Shadows and Light
Summary: Kagome is moved to Ouran High School after the events of Naraku's death tear her from the feudal era. Immediately assigned Kyoya Ootari as a tutor. She quickly discovers that there is much to her new school she could have never expected.
For all the talk of darkness, some people forget; that without light there could be no shadow.
Chapter One: Getting It All Started
"How do you even have the money for this mom? A couple weeks here and we'll be bankrupt for years." Kagome blinked skeptically as her head went slowly backward, a failed attempt to take it all in at once. The buildings were all colossal and the courtyard alone was at least as big as all the land they owned at the shrine. Everything screamed of it being a place of people with means far beyond her small family. It was as if someone had taken a prism and held it over the grounds, breaking the colors into vibrant hues that reached nearly ever corner and nook that wasn't a perfectly sculpted walkway or impressively long fountain. The winter snow was cleared neatly from the paths but lines of color played along the sparkling surface anywhere else. "The fountain has it's own heater and if it didn't reflect the light then I would have thought it to be empty. I think the peeing cherub is a bit poor taste but I guess rich people just do whatever happens to be in fashion. It's really pretty but I know mom can't possibly afford to send us to this sort of school."
She sighed to herself and sat down on one of the benches, she had a meeting to turn in her paperwork to one of the secretaries but it wasn't for another half-hour so enjoying the piece and quiet of the parklike yard was a nice break.
"Reminds me a little of the feudal era...not that I want to think about it. More European architecture but the flora is just lovely." She shook her head, pulling back out the envelope her mother had given her to pass onto the staff. She knew it was good for her to trust her mom and it was sealed so if she opened it they'd know she got into it. "What are you thinking sending Souta and I to schools that are so expensive?"
Souta wasn't going to the Ouran High School with her, he was at a nearby elementary school that she assumed was owned by the same people that ran this private school. All mom told her was that she didn't need to worry about the money but she wouldn't tell her where it was coming from. All too mysterious for her tastes...she was already afraid she'd have nothing in common with the kids but she couldn't return to her school.
After they'd defeated Naraku and the well closed she had failed her final exams and needed to repeat the year of education. No public school would take her so she had to attend a private school.
"I'd just assumed it would be some small place near home...that we were already short on money. Mom acts like they already accepted me here but that's not true." She repeated the sigh, it was a action that she'd become intimately familiar with ever sense she'd lost Inuyasha. Pushing away that painful thought she instead looked at the envelope like it was a traitor. "She said if I gave this to the secretary though that I would be starting with the rest of the new semester tomorrow. I'll have missed opening ceremonies but that wouldn't be something to cry over. Then again, maybe I've finally just driven her mad..."
She pushed off the bench and moved for the inside again, even though it was nice to relax the weather was still chilly and she didn't want to be late. The inside didn't fail to be any less impressive than the out. Grand staircases wrapped in crimson and framed with gold curled to upper floors where the lower parts of the walls and any area without carpeting was a lovely marble. The ceilings had renaissance-esque paintings all over and it seemed that no surface was boring or uncovered by something those inside would find ugly or uninteresting. "Maybe I shouldn't have just sat for a couple minutes...it'll take forever to find the office..."
Thankfully she found someone that worked there and they escorted her to the lovely offices, very polite and professional. Though they kept glancing at her old school uniform like she was wearing a gorilla costume. "It's not that bad..."
The secretary was offering disbelieving eyes and a false smile you might give someone asking a stupid question when Kagome handed over the envelope. "Miss. The registration for the new semester closed two days ago. The school year has already begun."
"I was just told to give you that." Kagome answered, resisting the urge to let her eye twitch at the woman. "Don't gotta give me that look...I was just doing as I was told."
The secretary was still unconvinced it was obvious but apparently she was up for playing along and opened the envelope. Two leather bound folders that were white with a red pattern worked into each of the corners slid out. One was an average paper size and one was more like a box but about a quarter of the size of the first. She opened the larger one first and then paused instantly, like she'd seen a ghost.
Kagome didn't even get the chance to comment before she was through one of the other doors in the office. Smiling a little after her Kagome sat down to wait. "I figured she was wanting to laugh at me. Serves her right...wish she would have told me what was in there though..."
"Miss Higurashi, I'm so very sorry. I didn't realize who you were." Suspicious had transformed into sweetness and her very words dripped with newfound respect. Kagome teardropped as she blinked slowly at the rapid buttonhook of treatment. "I'll have a class schedule drawn up while security comes and escorts you to get your uniforms. I mean...if you don't mind? You aren't busy are you? We can have it brought to you."
