Chapter Seven (Forgiveness)

Kyoko walked up the stairs thinking about what had happened. Ren had told her about his past and had confirmed her suspicion of him being Korn, or Kuon.

Kyoko smiled at the memory as she walked itnot he shooting area.

Looking up she saw a woman she didn't recognize.

"Excuse me," she asked as she stopped next to one of her co-stars. "Who is she?"

"Oh, she's the replacement singer for Fuwa-Shou."

Kyoko blinked in surprise.

"What happened to Shou?" she was happy he wouldn't be on set but it was unusual to change singers.

"Apparently there was a family emergency so he had to back out. Isn't that sweet? Not that I'm happy something happendd but it's real considerate of him to thinking of family instead of his job. Especially since right now he's having a serious battle of popularity with Via Ghoul again."

Kyoko excused herself and found the Director.

"Director-san, please excuse me but something came up and I need ot leave."

Turning she went back to her room and changed before leaving.

KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

Kyoko knocked on Shou's apartment worried that he wouldn't answer.

What happened, is his mother or father sick? Could they be dying!

She was just about to give up when she heard the click of a lock and the door opened.

Kyoko jerked back at the sight of Shou. She knew he and Ren had fought the other night but Shou looked as though he had been ran over. His face was a mass of cuts and bruises and it was obvious he was favoring his legs and his ribs seemed to be hurting.

"There's no family emergency is there?" she asked relieved that his parents were ok.

"You just don't want anyone to see you in this condition." Annoyed Kyoko turned to leave but felt Shou's hand on her wrist. Jerking back she glared at him.

...

Shou glanced around quickly before turning his attention to Kyoko.

"This is what that bastard did to me. I might be lucky if I heal in time to save my career, the family emergency was quick thinking, Shoko won't even answer my calls. She told me that I best work on my personality or I won't be able to find a new manager after I heal. This is all that Tsuruga's fault! He's dangerous Kyoko, you're not safe with him."

...

Kyoko glared at him.

"Oh but I would be safe with you? you attacked me, and forced yourself upon me!"

...

Shou twitched and then regretted it when pain filed his body.

"I never hurt you, I made sure you felt good the whole time. Why can't you understand that!"

...

Kyoko looked at Shou and saw him for the first time. All this time she had wanted him to beg her for forgiveness and yet he never would. He would never see what he had done wrong and now that she thought about it she didn't need to forgive him. Turning, she walked away ignoring Shou as he called out to her.

She stopped at the door leading outside thinking about the discovery she had just made. All that time she had told herself that she was mad at Shou. That she wanted revenge on him, but she had been hiding from the truth. There was only one person who she needed to forgive, one person she truly blamed for her pain.

Smiling, Kyoko walked through the door and stepped into the sunlight. Her eyes shinning with unshed tears as she continued on to her future, a world where maybe, just maybe, she could learn to forgive herself.

The End

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I hope everyone enjoyed the ending. I have had someone question my having Shou cry in Chapter Two and I'm pretty sure you have noticed that I use crying a lot. The reason is because I believe that when one experiences strong emotions it wells up into tears. Shou's tears in Chapter Two are from extreme anger, Ren's tears in Chapter Four are from the fear of losing Kyoko and Kyoko's tears at the end of Chapter Seven are from happiness.