A oneshot I've been working on for a while. Kuon's return to Japan comes when he is nineteen, and just as lost as ever. Not as funny as the other ones that I have written, and a different style. Hope that you enjoy.

It had been years since he had last walked through these woods. Years in actuality, but it felt more like a lifetime. He had grown since he had last walked this path, but so had the greenery, and somehow, it made him feel so small again.

So unimportant.

Or maybe that was just how his life was now. Worthless, undermined, not as good as he ought to be. A complete failure, incapable to live up to the legacy that he had inherited.

When Lory had come to his father just a few years ago and volunteered to take him away, to save him, he had chosen that he was beyond saving. He wanted to stay behind, to keep striving and struggling on his own. It had proved to be a foolish effort. Nothing had changed, except maybe to get worse. His faith in the world, and even more, in himself, wasted away until nothing was left. The hollow feeling he carried with him ate not just at him, but at the people around him. He was a miserable person to be around, and as such, chose to be around already miserable people whenever he could.

His parents were at a loss with what to do with him. They let time pass, tried to get him to come to love the industry again, tried to tell him that he was worth something. He turned a deaf ear to all of their speeches and cajoling. His hands and eyes were stained, he had lost all his innocence.

When Kuu had finally suggested heading out to Japan, Kuon had been more than skeptical at first. What sort of plan was this? Out to Lory and then leave him there? Julie promised that was not it. She pleaded with him for hours, talking about all the good it would do him to get away from here, away from these people, these streets. The memories, the mistakes. He had let the words pass over him until she had at last wailed.

"Didn't you like Kyoto?"

LME was dangerous territory where he would simply be abandoned; Tokyo was just another battleground waiting to happen. He could feel it almost instinctively. But Kyoto?

There was something special about Kyoto.

He had consented reluctantly. He was not the same boy who had left that place after all. But something in him longed to go back to that tiny glade, even if he was the only one there. Wash his guilt away in the small stream; bask in the tender warmth of that special sunlight that had once danced so tenderly across her face.

Almost the minute he had arrived, he felt uncomfortable. He left the small house they were renting (for an undetermined amount of time) and went out looking for a fight. But no one in the area seemed the type and when he finally hunted down the darker areas of town there was not a person of the size or determination to match him. He took his anger to the forest, determined suddenly to turn that pleasant place into a deserted mess.

But only a few steps in and he could already feel the pull of those few and precious memories calming him, taking away all the pain. He could pretend, here, that none of his past existed. The place felt frozen, like he was walking back through time to the boy he had been leaving this place last time. The boy that was still so good, so strong. The boy that had the capacity to help people. The boy who had, for a moment, flown high enough to please someone. Who had been so wonderful, he had been capable of sharing some of his magic with a precious, precious person.

He stepped out of the trees next to the stream and sighed in true pleasure, something he was sure he had not done in the longest time. The quiet sounds calmed him even more here, and he could almost hear her crashing through the brush to come out nearby. He turned to watch the spot where she had once appeared and nearly jumped in surprise.

He had heard someone coming. A young teenage girl stood half clambering out of the bushes, her dark hair hanging in front of her face, not quite concealing the frustrated look. She had paused with her skirt caught on a particularly stubborn branch, but looked up suddenly. He blinked, uncertain, surprise written clearly all over his face and hers. Then suddenly her golden eyes lit up and a smile bloomed across her face. Before he could understand what was happening he had been tackled into the stream, slim arms wrapped tightly around his waist, holding him with no intent to let go. He could vaguely hear a tearing sound mostly obscured by the jubilant shout of "CORN!"

Kyoko had not been expecting him. He had made no promise to come back. She had thought (very briefly) that it might not have been him. But nothing could ingrain enough doubt in her to stop her from jumping out to him the moment she had really registered what she was seeing.

"Oh Corn, you're back, you came back, you really did." She was holding him very tightly, face pressed tightly against him, not yet aware of the fact that they were now completely wet and still sitting in the river.

"Kyoko-chan, it is very nice to see you again, but these rocks are a bit uncomfortable," he patted her head gently as he acknowledged her, caught immediately by her brightness and love. He had forgotten how good she could be to an almost complete stranger.

