Chapter Eight
"Well, Mr. Ootori," Chikako chuckled. "What a pleasant surprise. I was wondering when you would show up."
He smiled politely, but cocked an eyebrow at her words. "I was biding my time, Miss Akiyoshi."
"Oh, right, I'm sorry," she said, smiling and corrected herself. "Thank you, Kyoya."
He chuckled and they glided to and fro across the dance floor, envious girls glaring at them as they passed. Chikako bit her lip and quickly turned her eyes away from them. Some of them were the girls she had met that night, but she knew that if she ever confronted them about it, they would play innocent. It's just how girls are.
"Is something wrong, Chikako?" Kyoya asked, quietly, a curious look on his calm and charming face.
She looked up at him and shook her head. "Oh no, nothing's wrong, Kyoya, in fact, it's been a wonderful night. You really outdid yourself."
He lowered his head a bit, respectfully, but a triumph smirk was still tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Thank you, Miss Akiyoshi."
"Will we get a chance to be alone at all tonight?" she whispered, indifferently. She was looking around at the decorations and the dancing people, and couldn't help smiling to herself. Jake would have hated this kind of stuff. He would have hated dressing up in expensive suits having to dance. He always hated dancing. Unless it was with me. Yeah, he would have gone to something like this for me…
Kyoya leaned his head down toward her, interrupting her thoughts. "Is that what you would like? To be alone?"
She found herself blushing, unexpectedly, and stuttered, "Oh, um…"
Seeing that her tongue being tied was unusual, Kyoya seized his chance. "You realize that anything you would like, I would give to you in a heartbeat. You just have to ask me."
That sounded nice. He meant it, too. Anything, materialistic or not, and whether she cared to admit it, Chikako was really quite selfish. It had been one thing she had grimaced at with Jake. He was a commoner and could never have made a promise like that so honestly. Except, she had never wanted anything else. They could have lived together in a carboard box, for all she cared, as long as she had him. That's the funny thing about love. Standards become foreign concepts, because the only bar set is your lover. She smiled, gently, and didn't answer her new fiancé.
Kyoya spun her out, far enough where he was only holding onto the tips of her fingers. To the other side of her, Chikako saw another boy, coming her way to steal her for the next dance. The music paused in between songs, and it seemed like time had stopped. Chikako realized that she had two choices: she could spin out, teasing Kyoya by dancing with the other handsome boy, or she could spin in and dance again with her fiancé. Her own defiant mind screamed over the impending words of her father…
"You will be the girl you were before this whole fiasco and I don't care if you have to fake a smile to do so. You will appear as happy and content as can be and you will not cause any trouble with the Akiyoshi Clan or the Ootori Group. Am I understood, Chikako?"
She took a deep, defeated breath. Yes, father.
The music started up, faster this time, and the boy quickened his pace when he saw Chikak's position. She smiled and made her decision. The one thing that had been her least favorite thing about Jake had been that he couldn't dance. She wondered about her fiancé. She spun right back into Kyoya's arms and he looked at her, a little surprised. "Oh, you want to dance again?"
Chikako gave him a playful wink. "Let's see how good you are at dancing."
He shook his head, looking around the room. "I don't dance the way you want me to with just anyone. If you really want to, I can ask the twins to come back over-"
"But I'm not just anyone," Chikako said, touching his face with her index finger to make him look at her. "Kyoya. I want you to dance with me and I want you to make me have to catch my breath when we finish. Is that clear?"
A smirk crept across his face. "Crystal, Chikako."
Suddenly, he dipped her low, quickly, before swinging her back onto her feet. She gasped in a short laugh and unconsciously tightened her grip on him to keep from hitting the ground. They swiftly danced through the crowd and he gave her a fast, double spin before catching her by the shoulders and then they went back to slowly gliding in pace with the other dancers, most of whom were gawking at the couple. His point was made and Chikako could feel herself out of breath.
She laughed. "You are quite the show-off."
He was about to answer her when he noticed some of the other hosts beckoning him. He quietly led Chikako off the dance floor. "I'm sorry, but it's time to award the kiss to the best dancer."
"Who judges those things?" Chikako asked, lightly.
Kyoya sighed, sounding a bit frustrated as he answered, "The twins, so of course, I never know who they are going to pick."
Chikako shrugged. "Well, go ahead and," she paused. "Thank you for the magical night."
He bowed to her and kissed her hand before escaping with the other hosts. She chuckled and looked around to notice that the King, Tamaki wasn't going with them. He was standing behind a large column, peeking out at a couple dancing. She casually walked over to where he was hiding and tapped his shoulder. He jumped a mile, but laughed, embarrassed when he realized that it was just Chikako. "Oh! M-Miss Akiyoshi, I didn't-!"
She giggled. "Don't worry about it. So, why are you hiding?"
He sighed and straightened up, running a hand through his hair, chuckling. "I was actually spying on my daughter."
"Your daughter?"
"Haruhi."
