Chapter 35

I do not own skip beat! Yoshiki Nakamura does.

Return part 3

Kyoko had barely reached the living room when a shout at the other end of the hall rang. A screeching scream followed and startled Kyoko put down the cat's crate when she heard the whining of Snow then she swung on her feet to look to the way of the sounds. She had barely the time to blink that something or rather a little someone crashed into her sending Kyoko to the ground with her.

"Onee-sama!" a voice came out from the bundle of curls squashing her in a tight hug.

After the few seconds of hesitation Kyoko took to recognize the person crushing her, she chuckled and gaze with softness at the form in her arms.

"Hi Maria-chan" greeted Kyoko as she observed the girl. Or maybe should say the young teenager now. At the age of 13 years old, she was no longer a little girl. And Kyoko could see it. Forms had slowly started to appear and her clothing style had changed a bit. Although it always seemed of the same brand, there was more black and less lace and ribbons. Her hair had also grew a lot and Maria seemed to be keeping them in a ponytail.

Kyoko softly pet her hair and tried to get the attention of Maria.

"I'm glad to see you again but could you let me go" she said with a little chuckle when Maria shook her head against her belly.

She gave up. She didn't mind it that much and she had missed Maria too. She embraced her in her arms and waited the girl settled down. Her cries eventually subdued and she pushed back from Kyoko an inch.

The girl blinked away her tears and with each blink her eyes grew in confusion and shock. She stared at her face and lower and lower. She stood abruptly and pulled Kyoko on her knees rather than on her butt. Then she looked her up and down again.

She tilted her head and bite her lips, scrunching her brows in deep concentration.

"Onee-sama?" she asked like a question.

"Yes?" said Kyoko, puzzled.

"Is that really you?" the girl questioned.

"Hmm..yes?" she answered.

The girl observed her meticulously again and Kyoko brushed her hair away of her face, a bit awkward.

"You're so tall!"

Maria run the tips of her fingers in the ends of her hair, dazzled.

"Your hairs are unbelievably long! They even reach the low of your back!" The girl exclaimed, circling around Kyoko, completely excited.

Kyoko still kneeling, caught the girl by the shoulders to prevent her from moving around so much. A thing that didn't change from the past.

She smiled at Maria.

"Is it upsetting?" she asked to Maria.

Startled, the girl looked at Kyoko in utter shock.

"Of course not. You're beautiful" She vehemently said.

"Thank you Maria" she said humbly, feeling grateful for the compliment but not sure she herself felt that way.

"And to answer your question, I just grew up" In front of the frowning girl Kyoko corrected. "Okay, I grew a lot, I would agree. But I couldn't stay a little girl all my life now, could I?" Kyoko proposed with a grin.

Maria chuckled and nodded.

"But it's still amazing that you grew so much. Japanese people don't' usually" Maria said, muzzling over this fact in wonder.

"I know, Kyoko said and taking a conspirator tone she whispered: "Sometimes I still wonder what Americans put in their food because I grew"

Maria giggled and Kyoko stood back pulling the girl up with her.

Not far away, looking at them with adoration and a touch of surprise, Lory chuckled.

My my my…What have we there? He thought, a smirk forming and his eyes turned glossy with delight in the expectation of the future to come. Things were going to be so interesting for now on. How did she even changed so much, he wondered. He was used to the unexpected from her and would dare to say from actors in general. But this.

This was something else altogether.

Some would say it was a change. Some would say it was merely adulthood. Others would claim it was a fake.

More than a shifted, more than a grow. A wonderful grows into an even majestic butterfly.

But before anything else, it was an affirmation. The most incredible and beautiful yet simple of affirmation.

She knew who she was.

This young woman now knew who she was. What she liked, what was her strengths, her desires, her dreams. She knew herself. What she stood for and not. And that made more her more confident and relaxed than anything else could have done.

He could still see the scars of her hard childhood and past. He could the marks it had kept on her. But it could also see how strong it had made her.

In the simple manners she looked tenderly at Maria and indulged her. In the brief tension that passed over her when Maria complimented her appearance and her way of brushing it away herself didn't believe it. Even, like it was painful to hear compliments.

It was indeed their Mogami-kun.