His words brought her quickly to her feet, and to the realization that she now had a tear in her skirt. Not horrendously scandalous, but very uncomfortable. Not only had she pushed Corn into a river within ten second of seeing him, she had done so at the expense of polite appearances, in more ways than one. And he was a prince.

Kuon took notice of her plight right away and offered her his jacket so they could sit and talk, even though they were still wet. She gratefully accepted and in just a few minutes they had worked past the formal greetings and into a conversation of what on earth each of them was doing there.

Kuon made very vague answers, having to do with his father and important business. Kyoko was more than happy to explain she came back here because she had felt she needed to today. Something big was coming, she had been sure, and now she was more than happy she had come, even with the damage to her skirt. The two of them laughed happily and promised to meet again the next day when they were free.

Kyoko returned to the ryokan to face a brief lecture, but Kuon's return was unusually pleasant. He was home before dark, in time for dinner, and while he had no interest in talking about his day, he was not complaining at all. His parents were both in shock and wondered why they had not come back here so much sooner.

The next couple of days passed mostly in pleasure for Kuon and Kyoko. They met as often as they could, but Kuon could not go long without explaining at least a little why he was there and how long he would be staying. He managed to avoid it first by asking about her life and listing to her enraptured reports about how life was going with her and her prince Sho, her story about how her mother had now left her, and comforting her when it became difficult for her to speak.

But somehow she managed to catch the look of sadness in his eye when he realized how far he was from the boy who had cared for her so long ago. She wanted to know more about his troubles this time, help him the way he had helped her. He did not know how to tell her that he had abandoned all of the goodness that had made her once love him so much so soon after he had returned home. But somehow she dragged it out of him.

It went painfully slowly at first. He did not want to say it, did not want to admit to this girl that he was more flawed than all of the other people she knew. The agony of what he had chosen, of her knowing the choices he had made, was enough to make him wish he had never come. He almost held it back.

But somehow, she would not hate him, no matter what he said. It started vague and limp, more like excuses than an explanation, but grew into a full scale confession before long, at her coaxing and her prodding questions. Then she tried to defend him as if the rest of the world had been wrong and he was just a victim. He could not lie to her about whose fault it had been.

He told all of it. Not every thing that he had done, but all the kinds of things that he had done, poured out of him leaving a bitter taste. He could not look at her the entire time, could not face her. When he finally came to the end of it, telling her he was here because his father no longer knew what to do with him and might have to leave him behind, his voice was choked and hoarse and he was hiding away behind his hands.

Kyoko could not understand all of what he had said, or all of the whys. They were big and complicated, and they were full of dark misery. She did not quite understand Corn's parents either, though they seemed like they did love him at least some. But Corn was in pain. He had done things he should not have, that much was obvious. But he looked like the world was about to end and she could feel his guilt and anguish for his mistakes. And there was no power in the universe that was going to make her sit there and let him cry. She wrapped him in a tight hug and held him until the soft shaking stopped.

She had other questions, asked out of the blue and quietly, without wanting to hurt him but wanting to understand, to make sure. He could not believe she was still sitting next to him, still speaking to him, touching him, even comforting him. Her acceptance that day had released a huge weight on his shoulders and after he had calmed down enough to return home, his parents found him in a pleasant mood.

His explanations from before on where he had been became suspect. Julie grabbed her son and demanded to know what he had been doing.

"I was out in the forest. Took a walk, sat by a stream. It was a nice place. You and Dad would have liked it" And her.

"You just went for a walk. I don't believe you. Look at you, do you see yourself? You've completely changed over the past few days. What is going on? What are you hiding?"

His parents both had their suspicions. He was their son after all. For all that he said he did not have either of their talents, he did, and he could be trying to pretend to be alright to wrap this trip up quickly and get back to the States. After all, he was worried about being left here.

The smile he gave her froze her in place; it was so bright and warm.

"What do you want me to tell you? I was out courting a princess? I'm fine, I'm being good, don't worry." He had wrapped his arm around her shoulder and placed a quick kiss on her forehead and was gone up the stairs before she could recover. Kuu, who had been watching from the kitchen had frozen in the middle of eating his "snack" and could only stare in amazement.

