Disclaimer: This story is based on Ouran High School Host Club created and owned by Hatori Bisco.
Note: The story includes plots covered in Chapters 80-81 from the manga, although no prior knowledge of those chapters is necessary in understanding the story.
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The Marionette's Theatre
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Love bonds, bonds bind, binding the marionette named Kyouya Ootori.
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The mobile next to the laptop beeped, showing a message from Tamaki Suoh. 'I am really blessed.'
Of course, thought Kyouya. You are born into a wealthy family in the first place, have now reconciled with your grandmother, finally reunited with your mother, got your girl, and are now marching towards future to realize your dream. Who wouldn't feel blessed?
Kyouya's hand, which had been hovering above the mobile screen, eventually pressed 'Reply'.
What would happen if he replied, 'I love you'?
The Tamaki in his imagination would stare at the message with his violet eyes wide open. The foolish look lifted the corners of Kyouya's lips without him knowing.
What would ensue?
In half an hour's time Kyouya would receive a second message. 'Really?' However, he would not be able to see Tamaki's hands which trembled so much they couldn't have typed more.
'Don't think about it. Go to bed.' would be Kyouya's only replying words. He would then switch off his mobile and slept. When he switched it on tomorrow, he would not clear up his inbox which had been bombarded by Tamaki's messages.
At school, Tamaki would glance at him disconcertedly for innumerous times, then…
The screensaver suddenly blackened the laptop screen and pulled Kyouya back to reality. 'Fair enough. Goodnight.' Send. Compared to the one sent in his imagined theatre, this message would only lead to a story non-existent.
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Tamaki only needed to pretend to play the harp to make the girls around him swoon. In accordance with the Host Club's plan, the Third Music Room of Ouran High School was transformed to Mount Olympus showing one Greek myth after another. Tamaki, in chiton and himation and crowned with a laurel wreath, shone exactly like Apollo descending to the earth.
'Tamaki-sama's Apollo is simply fabulous!' 'Hikaru and Kaoru are the real Castor and Pollux! Kya! The forbidden love of the twins!'
When it came to Kyouya, the overexcited customers did not recognize which Greek deity he was playing, because he was playing none. He was simply walking around and taking care of the Host Club wearing draped garment.
Or he could imagine himself as Hyacinthus, who threw discus with Apollo as his lover.
'Who would Haruhi be? Could it be Hyacinthus?' The customers' conjecture brought a secret and mysterious smile to Kyouya's face.
If he couldn't be Hyacinthus, he could very well play Zephyrus, the god of west wind blowing Apollo's discus off course at the expense of Hyacinthus' life. Only that this Zephyrus was not jealous of Apollo.
'Kyouya-sempai's evil smile never changes.' There was no west wind but the air-con stirred Haruhi's light-hearted remark to Kyouya's hearing.
'Haruhi! You'll get in grave danger if Kyouya hears you! Hide now!' In Tamaki Suoh's world, Apollo would always protect Hyacinthus. Zephyrus would never succeed with his crafty plots.
Kyouya observed the interaction of Haruhi and Tamaki quietly. 'Kyouya-sempai heard it already. And Tamaki-sempai you're just making us more noticeable than ever.' Trivial but sweet, heart-warming interaction.
Kyouya turned his head away. He was no Greek deity, just a passerby.
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Tamaki's innermind theatre never stops playing all kinds of stories. Kyouya was often the reluctant audience.
'Haruhi's going to exchange in the U.S. and I'm following her! I've made all the plans. My room is just next to Haruhi's, with a door which directly opens to her room…'
Kyouya suddenly realized that he also directed his own innermind theatre very often. Starring him and Tamaki in all kinds of setting – Eastern, Western, modern, medieval, cyberspace, fairytale… – and they would meet and fall in love and see and misunderstand each other and break up and get back… It amused him how imaginative he could be.
But the more absurd his theatre stories, the smaller the chance they could turn into reality. He did not have the ability to materialize his fantasies.
'My plan is perfect, right? Kyouya?'
What would happen if he confessed to Tamaki now?
'What a ridiculous plan. I won't waste my time criticizing it. Looking forward to the moment Haruhi finds out about it.'
'Hey…'
Unfortunately, Kyouya Ootori's theatre would never perform in real life. Kyouya Ootori was a marionette performing in the theatre named 'the Brilliant Life of Tamaki Suoh' with no right to change the story, merely acting the script. Sometimes it might desire to step across the line, but would stop once it remembered this was Tamaki's theatre. It would see Tamaki's happy, bright smile and decided that it was what mattered. It would stop.
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Love bonds, bonds bind, binding the marionette named Kyouya Ootori. The threads of love control it and suffocate all dreams.
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-End-