In Her Shadow
Chapter Four
Falling
"Hoshimi, what did you mean when you said you'd be living in Rome in a year?" Takara asked her, "I thought…The plan was…four years?"
Hoshimi looked away, "It's nothing for you to worry about." Turning back she said, "What do you think? Should we buy dessert to end our wonderful breakfast?"
Takara paused before saying, "We shouldn't be eating things like cake for breakfast."
Hoshimi gave her a puppy dog look, "Please? Just one piece?"
Takara sighed, "Fine." All the while thinking, 'Why won't you tell me what's wrong?'
"Oh my," The group of girls that had gathered whispered to one another, "What is Kyouya-san doing to that little girl? I've never seen him like this. I didn't know he was like that."
"Ky-Kyouya-senpai, are you alright?" Kazashi asked, her concern for another once again overpowering her shyness.
Kyouya pulled back in a stiff sort of way, pain in his back and basically his whole body racking through him. Sitting her up straight, he too sat down in front of her.
Kazashi frowned, "Are you okay? We should get you to the infirmary right away!" Kazashi sat up on her knees, inspecting his arms. After this, she inspected his back massaging it lightly. "You need to see the nurse, now."
Without allowing him to say no, Kazashi had already put his arm around her shoulder. Helping him stand, she said, "Um, where is the infirmary?"
"That way." Kyouya pointed.
Nodding, they began to walk towards it.
Kyouya was laying on an infirmary bed, stomach down, nearly naked. A doctor was inspecting him to see if he'd truly been hurt, or if they were just some bruises. A crisp white curtain kept him out of the sight of public. Kazashi, still frowning, leaned against the wall. Something puzzled her. Why had he done that?
Kazashi heard Kyouya grunt in a pained way when the doctor pressed on a certain part of his back.
"Gomenasai, Kyouya-senpai." Kazashi said quietly. "It was my fault…" Kyouya did not reply. So, Kazashi continued, "Gomen…But, why did you do that? You could have broken your back."
"It was for merits." Kyouya answered simply, "Your sisters are the ones who are supplying clubs with money funding. Now you owe me because I saved you from cracking you skull on the stairs, and your sisters owe me for saving you as well, even more so than you owed Hikaru."
Kazashi's frown only deepened, "I would've done anything you wanted me to if you would've just asked. I would rather me have my skull cracked than you breaking your back! If you wanted funding, you already got it anyway. Kouseki cleared you and the rest of the Host Club. She thought you boys and your club was excellent. Even Kagami had to agree, even if just a bit."
Inside the curtain, Kyouya had been stunned. Wasn't she not supposed to disclose that kind of information? And, why did she care so much for his well being? She didn't even know him.
A small smile played on his lips, "Forgive me, Hime, for not doing so. But, I believe Tamaki would rather you kept your pretty little head uncracked."
Kazashi's eyes widened in surprise at the comments. She was grateful for the curtain for he wouldn't be able to see her burning face. Just then remembering why she'd been away from the cafeteria, she said, "Kyouya-senpai, Tsuru was looking for you this morning."
"Oh, really?"
Kazashi's eyes widened again, "You didn't see her?"
"Not all. Frankly, out of your group, you are the only one I have seen all morning."
"Then where…Where has Tsuru gone!?"
Looking around, Tsuru found that she was laying on a bed made out of old, or new, issues of newspaper. Puzzled, she sat up, taking in the dusty old room. She recalled walking towards the third music room, intent on visiting Kyouya, when from behind some had suddenly hit her on the head. The next thing she knew, she was here, asleep on a bed of newspaper. She then heard angry whispers from behind the door.
"I told you to get her, as in find her and then politely ask her to come to the newspaper room, not get her, as in attack her!" He said angrily.
"Gomen, chairmen…" Two other voices said.
Walking in, Komatsuzawa immediately noticed that Tsuru had awakened.
"Ah, our honored guest has awakened," Komatsuzawa said.
"Last time I checked, guests didn't need to be attacked." Tsuru replied dryly.
"We are terribly sorry for that," Komatsuzawa said, before rounding upon his lackies, "Quickly, both of you! Apologize!"
"We're sorry, Honorable Guest!! Terribly sorry!!"
Tsuru rolled her eyes, "If you're so sorry then why'd you attack me in the first place, huh? If I'm not mistaken, kidnap is illegal."
"Kidnap!?" Komatsuzawa gave a nervous laugh, "We by no means kidnapped you. You are, after all, still in the school. Also, you may leave at anytime."