Five days into their reunion and Kuon's experience was moving from pure bliss to slightly irritating. It was not that he did not like being with Kyoko. It was not that he wanted to go out and fight. Something about her existence made it almost impossible for him to want that at all. But after hearing her talk about her precious Sho-chan at least once each time that they met, he could not help but feel bitter towards the guy. Clearly Kyoko still loved him with all her heart. And from what Kuon could pick up from her stories, Sho did not share the sentiment.

Going home after a particularly exuberant tale from Kyoko about how she had been able to sit with Sho at lunch that day, Kuon had the misfortune of running into the guy. He was not impressed with what he saw.

It was like looking at a less violent portrait of himself only a little while ago. Self centered, flamboyant, maybe more tacky than his own image, but overall worthless. And from the little pieces of conversation he was picking up, Sho really had no idea how special Kyoko was.

"Why did you let her sit with us at lunch anyway?" a girl whined, hanging on his arm.

"I have to every once in a while. She does make my lunch you know. I know she's plain and boring, but she gets so sulky when I don't give her some attention." The girl giggled and pulled him down the street.

He looked up suddenly to see Kuon staring at him, clearly not happy. Sho stopped, startling the girl, and glared back at Kuon. The girl turned to see what he was looking at and smiled coyly as her attention was caught by the taller, foreign stranger. Sho noticed the girl's distraction and glowered harder. Kuon just smiled at the boy and waved them both off, heading in the opposite direction.

Whatever Kyoko might be thinking, the guy was not worth it. Definitely not prince material.

Then again, neither was he…

And of course, she also had to discover this. He could not remember what he had said to her, a passing comment that just slipped out of his mouth. But the look on her face was confused and concerned. He thought briefly he might have said something about school.

"Corn, aren't you a fairy?"

The question caught him off guard and he could not respond. Even after his last confession she still thought that? Part of him wanted to hide it, but part of him knew he could not. She was not a little child any more. He would be going back to the States someday soon (probably), and if he did not want to lose her again he would have to give her his contact information.

And he did not want to lose her. Not if she was willing to keep him.

Almost as agonizing as that first confession, this poured out. Every other word seemed to be an apology, but he tried to explain it to her. He did not want to lie to her, but she looked so happy to think that he was a fairy. Once she had believed him he did not want to make her sad by telling her something else. He did not know how to help her as human. He did not know how to explain everything when he had to leave. He did not want her to be sad or to cry, he just wanted her to smile. He had hoped the stone would be enough. He had not thought he would see her again. He just wanted her to have a happy memory. He was sorry he had ruined everything by coming back now.

"I didn't think you would be here. I didn't think I would be here. I didn't think you would save me… again."

The silence made him miserable, but he still could not look up at her. How had Kuon, problem child and epic level playboy just a week before, turned into such a pathetic being? What was she doing to him, to drag out of him not one but two, two, desperate confessions which brought him as close to tears as he had been in years? He felt like a miserable fool, because not only had he lost face, but her silence told him that he had lost her as well.

He looked up, timid, but desperate to end this quickly and felt a stabbing in his gut when he saw the tears running silently down her face.

Too much, too soon… probably too much ever.

"Oh Corn…" He nearly died as she buried her face in her hands. "I really am the most useless person on the face of the planet aren't I?"

Kuon nearly toppled over from the shock. "What?"

"I keep making you so sad! I buried you in my troubles last time, worried you over my happiness, made you uncomfortable being here because you didn't want me to be upset that you weren't a fairy, and I still haven't done anything for you this time. I keep making you sad!"

"Kyoko-chan, no." He dropped to his knees in front of her and pulled her hands away from her face. "No, you're not the bad one here. I am. I'm the one who made up the stories, who went home and made bad choices. I did the bad things, not you. I'm the one who should be sorry."

She sniffled, tears still running down her face.

"But you always tried to make me happy. Even when you told me you were a fairy prince, you weren't trying to be mean. And this time, because I was too silly to see it myself, I made you sad again!"