Her past had made her that way. Her past had rendered impossible for her to imagine to be able to find herself beautiful and if Lory was to dare a wild guess, he would even say that it had made her impossible to think herself lovable.

When he looked at her right now though, it wasn't weakness he saw. This past had did this, had forged her that way but it was also what made her so unique. Why even after such a transformation, such a humble view could still be found in her at all time. And why a grace far more precious than any appearance was present in her.

Because, and it was one of the saddest part of life for Lory, the most loving and caring people had often to suffer to become who they are. Such a person without the burden of pain as an experience of life could not comprehend the true value of a caring heart, could never understand the pain of another as good as one who already suffered. It was the shackles of the compassionates ones, to feel and understand because of your own scars.

Lory knew a few people without this painful pre-requirement might exist but he had yet to meet them. Each and every single time he found a caring soul, this person had suffered more it should ever be permit. It had been true for Kyoko. It had been true for Kuon. Hell, even Kuu had his lot.

But even through the thorns of everything, these people were fighters. Natural fighters of the life. What was standing against was the absolute proof of that.

Because, yes she had suffered, yes some scars would always make it difficult for her to see her won beauty but right now she had transformed those weaknesses in forces. He could see that Mogami-kun was stronger than ever. More importantly she owned those scars. She wasn't completely as unconscious of them as before.

Just a few meters away but he could still see it.

Even just a little. Just a little bit. But she had acquired the awareness. The vague acquaintance of her distorted esteem of herself. She couldn't change it Lory supposed. It was due to some deep rooted scars he didn't even know, something engraved as a child wasn't something you could change easily. But she didn't admit defeat in the time spent away. Lory had heard from the international branch a part of what she did, keeping his distances most of the times unless she ask for anything but hoping for the best and keeping an eye on her from afar. And he had been right. Because, she had made the most courageous choice possible.

Rather than trying to change what couldn't be, which was highly impossible without…well he knew what- she had decided to own it instead.

Sometimes, Lory was really glad he was so perceptive of things. He could have missed it. Without his experience and acute eye…It's not like she would have ever tell him. She maybe wasn't even completely conscious of all the changes. So he was really glad he could be the secret witness of what he really had in front of the eyes. Others would understand over time.

He couldn't have been prouder.

And if the transformation was as phenomenal in her acting than in her mental. His chest swelled with impatience and thrills.

He saw an enraged black-haired young woman rushing furiously past him to go straight to Mogami-kun and his granddaughter when a thought struck him suddenly and he bent over silently, trying to overcome his shakes. Tears broke at the corners of his eyes while infinite scenes begun to form in his mind.

The poor poor boy…

He doesn't stand a chance…

And for the first time Lory thought he pitied him a bit.

And it was at that moment feet surged from the opposite hall turning the corner to reach the little opened waiting room. Lory was glad it was not a closed space and merely an all open place where were put some couches but from where you could see the others floors down from the handrail. It would make such a mesmerizing scene for a drama. He smiled and let his back rest on the wall staying concealed in the background to enjoy to its fullest what was about to unfold.

His hand moved without him really noticing and grabbed his phone making a call to someone who will be very interested having actors.

"Hi Shingai, greeted Lory, neh you're still looking for an actor for your new movie?"

"Yes. Why? Do you have someone in mind?" echoed in the phone.

"Take Ren"

"…"

"Come on"

"Did he ask you to do that?"

Lory snorted.

"He would never do that"

There was a big sigh at the other side of the line.

"Lory, he's clouding around. I don't know what happened but the man is barely a shadow when he's not acting. It's a cheerful role. Or at least, an energetic one. He can't pull it off in his state"

"And if I say his gloominess might be replaced by unsettlement, maybe even excitement in like less than a few minutes. Definitely not clouding around at least, then?" Asked Lory.

"I might consider it"

"Good. And you will have finished fighting over your other problem and resolute yourself to accept it doesn't work, call me back"

He cut the conversation.

..

PS: Yes I know, I'm leaving you there, sorry not sorry. It seemed like a good place to stop the chapter. I will post next shortly after, it's already written.

Hope you will like this one.

Kisses.

Reviews are food for writers, feed me!

Author out.