A/N – So, this chapter was interesting to write. I enjoyed thinking about how all the OHSHC members would react after ten years had passed. Kyoya was especially fun since he is a total rich kid. Making him fend for himself while still being Kyoya was fun to do.
Okay, I'm not going to give anything away, but there is a part that I kind of got from a youtube clip of J. Michael Tatum. The part that Kyoya says to Tamaki is directly from the video and the credit all goes to Tatum.
IIIII
I'm writing this after the fact. Actually, I'm writing this while sitting outside of his house. I don't really understand how I'm sitting out here right now. I understand even less about why I am here at all.
This morning I was driving to the grocery store in my adorable little light blue bug—one of the new ones that has the little place to put the flowers by the steering wheel, when I saw the strangest thing ever. I saw someone in full leather riding gear on his sleek dark purple Kawasaki crotch rocket. Okay, so this isn't really that strange on a normal day. But today is November 19th; it's Boston, and it's 45 degrees outside. The only thing that would make it worse would be if it were snowing and raining, but then this motorcyclist wouldn't just be crazy—he or she would have a death wish.
I was kind of curious as to what kind of person drives a freaking motorcycle in 45 degree weather, but I needed to get my grub on, so I didn't follow the crotch-rocketeer. When I reached the parking lot for the grocery store, I saw the motorcycle. I thought this was going to be my lucky day.
I was wrong.
"Emma?" A voice called me as I was grabbing a can of breadcrumbs off the top shelf. In that moment I knew that my day would be interesting, not good or bad, just interesting.
"Mr. Ootori, what a surprise. I didn't know you shopped."
"I am human, just as you are; therefore, I need sustenance." As if to make his point he put a box of angel hair pasta in his cart. It thumped on top of a black motorcycle helmet and slid off to join a vast array of vegetables, fruit, and various bottles of sauces, oils, vinegars, dressings, and…
"I hope you don't plan on drinking this alone." This was an eighty dollar bottle of wine, "It'd be a waste of good wine."
"Well, if you want to join me for dinner then I will not have to drink it alone." Did Kyoya Ootori just smile at me? He did, and it was quite attractive. I don't know if I can handle this. I don't know enough about him to go over to his house.
"Sure. I have nothing better to do today." Shoot.
"Great. How does 4:00pm sound? I would invite you over now, but my home is not really ready for guests, and I am expecting a conference call with an important client, so I have to head back to the office."
"4:00 sounds great. It'll give me time to wash my hair or something." He smiled again. I didn't really trust his smile yet, especially considering what he did to me yesterday. I thought he hated me.
We broke off then. I was walking aimlessly through the grocery store, my face was flushed. I could feel my cheeks growing pink. People probably either thought I had caught my death or that raw meat held some type of turn on for me. Why did I agree to go to his house? Why? That was the question running through my head as I threw things into my cart.
"That will be 67 dollars and 95 cents, ma'am." The cashier's voice woke me out of my self-retribution.
"No way! I…shoot…I left my wallet at home." My lip had started to quiver in anger at myself.
"Do not worry about it. Here you go, Joshua." Kyoya Ootori. Was he everywhere? I was beginning to wonder if he had some mysterious mystical power to know exactly what is happening with everyone at all times.
"Oh, Mr. Ootori. How are you doing today, sir?" Kyoya knew the cashier? I was surprised for only about a millisecond, then I thought about what happened yesterday. Was he God?
"I am doing fine. Glad to see that you are back at work. How is your grandmother's heath?"
"She is doing much better. The in-home care you suggested has helped her keep her spirits up. She hated that hospital room. Oh, and thank you for that recommendation letter."
"You are a bright young man. Even without my recommendation, MIT would have accepted you. Keep in touch. I may have a job opening for you when you graduate, and if you would rather not work for me, then I would be happy to write another recommendation letter for you."
"Thank you so much, Mr. Ootori. Here's your change. Have a good day, sir. Oh, and ma'am, you're one lucky lady to be with this gentleman."
"You flatter me, Joshua. I do not deserve it, and Ms. Emma Knightly here is merely my subordinate."
"Whatever you say, Mr. Ootori"
I remember walking out of the grocery store as if it were an episode of The Twilight Zone. Did I just really hear my stuck-up perfectionist of a boss carry on a conversation with a kid working the check-out counter at my neighborhood grocery store? Did he really just pay for all of my food? Was I still really going over to his house tonight?
