Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

Summary: Sometimes things don't quite turn out the way we expect them to. Like a house of cards, life always has a way of crashing down.

Suggested Listening: Dollhouse by Melanie Martinez

Pairing: Kyoya/Kagome/Mori

Play Pretend, Love

Chapter One: Picture Perfect

Kagome gently kicked her feet in the air as she snapped a photo. She angled the camera as the object of her current interest floated through the air elegantly. The insect flapped its painted wings, stopping only briefly to land on a flower. She snapped another picture. Grass itched at her belly as her shirt began to ride up from the subtle movements.

"What are you doing?"

The dark haired woman sighed as the butterfly took to the skies. Its wings shimmered in the brilliant sunlight blaring down on them.

"Well hello to you too." She grinned, rolling over on her back to greet the newcomer. Azure eyes brightened as she took in the male's haggard appearance. "Had a rough day?" His usually pristine button down shirt was wrinkled and his hair had been tossed around, presumably by his sleeping habits.

"That's one way of putting it." Kyoya began as he held out his hand to help her off of the ground. Kagome took it as she stood beside him. She slung her camera back around her neck as she fell in step at his side. "You never answered my question." The teen's pointed onyx eyes pinned her with a serious stare, "What were you doing?" His hand shot out and gently tugged at her shirt, which was still resting just below her navel without her ever noticing. A bright flush spread across the young woman's cheeks. She dusted off her clothing before pointing towards the object hanging from her neck.

"I wanted to get more pictures for my collection." Kagome grinned as she angled the camera towards him, "Want to see?"

Kyoya sighed, "No thanks. Now come on, the others are waiting."

She paused, a brief shadow passing over her expression before dissipating altogether. "Alright already. Mister impatient today." She tried to tease.

He didn't bother responding to her. Instead his hand tugged on hers even harder. His dark eyes narrowed as they crested over the top of the knoll that she'd been resting on. The Otori residence was a sprawling estate of several hundred of acres—much of the land was used as a natural wildlife preserve. It provided the perfect opportunity for Kagome to try out her skills in a natural setting while giving Kyoya the chance to catch up on his work uninterrupted. Today, however, was not one of those days. Casually laying about enjoying the day's fresh air wasn't an option.

"Hn." The dark haired male snorted. His gaze softened just a bit and his grip slackened. Perhaps she was right about that. "Better than being lazy." He sniped back, fully expecting a quick retort.

Kagome stopped in her step, her hand falling out of his as he continued in his trek. Azure eyes blinked. Lazy? Was that what he thought? A small smile spread across her lips, "I prefer to enjoy the moment. What's the point in rushing? Keep running around and you'll watch your life pass you by." The young woman clasped her hands behind her back as she picked up in her pace, brushing past her companion.

"That's an intriguing notion." Kyoya swiftly caught up to her. He placed his hands in his pockets as they walked side-by-side. "Care to wager on it?"

The teen's expression immediately soured, "No thanks. You're the devil when it comes to betting."

He let out a snort, "Suit yourself."

The two rounded the final corner of the winding and neatly groomed gravel path. Kagome swallowed thickly, taking in the looming edifice with a nervous expression. She bit her lip. This was far more daunting that she initially thought it would be.

Kyoya leaned down and whispered into her ear, "Don't worry." The warmth of his breath caused a shiver to go down her spine. A light flush spread across her cheeks. She nodded numbly as they made their way inside. The attendants gave the pair a wide berth as they bustled about their duties. Soft music played elegantly from the opulent foyer. Most of the walls were made of glass and the rest of the architecture was reminiscent of a cutting edge, modern style. Colors, unfortunately, were not part of the decoration. Most of the interior walls were void of any life save an occasional brilliantly painted piece of artwork.

"Don't you agree?" They heard the Otori head inquire softly from the conference room. In between the dining and living room, the house had a custom built office and conference room. It was specifically designed with the intention of entertaining guests. Kagome, however, thought it to be rather intrusive. The culture surrounding her companion's family was one she didn't think she'd ever fully grow accustomed to.

"Yes, I do." A feminine voice started. The turned at the last corridor and glimpsed the silhouette of a slightly older woman standing at the threshold between the conference room and the grand hallway. "How old did you say she was?"

They could see Kyoya's father dip his head, "She's sixteen now. She's shown quite a bit of progress since my son first introduced her to us over a year ago."

A bright blush of embarrassment heated the young woman's cheeks. It was rare for his father to compliment anyone. So hearing that caused a wave of pride to run through her.

The dark haired male quickly announced their presence, "We're here father."

"Do come in." The older man's voice intoned politely.

Kagome tried to take a breath but found the air caught in her lungs. It would be alright, she tried to tell herself. There was nothing to fear. The teen smiled politely at the stranger before her. She offered an introductory bow.

"Higurashi Kagome, pleased to meet you."

"My, talented and beautiful, quite the combination." The woman smiled as she offered the same bow as well. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you Higurashi-san. Otori-san has been telling me quite a bit about your abilities." The stranger's smile grew wider, "I'm Ito Ayano. Please, take a seat." The teenager blush in embarrassment but did as told. Ayano was a slightly older woman in her mid thirties. She had her brunette hair pulled back in a high ponytail while dressed in a particularly fancy business suit. Already, Kagome was beginning to feel severely underprepared for this meeting.

