Chapter 166: Mother and Daughter

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Kyoko would have the opportunity to watch the Queen in action.

At the red light, Kyoko lifted her visor and smiled as Kuon pulled up beside them on his Ducati. The ride was the sole reason he told her to dress warmly. Traffic was bad at this hour and the bikes would be able to lane split, bypassing most of it. The commute time to get to Julie's photoshoot would be reduced by half as opposed to taking the car.

"How is it?" He yelled to her over the sound of the two motorcycles.

"It's so much fun," Kyoko replied loudly from the back of Kuu's bike.

The Hizuris had three other motorcycles in the garage aside from Kuon's bike. Kyoko noticed that the two other sportbikes were of the same brand as Kuon's but different models.

"This one is Julie's," Kuu told her as she walked up to the white bike with red rims. That shouldn't have surprised her since the Fairy Queen was so skilled. "It's much faster than mine," Kuu laughed, gesturing to the black Ducati next to it. "When we do manage to get out for a ride she always beats me to our destination."

"And this beast is my dark horse," Kuu announced, walking over to the last motorcycle. Kyoko followed him and studied the last vehicle. For some reason, it looked menacing and huge in comparison to the other bikes in the garage. It was aptly named since 99 percent of the bike was blacked out and had matte finishes including the exhaust pipes. Kyoko ran her fingers over the word Indian and the profile of a Native American chief painted on the side of the black gas tank. The road bike had leather saddlebags and a spacious passenger seat for long-distance rides. If their Heel siblings' role had required transportation, she could imagine Cain and Setsu tearing up the streets on this motorcycle.

"Want to go for a ride on it?" Kuu asked. And that was how Kyoko ended up riding with the older Hizuri instead of his son.

"Better than with me?" Kuon asked.

"Well this seat is quite comfortable," she teased, leaning against the leather backrest. The motorcycle rumbled more and had a deep throaty sound to it which made Kyoko's teeth chatter compared to riding with Kuon.

Kuu laughed at his kids. "Quit sulking, son. You're always hogging her."

When the traffic lights changed for the cars turning, Kuu and Kuon both flipped their visors down and repositioned themselves, anticipating their light to change. Kyoko flipped her visor down and placed her hands on Kuu's hips.

Vroom! Vroom!

The sound of Kuon revving his bike's engine gained her attention. Her boyfriend stared at his father who shook his head in front of her.

Vroom! Vroom!

He did it again. This time Kuu pointed back to her with his thumb. Hand gestures ensued between father and son that Kyoko couldn't understand. He pointed to the top of his dad's helmet, making Kuu nod in agreement. Kyoko looked at the mini camera Kuu had attached to his helmet. What are they planning?

"Hold on tight, sweetie," Kuu warned. Kyoko didn't know what to make of his instructions since the whole ride so far had been easy going. Still confused, she tightened her grip at his waist anyway.

When the light turned green, she watched Kuon shoot off the line, lifting the front wheel of his bike as he sped down the street on only the back tire. Kyoko screeched in fright, her heart nearly leaping in her throat for fear he would hurt himself. Kuu accelerated faster than normal chasing after him. The trick lasted all of five seconds, but to her, it seemed like minutes. Once Kuon was down on both wheels, he slowed his speed for them to catch up. Kyoko didn't know if she wanted to cheer or throttle the reckless man. She wagged her finger at him to let him know he was in trouble. The remainder of the ride to Julie's set was uneventful, but their noisy arrival caused quite a stir.

…

"What is that god awful sound? We're in the middle of nowhere for goodness sakes!" The photographer complained as the noise rose in volume through the serenity of the trees.

Julie was in the middle of shooting her third outfit of the morning when her family finally arrived. She had not seen the kids since yesterday morning and missed them terribly. The whole production was put on pause as everyone stopped to watch the pair of motorcycles break through the trees and come up the long gravel driveway. Julie hopped up excitedly and took the steps down two at a time. Once on the ground, she gathered the Fuschia pink train of her dress in one hand and held the matching oversized floppy straw hat on her head with the other as she glided down like a gazelle toward her family.

