Clover stared at her feet, face beet red. Kyoya could not wrap his brilliant mind around what had happened. Had a girl just asked him out?

"While I appreciate the offer, i'm not entirely certain on that rules regarding hosts and relationships."

"I see." her voice was quiet, oh so quiet and it made him feel...pity? That was too rough of a word. He emphasized. And that was something he didn't so often. She swivelled around, ready to leave when a sudden intervention stopped her

"What are you doing-."

"You idiot?" The twins were on either side of him. Had he heard her right? She had invited him out to tea? The way he saw it, there were two valid responses for this kind of situation: either accept the offer and further dangerously intertwine business with pleasure while at the same time working out what he truly felt inside, or decline and drive away possible revenue and publicity. While the second option appealed to the sense of not mixing together business and pleasure, Kyoya couldn't help but feel as if declining Clover's offer would not only be a bad decision with profits, but also of morals. He had to keep his cool and answer swiftly, though even he couldn't see which was the correct answer.

"Certainly. Who would I be to refuse the request of a charming young woman as yourself?" He finally answered. She stared at him with wide olive eyes

"Hm?" she looked up at him and he chuckles slightly at her astonishment. "Though I suppose it would be more appropriate for me to take you out. I know a nice tea shop. Meet me in front of the school, at around 7." Clover could not process. Did she have a date with the Kyoya Ootori? The man several girls were pining over."Dress causally."

She nods before calmly exiting the room. She felt like fireworks were exploding in her chest. There was this overwhelming feeling of joy inside her.

"So mama has a date." harmonized Hikaru and Kaoru.

"I still don't know what I did to receive such a nickname." Clover found herself with a little bounce in her step while she went home.

Kyoya waited, being at least ten minutes early. Being punctual was important and polite, and he wouldn't want to make a bad impression on his first date. Even he felt a little nervous... nervous wasn't the right word. More like apprehensive. He heard her the click click click of heels on bricks. He knew immediately it was her. He turned around, adjusting his glasses as he did so to greet her.

7 o'clock rolled around and Clover found herself in front of Ouran academy. She saw Kyoya, dressed casually, playing with a button on his sleeveless shirt. His hair was neatly combed and as she arrive next to him, she can smell a hint of cinnamon.

"Hello." He greets, smiling politely

"Hi." She smiles back and he gets that damn feeling again. He cursed himself. If he was supposed to be the cool type why was this girl making such a mess of him? But of course, he masqueraded his emotions so well she couldn't sense anything. She considered taking his hand. But she couldn't quite work up the courage. Did he consider this a date? He looks her up and down, heeled boots still clicking, she wore tight black jeans that highlighted every curve, along with a loose white and teal shirt, reading Louder than a bomb.

"You look beautiful." He complimented. And he meant it. Her pale skin had a smattering of makeup on it, not too much not too little. Her hair flowed down her back, reaching almost her hips, it looked a dark copper color, still sightly wet from a recent shower, her eyes shined like the stars aligned. And when she smiled, flashing straight white teeth, he had to stop and watch her. She was confident and self conscious at the same time, independent. He could not identify what it was he was feeling. In her arms she held a grey jacket, with bold emerald lettering that read SLYTHERIN, along with the emblem on the back. Instinctively, he reached for her hand. The skin was smooth, soft. It fit inside his own larger hand perfectly. Actually, his hand was more so consuming her own, but she loved it. She loved the size difference, she felt it made it all the more cute. He almost had a Good foot on her.

"Louder than a bomb is the largest poetry festival in the world. You've competed?"

"Yeah, it's always a really cool experience. Have you ever been to a poetry slam before?"

"No, I can't say I have. You'll have to take me to your next one." She raises her thin eyebrows.

"You would actually go?" She seemed amazed.

"Of course. Though I don't believe Ouran has a poetry club of its own."

"Not yet." The corner of her mouth quirks up into a smirk. "I aspire to create one." She informs him. "I was poetry president at my old school." Kyoya notes this mentally, plan already in mind.

"How meritable. Having a new club at Ouran would certainly garner some attention."

"Of course it would. We don't practice that old crap taught in English classes." Kyoya sighs, slightly relieved. He had always struggled with writing prose, with all the rules and rhyming, he found it a bore.

