A/N: now, let's see how this goes. lol enjoy the next chappie!
Chapter 4: Welcoming a New Princess
"Are you serious?!" Mika grinned widely as she and Hitomi walked down the halls of Ouran, after school. "You're coming to the Host Club with me?!"
"Yes, Mika," Hitomi smiled. "But please, don't make a big deal out of this."
"Oh, Tamaki will be so happy to have another customer!" Mika giggled, giddily.
"Well, actually---"
"Come on!" Mika interrupted, grabbing Hitomi's hand and shooting down the hall. "We're almost there! We don't want to be late!"
"But, Mika---!" Hitomi was unable to finish her sentence because Mika had stopped them in front of the Host Club doors, and they were the only girls there. They looked around with confused frowns over their brows then looked back at each other.
"Are you the first ones here?" Hitomi wondered and Mika shrugged.
"I suppose so," she replied then grinned and took one handle on one of the doors. "Let's open the doors!"
"Maybe we should wait---?"
"No way!" Mika cut in. "No one else would!"
Hitomi sighed and gripped the handle on the other door, muttering, "Well, you've got a point there."
Mika's grin grew as they pushed the doors open and were, once again, met with a chorus of, "Welcome!"
They peeked inside to see the Host Club, all wearing cowboy western clothing, some of the hosts with feathers in their hair and hats, all with holsters and fake guns in them, and one of the hosts had slung a rifle over his shoulder.
Opening the door, they found the Wild West.
"Well, it seems you're the first ones here, little ladies," Tamaki smiled, spinning a fake revolver on his finger then catching the handle and aiming it at the girls. "I never miss when I aim for the heart of a lady."
"You're so right, Tamaki!" Mika giggled, blushing a bit as she ran toward him and he slung his arm over her shoulder. "I'm sure Hitomi would agree, because she's now attending the Host Club as a regular customer of yours!"
"Is that so?" Tamaki smiled up at Hitomi who blushed only slightly. "Well, that's just wonderful---"
"Actually, I've come to designate Kyouya," Hitomi said, quickly and Tamaki's jaw dropped in disbelief as his eyes widened. "I'm sorry, Tamaki, but I have to say, you were rather wonderful yesterday. Excuse me."
Hitomi hurriedly walked toward Kyouya as Tamaki only stood in shock and Mika attempted to rouse him from it by waving a hand in front of his face but it did no good. Hitomi stood in front of Kyouya as he wrote something into a notebook then turned to her, adjusting his glasses.
"Why don't we have a seat?" he smiled, and she knew he was putting on his show as if she were a customer. She only nodded with a smile and she took a seat on one of the other couches, Kyouya sitting next to her. "Would you like some tea and cake?"
"No, thank you, Kyouya," she smiled, slightly. She couldn't believe how giddy she was! Her heart was racing, and she could hear it in her ears, feel it in her palms. Why was she so nervous?! She noticed other girls start to hurry into the room to spend time with their hosts, and was glad when most of them flocked toward Tamaki and left herself with Kyouya.
"So, Kyouya," she began, deciding to start conversation. "Whose idea was it for the theme today?"
"Tamaki's, of course," he replied with a small smile. "He's always bringing in Western themes. The girls seem to like it."
"Yes, they do," Hitomi agreed, noticing some of the girls getting giddy over Tamaki's 'expert gunmanship.' All he was really doing was spinning the plastic pistols on his fingers and shoving them into the holsters on his hips, then yanking them out. She couldn't help but think he was a show-off.
"You talked to your brothers and set them straight, yes?" Kyouya asked, bluntly and she blinked in surprise at it.
"Y-Yes, I did," she nodded. "They had a feeling I was being a bit harsh with my description."
"Good," Kyouya nodded.
"Kyouya!"
The two turned to see a few more girls heading toward them, and Hitomi had to fight the urge to sigh in disappointment.
"We're so sorry we're late!" one of the girls said as Kyouya stood to speak to them.
"Not at all," he replied, smoothly. "You're right on time. Please, have a seat, ladies."