"Kyoko-chan, weren't you listening to what I said? Didn't you hear me?"

She sniffed. "You said I saved you. But Corn, I didn't do anything. Nothing, ever! I don't even listen to your problems-"

Kuon cut her off with two fingers to her lips.

"Are you saying I'm a liar?" he asked quietly. Kyoko froze, looking at him in horror.

"No, I-" He cut her off again.

"Everything I said was the truth. You did save me. You were the only person in the world that needed anything from me. I didn't need you to listen to my problems because you let me listen to yours. You trusted me, believed in me, and cared about me. No one else ever needed that, not before then, and not after."

"But now I'm just making it harder for you," she insisted, making him feel even more guilty.

"I already told you, I'm the one who did the bad things. I made it harder for me. You've only made it easier. Even now, you aren't angry at me. You're worried about me. How can I be sad?"

She looked up at him timidly. "You look sad now," she whispered. Kuon's lips twitched up in a half smile.

"Because you aren't smiling. I'll be perfectly happy as long as I can make you smile." Kyoko stared at him uncertainly.

"Really?"

"I don't lie to you, do I?" Kyoko frowned a bit.

"Well, you just told me you were lying about being a fairy," she pointed out. Kuon chuckled nervously.

"But I told you the truth about that. And I won't lie to you anymore." Kyoko hesitated for a moment and Kuon held his breath. Finally, Kyoko gave him a small smile.

"Well, as long as you promise, I guess it's fine." Kuon smiled back. The relief was so overwhelming it took him a few more minutes to get of his knees and sit beside her again. But the rest of their day went fairly well. By the end of it, Kyoko knew his actual name, where he was from, and had promised that she would keep in contact with him when his parents finally decided to leave.

She was really an amazing girl. Capable of wiping away years of guilt within a ridiculously short span of time, she was still completely oblivious to the fact that at nineteen, Kuon should be able to make his own choices and live wherever he wanted. She could read Kuon like a book, notice his guilt and sadness where others had only seen willfulness and anger. Yet she could not figure out that her precious Sho-chan (who inevitably was brought up twice before Kuon left that day) could not have been less interested in her.

Kuon only wished there was something he could do for her. There was just something about her…

Kuu and Julie were torn between wonder and fear. Years of struggling to understand and help their son, and suddenly taking him out of the country for one week made him more alive than he had been since childhood. Coming home the day he told Kyoko who he was, neither one of them could understand how he could so easily have overcome all of the troubles that had been haunting him. Especially the one that had prompted them to ask for Lory's help in the first place.

He brushed aside their questions, reassured them that he was alright and that he was not causing problems. It was hard to disbelieve his smile and his manner. But both parents could not help but wonder exactly what had brought this about. Being alone had never helped him so much before. And there was his immediate acceptance of the trip when they had volunteered to bring him to Kyoto. He had no correspondence in Japan. He never touched a computer and his phone bill didn't reflect making any overseas calls. So it could not possibly be a person that had made him so happy to be back here. He hated running into people who knew him when he was younger.

What was this place that was working like magic on their son?

Two weeks after the Hizuri's arrival in Japan found Kuon waiting for Kyoko to arrive after her last day of school. She was later than he thought she would be. As far as he could tell, there would not be very many people to congratulate her, unless all the teachers came to speak with her. Even then, she would be here by now, wouldn't she?

The last week had been even better than the first. Everything about her relaxed him. With no secrets between them, he found he was able to help her even more. He was a steady and calm refuge in the craziness of the last week of school and the prep for the next rush of visitors to the ryokan. He also got the full truth of her feelings over her mother leaving. Her insecurities and sadness made him ache, but being the only one she could turn to gave him more hope than she could have possibly imagined.

And sometimes he would be struck with how much she had grown since they had first met. When she laughed, when she cried, when she gave him that heartwarming smile, he could not help but notice she was older. Not just cute, but sometimes even beautiful, sparkling still in the warm sunlight that added magic to the place. The thought always warmed him and he wished he could find the words that would explain to her exactly how he saw her in those moments. Given her personality, if he tried to tell her she was pretty she would blush a little and wave it off as a little compliment. He wanted her to understand how special she was. How much more she deserved than that obnoxious, egotistical, useless-

"KUON!"