"Oh? What do you practice then?"

"Freestyle spoken word. It's much more modern." He smiles, interlacing their fingers together. She smiles slightly, as they arrive at what is the fanciest tea shop she had ever seen. The borders were melanic and indigo, with loopy French writing that she could make out to be Magasin de thé de l'amour. Tea shop of love. How romantic. It looked as it were straight out of a romance novel. There are a few couples sprinkled inside and out, flowers were blooming all around in small cardinal boxes. There were carnations, mixed with spider lilies, mixed with a lavender shade of rose. The stems were Amazon green, Kyoya picks the largest, most fragrant of the bunch and hands it to Clover. She blushes, taking the flower from him.

"It pales in comparison to your beauty." He smirks a little. He was starting to sound like Tamaki. Which normally would make him shudder, but at least he was being genuine. This girl, was different. Tamaki would tell a fish it looked beautiful if he thought it'd make it happy. They are seated, the low hum of conversation floating in the humid air. The scents waft toward Clovers nostrils, the baked apple pies and pastries were in a glass container up front. Kyoya orders for the both of them, him getting a jasmine tea, getting her a large vanilla frozen coffee, something he knew she loved from his research. He ordered them both a pain au chocolat as well.

"How did you know what I wanted?" She stares at him, confused.

"The more I like someone, the more i get to know them and their interests. By any means necessary." He smirks slightly, sipping his tea, and squeezing her hand. The air conditioning whirred to life and Clover pulled on her jacket, getting goosebumps. This boy made her heart thump and her skin tingle. Was she falling for him? She better not be. What a cliche. But she couldn't deny, she way he smiled made her love every moment.

"Do you have any poetry on you?" Clover pulls out a small black notebook. He always noticed her scribbling in it during class.

"Surely you don't actually want to read this? It's just a bunch of rhyming angst."

"It certainly would be interesting." He hands him the notebook and he reads,

One.

Her lips kiss my skin

Whispering that I am not from sin

Words powered by artificial lust

Weaving lies into my vulnerable mind

Just to make me think it'll be alright

Crimson regrets that line my arms and heart

Pleading with me that just one more won't make me depart

One more

One more day I can stay

And pretend that I'm okay

I'm sorry this knife shows me truth

That last kiss is all I remember

To be concerned with the beauty of you bed and what night may hold

When you don't dare give me a second glance by day

Sometimes it just doesn't seem worth it

Two.

I still remember

The petrifying walk that led to my impending revelation

My resonating little world crashing in on me

Cornered by the ones I loved

My only savior stripped from me

I was a mess

Three.

So self-absorbed in pity

I was blinded

Sightless to the fact there were others like me

That she was in peril

All caused by my own selfish deeds

Four

Hollowed out and filled up with hate

Paranoia now runs through my veins like a poison

Falling, falling deeper into my own worst nightmare

Five

For the first time in my life she looks at me genuinely

I am no longer a burden but a real live girl

Soft hair, pale skin, and a broken smile

Broken into pieces too small to put back together

Too small to even matter

But big enough to cut me into so many pieces

Six

This is all just getting too hard

I'm falling apart breaking into shards

Twenty new scars

She's drifting farther than I could have imagined

He's gone by day

I want to save them

But how can I save them when I can't save myself?

Seven

God knows I'm no princess

But I'd like by own fairy tale ending once in awhile

Now in this tale I play the dual role of villain and victim

Seven months

She begs for this man's approval

And her words still eat right through me

Eight

We're drifting apart yet

Closer than ever

I can feel the hatred burning in the back of her throat

She's become a stranger

Nothing more than a narcissist

Nine

Silence

She ended our friendship

With a bullet to the back of the head

Etched into the back of my skull

The words I coulda shoulda woulda never said to you

Left me bound and tied with suicidal memories

You lie until they run out of questions

Darling you told me not to leave

But you're the one that walked out that door with her already attached to you at the hip with the new name bestie

Ten

She was nothing more than a ghost

A memory so transparent

Fading with each day

Her absence rings louder in my mind

Louder than a bomb

Left me powerless with no direction

How did I fall so far behind?