"Emma? Are you doing alright? You have not said a word in the past two minutes. While I am overjoyed at your lips actually being shut for once, it seems out of character"
"Uh, I was just thinking. Thinking about how weird it is that you seem to have all of this information and all of these connections. I'm wondering if you are psychic or if you are merely the spawn of Satan. Also, I'm wondering why anyone in their right mind would pay for someone else's groceries, but mostly I'm wondering why anyone would drive a motorcycle in Boston in mid-November."
"I have information because I have lived in this neighborhood for nearly ten years, and my company provides services to nearly everyone in this community since we work closely with this community's main hospital. I am not psychic nor am I the spawn of Satan, though I have been called both things before. Also, I enjoy driving many different vehicles. I happen to prefer cold weather to hot weather, and prefer to save money to spending money, so when I am running errands, I prefer to ride my Kawasaki. Oh, and, before you ask, this grocer has a delivery service. Joshua has a key to my place and will deliver my groceries to my house and put them away before I even get home. So, no, I do not drive with bags hanging off of my motorcycle. I will see you at 4:00pm. Being late would be a bad decision if you value your career."
It seemed like it only took seconds for him to put on his helmet and ride off. The only thing I could remember thinking after his speech was that it made sense that he preferred cold to hot because the weather matched the temperature of his soul. Now I'm in front of his house. This was going to be an interesting night.
IIIII
I made the decision after talking to Tamaki. I need to find out more about Emma Knightly before I fire her. On the previous page I said that I did not want anything to do with her and that she was a monster. Those things are still true. The game has changed slightly though. She is a monster who has potential to do great things for my company, which means that she has something to offer me…for now.
"Come in. Come in. Welcome to my home. Can I get your coat?" Emma had not changed her clothes. Good, at least she was not delusional enough to think that this was a date. If that were the case I think I might actually strangle myself with an extension cord.
"You act like such a gentleman that I'm almost fooled into thinking you actually have some compassion." Of course only someone like her would be able to say that with a smile. I took her coat and hung it up as she walked towards the mantle above the fireplace, "Is this you?"
"Mhmm. That is a friend's wedding photo. It was a Parisian themed wedding."
"That explains the beret and neck scarf. There are so many beautiful people in this picture, with the exception of you, of course." Let her try and belittle me as much as possible. It would never work.
"Would you like a glass of wine? It complements dinner tonight well. It finally arrived this morning at the supermarket; I had it shipped from Italy. Montepulciano D'Abruzzo. I hope red and slightly dry wines are to your taste." I grinned and poured her a glass of wine. Being a part of the Host club was good practice for being a good host in everyday affairs.
"Despite the fact that I don't trust you yet, you are quite adorable and hospitable. Were you a bartender in a former life?"
"Hmn, something like that. Excuse me for a moment, Emma. I must finish preparing dinner. You are welcome to join me in the kitchen, or you may wait here and help yourself to a novel and the soundsystem."
Stage one. Complete.
IIIII
SQUEEEEEEEEEEE! He is so gorgeous. I decided right as he answered the door that I was going to try and be as mean as possible, but I am finding it so difficult. I know I'm here because he has something up his sleeve. I know that that's the case, but he is such a gentleman that I'm practically wilting here. The photo on the mantle, the one I was still looking at, was filled with the same beautiful people that were in the photo of him I found online. So, he was that high school student in that ridiculous Host club thing.
I could hear the sounds of frying meat come from the next room, and I turned to take in the rest of the living room. It was the size of my apartment. Actually, I'm pretty sure that this house was nearly six of my apartment put together. The décor was all white, gray, and black—typical. The only thing that didn't fit at all was the lively pictures on top of the fireplace. There were photographs of three other weddings, the same set of people in them. There was also a photo of Kyoya playing on the floor with a small blond toddler sitting next to one of the same child with a man who had to be her father and a small, big eyed, woman.
So he actually had friends. Surprising. Even more surprising that they all looked like decent human beings.
I walked over to the wall covered with bookshelves. So…this shrine of the written word made my boss even more adorable in my eyes. So unfair. I browsed the books. Most of them were written in Japanese, which sucked.
