Chapter 3- First Interactions
Eri was never good at socialising.
Being the only daughter of parents who were rarely home in a house filled with servants and maids, it was only natural that she kept mostly to herself. Reading brought her out of this world; and reading made her thoughts and actions sometimes more matured than any other person her age. And it was because of this side of her personality that troubled her greatly when the teacher told them to pair up two by two to write a report on 'The Age of Modern Science and How the World would be like in Ten Years'.
She stared at the science teacher with an unreadable expression as he continued to rant, telling them what he expected in their finished work.
"-and the marks you receive from this report will occupy ten percent of the total score of your mid-term science paper."
Many groaned at this.
"So I want all of you to do your best and work together. If one fails, the other fails along with his or her partner."
Eri lowered her eyes and sighed. All around her, her classmates started to discuss and began to form pairs of two. To her right, she heard Suoh Tamaki saying to Ootori Kyoya, "Mon ami, let's do this exciting report together! Ah, images of the world ten years from now are overflowing my mind, the beautiful, beautiful things that will happen- and Haruhi and I will live in the middle of that Glorious Age and be the King and Queen- no! I will gladly be at her feet as her servant-"
Ootori Kyoya readjusted his gleaming glasses as he calmly said, "While I admire you for your imaginations, why don't you try to be a little more realistic? By the way, Haruhi would kill you if she heard what you said." he added the second part as an afterthought. Eri gazed thoughtfully at the blond-haired energetic young man. At times, she really did not understand his out-of-the-world behaviour. And... Haruhi? As in Fujioka Haruhi?
Someone tapped her shoulder.
"Ano...Akino-san?"
Eri looked up and pale blue eyes met a pair of dark brown ones. The girl in front of her was slightly shorter than average and had long black hair that curled naturally. "Anything I can help you with, Kuroda-san?"
Kuroda Saki hesitated nervously before blurting out, "Can I be your partner?"
Eri was a little surprised at this. Kuroda Saki, for as long as she knew her (which was two years), had been a loner. A true loner. Unlike Eri who still held conversations with other people, she was completely alone- in the background. Kuroda Saki was someone who was easily ignored and forgotten, and the girl herself seemed to like it that way. Among all the people Eri had worked with (which changes every time, depending on who approached her first- or rather, had no one else to pick from), Kuroda was never one of them. Most of the time, this classmate was left out and at the end, an unwilling classmate would be forced to work with her.
In the world, there were two definitions of the word 'loner'. One who chose and preferred to be alone; and one who was just alone.
"Sure," Eri replied, smiling slightly at her relieved expression.
"Thank you so much, Akino-san." Saki said, a small smile finding its way onto her face. Her smile was pleasant, Eri noted silently.
"So when do you wish to start?" Eri asked, "Do you want to do this report together? or would you prefer that we split the topic and work individually then combine it?" Personally, she'd like the latter.
"Individually," Apparently, Kuroda thought the same. Truthfully, it was expected.
Eri drew a circle around the topic she had written on her blank page and asked,"Which part of the topic do you want then?"
"The Modern Age of Science,"
At this, Eri could not help but look up suspiciously. Kuroda Saki seemed to have known what she wanted beforehand- which was a contrary from what she had heard from the others. But then-
"I'll take the The World in Ten Years then," she said decidedly, "I hope we'll enjoy working together, Kuroda-san."
"I hope so too."
Lunch in the cafeteria was always interesting for Eri. Observing people was one of the things she would do when she was in a crowd. And also, the food was heavenly- one of the best things she liked about Ouran.
Her table was in a corner of the room and from where she sat, the whole cafeteria was in her view. The Host Club sat diagonally a few tables away, right at the centre where everyone could undoubtedly see them. Most of the time it would be Suoh Tamaki, Ootori Kyoya and the twins; but once in a while, Fujioka Haruhi would join them as well. She remembered the two seniors who had graduated last year- Morinozuka-senpai and Haninozuka-senpai. When they graduated, she was actually disappointed. They were her favourite people to watch. She loved the way they interacted- with the stoic dark-haired senior taking care of his childish cousin. Eri was certain though, that the seemingly naive senior was not as harmless and blithe as he had appeared to be. No one ever was if they wanted to survive in this world they were in- a world where the weakest would be mercilessly eliminated.
Fujioka Haruhi was here today, seated by Suoh Tamaki who looked like he was fawning over her. How had she not notice before- that when he was with the girl, his eyes would light up and his smile would widen? A smile ghosted her lips. A couple? Eri mused.
Out of nowhere, Eri wondered if her new friend had reached US safely. Hayashi Mayu had told her last week that her father was bringing their whole family abroad for a month. She had said, "Daddy thinks it's a good time for us to have a little holiday while he's there on a business trip."
