Disclaimer:(Checks.) Still not mine, nope.

Phase Six: First Trip

Haruhi woke up feeling refreshed, as if she just had the best sleep of her life. She was expecting an empty apartment this early in the morning but to her surprise, Kyoya was sitting at the low table, enjoying a cup of tea.

She took a sniff of the air; it smelled like fried bacon and eggs.

"Good morning, Haruhi," greeted Kyoya genially, fighting the urge to take her in his arms and kiss the living daylights out of her. Haruhi in the morning with her hair in complete disarray and drowsy eyes was a sight to see. "Did you have a good night's sleep?"

For a while, Haruhi could only stare around blindly before pieces of her memory came together. There was a storm; the last train left; Kyoya took her home…Kyoya kissed her before she fell asleep.

Suddenly, she wanted to scream out loud. He took advantage of her vulnerability! She was really feeling wretched because of the storm and he took the opportunity to kiss her like that…like…like…

She slapped her hand on her forehead. There was nothing outwardly wrong about the kiss. It was the best thing she had ever experienced. Damn it!

"Leave your early morning woes for later," said Kyoya. "Have some breakfast first."

"Were you here all night?" asked Haruhi.

"Yes, and we spent the time making wild, passionate love…."

Haruhi ran up to him. She was about to grab his shirt but he took hold of her wrists before she could go any further.

"Steady there," he said calmly, enclosing her thin wrists in one graceful hand. "Clearly, jokes don't work too well on you so early in the morning."

"Why would you even joke like that?" she growled, trying to wrench her hands away.

"I thought it could get you up faster. Now, to answer your question, yes, I was here all night except to go home two hours ago for a change and order someone to have breakfast readied here. As I am not sure what you eat, I took the liberty of having a selection of bacon, eggs, ham, toast, coffee, tea and juice. I hope they're to your liking."

Haruhi stared at the small table cluttered with unfamiliar cutlery and food. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since last night.

Kyoya chuckled, releasing her. "Please help yourself." He went back to his coffee and newspaper. "Keep your strength up. Today, we're going out."

"Out?" said Haruhi as she chose a few slices of bacon with scrambled eggs and a piece of toast. She ignored the coffee and tea and poured herself some orange juice.

"Today's Sunday; I heard that it's a popular day for couples to go out," explained Kyoya. "I was hoping that we could try dating like a normal couple."

"Do you even know what that means?"

"No, I was hoping you would."

"I thought you research these things extensively."

"You're right; I forgot that though you were popular in your old school, you were never interested in dating and the opposite sex."

"That's right." She hoped that he would just drop the subject and leave her for the rest of the day to study.

"Thankfully, Renge-san left this magazine in the Music Room a few weeks ago." He showed her a copy of Teen Vogue. "There's an article about 'The Perfect Date.' I guess we could try what it says here." He opened the magazine to a bookmarked page. "'The most ideal date isn't really about the romance but rather focuses on the fun and excitement one could get from a relationship. Though commonly used as a time for romance, it has somewhat become overrated. For starters, if you are a new couple, we suggest that you go to places that you wouldn't normally go to. The key is always to add variety to these dates. Forego the trips to parks, as this may be more tiresome than exciting. If you are on a budget, try going to the theater. The time spent just sitting together could mean added closeness for you two. Round up the date with a dinner in a new restaurant and you both could just have the perfect day.'"

"That's very…informative…" commented Haruhi

"I thought it was complete trash, but it did make some sense," remarked Kyoya. "So, do we go for it?"

"I guess we have no choice, then," said Haruhi, defeated. "Where should we go?"

"Haruhi, have you ever been to Hong Kong?"

"Eh?"

…

"I didn't know that I have a passport," commented Haruhi as she settled for her first air flight.

"I contacted Ranka-san about it and together we processed the papers for you," explained Kyoya. He didn't have to add that he paid for it all; it was implied, anyway.

"You really think of everything, don't you?"

"It's a habit, I guess…."