"Oh, you have a new customer, Kyouya?!" one of the girls grinned, as the group took seats around Hitomi and she glanced around in panic.
"Yes," Kyouya smiled. "Her name is Hitomi Sasaki."
"I can see why you were named 'Hitomi'!" one of the girls grinned, leaning toward her to stare her in the eye. "Your eyes are so beautiful!"
"Th-Thank you," she sputtered with a slight blush.
"Would you ladies like something to eat and drink?" Kyouya offered, drawing the girls' attentions back to him.
"Oh, yes!" one of the girls grinned. "Thank you so much, Kyouya!"
He nodded and went to get the girls some food and drink and the girls whipped their attention back to Hitomi.
"So, Hitomi," one of the girls began. "Why did you decide to designate Kyouya? I saw you yesterday with Tamaki. Do you have the Host Hopping Sickness?"
"The…what?" Hitomi frowned with a crooked lip then quickly replied, "No. I'm sticking with Kyouya."
"Really?" one of the other girls wondered in an intrigued tone. "Why did you switch from Tamaki? Usually the girls that go to him stay with him because he's so charming."
"I can see that," Hitomi agreed. "But, I chose Kyouya after all because…" She trailed off in thought, not wanting to give away the fact that they were engaged and truly not knowing what to tell these girls. "Because, I like very intelligent and cool guys, and he's certainly both those things, I find."
"Oh, he is!" one of the girls giggled giddily. "He's so dreamy when he's sharing information about different things with us!"
The other girls nodded with cute, affirmative noises and Hitomi smiled in relief.
"Here you are, girls," Kyouya smiled, charmingly as he set down a tray with sandwiches and tea.
"Kyouya, your outfits look so authentic!" one of the girls smiled, taking a cup of tea from the tray. "Were they hard to find?"
"Not especially," Kyouya replied, still standing and tilting his blue cowboy hat back a bit on his head. "The outfits were made by the Hitachiin twins' mother, but the fake pistols and the belts to hold them were a bit of a bother getting onto school grounds. However, it was worth it to make you girls happy."
"Oh, Kyouya, you're so thoughtful!" one girl breathed as he smiled at her and Hitomi glanced around at the girls fawning over him with a prick of jealousy.
"Incidentally, there are some catalogs here filled pictures of the Host Club in the costumes we've worn this week," Kyouya pitched, with a charming smile. "Perhaps you ladies would like to relive your wonderful memories of this week by purchasing them?"
"Oh, yes, please!" the girls grinned, their eyes all alight. "Thank you, Kyouya!"
Hitomi felt her heart drop. For a moment, she thought his purpose in the Host Club was to profit emotionally from the girls' happiness, but he was just using his position to get a monetary profit from them. She understood, of course, that a club would have to make money in order to provide food and drink and costumes to try out new themes, she had just hoped that it hadn't been Kyouya pitching the sales to the girls.
"You're not going to buy a catalog, Hitomi?"
She shot her gaze up to the girl who had asked her the question, and once she registered it she shook her head in response, saying, "No. It wouldn't do me as much good. This is only my second day here. I haven't seen what other themes the Host Club tried out this week."
"All the more reason for you to have one!" one of the girls grinned as Kyouya glanced between the two girls. The girl speaking to Hitomi turned to Kyouya and smiled, "I'll buy a catalog for her. Put me down for two."
"No!" Hitomi cried, quickly when Kyouya was about to write it down in his notebook. "I couldn't ask you to do that! I may not even look at it, I'm so busy, you see."
"It's alright," the girl smiled, waving it off and Kyouya made the change in his notebook anyway. "You may want a break from a busy day. Every girl needs eye candy once in a while."
The other girls nodded and giggled and Hitomi only gave a small sigh as she looked up at Kyouya. He glanced around at the girls and gave an ever-so-slight smile to reassure her and she couldn't help but stare at him in awe and disbelief. So, he did care!
"Wow! We're the last ones here!" Mika grinned, looking around the almost empty music room the Host Club, Hitomi and herself were still in.
"Maybe we should leave now?" Hitomi guessed, sitting next to her friend on one of the sofas.