He looked up as she burst suddenly into the clearing, having obviously run all the way there. She stopped right in front of him, hands on her knees, breathing deeply and looking absurdly cute in spite of being very disheveled.

"Oh Kuon. I can't believe it. It's like a dream come true! He just… out of the blue… oh Kuon I can't believe it!" Kuon forced himself to smile, even though he felt a tiny clenching in his gut. The boy had not actually confessed, had he? It was fundamentally impossible.

"You can't believe what," he managed to get out in a light tone, almost teasing.

"Oh Kuon. You know how Sho-chan hasn't wanted to stay here right? Because of his parents." Kuon nodded. She had explained the boy's enthusiastic dreams to Kuon on several occasions. The boy's parents had high expectations for their son, and Kuon did know how hard it could be to get into the entertainment industry. Kyoko, of course, had complete faith in the boy's musical talent, and from what Kuon had seen, he had the advantage of being visually appealing. But he was skeptical about Sho's choice and wondered what exactly it had to do with Kyoko. "He's decided to leave home. He's going to Tokyo and he's going to be a musician. He's going to sing, and become famous, and live out all of his dreams!"

"Good for him," It would be no problem to encourage this. Tokyo was far from here, and if the boy did well, maybe it would help him grow up a bit. "He's trusting you to keep his secret."

"He's taking me with him!" Kuon's blood went cold. "He can't really take care of himself, after all. But he's going to take me! He said I was the only one he could possibly ask! He's going to Tokyo to become famous and he's going to take me with him! It really is a dream come true! Oh, please! Don't make that face! You left too, remember! I couldn't make you stay. Oh please don't look like that, it isn't fair!"

Kuon worked to clear the sadness and betrayal from his face. She was right. It was not fair of him. He had gone off and left her behind without any expectations. She had every right to do the same. But even that truth could not counter the bitterness that was eating him. Of course, he was not actually a prince. He could not claim any right to take her away. But that other brat was not any more of a prince than Kuon was, and from what she had said, Sho's reasons for bringing the girl were not kind or loving. It made Kuon want to commit serious violence on another human being for the first time since Kyoko had reappeared in his life. He had a desperate desire to turn the kid's face inside out.

He finished composing himself, hiding his ridiculous compulsion, and gave her a weak smile.

"When are you leaving?" She looked guilty suddenly, and Kuon felt all the fight leave him.

"Tomorrow."

Of course. There would be no time to change her mind. She would have promised and there was not enough time to convince her to back out. There was nothing that he could do. He was going to lose her.

Was this his punishment for all that he had done? For all of the people that he had hurt? She had not stopped caring for him, but instead, she would leave him behind. Had the choices he had made led to this as the only option? Was the pain that was growing inside him his restitution for all the grief he had caused others? If he accepted this, would he be allowed to be happy again someday? Was this really the only way?

"Looks like your prince needs you," he did his best to smile and reassure her. She had never done anything wrong. He was the one with the unreasonable expectations. Growing so attached, even when he knew that he would be leaving. This was not too different. He would reconcile himself.

She smiled back at him and he while it hurt him so much to think that she was leaving, at least she would not be upset because of him. He could give her that much.

"I… I have to go now. I need to pack and get Sho-chan's things ready. And I wanted to help extra tonight since we'll be leaving tomorrow." Kuon nodded, refusing to show her any hurt. "I'm sorry. I wanted to give you something, since you gave me Corn last time and everything. But…"

"It's fine." Kuon stood and closed the small distance between them, giving her a quick hug. It felt right, and when he stepped away, realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

I love her.

It was absurd. The total amount of time he had known her barely spanned three weeks, one of those weeks when she was only six… seven? And Kuon could not say that he had ever really been in love before. Oh girlfriends, he had had aplenty. But love? He barely knew what the feeling was. And yet, it was the only explanation that seemed right, given the sickened feeling that was spreading from his gut to his chest. The bitter taste of only just discovering exactly how deeply he felt for her sat uncomfortably on his tongue.

