't have to apologize to us anymore."

Julie joined her husband on the floor and cupped her son's cheek. "We're sorry. We failed you as parents. We didn't see what was happening until it was too late. I hope one day, you can find it in your heart to forgive us."

"There's nothing to forgive," Kuon reassured them. He leaned down and wrapped his parents in a warm embrace. He was glad to be home even if it wasn't in the capacity he envisioned when he first became Tsuruga Ren. He understood now that people changed and goals evolved. He turned his head and nodded to the woman he loved. She was his living proof.

AN: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. I didn't get all the scenes I wanted to include in this chapter but thought it was a good stopping point. BTW, I made Kuon choke on a sausage because it cracked me up...juvenile, I know. XD

Today is my birthday! Yes, I'm trolling for love. It just freaks me out that when I started reading this manga I was about Yuki's age and now I'm creeping up on the parentals…Holy Shiza!

Anyway, thank you for the reviews of the last chapter. I appreciate hearing from you!

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^