Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club belongs to Bisco Hatori and I am only credited for the plot of 'My Turn'. There are also my own created characters, Toshiko Misaki and her brother Toshiko Katsuro.
Note: This story is written based on everything I know so far of Ouran High School Host Club so pardon me if there are any mistakes.
.Ouran High School Host Club.
.My Turn.By Everlasting Wonders.
.Chapter 4.
"Ojou-sama, do be careful not to catch a cold. It seems the storm won't be clearing anytime soon."
"Yes, thank you Takeda-san," offering her chauffeur a smile, Misaki turned her gaze out the window once more. She had woken up to dark clouds covering the sky that morning, and rain pelted heavily on the windows. It has been quite some time since such a heavy storm occurred and Misaki wondered when it was going to let up. Rubbing her hands together slowly, she noted her cold fingers absently.
"Ojou-sama, we've arrived."
Waiting for her chauffeur to open her door, she carefully stepped out; taking the gloved hand that was offered to her. Dutifully, Takeda walked beside her, shielding her from the rain with an umbrella. All of a sudden, he stopped abruptly and turned around in surprise.
"What's wrong?" The ebony haired girl asked and turned as well before she sucked in a short breath in surprise.
"Ohayou, Misaki-chan," the twins stood before her with identical Cheshire grins on their faces. Fujioka Haruhi stood beside Hikaru while Kaoru was under an umbrella on his own. For a short moment, Misaki felt a pang of sympathy, which she hid quickly, for the younger twin.
"Ohayou gozaimasu," she replied politely with a nod.
"You don't have to be so formal Misaki-chan," Kaoru laughed. Turning to Takeda, Kaoru stepped closer. "You can leave her to me; I will walk her to the school."
A sense of satisfaction and elation washed over her but the ebony haired heiress suppressed it firmly. Stepping over to join him, she barely registered the bow Takeda gave her before walking away as she was preoccupied with suppressing the blush that was threatening to appear on her face; too preoccupied that she missed a step uncharacteristically of her and slipped.
"Ojou-sama!" Takeda cried out in shock as he reached for her, only for her to be held steady by another. Misaki's fingers were clenched tightly onto the uniform sleeves of the person opposite her as she tried to slow her rapid breathing when she noticed the slight quivers of his shoulders. Laughter escaped his lips as he helped her up and held her till she was steady.
"Don't worry, I've got her," Kaoru gave Takeda a nod before turning back to her. Leaning down to her eye level, he made no attempt to hide his amused smile. "Are you hurt?"
Misaki's face was flushed a brilliant red at his close proximity and all she managed to was shake her head. What am I doing?
"Shall we go then?" Kaoru straightened back up and peered down at her with a small smile. Without waiting for a response from her, he rested his hand on the back of her waist which promptly startled the young girl. Despite not having looked at her, the auburn teen chuckled knowingly and Misaki had to resist the urge to pout and glare at him. She had embarrassed herself enough for the morning (and the past two days if she counted) and Kaoru was not helping by laughing at her everytime. For a while, the two walked in silence behind Hikaru and Haruhi, simply taking slow careful steps. Just as she thought the fluttering sensation within her would stop, Kaoru spoke suddenly.
"I thought I'd never see that side of you again, with how you've been so prim and proper lately. Did you rest well?"
Giving him a sideway glance, her forest green eyes stared at him inquisitively. She didn't really know what she was looking for, but she stared all the same. It felt as though at that moment, Kaoru looked absolutely different to her. She had always been noticing him, but her thoughts had always been circling around the twins as a whole. Yet now, her thoughts were completely centered on him and he seemed almost…appealing. To her embarrassment, Kaoru simply stared back with a grin on his face. His eyes held a gleam in it, almost as if he knew she was unable to look away, and he was thoroughly enjoying it.
"I did." Pausing for a while, Misaki decided that it was only polite of her to return the question. "And you?"
Perhaps it had been her imagination, but the ebony haired girl swore she noticed his eyes soften. "I was up all night thinking."
"Thinking?" The question slipped past her lips before she could prevent it.
Kaoru responded with a nod. "I've been thinking about someone."
Misaki turned away, her ebony locks falling from her shoulders. Her heart thumped furiously in her chest and it was all she took not to place her palm over her heart. Taking in deep breaths as unnoticeably as possible, she clenched and unclenched her fist.
