Why am I walking into a chain cafe? What is this woman doing...or thinking for that matter? Kyoya thought. Usually if you were going to take a business partner or client somewhere, it was a bit more upscale. But Greene looked as if this was the most normal thing in the world.
Greene had found them a table next to a window with relatively few people around. She was unwinding the red tartan scarf from around her neck that she had donned before leaving BI.
"I'll go and order for us if you would like?" Kyoya offered politely. God forbid we go somewhere with actual wait staff. Besides, she can't just expect to order in English.
"Oh sure-umm...a chai latte and whatever pastry doesn't have fruit in it." she answered a bit hesitantly. Kyoya nodded and headed to the counter.
He could catch flashes of nervousness (which he would categorize as weakness) in Greene. She didn't hide discomfort well-a lack of maturity or confidence-Kyoya couldn't tell. To be in a position so high profile and demanding, she seemed oddly innocent. Wide-eyed. That is not to say that Kyoya didn't believe her to be competent, the opposite in fact. During their short time together, Kyoya could tell that she was obviously intelligent. Greene had been extremely prepared for their meeting, as was he. That was part of the problem during their meeting. Usually Kyoya was the most informed person in the room and he could use that to his advantage, tearing down his opponent's defenses so to speak. He couldn't do that with Greene. Every law, policy, examples of similar ventures and their structures, facts, and statistics, she knew as well. Whenever she blocked one of Kyoya's demands, he wouldn't show that it bothered him, he would just politely ask what her views were on the point at hand. However, if their roles were reversed, Greene would furrow her brow, poke out her bottom lip slightly, and cross her arms. For God's sake the woman would actually pout. It was subtle, not a full blown Tamaki tantrum, but she did it. Had no one told her that she shouldn't show her emotions when negotiating? But despite her tells, Kyoya found it, unfortunately, made little difference. He was frustrated as well, but unlike Greene, he would never show it.
He ordered for the both of them. The worker was efficient, if a bit lackluster, which pleased Kyoya. He hated when staff was over enthusiastic or asked him he wanted to try new things. It wouldn't be the most high quality cup of coffee, but at least it wasn't instant.
Returning to their table, he found Greene staring out of the window, watching the busy street. She smiled at him when he sat down.
"Thanks for that. I'll get it next time."
Fuck, we have to do this again? thought Kyoya.
"So...what would you like to talk about?" Greene asked.
"Perhaps we could go over joint site locations?"
"No...no...I meant not...you know...work related. I thought if we got to know each other...maybe working together would be...easier."
Kyoya took a calming breath.
"I thought you already knew things about me...from your source?"
Her gaze turned steely for a second before relaxing.
"Wouldn't you rather me make my own judgements? It's second hand information, even though I trust it. Besides...it's a bit dated...if I'm honest."
So...whoever this person is...Greene's protective of them. That could be useful, if I ever figure out who it, Kyoya mused. God this is going to be annoying. It feels like Tamaki all over. At least she doesn't seem obsessed with Japanese culture...and she's a lot less...bouncy.
"I can go first if you like...you can ask me anything."
She'd gone shifty again.
He wanted to ask her why she dressed the way she did, why they were at this stupid coffee shop, what person, who was presumably from his past, did they both know, and how getting to know him better was going to help them sign a contract? Of course he couldn't ask any of those. He didn't want to get too personal because he didn't want her to feel like she could get personal with him.
"Why do you call your assistant Penny?"
She let out a short bark of a laugh.
"Of all the things...I call her Moneypenny, Penny for short sometimes."
"Yes...but why?"
She looked taken aback for a second and then busting out laughing. Every time she went to speak or made eye contact with him-she couldn't stop giggling. She took her glasses off and rubbed at some of the water forming in her eyes. Her cheeks were red and her neck and chest were splotchy.
"I'm sorry...I don't mean to laugh...but do you seriously not know who that is? Have you never seen a Bond film?"
"No, I don't believe I have." Kyoya said adjusting his glasses.
She look at him dubiously before smirking.
"I'll keep the pop culture references to a minimum then."
She began to tear off pieces of her cinnamon scone and pop them into her mouth.
"So...what are you going to ask me then?"
"Hmmm….favorite place you've ever been?"
So they were just going to play twenty questions? He asked himself.
"How is that going to help me make out my character?"
She shrugged and sipped her tea.
"It's not...not really, but sometimes I find it easier to work with with someone when I'm able to have a normal conversation with them first...feel them out you know?
"And do you consider this a normal conversation?"
Greene pondered that for a moment.
"Probably not...but I don't think most people would consider me exactly...normal." she shrugged and gave a small smile. "Sorry if this is weird…you're just...this just isn't going as smoothly as I had hoped...which doesn't happen that often. And sometimes that office can feel a bit claustrophobic. We don't have to stay long...and you don't have to answer anything...not if you don't want to...you're right though...bit awkward isn't it?"
She was looking down at her mug, running her thumb across the rim.
