"You needn't tell half-truths, Ryoko." Kyoya smiles. "Your father is out of town on business and normally you're okay with being at your house alone, but for some reason you don't want me to know, this time you're not. My guest house is open to you."
"Are you sure?" I ask nervously.
"Positive." He nods. "And whatever it is you're afraid of, you're safe from it."
"Thank you." I smile, wishing what he said were true. Maybe I'm safe from Katashi for the duration of my father's trip, but once I go home, the wedding plans begin. He'll keep it quiet at first, planning everything in secret before a big public reveal a few weeks before the wedding. That's my father's style.
Suddenly Kyoya's eyes widen and I feel something cold and scaly moving along the back of my neck, making me shudder. I glance to the side to see the snake's head as it starts to travel down my arm. I stare at it in shock, then giggle. I turn to the left to see the twins standing there, their mouths agape.
"You guys do know I have a pet snake, right?" I laugh as the snake they set on me continues to wrap itself around my arm. "Nice try." I smirk, prying it off my arm and handing it to Hikaru.
"A pet snake, huh?" The both say, glaring at me. Then they go off to plot something else to try and scare me. I glance at Kyoya, who's laughing lightly.
"If they did their research properly, they'd know about your snake." He says.
"And just how much research have you done, Kyoya-senpai?" I ask coyly.
"Well your father tried to get you into modelling a year or two ago and one of the only photoshoots you did was with your snake. The pictures are all over the internet." He answers. He really does do his research.
"Ever heard of learning about people by talking to them?" I laugh, shaking my head.
"Of course." He smirks. "Researching is just more fun." My time at the host club ends all too quickly. Kyoya tells me to pack for however much time I need to stay and he'll have a car pick me up. I get back home excited. Even if I will still only see Kyoya at school, staying at one of his family's guest houses makes me feel much safer.
I get home and change from my school uniform into something casual. I rarely get to wear what I want. Most of the time I have to wear my school uniform, something professional for business meetings, or something fancy for social events. And when I'm not wearing those things, my father chooses what I wear. I pack a few things then glance over to my snake, quickly deciding it would be best to let the staff take care of it – wouldn't want a snake getting loose in Kyoya's guest house. Kyoya's car comes to pick me up as promised; what I didn't expect was for him to be in it.
"How nice to see you, Ryoko." He smiles as I sit in the car across from him.
"I didn't know you'd be coming with the car." I laugh.
"Does that please you?" He smirks.
"Maybe." I reply, giving my normal, coy smile. We arrive at the guest house and Kyoya sees me inside. The guest house is much bigger than a commoner's house, and probably very much smaller than Kyoya's main house. I've been surrounded by riches my whole life, but somehow it never ceases to amaze me how extravagant it is possible to make things. Kyoya gives me a few instructions and alerts me that the guest house is fully staffed. He's about to leave for the night when I reach out and grab his wrist.
"Wait." He turns, waiting. "Thank you." I say quietly.
"It's not a problem." He smiles. He tips my head up and kisses me lightly on the lips. "I'll see you at school tomorrow, Ryoko." Kyoya gives his normal smirk, then leaves me alone in the guest house. I sigh and sit on the bed. Kyoya can be so hard to read sometimes. He seems like an egoist, but I sense there's more to him than that.
I slip on a light night gown, then turn off the lights unthinkingly. I blink in the dark for a minute, then reach for the light switch, but I can't find it. I can't sleep in the dark. I need light. Before I find the switch, there's a knock on the door. I rush to the door, hoping that with the door open, moonlight will come in. I open it and see Kyoya standing there.
"Kyoya-senpai!" I say in surprise. He gives a fleeting glance downward and I realize that in my haste to open the door, I forgot that I was wearing my nightgown.
"I forgot to give you a key to the guest house." He smiles coyly, holding out the key.
"Thank you." I reply, blushing furiously. I should've at least tried to put something more appropriate on. Kyoya simply looks amused.
"Would you like me to kiss you again?" He asks, and I look up in surprise. Before I can answer, he takes a step through the doorway and slips one arm around my waist, touching my face lightly with the other hand.
I'm envious of Kyoya. He's always so in control of himself and his surroundings, while I'm just standing here melting in his arms. I am intelligent enough to play his game, and maybe even have a shot at winning, but somehow I'd rather let him orchestrate everything.
"Yes." I whisper, and he kisses me. His presence is so commanding. Everything happens his way or not at all. He probably even planned forgetting the key as an excuse to come back in.
He pulls away after far too short a time and tells me he will see me tomorrow as he walks out the door. I blink as it closes behind him and grope for the light switch. I finally flip the light on, then manage to fall asleep.