"Julie, you're barefoot," her assistant called after her, but she kept going. She had spent twenty plus years in stilettos, this rocky surface had nothing on her. She made it to Kuu's bike in the parking area just as they disembarked and removed their helmets.

"You made it!" She gushed, pulling Kyoko into a fierce hug, and smiled at her son noting his warm brown eyes. Julie understood that he was Ren and mouthed, hi, my baby. He smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.

"I'm so sorry for coming late. Are we interrupting?" Kyoko asked, wringing her hands together nervously.

She cupped Kyoko's cheek and inspected her daughter. "You're fine. I wasn't expecting you so soon. Did you both get enough sleep?" She asked, glancing at Ren.

"Yes, thank you, Ms. Julie," Ren replied with a bow of his head.

"Well, I don't want either of you to overdo it, lest you make yourselves sick," she told them with a mother's concern. The couple nodded in reply.

"Hey there, handsome. Looking sexy in that leather." Julie flirted with her husband and wrapped her arms around his neck, ignoring the groan that most likely came from their son. She air-kissed his lips so she wouldn't ruin her makeup. It had taken hours for the beauty team to make her camera ready, she didn't want to prolong work with a retouch.

"We had a good ride," Kuu smiled.

Looking beyond her, he lifted his hand and waved. Julie turned to find most of the team staring at them at the top of the driveway. She stamped down her annoyance at the few with their phones out. It unavoidably came with the job.

"It looks like I need to get back to work. Are you boys going to be able to fend for yourselves today?"

"We're going to play it by ear. Take a stroll on the PCH and maybe introduce Ren here to Louie's lunch special."

Julie blinked away the moisture gathering in her eyes. She was so happy for Kuu that he finally got that ride he always wanted with his son. Ren smiled appreciatively, but Julie was sure it would fade once he saw the special.

"Do you think Yuki would like to join us?" Kuu asked, addressing Ren.

"It seems he has other plans. We'll see him tonight," Ren assured Kuu.

"I hope his plans don't include work," Julie joked.

"I hope so too," Ren responded quietly. "I told him he could call anytime if he changes his mind or needs recommendations."

"That's good. Then I guess we'll leave you, ladies, to it," Kuu resigned. He strapped Kyoko's helmet to the backseat and put his back on.

Kyoko stepped up to Ren, gave him a lecture to be safe, and kissed him goodbye. Before Kuu flipped down his visor, Julie came close and whispered, "take care of our baby."

Kuu gave a thumbs up and blew her a kiss. The men started the engines and drove away, disappearing into the trees.

Julie walked arm in arm with Kyoko as the sound of the motorcycles began to fade. "Sweetie, I have to warn you about something," Julie began seriously. Kyoko stopped in her tracks and focused doe-eyes on her.

"It's nothing bad," Julie assured her. "You just need to prepare yourself for raging fanatics...I wasn't the only one excited about your pending arrival, especially after your phenomenal performance last night. Your song made me laugh, and cry, you know. Thank you for loving him," she said, leaning in close to whisper the last line. Kyoko smiled in reply.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Julie," Kyoko dug frantically in her purse, fishing out a small pack of tissues.

"Thank you." Julie took a tissue from the pack and dabbed at the outer corner of her eyes. "I can't ruin my make-up or we'll be here all day."

"You look beautiful," Kyoko complimented Julie's dress. "It would have been nice if the president used such a safer shade of pink for the LoveMe uniforms."

"Maybe together, we can save future members from suffering such a horrible fate," Julie offered. She owed that kidnapper a good thrashing, so why not add his abuse of young women with such an abominable work uniform to the list.

"Sorry for the interruption, everyone. I'd like you all to meet this young lady that's practically like a daughter to me. Kyoko, meet everyone."

