The host club met up in Haruhi's apartment that night for their weekly dinner together. It was Tamaki's idea; he didn't want the host club members to stray too much. Haruhi sat next to Tamaki, who had Kaoru on his other side. Next to Kaoru, was, of course, Hikaru. On Hikaru's left was Mori, and next to him was Hunny. Kyoya sat on Hunny's left, completing the circle. Haruhi had prepared a stew, and, once everyone was served, they spoke.
"How has everyone's week been?" Haruhi questioned.
They all remained abnormally silent. Hikaru had a slight blush on his face, so Haruhi decided to tease him.
"Hikaru's blushing. What happened to you?"
"Hikaru! How could you not tell me if something happened?" Kaoru mocked a hurt expression.
"He did go missing in the mall, and returned talking about frozen yogurt..." Tamaki pondered. he entire club began talking to him, asking questions and making suggestions all at once.
"I had commoners' frozen yogurt with a girl!" he finally shouted.
Kaoru looked at him, "Why are you so embarrassed?"
Hunny decided to take the attention away from Hikaru; seeing him suffer was funny, but he felt bad. "Reiko-chan might visit in two weeks with Neko-chan!"
"Really? That'll be fun! And you, Kaoru? What'd you do this week?" Haruhi asked.
"Nothing of importance happenned. I calmed down a girl, I think, though... Oh, that reminds me, Hikaru." The dark-haired mirror image turned to Kaoru. "I told her if she ever needs anything, she can come to our apartment. If I'm not there, you keep her company, okay? Don't traumatize the poor girl."
Hikaru chuckled and affirmed that he would do as told.
"... Kyoya?" Haruhi needn't even ask the question.
"I saved a life... But I didn't get to finish my AP Physics summer assignment..." Kyoya sounded annoyed, but Haruhi could tell he wasn't as annoyed as he led on.
"What? Mama~! You're a lifesaver! I'm so proud!" Tamaki piped up.
"Hadn't you dropped that family act?" Haruhi sighed, but Tamaki ignored it. She turned to Kyoya, "That's really good; how did you save her life?"
"That wouldn't be my story to tell, Haruhi," he brushed off. Haruhi felt her shoulders freeze as she glared at him out of the corner of her eye, even though she knew it was polite not to tell of others' happenings.
"Takashi! What about your week?" Hunny cried gleefully.
"..." he pondered, "I was arranged a marriage."
Questions sounded, asking who, what she was like, and more.
"Her name's Coriander. She likes to excercise."
"Well, do you like her?" Haruhi questioned after a moment of silence.
"... I think so."
The hosts left it at that.
"So, Haruhi," the twins said simultaneously, "The boss hasn't sexually harassed you yet has he?" Haruhi flushed lightly. Tamaki flared though; the Hitachiins were doing this to get on his nerves.
"I would do no such thing! That's something you two would do, you shady twins!"
The night continued, everyone content with how their lives were going.
Flashback
The cold air. The sound of blades on ice. The swish and the scraping when a jump is performed. That is what she focused on, along with the counts. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; over and over, in a moderate tempo. She took off from the forward outside edge (an edge is one of the two sides of the blade on either side of the grooved center) and spun, not one, not two, but three and a half times, and landed on the back edge of the opposite foot. A triple Axel. Her coach clapped excitedly, smiling and bouncing up and down. She had landed it for the first time.
The girl slid over to the edge, up to her coach.
"Marvelous! There's no stopping you from taking first place in regionals, Alice!"
Said girl smiled, lighting up her bright blue eyes. Her wavy brown hair was pulled up into a bun. Her lightly tanned face bore no make up, not that she needed it; she was flawless. She had just gotten her braces off and she wore contacts, but aside from her retainer, she looked like she didn't need any help with her looks.
"Thanks, Marge. I just need to perfect it, now... That and the Biellman spin... I'm just not that flexible."
"You are already perfectly flexible! I just think something's wrong with the technique..."
"And I have three months to work... on it...?" Alice looked past Marge's shouder up at a raven-haired teen, who was sitting in the stands, writing and occasionally tapping something into a calculator.
Marge followed Alice's gaze, and her eyes fell upon the onyx-eyed teen. Marge's green eyes flared, assuming he was undercover for one of Alices competitors, "Excuse me!"
The boy looked up from his notebook, and stood, then walked down the stairs to the same level as Marge, adjusting his glasses along the way.
"This is a closed practice. You'll have to leave."
"The sign on the door said that the rink was open to the public from eleven to four. It is currently three thirty."
"Did you not read any of the other signs? Specifically the one that read 'Rink closed to public July 8th' in capital, bold, red letters?"
He shooked his head slowly, "I apologize for my intrusion. I was simply working on my advanced physics summer assignment. I'm aware that I should have asked before using your prodegie, and I am sincerely sorry for that. My name is Kyoya Ohtori. I am an exchange student from Japan. I will be a senior next year at Boston Secondary Academy."
"Advanced physics class, my ass! I will call security on you this instant if you don't tell me the truth!" Marge nearly shouted, her Russian accent peeking through the curtains that was her English accent.