Again with the vulnerability. Did she want him to feel sorry for her so that maybe he would go easy on her?
"Honestly, I'm not sure if I would call any place I've been a favorite. I've been places that I've enjoyed and liked, but nowhere stands out as a favorite...same question."
"There's this town, along the ring of Kerry in Ireland...which most things around there are just absolutely beautiful...places to get out of your car and hike around...but anyway. I was driving along and wanted to stop for lunch and I found Sneem. Stopped at this little restaurant and had the most amazing vegetable soup...weird thing to be impressed by...but still. It was right beside the river. Just a quiet little town. I don't know. It was the first place that I thought 'I could live here and be happy.' Never really had that thought before."
"You didn't like New York?"
"I liked New York, but I wouldn't exactly call it home. For me home is people. I went to New York for school; stayed because of my best friend and also my brother got a steady job there that didn't involve traveling."
"And what does your brother do?"
"Francis? Oh...currently he's Terry's head of security. That's how I met Terry initially."
Well that was certainly new information. Kyoya made a mental note to look into that further.
They were both silent for a bit. Drinking their beverages and eating their pastries.
"Will you do me a favor?" Greene said breaking the silence.
Kyoya looked at her and gave a small nod.
"When you find your favorite place...will you let me know where it is?"
Kyoya nodded his head.
Xxxxx
Kat rolled her neck and took hold of her whiskey and ginger ale. Hana was nursing a martini and Flora was off chatting with a group of girls across the bar. Barely speaks the language and she can make friends Kat thought dryly.
"So how did the meeting with Ootori go?" Hana asked.
"We managed to get some stuff done...not a whole lot, but at least what we do have locked down won't be subject to change because we beat it to death."
"What do you think of him?"
"Dunno….he's polite, that's for damn sure. Had his walls up all day. I could tell when things annoyed him, but just barely and because I was really looking for it. It's just easier to get things done when you're more open. It's easier to see what is really important to the other person you know?"
"That's your problem right there. Everything is important to them. Any loss on their side or any aspect that doesn't lean in their favor is a failure. Ootori is definitely going to be under a lot of pressure from his dad."
"I made him go out for a coffee and we basically played twenty questions. It helped...just a tad, but he now knows a lot more about me that I do him."
"Do you think that's wise opening up like that. He'll probably find a way to use it against you."
"That's his problem. He's playing this out like I'm another Japanese bigwig. I'm not. I'm just Kat. I don't have any skeletons in a closet and anything he digs up isn't like I'm going to be embarrassed by it. We'll...I'm sure there are things that are embarrassing, but nothing blackmail worthy. If he thinks he's going to use something to threaten my reputation, well, I'd have to actually have a reputation to being with...I don't know I guess I'm just rambling. God! It's like talking to a polite robot most of the time. And do you know that he's never seen a Bond film? Like...none of them. They're classics and the new ones are huge!"
"You realize that I had never seen a Bond film either until you made me watch them."
Kat shot Hana a dirty look.
"Well anyways," Hana continued. "If you think he's not working smart with you, treating you like he'd treat someone from his world, then you've made the same mistake by doing the same with him."
Kat let out a groan and put her head in her hands.
"I know! But I don't understand him at all. I've dealt with assholes, with nice people, smart people and people that didn't know what the hell they're talking about and I've done fine. Kyoya's obviously smart but I don't know if he's a nice person. I don't know his personality. I just don't get it."
"You're sounding a bit childish. You don't actually need to know those things about a person to do business."
"But I do! These advances that we are working toward could potentially save lives, it's important. But the technologies that we're creating could do equally awful things."
"What and you think the Ootoris are evil masterminds hell bent on world domination. Maybe you've been watching too many Bond films."
"Christ! Of course not. All I'm saying is that we have a responsibility to people, to do right by them. I have to be able to trust the people I'm working with. I have to know that not only do they understand that responsibility but believe in it as well. The most important thing shouldn't be profits."
"Have you talked about that?"
"What am I supposed to say: 'Hey just want to be sure that you realize how impactful these projects can be for people, just wanted to make sure that this isn't purely about the bottom line for you? Just checking, but are you actually a decent human being?'"
Kat signaled the bartender for another drink.
"Again, I think you're worrying too much. If you think they might potentially overcharge patients, address that head on, make it part of the deal. Seriously, I think you're making this out to be a bigger deal than it actually is. They're hard asses yes, but you can't actually think that they're vying for some kind of Elysium-esc future. Paranoid doesn't suit you Kat."
"Well, I didn't think people would leave a twenty-year-old woman homeless, alone, and with no money, but hey, that happened!" Kat said throwing her arms up in exasperation.
Hanami let out a sigh.
"You bring that into everything since you came to Japan Katherine, you can't judge people based on what happened to me."
"No one did anything." Kat whispered hanging her head.
"I know, but you're more fixated on it than I am. You need to let it go. Don't hold people accountable, except maybe my parents." Hanami rubbed Kat's back soothingly.