Her quiet colleagues erupted like a volcano with demands for autographs, selfies, and answers to personal questions. She felt the shockwave ripple through her daughter as they tried to get closer to her. She did warn her, but she wasn't expecting a stampede.

Knowing Kyoko's sweet nature, Julie vowed to be the mama bear she needed. "Stop!" Julie shouted, holding her hands out to the half a dozen or so people in front of them. "Kyoko is here to observe, not to be harassed. I ask that you all respect her boundaries." With that warning, they all settled down and backed away. "Now, we still have work to do."

The group dispersed with a grumble.

"That was scarier than I thought," Julie confessed. "They're a good group. They just got overly excited. You're like an exotic new animal to them. If anyone bothers you, tell me, okay? I won't let anything happen to you."

"Okay," Kyoko replied shyly.

"Let me introduce you to the designer," Julie grabbed her hand and guided her up to the house.

…

Kyoko finally took a good look at her surroundings between waving and saying hello to people as they passed by. They were deep in the woods surrounded by nature. On the drive up she had wondered where Kuu was taking them. The winding deserted road reminded her of the Hizuris home and now she knew why.

"It's a chalet," Julie commented. "Do you like it?"

Kyoko nodded dumbly as she gaped at the large house nestled into the trees. The bottom floor was made out of stone surrounded by large wooden posts that appeared to hold up the second-floor balcony spanning the entirety of the house. It had a tall sloping roof and large bay windows on the front wall. It looked like a mansion in the form of a log cabin. She couldn't wait to see the inside.

"We were shooting on the stairs," Julie explained. Her mother-in-law brought her directly to a pair of women standing at the bottom of the wooden staircase that led from the ground to the balcony. Kyoko could only deduce that the woman in jeans and a plaid button-down holding the camera was the photographer leaving the other impeccably dressed woman in a black turtleneck poncho and suede ankle boots as the designer.

"Francesca, Capri, this is Kyoko," Julie proudly announced to the ladies.

"So lovely to finally meet you." Francesca greeted her with quick pecks to Kyoko's cheeks.

"You caused quite a commotion with such a grand entrance," Capri stated.

"I'm sorry," Kyoko cried and dropped down into a bow.

"Don't worry about it. It's a nice day for a ride so I can't blame them," the photographer said. She turned to Julie and asked, "Are we ready to continue so we can move on to the surprise?"

"Yes, please," Julie clapped joyously. Kyoko eyed her mother-in-law. "Don't give me that look, young lady. You won't get any hints out of me."

Kyoko shook her head at the matriarch of the Hizuri family. She was just as bad as her husband and son.

"Give me a minute," Julie told Capri.

"Kyoko, this is Moira, my assistant for the shoot. If you need anything, MoMo is your girl. She's an aspiring model too," Julie added, introducing her to a tall beautiful young lady with short curly black hair and freckles that splayed across the bridge of her nose and sharp cheekbones.

"Hi, Kyoko. If you have any questions or need anything please don't hesitate to ask. Julie has been raving about you all morning that I couldn't wait to meet you. I feel like I know so much about you already!"

She blushed and thanked the other model. Julie left her with Moira and went back to Capri.

"Are you modeling today, too?" Kyoko asked, trying to make conversation while they waited for Julie to start.

"Oh no, I'm just a gopher today. My uncle," Moira pointed to a man with tanned skin and lavender hair, "got me this gig."

Kindred spirit!

"He believes in broadening my education in all aspects of the fashion industry so no job is beneath me. I still have a long way to go to get my name out there. I see this as an opportunity to network. This business is all about who you know, right." Moira finished with a wink.

Moira seemed to be the Hollywood equivalent of a member in the LoveMe section. Lucky for her she didn't have to wear awful coveralls.

"I understand what you mean. I was Kuu's assistant when he came to Japan for a movie promo. That's how I met him. I had to cook for him."

"Really!" Moira laughed. "Rumor has it, Kuu has a tremendous appetite."

Kyoko nodded. "It's true. I learned his preferences immediately. Each meal I made could have served at least ten adults with a healthy appetite."