"Did I die and go to wonderland?" Kagome looked around to make sure she was the only one there and then finally shook her head in a slow negative. "Um...no, I have the afternoon free to do whatever you need me to do here."
"I'll read through your file while you are fitted and have things prepared by the time you get back." The woman insisted, bowing low and giving the security guards strict orders to take Kagome wherever she needed to go.
"Do I really need security to walk around?" She asked with a idle curiosity as they walked. Not much made her nervous after spending her days fighting demons in feudal japan but it was still sort of strange. Keeping in step and looking at them but they didn't answer and didn't look at her so she let out another of many deep breaths and found another shock when she reached a room busy with school kept seamstresses. "I can't believe this is for real..."
It was a little embarrassing to be in just her underwear to get fitted...did she really need so much attention for just a school uniform? It was longer than the skirt at her last school and she didn't really like the yellow color but it seemed silly to complain. They started sewing it right there in front of her...sort of fascinating. "I didn't realize rich people were actually this pampered. I guess it's nice but I don't see how it's needed."
"Miss Higurashi. You want to get a tutor for some of your classes after your slight mishap last year?" It was unnerving a little when the secretary from before just popped out right next to her.
"Slight mishap? I failed almost every exam but history." That was bittersweet.
"It would be really nice if I could get one actually." She had to agree. "But isn't that sort of expensive?"
"Miss Higurashi we will spare no expense to make certain that you not only surpass the issue of your previous year but you will excel in every course you choose to take." She seemed so serious when she said it. "I will speak with the Chairman and make certain you have a great tutor to work with."
Then she was gone again and Kagome didn't have a chance to reply. Though she was going to have to find out where all this money was just materializing from. The idea of her mom working until she died to try to pay off her loans didn't at all appeal to the young woman. It was her mistake and her family would suffer.
She broke the jewel, she made the promise to fix it, she fell stupidly in love with someone already in love with someone else. If mom wanted this so badly she'd gotten them to treat her so well she would have to do her best. "She always wanted me to be a doctor...maybe I should really just concentrate on studies from now on so she won't have to be worried about me her entire life.
""Miss?" The voice finally drew her from the sobering thoughts. "Should I fetch a nurse?"
"Oh no." Kagome raised her hands and shook her head quickly. "I'm fine. Just daydreaming...you finished already?"
"We already had some ready to be fitted but you'll only have two for now. The other weeks worth and the summer uniforms will be delivered to you next week." The older lady working with her explained as Kagome took the box she was holding.
"Next week? That's so fast." Kagome observed. "You must be quite the seamstress to get so much done at once. Thanks for your help. I should go find the secretary before she hunts me down again."
"Thank you miss." The older woman stared after young Kagome with mild curiosity, she wasn't used to much more than complaints from the majority of the student body.
It wasn't a long walk and there was so much to look at in the hallways Kagome had to admit she didn't mind the way it took her mind off her troubles. Just walking around might soon become a past time.
"Miss Higurashi, just in time. Does this schedule appeal to you? Do you need me to rework anything?" The secretary turned her monitor around, still the pillar of fake sugary kindness.
"Wow, actually most of those are things I'll need for what I was thinking about." Kagome commented as she looked it over. Most of them were things she'd need if she wanted to pursue being a doctor someday so she could take care of her mom and family instead of them always taking care of her.
"Also, I spoke with the Chairman and a boy named Kyoyo Ootori will be working with you on the tutoring. He is a year ahead of you but he's the highest scoring academic student in the school." She explained. "If you find him less than adequate let us know and we will find someone else for you."
"Um thanks...but that sounds fine." Kagome agreed. "Do they make this much fuss over anyone accepted? That seems silly but it's not like I'm special."
It wasn't too long before she had her uniforms, class schedule, and information to take home to her mother. They even gave her a school limo ride home, it was all very awkward, but when she walked back into her house and the way dinner smelled made her push that out of her mind. Her mom would want to see her happy, and she couldn't keep letting her mom worry so much.
"Did it all work out honey?" Mom was always so warm, her apron on and the soft smile on her face while she worked at the stove was such a common memory for the teenager.
"Yeah." Kagome agreed. "Are you sure you have enough money for this mom? It seems really really expensive and this place is suppose to be as much as any college. Couldn't I just go to a smaller local school."
"It's fine Kagome." Mom laughed at her. "I told you that Grandpa won a bunch of money when he was playing majong at the casino."
It was such a obvious lie but Kagome couldn't bring herself to pry at the way mom looked, it was the first time she seemed truly happy in weeks. So often lately she'd been around but her eyes were distant and she always seemed worried, today it was if some great burden had been lifted from her shoulders.