The Otori patriarch narrowed his eyes at his son's haggard form.

"Kyoya, explain yourself." The man demanded ruthlessly. Said teen tugged at his crooked tie.

"Forgive me father. I was held up late last night preparing for another meeting later today. I shall take my leave temporarily." The dark haired teen bowed apologetically. "I will return shortly." He turned on the base of his heel before disappearing from sight entirely. The only sounds left were that of his dissipating footsteps and soft classical music flowing from the center of the home.

The young woman shifted in her seat uncomfortably. When she agreed to come here today, she'd done so under the assumption that she wouldn't be left alone. Now she knew that she should've been a bit wiser to the implication.

Kyoya's father turned his attention towards her, "Kagome, would you mind showing Ito-san some of the more recent photographs you've done?" He waved for a few of the housemaids to bring them tea. The uniformed women curtsied as they left the room to retrieve the requested items. "I've been informing her of your recent progress with the camera. She's interested in bringing you on as an intern."

"Of course," The dark haired teen started. She plucked the object from her neck and handed it over. "They're not edited it but I managed to get a few just this morning."

Ayano glanced over at the screen. Her face lightened as she looked through each individual picture carefully.

"My, you're quite good." The woman's ponytail swished lightly over her shoulder as she cocked her head in her direction. "You seem to have a knack for 'in the moment' type of imagery. Have you ever tried doing photos with poses?"

Kagome shook her head, "Unfortunately, my skills only lie in capturing specific moments in life. I'm not all that great at trying to recreate things." She pointed towards the camera, "That's why I always carry it with me. So that I don't have to do a double take. Life's too short to just let it fly by, you know?"

The maids returned, gently plating each of their cups in front of them. The teen gave the women a nod of appreciation before taking the tea into her hands. She closed her eyes as she sipped at the drink. It was quite good! She didn't have enough experience or knowledge to determine what kind of tea it was, but it certainly had better flavor than the usual ones she bought from the supermarket.

"So what do you say, Kagome?" The patriarch began, "Would you like to take up Ito-san's offer and become her intern? Your studies will take precedence of course and we'll work around your schedule."

Azure eyes blinked. It was honestly an opportunity of a lifetime. She loved photography more than anything else in the world. However she also had her own set of obligations that she couldn't simply pass off. The young woman set her cup down. She swallowed—looking between Kyoya's father and the kind woman next to her. She took a deep breath.

"I would love to, but I need some reassurance."

Dark eyes narrowed in acknowledgement, "Go on."

"As you know I'm in a bit of a…" Kagome paused, thinking of the best way to word the next part. "… difficult situation." The man closed his eyes as he nodded at her confession. He was more than aware of the situation she spoke of. It was a concerning case indeed, but one that they could work with.

"We are fully prepared to make things as painless for you as possible." The older man continued. "Please do consider this offer."

She nodded, "Of course. Might I ask a few questions of my own though?"

He titled his head in affirmation. So she went on.

"How many hours a week do you wish for me to fulfill in this position?" She threaded her fingers together as a set of pre-planned inquiries came to her mind. A job was a serious obligation. Going into anything uninformed and halfhearted would always lead to subpar results—as her friend would say.

"Post graduate, the expected hours would normally be thirty." Ayano paused as she saw the girl's face cringe. "However we're only asking for twelve until after you finish school. You'll then be given the option to take the position full time. College tuition paid in full."

Kagome nodded, "What will be expected of me during this time?"

The woman's lips pulled into a smile, "Right now, your main focus will be tailing me where I go and helping set up, break down and everything in between. You'll also get the chance to do a few of your own photo ops of your choice as you get further along in the internship." She pushed the camera back towards the teen. "Are these terms agreeable to you?"

Azure eyes narrowed in contemplation. There wasn't much she disagreed with. The shorter hours and ability to study under an already established professional was a wonderful opportunity. The likelihood of having another like this pop up later down the line was slim to none. A smile spread across her lips.

"When do I start?"

Ayano clapped her hands together excitedly, "I'll set up a meeting through Otori-san again so we can get your paperwork through as soon as possible! We look forward to having you on the team Higurashi-san!"

A light flush dusted the young woman's cheeks. At least she didn't get eaten alive like she dreamed the previous night. In fact, this was one of the best meetings she'd ever had with the Otori family. A bead of sweat rolled down her temple. She didn't even want to recall the last time she had sat down with Kyoya and his father together. That had not gone well. At all.

Ayano's painted lips pulled into a mischievous smirk, "Now before you got here, Otori-san and I managed to gossip quite a bit." She flashed the man a quick wink. He merely snorted and waved his hand at her nonchalantly. "He may not look like it, but he's pretty into the juicy details of people's lives."

Kagome felt her blood drain. This couldn't be good.