She had Moira laughing harder with that bit of information.

"You wouldn't happen to have a thing for older men, would you?" Moira joked and laughed again.

Kyoko laughed it off, but her grudges sensed the underlying hostility in her joke. What did I do wrong?

Moira stopped laughing and stared at her expectantly.

"And if I do?" Kyoko challenged, stepping to the model that stood nearly six-inches taller than her.

"I like you. You're spunky. Come on let's get closer so we can learn all of Julie's secrets to immortality."

Kyoko's excitement to watch Julie outweighed whatever drama Moira had tried to start. She was aware of what some of the fan chatter was saying in regards to her closeness to Kuu. It dawned her that the innocent bike ride she shared with Kuu would probably stir up more unwanted gossip. She would address it later if things become out of hand. It would shock many once they learned the truth about the depth of her relationship to the Hizuris. I need to work harder so I can be worthy of being a part of this family.

Kyoko decided to stay close to Moira in case the assistant decided to start any more funny business.

"I recommend you use your cell phone to record. You can study how Julie responds to the photographer's commands later," Moira suggested, her phone already in position.

"Thank you," Kyoko replied, and quickly pulled out her smartphone from her purse. She would have never thought of the idea herself. If only she had used it on Kuu's set, she could have gleaned some tips from the actor's performance. Kyoko held her phone up in front of her poised to hit the record button. Her future mother- in -law had already taught her so much about modeling on the catwalk and now she was about to witness how the supermodel worked an editorial fashion shoot.

Julie resumed her position on the sixth step from the bottom. It was only when the designer's assistant arranged her dress and adjusted the large floppy hat to cover part of her face that Kyoko noticed the gown resembled a flower. Not only the color but the short layered skirts combined with the long tulle train reminded her of the actual Fuschia flower.

The phone in her hand kept dropping as Kyoko became engrossed with Julie's shoot. She was too busy watching with her eyes and paying little attention to where her phone was pointing. Julie was a professional. Any small direction issued from Capri was executed flawlessly. It was like watching a slow intricate dance. The subtle movements of her limbs were hardly noticeable yet made a world of difference to the pose. Kyoko was surprised she had not swallowed a fly with how many times she found her jaw hanging open. The supermodel knew how to work every inch of her body, from her head to her toes to showcase the garment and accessories to its perfection.

The shoot continued this way with every change of garment and location around the chalet. Julie was a chameleon that could adapt to any outfit. Kyoko was truly impressed when Julie walked out of the dressing room in a voluminous red dress that gathered under her chin and draped over her shoulders, trapping her arms in the fabric and stopping high on her thighs. The wavy layered material down the front told Kyoko that this dress resembled a rosebud waiting to bloom. The dress on Julie only managed to emphasize the eternal beauty of her boyfriend's mother and the never-ending length of her shapely legs.

"God, I hope I'm that hot when I'm her age," Moira whispered beside her. Kyoko nodded in agreement enthusiastically. The forty-year-old actress and supermodel could pass for a woman in her twenties.

The rosebud dress was the final outfit in the collection. It was wonderful to see the floral inspiration in all of Francesca's designs. Thanks to the wild bouquets Kyoko had received from her boyfriend, she recognized each flower dress instantly. It was the perfect theme for a spring/summer collection.

"That's a wrap everyone," Capri announced to the group. "Please start packing all the equipment we don't need for round two."

After checking in with the designer and photographer, Julie called out to her excitedly, "Kyoko, come with me." She followed the bouncing red bulb up the steep wooden stairs and into the house. The inside of the chalet was warm and inviting with its large stone fireplace in the main living room and natural wood walls throughout. Kyoko could imagine the Hizuris at home in such a cozy place during the winter season.

She continued to follow Julie into one of the spare rooms being used as a home base for the clothing. Julie made a beeline for a rack and held up a long flowy cream-colored gown with tiny pink flowers embroidered on it. It was strapless with a sweetheart neckline and had sleeves that left her shoulders bare. Kyoko stepped forward and touched the soft sheer material.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes, it's very pretty."

