I couldn't bear to leave you all on a cliffhanger of death so here you go. Sadly the last two chapters were both very short so I put them into this one chapter. Sorry: this is the last one. So without further ado:

Chapter 8 Who are you?

Kyoko never realized how much she loved Tsuruga Ren until he was gone from her life forever. Kanae watched her friend move around life in a daze. It was like she was only a whisp of air. Often she would find the girl staring off into space with a painful, sad look in her eyes and a soft look on her face.

Shoutaru was shunned for the most part and very quickly found he had to sell all his local property and move away before he became bankrupt. People were glad to see him go.

Kanae gladly took the news to Kyoko, but the girl only nodded slowly looking out the window.

"Good." she said, but said no more.

"Don't you feel, I don't know, vengeance or something?"

Kyoko slowly turned her head to her friend. "Vengeance? No. I feel nothing for him. I only wish..." she trailed off and looked out the window again.

"Onii-chan!" Maria ran up and clung to Kyoko who stood at her name.

"Maria." Kyoko closed her eyes and held onto the girl tightly.

"Oh, Onii-chan! It's all my fault. I told him to take me home by way of the dam. If only I had never..." the girl burst out crying. Kyoko let the tears fall freely from her eyes. As she cried she remembered the song that Julie sang the first day she saw Tsuruga Ren.

"While one breath in me lingers

and one day to pass

I give it all to you as I lay dying

One more precious sunrise

another waking hour

for a precious moment in your arms I rest"

Kanae silently backed out of the room. The two needed to be alone to grieve. It would be a long healing process.

It was some time later that Kyoko ran past the mansion again with Kanae and Maria. Kanae and Maria ran past but Kyoko stopped short.

"Wait." she said.

The two girls who had ran past her came back.

"They sure got that place cleaned up in a hurry." Kanae noted.

"But listen..." Kyoko stepped forward.

Kanae and Maria glanced at each other. They heard nothing.

"That's my song." she made a step towards the house. She could hear the song Ren gave her for the audition. "Tsuruga-san gave it to me." she ran towards the mansion and towards the music.

The other two were surprised. "Kyoko! Wait!"

It was an original composition. Who else could be playing it?

Kyoko burst into the music room and stopped short. There was someone at the piano, but it was not Tsuruga Ren. A blond man sat at the piano. He stopped playing when she came in. He turned to her and Kyoko felt strength in his gaze. "May I help you?" he asked softly.

"No." She breathed. Even though such a handsome man sat before her, she was disappointed. "I thought- I hoped you were somebody else." like who? A ghost? She hung her head sadly.

Kanae ran in. "I'm sorry. My friend has been through some...bad times recently."

"Oh, I'm so sorry." the blond man said and looked between the three girls. "Can I help?"

Kyoko thought about the last time she saw Yashiro:

"It's been wonderful" Yashiro said.

"I wish I could say as much." she had responded.

"It wasn't bad." Kyoko said thoughtfully. "No. The whole time I had was...wonderful." a ghost of a smile turned the corner of her lip.

"We're sorry to bother you." Kanae said. "We should get going." she hinted to Kyoko and Maria.

"It's not a problem." the man smiled a dazzling smile and returned to playing the piano.

The girls turned to leave, but Kyoko had to look back. He seemed so familiar. Almost like... Ren. But he was so polite and caring. And his face wasn't... she didn't realize she had reached out to touch where Tsuruga' horrible scar had been until the young man looked at her.

"Who are you?" she asked. "Why are you here?"

"Kyoko." Kanae chided.

"No it's ok." the man said. "I used to live here a long time ago." he explained. "I was just passing through and thought I'd take one last look before I left."

There was a knock at the door and a man entered. "Kuon, let's go. Oh excuse me, I didn't know you had company."

"It's alright." The man Kuon stood and straightened his jacket.

"Ah, wait, I know you." the new man said. "You were the talent at my latest audition."

"Talent...?" Kyoko started.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lori Takarada. The President of LME entertainment. Kuon is one of my subordinates. I loved you're audition."

"You sing well." Kuon said.

"I had an amazing teacher." Kyoko returned with a thoughtful smile.

"We can use a talent like yours." Lori said. "Would you come with us?"

"Work at LME?" Kyoko's eyes widened. It was everything she and Ren dreamed for.

"Yes. It would be brilliant!" The president did an odd sweeping motion with his hand and spread glitter about the room. Another man came in and sighed.

"I suppose I have to clean that up now." he grimaced.

"Yashiro!" Kyoko smiled.

"Hello, ms Kyoko." he said. He turned to Kuon. "Hizuri-san it's time to go."

"Is this your new patron?" she asked motioning to Kuon.

Yashiro nodded with slight pride in his face.

"What do you say?" Kuon asked. "Will you come with us?"

"How can I say no?" Kyoko beamed.

Working at LME, singing for thousands, as long as she did this, Tsuruga Ren would live forever.

And he'll live forever through me. She thought. With me.

Epilogue

This was going to be a chapter in itself, but it was short so here you go:

Kyoko lifted her chin and sang:

I love the part in fairy tales

that's very near the end

when all the kingdom cheers for their new queen

all is well and all is good

and everyone belongs

and happily their ever aftering

But when I enter the kingdom of dreams

and face the promise of all I can be

Will they see me as a heroine?

Tell me will they let me in?

Won't someone let me in?

Kyoko was auditioning for a new play that Kuon had written. It was called: Rigoletto. As she read the script she couldn't believe her eyes. It was exactly everything that happened to her. How could he know such details?

Unless...?

When the cast list came out Kyoko rejoiced to get the lading part of Bonnie. But she noticed that Kuon was not on the list. She ran up to him.

"Kuon-san!" She called.

"What can I do for you, Mogami-san?" he asked with his usual brilliant smile.

"Why aren't you on the Rigoletto cast list?" she asked. "You would be perfect for Mr. Ribaldi!"

"Why do you say that?" he asked.

"Aren't you Tsuruga Ren?" she asked with a challenge in her eyes, as if daring him to deny it.

Kuon's eyes shone and he smiled beautifully. "What would make you think that, Mogami-san?"

She looked aruond, took his arm and lead him to a corner. She leaned in and whispered. "I know it's you." she said. "And I'll get the secret from you. Someday." she said with surety.

Kuon grinned and his eyes lit. "There is only one way to get all me to reveal all my secrets, Mogami Kyoko."

"What's that?" she asked eagerly wondering if now she could now reveal the mystery.

"Only my wife knows my secrets." he said.

Kyoko answered quickly and decidedly. "Then I'll marry you!"

"Are you sure you want to do that?" the man grinned.

"I'm positive!"

"Do you promise?" Kuon asked.

Kyoko nodded curtly. "I do."

"That's exactly what I want to hear." Kuon kissed her quickly, smiled and then whispered softly in her ear, like a voice carried on the wind: "Julie is a queen, and "Eemma" means mother."

So there you go. I humbly bow and prepare for my next story. I don't know yet what it will be. We shall see, it may be an adventure of my own making. Thank you for all readers who have stayed with me even though I procrastinated so much. I know it has been a long time, but believe me, seeing you read this makes me glad. I hope you enjoy it; that's why I wrote it.

I hope to see you all again soon.

Much love -G