It was then that Flora popped on the bar stool beside Hana.
"I actually held a conversation in Japanese! Well...mostly Japanese...they spoke some English and helped me out...but still!"
Kat and Hana offered their congratulations. Flora spent all of her free time learning the language and insisted on ordering at restaurants or exchanging pleasantries with shop clerks. It was a slow process, but she was getting better.
"What are we talking about?" Flora said after sipping her gin and tonic.
"Kyoya Ootori." Hana responded.
"Ooo he's cute!"
Kat looked at her incredulously.
"What? He is!"
"That boy has been handsome since high school. There is no denying that." Hana chuckled. "You can't say he isn't good looking Kat."
"Fine. He is attractive. Shit personality, but attractive."
"Nuh-uh, he's nice. He smiles at me when he walks past, most people ignore the assistant. I like him." Flora defended.
"You gonna ask him out then Flor?" Kat teased.
Flora giggled and shook her head.
"He's not really my type...and I don't think I'm his. Maybe you should Kat."
Kat inhaled sharply, causing her to choke on her drink. She coughed as the alcohol burned the back of her throat.
"What the hell Flora?"
"He's totally you're type: smart, wears glasses, tall...well...tall-ish...his voice is ridiculous, and I bet deep down he's pretty sarcastic. Come on Hanami, back me up."
Kat glared at the women, shaking her head.
"I, personally, think you two would make an adorable couple. But my opinion may be fueled by the fact that you've been single for way to fucking long."
Kat shoved Hanami's shoulder and laughed.
Xxxxxx
Kyoya was mentally tired after his dealings with Greene, but instead of going home, he was heading to the Hitachiin estate. All of these years later and still, whenever Tamaki calls, they all show up. Tamaki was paranoid for a while that after high school (and even college to an extent) their family would grow a part. So, even with their busy schedules they still made time to meet up and hang out.
He made his way to the back patio where the group already had a small fire going. As usual, he was the last one to arrive.
"Mon ami! You're finally here!"
The two friends hugged each other and when they pulled a part, Kyoya asked: "Where's my godson tonight?"
"He's with his grandfather. We needed a break." answered Haruhi as Kyoya came over to kiss her on the cheek.
"What about Reiko?" Kyoya asked taking a seat next to Huni.
"She was feeling pretty tired and decided to stay home and rest. This pregnancy seems to be a bit more difficult than the first, but the doctors say that everything is normal, though she shouldn't push herself too hard."
Kyoya nodded taking in that information.
"Maybe next time we can meet at your home so that she doesn't have to travel."
"That's a great idea Kyo-chan. I'm sure she'll really appreciate that."
"So...what's going on with you Kyoya?" asked Kaoru.
"I spent the day at the new Bane Industries office working with the president trying to strike a deal on a joint venture...medical technology. The president...we'll she's difficult."
"How so?" Haruhi asked interestedly.
"She's extremely good at her job, which was surprising to be honest. She's young, probably younger than me. But...she acts like we have to be friends in order to work together, which is ridiculous. She made us take time away from our meeting to have coffee...and chat. She dresses like she's going grocery shopping instead of a high profile job. She's emotional...she shows signs of annoyance and frustration, but I can't find a way to use it." Kyoya let out a breath and ran his fingers through his hair.
"She seems to be getting under your skin."
Kyoya shot Haruhi a dirty look.
"It's nothing I can't handle" Kyoya replied dryly.
"Is she hot?" Hikaru chimed in.
Everyone turned to look at the eldest twin who just shrugged his shoulders. Then they all turned to Kyoya for an answer.
"I don't know. She's certainly not ugly. She has red hair, she's pretty pale with freckles...about Haruhi's height."
"But is she beautiful?" Tamaki asked enthusiastically.
Kyoya shook his head at his friend's remark and took off his glasses.
"Ok...what part of her do you find the most attractive?" supplied Kaoru.
Kyoya thought for a while before answering.
"Her eyes. They're an odd color, but pleasing...and very expressive. Which is helpful for figuring out what she's thinking...really long eyelashes too."
"You think she's pretty!" shouted Tamaki jumping out of his seat.
"Calm down idiot. I never said that."
Tamaki sat down, dejected. Haruhi laughed under her breath and grabbed her husband's hand. They smiled at each other and Kyoya found himself smiling as well. They were so in love and so happy. Who knew that a broken vase could bring so much joy.
The conversation shifted naturally. They talked of many things: the upcoming birth of Huni's second child, the twins' new line, Haruhi's cases (what she could disclose at least), Tamaki's poor attempts to teach his three year old son the piano, and Mori's charity for abandoned animals.
The night winded down and Kyoya was walking toward the driveway. He felt someone walking up behind him. Expecting Tamaki, he turned abruptly, but was met with Mori's tall figure. Mori placed a hand on his shoulder.
"The last person to get under your skin was Tamaki."
And with that, Mori left, leaving Kyoya very confused.