Love (Ai) – Part 8

Two months later, Kyo rented a loft. He packed up his clothes and filled up the loft with art supplies. Then he had a lengthy talk with Rin asking her permission to allow him to leave the mansion for the next two months. His thesis was due and a final exhibition at Geidai Art Gallery demanded his full concentration.

“What about Ryuu?” Rin asked the morning before Kyo left. “He can stay with you. I have other people who can take his place.”

“No,” Kyo said shaking his head. “He’s your head of security, Rin. How can you ask him to stay with me? There are more important things to take care of.”

“But you are the most important one to me,” Rin said.

Kyo refused to pull Ryuu away from his work.

“Fine, do what’s best for both of you,” Rin said. “Although, I think he loves you very much. I don’t think he’ll let you leave quite so easily.”

“I’m not going to some other country. I’ll just be in the city.”

Rin laughed at that and shook her head.

“Love is funny, my dear son. It warps everything, believe me. Remember your promise to me.”

“I do,” Kyo said with a small smile. “Don’t worry, just let me finish this thesis.”

“You’ve changed,” she said with a smile. “You’re not the angry boy I met ten months ago. It makes me proud to see you like this.”

“Please don’t start on the drama, Rin.” Kyo stood up and leaned in to kiss her forehead. “I’m a phone call away. Anytime you get exasperated by the aunts, call, and I’ll listen.”

“What do we do about Ryuu?”

“Give him the address, but order him not to visit.”

“That won’t be easy.”

“Rin, you wield all that power, come on, make use of it.”

***

“You are still calling your mother by her first name?” Shuji asked when Kyo fell silent.

Kyo sighed.

“Yeah, I’ve been working on that. The truth is I left to make peace with Kyo Tatsuya. There are areas that need to be given up, and others that can’t be given up. I have lived a full twenty-two years as Kyo Tatsuya.”

“So, this is all about becoming a Kiyoshi?” Shuji asked. “Why punish Ryuu-san?”

“I’m not punishing him. I’m testing myself,” Kyo said. “Those first months at that house were hell. I would have drowned without him, but now, this last part, I have to do myself.  He’s been holding my hand the entire time. I want to show him what I’ve learned with his help, and that I can stand on my own.”

“Do you love him?”

“Of course I love him. I haven’t told him but I will. This year I seemed to have gained a whole new family.  All of them expect something from me, and for a while, I wondered if I was betraying my foster family by taking my mother’s name. But-,”

Kyo trailed off.

“But, now what,” Shuji demanded.

“If I’d grown up with the Kiyoshi family, I would have ended up like them, bitter, angry, and greedy. My mother constantly has to defend her position because each one of them wants a piece of the pie, and it has all been her work. It’s a hateful environment to grow up in. So, I’m glad for my foster family. I’m happy they showed me a different way of life.”

“This exhibition you’re doing at the new gallery is it going to be under your old name or is it going to be as a Kiyoshi?”

“As a Kiyoshi,” Kyo said. “I made a promise to my mother that if I chose to stay with her, my paintings would be under Kiyoshi. If not, then I’d just leave it as Tatsuya.”

“Was there a moment you thought you might walk away?”

Kyo thought about it for a moment.

“My decision was made the day my mother found me in the storage room. When I asked Ryuu to help me learn how to be a Kiyoshi, my decision was already made.”

“How are you going to apologize to Ryuu-san? He’s very angry with you right now.”

He would be, Kyo thought as he stood up.

“Shuji, please just hold him off for two more days, alright? The exhibition is on Friday. I’ll be ready by then.”

“Fine, for the sake of love declarations, I will say no for two more days. But, you had better make sure he apologizes to me for taking his anger out on me. He is very scary.”

Kyo laughed.

“I promise, Shuji. I’m going back to work, now.”

***

On the day of the exhibition, Kyo dressed extra carefully. Kaori

had taken care of his clothes, delivering them to the loft with Daisuke and Rie in tow in the morning. While he got dressed, she and Rie prepared breakfast while Daisuke sat on Kyo’s bed.

“Are you happy, Kyo?” Daisuke asked. “Of all of us, you’re the lucky one. Kou found your parents. Kaori will never know hers since she was named by the state. My parents died a long time ago. You have to know how lucky you are.”

“I know, Daisuke.” Brushing his hair thoroughly, Kyo reached up and tied it in a ponytail, making sure that it was neat. Happy with what he was seeing, he turned to look at his oldest brother and shrugged. “My family is also yours. You do know that, right?”

“I know.”

“Can you help me tie this?” Kyo held up a tie and Daisuke stared at him in shock. “Stop staring at me and help. I can’t seem to do it right no matter how many times I try.”

“I have to say, Ryuu-san has a power I didn’t foresee. You are actually going to wear a tie. Kyo, are you ill?”

“A Kiyoshi is always impeccably dressed.” Kyo recited Ryuu’s words. “I have to make an impression today, Daisuke. It’s my first day as the head of a foundation that scares the hell out of me.”

“I guess I’ve lived to see the day,” Daisuke said, getting up to help him with the tie. “I’m happy for you, little brother. You’ll make a good spokesperson.”