Eleven

He pulled me out of darkness

Saved me from my own crimson regrets

Stamped out the fire that burned down my confidence

And taught me to breathe

To breathe

To expel the shadows that had nested within my lungs

To clear my infected state of mind

Defeat my own demons

Stitch up my scars

And live

Twelve

Twelve months

Fifty two weeks

Three hundred and sixty five days

Two friends

One love

Scars will heal, but were meant to bleed

And I'm only on page 31 of 365

Beauty can't grow in darkness

If I want to blossom

I need to climb and reach my new horizon

"i may have used to…-."

"I assure you, I already know." she looks at him incredulous.

"This would be a whole lot creepier if I wasn't into you." He chuckles

"What intrigues me is, who is 'she'?" she raises her brow.

"You don't already know? Now that's a surprise. I used to have a best friend. She was very touchy feely. She had a crush on me. For various reasons we began to despise each other. Now she goes around telling people I was abusive." She sips her coffee bitterly.

"Why, it certainly doesn't seem that way. With what I know of you." she shakes her head

"You'd be surprised. I didn't quite abuse her. But I Just didn't let her walk all over me." She pulls out a black wallet decorated with the Deathly Hallows symbol. He gives her hand another squeeze.

"Do you honestly expect me to let you pay?" She smirks.

"Well I couldn't very well assume. You know the saying."

Soon they are leaving, hand in hand, the sky is a endless jewel blue domain that stretched into a violet in the horizon. Stars were beginning to glitter down at them like diamonds in a mine. Clover twirls her rose around on her other hand. They are in front of Ouran again, by the maze of flowers and bushes anyone could get lost in. He sits down on a rather fancy, painted cream colored bench then Pats the seat next to him. She sits, and soon he wraps a long arm around her, pulling her petite figure close to him.

"How did you get the host club to leave you alone this long?" She inquires. A little devious smile spreads across his lips, as he pushes up his spectacles

"I sent them on a scavenger hunt."

"How long do you think it'll take them?"

"If Tamaki is leading them, all year." She titters a little. "But Haruhi is with them, so we have just enough time to watch the sunset." She smiles at him. Together they watch as they sky fades from bruised-blue to warlock-black; from dawn pink to plum purple. She rests her head on his shoulder and he almost lets his guard down.

"Kyoya -senpai."

"Yes?"

"Are we dating?" He considers it for a momoent. What could be gained? Would his popularity as a host decline? He couldn't help but respond with

"I would like it if we were." He smiles down at her. Not noticing Haruhi and Mori trekking ahead of the host club.

"Geez. That was a wild goose chase." Sighed Haruhi

"Mmhm." Agreed Mori. Honey was half asleep on Mori's back, the twins and Tamaki were behind them. Kyoya couldn't process what happened next. She leaned in slightly, so close he could smell the rose shampoo she must have used, their eyes locked and every sense in his body was telling him this might be a bad idea. But he didn't care. Not yet. Anyway. Her lips brushed his, and he felt sparks go off. He was so shocked by her kiss, he forgot to close his eyes.

"That's the girl from the party…" realized Haruhi. "You don't think that's Kyoya-senpais first kiss, do you?"

"I don't see how it couldn't be. We've all known Kyo-chan a really long time. He's never so affectionate. He only interacts with the girls to make money." Honey informed, rubbing his eyes. She pulled away from Kyoya, and he smirked a little

" You had a crumb."she whispered

"You're a very interesting woman, Clover." He breathed. "We should be getting you home, it's late."

Haruhi watched as they walked away, hand in hand. And when they reach her door, she wraps an arm around his neck, and he cupped her cheek, hand on her jaw, thumb caressing her cheek. This time when they kissed, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of their lips together. The world fell away. It was soft, slow, meaningful. And that was the most profit he ever needed from her. It felt like his brain was overloading, warmth spread throughout her entire body. It was a whole new magic they felt, together they were sorcerers. She tasted of vanilla with a hint of coffee.

"You taste sweet." Like tea and pain au chocolat. He smirked a little before pecking her lips once more. That was the story of how they stole each other's first kiss, and how they took each other's hearts by storm. He walked away from her home, a small smile on his face.