"If that's me going to school I have to do well." Kagome told herself with a mental nod, moving to help with the veggies for dinner. "I can't let mom and everyone take the burdens for me anymore."
The following day...
All the girls and boys both were so cute or pretty or handsome...
Kagome felt a little out of place as all the other girls had the latest styles of hair or accessory and she had her old backpack and no form of ribbon or hairpiece to accent anything. No jewelry.
"I don't like jewelry." She reminded herself...the only necklace she'd worn for so long was a curse. Whispers followed her and that was nerve racking as she walked to the room that was her homeroom. Looking it over before heading (and stopping shortly after) inside.
It was creepy.
There were twins sitting at the same desk in the middle of the room waiting with some other students...well waiting wouldn't be the right word. They were handsome in their own way, both having a pale salmon, almost pink colored hair in a short sort of roguish style.
One was caressing the cheek of the other and speaking softly. "Oh my Hikaru, you can't just say things like that. Of course I want you to share my desk..."
Most of the other girls seemed outright fascinated by this bizarre behavior but Kagome made a disgusted face and moved quickly to the seat nearest the door. "Incest? And with twins? What the hell did mom get me into? What exactly do they teach is okay to rich people?"
She was staring at her lap and glad that they were too busy with each other to notice the expression she'd offered. She didn't want to offend anyone on her very first day, more or less anyone in her own class, but that was just sick.
"Guys." Haruhi leaned back to the twins. "Calm down okay."
"What Haruhi, are you jealous?" One asked, leaning forward to snake an arm around her right arm.
The second getting the left at the same time added. "You want to join us Haruhi?"
The girls in the room squealed at the behavior, a couple seemed ready to faint.
"Drop dead." Haruhi commented as she pulled her arms free with a baleful glance back at them before crossing the appendages over her chest.
"Gay three way twins? Why are so many girls turned on by that sort of stuff? Nothing about a guy on a guy gives me fluffy romantic feelings, more like I'm glad my breakfast was small this morning." Kagome pulled out her notepad and was carefully arranging her book and desk so she could try to not think about the rest of her class. "Mom, I'm really trying...but I guess it's gonna be harder than I could have imagined to fit in and do well."
"Hey there's a new girl." One of the twins finally noticed, the other following his gaze but Kagome just kept on like she didn't see them at all. "I didn't hear anything about that."
"Me either." Several of the other students spoke up with commenting about not knowing about a new student joining the class.
"What's your name anyway?" The twins were in front of her before she'd paid enough attention to notice.
"Um, Kagome." She managed, glad they weren't about to kiss anymore at least. "Kagome Higurashi."
"Higurashi?" They both repeated it at once. "Nope, don't recognize, what does your family do?"
"Just put up with it. You'll have to sometime anyway." Kagome thought idly. "They run a old shrine in Tokyo."
"So are you a honor student like Haruhi?" One asked, then got the light-bulb idea expression and hit a fist in his opposite hand. "Hey, another commoner might make a good friend for Haruhi."
"A girl in particular." The other one agreed.
Kagome just glanced between them, it was annoying they hadn't even introduced themselves back, they just called her a commoner and continued to speak about her like she wasn't there. Before she could snap at them for their rude attitudes the bell rang and the professor was shooing everyone to their seats.
The day wasn't so bad when class was going on and the class didn't really seem to worry about her too much, they seemed to have their own social things going on. Just as well, Kagome wasn't anti-social but she wanted time to work and study instead of being worried about a bunch of friends. By the time the day ended she was ready for the lack of flirting between the brothers though, it was pretty disturbing to witness it. "Girls here must be really bored if that's what does it for them."
She usually tried not to be too judgmental, as long as no one tried to push it on her she wouldn't say anything as to her own feelings about it. Her teacher said that her tutor was in a club in one of the music rooms. At least that might give her some peace after the days events.
ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo
"Aw what do you mean Kyoya?" Timaki asked with puppy eyes, getting into costume with the rest of the club members. It was a samurai theme again today, one the girls usually seemed to enjoy and the costumes were always so comfy! "But your girls will be disappointed."
"Nothing I can do." Kyoya answered without a change in his usual tone.
"It's fine." Haruhi commented as she exited from changing herself. "Mori is a lot like Kyoya, he can take his customers for the day right?"
"What?" Mori slumped as a dark cloud appeared over his head.
Honey patted Mori on the back with a comforting expression. "It's okay Mori-chan! You aren't really like Kyoya! I'm sure Haruhi was just kidding!"
The twins were turned around snickering and Kyoya's eye twitched a little.
"Who were you asked to tutor all of a sudden anyway?" Haruhi changed the subject as Mori still seemed so depressed at the comparison.