"Host Club hours aren't officially over for the day yet," Mika smiled, widely. "We've got some time."
"Hitomi?"
The girls spun around to see Kyouya standing behind them and they watched him as he walked around the couch to stand in front of them, holding something in his hand.
"Here you are," he smiled, handing her the catalog in his hands and she looked down at it. "The girl who purchased it for you has already left, as you know. You can thank her tomorrow for it, if you'd like?"
"Th-Thank you," Hitomi sputtered, taking the catalog from his hands. "She really didn't have to do that."
"That particular girl has always been very generous," Kyouya replied as Mika watched her friend intently. A blush was working its way across Hitomi's cheeks as she stared down at the cover of the magazine now in her lap. "It may happen again. She seems to like you."
Hitomi only nodded and Kyouya stared at her for a moment, which Mika didn't fail to notice, before he walked away to go into an inner-room and change into his uniform. Mika watched him walk away until he was out of sight and out of ear-shot then turned to Hitomi.
"What's with you and Kyouya?" she asked, bluntly and Hitomi jumped out of her skin at the question then looked up at Mika with blushing cheeks.
"W-What?!" she sputtered out. "N-Nothing?! What makes you think there's something between Kyouya and I?!"
"The way he just stared at you right now," Mika shrugged. "And also, you've been acting funny around him. Really, Hitomi, what's going on with you two?" She suddenly had a thought and grinned widely and Hitomi feared the worst. "Are the two of you in a secret relationship?!"
It was the worst.
"N-No," Hitomi lied, but not very well and Mika narrowed her eyes in playful suspicion at her friend.
"You're not a good liar," she teased. "You stutter when you lie."
"Mika, I'm not allowed to talk about it," Hitomi replied.
"So it is a secret relationship!" Mika grinned with a nod. "How exciting!"
"Mika---!"
"Oh, don't worry," she smirked, waving it off. "You can trust me! I won't tell a soul, I swear it."
"But, Mika---"
"What are you girls still doing here?" the girls heard in stereo around them and they jumped as they looked away from each other to see one Hitachiin twin on each of their shoulders. "The Club is closed, you know?"
"No it isn't!" Mika protested and looked at her watch. "We still have at least a half hour left!"
"Mika, let's just go," Hitomi whispered, taking the other girl's wrist to stand and lead her to the door.
"No!" Mika snapped, yanking her wrist away and almost hitting the twin next to her in the process, but he was too quick and stepped away before she hit him. "I always stay here until the very last minute." She noticed Tamaki strolling toward them and grinned at him. "Don't I, Tamaki?"
"Yes, Princess, you do," he smiled charmingly, shoving the twin next to her out of the way to sit next to Mika. "But my darling," he began, pulling in close to her and using a hand to tilt her chin up to his gaze. "If your friend is waiting on you, you do not have to stay so late. I'll just have to cope until you return tomorrow."
"But how could you cope in my absence?!" Mika gasped and Hitomi couldn't help but roll her eyes at the scene as Tamaki only smiled, charmingly.
"One kiss from you, my Princess, would last me for an eternity," he murmured. "I would wait for you forever."
"Oh, Tamaki! You're so wonderful!" Mika cheered, unable to contain her giddiness. Hitomi sighed in exasperation at her friend but when she felt the couch sink on the other side of her, she shot her gaze up to see Kyouya reclining back against the couch scribbling in a notebook. She glanced at her friend, still fawning over Tamaki and moved to stand but was stopped by Kyouya's voice.
"Don't feel you have to leave on my account," he said, not looking at her and Hitomi looked at him with wide eyes. "It's true, Miss Takahashi stays here late, and if you wish to go, then go. But don't feel you have to just because of me."
Hitomi blinked at him a few times in surprise but when he still didn't look up at her, she leaned back against the couch again. She swallowed silently and took a chance by scooting a little closer to him. She gave him sideways look to see if he moved or looked at her, and when he didn't she took that as a good sign and scooted a little closer. Her hands went to her lap, twiddling her thumbs as she glanced at him again.