Who was he thinking of, that kept him awake?
A seemingly foreign feeling was closing in around her and yet, ironically, she understood what it was – jealousy. At that moment, Misaki felt like striking herself. How could she feel that way? She should appreciate the fact that Kaoru was with her rather than pick on the minor details of who he was acquainted with! Still, she could not help but consider the possibility. She was perfectly aware of it herself – she hoped the person was her.
Dare she hope?
Suddenly, the air around her seemed to become warmer, her previously cold fingers becoming damp to the touch. A distinct warm feeling was arising on her face and she prayed that no one would come over and talk to her at the moment for she was positive that she'd be unable to utter a single sound with the state her mind was in.
Kaoru watched closely when Misaki had looked away from him so quickly and he blinked twice at her. Had he said something wrong? Leaning forward slightly, Kaoru took a peek at her and nearly burst out laughing. He shook his head with a tender smile. Her emerald eyes were open wide and fixated on her path while she nibbled subconsciously on her lower lip. Her normally pale complexion was now rosy in colour and her knuckles were white as she gripped hard onto her bag.
At that moment, Kaoru could not help but wonder what she was thinking. Obviously it had to be something he had said to draw such a reaction from her. Just then, a wave of satisfaction and pride flooded him upon knowing that he was the one who had caused her to be so flustered. His normally mischievous personality dared him to tease her more. He wanted to see more of her flustered state, more of her shy nature.
Kaoru breathed in deeply. He had only begun to speak to her again two days ago but he was already extremely eager to find out more about her. What other expressions would she reveal towards him? He wanted to be able to tell her different reactions to different scenarios. Turning to watch her, Kaoru knew he was caught. He was ensnared by her. Trapped, but he was intrigued.
"Misaki-chan," He winked at her. "Let's walk to the dining hall together later."
She stared. "Eh?"
Hikaru knew his brother well, very well in fact, despite not showing it. He knew how the distance between himself and Kaoru had been growing. On the other hand, Hikaru could feel himself forming a bond with Haruhi. She had this air around her that attracted him to her immensely. Something he could not describe. Yet, he was sure that it was there. It had pained Hikaru when he realised that his brother was slipping from his sight, albeit slightly too late. He had tried his very best to bring them back together. However, he also knew that you can never spend all your heart and soul into two different persons. He had to choose.
Kaoru had always been with him, and that was a fact that Hikaru wanted to remain. However, he too knew that he could never do that if he chose Haruhi instead. The brunette had practically changed his character. But did he like the change? Hikaru believed, that to a certain extent, he did. He actually did. Yet that would also mean that Kaoru would be left behind. His twin brother, one who has been with him since their creation, would be separated from him. Perhaps, it would not be such a big deal to outsiders. Normally, people would start going on their own ways sooner or later. However, it was the bond that existed between them that caused this pain Hikaru felt.
The two of them had been really close with each other. Closer than anyone could ever be. They existed in a world of their own, one that no one could ever think of entering. Still, they had taken the risk, or in another way of speaking, they had taken the bold step, to leave their circle, and join others. They had found happiness in the process, so much so that they did not regret their actions and choices.
But who knew, that at the same time, they would be drawn apart? Hikaru could not help but think about how unfair he was being whenever he was with Haruhi. It was a mixed feeling between joy and guilt. Joy that he was spending his time with someone he had taken interest in. Guilt that he knew Kaoru was probably spending his time alone somewhere else. If only there was a way, one that could make Kaoru happy as he remained with Haruhi. It was selfish, he knew, because at the same time he longed for Kaoru to remain with him, that he could be the one to make Kaoru happy.
Strange enough, as odd as it had been when he began to draw closer to Haruhi, another person had slowly crept into their lives. Or to be more precise, Kaoru's life. That person was none other than Toshiko Misaki. Misaki has always been an oddball since they knew her in middle school. She was not exceptionally pretty, they both had agreed. But she did not look ugly either. She was not dumb, yet also not of extreme caliber. If anyone would choose a word to describe her, they would most probably say that she was average.
She could definitely afford many different varieties of make-up or beauty products. She would no doubt look more beautiful, not to mention attractive, if she had even bothered to dress up a bit. But she was always against that notion.