You didn't think of me rejecting you in the short run…. I feel comfortable around you, but there's still something missing. I wish I knew what it is…. Her mind travelled to what happened last night. The kiss was really unforgettable. Without warning, she suddenly wished that that kiss was her first kiss.

"Now you're thinking what if you reject my proposal," mumbled Kyoya.

He can read minds as well….

"Don't worry, I thought of that as well. I made sure that I was prepared for any outcome when I asked you to at least agree to our one month deal. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain, remember that please. Now, the pilot's speaking some instructions. This is all rudimentary, but as this is your first flight, I suggest you listen."

Haruhi snapped attention to the pilot; Kyoya didn't even bother. He was too used to it that he had it memorized.

"Are you comfortable?" asked Kyoya when the pilot stopped speaking. "I wish we could have taken our family's private jet, but Father used it for a business meeting in Germany. But I think first class is still acceptable…if you know which airline to pick."

"You very well know that this is my first air trip, so no need to act as if every little thing won't satisfy me," said Haruhi, testing the array of little buttons by the arm rest.

And that's what I really like about you,thought Kyoya.

"Oh, look, they're playing a movie!" squealed Haruhi as she activated the in-board television mounted behind the backs of the seats. Their cabin being first class, the monitor was larger (around 17 inches in diameter), not like the poor souls in economy class who had to settle for a poor resolution seven inch.

So enraptured was she that she forgot about her seatmate and Kyoya had to give up trying to talk to her for the rest of flight.

…

"Wow, so this is what Hong Kong looks like," remarked Haruhi. They had landed an hour ago at the airport. They were now in a their hotel room that offers a view of the Hong Kong Bay.

Haruhi couldn't help but stare in awe at the new exotic location before her.

I was right in booking a suite with a view, then….

"What do you want to do first, Haruhi?" said Kyoya, watching Haruhi as she discovered her suite. He would have reserved the Presidential Suite for himself and her, but it was already booked. So he settled for the two remaining Ambassador Suites.

"Kyoya, do you think we can go back to Japan in time for school tomorrow?" Haruhi was getting worried about school. "I mean, it's Sunday. Tomorrow's Monday. Won't they miss us?"

"Haven't you checked your calendar lately?"

"Huh?"

"Tomorrow's a national holiday; classes are cancelled. If the plane takes off by seven p.m. as scheduled, we could make it home. Please try not to fret too much." He went for the door. "Since you're new here, I suggest we take some time to explore before some dinner. The airplane food was okay, but I'm hungry for some real cuisine. There's a seafood restaurant nearby that's Michelin star rated. Shall we try that? Then tomorrow, some more exploring, and by five p.m. we'll head back here to the hotel so we have plenty of time to go to the airport and wait for our flight. Is that good for you?"

Haruhi could only nod. She was finally in another country!

…

As promised, Kyoya took her around the city, showing her around shops, parks, and other tourist spots. She nearly had a heart attack when she was gazing at a five hundred thousand American dollar diamond and platinum necklace in a shop, wondering how many fries she could buy with that money, that Kyoya stepped inside the store and was prepared to buy it for her without any qualms.

"Are you deranged?" said Haruhi as she ushered him away.

"The last time I checked, no," he answered calmly.

"Then what the hell were you doing, buying that thing? It's nearly fifty million yen!"

"I thought that you liked it. It would have made a great souvenir of this trip."

"A great souvenir for this trip would be some photos or those cute cheongsams I saw earlier but not that! Even a poster of the city would have been enough!"

"Oh, I see. My mistake. Shall we get you a cheongsam and a poster, then?"

"You just don't get it, do you?"

Haruhi couldn't really complain, though, when Kyoya brought her to a small, yet elegant tailoring shop in one of the shopping districts. Before she knew what was happening, Kyoya was muttering to the chop owner in rapid Chinese. Given that she had poor understanding of the language, she could only catch a few words such as 'fit', 'elegant', and 'beautiful silk'.