Oh my goodness. Why does he read this stuff? I found some manga stuffed on the topmost shelf. It was Seven Guys for Seven Girls. I love this manga. I'm a total manga junkie; it is my secret pleasure, and this is probably the most hilarious—and my absolute favorite—Shojo manga on the market right now. I don't know whether I should laugh or cry at the fact he owns this. Might as well look at it in Japanese.
This is an Otaku's dream. He had a signed copy! I can't read Japanese, but I totally know that the name signed in the front cover is Renge Houshakuji's name in characters. How the hell?
"You are blushing. Are you a fan of Renge's work? If you like, I could get her to autograph you a few of the English copies. I believe English volume seven is coming out next month. I have not expelled the energy to read that tripe yet."
"Isn't that a little rude. You can't call it tripe if you haven't read it. Besides, you have no idea how hilarious yet serious and sweet this series is. Agemaki is the most aggravatingly annoying yet endearing main character."
"He is a princely-type moron. I will leave you fan-girl in peace."
"If his best friend Yakyo Toroio heard you say those words you would be at the bottom of the ocean!" I yelled after him, only met by a disdainful laugh.
Bastard. Seriously? You own it—you have a signed copy!—and have the nerve to judge the main character without knowing him and experiencing his beautifully kind heart! Screw Mr. Ootori. I grabbed the signed first volume and stuck it in my purse. If he never read them, then he wouldn't notice one gone.
Maybe I'll put on some music. Knowing Kyoya Ootori's up tight personality he probably only had instrumental soundtracks. HA! I was right. There were orchestral arrangements everywhere. Some anime soundtracks, some movie soundtracks, some Mozart and Bach. I knew it. He probably played the piano or violin or both too. He sickens me and makes me want to make out with him at the same time.
I moved towards the CDs on the CD tower. Maybe there'd be something I'd want to listen to on this thing. Ugh, he lives in America now, couldn't he own more things with English on them?
Shoot.
If I kept finding things about him that I liked, I wouldn't want to mess with him or hate him as much as I do. He had all of the Japanese releases to Breaking Benjamin. I love this band. Kyoya liking this band seems a little out of character for him. He just seems like everything goes his way. I doubt he could be as angry, defeated, yet vibrant and passionate as the lyrics in these songs.
I hear plates clanking. I'll put in one of these CD's then. I'll record how dinner went when this is over.
IIIII
"Dinner is served." I made sure to force the accommodating smile back onto my face before bringing dinner out to the living room. To my surprise, Emma had put on one of the CDs Tamaki recorded for me, "This dish is called Agnello all'Arrabbiata, which loosely translates to 'angry lamb' in Italian. It is a dish native to Abruzzo, a provice in the middle of Italy."
"You really are a smarty." I hope the music is alright. It was in this nondescript CD case that just had "Forever my mon ami!" on the cover. Do you know the pianist?" Hmn, she was able to ignore the intellectual hosting charm. Interesting.
"His name is Tamaki. He is the taller blond man in the photos."
"Aww. How sweet! Are you two best friends or something? That is so wonderful. I didn't know you actually had friends." I should have spat in her food while I was making it.
"Indeed. We have been friends since middle school when he transferred to Ouran Academy from France, which…"
"Which explains the 'mon ami' business."
"Precisely." That was what I was going to say. Not even Tamaki or Haruhi can finish my sentences. Emma Knightly is a monster and, not only that, a force to be reckoned with."
"This is fantastic. I really love how spicy it is! You sure you don't have a five star restaurant in your kitchen?"
"No. I cook for myself. My roommate in college was actually a decent cook and taught me quite a bit about cooking. Mostly I use recipes. Only an idiot would not be able to figure out how to create a decent meal from a descriptive recipe." I took a sip of my wine.
"I guess I am an idiot then because I can't cook from scratch or from directions. I burn noodles." I lifted up my napkin so she could not see the grin on my face. She was an idiot then as well as a genius. Even more interesting. This was going to be more fun than I anticipated.
"Mr. Ootori." She broke the mildly uncomfortable silence. I figured that she would be the first to break it. Perhaps she finally was curious as to why I invited her here. Stage two begins now, "Kyoya, I mean, why did you invite me here. I know you don't particularly like me. I don't particularly enjoy your company either, so why did you invite me over?"
