Sho and Kyoko stared dumbly at the package before them as the box lid slid out of Kyoko's hands and bounced off the floor. The pair had met up for dinner in the main dining room and returned to the room to find a white gift box with a blue bow on their table with a card from his parents. Our gift to you. Best of Luck – Fuwas Staring down at its contents Kyoko and Sho dumbly faced each other before staring down at the box again.

"Is this what I think it is?" Kyoko whispered, afraid if she spoke too loud it'd disappear.

"I think so, but I don't understand" Sho replied, both equally dumbfounded as they continued to merely stare down at the signed contract in the box.

"It's not going to bite if that's what you're afraid of" Sho's mother called out quietly from behind them, lightly chuckling as she watched the pair jump and turn around. "Sho, your father would like to talk to you in the office if you don't mind."Nodding Sho walked to the door before turning to his mom, confused she wasn't following. "Oh no dear, just you. I'm going to have a chat with Kyoko-chan if that's alright." Nervousness radiated from him as he stared back at his mother's sweet smile while she ushered him out the door and closed it in his face.

Turning around Sho's mom beamed at Kyoko as she shuffled forward and sat down on the couch, motioning for Kyoko to join her. "Kyoko dear, I know it's been a long time since we've sat together like this, but I think it's time we should talk."

"Yes m'am." Kyoko replied as she sat and stared down at her hands, confused as to what was going on.

"We overheard your conversation earlier dear" His mother started, startling Kyoko as her head shot up, eyes bugging out of her head. "and I want to thank you." If Kyoko thought that gift was a surprise, it paled in comparison to the moment she was currently having.

"Why are you thanking me? I don't understand"

"You and I both know my son has always been very selfish and rarely thought of anyone else but himself, which is why he was so easy to take advantage of you." Raising her hand to stop Kyoko, Sho's mother continued. "It's our fault. We raised him as if he was a little prince and ignored how he was growing up feeling entitled. When he ran off with you it was only your letters that allowed us to know that our son was safe. I am so sorry for how things went with the two of you, I know your mother has never made your life easy and I know that we did little to make it easier on you, but to have him do that to you as well was the last straw for our coddling. We were willing to let him continue with his career because he has had so much success and truly loves what he does but when we saw him return with you, we assumed he had come back to demand whatever he wanted. We didn't mean to make things hard on you dear but we had to see if he had changed, and we were pleased to see that you've changed him" a sweet smile rested on his mother's face as she looked over at the young woman across from her. "You have changed quite a bit yourself, for the better I assure you."

"I haven't changed that much, I know I cut my hair off and dyed it but, I'm still just me." Kyoko replied, playing with her short hair nervously as she spoke.

"No my dear, you are much stronger and much more independent than you ever were with us. I am pleased by this and hope that whatever comes next will not destroy that independence"

"Whatever comes next?" Kyoko's brows furrowed as she tilted her head to the side in confusion

"You know as well as I that your mother is not one to be trifled with. While that paperwork will stop her from being able to sue the company, she will not cease to demand you to return."

A few tears began to well in Kyoko's eyes as she thought about the encounter to come.

"Oh sweetheart it won't be that bad to return, it'll just be for a few more years"

"Oh no!" Kyoko exclaimed, wiping her tears away as she reassured Sho's mother. "It's not that I don't want to come back, I loved my time here. It's just that I don't even know where to begin with my mother and I just don't want to give up."

"Then don't. You're strong and I know you and my Shoutaro will be able to figure something out to convince her"

At mention of Sho's name, more tears began to flood out of Kyoko's eyes.

"Oh Kyoko, what's wrong now" His mother chuckled as she reached a hand forward to place on Kyoko's shoulder.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do with anything anymore! I don't hate Sho anymore but "

"But you don't know if you can forgive yourself if you forgive him after what he's done?" Nodding dumbly, tears continued to fall down Kyoko's face as she tried to stop them. "Love is a fickle thing dear. You practically worshiped him before, then grew to despise him, and now you are working back to the relationship you had before, when you were here" Motioning around her she a chuckle escaped her mouth as she looked down at the pathetic expression on Kyoko's face. Handing her a handkerchief she continued, "No matter what happens from now on, you and Sho have a very strong bond and nothing can break that, even if you don't love him in return. The best relationship is one that starts with friendship. Your partner should be your best friend, your equal and someone you can count on. You and Sho never had that before, but you could have that now. I'm not telling you to forget everything that happened before, but don't let it cloud you from what could happen now."

The door slid open as the two women stared up at Sho standing in the doorway. "Oi, mom! Why is she crying?!" Sho exclaimed as he rushed into the room and knelt before Kyoko.

"Remember what I said dear" His mother replied as she stood and made her exit, closing the door quietly behind her.