"Good, then I'm leaving now." Tsuru stood from her seat and walked to the door the three had just entered through.
"We cannot let you do that!" He grabbed her wrist, "Not just yet."
Tsuru immediately pried his grip from her wrist, "And why ever not?"
"We must ask you some questions first." Komatsuzawa said darkly.
She glared at him, "Ask already, or do you plan on keeping me prisoner all day?"
"You and your friends are new to this school, so have not fallen under the spell that is the Host Club." Komatsuzawa stated again with his darker voice, "Tell me, what evils have they wrought?"
Tsuru burst into a laughter that, on any other person, would've seemed a bit ungraceful, "Are you kidding me? That's what you are so serious about!?" Tsuru continued to laugh, but eventually stopped, "There's nothing evil about them. Why would they be evil? So they're a little overly exaggerated, and the fan girls can be annoying, but it's all done in good fun. I haven't a clue what you're talking about."
"But can you at least tell me about Tamaki!? What darkness has he spread onto his followers!?"
"As far as I'm concerned, Tamaki is actually a nice guy." Tsuru said firmly, "He is the most overly dramatized of them all, but his intentions are good, and he appears to be very sweet. But, all that aside, it wouldn't be right to ask me these questions, because by all rights I can't judge them as of yet. I have only been here one day, and only had spent a brief two hours with the entire club yesterday. It would be wrong of me to make any semblance of opinion, although I already have." With that said, Tsuru turned back to the door, swiftly leaving.
"She…gave us no…information…" Komatsuzawa said dejectedly, falling into his chair.
Tsuru breathed a sigh of relief, leaning on the wall just to the right of the room. "Boy was I lucky to only have a couple of weird people attack me instead some perverted man. I must get Hoshimi or Takara to teach me some sort of self defense soon. Now, for breakfast." Looking at her cellphone from her purse, "Scratch that, I don't have time for breakfast! I should go to class now!" Tsuru pushed off the wall and began to run to her next class.
"Kazashi," Kyouya said quietly, "Might I bother you for a moment?"
"Yes, Senpai?" Kazashi answered.
"I think my glasses fell off while we fell down the stairs."
"I'll get them!" Kazashi immediately said, running out the infirmary door.
Kazashi quickly skirted the school building and to the stairs, where she began to search. Halfway up the stairs, and Kazashi found them. Turning around, holding the glasses close to her but still carefully, as if it were some precious item to her, and took off back to the infirmary.
Tamaki, who happened to be passing by, took notice of the golden haired blur, "Kazashi? And why is she holding Kaasan's glasses? And why is she going to the infirmary?" Tamaki's mind began to form some semblance of a theory, "Kyouya's been hurt!" Tamaki followed swiftly after.
Arriving back to the infirmary, Kyouya was just barely done with his inspection by the doctor. He was sitting up when Kazashi, eyes tightly closed, handed him his glasses through the white curtain. Just as soon, Tamaki entered the infirmary, practically ripping the curtains down, "Kyouya, what happened!?"
Kazashi's eyes flew wide open, having seen Kyouya less than half dressed, before closing them tightly, you couldn't pry them open if you tried. Hands flying up to cover her eyes too, Kazashi bowed to excuse her leave, saying, "Gomen, Kyouya-senpai!" Afterwards, she ran quickly out of the infirmary, face cherry red.
Confused, Tamaki asked, "What happened?"
"You just flashed me in front of Kazashi." Kyouya said, still somehow very calm, slipping on his pants. Standing, he pulled his shirt back on as well, "That wasn't very graceful, you know."
"Sorry, but what happened?" Tamaki repeated for the third time.
"I fell down the stairs." Kyouya answered simply, putting his blue jacket back on before pushing his glasses back up. "Only a few minor bruises and back pains. I'll still be able to work during club hours today. Nothing to worry about."
"You fell down the stairs!?!" Tamaki said almost angrily, "And that's nothing to be worried about!?"
"You're making a big deal out of nothing." Was Kyouya's reply, who stood swiftly and coolly left the infirmary.
"Kaasan!" Tamaki whined after him.
"Where is she?" Kagami whispered to her twin, only obvious to the two of them that she was the more worried."She'll be fine," Kouseki reassured her, "I'm sure she's just having some tea with before class with Kyouya and Tsuru.""But what if – ."
"This is a school with gates. There's no way."
The venom and loathe, the rage and hate, that was present in her twins voice shocked and scared Kagami into speechlessness. How long had she been harboring these feelings towards that certain someone? Days? Months? No, years.
Noticing the sudden silence, Miyuki said in her cheerful acting voice, "Why don't we go to class!?"