Too late now. Too late to fight. He had not used his time well enough. She had her "prince" already, and he would need to put in so much more effort to take her from someone else.

He took her hand carefully in his and bowed over it, kissing her fingers lightly. Best to send her off in a regal fashion. She was a princess.

"Goodbye Kyoko-chan." A tear formed at the corner of her eye and he brushed it away, making her smile.

"Goodbye Kuon."

He left then, before he said anything he would regret. He heard her leaving as well and wondered if he would ever see her again. If he would be able to bear it if he did.

Back at home, Kuu and Julie were unloading their concerns on a very interested Lory. He had wanted to make a trip out to see them earlier, but his company had kept him very busy. Listening to their story now, he was very surprised.

Lory had suggested getting Kuon out of the States, away from his usual haunts and from all the society that had rejected him. Japan had seemed like a great idea, even if it took him a while to calm down. To hear that less than twenty four hours in the place had made him civil and a mere two weeks had almost completely reverted him to the happy and caring boy he had been gave Lory a shock. He wanted the opportunity to evaluate the situation himself.

Kuon returned to the house in extraordinarily low spirits. It was over. He had lost, and to someone who was not worth losing to. Kyoko would be hurt by the scumbag eventually, and there was nothing that Kuon could do. He was not really a prince. He could not rescue her. All he had left of her was the slight tingling sensation on his hands and lips from where he had touched her.

Opening the door he had planned on heading straight upstairs, to avoid the questions that his parents would ask. The last thing he wanted was for them to see him depressed. It would worry them even more and he did not know what to say. He had been keeping her a secret out of habit, and probably a little bit (he could now grudgingly admit) out of jealousy. He did not really want to share her.

Now, he could not.

"Kuon, you're back?" his father called from the living room. "We have a guest."

Kuon grimaced, but put his most neutral face on and went to see whoever the company was. Upon seeing Lory sitting on one of the couches, looking at him curiously, Kuon was hit by a sudden burst of inspiration and hope.

"Boss, does your offer still stand?" The president and his parents both looked at him in confusion. He had walked in blank, but his question, not prefaced by even the briefest greeting, was full of determination, almost demanding. Lory recovered first.

"You want to act?"

"I want to go with you to Tokyo. To be an actor. I want to leave my name behind and earn my place in the industry. I'll remake myself until I can stand on my own two feet and return home under my own power." Kuu and Julie looked at each other, nervous and surprised. What on earth had happened? He had been afraid of being left behind just a few days ago. What on earth had their son been doing?

Lory studied him intensely for a moment before breaking out into a large grin. "Sounds good. Let's get started."

He stood up and made to go and was immediately stopped by the protests of two very unhappy parents, demanding answers and, at the very least, time to say goodbye. While Kuon was not very forthcoming with the answers, he reassured them that he still loved them. But he needed to do this. It was important and he wanted it. He would contact them again when he felt it was right. Within twenty minutes, and after several bouts of tears from his mother, Kuon finally bid his last goodbye and turned to follow Bos- the president out the front door.

Walking in and seeing Lory had been instant inspiration. She could leave, but he could follow. If he could not be her prince now, he could make himself her prince. He would. He had always wanted to follow his father's steps and be an actor. He would do it. And he would remake himself in the process. He would match that brat step for step in the entertainment industry and he would beat the kid out. When the moron finally betrayed his true feelings to Kyoko, Kuon would be close by, to reach out and take her back. And he would be everything she had ever wanted and needed in a man. Time would fix everything. She was still young, after all, and neither was sure of themselves. But he could do this.

Just wait "Sho-chan." I'll take her back.

He followed the president out to a ridiculous stretch limo (how he had managed to miss it on his way in he would never know) and slipped in beside the older man, ready to take on the world. Lory waited until they were both seated and the car moving before breaking the silence.

"So, who is she?"

There it is. I worried a little about my portrayal of Kuon in the first part, but I hope he fit closer to people's expectations as the story moved on. And I hope that you all enjoyed it. Any comments are more than welcome. I would love to know what people think. And thanks as ever to my wonderful beta. Really, I would be lost without her.