"Hey, hey" Sho whispered quietly while he tried to calm her down and get her attention. "Come on now, what did she say to you to make you cry like this" Sitting down beside her Sho pulled against his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her, only causing her to cry harder. "Eesh, no. This isn't how this is supposed to work!"

Kyoko's tears started to slow as she chuckled at his flustered behavior. "Look at you all grown up" Kyoko teased as she looked up at him. "You used to stare at me like a useless deer in headlights when I cried, but here you are comforting me now."

"Yeah well I promised myself I'd caused enough tears and that I'd do everything I could to stop them from happening from now on" Sho replied, nervously scratching his nose as he blushed and looked away.

"Thanks" Kyoko replied with a smile as she allowed herself to nestle down against him, determined to take his mother's advice. Sho's blush deepened as he leaned back against the couch and held her tighter. A comfortable silence descended on the pair while they enjoyed each other's company, Sho becoming more comfortable with her while he absentmindedly began lightly rubbing her upper arm as he held her.

"So" Kyoko began, hesitant to break the silence, but curiosity getting the better of her. Sitting up slightly Kyoko stared up at Sho, her body still resting against his side. "What did your father want?" Sho instantly stiffened at the question, causing Kyoko to sit up completely and stare at him. "What did he say" She pushed, sitting upright on her knees on the couch. Looking away, Sho nervously attempted to find the right words to tell her as she pounced on him, shoving his upper back against the arm of the couch and she sat up on her knees, upper body hovering over him. "WHAT?!"

"Your mom will be here tomorrow" Sho mumbled out, squinting one eye in preparation as he did so.

"TOMORROW?! But how?! Why!?" Kyoko exclaimed as she jumped up, frantically pacing in the room.

"She knew we'd come and was trying to beat us here. She called my dad for a reservation when he told her that we were already here." Sho replied, jumping up to stop her pacing. Holding onto her shoulders he squatted down some to stare her eye to eye. "We will face her tomorrow and deal with whatever comes our way."

Nodding, Kyoko allowed a few tears to fall down her cheeks as fear overwhelmed her. Seeing her cry again, Sho stood up and pulled her to him. "I can't promise you that we can change her mind, but I promise I will do whatever I can. And hey, if you have to put your career on hold for a few years I'll work double hard to be the most popular artist out there and then have your comeback be my music video."

Kyoko leaned back narrowing her eyes at him as he continued speaking. "You can play the heroine that falls for such a stud like me, but I guess that means we'll have to work on your acting skills" chuckling Sho held her tight as Kyoko tried to fight against his arms to smack him in the chest.

"You wish!" Kyoko argued back as she struggled.

"You're right, I do" Sho whispered into her ear as he lightly kissed her cheek. "Go to bed now, and don't think about tomorrow. You'll need your rest."

"Yes mother" Kyoko joked back as she lightly slapped his chest before walking towards her room. Pausing at the door she called back to Sho. "Thanks Sho, I don't know that I could have done this trip alone" Smiling at him she waved back as she closed the door behind her.

Kyoko and Sho stood stiffly as they stared at the closed door before them. The two had been enjoying lunch when his mother came to their room and informed them Saena has summoned them. Staring at the meeting room door, Sho reached down and took Kyoko's hand in his as he smiled encouragingly down at her and nodded his head. Kyoko gave him a quick smile back and squeezed his hand as she steeled herself and raised her other hand to knock on the door.

"Enter" Saena tersely called through the door.

The pair entered and found her calmly sipping tea as she sat at the conference table waiting for them. Saena stared at their joined hands before raising a brow at them as she motioned her head towards the chairs opposite her. "I see you are a united front against me, feel free to have a seat. We have much to discuss" The pair settled down into their seats as Sho placed the signed contract on the table before them. "Ah, your parents signed it after all did they?" Saena questioned as she glanced briefly down at the paper before her.

"They did" Sho replied

"Very well, I will not sue LME." Saena replied nonchalantly as she sipped her tea, staring across at Kyoko as she did so.

Sho noted Kyoko's posture slouch as she shied away from her mother's gaze immediately. Sho began to get nervous for her as her mother continued to stare her down before speaking.