A slim Chinese lady clothed in silk grabbed her arms and ushered her to a door at the back of the shop. There, despite her begging in what could best be described as a broken mixture of Cantonese and Mandarin, she was given a full body measurement. She nearly wanted to ram the lady when she was measured at the chest and the lady just sighed in exasperation.

When the thin lady was finished with the measurements, Haruhi was pushed out of the door into Kyoya's arms.

"What now? They're taking stool samples?" she asked.

Kyoya laughed.

"No, but our business is done here. Want to explore more?"

…

That night, back at the hotel, Kyoya told her that they were to dine in the restaurant he mentioned earlier. He then insisted that she use the dress he had made for her. Wondering what dress it was, she went back to her suite to find the most beautiful cheongsam on her bed. It was made of the finest black silk; it was so smooth that when Haruhi ran her hands on it, it felt like water. The pattern was of various flowers that seemed so life-like.

She tried it on, slightly shocked that it fit to her body like a second glove. It was the most perfect dress she had ever worn. She inspected herself: there were no sleeves but a shawl made of black silk organza was supplied with the dress; the slit reached up to her knees, but it didn't look slutty. In fact, Haruhi kind of liked what she saw in the mirror.

It's my first time wearing such a dress…it's so elegant…. I wonder if I get to keep it….

But where would I wear it, though?

Someone knocked on her door. Her movements greatly restricted by her clothing, it took her a while to answer the door. When she did, an unfamiliar face smiled back at her.

It was another Chinese lady but she was petite and loads more friendlier than the one at the dress shop before.

"Hi! I'm Mei!" the girl said, striding in the suite. "Master Ootori told me to come here to fix up a young lady. He didn't tell me that the young lady was such a beauty!"

"You can speak Japanese?" was all Haruhi could mutter.

"My mom was Japanese and she taught me the language. Helps now that I'm hotel staff as we get a lot of Japanese visitors here." She pushed Haruhi into the vanity chair. "You've got a lovely face, so we only need to enhance it a bit. No need to overdo it. You wouldn't believe the many ladies here who want to look like Dracula because they're afraid to show their wrinkles! The vanity! Ah, but it's not in my place to talk about that. They tip me largely anyway."

Mei continued to blabber on; Haruhi was only listening halfway. For some reason, Mei's incoherent babbles relaxed Haruhi somewhat. Touring around a wonderful city with someone you're not really that close with made Haruhi's nerves a jumble all day. In other words, being alone in a new, strange city with someone you don't love has got to be vexing!

"We're done!" proclaimed Mei at last to Haruhi's relief. The girl hadn't really been too gentle, pulling and twisting her hair until her scalp felt raw.

Haruhi looked at herself in the mirror. But it was a different Haruhi. This Haruhi looked older, more sophisticated. Mei highlighted her high cheekbones with a slight sweep of blush, some mascara and dark colors shaded her big brown eyes, making them pop even more, and pale pink lip gloss shimmered on her suddenly plump lips. Her short hair was brushed till it shone, then put in place with diamond-studded hairclips.

"I wonder if any of the club members could recognize me…" she wondered vaguely as Mei helped her to put on the strappy heels that came with her dress.

"If they won't, then I have a future as a disguise artist," replied Mei. " Ah! Master Ootori told me to bring you down at seven! It's already seven-oh-five, girl! Oh, dear, this is a mess…. Still, we can just call it being fashionably late, right?" She winked at Haruhi who could only smile uneasily.

The make-up felt itchy on her face; her hair was weighted down by the hairspray. She couldn't move in her dress and her heels were killing her. Thank the gods that her father insisted on buying her clothes for boys….

…

Haruhi descended the stairs one step at a time, cursing the heavens for the invention of the high heel. Her feet were killing her toes one by one until she couldn't feel them anymore. Her dress was too skimpy and tight, leaving little room for movement.

Why the hell am I wearing these deadly weapons again?

