Author's Note: Things get a tiny bit sad towards the middle, but don't let it scare you off. There's a reason for it later. Just thickening the plot! 'Kay, thanks, now read! :D

Chapter 4

The car stopped in front of the Ootori mansion. Kyoya and I were escorted in. I shadowed Kyoya like I was about to be sentenced to death. In fact-

"Pick up the pace, Miss Konusho."

"Yes, sir."

I can't say I recall selling my soul to the devil... But apparently I had.

Suddenly, Kyoya stopped. He motioned to a door on the right and stated, "This is your room."

I peered in.

Were my expectations too high? They must have been, because I was looking a room. That's it. A room. Well, to be fair, there was one room and one bathroom, but that doesn't count. Being that the Ootori's were rich, I was expecting it to be... you know... fancier.

Huge letdown.

Kyoya must have sensed my disapproval, because he hissed, "Sorry if it's not up to your specifications, Assistant-" He used "assistant" like a swear word. "-But not everything in life is free. When you start saving up money, you may improve the room as much as you like."

"Yes. Thank you, Mr. Ootori."

Kyoya nodded and headed into his own room- which happened to be the room directly next to mine.

Isn't life a bitch?

I sighed and walked into the (sorry, my) room. I threw my side bag on a desk chair and fell backwards onto the bed in the center to stare at the ceiling. It was such a god-awful color. Who the hell was the interior designer?

I rolled onto my side and made swirling hand motions in the bedspread. It was the same one as at home, just boxed up, transported here, and lied out by complete strangers. So, why did it feel so different?

Suddenly, my cell phone rang. I groaned and sat up, rubbing my eye groggily. I dug my phone out of my bag and looked at the caller ID.

Private Caller, I proclaimed.

I wasn't in the mood for a prank call or wrong number. But since I wanted a distraction from pretty much the end of my life-

"Hello?"

"You sound tired, Miss Konusho," a certain somebody commented.

"Ky- I mean, Mr. Ootori. You are in the room next to me. Why didn't you just come get me if you needed me?"

"I wanted to make sure this was the right number."

"Why is your number blocked?" I asked suspiciously.

"So that I can call you whenever I want and you can't call me. Isn't technology just amazing?"

His voice was dripping with sarcasm. And, this just proved that Kyoya was out to get me.

"Kyoya-"

"Mr. Ootori," he corrected in a tone that hinted that he was smirking.

"No," I growled, "I will call you whatever I want, Kyoya. I'm not gonna take this kind of treatment lying down! I am sorry that I stalked you at the expo. Let it go already! What? Is your pride hurt? You feel violated? Well, guess what. I. Am. Sorry. Get. Over. It."

(I probably wouldn't have said all that if I could see his face.)

Silence.

"Kyoya?"

More silence.

"Mr. Ootori?"

The silence was literally suffocating me.

"Mr. Ootori! I'm so sorry! I-"

"Save it." I swallowed, waiting for him to fire me. As if he read my mind, he assured, "I'm not going to fire you."

"You're not?"

"No. Your brutal honesty is an outstanding trait. I admire that you stuck up for yourself like that." Kyoya cleared his throat. "But, let me be clear, though, you will never talk to me like that again. Understood?"

"Understood."

"Good. But, it'll take more than a daringly little speech to earn back my trust. I'm going to make your life hell." He was defiantly smiling sinisterly at this point; there was no question. "That honesty proved to me that you might survive through it. Don't disappoint me."

"Yes, sir."

"Then, I'll see you in the morning."

"Wait, you called me. Don't you need something?"

"Not anymore. Goodnight, Miss Konusho."

"Hold on, I want you to call me Noa."

"Never in a million years."

I swallowed. "All right. Goodnight, Kyoya."

I figured he'd correct me, but when the line went dead, I gave up and threw my cell phone to the side.

I still had about two hours till I should go to sleep.

What to do, what to do...

I found myself taking that journal out once more. I surveyed the first page where I had inscribed all the club members and their roles- and me of course.

So, I turned to the next page, a nice blank one, and began to write:

Day One

Kyoya has basically declared war on me. That's okay, though; I think I'm up for the challenge.

Question to myself: Why don't I just quit? I guess it's just because of my stubbornness. I kind of want to prove to Kyoya that I have what it takes to be his assistant... Plus, that Host Club is sweet. If anything, they are the ones who deserve the work I'll be doing for Kyoya. And, in a way, I am doing work for them. Indirectly. But still!

...

I'm going to call my mom. I still can't believe she agreed to let me move into the Ootori mansion.