"I'm glad. Francesca designed it with you in mind."

Kyoko gulped. It checked all the boxes in her princess fantasy and it was a custom designer dress. She could only imagine the cost of such a thing.

"I know it's very selfish of me, but I hope you say yes. Would you mind having a mother-daughter photoshoot with me?"

"With me?" Kyoko squeaked.

"Yes, silly, you're my only daughter. It's something I've been wanting to do with you since Kuu told me about you...we'll match too," she added pulling another gown from the rack. Julie's dress was of the same material but sleeveless with thin straps and a square neckline.

"What do you say?" Julie's dazzling green eyes took on the soft look of a begging puppy. These Hizuris tended to play unfair.

Kyoko would have never denied her mother-in-law. It was a dream come true for her to be unconditionally loved and wanted like a true daughter. In her own way, Saena was doing her best to make amends. Kyoko respected her for trying, but her mother and Julie were polar opposites. Saena wouldn't be caught dead in the middle of the woods wearing something impractical for the sake of a photo; however, it was enough for Kyoko that Saena acknowledged her.

"You look like a beautiful wood nymph," Julie cooed as they walked through the forest.

Julie looked regal in her soft flowing dress and floral crown adorning her golden tresses. Kyoko giggled as her mind raced off to LaLa Land, imagining she was out for a walk in the Faerie Kingdom with the Queen herself.

"Are you cold," Julie asked, tucking a lock of hair behind Kyoko's ear.

Kyoko shook her head. She was too excited to feel cold. If anything, Julie should have been the one feeling cold. She had spent the last two hours working in this weather. From what Kyoko saw during the shoot, she didn't give off the slightest notion that she was affected by the weather.

"I'm fine, how about you? Some of the dresses earlier were thin." The temperature had to be in the low fifties at this elevation in the woods.

Julie's melodious laughter cut through the quiet. "Oh, this weather is almost stifling with the blood in my veins. When you've been in this business for decades, your mind makes your body immune to temperatures."

"Amazing," Kyoko replied in awe. Kuon seemed to have achieved the same skill.

"Okay ladies," Capri called loudly. "This is it."

Kyoko noticed that this part of the forest had a break in the trees where a small stream trickled by, letting the sun's rays peek through the canopy like a natural spotlight.

"If I could get you, two mythical creatures, to stand right there I think the result would be magical."

The veteran supermodel and the young newbie played off each other's energy changing their poses slightly without direction. The admiration the daughter held for her mother translated on film as the light caught the amber flecks in those large irises and the adoration the mother had for her child was evident in the softness of her emerald orbs. No one spoke, not even Capri. She let the ladies respond to each other naturally and caught it all on film.

Overall, the mother-daughter shoot was a huge success when they reviewed the footage. Capri was so inspired by the immortal beings that she took well over two hundred photos, including action shots of the models frolicking along the stream with laughter on their faces and their flowing hair and billowing skirts caught in the wind.

Kyoko's playfulness had brought out the fountain of youth in the supermodel, making Julie appear twenty years younger in every photo without a touch-up. Both mother and daughter would refer to this fashion shoot fondly and proudly show off a select few of their favorite photos to anyone willing or unwilling to see.

Tina scooped up her hair and twisted, knotting it into a messy bun on the crown of her head. She picked up her steaming mug of coffee and curled up on her couch. It was late morning when she woke up after a long night spent talking with Damian in the car. Yes, just talking. He had refused her offer to come inside, agreeing to take things slow after Tina admitted out loud to having romantic feelings for him.