"Some new girl. I haven't gotten back any information on her yet." Kyoya replied, jotting something down in his notebook as he always was. "The school specifically asked me to get involved."
"Always good to owe the school a favor." One of the twins pointed out.
"No way he'd tutor anyone otherwise." The other added.
"That's true." Haruhi agreed, putting a finger to her lips. "He's pretty ruthless that way. I guess you aren't really like him at all Mori."
That seemed to brighten the taller man's mood and he straightened back up a little. Honey beamed at Haruhi and Kyoya shook his head. "Just keep a handle on finances when I can't be here each moment."
"We'll be great as we always are!" Tamaki burst in, holding up a fist and posing. "When at our greatest losses we'll pull through and all who visit the Host Club will be awed and amazed with the way we'll make you seem as if your absence means absolutely nothing to us."
The twins fell back over laughing as Kyoya's eye twitched a little again.
They paused when the door opened and the girl from their class stepped inside, though she lingered near the door staring at them.
Kagome wasn't sure what to think of it. What the hell were they getting dressed for? A play? The second day of school? That seemed unlikely.
"Um...is..." She dug around to pull out the piece of paper, reading the name. "Kyoya Ootori here?"
"Hello miss." Tamaki's hands were on hers before anyone else could intervene. "I am glad to welcome you to the Host Club where we will find a way to make you smile at all moments. Consider me your humble king and you'll be one of our lovely princesses."
"Do the girls here fall for this?" Kagome thought as she looked at him. "Um, so he's not here?"
"I'm right here." Kyoya spoke up. "I just had some club business to attend before I could begin lessons with you. I apologize for making you wait."
He seemed so robotic, even if he was charming, it was all practiced.
"Sure, want me to go outside...I don't want to um...interrupt anything." Kagome said trying not to look around too much.
"It'll only be another moment, I need to put away the club notes and gather my books." He said politely, heading away.
She couldn't see his eye color behind his glasses, though at least of the kimono costumes his was the closest thing to something more modern, a dark blue with silvery buttons and trim that was actually somewhat similar to the boys jackets at her old school. The rest had colorful kimono's with various patterns and there was sure a variety of people there. At least the one teaching her looked the most normal...but like demons it might not mean anything.
"Why the hell do they have a kid here? They touch children too?" Wait, where'd the cheesy guy go that was talking to me before? Kagome glanced to a corner where the blonde guy was hiding away from everyone and had the twins nearby muttering to him.
"Don't worry about them too much." Haruhi commented, walking over to smile at Kagome to try to make her more comfortable. "They're sort of used to people fawning over them...they might come off as strange but they're good people."
"Sure." Kagome did her best 'things are fine' smile. "Are you preparing for a play?"
"Not exactly." Haruhi answered. "The host club..."
"Entertains beautiful young ladies such as yourself with too much time on your hands." Tamaki was apparently over the initial perceived insult and trying again. Eyes sparkling and fingers caressing her hands. "I hope you'll come in and spend a little time with us."
"So...you are like...male consorts? What's the word, gigolo?" Kagome asked. "They really do let kids in rich schools get away with anything."
Tamaki was instantly back in the corner and the twins were laughing too hard to comfort him that time.
"Not exactly." Haruhi was left to answer and swallowed a little nervously herself, it could sort of look that way. "We just spend a little time with people. It's just to make people smile."
"Sure." Kagome repeated the smile from before.
"Great. I think I made it worse." Haruhi thought, glancing at the way their useless 'leader' was melting away on the floor nearby. "Anyway, I hope your studies with Kyoya go well."
"Thanks." Kagome answered, it was the first normal sentiment she'd gotten in a while today.
"Are you ready Miss Higurashi?" Tamaki returned with a briefcase in one hand and back in the school uniform.
"Yeah." Kagome agreed, moving to follow him out of the room. "Um, nice half meeting you."
"We never introduced ourselves." Honey commented thoughtfully after she left with the vice-president. "We'll have to do that next time."
"Mmm." Mori agreed.
"Wow, I like her. She's funny." The twins commented between each other, laughing enough to fall over again when Tamaki repeated 'gigolo' in a horrified whisper.
Kagome meanwhile followed Kyoya to a side study room that had been separated for them and had most of the materials they'd need already there along with two school assistants for anything they might need fetched.
"This place gets stranger and stranger. Hopefully this guy is as smart as the lady secretary said." Kagome thought as she sat down, glancing over at the board as her new tutor began to write on it. He seemed very serious.
End Chapter
Hope folks like it. Wonder if this is too odd of a couple. But I've had much stranger...
-Nera
P.S. Wonder how many chapters I should wait for a kiss...