I picked up my cell phone and dialed my home phone. And, finally-

"Hello?"

"Hey, Mom."

"Oh! Noa! Hi!" Why did she sound so panicked?

"Did I call you at a bad time?" I asked.

"No! No, of course not!" Something was defiantly wrong. "I was just meaning to tell you something important, and I am a little scared to how you may react."

"Oh. Well, okay then. What is it?"

"Noa, sweetie, your dad and I are separating."

My breath got caught in my throat.

"Noa?"

I stayed silent.

"Noa, honey?"

Still, I couldn't form any words.

"Noa!"

"So, that's why you so willingly let me move in with the Ootori family," I clarified, "You didn't want me to get in the way of your separation." I could hear that my own voice was on the verge of tears.

"It's not that, Noa! We just didn't want to bother you with all the messy details. You understand, right?"

No, I didn't. Not at all. But, I replied hoarsely, "Of course."

"Good girl. Well, goodnight, sweetheart."

"Yeah. 'Night."

I pressed the "end" button on my phone.

I added to my journal entry:

Day One Continued

So, it's the start of the rest of my life and the end of my parents' marriage.

Really, I don't know whether to be ecstatic or heartbroken about this...

My mom deserves better. I know that. My dad pretty much runs her life and dictates her decisions.

Just as he does to me.

Maybe this will be better for all of us. I hope so...

-transition-

"Kyoya?" I called weakly into my boss's bedroom, opening the door with an eerie creak.

The sleeping boy didn't stir.

"If you don't get up now, you're going to be late…" I warned, inching closer to his bed. I reminded, "Second day of school, remember? I bet you're all excited for another fun-filled day, right?" It irked me how much I sounded like my mother.

Kyoya turned over and hugged his blanket to his head.

"Com'on… Get up…" I urged, finally beginning to gently shake him awake.

Suddenly, I felt myself being falling over, Kyoya taking my hand and flipping me like a morning batch of pancakes.

I landed on the floor with a dull thud.

Okay, that's it. Good cop over, I declared to myself.

I scrambled up from the floor and took a big bunch of Kyoya's blanket in hand. In one, swift motion, I whipped the blanket like a wave, and poor, unfortunate Kyoya was flipped off his bed and onto the floor just as I had been.

"Payback," I informed Kyoya as a sleepy groan escaped the boy now on the floor. I walked out of his room, advising behind me, "Be ready in ten minutes, or I'm leaving without you." He was my ride there, and he probably knew that, but I needed to threaten him with something.

Luckily, Kyoya doesn't think straight in the morning, and he reluctantly picked himself up from off the floor to get ready for the day.

-transition-

The second day was certainly less difficult than the first.

Once at the Host Club, Kyoya put me to work reading a book of information he said I needed to know. But, soon enough, I found myself sliding a magazine over the boring pages of the book in search of something more entertaining to read.

And, I found something.

A personality quiz.

I decided to fill it out. By the end, it looked like this:

Name: Konusho Noa

Birthday: March 7th

Age: 16

Gender: Female

Eye Color: Grey

Hair Color: Black

Personality: (pick one or two that best describes it)

Fiery

Flirty

Fun

Athletic

Gentle

Dreamy

Exciting

Glamorous

Smart

Kind

Sweet

Passionate

Uh… Between dreamy and passionate?

Style: Easygoing?

Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Konusho- I mean, Mr. Konusho and Miss Tanaka

Hobbies: Shopping, eating, being an assistant?

Likes: Pretty much everything. Can't say the same for everybody…

Dislikes: Being ordered around.

Things you're often heard saying: Yes, sir. Whatever you say, sir.

Good habits: Diligence

Bad habits: Stubbornness

P.S. Are the two above the same thing…?

Sport: Don't have one.

Food: Chocolate cake with mousse in the middle

Favorite Animal: Dolphin

Romantic Relationship: … No comment.

With that done, I tucked the quiz away in my journal. I had a feeling that little notebook was going to save my sanity that year. Especially because-

"Miss Konusho?"

I jumped, making a little "Eep!" sound.

I turned and saw that it was Kyoya, a little smirk resting on his face. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, observing aloud, "You seem to making good use of that notebook."

"Sure am!" I answered probably too quickly and high-pitched, slapping the little journal shut so that he didn't spot the ripped out magazine page folded inside.

Kyoya lightly chuckled before walking away, mumbling behind him, "Carry on."

I quickly opened the journal back up and scribbled on the first blank page I could find:

Day Two

I hate how Kyoya always gets the last word…

Author's Note: Seemed like a good place to stop. Thanks so much for all the love so far! :3

Please review!