Since she wasn't meeting Kyoko and Julie for a couple of hours, Tina decided she had postponed the inevitable for long enough. She sighed anxiously and surveyed the living room of her apartment over the rim of her cup. It was the same one she shared with Rick when he was still alive. The place had a more feminine touch now that she had been living alone for years, but traces of him still remained. She couldn't decide where to start until her eyes landed on the record player. Music? Having music playing was always a good idea when cleaning. Tina set her mug on the coffee table and sat cross-legged on the floor sifting through their crate of records. Rick preferred to collect the vinyl of his favorite bands. There was a memory of him attached to every album in the stack: some happy and some sad.

Tina decided on one with a happier memory. She lifted the cover from the player, slipped the record out of its case, and on to the turntable. Turning the volume knob to power it on, she verified the speed was on 33 and lifted the needle off its cradle. She consulted the album cover for the song number and steered the needle to hover above the thick indentation before the song she wanted. Remembering the little trick Rick had for their aging player, she hit the switch to lower the needle and quickly placed a quarter on top of it. The weight of the coin would keep the needle from skipping.

Tina bobbed her head and swayed her arms to the beat. The velvety voice of the female vocalist filled her quiet apartment. "She moves like she don't care, Smooth as silk, cool as air, Ooh, it makes you wanna cry…"

When the chorus came on Tina improvised the way Rick always did and sang along, "Christina, You've gotta see her, Go insane and out of your mind. Latina, Ave Christina, A million and one candle lights…" She remembered how much fun he had covering the song when it was re-released. It was only in private that he switched the name to hers.

While singing, her eyes fell on the pair of boots she pathetically kept by the door. They were his favorite pair. There were things from their life together that she remembered like it was yesterday, but now, she could vaguely recall the way he used to kick them off when he got home. The apartment was still filled with things that he used to favor. The things she couldn't let go of at the time.

Tina walked over to the door, picked up the worn boots, and hugged it to her chest one last time. As if saying goodbye to an old friend, she placed them in one of the boxes she had laying around in the room. Keeping his stuff around had made her feel a little less lonely, but it wasn't fair to her. She needed to let him go. After packing away that first item, the rest that followed was much easier. Looking at the two half-empty boxes, she realized there was less of Rick laying around the apartment than she thought. She packed away all their couple photos but left those that included them or him with Kuon on display. The clothing she still had in the closet went into the donate box with the boots. She was going through his accessories when she remembered the most important one hanging around her neck; the solitaire engagement ring he had given her only months before his accident. She couldn't bring herself to part with it just yet.

Tina was moving the box to go to charity by the door when her phone rang. She rushed to the bedroom to answer it. The caller ID told her it was from Damian. Quickly, she straightened the oversize sweater she wore and glanced at her reflection in the mirror before answering the phone as if he could see her.

"Good morning," Tina answered breathlessly.

"Good morning," Damian replied happily. "Did I catch you at a bad time? I know you said you had plans with Kyoko, but there's something important I need to talk to you about."

The seriousness in his voice made Tina's heart sink. Did he change his mind? Is he already dumping me? Tina's mind raced into self-preservation mode. It was for the best that this happened now before her heart became too emotionally invested.

"Damian, if you want out, I understand…" she began.

"No, no, stop," he interrupted. "This isn't about us. It's about Kyoko. I don't know how to word this delicately but um...well...you see..."

"Spit it out, Damian! What about Kyoko?" Tina demanded angrily.

She heard Damian sigh loudly. It must have been really bad if he was struggling to share it with her. "You remember the security cameras around the bar."

"Yeah…" Tina replied, recalling the monitors in his office.

"Well, I think I just discovered a sex tape of your friends."

"What?!" Tina gasped.

AN: Bwahahaha! I'm ridiculous, but thanks for always putting up with me. This was pretty much a filler chapter. I just wanted to selfishly write that Kuon could 'pop a wheelie' on his bike, show off Daddy Kuu, and get some KyoJulie time in there. Then there's the tape, you know I had to XD. I hope you guys enjoyed it.

Thank you for continuing to read and I appreciated all the reviews from the last chapter.

The song Tina played was "Maria" by Blondie. I thought I'd show off my old age by using my limited knowledge as a once record player owner.

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^