Still, he didn't move or look up. She scooted a little closer, her heart pounding in her ears because now she was close enough to lean against him if she wanted to, but she didn't dare. She glanced at him still writing in his notebook then bit the corner of her lip in thought. She wasn't sure what to do. They were almost completely alone, except for the Host Club and her friend next to her, but Mika was occupied with Tamaki.
Kyouya suddenly closed his notebook, making her jump and look at him with wide eyes filled with wonder at what he was going to do next and he only looked up at her and smiled, saying, "Am I that intimidating?"
It took a moment for Hitomi to register his words because she was suddenly how realizing how close they truly were, then shook her head clear and cast her eyes down at her lap, sputtering, "N-No. I just…I guess I don't know how to talk to you anymore."
"You had no problems last night, at dinner," Kyouya murmured low, not wanting Mika to hear if she was paying any attention, though he doubted it if Tamaki was on the job.
"I know, but this is different," Hitomi murmured back, just as low. "We're here at the Host Club. I can't be too familiar with you."
"The girls are gone now," Kyouya assured her.
"And the club members?" she reminded him. "What about them? They're still here."
Kyouya glanced around, making her do the same. It was true, they were all there, but they were all occupied with something. The Hitachiin twins were talking to Haruhi, Honey and Mori were at a table having cake and reading, and Tamaki was with Mika. No one was paying attention to them. But still, she kind of wished they were completely alone.
"Did you have a good day today, Hitomi?" Kyouya suddenly asked, making her jump and look at him with wide eyes. He smiled at her and she swallowed, feeling a blush come to her cheeks at his smile.
"Y-Yes," she replied, meekly.
"You don't have too much work, I hope," he asked and she shook her head.
"I try to work ahead a little when I study," she replied and he nodded.
"What's been your favorite subject?" he wondered.
"Geography," she replied. "Kyouya?"
"Yes?"
"Why are you asking me this?"
"To get you to relax," he replied. "You've been tense since you walked in the door."
"That's because I'm nervous," Hitomi explained. "I was nervous when I walked in because we were the first ones here, and I was nervous when those girls started talking to me because I was afraid they were going to jump me or something!"
Kyouya let out a slight chuckle at that and shook his head, shifting to face her completely and touching her hands in her lap, gently, making her jump with a start as he murmured, "The girls are jealous, but none of my customers are that jealous."
"H-How can you know that?" she wondered, her blush deepening.
"I'm a good judge of character, Hitomi," he smirked. "You know that."
She swallowed at his closeness as her eyes scanned over his face, unable to help themselves when they settled on his mouth but she looked away, quickly and muttered, "Yes, I suppose I do."
She looked back at him and notice something catch his attention behind her as he leaned away from her and she shot her gaze up to see Mika standing next to her, Kyouya's hand pulling away from hers as if burned, but she kept her gaze on Mika.
"Now we can go," she grinned with a definite nod and Hitomi nodded as her friend turned to head out the door. She stood and Kyouya followed as she started to go after her friend, but she stopped and turned to Kyouya, eyes cast down as she stepped a little closer to him when he stopped.
"I…" she tried, then cleared her throat, playing with the corner of her catalog. "I had a wonderful time, Kyouya."
"I'm glad, Princess," he smiled with a nod and Hitomi smiled in return at him calling her that. Still fiddling with the catalog in her hands, she glanced at him and he waited, patiently but when she didn't move or say anything more he asked, "Was there something else you needed?"
"N-No," she sputtered and he gave a slight frown because she still didn't walk away or say anything more. It was as if she wanted to stay but knew she had to leave.
She glanced up at him again and quickly stepped closer, lifted her heels from the ground to reach and kissed his cheek then shot to the door before he could see the blush covering her face. Kyouya stared wide eyes after her, blinking only a few times as the door shut after her and he shut his mouth which had been hanging open in shock from her action.
Now why did she do that? he wondered, but when he brought a hand to his chin to think, it was shaking. He frowned deeper and wondered, And why do I feel a bit shaky because of it?
You know why, you idiot! a part of him shouted but he shook his head, refusing to go down that path. When it came to her, it was just business.
