CHAPTER 115

I do not own Skip Beat! Yoshiki Nakamura does.

~~Magical Summer trip ~~

~~ part 20~~

~~The echo of the old times carving a new present for an enchanted future~~

Part 2

Her legs neatly crossed above one another, she swallowed a few relieving gulps of fresh water from the little bottle, emptying it, as her sight glided over, her eyes eagerly following their every move. Tones of voices full of sparkles, feet scrunching eagerly as they ran, an alive ball bouncing to no end; an image that tingled her mesmerized gaze. The resonance of the two men's laughs in par with their carefree smiles. And as her own one split her face in two, the old bench creaked as she tilted forward, not wanting to miss a thing.

What was this feeling?

This irrepressible desire.

For each taunt, each childish behaviour, each snort; she felt her feeling rise to a higher level. The honest fun they incarnated… As if they had sheathed a coat, they had thought would not fit in the present, but glimmered anew the moment they blew once on the dust of wounds that need not to be, anymore.

Her heart kept accelerating with each nuances she thought she would never be the witness of.

Those expressions. His expression. She had never wished more she had been there to see his childhood years, and never felt more the notes of it could still be seen, than in this instant.

A rekindled innocence enchanted his face, no, his whole endeavour, painted with a breezy disbelief that kept popping with serene bubbles of gaiety.

She wasn't sure she had ever seen him so insouciantly content.

She could have watched him play with his father every day, if only to be able to continue to see them be their cheerful relaxed selves.

She pulled her polaroid without thinking, and was barely finishing to push the button when the crystalline voice of Julie-san brought her back from her stunned reverie. She turned to see the bright woman's stare glued to the court as hers had been, though Ren's mum had unshed tears as she looked at them. Kyoko stuffed back her device, not sure if she had seen it, but hoping she hadn't looked her way.

"I still can't quite believe it," Julie-san said, and that's when it occurred to Kyoko she must have said roughly the same just before she could pay attention, "This is really happening. He is here, after all those years."She continued lower.

"I had started to despair that he would ever – ," she whispered before cutting short and Kyoko could hear the emotion and an old fear in her voice, "But now…" – she held back on her words – "They seem so untroubled and radiant, right now… As if the past had never happened, nearly."

She didn't know if Julie-san expected her to say something, didn't know what words she could say to a woman she barely knew. But Ren's mother continued and she missed the occasion.

"It feels like I'm able to see my cute boy once more… Before all those horrible things happened to him," she choked as she said this.

His mother crossed her arms around her, as if she was trying to hold herself together, and without ever letting her sight go astray from the court. For her part, Kyoko kept one eye on her and one on the court. She didn't want to miss anything but this was important.

She saw Julie-san took a huge inspiration.

"It is like the fun is finally back inside of my Kuon. It is my boy but, adult." She added and she looked sad and content both at the same time, "Stronger, more solid."

The mixed of feelings could be perceived in her voice, as she pursued.

"I missed so much… And yet, I'm still so happy he is finally here."

No word could have helped, she knew, so she tried to reply as genuinely and softly as possible.

"It must have been very hard for both of you."

Ren's mother nodded, and Kyoko saw the moment she succeeded in collecting herself.

"It was," she said, calmer, "I just wished we had known… That we had done better, that – "

Kyoko coughed just Ren landed a basket, and she cheered briefly, before turning to his mum. His mother pivoted too, to face her, having caught her earlier attempt.

"I don't want to presume," she started, "but – , … I think you did your best." She saw the deep frown of disagreement forming on Julie-san's face, and smiled a little. They were definitely the same.

"I know it runs in the family, but please don't blame yourself, I'm sure your son wouldn't want you to," she added, and a tiny smile bloomed on his mother's face.

"Ren, Kuon, ugh, I don't – "

Chuckling for real this time, though it was small, Julie-san cut her with a wave of the hand.

"You can call him Ren, both me and Kuu won't mind, don't worry."

Kyoko gave a grateful nod, glad she wouldn't have to mind that, because she was not sure she could have avoided it fully, even if she had tried.

"Ren then," she resumed, "He wasn't, still often isn't, the kind to share his troubles, or want to burden others, especially his parents," she added.

