The class time always seemed to fly by with large gaps between. How anyone could graduate from schools like this was an enigma to Zaina. It all made no sense to her, but this is how things. There was no real rhyme or reason and yet it was all there just the same. Always the spectator she watched as per usual as Rin laughed with a group of classmates. Her happiness always kept Zaina at ease, it meant there was no need to worry and Rin was fine. That was all that mattered in her life it seemed and no one ever bothered the cycle until this morning.
"Somebody is not listening to their lady." The devil's voice sang from one side.
"Whatever shall we do with such rebellion?" A similar voice sounded from her other side. The peace of her world now shattered and she sighed out the shards.
"I'm not doing anything against what My Lady wished, I'm simply just sitting here people watching." She looked up at the twins.
"People watching? What's there to watch? It's all the same." Hikaru frowned at the words. "You should watch us instead, we're far more entertaining." He smirked.
"Hikaru, don't say such things!" Kaoru objected, his cheeks flushed.
"Why not? You like it when people watch." He replied as he embraced his brother.
"I only like it when you watch me." Kaoru argued back as he shyly looked away.
"I don't get how that is entertaining," Zaina cut in. "Though watching you two does show a lot of other things." She smiled, her chin rested on her hand. "You also pull Rin out of her shell, which I'm grateful for so I guess your antics are a gift in their own way." She turned to look at Rin once more. The twins stared at the odd woman that had come in to their world. They turned to see Rin excuse herself and walk up to them.
"Is Zaina ruining your fun again? You two don't have to worry, she's more bark at this moment. I'll let you know when she bites." She giggled and pat Zaina on her head who playfully bit at her hand in response and gave a lackluster 'woof' of sorts. "Oi, no biting when I just said you weren't going to." She laughed as she pulled her hand away.
"Did she get you?" Hikaru asked as Kaoru took her hand and inspected it.
"It would be a shame if such beauty were marred." Kaoru added and sighed with relief.
"Oh, no…I'm really alright…but if you keep giving me such attention I just might get the idea to get hurt purposely." She whispered.
"Why get hurt when we can simply give you what you want?" Hikaru pulled her close before Kaoru came up from behind Rin to sandwich her between them.
"I think we have a little troublemaker on our hands brother." He smirked.
"Oh, that simply won't do…we'll have to teach you to not do such things." Hikaru tilted Rin's chin up to make her look at him.
"That's if you can handle me." She said with a sly smirk. The sudden sound of a chair moving caught the trio's attention and they turned to see Zaina turn away and mutter under her breath about it being too early for such antics with Haruhi's agreement all the way.
"I still say the same thing and I'm more used to it than you." She sighed, troubled by the fact it still went on.
"Well now there is a third member of this forbidden something or other." Zaina shook her head as she looked out to see some people walking with practice swords. "Who are they? Isn't that Mr. Takashi?" Zaina pointed to a particularly tall male among the group.
"Oh, that is! He's in the kendo club as well." Haruhi nodded her head. "Though it's rare to see him without Honey." She thought aloud. "He's almost unnoticeable without him."
"Really? I suppose so…." She hummed, curious about the two opposites. "He doesn't talk much…or is it that I should try talking with him?"
"He doesn't talk at all." Hikaru chimed in at this point.
"Honey is pretty much the only one to get answers out of him…though you did that one time on your first visit. That was a shock." Kaoru added as the trio peered out the window with the two.
"Oh, so I wasn't wrong to stay quiet. Good, I just didn't want to bother him."
"Wait, if you don't like him…why do you designate him?" Hikaru turned to Zaina.
"Hm? I designate him…because he's kind enough to let me sit with him and say nothing. If I sat with Mr. Tamaki I would probably be thrown around all over the place for being a commoner. You both will play all sorts of pranks and antics on me I'm sure. Mr. Kyoya and I…we don't exactly see eye to eye. I don't know if it's compensation for something or a need to prove himself…but I'm not about to let him run around as he pleases when My Lady is involved. Mis-I mean Honey, he is very energetic and lovable. A different overly charged energy from Mr. Tamaki…but being with Mr. Takashi allows me to send time with him as well so I suppose it's more of a two for one detail."
"And why not Haruhi?" Kaoru patted the petite brunette on the head and Zaina blankly stared at him for a moment. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him, questioning various things about him.
"Oi, don't look at us like that! You could very well designate Haruhi." Hikaru snapped.
"I also know the secret behind Haruhi and what needs to be completed by said host…why would I designate Haruhi when I know all this? My designation may not count for one and we'd both be put in an awkward situation."
"Is that so?" Hikaru smirked at this tidbit of news.
"Do you have a basketball court or something involving activity here? Maybe football*?" She looked over at the twins, dismissing the devious face that only meant they were hatching some sort of scheme.