"One of the things he mentioned was how you and dear Kyoya-kun met." The brunette leaned over and whispered into her ear. "I heard it was all through his friend, Suoh?" The dark haired woman could practically smell her new teacher's perfume as she dropped her voice further. "Tell me, are you dating Suoh-san? Because from the rumor it seems that the two of you are close."

The teen coughed into her hand violently. Azure eyes widened drastically as she covered her mouth. Is that what everyone thought? Horror gripped at her heart. This was what she had feared the most.

"Sorry to disappoint," Her smile turned grim, "But I'm not dating Tamaki-san. I originally met both Kyoya and Tamaki-san through my shrine." Her eyes clouded over as she remembered the first day they showed up. The blond had been so eager and enthusiastic about coming while Kyoya… she fought the urge to laugh. He looked ready to kill. "Apparently Tamaki-san had developed a penchant for visiting all sorts of shrines and historical sites in Tokyo and Kyoto. Eventually the both of them wound up on my doorstep and everything after that is, as they say, history." Which wasn't a complete lie but not entirely truthful either.

She stared into her cup. The dark liquid reflected the image of her forlorn expression. Although her bangs were hiding her eyes from the others prying gaze, she knew that she'd said too much.

A shadow fell over her form as Kyoya's hand dropped onto her shoulder. His eyes were dark and concern brimmed just beneath the surface. Like everything else, he was a man of subtleties. Especially where his father was concerned.

"My apologies father, it seems that Kagome isn't feeling well." He stepped in. "I'll see that she returns home safely." The young man helped pull her from her seat. He draped the camera back over her neck before taking her hand in his and leading her from the room. There were no words spoken between them.

Instead of being drawn to the foyer as expected, he took them up the stairs and down the corridor she knew led to his room. His fingers curled over her hand as he tugged on her a bit harder. Azure eyes dropped to their interlocked hands. Her fingers twitched. Was he upset? Did he hear? The teen pulled her through the threshold of his room before gently closing the door behind them.

He pinned her with a serious stare, "What did you tell them?"

Kagome fought the urge to sigh, "Nothing of importance." She clasped her hands behind her back, quietly approaching the wide window that overtook the majority of his westernmost wall. It let in the most light and the view beyond painted an image of the preserve lying just beyond the manicured lawns. She always loved the view. Life beyond the world that they knew. A wry smile tugged at her lips. Once upon a time, he shared that view with her.

Kyoya released a breath, "You sure?"

She nodded, "Of course. I promised, didn't I?" Her heart twisted. Yes, she did promise. She vowed to keep herself locked down in this position and it left her desiring more with each passing day. Her nails bit into the soft flesh of her palm. This wasn't what she wanted.

His arms wrapped themselves around her waist. He buried his face into the crook of her neck. Still, he uttered not a single word. Kagome closed her eyes. She brought her hands up and gently placed them upon his forearms. It'd been so long since he last held her like this.

They remained like that for several minutes, neither willing to disrupt the moment.

Kyoya tilted his head. He brushed his knuckles beneath her chin, encouraging her to look up at him. His eyes softened at her serene expression. Gently, he pressed his lips against hers. The contact was slow but full of meaning. They broke apart after a few moments.

Kagome closed her eyes as she felt his hands leave her. A cool sensation was left in the wake of their absence.

She glanced up to see his retreated back. Sucking in a breath, she fought against the fear to ask the one question she truly needed to know the answer to.

"When will you tell them?"

The dark haired male stopped in his tracks. His back stiffed as his glasses fell from the bridge of his nose slightly. For just a moment, she thought that he had stopped breathing altogether.

"In due time."

She dropped her gaze to the floor. Yet again, she found herself back where she started.

In due time.

She tugged at the sleeve of her shirt. Her phone lit up as a notification flashed across the screen. The young woman swallowed as she read the announcement.

Two year anniversary!

The date was marked for a week away. She'd set the alarm so that she could take the time to prepare for it. Kagome sighed as she shut off the notification. Two years of hiding their relationship. Two years of pretending that they weren't anything other than 'friends'. Her eyes softened as she watched her loved one return to working on his computer.

Kyoya had always been so concerned about his father's approval. He was so determined to take the reigns of his family's company. Still, the phone vibrated within the palm of her hand for a second time, he also had other obligations as well.

"I understand." Although only partially.

For now, she would play the part. Pretend that everything was okay. She wouldn't do it forever. No one could. However she'd stand by his decision for the time being. Not because she liked playing second fiddle to his work, but because she loved him.

Kagome wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's neck. She dipped her head and whispered into the shell of his ear, "I love you."

He didn't respond verbally. Instead his hand reached up and held onto her arm. It wasn't perfect. It wasn't ideal. However it was enough. That's all that mattered.

A/n: Whoo, so there's the first chapter. What do you guys think so far? Mostly going for a different take on the Kyoya/Kagome/Mori pairing here. I've got quite a few ideas for this fic that I want to work through as well. It's going to be a bit more intense than some of my other works, Broken Stone and Wish Upon a Star aside. So let me know what you guys think! I fully blame my husband for getting me back into OHSHC with our binge watching lately XD Anyways, thanks so much for your support! I really appreciate it!