"It was definitely more business than pleasure. I can assure you of that. I invited you over because I received some interesting news about your work history that, if leaked, could potentially ruin your reputation. I only want to confirm if my source is correct in her findings and provide some leverage for you if you want this information to simply disappear, which I can make happen." Emma's smile faded and her cold eyes managed to become darker and more piercing.
"Go on." I had her attention. Stage three.
"Is it true that you worked as an exotic dancer to pay off your college loans?"
"How do you know that? No one knows that."
"I told you. I have my sources. Now, here is why I can do about this bit of information. I can either make it disappear or make it spread. If you pull another stunt like you did yesterday, it will be easy to make sure that that information remains prominent on your record; however, if you cooperate and use your intelligence to aid me and my company, I can make that information seem as if it never existed. Understand?"
She remained silent for a while, staring at me with utter distaste.
"Well?"
"I think your phone is ringing."
"I am so sorry, Emma. I must leave you for the moment. That is my business line. If you would like more wine, help yourself."
If she quit, it would save me the time necessary for filling out paperwork if I fired her. If she agreed to my offer, her scheming mind would be an asset to me. I could deal with having this monster around if I got something out of it. Now, to the phone and more important conversation.
IIIII
"'If you would like more wine, help yourself'" I grumbled to myself. Don't mind if I do. I grabbed the bottle and just downed a few gulps. I can't believe he was trying to blackmail me. He was so cool about it too, like there was nothing morally wrong with what he was doing. If I let him do it, promised not to try and undermine his authority, the information would be gone. While I never actually minded doing the dancing, I did mind that it was part of the reason why I couldn't hold a job.
"Pssst. Hey. Psssst. Is anyone there?" Where was that voice coming from? "Emma Knightly. Paging Emma Knightly."
"Hello?" The whisper was coming from the computer. Was Kyoya's apartment bugged? This wasn't one of his lacky's, was it?
"Oh, hi. You must be Emma. Flip the switch on the webcam so we can talk face to face."
"Alright." I flipped the switch, only to see the screen filled with yellow-green eyes and orange hair.
"Wow. You're pretty. Plain but pretty. Sorry that you can't see my whole face. The microphone on my computer is on the bottom of the screen, and we have to whisper. Kyoya-sempai might hear us or worse—my wife." What the hell was going on? "Uh. Oh. Have you always written in notebooks while in another person's presence or is that something you learned from Kyoya-sempai?"
"I've always done it. Believe me, I want to be as far away and as little like Mr. Ootori as possible."
"He didn't tell you to call him that did he. Mr. Ootori makes him sound too much like his father, and I hate that man." I shook my head, "Good. So are you really his girlfriend like the boss said?"
"Absolutely not. I mean, he can be really adorable, and he is really attractive, but he is…he's…"
"Evil incarnate. The son of Satan. The Shadow King was my favorite when we were in high school. You can come up with your own though. Run it by me first. He's actually a good guy once you get past the wall of ice and sadism he puts up."
"You seem to know him pretty well. OH! Your one of the twins in his pictures."
"He displays pictures of us in his house? Aw, Kyoya-sempai. He must miss us. Anyways, I'm surprised he invited you over. He doesn't make friends easily. He makes acquaintances and business associates."
"Alright, you've proven that you know Kyoya rather well, but that doesn't explain who you are, how you know my name, and why you know I am here tonight, and what we were doing talking on the computer."
"Sorry, sorry sorry. My name is Kaoru Hitachiin. I went to high school and was in a club with Kyoya-sempai. I know your name because he had our friend Haruhi investigate you; Haruhi is married to the boss, and Tamaki-sempai has a really hard time keeping secrets. I know you are at Kyoya-sempai's house tonight because he e-mailed Honey-sempai to get a recipe for a fancy Italian dish, and Honey-sempai also has a hard time keeping secrets. We are talking on the computer because my twin, Hikaru, is talking to Kyoya-sempai on the other line, keeping him busy so I can make mischief. Has he done anything especially money-grubbing yet?"
I was trying to process what Kaoru said, so I reread what he had said in my notes. All of these people seemed to be connected in extremely interesting ways. I'm intrigues. Right now though, Kaoru Hitachiin might provide some service for me.