"Beauty is skin deep," she always said.
Yet, at that age, to the twins, it was extremely dumb. Who would avoid beautifying themselves when they have the chance to? Especially since they were both brought up by a mother who was in the fashion industry, Kaoru and Hikaru had always had the perception that Misaki was hopelessly stupid in making that decision. And yet, who would have expected, that the girl who had now weaved back into their lives, would look so much more attractive? She carried an air of elegance and innocence.
Toshiko Misaki. Could she be the one to make Kaoru happy? If so, then he should bring them together. For his brother's sake.
Hikaru observed Kaoru carefully, not before sparing a glance at Haruhi (who, of course, was paying full attention to the teacher). Kaoru had always been the more open one, the one who is able to socialise with people better. It was also Kaoru who always helped behind the scenes to get him to open up to other people. However, this time, Hikaru wanted to be the one to help his twin. Turning to his left, the auburn haired teen caught Misaki's eye. She had been turning over discretely for quite a while already, Hikaru realised. For a second, the Toshiko heiress seemed startled at being exposed but Hikaru quickly eased her worries with a cheerful smile.
Seems like Misaki-chan has trouble focusing during Modern Japanese class too…
Ah…he saw me! Misaki's forest green orbs shifted nervously as she sat stiffly at her seat. She had no idea why but she had been undeniable drawn to Kaoru since morning. Over the course of their lessons, she had caught herself turning over her shoulder to glance at the auburn haired twin. Glaring hard at her notebook, she let out a frustrated sigh as quietly as possible. Inexcusable! It was simply unheard of for a Toshiko to lack such control over her emotions! Taking in deep breaths, the ebony haired girl calmed herself and resisted the urge to shake her head.
Gripping her pencil hard, she focused her attention back at the teacher before staring at the scribbles on the black board. Her glare soon transformed into a worried frown as she pouted. She was weak in Modern Japanese…
A bored yawn escaped his lips as Kaoru rested his head on his palm, lazily scribbling down bits and pieces of his teacher's notes. It wasn't as though he really needed to pay much attention to it. Meanwhile, something else interested him more than the lesson. Despite not having turned towards her direction once, Kaoru knew that she had glanced his way. For multiple times that morning, the Hitachiin twin had to suppress his urge to laugh out loud.
"Hitachiin Kaoru," the twin barely registered the voice and after a while, looked up, "could you read the next part?"
Standing from his seat, the auburn haired teen casually recited the required parts from his textbook before giving his teacher a cheeky grin. He never failed to get Modern Japanese right. It was one of his favourite and strong subjects for a reason. In return, his teacher gave him an exasperated laugh with a shake of his head. There was nothing he could say about Kaoru not paying attention in class.
For the first time that day since classes started, Kaoru sneaked a glance at Misaki. The girl was watching him again, her pen tapping her chin thoughtfully as she gazed at him with curious eyes. Upon looking closer though, he saw the hint of awe reflected in her emerald orbs. A soft chuckle escaped his lips and he briefly looked around the class before giving her a wink.
Misaki gasped and nearly jumped from her chair at his bold move among their classmates and she hurriedly checked if anyone saw. Peering shyly back at Kaoru, the girl was embarrassed to find Kaoru covering his face as he tried to muffle his laughter. Running her fingers through her ebony tresses, Misaki sighed. Not again…
"Kyoya," Tamaki's voice floated towards him. The blond was sprawled across his own desk as soon as the bell had rung, signaling their lunch period. Paying him no mind, Kyoya fingered a page in his planner, his eyes fixated on a certain event planned for tomorrow. His mind was swirling with countless thoughts but none of his turmoil was shown on his face as usual.
"Kyoya!" Tamaki cried out once more, this time heading towards the black haired teen's table directly. "Shall we go? You've been staring at that planner for a very long time."
Kyoya released a sigh as he shut his planner before the curious blond could see anything. Standing from his seat, he shoved his hand into his pants pocket before pointing at the clock absently. He didn't have to look to know he was pointing directly at it.
"It has only been a minute Tamaki."
The blond pouted for a few seconds before regaining his usual hyper activeness, following his fellow Host Club member as he skipped towards the exit of the classroom. For a while, the two headed towards the dining hall with Tamaki chattering away before they spotted four individuals walking ahead of them. Spotting a familiar ebony haired female, Kyoya's frame tensed discretely. Tamaki, on the other hand, had a completely different reaction.
