Mai's POV

I counted out the steps as the music blared throughout the auditorium. There was a competition on Friday and Ouran had to advance to the quarter finals. We were more or less ready, but it never hurt to practice a little more. The rest of my team had left a half hour before, when practice had officially ended, but I knew I still needed a little more work. We had our group piece and then a few solos for the competition and I had been one of the three chosen for a solo. That said, it still needed a lot of work.

I continued the routine until I fell, yet again, "Damn it!" I slammed my hands into the floor. I fell every single time I did that turn.

"Such language is unbecoming of a lady." I looked up at the familiar voice. Kyoya was walking down the stairs of the auditorium toward where I was on the stage.

I picked up the remote control to the stereo in the pit and shut it off, "What are you doing here?" I asked taking a seat on the edge of the stage, letting my legs dangle into the pit.

Kyoya leaned on the gate that usually kept the musicians in and audience members from walking into the pit. He shrugged, "I heard music coming from in here, I thought I'd come see what was happening. You're very good." He complimented.

I let a small smile grace my features, "Thanks." We watched one another before I pushed myself off the stage and stood up, "Well, I have to get back to practicing. Big competition on Friday."

"Do you mind if I stay?" Kyoya asked sitting in the front row.

I shook my head, suddenly feeling very exposed in my practice clothes. "Suite yourself."

Kyoya's POV

I watched as Mai turned and leapt and flipped across the stage to the music. I hadn't imagined she would be able to move so gracefully. I'd never pinned her for clumsy per say, but I never would have called her graceful either. Every movement seemed so natural to her. When the dance ended, she was on the floor, laid out gentle before pulling herself up, a large smile on her face.

"That was beautiful." I complimented. I'd seen her fall during her last try and had been relieved to see her complete it successfully.

"Thank you. Now I just need to do that a hundred more times so I can do it on Friday night." She sounded tired. She picked up a bottle of water from the edge of the stage and took a large swig before replacing the cap and dabbing her forehead with a towel. "Why are you here so late?"

"I had some things I needed to take care of for the host club." I answered vaguely. In truth I had finished my work for the club about an hour or so before and waited for Mai to stop by. It'd become a sort of habit. When she hadn't shown up I went looking for her.

She nodded, accepting my answer, "Well how much longer are you stuck here?" She asked pulling on her ponytail, tightening it.

I shrugged, "My driver's only a phone call away."

She seemed to think for a moment, "I have an idea. If you want to stick around for a few more run-throughs we can hand out."

I pretended to consider for a moment before nodded. She smiled and turned the music back on before starting in on her routine again.

Mai's POV

The air was significantly cooler as November approached. I'd had to change from my practice clothes into a pair of old jeans and a T-shirt with my Dance Team jacket. Kyoya was still in his uniform, did he own any actual clothes?

"So? Are you going to tell me about them?" I asked finally breaking the silence between us.

Kyoya looked at me over his glasses before fixing them. "About whom?" He asked before looking up at the sky where the stars had already began to appear. The sun was almost completely gone.

"Your family. You promised you'd tell me about them next time, don't you remember?" I asked carefully. I watched his face carefully, but he continued to avoid looking at me.

"Oh, yes." He confirmed, "I almost forgot." When he didn't continue, I understood.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, I understand." I assured, but he remained silent. We continued through the courtyard of the campus.

We'd just reached the rose garden and I was beginning to worry I'd done something horribly wrong by asking about his family when he spoke up. "My father is very strict on the way I handle myself." He started, still not looking at me. "Anything that could be considered frivolous is not allowed. That's why I'm so at risk of becoming boring, as you so kindly put it the other day." A small, bitter smile made its way to his features.

"Anything frivolous? Yet he lets you play tea party all day with Tamaki." I giggled slightly, amused by the idea that Kyoya's father cut out any fun from his life, yet allowed the Host Club.

"He doesn't know." Kyoya stated plainly and I stopped laughing. Kyoya had stopped walking and in turn, I stopped as well. I glanced up to him in confusion.

"He doesn't know? Where does he think you are all day?" I asked. If I was gone all day my father would be up in arms, my brother would send a search party and throw a hissy fit when he found me.

Kyoya shrugged, "Here, studying. Honestly, I'm not sure he cares where I am as long as I'm working on staying at the top of our class." He didn't sound sad, but defeated. After a moment he regained his composure and returned to his cool state, "And I do not play tea party. You would know that had you been on time to our first meeting like I requested." Kyoya straightened his jacket and fixed his glasses.

I reached out and grabbed his wrist before pulling him farther into the maze of roses to a small gazebo. We sat at the table inside and I met his gaze, "You know, you don't have to keep doing that."

Kyoya frowned and his brow furrowed, "Do what? I didn't do anything."

I gave him a look of annoyance, "How can you say that when I watched you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Acting like you're made of ice. You keep up this calm and cool demeanor in front of everyone, but every once in a while you lose it and people catch glimpses of you being vulnerable with them, but before we even get a chance to appreciate the trust bestowed upon us, you pull back. What are you afraid of, Ootori?" I asked frustrated. I couldn't help it when my voice started to rise. He didn't say anything, he just got up and started to leave. "Kyoya, please." I got up and grabbed at his sleeve and missed.

I let him walk away for a few seconds, willing him to turn around, but he didn't I followed after him and called his name a few times, but he didn't respond. I didn't want to run after him, it was late and I was tired and I still had a mountain of homework that needed to be done, but he was giving me no choice.

When I caught up to him, I grabbed his hand and pulled him to an abrupt stop. "Mai, let go."

"No."

"Mai-"

"Kyoya, will you just listen to me for a second?" He turned to face me I sighed with relief. "Listen, I'm sorry. You're a very frustrating person. I like you and I want to be your friend, but it's really hard when pushing you off a cliff seems like it might be in everybody's best interest at times. You're cold and you don't share your emotions often enough and when you do you fold back in on yourself and frankly it worries me. So I'm sorry I yelled at you, but you don't have to keep your walls up all the time. Let people in, Kyoya." I requested much more empathetic this time.

Without warning, I was pulled into a hug. Hesitantly, I wrapped my arms around him while trying to get accustomed to the new feeling of being in Kyoya's arms. When he released me, he offered me his arm, "It's getting late. Let me walk you out to the parking lot. Is your driver here?" I nodded and took his arm as he led me out of the garden.