"Regardless, you will still cease your current activities and return here immediately to continue high school and get a respectable career"

Kyoko's head shot up as her mother's demands were clearly laid out on the table. "B-but"

"No buts!" Saena replied, slamming her tea on the table causing it to slosh out. "I understand you could never excel like I had hoped but I figured staying here to run the ryokan would be a respectable fall back for you. Instead you threw the idea of education out the window and instead ran off with him to what? Be the wife of a rock star. My god Kyoko, at least a wife was something but then you ran off to be an actress. I guess I should be grateful you never had the physique to be a model"

"ENOUGH!" Sho roared, slamming his hands on the table as he shot upright from his seat. "I cannot hear you insult your daughter anymore." Forcibly pointing down at Kyoko Sho continued to berate her mother. "This woman is so much more than you ever gave her credit for. She was the most devoted daughter you could have asked for. She worked her whole life for the hope that you'd look affectionately down at the daughter you cast off for another family to raise. She is extremely driven, intelligent and loyal. She is a talented actress and such a frickin chameleon in all the roles she takes that any director would be lucky to have her. Not only that but she works hard for the restaurant she rents her apartment above and is taking classes for a high school diploma as well. That's right, she IS going to school because that's what SHE wanted, not you!" Saena's eyebrow's rose in shock as Sho's assault continued. "She spent her childhood studying every moment she wasn't helping around here because she wanted to get 100% so that you'd be proud of her. She cried her eyes out whenever she only got a 98%, TERRIFIED of your disapproval. You didn't even know she was gone from here until she showed up on the television and in the tabloids last week because you didn't EVEN CARE. You left her here with us and what, now she's causing trouble for you because of your image? If you don't want her to ruin your image then do her a favor and disown her because you are DONE making her cry, you are DONE controlling her life and you are DONE PRETENDING to be her mother." Sho gasped for breath as he finally finished berating her mother, while Kyoko and Saena sat shocked as the stared up at him.

"Well I never" Saena replied as she finally regained her composure.

"Well get used to it!" Sho retorted as he cut her off.

"If you are quite finished attempting to berate me, I'd be happy to hear how you intend to stop me from being her mother"

Visibly frazzled, Sho attempted to not gape at the woman before him as the adrenaline from his earlier outburst slowly started to fizzle away.

"I'll continue to run our names through the mud" Kyoko replied, finally finding her voice after Sho shocked her back to her senses. "If my career is done, so is yours. I'd like to see you practice as a respected lawyer when every gossip magazine in the city finds out that you threatened to sue my company because you didn't approve of me being there a year after I started. I'd like to see you play the role of a responsible mother after the tabloids find out that I lived with a man I wasn't married to for months and then over a restaurant by myself before you knew because you abandoned me with another couple because your career couldn't be burdened to raise me"

"I'd never allow you to do such an interview! They could never publish such a story!"

"Oh it wouldn't be an interview" Kyoko replied, her usual conniving expression falling into place as Sho smirked at her as he settled into his seat beside her. "This would be an anonymous tip with lease contracts and documentation to support it left with it"

"You ungrateful little bitch" Saena grumbled out as her composure slipped. "I provided the Fuwas with plenty of money to support you as a child and to give you a comfortable life. All I wanted from you was success"

"And for that I am grateful mother" Kyoko replied earnestly, "but now this is what I have decided and this is the success I have found. You're right in saying the Fuwas did give be a wonderful life with plenty of skills that have supported my career and I could not begin to repay them for what they did. This is my decision and I will still graduate from high school but if that is not sufficient then I agree with Sho, disown me and be done with me" Sitting up tall in her seat, Kyoko sat steadfast as she gauged her mother's reaction.

Staring between the faces of the two steadfast teens Saena finally burst as she shot up from her seat "Fine! Do what you want! If you're going to be this insubordinate then you're no longer a daughter of mine! Feel free to ruin your life for all I care." Gathering her purse Saena stormed to the door before calling back "The paperwork will be done by the end of the week, just sign the damn thing, I'm done" slamming the door behind her, she was gone.

A moment of silence passed through the room as the dust settled from the argument and the pair turned to each other stunned by what just transpired. A squeal erupted from Kyoko's mouth as she and Sho shot up and Kyoko jumped into his arms and hugged him as tears of relief ran forth from her eyes.

"We did it!" Kyoko exclaimed as she continued to giggle uncontrollably. "I couldn't have done this without you."

"I didn't do anything" Sho replied back calmly as he stared down at the ecstatic woman in his arms, pounds of stress evaporating off his shoulders. "You're the one who stood up to her and threatened her reputation"

"I couldn't have done it without you though. I had conceded and given up until your outburst brought me back." Smiling up at him, Kyoko stood up on her toes and placed a quick gentle kiss on his lips. "Thank you so much for standing beside me and for standing up for me, it brought me back to my senses"

"Anytime" Sho replied as he allowed his hand to gently cup her face as he lightly brushed his thumb along her cheek before leaning down to kiss her once more and for the first time she kissed him back. Sho's heart leapt in his chest and he pulled away, a stupid smile plastered on his face and he rested his forehead against hers. "Does this mean you'll give me a second chance?"

"I guess so" Kyoko joked back as she smiled back at him, "but you better not screw up this time, because you know there's not gonna be a third"

Well that's it. I hope you all liked it and please review. I'm not sure if and when I'll write another story but I have a few ideas bouncing so we'll see! Thanks again for reading!