"But – "

"I'm not sure he would have told any of you, even if you had insisted, or suspected something bigger at play," Kyoko added, cutting in. "He had told you as much. He was far too afraid to disappoint and trouble you."

His mum shook her head unhappily.

"But we could have tried to pick on something. Just try, try better."

"If he had been even a tenth as sneaky as he is as the man I know now, it would have been hard, though," she noted with a grin to Ren's mum.

In response, Julie-san chuckled with a sigh.

"That bad, huh."

Kyoko nodded vigorously, huffing. Then she gave a comprehensive smile. "And just because you did not know everything doesn't mean your love for your son was lesser, right?"

"Obviously!"Julie protested like she was suspecting her of the worst infamy, and Kyoko couldn't help but laugh.

A resigned, though more appeased, sigh escaped her bench's companion shortly after, and she hesitated for a little while. She had pondered sharing her opinion in this. How she thought that – despite how outraging and horrible and unfair it had been – , she was sure the hardships Ren had been through, had played a part in forging the man he was today. And that, maybe, he could have not been as radiant and strong as he was now, had he not gone through all this. Even though Kyoko still thought it was properly disloyal, life had to play out in a way bad experiences could help humans and turned them stronger, even when they put all of them all in a miserable place and were so terrible to live on the moment.

She refrained to say it, however.

It had been one thing when Ren – as Corn years ago but, as Ren too recently – , had been able to understand what she meant when she said she wouldn't be the person she was if she hadn't lived what she went through. But it was another thing altogether to tell it to the most loving parents she knew, just after they had discovered the horrors their son had gone through, unknowingly to them, when he was young.

It was easier to accept for yourself than for people you cared about, in her mind. And even as she believed in this, she couldn't totally help her rage or her feeling of unfairness when she thought about what Ren had gone through. So, she couldn't imagine how his parents would be able to. Not for a while, at least.

Julie-san pulled her out of her thought when she spoke again.

"Thank you, Kyoko-chan."

There, they went again. That family, seriously. She opened her mouth to protest but was cut as Ren's mum continued.

"I feel better, thanks to you. But most of all, I know what a huge part you were in him coming, and I don't think you realize how much that means to us."

"I'm just the 'in-case' emotional support, Julie-san." She smiled after shaking her head. "He did most of it by himself."

Ren's mum just smiled, her eyes shining her superior disagreement and an 'If-you-think-I'm-going-to-believe-that' stare.

"Are you rejecting my thanks, Kyoko-chan?"She asked with sad but slightly threatening eyes, and she felt that if she wanted to avoid her lie about 'pretend immunity' to this family cute-and-begging-gazes being discovered, she needed to back off right away. She had forgotten who she was talking to, for a second. But the highly perceptive expression of Julie reminded her.

"No, of course not."

She lifted her hands in surrender.

Julie smiled merrily as if the matter was closed.

"Good."

"I think I'm going to try to play with them again, if you don't mind," she said rising, and Kyoko admired the incredible catwalk gait of Julie-san as she walked to the court. She was reminded of Ren telling her of the most impressive walk of a female model he knew, and now, she was sure. It could only have been his mum.

Her thoughts stopped when she noticed what was happening.

"Buahahaha…"

She had to laugh. Based on her comprehension from her sitting position, it was clear his parents intended to play together against his son. Both of them guarding him from each side, arms rose, was a very clear indication.

Ren seemed to have come to the same conclusion as he sported an outraged expression at this arrangement, unable to move as he was. Kuu and Julie appeared to be quite joyous and proud of their idea.

She held her sides, trying to prevent more to come out when Ren shot her eyes. He had heard her. But his face was just too funny, and it only doubled her throttles. That was hardly fair but seeing that the game has started, he had apparently accepted those set of rules. Despite his amused indignation. The ball flew. Just rarely in his hands. Throws were shot, goals were made.

Kyoko had much merriment being the public of their game, and she pulled back her polaroid a couple of times to capture those hilariously priceless instants.

He had won against his dad, earlier.

This time, Ren lost. Dramatically so.

He could hardly touch the ball, however, so it was no wonder.

He came back to her twice as tired as his parents, and she gave him a bottle of water he greedily drank.

"Great work," she said, tone serious, but she was sure part of her mirth was still visible on her face. The corners of her lips kept tilting up, despite her efforts.