Chikako couldn't help herself as she broke out into fitful giggles. She bit her knuckles to keep her volume down. Tamaki pursed his lips at her, frowning. "Hey! What's so funny? Why does everyone always laugh? She is my daughter and I'm her wonderful, caring, loving daddy!"
She couldn't stop the giggling as a thought circulated her mind, but instead, she wondered, "So…so the host club is one big family?"
Tamaki grinned and nodded, eagerly. "Of course!"
Chikako couldn't help but ask the begging question, "Who—oh gosh, I'm gonna cry!—who's mommy?" she asked.
Confused, Tamaki answered, "Kyoya-!" But then he realized what he had just done and slapped his hands over his mouth. "Oh no, he'll kill me!"
Chikako started laughing, hysterically. "OH MY GOD YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!"
Tamaki shook his head. "NO! NO, DON'T TELL HIM THAT I TOLD YOU THAT!"
"D-Don't worry," she laughed, trying her best to calm down. "I won't!"
After a long moment, Chikako finally dimmed her giggles enough for Tamaki to ask, "So, how are you enjoying your time at Ouran?"
She smiled, weakly, hoping he would catch her hesitance as she lied, "I love this school."
He nodded. "It is a haven for the super rich and beautiful."
She dwelled on those arrogant, yet true words. Quickly changing the subject, she asked, "So, are you excited to see who you will be kissing?"
He shrugged, smiling at her. "It's just a silly little kiss on the cheek."
Chikako smirked. "What if the girl pulls you in for a real kiss?"
Tamaki blinked. "What?"
Chikako shrugged. "It could happen, you know. You are quite the Romeo, and so handsome. Every girl, no matter who her favorite host is, would love to kiss you on the lips any day."
Tamaki paused in thought. "Well, I assume that is true. I never thought that that would ever be a problem before…"
Chikako rolled her eyes. How like a rich boy to agree with such a compliment. She watched the hosts walk up the stairs and noticed that Kyoya looked particularly annoyed, but only for a brief second before he could cover it up. As they got situated, Tamaki asked Chikako, quietly and purely curious, "Every girl? Even you?"
"Honestly?" she asked, looking straight ahead, studying the hosts one by one.
Oblivious, Tamaki answered, "Of course."
Chikako chuckled, mischievously and looked at the gorgeous King of the Host Club, sizing him up. His personality, so open and free, romantic and yet selfish. He was starry-eyed and seemed to be a living fairytale. Kind of like how Jake used to act…except this guy is the real thing. "In a heartbeat, Mr. Suoh. After all, it's just a silly little kiss."
Before he could answer, Kyoya's voice came on the microphone. "And now, if our King would kindly join us on the stairs, we will announce the winner of the King's Kiss!"
Tamaki looked back at Chikako and she chuckled. "Go get 'em! And don't worry, I was only joking."
He cracked a smile and raced up to the front. Chikako watched him run, so free and childish and was shocked when she realized how similar he and Jake were. She shook her head and tried to focus on the tall and handsome Kyoya. His glasses, his cool demeanor, his secretive smile, and his charming words. She tried to make herself remember how he had swept her off her feet on the dance floor and dipped her low to the ground, taking her breath away. She tried to remind herself of his promise.
You realize that anything you would I like, I would give to you in a heartbeat. You just have to ask me.
She smiled and leaned back on her heels. Kyoya's eyes met with hers for a moment and she grinned, encouragingly at him. She could easily learn to love him…right? Jake's face flashed into her head again. His eyes, his lips parted to kiss her, his soft touch on the small of her back…
Kyoya didn't return her smile as Tamaki took his place at the top of the grand staircase. Kyoya, instead, licked his lips and read the name on the card in his hand. "The best dancer of the night and the winner of the coveted King's Kiss is…" he took a deep breath and smiled, coolly. "Chikako Akiyoshi."
The room erupted into applause, some polite, some happy, and some, most of the girls there, actually, clapping loud enough so that they wouldn't slap Chikako in envy instead. Chikako stood still, shocked. She won? She remembered her teasing and saw the nervous look in Tamaki's eyes, but he smiled, charmingly at her. "Come up here, beautiful, and receive your kiss!" he called, enchantingly.
The crowd parted for Chikako as she gracefully walked forward and up the grand staircase, where Tamaki was awaiting her at the top. She took a deep breath and mustered up a pretty smile. She stood beside him and he turned toward her, so the whole crowd could see. He bowed and, while his face was lowered to hers, he leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. Chikako daintily put her hands behind her back and closed her eyes, trying to look as innocent as possible.