She flashbacked into a little while ago when she complained that the heels were too much for her; flats would be fine. Mei threatened her bodily harm or absolute humiliation if she didn't wear the shoes, not necessarily in that order.

Ah, now I remember.

She descended the stairs one step at a time due to her imposed invalidity to move as she pleased. She briefly wondered why women would want to be subjected to this kind of torture.

In the name of fashion? In the name of…masochism?

But as she approached Kyoya who was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs, and the look in his eyes as he saw her walking down in the dress he picked for her, she finally understood why women would go to all this length just to look good.

It was so that the man who was looking at them, will look at her with the same admiration Kyoya had just bestowed on her.

…

Kyoya couldn't stop staring at Haruhi as soon as he saw her go down the steps, wearing the elegant dress he had specifically ordered for her. Even if it cost a pretty penny, he decided that it was worth it to see her like that.

Although he was still opposed to this idea of marrying her just for the company, he couldn't help but thank the gods that his father picked Haruhi Fujioka. Though branded as cute by most people, she had a different beauty that was not really that noticeable until you really saw the big picture. Though most would instantly notice her big brown eyes, Kyoya took in her full figure which the dress and the heels instantly highlighted.

She didn't have a large chest or backside, yet, her near hourglass figure was something a lot of women would die for. Her face was heart-shaped and had the vestiges of innocence and purity that came with her youth. He wondered if she would be this beautiful as when she walks down the aisle….

Of course she would. So now, stop the ridiculous thoughts. You're just gaping at her and justifying your lust with flowery speech.

He held out his hand for her as she neared him. Haruhi reached out hesitantly, unsure of her next actions.

At that moment, the gods must have been on Kyoya's side for Haruhi lost her footing at that precise moment to land into his arms. He embraced her tight, inhaling her scent as much as he could without being too obvious.

"Careful there," Kyoya said, laughing, slowly drawing her away from him to help her get steady on her feet. "You really are not used to heels, are you?"

"If you knew that, you would have gotten me flats instead," grumbled Haruhi, unintentionally gripping his hand tighter until it hurt.

Kyoya brought her hand to his lips to distract her from the death grip; it worked and Haruhi let go almost automatically. Kyoya wasn't done yet: he snaked his arm round her small waist to bring her closer to him enough to whisper in her ear.

"You're so beautiful," he breathed, the warm air from his mouth causing Haruhi's temperature to sky rocket.

Haruhi, not knowing what to do, shook him off under the pretence of arranging her dress.

"I never thought that black would be a good color on you," Kyoya continued, leading her to the limo parked outside the hotel. "We always assumed that pastels are good for your complexion--subconsciously, I think, because we tend to think of your gender first. You look really nice, though. Kind of like…a dangerous, black widow spider." He let her slide into the limo first before he went in himself. He gave her a burning look that spoke too much for her taste. "Let me correct myself: A dangerous and sexy black widow spider."

Haruhi blushed but she realized the situation immediately.

This is all part of his plan to make me marry him. I think I can play along….

"Yes," answered Haruhi with as much calm as she could. "Though black widow spiders eat their mates after the mating season." She gave him her best undisciplined grin.

Kyoya laughed. She knew the game had already started. Fine, he'll continue playing.

"Ah, how doubly dangerous. Then again, men like myself love a little bit of danger in their lives; myself more so than others." He opened a bottle of Perrier to pour into two crystal glasses. He gave one to Haruhi who just looked at him weirdly.

"Here's to you, my black widow spider."

"And to you, my unyielding suitor."

…

It was the kind of restaurant that was all the rage within the wealthy community. Though boasting of a space nearly three hundred square meters for dining alone, it was still cosy and private enough to secure isolation for the patrons. Haruhi noticed that most of the diners weren't wearing their finery as she imagined. In fact, they were casually dressed, even if she knew that one blouse alone could cost her a month's money on groceries.

In short, a place laid back enough to be comfortable yet expensive enough to be exclusive.

The maitre d led them to a table on the far corner, well away from the other customers. After leaving them velvet-covered menus, he left with a respectful bow.