He sat down near her, leaning back on the bench.

"Unscrupulous parents."He grumbled, making her chuckle some more.

"You could have said no." She underlined merrily. "Despite how funny it was to watch."

He eyed from the side with a smile. "Yes, I noticed how gleeful you were of me falling for their sly ways." He finished his bottle before adding, "I could have. But they looked so damn happy about the whole thing, I gave up."

"Knowing full well you would lose."

He hummed in response.

His parents came back, all grins.

"We won," They said at the same time, clearly rubbing it in as they looked at their son.

Ren laughed.

"That, you did."

§§§

They spent some more time chatting, and eventually, all returned to prepare dinner, which would turn into supper as the whole afternoon came to pass before they got to it.

Currently sitting at the enormous table of the dining room – not quite as humongous as the living room but still impressive – , after being chastised for trying to help, Kyoko was observing with deep amusement as the plates and numerous dishes accumulated around dinnerware already set up. Only the glasses remained to be put, and Ren was bringing them in – he was allowed to help, him – and with other dishes. She idly wondered if they had cooked all of this by themselves in such a small amount of time.

She had had barely the time to peek into the kitchen – with her failed attempt in helping – , but the massive high-tech fully furnished setting had left her daze, which was the reason she had been so fully pushed back from it. If she hadn't been distracted, she would have managed to put a fight and sneak a couple of stuff to put on the table too!

Ren smiled at her as he put the last of it on the table, and sat besides her on the bench seat.

"Get used to it, you won't be able to do anything but be a guest while you are here," he said, having apparently read her thoughts. She wanted to argue this, but he had said it with such a confidence it made her doubt she'll find the occasion. She could try, however. She narrowed her eyes in challenge, making him snort softly but then she was distracted.

She couldn't help herself, she had to ask.

"Do they cook everything or – ?"

She let her sentence fall, waiting, and Ren shook his head with a smile.

"They have two cooks coming to help, usually. They prepare most of it in the secondary kitchen." Ren told her, before pointing at several meals. "In my memory, potato salad, pasta, other salads, lasagna, rice, miso soup, grilled fishes and sandwiches, as well several meals that can last several days – in theory – are always cooked and available at nearly all time."

"Two cooks…" she mumbled with awe. "All week?" she asked again.

He nodded, chuckling.

"Four on big occasions. But if nothing changed from how it was in the past, then two."

He pointed at the dishes again.

"One usually focuses on vegetables, the other on more consistent foods. And they share the prep work on any meat and fish, and desserts. Someone used to come to make special cocktails, and you can imagine we get deliveries for food every other days." He explained, giving her the details she didn't know she wanted, and giving her a knowing proud grin when he noticed how curious she was of all of it. How he had guessed she would want to know even more before she even thought about it was beyond her. "At least, it was like that when I was a kid and a teen."

She shook her head. How his parents' stomachs worked was truly unimaginable.

"This is…"

"Very odd, peculiar, supernatural?"

He proposed to her, lifting fingers as he gave options.

Kyoko grinned but wondered. She guessed their stomachs were all of that but none of the term totally fit her imagery. It felt more special than that to her. More like cute and unexplainable.

"Kinda magic…"She whispered out without realizing but her bench companion caught it.

"Ahhh."

There was a snort then a short pause. And then.

"I have just the term that will fit your mental image."

Ren said, snapping his fingers and waiting until she looked at him to continue, he leaned to her as if to whisper a secret.

"Magically mysterious."

"Yes, that!"

Her spontaneous response came before she could think, and a blush coloured her face next instant as he laughed.

His parents came with the final dishes as Ren's throttle ended. As they settled on the chairs opposite to them, Kuu asked what was so funny.

"Kyoko's amazement and view on your gigantic stomach capabilities." Ren replied and she pinched him. He didn't have to say it. He just grinned at her and they missed the way both Julie and Kuu's eyes swam with shiny glint.

"Please tell us."

She tried to place a hand on his mouth to make him shut up but he was already saying it.

Julie eyes danced with merriment while Kuu laughed.

"That is one of the nicest things someone used to comment on it."

"Without even emphasizing on the ones disgusted," Kuu said with such a non-bothered honesty, Kyoko could only guess he was long past used to it.