Jumping at his spot, the school's chairman's son waved enthusiastically while calling out towards his juniors. When the four had no response towards his yells, a determined expression fixed itself onto Tamaki's features as he speeded for the quartet. Meanwhile, Kyoya simply watched. He watched as Tamaki approached them, grabbing the twins by their shoulders. He watched as the girls turned around to greet the blond. He watched as she noticed him and faced him ever so slightly, surprise and apprehension reflected in her eyes.
She's too easy to read, he sighed, a barely evident frown on his face as he began to stroll after the group.
"Cappellini from Lunch Set A and potato salad from Set C," the Hitachiin twins ordered together as they proceeded in line.
"What would you like Misaki-chan?" Kaoru asked. "You can place your order now too."
Pausing to study the menu, the Toshiko heiress smiled after. "I'll have what you're having."
Kaoru's face broke out into a wide grin before he nodded. Strangely, he seemed very happy that she ordered the same, Misaki noted. Just then, she felt a presence beside her and she froze. Slowly, peeking through her dark tresses which covered the sides of her face, Misaki glanced up at the taller Ootori Kyoya.
To all else, he appeared calm, thinking about what he should order. Yet, the ebony haired girl knew better than to think that Kyoya would be pondering over his meal. No, he would've had better things to think of. Someone who was as organised as Kyoya wouldn't have spent so much time going through the menu. She continued to stare but he has yet to make any movement. Beside her, the Hitachiin brothers discussed the possibilities of Haruhi's bento content.
Misaki did not know why, but for some reason that was out of her comprehension, she felt unnerved. Why is he keeping quiet and not ordering anything? She knew it was ridiculous of her. Still, before she could hold it back, the words flowed from her cherry lips.
"You could have Lunch Set F without the dessert. You like your food spicy, don't you?"
And she realised her mistake after she spoke the words. Out of reflex, her hand covered her mouth hurriedly but the damage was already done. Worrying her lip, she nearly broke out in cold sweat when Kaoru suddenly leaned towards her.
"How do you know Kyoya-senpai likes spicy food?"
"I-" she panicked. What on earth was happening to her? Mistakes followed mistakes whenever she was with Kaoru. It was becoming increasingly worrying. "I heard from some girls in the class. Hora, don't you have those photo books from the Host Club? Apparently," she swallowed, "uh…there's a photo in one of them and Kyoya-senpai was having some really spicy dishes."
Her voice trailed to a halt as it decreased in volume with each word that left her mouth. She was beyond saving now. What if there was no such photo? What if Kaoru knew that she was lying to him? Do they go through their own photo books? She paused her thoughts for a millisecond before she felt guilt wash over her. Why did she even lie to him?
"I'm impressed, Toshiko-san," Kyoya spared her a side glance as he pushed his spectacles higher. Kaoru and Misaki lifted their heads towards him when he spoke. "You have an amazing memory. I do have such a photo, only one though."
"Sugoi!It's amazing how much they can know about us from those photo books!" Kaoru blinked at Misaki in awe just as the staff returned with their trays. "Ah, I'll help you bring them over."
The auburn haired teen took the tray from her kindly and turned for the Host Club's table. Letting out a shaky breath, Misaki hesitated to turn to face Kyoya.
"Thank you."
He kept quiet for a moment, contemplating if he should respond. After all, she brought the trouble onto herself (and onto him as well in the process). Finally, Kyoya frowned slightly and reached for his tray.
"Apparently, I'll have to change my plans and make sure such a detailed photo appears in my upcoming photo book, don't I?"
"Tomorrow is Saturday! Shall we go to the amusement park?" Tamaki suggested out of the blue and everyone's actions stopped immediately.
"Amusement park?" Mitsukuni's eyes widened in anticipation as he asked after swallowing his cake whole.
"Sou! I haven't been to the amusement park around here before so I thought we should go together! This is great bonding time my loyal subjects!" The blond exclaimed excitedly as he began to dream of the wonderful opportunities he could have with his friends.
"Haruhi we should go to the horror house." Tamaki grinned like a child.
"No," and the deadpanned response came from the brunette in less than a second.
