A/N : This is actually not my first story but I'm still an amateur, nonetheless, so yea. Please review and constructive critisisms are welcomed.
Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran High School Host Club nor its characters, I only own Hoshino Cho.
"Why did a cool person like you, Kyouya-senpai decide to join this bizarre idea of the Host Club?" asked Haruhi at the opening of the Host Club one day. Kyouya smiled and they both looked over at Tamaki with the customers.
Then Kyouya said, "Because it was bizarre."
"Eh?"
Kyouya smiled as he remembered when he first met Tamaki
Even though Ootori Kyouya is the class president and is very friendly and popular with everyone, he thought not much of most people and only considered them only through their family business.
Two boys came up to Kyouya the moment he stepped foot into the classroom.
"Ootori-kun! You're first in the class again!?"
CLICK I
In his mind, Kyouya had a snapshot of the boy in black and white, while thinking as if adding captions to the picture, "This is the son of a major department store owner."
Then the other boy spoke, "You're pretty set to bet the class rep again after we enter our third of middle school."
And immediately Kyouya made mental snapshot of that boy, thinking, "This is the youngest son of a prominent member of the Diet."
"Look! Look! It's Ootori-san!"
Kyouya's attention was drawn to a group of 3 girls. More like fan girls.
"He looks so cool everyday." "You're right!" the other two said.
The caption that came with this snapshot was, "A group of unsophisticated ladies."
He looked around the room once more before pulling the chair out and sitting down in his seat.
Kyouya feel as if something was missing from the flashback, but nevertheless he is not going to wonder about such a trivial thing. He was on his way to "visit" Haruhi's dad when he thought about this afternoon's event and that plunged him into another flashback, within the flashback.
"We used kotatsus today." Kyouya reported to Haruhi's dad. They were sitting in a cafe, not too fancy and like Tamaki would have said, a commoner's cafe a couple of hours later.
"That's interesting." replied Fujioka with a smile.
As if out of no where, someone tapped Kyouya on the shoulder and the person said, "Konnichiwa Ootori-san. I didn't expect you to be here."
Kyouya turned around and looked at the person standing behind him. It was a girl with long brown hair. She was wearing a public school's uniform. Her big greenish eyes were fixed on Kyouya as she waited patiently for an answer.
...
"Ano...do I know you?"
The girl did an anime fall. Obviously this wasn't the answer she was expecting.
"I was in you class 2 years ago, Ouran Middle School (I think that's what it was called). Hoshino Cho."
Then Kyouya remembered. A girl sitting in the corner desk towards the back of the room. Her hair swaying softly when wind blew through the open window. She was reading a book, turning the sheets slowly, her eyes scanning the pages and taking in the words. However, he feels as if something is still missing from this picture.
"Oh...I remember now. You're that girl who was always reading. What happened to you?"
"I transferred to public high school."
"I see. So what are you doing here today?"
"I work here after school, and I saw you. You know that you still haven't answered my question yet."
"Ah, gomen, gomen." Kyouya said with a sheepish smile. "I was just talking about some stuff with a person."
"Yea. Stuff."
"Speaking of that person..." Remembering that he had forgotten all about Fujioka, Kyouya turned back towards the table...to find that the seat Fujioka was sitting at is empty. Instead, on the table is a written note:
"Sorry to leave you here but I just remembered I still have to go to the (okama) bar today.
Love, Fujioka"
Both Cho and Kyouya had a huge sweat drop over their head.
"Ok then...so are you going to do anything now?" Cho asked.
"No. Not particularly."
"Alrighty then. I'm going home. I've been waiting forever for a chance to sit down and finish that book."
"I'll walk you home, if you won't mind." Kyouya said suddenly.
"Huh?" Cho said, turning around.
"I have to get my father some papers and the office is in the same direction as your house so I might as well as walk you home."
"Oh. Ok."
"So why did you decide to transfer?" asked Kyouya, a bit curious in spite of himself. He and Cho were walking side by side on the sidewalk, towards the direction of a quieter neighborhood and away from all the people and the stores.
"I don't know. I just felt like getting away from that kind of lifestyle for a while."
"So you don't like Ouran? How about your friends?"
"Its not like I hate the school and that I can't wait to get as far as I can from it, but right now, I'm sort of tired of living like this. In school, I don't exactly have friends because everyone is so social, and I don't feel like I belong. And plus, at home, it's always about the family business, the money, the socializing first, and then comes the actual family. I want to experience the life of a "normal" 16 year old, go to a public high school, and have friends whom I hang out with after school. I just want to enjoy my life without having to worry about anything else other than trying to not fail school."
Kyouya felt a strong emotion arising towards this girl: fondness, and a bit of affection. This girl who is standing in front of him walking is doing and what he has wanted to do for as long as he can remember. And that is to break away from the pressure of prestigious families and their problems and lifestyle.
"Well, I hope that I will see you in school at Ouran next year." Kyouya said.
"It depends..." said Cho, putting her finger to her chin playfully as if she is in thought. After a fraction of a second, they both broke out in laughter.
"Wow, we're at my house already. Well I guess I'll see you...another time?" asked Cho in a tone that subtly suggests something.
"Yes, someday." replied Kyouya.
As Kyouya was walking back to his house, (yes he did lie about going to his father's office) he did not pay attention to the person inside Cho's house expressing her joy by jumping up and down and saying "Yatta!" over and over again because a memory came to Kyouya, this time with all the pieces taped together.
A girl sitting in the corner desk towards the back of the room. Her hair swaying softly when wind blew through the open window. She was reading a book, turning the sheets slowly, her eyes scanning the pages and taking in the words. This moment was captured in another black and white snapshot. and the caption that came with this particular snapshot was:
Hoshino Cho. Not much is known about her, but she is interesting. Perhaps I should take her somewhere to get to know her. A coffee shop should work.