Truth was, she was trying her best not to give in to her more rebellious side. I will not be the girl I am. I will be who my father expects… She was remembering all the nice things Kyoya had done for her. The wonderful man he was and why she believed that she could fall in love with him. All the brilliant things he had said to her and the way she felt whenever he touched her. How she had gotten goose bumps when he had placed his hand on her waist to dance and the look on his face when she had kissed him on the cheek the day before…
When she peaked open one eye, it hit her. Tamaki was her Jake; a lover and a fighter for what he thought was right. A clichéd little piece of candy that her eyes salivated over. His hair, his soft eyes… he reminded her so much of Jake. And for a split second, she thought she could mistake him for Jake. Just for a moment, and then she would be okay again. Just one second, not even a full second, maybe a millisecond.
She puckered her lips and quickly turned her head, before her brain could tell her impulsive self to stop. Her mouth landed full on Tamaki's and she lingered for that one half a second, just to test if he was like Jake.
But he wasn't. Not at all. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong!
She stumbled back, shocked with herself. She was so stupid, so crazy, insane! He was nothing like Jake, but she had realized that too late. She tried to look like it had been an innocent mistake and the room erupted into squeals of joy and jealously.
Tamaki stared, dumbstruck at Chikako, and she looked away, blushing. It was all she could do to keep from breaking down. He bit his lower lip, nervously, and looked up at Kyoya. Chikako's gaze followed his, scared of Kyoya's reaction. She desperately wished for Jake to be there, protecting her. She wished, like a fool, that he would storm through the elegant double doors and sweep her off her feet. But, she was simply a silly girl playing princess at the ball. And even if he had been there, he would not have been happy with her kissing Tamaki. She hoped that her act of innocence had worked and Kyoya would also think that it was merely a mistake.
But he didn't.
While everyone else in the room was looking around, gossiping with each other over the kiss, Chikako saw Kyoya taking advantage of that moment out of the spotlight to be furious. She knew that he wasn't as animated a person as the others, but she could see in his eyes and the way he shook how livid he was. She swore she could even see purple waves of fury emanating off of him, but she didn't get a chance to look any closer. Tamaki had taken her hand, desperately, and hissed, "You said that you wouldn't-!"
She turned to answer, but glanced behind him to see Haruhi staring at the two of them, wide-eyed. It wasn't the same look of shock that the crowd or the other hosts, except Kyoya, wore. It was a look of…hurt.
Suddenly, it hit Chikako. Haruhi and Tamaki…how could she have missed it?
Haruhi quickly looked away, down at her feet, and Chikako felt like crying. She was so stupid! So, so, so stupid! She yanked her hand out of Tamaki's and quickly escaped the ballroom.
But the group of girls she had "bonded" with earlier blocked her way, arms crossed, angrily. "Thought you said that you wouldn't want to kiss Tamaki!" Lea snapped, eyes narrow.
"Yeah, where did all that nonsense about being loyal to your preferred host go?" Mai yelled over the crowd.
Even kind Tara's eyes were narrow and annoyed.
Chikako had never felt so terrible in her life; she did not need these girls, whom she barely knew, making it worse. She shook her head, ignoring them, and ran out. In that moment of racing down the halls of Ouran and out to where her driver was waiting, Chikako, for the first time in her life, hated Jake. The Jake in her head had been wild, made her wild, and his memory had morphed into Tamaki. She had kissed Tamaki, thinking he was Jake, but he wasn't and now everything was ruined. Her father would be furious, her mother would act like she didn't even know her own daughter, Kyoya would most likely break off the engagement, and to make matters worse, Chikako may have lost her one and only friend at Ouran.
Yet, she missed Jake. So much. So much to the point that she hated him for making her miss him. She hated him. She loved him. What was crazy was that it wasn't betraying Haruhi or Kyoya that upset Chikako the most. Honestly, she could survive those misfortunes. But betraying Jake was a true tragedy, even though he hadn't been there to see it. It was breaking her fragile heart all over again.
Angry tears welled up inside her as she stormed out of the building, down the steps, and out toward the limo that would take her home, away from all this misery. She didn't let the tears fall as she jumped into the backseat and slammed the door.
Surprised, her driver asked, "Oh, miss, you're back early. D-Did you have a good time-?"
Before he could finish, Chikako snapped, her voice shaky, "N-No I did not. Take me home, now," and rolled up the divider between them. Finally alone, where no one would see or hear her, Chikako broke down into rushed sobs. She curled up on the car seat and buried her face into her beautiful ball gown, getting makeup all over the skirt. In the midst of her tears, she realized that she didn't hate Jake or Kyoya or her father. She loved Jake, felt bad that Kyoya had to marry someone like her, and she understood what her father really wanted from her. None of them deserved hate. One person did, though.
Above everyone else, Chikako hated herself.
A/N: Sorry for the wait, school is crazy, as always. And also, as always, if you liked this, hated it, felt "meh" about it, TELL ME! Seriously, whether it's super nice, super critical, I want to know it all. As long as something is constructive, I don't care how you say it. "I hate this, but if you change *insert suggestion here* I might not want to vomit after reading it." Something like that is OKAY with me. XD So go ahead and click that review button. You know you want to ;)
I'll see you guys again with the next update!
~Kit Koko