The spoon fell from the Host Club President's hand as he felt the sting of the rejection. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes as he turned desperately towards his 'wife'.
"Mother! Haruhi…Haruhi just…" His words came out in a jumbled mess as the blond cried onto his sleeve.
Once again, the lively atmosphere returned to the table as everyone began to chat about the trip to the amusement park. The commoner games that would be present, the commoner food that will be on sale…
Every single detail was not missed by Misaki as she watched the boys discuss them eagerly. Running her memories through her mind, the ebony haired heiress realised that she has not been to an amusement park before either. After all, it was commoners' play area, a place where they would not go under normal circumstances.
"Do you want to come along, Misaki-chan?" Kaoru's hand rested beside hers as he asked. Perhaps he was doing it on purpose, perhaps it was just by chance, but his fingers were brushing hers and Misaki could feel the heat rising to her cheeks for the third time that day. "I'm sure it'll be fun!"
He was looking at her expectantly. So much so that she didn't want to turn him down. Yet, she wasn't allowed to go. She has yet to ask, but she knew the answer already. Still…
"I-" before she could give her reply, someone cleared his throat noticeably and she felt her attention being drawn away.
Kyoya lifted the glass of water to his lips, taking a sip before saying. "Sorry to disappoint you Tamaki but I have an appointment tomorrow." His grey orbs flickered in her direction.
Misaki blinked. What? Out of habit, her head tilted slightly as her ebony locks tumbled off her shoulders. Before she could figure anything out, the Ootori heir had already returned to dealing with the whining tono.
Was he trying to tell me something? Shaking her head at her thoughts, the Toshiko heiress sighed. There was simply too much interaction with Kyoya today.
"I'd love to go Kaoru," Misaki smiled as soon as a grin spread itself across Kaoru's face. His smiles were becoming increasingly contagious. "But I'll have to ask for permission first."
He nodded immediately and grabbed her hand. Giving it a light squeeze, he exclaimed, "I hope you can join us!"
Light footsteps treaded on the carpet as a finely dressed young lady headed for her destination. It was a long day and all she wanted was to rest quietly in her room but there was something she had to do first. She dreaded asking for it, truly, but she wanted it all the same. Lingering behind the wooden doors, she played with her ebony tresses while she gathered her courage. Finally, mustering as much bravery as she could, Misaki took a deep breath before entering.
"Yes, make sure it's perfect. I don't want a single thing out of place. Yes, by Thursday. Good."
Standing quietly behind the tall figure, she reminded herself to breathe as she fiddled with the hem of her sleeve. Donned in an elegant blue top with a white skirt that reached above her knees, she caught herself tapping her heels on the marble floor and quickly stopped herself. Clearing her throat softly, she awaited the person to face her. Finally, after what seemed like ages, he turned around and looked at her with a smile.
"Oh you're back," he said in a manner that indicated that he was surprised but Misaki knew that he was actually not. She knew that he had noticed her enter his study room even while he was on the phone. Her brother misses nothing. "How was school?"
"It was fine," she replied, maintaining eye contact with the man before her. As usual, he was dressed in his suit, neatly pressed and not a single speck of dust on it. The perfect son who carried himself with superiority and confidence – that was how her father always described her brother. Deep down, she knew it was undeniably true.
With a handsomely chiseled face, he was the kind of man most girls sought for. Ever since he was in his teens, and maybe even further back, he had always been the centre of attention. The spotlight was constantly on him, and he enjoyed every minute of it. He had told her so.
"What's not to like?"
As the heir of the family, her brother was going to take over once her father retires. It was all going to fall on his shoulders. The power and the inheritance – namely the company, it was all for him. Maybe a small portion was going to be given to her, but it was nothing when compared to her brother. Well, it was not as though she craved for it anyway. She could live the life of luxury. Enjoy every single day with no worries, no burdens and just be the little Miss Toshiko. She could request for the best materials, the best of everything. Yet, deep within the recesses of her mind, she knew she wanted something else.
Misaki cared not for riches. Sure, it was luxurious. Sure, it provided plenty of options for her. After all, did people not say, 'money could buy anything'? Ironically, there was also the saying, 'there are some things money can't buy'. Definitely, Misaki concluded many years ago, the latter was more believable. She had held on to that belief for years, and was continuing to do so. One day, she would make sure that she would escape the clutches of her family and seek the very thing which money cannot buy.