Kyoya didn't even bother to open his menu. He just signalled for a waiter who came to them in a flash he must have materialized in front of them.

"What would you like to drink for tonight?" the waiter asked in perfect Japanese.

Haruhi was a tad surprised, but not Kyoya. He ordered them two mango juices without preamble.

"And for your dinner tonight?"

"Haruhi," Kyoya turned to her. "Would you like to try their seafood platter sampler? I think that would be to your liking."

Haruhi could just nod dumbly. The waiter gave his approval, and without another word, left, only to come back a few minutes later with a tray of their drinks.

"Your meal is being prepared as of the moment," the waiter said in his gravely tones. "Please enjoy your drink while you wait."

"Ah, Mister Chan has really prepared for us, Haruhi," said Kyoya, smiling at her. "He even had a Japanese-speaking waiter for us."

"That explains a lot," muttered Haruhi as she sipped her juice. "I was wondering why our waiter spoke such perfect Japanese."

Kyoya just smiled. Haruhi knew the meaning of the smile without asking: this is the reach of our power, don't underestimate it.

The dinner continued on with casual talk; Kyoya asked all the questions while Haruhi answered them as monotonously as she always did. Finally, there were no more topics to talk about: except the inevitable one.

Knowing that Haruhi would never bring it up without provocation, Kyoya took the initiative.

"Do you think…in the off chance that you agree to my proposal and become my fiancée--my wife, in the future--that our marriage would work?" he asked as casually as he could, though he carefully gauged her reaction.

For her part, Haruhi just blinked, not knowing how to answer that question.

Finally, after an indeterminable silence that only the clinking of silverware upon china broke, Haruhi spoke, "My mother always told me that marriage…always has to have two people in it to make it work. She never believed that the man or woman should be the one to wear the trousers, as they say. Both of them should always share whatever it is they need to do to make the marriage work. Once they vow that they will always stay together, they now have to act like a real couple, as if the one could never exist without the other. If my future husband could promise me that he needs me as much as I need him, then I think that that marriage will succeed in the long run, no matter how much troubles they face."

"Though you didn't really answer my question, I understand what you say," said Kyoya. "You mean that if ever you find the man who you want to marry and will marry you, you will never let him control you, is that it? You'd rather you both have equal footing in everything than him having you on a short leash and shown like some kind of trophy."

Haruhi was about to protest: that really wasn't she meant at all!

"I told you that when I marry, it will be for real. I don't intend for my wife to lead a life where she would have any regrets about it all." His face softened so much she thought that for once, he looked like a normal seventeen-year-old. "I promised myself that no matter who I marry, I will learn to love her, cherish her, make her the happiest woman in the world. That I think, is a more worthy goal than conquering the business world--though if you tell anybody else of this, lest of all Tamaki, I will hunt you down. Okay, Haruhi?"

"Are you sure you want to be threatening me that way? Oh, well, I understand what you mean as well. So, that means both of us are looking for a marriage based in love, right?"

"Well, at least you have the chance."

Haruhi had no comment to that.

When they left the restaurant, Haruhi had one more question.

"But what if you fell in love with me? And I fell in love with you? Wouldn't that also mean that we both found what we are looking for?"

Kyoya just stared at her.

There are no ifs to the situation. I already AM in love with you, now I just have to make you realize it.

---

Damn, this one was long as well. Please think of it as my belated Christmas gift to you all. (Belated) Merry Christmas. I wasn't able to update because of my job. Last week, I was able to total more than thirty hours of overtime! I work for forty hours a week, so nearly double! Christmas is the busiest season for my line of work, so…. Bleeping orders were keeping us up for most of the night. My job is also the only place I know which lets its employees drink beer during work hours. Had my first taste of beer (though not my first hangover) ever. But they said that they're never giving me another beer again. Me and alcohol apparently don't mix. :D

PleaseREAD AND REVIEW! Your comments are highly appreciated: )

Rienne :P