"He's trying to blackmail me. I made a harmless decision without his approval that ended up getting him commended by the head CEO of the Ootori group for a job well done; he got angry, and has been looking for an excuse to fire me."
"Yep, that's the Shadow King alright, though I doubt he is trying to fire you if you got him a compliment from his father." Hmn, so he was the Ootori son. I figured out as much, but you never know how the chain of command works. If he was answering to his brother-in-law, or grandfather, or distant cousin the power balance would work differently.
"So, what is he trying to do?"
"You never really know with Kyoya-sempai. I will tell you that he isn't vicious. Most everything he plans ends up being for the greater good of everyone, but he never reveals his plan until it is convenient for him to let everyone know, which usually is at the last minute when everyone can only respond with a 'how the hell did he know that?'"
"When you give excuses for him it makes him sound like a misunderstood, brooding, shojo manga character. It makes him sound like Yakyo from Seven Guys for Seven Girls."
"My wife writes that manga. She took the plot from our Ouran High School Host Club days. In romanji, Yakyo Toroio is an anagram of Kyoya Ootori."
"No way! You're married to Renge Houshakuji?"
"Well, I prefer to call her Renge Hitachiin, but when you're famous, you're famous I gue…"
"WAIT! You mean Kyoya is Yakyo? That isn't possible. Yakyo is my favorite character! That's not possible! My favorite character in print cannot be my least favorite person in real life! It is NOT possible."
"Well, I can't really help you get over that bombshell, but I can help you overcome your blackmail situation. Do you have an electronic device with you and an e-mail I can send a video file to?"
"I have an iPad."
"Perfect." Kaoru Hitachiin backed away from the computer and grinned, crossing his arms in front of his chest. He was attractive—a little boyish looking—but his devious grin was what intrigued me most. He did say he was going to engage in some mischief. Well, as two other famous twins have said, mischief managed.
IIIII
An interesting development. An incredibly interesting development. I sat on the couch. The monster has left. I could not write this down, for I was in a momentary lapse of shock and anger that rendered me unable to write without snapping my pencil in half, much like I want to do to a certain secretary. I am going to write what happened when I reconvened in the living room with Ms. Knightly.
"I am sorry that that call took so long. My associate was in dire need of financial assistance." A small lie. I had wasted half an hour on the phone with Hikaru, who was weeping about his model girlfriend leaving him yet again, Kaoru ignoring his calls—which I know now is untrue—and worrying about a lack of financial backing. The latter of those three I was able to help him with, though that did not stop him going on and on about the first two, "I assume by your casual posture that you have come up with a counter to my proposal?"
"Come, sit with me. Come on and cozy up to your secretary like the sleazy businessman you are." I did not react. I calmly walked over to sit next to her.
"What is it that you have planned, Emma Knightly."
"I have a little bit of blackmail of my own, from my sources. I'd love it if you would watch this with me." Instantly, I knew that this was going to be painful. I also watched her open up an attachment in her e-mail from Kaoru's secret e-mail that he uses exclusively for himself and Hikaru when they are planning to do something devilish. They have had it since middle school, and I've know about it since high school. They have also had this video since it was taken on my twenty-first birthday.
In my defense, I did not know I was being filmed, nor had I ever tasted alcohol before that night; therefore, I did not know how I would react. I will recount the video, though it pains me to do so. I am doing so not because I want to but because it is an accurate portrayal of what happened.
"Kyoya-sempai, are you drunk?" Haruhi asked in the video, steadying what is me in body and not in spirit so that I did not fall over my own two feet.
"Haruhi. I have a confession. It has been something I've hidden from you sooo long. I knew, the first day you were at the club, that you were a girl. When you got wet, I was going to give you a male uniform, but I didn't. I gave you a female one. It was for Tamaki's sake. So we could make fun of him by putting him in a compromising situation." I patted her shoulder, trying to pull myself up, only to lose my balance and fall backwards. Thankfully, Mori-sempai caught me. Apparently, I'm an honest drunk.
"Mori-sempai. You're too tall. Everytime I look at you, my neck hurts. That's probably why it's good you don't talk much. Then I don't have to look at you." A painfully honest drunk.