Pulling herself out of her thoughts and back to the present, she realised that her brother had withdrew back to his seat behind his desk, pouring through files of paperwork. His bangs of blue hair hung across his eyes, temporarily hiding the purple eyes which many ladies drowned in. Giving a small nod as a sign of apology, she silently rebuked herself. How could she not realise that she had escaped into her own thoughts and left her brother standing there earlier on?
'Gomen.'
Her brother did not give any indication of a response to her apology and she stood there, waiting. Finally, with a flick of his hand, he finished off his signature at the end of the document and closed the file. Piling it up with another stack, he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. At the sight of his troubled state, Misaki acted immediately. Heading off to the side of his study room (which seemed more like an office to her) she pulled a cup and a saucer out of the cupboard and settled it quietly onto the counter. Pulling out a teaspoon as well, she prepared the cup of coffee with milk and a sugar cube – just the way her brother likes it. For some reason unknown to her, her brother always drank coffee that was made by her, and only her. Even if all the servants in the household did it exactly the same way as she did, he would never drink them.
'Coffee,' she uttered as she placed the drink before him.
She barely caught the word of thanks as he sipped the drink, sighing as he relaxed in his chair. As she watched her brother gulp down the drink with a manner that could only be described as refined, she pulled her eyes away and settled them onto the files on his desk. Words and numbers covered every piece of document and at that moment, she could not help but feel relieved that she was not given this duty of handling the business deals. It would have been stressful, she was sure.
At that moment, a movement drew her attention back to her brother as he placed the cup back on the saucer lightly. He glanced at his laptop for a moment, frowning at the rapidly changing figures on the screen. Knowing that he would not be able to talk to her in the next few minutes, Misaki groaned mentally. Sooner or later, she would probably have to book an appointment just to talk to her brother.
Just then, the faint scent from the coffee wafted to her nose and tingled at her senses. Looking down to stare at the brown liquid, she could once again feel the pull of her mind, retreating into her peaceful thoughts. She could still remember the time when she had conversed with Kaoru at the fountain. After calming himself from the vigorous laughter at her question ("Is he gay?") he had mentioned something…something about instant coffee…
"And it was the first time we've ever saw that maker. I think it was called," Kaoru thought for a moment, tapping his chin as he stared up at the sky, "Hescafé."
"Hescafé?" Misaki repeated with a questioning tone. "I've never heard of that maker either."
"It's not surprising," Kaoru grinned. "I doubt anyone in school has ever heard of it."
Suddenly recalling a previous event where the girls in her class had been squealing over, she sighed. "Commoner's coffee?"
"Sou! It really wasn't that exceptional but it wasn't bad either. Maybe you should try it sometime."
"Maybe…"
"Instant…cof-" A murmur escaped Misaki's lips.
It was then that a sudden touch to her hand caused her to freeze. Lifting her head, she met her brother's purple eyes. There was a flash of concern but it disappeared immediately. Blinking, she wondered if she had imagined it. Had she been hoping so eagerly that he would show her the same care and love as he did in the past, so much so that she imagined it?
"Misa," her brother's eyes softened as he held her hand lightly. She vaguely felt a prickly sensation in her eyes upon hearing that name. He only used it whenever he tried to comfort her as a child. "What's wrong? You've been dazing off quite frequently these few days. Is there something that you'd like to talk about?"
Looking at her brother for a while, she momentarily forgot what she had meant to ask. He had noticed! He knew about her wandering thoughts (and thus, strange behaviour) for the past two days. But when? And how? When and how had he been watching? As she tried to remember what she had sought out to do in the first place, Misaki blinked as the memory surfaced in her mind.
"Oh…ano…you see," she swallowed, taking a deep breath, "some of my friends are planning to go the amusement park tomorrow and I would like to…"
From the look that had appeared on her brother's face, she knew she didn't have to continue on. She pleaded silently that he would give her the permission. "Don't you think it'll be interesting?" Misaki tried to sound confident and eager despite the nervousness she felt. "It'll be a wonderful experience I believe."
Please, I want to go.
Her brother looked deep into her emerald orbs and did not move for a second. Closing his eyes, he gave her hand a pat and sighed. "I'm sure you know the answer."