She attempted to say Ren was the one to come up with it, even though it fit her view but –

"Ren was the one to come up with it!"

"I only named what was written all over your face." He countered.

It failed phenomenally. Kyoko sighed audibly and the whole Hizuri family laughed. She guessed she should resign herself to be tickled funny by all three of them, if his parents were only a smidgen as their son.

Meal began without more preamble than a quick 'Itadakimasu' that felt quite nostalgic and brought more family vibe than ever in her heart. A warmth settled inside at the thought, Kuu-san would have brought so much of his native country in his home. But it felt oddly organic, so natural she wouldn't have noticed had she not been acutely tuned on her surroundings and the people she was with at the moment.

She had barely swallowed two spoons of soup and a few steamed beans that she came to an abrupt stop, transfixed, another bean halfway to her mouth. She could not help herself. She had to admire it. Had to observe it, memorize it. It was just so incredibly funny. She would have pushed her own food in front of them so the spectacle could last longer. The magical qualities of syphoning meals in such quantity and at such a speed were too much of an extraordinary show to pass up.

She placed back her bean on her plate.

Barely fifteen minutes had passed and two third of the food had vanished. She looked to the side to see Ren watching her with amusement, and she ignored his grin to stare his still barely touched full plate. She pondered on the wonder of Ren's existence with such parents.

Ren was apparently following where her thoughts went when he commented, pointing at himself and grinning.

"I know I'm the alien here."

Kuu-san smiled and nodded as a bowl of rice disappeared, and Julie-san giggled between munching on her fifth plate of vegetables.

"We really don't know how it happened," Kuu said with such a sorry expression that his son 'Oi' him.

"Yeah…"

She said it with such an 'obviously, what happened with you' tone, Ren snorted at her.

"It isn't a crime to have a small appetite," He protested, acting affronted.

She shook her head. It wasn't.

"Indeed. I just wonder how you came to be." She stated and she saw the moment a dire glint appeared in Ren's making her very aware she was going to regret her former words.

"Should I explain the bird and the bees to you?" He enquired, crossing his arms like he wondered how far she knew. It was such a blatant and merciless tease, especially in front of his parents, yet she could not help her blush and her groan.

"Shut up. You know it's not what I meant."

He didn't care one way or another, and his proud grin was proof enough he would continue if she didn't cut it fast.

"I just wondered," she hurried to say, "do you have any ancestor that sustained themselves on mere air only, in the family?"

Ren's father groaned harshly as he started to shake between coughs – distracting her from getting a response – , and Kyoko worried he was not going to manage to swallow his mouthful, while Julie-san bloomed into a fit of giggles.

Kuu-san succeeded, eventually and joined Julie with the hard laughs.

"It would explain it," she justified seriously under their laughs but it only intensified them.

"I'm not surviving on only air." Ren protested, though some mirth at her words were present too. Under her dubious gaze, and the ones of his parents, he added, conceding defeat.

"Occasionally."

"When forced." His mum said.

"Only if you remember."His father concurred.

"Under supervision."Kyoko finished. All three, dead serious.

"Hey!" Ren protested, and he squinted his eyes at every one of them. Silence held for no more than two seconds before they all turned to titters.

"I guessed I won't ever escape the poking on this aspect," Ren said when they calmed down and finished their meal.

"Nope." Kyoko said with finality.

"As much as we won't ever for the opposite."

She saw that made him paled visibly at the comparison, and wondered if his parents were teased that often about their meal habits.

§§§

They talked for a while longer as they took dessert and cleaned the table. His parents asking about both their current acting roles and sharing what they were doing at the moment too. Kuu-san shared he was trying something different, and chose a movie where he had only a couple of action scenes to return to more emotional roots, and deeper into messages – rarer sometimes – rather than only fast pace plots and action. At least in movies. Shows had more liberties. And he kinda missed the subtleties Japanese loved to include in stories, sometimes. Julie-san said she was kinda the opposite and had wanted to challenge herself by choosing a movie where she played a crossed agent turned villain and was firm on trying the most stunts herself. This apparently surprised Ren.

"That's new. You didn't use to do that many stunts, right, Mum?"She smiled merrily as she nodded, and Kyoko could see it was both from the bliss of being called Mum again to him remembering.