Adjusting his glasses and clearing his throat he turned to the couch he'd been sitting on to get his notebook he'd left on the table only to find the rest of the Host Club leaning on said couch and staring at him, some wide-eyed in shock, a few with grins on their faces.
"Yes?" Kyouya asked, impatiently. "Is there something you bunch needed?"
"Kyouya," Tamaki breathed, being one of the wide-eyed staring ones. "That girl…Hitomi…she kissed you!"
"Your point?" Kyouya wondered, stepping toward the couch for his notebook.
"She's only been here a couple of days," the twins pointed out, being two that were grinning. "She get attached that quickly?"
"Apparently," Kyouya shrugged, trying to drop the subject with his cool demeanor.
"You like her too, don't you Kyo-chan?!" Honey grinned, hugging his stuffed bunny close and Kyouya looked at his senior with slightly widened eyes, but quickly masked his surprise over with his signature cool.
"Of course I do," he replied. "But as a customer. One more customer who is that much more interested in the Host Club will boost our profits."
"That's kind of cold," Haruhi noticed as he sat on the couch again and opened his notebook.
"Haruhi, this is the Shadow King you're talking to," Hikaru pointed out, leaning an arm on her shoulder.
"Of course it was cold," Kaoru finished, mirroring his twin on her other shoulder.
"But that's cold, even for you, Kyouya-senpai," Haruhi pointed out, ignoring the twins. Kyouya didn't look up at his classmates and only started writing in the notebook again.
They all gave up on trying to get anything out of him and walked away to head home for the day, except Tamaki. The blonde boy walked around the couch and sat next to his friend who was seemingly ignoring him.
"There's more to it than what we've seen, isn't there, Kyouya?" he asked, and the other boy faltered in his writing but quickly continued.
"Not at all," he lied, flatly. "What would make you think that?"
"You were shaking," Tamaki smirked and Kyouya stopped writing all together too look at the King with wide eyes staring through his glasses. How could he have noticed it?! This guy was oblivious, and even though he could be bright at some times, he couldn't even figure out that he liked Haruhi, which everyone else had a long time ago.
"No…I wasn't," Kyouya lied again, trying to collect himself.
"Liar, liar, pants on fire," Tamaki grinned in a sing-song voice, waving a scolding finger at his friend. "I saw you! You were shaking! I think this girl is special to you, isn't she?"
"Of course she's not," Kyouya replied, trying to convince not only Tamaki but himself as well. "She's only a customer of the Host Club. That's all."
"It's alright, Kyouya," Tamaki insisted. "No one's around. You can tell me the truth. I'm you friend! Hey, want me to help you win her over even more?!"
"Just drop it, Tamaki!" Kyouya snapped, making his friend jump back a bit in shock. "I told you, she's no one special! It's just business, that's all, got it?! Just business!"
He didn't wait for a reply before he shut his notebook and stood to walk toward his bag, shove the book into it and march toward the door.
"I'll see you tomorrow," he said before heading out, and didn't wait for a response.
He couldn't believe he'd just done that. It wasn't like him to have a sudden outburst like that with Tamaki unless it was about Tamaki. What was getting into him?! Was Hitomi getting under his skin? Possibly, he'd been seeing her a lot more. Maybe she was more annoying than he realized.
"No," he sighed, almost disappointed. "If I can handle Tamaki I can handle her, and she's not even as bad as he is."
He thought long and hard about what it could be that was making him act this way. He refused to go back to the fact that he might actually be falling for Hitomi, but the more he thought about it, that same theory kept popping up, and even though he would shove it aside, it was still there. Another thought suddenly came to mind when he came back to it but shoved it away.
Why am I afraid it's true? he wondered. Why am I so afraid of falling for her?
A/N: alright, you adorable fans, you. i have a mission for you. if i EVER go OOC with any of the characters and don't acknowledge it you HAVE to tell me! especially with Kyouya. I'm so worried about him. anyways...well, i know Kyouya probably would have figured it out already, he's just struggled with himself, because who doesn't love that inner conflict? lol! reviews?