"Marge," Alice spoke up with her light, airy voice. Marge turned to the rink, where Alice was standing patiently, "I am taking that course next year also, though I've yet to begin my project... He is telling the truth. Also... I'm okay with him using me."
Her bright blue eyes shone with total trust for this stranger. He could be a competitor, who had easily looked up the information for the nearest school, and she still trusted him
Marge eyed him skeptically, and without turning back to her, said, "If you trust him, I do. But, please, Mr. Ohtori, do not disturb us. She has to perfect a Biellman spin, so if you would..." Marge gestured to a chair directly in front of the rink, and he gladly sat, returning to his notebook and calculator.
Alice returned to the ice and skated around the rink once before slowing in the middle, spinning on one blade. She grabbed her free skate behind her, and, while spinning, slowly pulled it up. She lifted it higher, higher, and just as it was about to be pulled over her head, the skate slipped from her hand and she collapsed on to the ice, clutching her forearm and writhing in pain. She let out a crackly scream.
Marge skated onto the ice and fell to her knees by Alice's side. Kyoya was standing to get a better view. The blood speedily pouring from Alice's forearm was already freezing on the ice. Marge yelled for help, and Kyoya dropped his schoolwork, running onto the ice, nearly slipping.
"The toe pick caught her arm and the blade sliced it deeply even more," Marge said quickly.
Alice's conciousness was leaving her as her breathing slowed. She held her eyes open, looking blurrily around, at everything but her arm. Everything was a blur to her now as she shut her eyes and focused on her breathing. She counted her breaths, because, since they were slow, that meant more time passing. She had counted six when she heard a rip and then felt pressure on her arm. Her breaths slowed even more before she blacked out. Marge's eyes were wet and blurry as she saw more blood flow out of Alice. Suddenly, Alice's head fell limp to the side, and her breathing became scarce.
She missed maybe half of a heartbeat before Kyoya was starting compressions. 1, 2, 3, 4. He filled her lungs with air. Lungs void of oxygen were being forced to function. He struggled to keep the beat steady. As his mouth met hers when he filled her lungs with air, he subconsciously noticed she was wearing a retainer.
"What are you waiting for? Call an ambulace! She's lost too much blood!" 1, 2, 3, 4. More air, as he heard the dialing of a phone. 1, 2, 3, 4. He pressed his mouth to hers for a third time, filling her lungs with air. 1, 2, 3, 4. Forcing a quiet heart to beat. He breathed more air into her. 1, 2, 3, 4. Kyoya looked at her, almost angrily, before pumping more air into her. 1, 2, 3, 4. His hair hung in front of his forehead, his eyes furious with determination, and his glasses slowly slipping. He breathed air into her again as he heard sirens near. 1, 2, 3, 4. He pressed his lips against hers once more, futilly attempting to bring life back to her.
But the attempts weren't futile. She opened her eyes lazily.
"Stay," he commanded forcefully, "Just keep your eyes open. Focus on something."
She did as told. She kept her eyes locked on his, though his onyx ones did not return the favor. He looked at the pool of blood surrounding her left side and the soaked-through, ripped and tied T-shirt on her arm as he stood, the paramedics already loading her onto the stretcher, moving her out with Marge following close behind. He finally fixed his askew glasses; he noticed the shin parts of his pants were soaked in her blood, and his shirt was missing a piece, which he used to keep pressure on her arm with.
Kyoya was left alone with ice, summer homework, and a pool of blood that was becoming frozen.
Kyoya parked in front of the hospital before walking up to the doors of the emergency room. He simply flashed his ID, which showed his last name. It seemed that, even in America, the Ohtori family name was well-respected. He quickly found Alice's room.
Marge looked up from her twiddling thumbs and smiled at him, "Thank you. The doctors said she is alive because of you... I apologize for earlier, also. If you hadn't been there- if I had kicked you out... she would have..."
"It was no trouble at all," he said with a wave of his hand. His shirt was ripped and his pants were blood-stained below the knee, but Marge wasn't Haruhi. He wouldn't charge her, of course. (A/N *giggles* sorry... it felt necessary... lol)
He turned to the hospital bed. Alice's hair was let down, and it was made known to him that she had medium-length, curly, brown hair. She had side bangs that were in need of a trim; that, or she was growing them out, and she had a child's face when she was asleep. IV's were hooked into her arms, she has an oxygen mask on, and her left arm was bandaged, with stitches underneath, more than likely.
"I just came to check on her. Tell her, when she wakes up, that if she needs anything, she could call me at this number," Kyoya handed Marge a business card with his new home number on it. He smiled a small smile before leaving.
Tell me what you think in a review! Next, I think I'll introduce you to Mori's love interest. Did you know that I originally had a love interest for Hunny - she was a paraplegic - but Hunny is SO DIFFICULT to write for. Props to Bisco Hatori WHO OWNS THIS (NOT ME).
Review, and follow me on Tumblr! its-alwaysthequiet-one!
THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING.