It was then that Eri knew that Mayu's family was a close knit one. And deep down, somewhere inside her, she felt a tinge of jealousy. But even more so, she wished that Mayu realised what a precious gift she had.
Finishing her meal, Eri rose and made her way towards the library. Her routine was boring but she liked it.
Pulling out a book from the shelf, she walked over to the floor-length glass window and sat down in the floor beside it. Rays of gentle sunlight flowed in, washing over her- a faint halo around her peaceful form.
When Ootori Kyoya came in search for her, that was what he saw.
She really was different, this classmate of his. While all the other girls in Ouran gossiped and swooned over guys, she rarely did. And, how many girls in Ouran would be caught sitting on the floor? Not that there was something against that very act.
He went over and sat down a few feet away from her, then opened his notebook and started working on the new budget of the club. It was the first time he had ever been to the library, having no reason to come all the while. And even during this short while he was here, he understood her need to be away from the tables- it was irritatingly noisy. He would have to speak to the chairman about it.
Eri finally closed her book and rubbed her eyes before she felt another presence beside her. She blinked as she saw who it was beside her. Had he been here the whole time?
Sensing her gaze, Ootori Kyoya turned his head slightly, "I see you've finally noticed me."
Her lips twitched at his monotonous- but smooth tenor voice, "I'm sorry, when I read, I always get carried away," she said, "Did you come looking for me?" She knew he was not someone who would come to the library, ever.
Kyoya handed her a sheet of paper and she read through it, realising that it was the guideline she had asked from him a few days ago on what he would like to hear from her on her opinion about the club. "You're really serious about the club, aren't you, Ootori-kun?"
He leaned back against the window, "Of course. And since it's the last year, Tamaki wanted everything to be 'perfect'- though most of the hard work falls on me and not him."
She followed suit, relishing in the feeling of the warm glass pane against her back, "What happens when you graduate?"
Kyoya thought for a while, "It will still be fine next year, with the twins and Haruhi still around, and after that, either someone else continues the club or it will just close down."
"You have someone in mind?"
He smirked, "I do."
"May I know who?"
"Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai's younger brothers."
Eri felt herself smiling, "Somehow, I have a feeling that you won't even have to lure them in," they would just fall in to your trap by themselves.
He chuckled, "You know me too well." She really did, after all, she was not his classmate for six years for nothing. He tried to recall the first time they met. The memory was a little blur and vague but he could still remember their first conversation-
It was the end of the first day of the beginning of their school life in Ouran Middle School and most of the students had already left the classroom.
Ootori Kyoya remained where he was seating, in no haste of leaving. He had noticed that he was not the only one left in the classroom- that there was another presence in the corner by the window.
She really loves windows- he thought, highly amused.
Turning his head, he saw a girl, so engrossed in the book in her hand that he wondered if she had even noticed the bell had rung. It was quite possible because the teachers rarely taught on the first day and had given them freedom to do whatever they wanted to- as long as they stayed in class. He observed the girl and matched her face to one of the names he had memorised and researched upon beforehand at home.
Akino Eri, the daughter of Akino Hiroto and Akino Mari and the sole heiress of the Akino Corporation. Their fathers had a little business relationship but nothing more than that. There was little benefit they could get from each other, he had concluded.
"Class is over, Akino-san," But as a classmate, and a class president, it was his duty to inform her.
She had been startled by his sudden voice and her wide eyes met his. Her gaze swept through the classroom swiftly and began clearing her desk without a second word. It confirmed his suspicion then: she was not aware of the bell.
In seconds she had her things cleared and she stood. Moving towards the door, she paused and offered him a grateful smile, "Thank you."
That was their first, extremely short interaction.
The bell rang and both of them got up. "Will you be there today?" he asked her as they began walking back to class together.
"Unfortunately no," she told him, "But I'll be there tomorrow."
He nodded in understanding and they separated ways as they entered the class room. Eri laughed silently when she heard Tamaki's over-dramatic cry-
"Oh, mon ami! Where did you run off to after lunch? I was so worried! Why did you ditch me, mommy?!"
Ootori Kyoya's cold eyes shot towards his idiot of a friend-
"Shut up."
The third chapter is up!
When I'm writing this, I'm really trying hard to keep Kyoya's calculating side and I hope I did fine.
Thank you for your patience and for all your reviews!
I'm currently in the midst of an exam (which lasts for a month! *groans*)... XD
Please tell me what you think about Kuroda Saki and what her role you think she'll be playing in this story.
PS: A Happy Mother's Day to all mothers out there!
Have a nice day,
~Lura ^_^