"Yes. For a while, after your birth, I had to take it easy," she explained.

"I'm sorry," her son said contritely, all too ready to feel guilty, Kyoko knew.

"Don't you dare, Kuon." His mother said, and she felt glad his mum was cutting it in the bud before he could blame himself for more. "I would not do it any other way."

Ren nodded but he still looked half-convinced until she had.

"Plus, if I'm honest, it was only true until around your eight-year-old," she added, "but I had lost training and got scared for a little while before feeling like I could try it again."

"You? Scared?"Her son said, doubtfully.

If that weren't a clear sign of how high and unbeatable he saw his parents, Kyoko didn't know what would be one.

His mother laughed.

"Of course. I have many weaknesses." She said, and the ease with which she admitted it only made her look more confident, in fact.

"We are only human, son." Kuu concurred, amused at the scepticism still present on their son's face.

How cute Kyoko thought when the disbelief persisted on his face. Another glimpse of the little boy who had admired his parents since he was little. She could feel such a cosy feeling swelling, witnessing all this, having the chance to see so many new sides of him, and to watch them interact, to watch them reunited and happy. She could not believe the chance she had to be there, even briefly, with this amazing family. And the sweet affection she felt, they would willingly include her, and let her be with them threatened to engulf her with joy. She barely succeeded in controlling the tears that edged on falling when the emotion started to overflow inside of her.

Time passed as they talked, and the hour stretched into late evening, making her eventually ask to be reminded where the bathroom was.

Ren led her to it and warned her to not get lost as he bid her goodnight.

§§§

He returned to the kitchen, searching for his parents, only to find them in the living room, chilling. About to call out to them, he noticed the grim face of his mum and the drink his father was nursing. Their worn-out eyes tore guilt into his gut. They must have been more affected by the earlier conversation he had thoughts. The feeling of always troubling them was like an old cloth, used to the brim but still fitting.

"Dad, Mum, you okay?" He asked, and kinda startled, they pivoted. It was a stupid question, he knew. They wouldn't look like this if they were.

They smiled at him, however.

"We are."

His dad response was genuine despite the tiredness he emitted, and Ren frowned, earning a snort from his father.

He opened his mouth to apologize but his mother was quick to shake her head.

"We will be soon," his mother amended.

His dad looked to be searching for his words as he lifted a hand when he tried, unable to resist the compulsion, to apologize again.

"What you said today was really important to us, to understand you – what happened – … And it cleared many things that had remained in the shadows until now."

Pausing, he saw his dad hesitate before his next words.

"But it also brought upfront how much we missed to notice, how many times we failed to be there for you. As a parent."

Ren shook his head.

"That isn't true. You were busy and you did your best. You were always the best parents. It was mainly my stubbornness in not telling you and not wanting to trouble you. It was not your fault. Never."

He stared at his parents, making sure they looked toward him, hoping he would imprint the truth of his words in them.

"Never, Dad, Mum."

His mum turned away, a sorrowful frown marring her face and his father grimaced.

"Son, you might not blame us but we do. It was up to us to protect you."

"But I was – "

"We should have noticed Kuon." His mum said, shaking her head.

He closed up, sitting near her while his father sat on the other side. He took his mother's hands.

"Mum, I was trying my best to hide it from you, and you were both busy," he attempted again.

"Then, we should have slowed down."

It was his dad that replied.

"We should have slowed down until we would have seen and until you would have been unable to hide it from us."

His mother nodded to the hard words of his dad too, and he felt at a loss on how to avoid them to trap themselves into shame and guilt for something that had been his fault.

"That is not – "

"You were the kid, it should never have been your responsibility to bear. The way you had to assume yourself and shouldered everything was what was abnormal, Kuon."His mum cut and Kuu nodded.

"You would always have had the priority, had we realized. And it's not one project less or one role less that would have changed that.

Unable to find something that would help them, he grimly looked down, and rubbed his neck. Eventually, he spoke, the voice low but carried by the firm honesty of his past thoughts.

"I didn't want that. I didn't want any of you to have to give up on anything for me."

Choking, his mother gasped and dropped her head on his shoulder, hugging his waist.