Just then, the stinging feeling in her eyes returned. It felt foreign, after all, she had not cried for a long time already. Frowning slightly, she pleaded with her eyes, knowing that her brother could read her very well.
In a whisper, she murmured, "Katsu-nii."
Still, he simply shook his head. "I'm sorry."
Watching as her brother returned to his paperwork, Misaki knew there were no more chances. Dejected, she bowed her head and headed for the door, trying as hard as she could to not appear to be in a rush. She was acting like a child. She expected this answer, so why was she torn about it? As she reached for the handle, the ebony haired teen was stopped.
"Misa," her brother called but she didn't turn around. She did not want him to see the tears that were brimming in her eyes. "There's a dinner function tomorrow at 6pm. Don't forget to be prepared for it."
If her brother was trying to comfort her by offering her the reason, Misaki hardly felt it from his cold and indifferent tone.
"Dinner…function?" She frowned.
"Yes," Katsuro nodded. "With the Ootoris."
Misaki's fingers that were wrapped around the handle clenched hard.
"Sorry to disappoint you Tamaki but I have an appointment tomorrow."
An appointment…
His grey orbs flickered in her direction.
Resisting the urge to bang her head against the door, Misaki hurriedly pulled the door open and ran towards her room, ignoring the servants who called out in concern for her. She slammed her bedroom door and flung herself onto the sofa, her fists grabbing onto one of the cushions.
"Kyoya…" she gritted her teeth.
His grey orbs flickered in her direction. 'I have an appointment…with you.'
"So that's what he was trying to say."
It was late into the afternoon when his cell rang, its ringtone sounding clearly in the room. Throwing the files onto his bed, Kyoya ran a hand through his hair and reached for the phone. Flipping it open, he placed it next to his ear and let out an inaudible sigh.
"You could've warned me earlier," the voice came from the other side.
Albeit initially startled, he quickly recognised the owner of the voice and kept quiet.
"Why didn't you let me know?"
Again, he kept quiet.
"Say something."
Licking his lips, the black haired teen closed his files. "We're not supposed to be acquaintances, aren't we?"
This time, she kept quiet.
"Besides, I did try to remind you." He continued.
"I wasn't told." Her reply came almost immediately.
"So it seems." Kyoya countered.
He heard her huff on the other side of the line. "I was only told when I came home today." Kyoya blinked. She was trying to explain to him. He wondered what she was thinking. "I'm sorry, it was unreasonable of me. You're right; it's not your fault."
Kyoya stared out his bedroom window and he pursed his lips for a moment. "Our interactions in school are increasing pretty fast."
This time, Kyoya could tell that she was frowning.
"We've never exactly told each other that we can't be friends in school, did we?"
"No, we didn't." He agreed.
After a moment of silence from both of them, Misaki spoke up again. "I'll see you tomorrow then."
Kyoya nodded though she wouldn't be able to see it. "See you tomorrow."
Casually, the 17 year old flung his phone back onto his bed. Toshiko Misaki…just as she had claimed, neither of them had stated clearly that they could not be friends in school. It just happened that way. The Ootori family and Toshiko family have long since been friends, both in private and in business. And that was how the young Ootori Kyoya met Toshiko Misaki. The two had hit off pretty well from the start but as they grew, word started to reach their ears – word of marriage.
Misaki believed in marrying someone she loved and not someone who was arranged for her. Kyoya, on the other hand, did not care much if his spouse was chosen but he was not willing to be tied down. He was determined to shine and succeed in his career by his own hands and there was simply no time for a spouse at the moment.
That was when things started to change. Perhaps it was awkwardness, perhaps it was their rebellious nature, or perhaps it was their own 'best way' that both had instinctively ignored each other as they passed by in school. One dismissal carried on to another, and soon, it became an unspoken mutual agreement – they do not know each other (at least while in school). Kyoya rested his palms on his hips as he paced in his room. That was probably the most childish decision he had ever done in his life. Yet, things had never gone wrong and he had willingly accepted how things have become. However, it was different now. It was apparent to the bespectacled teen that Hitachiin Kaoru was beginning to be increasingly interested in Misaki. Things…would not go smoothly from now on.
End of Chapter 4
EverlastingWonders