"We do, but what does that matter?" Kaoru frowned at the sudden shift in topic.
"I want to play…even if it's simply shooting hoops on my own, seems a bit more productive for me." She shrugged. "My Lady told me to act like a regular student…so I am."
"Yay, Zaina is having fun! Now if only you'll do the more relaxed part." Rin scolded her. "Want me to keep score for you as usual? I need to practice a little more myself. Maybe we can practice on our breaks. It's a lot of fun."
"Sounds like a good plan." Zaina nodded her head in agreement.
"I was never that good at sports…I might just stop by to watch if you don't mind." Haruhi spoke up after some thought.
"That's fine, but won't it be noisy?" Rin frowned.
"I'll be good." She assured as she waved off the concern. A lot quieter than the libraries here.
"Do you want to go play now?" Kaoru asked, amused by the thought of watching the them play.
"Can we?" Zaina turned to the two, her eyes alight with excitement for the first time.
"Uh, sure." Kaoru nodded his head, a bit taken back by the sudden look.
"Just follow us." Hikaru nodded his head to the door, the twins leading the trio of girls
As expected, there were more courts than needed and of professional level. The floor was polished to perfection with vibrant lines marking the wood. The nets of the hoops were bright white, as if freshly changed moments ago with unmarred backboards. In the corner, not too far, was a tall wire basket that held properly filled and regulation standard basketballs for use.
"This is perfect," Zaina grinned as she clapped her hands together in anticipation. She instantly began to stretch as the twins gave a lackluster description of the place as if it were standard fare but notice she was not listening at all as she took off her blazer, tie, and shirt. The twins jumped at her sudden urge to strip, Rin not unhinged by such behavior.
"Whoa, what are you doing!?" Kaoru quickly shouted as Hikaru and he covered one another's eyes as Haruhi and Rin giggled.
"Taking off my uniform shirt…I can't exactly get all sweaty in that." She replied as if it were simple common sense.
"Then what do you plan on playing in, your underwear?" Kaoru shouted next, hoping this would bring some common sense to her. Their flustered cries and the giggling finally poked at her curiosity enough and she looked to see what the fuss was about.
"No, I'll play in the shirt I have on under." She noticed the two were unable to see her shirt and it made their panic all the clearer and she began to laugh along with the girls. "Did you really think I was just gonna strip down to my underwear? What do you take me for?"
"We don't know what commoners do! We don't just go stripping in public!" The twins argued. "For show as hosts is one thing, but this and that are two different things!"
"Right, well just so you know I'm not about stripping like that in any form of publicity. Your dominion of flirtation skin showing is all yours to rule over." She shook her head lightly, looking down at her shoes. "I'll bring sneakers starting tomorrow." She mumbled before selecting a basketball. As she began to practice a bit, the twins watched her in equal confusion as they saw Rin. The two of these girls were giving them an odd run around and they did not know how to handle it yet.
Rin, was someone who had just shown up in their little word without a warning. No sign of coming in or being brought in, she was just there. As if she was always meant to be there and it was odd. They never had that sort of appearance on them. The two had always kept themselves guarded and only a few people could tell who was who. Haruhi was the first girl to throw their world on its side and now here were these two characters that just did not add up in their own way. Rin just fit in, it was undeniable. They wanted to fight it, they wanted to push her out and yet the simply were unable. She played along with their antics and did not expect anything special in return. She came from their world of the rich and privileged but was different like them.
Zaina, was someone they had not deciphered yet. As much as they kept guarded, she kept her own distance. She was peculiar to say the least. Reachable but not touchable and that irked them some. She was the second person to not find their brotherly love skit heart racing and exciting. She was strict to a point like Kyoya and she had not flinched when speaking to any of them. She scolded Hikaru and kept her ground with Kyoya. She was enigma of her own, but now they had a chance to see who she really was.
"It's good to see her finally relaxing here." Haruhi spoke up finally, drawing the twins from their ruminations.
"It is, I was worried swapping here was too much for her. She always takes such good care of me…but I want her to have fun too." Rin hummed, watching as Zaina scored shot after shot as she dribbled around the court and practiced what moves she knew. "I'm sorry…if working for me strained your relationship in anyway…she always thought about you and your family."
"Oh, there's no need. We kept in touch in our own ways and we met whenever she had off. We made it work. I know you're as important of a friend as I am. We just get each other and we know life can be tough so we work with it." She assured Rin. "I'm just glad she works for someone as nice as you."
"You're too kind, but thank you. I try to make it as comfortable as I can for her." Rin smiled and turned to watch Zaina once more, the twins taking a seat on the bleachers. They started to make some noise for fun to throw her off, taunting her a bit and dodged the ball that was thrown at them in a huff. The girls laugh as the twins kept at it, Zaina scowling all the while. As the four have their fun, someone watches unnoticed by them.
*Referring to soccer