"My sweet boy…"

He heard his father sigh and moved, and before he could see it, he had joined his other side and hugged his shoulder.

"It should not even have been one of your concerns, Son. That is really one of my biggest regrets."

He twisted back to cross his dad's gaze, questioning.

"You, forced to grow up way too fast, and unable to be simply a kid, for longer. All thanks to this glimmer world."

He wasn't sure he understood. He had been a kid up until a certain point. Sure, he had troubles when he was a teen and life was not always easy with his surroundings, and the way he was treated. But it wasn't like he hadn't had any childhood.

His confusion must have been apparent because his dad let out a toned down broken chuckle.

"Son, a child isn't supposed to wonder about troubling his parents or not. Certainly not at eight" – it came out in a grumpy fashion – , "not at ten, not even at twelve or even fifteen. In my opinion, children should always be able to count on their parents."

About to protest, his father lifted a hand at him, and smiled sheepishly.

"But if one were to insist I put a number, it would certainly not be under 20."

He furrowed his brows. That seemed very exaggerated.

"Isn't that too much?"He protested. "I mean, I know I had problems but in many ways, I was already able to handle myself."

Kuu lifted a finger, the expression bittersweet, and doing ah-ha laugh, and the fond look he gave him warmed his chest. Like when he was a kid, and his dad wanted to teach him something and he had just missed the most important part of the lesson, and he was about to patiently explain to him what had slipped his childish understanding.

"But that is precisely that, son. You had to handle certain situations, but it wasn't like it was a choice, or because you felt ready. Yes, you were rather mature for your age. But how much was brought by the events? And it doesn't change a thing, anyway. It was forced upon you."

He lifted another finger at him.

"Second, being able to handle yourself isn't the same as being fully okay and happy. And most importantly, our role is to be there for you, until you can be fully independent in all areas, not just several or just some. And until you are ready to take that step by yourself. Not because the circumstances imposed it to you."

"Right." Ren lamely said, feeling properly admonished, but finally getting where his dad had been going with this. And he couldn't counter his dad on this. Had he not lived through all this, he certainly might have remained innocent longer. But he also wouldn't have been who he was today, or had the fruits of those experiences he could apply in his roles. Or simply into helping him being a better human being. And he might not have met Kyoko. So, he couldn't say he regretted living any of this, anymore.

His mother pet his cheek, bringing his attention out of his thoughts and making him look at her.

"And until then, the care should have been from us to you, and never from you to us."

He understood what they were saying, he got it. Truly. But he didn't find it fair, not for them. And he could also see his parents were picking on his begrudging attitude, as he nodded dimly.

Still, he knew by the looks of their stern faces, when not to hope to change their minds, so he let it go.

"Yes, Mum, Dad."

They smiled, not fooled for a penny, he was sure.

He hugged them. To him, it didn't change a thing. Even if they were right.

"Just know I love you both."

They returned the hug and he felt his mother teared up. His dad caught his head before he could see what was coming, ruffling his hair.

"And we love you, Son. Very much."

They remained in each other arms for a little longer but when his mum started to yawn, he stood.

"I should let you go sleep."

Kuu nodded.

He wished them goodnight and peck his mum's cheek and was walking away when his dad called him.

"Would that be okay if we spend some time together tomorrow morning?"

He agreed, already looking forward to spend some time with his father.

"Do you have something in mind?"

His father smiled.

"I thought you could help me with something for a role."

Ren grinned back, feeling excitement burning to life again.

"Sure."

END OF CHAPTER.

Hello everyone, how are you all? I hope you had a very merry little Christmas with your family and your friends, or on your own, crushing the delights, the drinks, being all cosy, strolling through snow, and every little fun things. And if it wasn't possible, i hope you were at least able to relax a bit.

I had hoped to be able to post on Christmas but i couldn't. But there must be some leftovers from Christmas still in the fridge as I write this lines, so i'll consider it doesn't count.

I wish you all a great last week of 2023, and a Merry New Year, hoping for the best for all of you my awesome readers, for every friend, family, and person in the world. As we all deserve the best.

Let's have an incredible year full of joy, love, fun, creativity, abundance, care, and magic, everyone.

Kisses to you all, and see you soon, hopefully.

Mimagfan,

AUTHOR OUT.