Kouseki, turning back to normal in an instant, answered, "Shall we? But perhaps we should find Kazashi first."
"This is the cafeteria." Kaoru said loudly from the entrance, him and Hikaru steering Kazashi into the room.
"Those two," Kagami said in her usual irritated voice, "I should've known they had something to do with this!"
"Come now, Kagami, let's not jump to conclusions." Kouseki said, standing. Walking to them, she said, "Hello, boys. Kazashi, you were gone for quite some time."
"Sorry," Kazashi apologized, looking at the floor in embarrassment, "I got lost…"
"Yeah, and she bumped into me." Kaoru said, rubbing his stomach painfully.
"Gomen," Kazashi said, her cheeks turning shades darker.
"It's fine." Hikaru said, ruffling her hair roughly.
"Kouseki, will you and Kagami be coming to the club today?" Kaoru asked.
Kouseki frowned slightly, "I'm not sure. We have to look at the other clubs as well. It wouldn't be fair to only come to yours, now would it?"
"Tono's going to make a fuss." Hikaru said with a cheeky grin.
"But we'd like it if you came." Kaoru said, interrupting his brother.
"I'll talk to Kagami, but there's no way to say for sure if she'll say yes." Kouseki answered. The bell for first period rang, "I suppose we'd better get going."
"Hai!"
"Ah?" Hoshimi said curiously, "Look at all these cute little dolls!" Jumping up and down, she said, "Please, Takara!?"
"If you spend all this money," Takara said, already holding three bags of stuffed and animals and a life sized bear, "Kagami and Kouseki will murder you once we get back to Ouran. You know they'll be pissed once they find out that we left school grounds. You know their rules."
"Please? Just one from this store! It's so cute!" Hoshimi pointed to the one of a cat that was otherwise completely auburn, save for the star on its forehead.
"No." Takara answered, "We've spent too much as it is."
Hoshimi made puppy dog eyes at her. Takara sighed in an aggravated tone before nodding. Moments later, Hoshimi was cuddling her newest stuffed animal, a large and bright smile on her face, completely different from the look in her eyes. Hoshimi began to hum as she skipped down the street, Takara following close behind. Takara frowned. What was wrong?
"Look Takara!!" Hoshimi jumped up and down, "Look, look! It's a ferry!"
She sighed and followed after Hoshimi.
Once they were on, Hoshimi ran all over the boat, smiling and laughing. She loved getting on boats.
"Slow down, Hoshimi." Takara grabbed Hoshimi's arm and made her stop, "You're going to slip and fall."
"But I feel so hyper!" Hoshimi's smile grew larger.
"Cool that head of yours." Takara commented, "Why don't you just watch the sea for awhile, huh?"
Hoshimi nodded, turning to grasp the railing of the boat. The sun shined high above the line of the sea. The sea shined brightly, sparkling as it reflected the sun. The entire scene was mesmerizing. A soft breeze from the sea kicked up, blowing gently and cooling them. Takara sighed contentedly. Hoshimi, still carrying her stuffed cat, leaned over the rail slightly, looking at the flowing sea below.
As silence took over, Hoshimi's thoughts began to trail off to the conversation she had had with her grandfather earlier. Hoshimi's head leaned downwards, her hair shadowing her eyes. Takara noticed the sudden change in her behavior. She felt an uneasiness within Hoshimi, felt her anguish.
The boat was suddenly hit by hard wave, knocking the boat to one side. Hoshimi fell forward, towards the sea. Takara, having fast reflexes, was able to grab hold of her by the back of her shirt. However, Hoshimi's cat doll went flying out of her arms and into the water below. Watching it sink deeper and deeper into the water and finally disappear in its depths, her head sank too, her hair shadowing her face once again.
"We…can go buy you a new doll if you want…" Takara said quietly.
Hoshimi shook her head, falling lower till it almost touched the rail. It was as if she were using the rail as a means of standing, as if her legs had become too weak to hold up on its own. Hoshimi's shoulders began to quake, tears falling down her cheeks.
"Hoshi…" Takara whispered.
"The date moved up." Hoshimi's voice sounded weak.
"What…date?" Takara questioned.
"It was supposed to be four years." Hoshimi continued, "It wasn't supposed to happen till I was twenty-one. I don't know why…Sofu moved the date up…"
"Hoshimi…"
"I am to be married in one year," Hoshimi said, tears falling rapidly down her cheeks and into the waters. "I don't even know him. Sofu won't even tell me his name. Who is he?"
To Be Continued…