Author's note: to right a misinterpretation I learned today in Accounting, Common Stock is the stock that allows voting rights to a company. So for all intensive purposes we are imagining that Haruhi bought common stock, sorry for the error.
True Manipulation: Chapter 4 Reactions
Tokyo Times Weekend Edition
Hitachiin Mansion 8:35 am
Pounding footsteps echoed through the corridor. "Kaoru-sama, Hikaru-sama!" The two red heads sat up in bed at the same time. They waited irritated as the maids stood there holding what looked like a crumbled newspaper. They did not like to wake up before 10 am this had better be earth-shattering. The twin maids shoved the paper under their noses. They both scanned the headline and snatched it away from them.
Ootori Rebounds
Ootori Industries Public Relations Officer held a press conference yesterday and announced to the world that Kyouya Ootori and White Knight Haruhi Fujioka are engaged to be married. Fujioka acquired a majority of stocks on Monday morning from the sale of the company's common stock. Fujioka could not be reached for comment.
Ootori's Public Relations officer Maki said that Ootori and Fujioka had attended Ouran Academy together and that any relationship between Naoko Yamalina and Ootori had never been confirmed and was pure speculation. Details will be released as to the date of wedding following the couple's first public event…"
Kaoru and Hikaru looked at each other and groaned. The maids looked expectantly hoping to receive some information on the topic. Kaoru sighed, "We aren't home if Tono calls," he instructed the maids and shrugging they left. The twins drew the covers back over themselves, they weren't planning to resurface today, tomorrow would be soon enough to ask Haruhi if she had lost her mind. "You owe me 100,000 yen Kaoru". The only thing that was heard was a loud curse and then a mumble.
Huni and Mori receiving the same paper celebrated over cake and tea. "Don't you think its romantic Takashi?"
Mori hesitated and said, "Ah." He didn't want to ruin Huni's illusions by telling him the truth.
He sat listening in his office as his message machine clicked on. "Hello you have reached Kyouya Ootori since you have gotten through my legion of secret police, bodyguards, and staff you must have something of merit to listen to, so get to the point after the beep."
"Kyouya? It's Haruhi. What could you possibly be thinking? And what is this about a public event? Call me Back!"
Kyouya grinned at the panic he heard in her voice. He took a large swig of coffee and laughed. He would be a thorn in her as much as he could, but the public event hadn't been his idea. He would call her later and let her sweat for awhile now.
She hadn't planned on working today, but after this week's distractions she needed to do some serious work done before another week began. She thought everyone else had the same problem as most of the desks were occupied on a Saturday. She had fielded a hundred questions this morning form every person who had gotten a paper, the most ridiculous being, "I didn't know you, knew the Kyouya Ootori." She just rolled her eyes, who cared if they had nice things, they were still people, mostly of the eccentric variety. Maybe she hadn't thought this whole marriage thing through, but before she could engage in self-pity her door slammed open and shook on the hinges. In the doorway stood a very tall, very furious, blonde.
He was waving the paper around, "What the HELL is this?" Two separate pictures of her and Kyouya were on the front page. Before she could find something remotely intelligent to say he was already into a full screech, "WHAT COULD YOU BE THINKING?!"
She wished he had chosen a more discreet place to take up the issue with her, but she then considered, that had they not been in a public environment she might not come out of it alive. She really didn't want everyone to know she had tricked a man into having to marry her though. "Commoners" wouldn't understand the logic of an arranged marriage; they would just see she had to trap someone. "Why exactly are you so upset about this? Are you jealous after two years Tamaki? Really!" She was a bit disappointed she was hoping that was behind them but apparently the friendship boat had left port a long time ago.
"I asked you to marry me not to long ago." She waited for him to say something she could reply to. "He's a demon Haruhi, Daddy can't allow you to marry my ex-wife!"
She rolled her eyes they never were, nor ever would be biologically linked. "Tamaki you aren't my father."
He was exasperated and ignored her comment, "Haruhi I might back out a little more gracefully if I thought it was someone I didn't know and would make you happy. BUT he used to be my best friend and I can't abide knowing he has all the benefits, I wanted for myself. He will never make you happy."
Great now he was making it about sex and his name becoming hers, how was she to combat that. Best to ignore it. "And why is that Tamaki?"
"HE'S A LOW-BLOOD PRESSURE DEMON LORD…" she gave him a look because he was saying things that were utterly stupid. "Kyouya Ootori is too bitter and hates himself too much to EVER love you, even 'serious' relationships need that."
She winced, yup, he so went there. He truly didn't want to hear her explanations. It was better if he thought her and Kyouya were carrying on a secret fling or whatever. He left while she was trying to come up with a reply. His parting reply left her rattled, "If you marry him I will do everything I know to destroy your marriage." After he stormed out she sat in her chair dejected. She buried her face in her hands. No one said this was going to be easy. She snapped when her secretary came racing in after he left, "Was that Tamaki Suoh?!"
She went out to take a long lunch. She felt like the walls were closing in on her. At least Huni and Mori were still friends with her. They had called to congratulate her while she was out. Huni was very excited about her relationship with 'Kyo-chan'. She was starting to feel a little better as she sipped her strawberry and cream drink from Starbucks. She felt like she just needed to be on auto-pilot for a while. When she came back there was a flashing message on her machine. She hit the button hoping it was Kyouya calling her back.
Earlier…
"Hello you have reached Fujioka Haruhi, I am temporarily out of the office right now, please leave me a message and I will get back to you as soon as I can."
"Hello Haruhi, this is Fuyumi, Kyouya's sister? Please call me Fuyumi because we will be FAMILY SOON! I am so excited Kyouya talked very highly of you all throughout school, I just had a feeling. And hiding this relationship! Shame on you. (she giggled a little bit) Anyways, papa had me call you so we could go dress shopping together for the engagement party. Call me back as soon as you get this, ok IMOUTO-CHAN!"
Haruhi felt crushed upon hearing that. Not only did Kyouya not call back, but she felt like she was deceiving a very innocent Ootori. She grabbed her briefcase, furious with herself and stormed past her secretary. "I am out for the day."
She rode the elevator down to the parking garage. SOMEONE HAD STOLEN HER CAR. Her old, brown, Honda civic was not where she parked it. She looked around and was taking out her cell phone when she realized there was definitely a car in her spot. When she got close enough to read the license plate she fumed. The "Ootori 6" License plate was a dead give away. It was the last straw in her already stressful day. She got in and slammed the door shut, which caused the key to become dislodged from the visor and hit her in the head. She growled. She raced over to Ootori Industries, she knew he would be there and she would go up one side of him and down the other!