Entering the kitchen behind Daisuke, adjusting the knot at his neck, he winced when Kaori squealed in excitement and rushed to jump over him.

“Oh my God, you look awesome. I knew the charcoal grey would be best, and the tie is amazing. You’re too handsome.”

“Please stop,” Kyo said rolling his eyes. “Rie-san, I’m so sorry, but you’re getting yourself into a family of mad people.”

“I don’t mind, it’s lively,” Rie said standing up to stand beside Daisuke.

They ate breakfast leisurely. Then Daisuke drove them down to the new gallery where a crowd was already gathering. Driving to the back, they dropped him off at the back entrance and went off to find a place to park. Kyo hurried into the gallery and was met by Shuji who was overseeing the preparations.

“Your guests are waiting,” Shuji said. “Your mom looks very excited. I had a hard time keeping her away from the exhibition room.”

“Thanks, Shuji.” Entering the waiting room where his mother was waiting, he grinned when his mother rushed to hug him. “Hi, Mom, you look lovely as always.”

Rin gasped and pulled back to stare up at him.

“You just called me Mom.”

“I did,” Kyo said quietly. Leaning down, he kissed her cheek and smiled. “Come on, I’ll show you your portrait. I promise that Ryuu hasn’t seen it first.”

“That’s good, although I don’t think Ryuu is too happy with any of us right now. He’s out in the lobby talking with the security team. His expression is extra grim. You’re going to need a miracle.”

Well, he would fix that pretty soon he hoped. Leading Rin into the exhibition room, Kyo placed a hand over her eyes and led her directly to painting number nineteen. When they were standing right before it, he removed his hand and waited for her reaction. Staring back at them was a regal Rin Kiyoshi, looking elegant and royal in a pristine white dress seated on a stool in a disarrayed storage room. To him, she was the calm port in a storm, a woman who despite being in constant turmoil, never once let on that she was anything but graceful.

“It’s beautiful.” Rin didn’t say anymore but she did reach out and touch the signature Kyo used. It simply read Kiyoshi. She hugged him tightly and said into his ear. “Thank you and welcome home.”

Kyo hugged her back and allowed the moment for a bit before he pulled back and nodded to the final painting. She looked at it with curiosity and frowned. Glancing around the room she frowned.

“It’s not a portrait.”

“It’s a message to a certain upset someone.” Kyo smiled when she gave him an inquiring look. “I’ll explain later, but please let me show it to him first before we start.”

“Alright, son,” she grinned. “I love saying that. Today is the happiest day of my life. I can’t wait to make my speech. I want the whole world to know I’ve found you. So hurry up and appease Ryuu, and meet us out front.”

Nodding, Kyo hurried out ready to go get Ryuu, only to collide with the man on his way into the exhibition room. The familiar hold on his upper arms steadying him made Kyo realize just how much he’d missed his lover. Looking into dark cold eyes, he faltered for a moment at the sight of Ryuu’s anger. Swallowing hard, Kyo took a step back.

“Sir, we’re almost ready,” Ryuu said.

Ryuu’s cold tone hurt more than he could imagine. Taking Ryuu’s hand, Kyo turned and pulled him into the exhibition room, not stopping until they stood before the zen garden he spent hours painting. There was already a red sticker beside the name of the painting.

Kyo had named it one word. ‘Ai’, Love. To him, the stupid drawing they made together, so many months ago in the solarium, was more precious than anything he had ever painted.

“You painted it,” Ryuu said. “And it’s already sold.”

“I put the red sticker there. The painting is yours to keep,” Kyo said. “I’m sorry, and please stay with me. Be with me, Ryuu, because I can’t live without you. Even though you’re angry with me right now, don’t-“

Ryuu stopped his words with a soft kiss on his lips and he closed his eyes in relief.

As much as Kyo wanted to garner respect from the rest of the Kiyoshi family, he never wanted to hear Ryuu call him ‘sir’ using that stupid cold voice.

In the past year, he had learned more than he dared say from Ryuu.

Ryuu had brought out his capacity to love, teaching him that it was okay to share that love with his old family, and his new family. That it was alright to be who he wanted to be, even when others didn’t approve. Ryuu had introduced him to a part of himself he never imagined existed. Just thinking about it, made his body ache for time alone with him in a more private place.

Kyo wrapped his arms around Ryuu’s neck and was glad when he was pulled into a tight possessive hug. Breaking their kiss, he rested his forehead on Ryuu’s shoulder.

“Please don’t ever call me sir. I don’t think I can take it.”

“I was angry,” Ryuu said. “You left me and wouldn’t let me see you.”

“I had to,” Kyo said. “To make this exhibition happen, to make the change I needed to accept Mom. I needed to leave.”

“I know,” Ryuu said still holding him. He breathed out shakily. “I love you, Kyo. Please don’t ever leave me again.”

“I love you too,” Kyo said his heart bursting with love. “I love you so much, Ryuu.”

Ryuu kissed him again and at that moment, Kyo Kiyoshi felt like he had come home. He was where he belonged and nothing would ever take him away, not even death, he decided.

The End

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