I lifted myself away from Mori-sempai, only to come face to face with Renge. The me in the video paused and grabbed her pink bow, wrapping it around my neck like a scarf. I looked even more like that Uki Doki Memorial whatever his name is.
"Renge. I don't even know why you're here. Just so you know, I loved all of your ideas for the Host Club; however, I've always wanted to set this gaudy pink bow in your hair on fire. Can I do it now?" I giggled. How embarrassing.
"How much has he had?" Renge asked, trying not to look like she could eat three bowls of rice. The look in her eyes screamed moe fangirl.
"A beer and two sips of a gin and tonic" Haruhi said bluntly, but through waves of laughter.
"That's it?" Kaoru and Hikaru said together. From the angle the camera was shooting from, I could see Hikaru's brown hair, which means that Kaoru was the one shooting the video. More reason for me to mame him when I am done writing this.
"Kyo-chan is absolutely drunk. I think it's super cute." Honey-sempai said in his cute little voice, hugging Usa-chan.
"Honey-sempai. You never hug me! You hug everyone else except me. You even hug that stupid inanimate pink rabbit. The rabbit doesn't even have feelings, but I do! I didn't know I was so frightening. I live with you, buy all your sweets, and you've still never hugged me." This is even more painful to comment on than it was to watch. I was honestly going around the room telling everyone how I felt about them.
My entire family has wonderful alcohol tolerance. Even now it only takes a glass of wine to get me buzzed. I enjoy wine with dinner or maybe a beer once in a while, but I do not drink because I know it does not affect me well; however,I did not know that this video was in existence or that I acted like this in front of people.
"I didn't think Kyoya-sempai would be such a lightweight" The voice behind the camera said. Kaoru's voice.
"Yeah, I always thought that he was the one of us who was most likely to become an alcoholic. I'm surprised Tono hasn't already driven him to drink." Hikaru. Blunt as ever.
"Twins. Come here. No, no, don't back up, come here." I grabbed the two twins around the shoulders, one on each side of me. It looked like Haruhi took the camera. I am going to have a talk with her as well. " You two amuse me the most. I laugh all the time when I think of everything you do to Tamaki. It makes me happy inside." I kissed Hikaru on the cheek and then Kaoru on the cheek.
At this point, Emma said, "Oooo, oooo, this is my favorite part!"
"You know, Tamaki, you're a very very interesting, crazy, frivolous. I…I don't even...words! Words can't describe how nuts you are! You…how do you even look at yourself in the mirror every day? Wait, no, no, never mind, I know the answer to that—because you have very very pretty eyes." I grabbed Tamaki's face in my hands and kissed him. Everyone in the video stopped laughing, looked at me, and then busted out laughing. Tamaki just blushed and pushed me away forcibly, grabbing his drink and chugging it. I flew backwards onto the floor, laughing uproariously. "I'm…I'm…I'm gonna have another drink"
When the video ended, I kept as calm as possible. This video was the most discusting piece of film that ever existed, and I was going to kill Kaoru. I might actually kill all of them for allowing this to go on, for not just knocking me out so this did not happen.
"I think it is cute how you have such good friends. You are right, that blond guy has really beautiful eyes. I bet you are lonely now that he is in Japan and you are here. I bet you're even more upset that he is married. I would never have guessed that you played for the other team."
"I do not. I did not then, and I do not now." I have said it before, but Emma Knightly is a monster.
"I see it this way. You have much more to lose if this video goes viral than if word about me being an ex-stripper comes out. I've thought about all sides. You have only thought about what would happen to me if news about my former career choices gets out, but what will happen to you? If word gets out that the CEO of a prominent corporation hired a secretary, knowing that she was a former exotic dancer, who's reputation do you think would be hurt most by that? I'd be the victim, and you'd be the greasy businessman. Everything you have ever done in busness will be overlooked and tainted. You might even be arrested. Think about it." Emma stood up, shouldered her purse, bent over and kissed me on the cheek, "Thank you for dinner; I'll see you on Monday. Do have a nice weekend, Mr. Ootori."
She was going to go down. I would personally drag her back into the depths of hell where she came from.
IIIII
Yup, so the part with drunken Kyoya came from the video Drunk Kyoya on youtube. The kiss was my idea. In the video Kyoya passes out sucking his thumb. I thought I'd make it more embarrassing for Kyoya. Anyways, review, review, review.