A/N - So, I answered two most asked questions in this chapter: Why does Kyoya drive a motorcycle? and Why does Kyoya have long hair? I attempted to give answers that made sense within the context of the story that are not "because I can totally see that happening." I also answered a question that Tatum brings up in the commentary of the Dubbed version: If I'm so rich, then why don't I just get Lasik? I thought all three were pertinent questions to answer.

I tried to make this chapter a bit more lighthearted in order to 1) make you all laugh, 2) keep the narrative structure similar to the anime episodes and manga chapters where it is all humor, humor, humor and then bam intenseness/cuteness/sadness/sweetness, and 3) because there's some legit depressing stuff I have planned (sorry!).

I also tried to help Kyoya and Emma's relationship develop more. I don't picture Kyoya as a romantic, so this was quite difficult. I also don't think, at this point, that neither Kyoya nor Emma are stable enough to get involved with one another.

Anyways, enjoy!

IIIII

"Emma, if you do not stop the senseless racket your phone is making then I will not only smash your phone into oblivion, but I will force the dismantled pieces down your throat so I am rid of everything hindering my sleep."

"Don't turn this back on me. If I am forced to move one inch, I will dismantle you piece by piece—Braveheart style."

"You are wrong. If I move then my life will not be the one in jeopardy, and I assure you that you will lose more than your phone. Turn it off. Now, Emma."

"Karma's a bitch, so I fail to see this as my problem as it is entirely your fault for keeping us up until 5am." I grabbed my ringing phone and, instead of silencencing it, threw it as Kyoya, hearing a clack that meant I had scored a skull shot, "There. It's silent. Happy now?"

"I am deducting your violence from your paycheck. That cost you one thousand dollars."

"I'd rather put you through agony then…"

"Rise and shine, Kyoya! Emma, it's time to great the day with your golden rays of brilliance!" I could feel Kyoya's glare from my spot on the couch. One would think that Tamaki would learn.

"Oh, Tamaki, you'll be full of golden rays after I shove this lamp up your ass. How's that for brilliance?" Tamaki screeched and bolded out of the room wailing. Serves him right. He should have knocked first.

"Emma, I have reconsidered. You can have your money back."

"Ouch! I thought you had reconsidered?" Something bulky hit me in the face, "You just hit me in my eye!" I looked down with the only eye that I could open and saw one of the decorative pillows from the bed.

"I did and then I decided I had to get my revenge somehow. At least it was a pillow and not a cell phone—a bulky Smartphone no less! If it would have broken, then I would have to replace it considering that your phone is company property." It could just be because I am temporarily rendered partially blind, but I think he was smiling—weird.

"Okay. Your point is valid, but you hit me with a taselly pillow, and I think a piece of yarn is stuck in my eye." I began to pout. It's pitiful—I know—but my eye hurts!

Wait. My eye isn't deceiving me, is it? This has to be a joke. Kyoya Ootori is smiling at me. Wait, were my ears going insane as well? Was Kyoya actually chuckling? Have I died and gone to heaven? No, if this were heaven I wouldn't be tormented by confusion. It must be hell—only in a place as twisted as hell would I be tormented by creepy smiling and laughing Kyoya. It's just wrong!

"Here, look at me" Ah! I was too busy writing that I didn't see him cross the room and sit in front of me on the couch. He placed his cool hand on my forehead and lifted up my eyelid with his thumb, "Here we go."

"Well, that was fast." Kyoya found the small piece of yarn and was holding it in front of my eyes, twisting it in his fingers.

"I got used to getting hair out of my eyes when I started growing it out. Honestly, the thicker the easier to find and the less it hurts. I'll go get the eye drops from my contacts. Wait here and keep your eye open." I'm confused. I wracked my brain and these pages for what had happened yesterday that was making him so gleeful this morning, but I came up with nothing, "You know what, I think Haruhi may have borrowed the eye drops; I am going to go ask." Kyoya opened the door and left, leaving me in stunned silence on the couch. I shook my head and went to go retrieve my phone.

"Christopher, hey, sorry I didn't pick up the phone. I was sleeping." And playing target practice with our boss, but he didn't need to know that.

"Emma, yeah, sorry, but is Kyoya with you or are you alone?" Christopher, who usually was in a state of fear or denial, seemed excited about something. Between him and Kyoya, I was wondering if they had ingested a happy pill.

"I'm alone. Why? Is something wrong?"

"Just the opposite. You know how you and I were working on approving research grants from all of the teaching hospitals that Ootori U.S. officiates and we thought that there were simply too many applicants, especially for this time of year?"

"Yeah…especially considering Kyoya was working on them too, and he was whipping them out. We must have had over fifteen grants each. What about it?"

"Well that's the thing. Mr. Ootori wasn't working on grants. You and I had an excess amount because he was finalizing the purchasing of two major properties in San Diego, California. One is just a standard office building, but the other is an inoperable medical facility that used to belong to the Navy. He also reviewed over one hundred applications of people from all over the U.S. and all the way from people with liberal arts degrees to neurosurgeons to barista's. Do you see what's happening, Emma?" Christopher had said all of that in one breath, his voice shaking.

"He kept us busy by giving us the task of approving research grants while he bought property and looked over possible new-hires. Do you think…could he really be thinking of…"

"Expansion. That's exactly what I'm thinking. I got a report this morning that all of the deeds and titles are now under his name. He's also set up interviews for February when you both get back. And you know what, Emma, now what he said to me before you two left makes so much sense!"

"What'd he say?" This was like some dramatic episode of The Apprentice, except I didn't think firing is what Kyoya had in mind.

"He said to me, 'Christopher, I am counting on your. Just think of this as a test to see if you can run the company on your own. If you do that, you will be sure not to fail me.' I thought he was just trying to put the pressure on and make me feel as if he was watching my every move, but now…now I'm thinking that, well…"

"Christopher, I think someone's planning on making you head of the SD branch of Ootori Medical. Congratulations!" I could feel Christopher's blush from the other side of the phone. He may be a nervous wreck, but he is a flawless tactical thinker and a good businessman, especially when it came to selling services. I mean, didn't Kyoya say that he bought his motorcycle from Christopher?

"I know Mr. Ootori well enough to know that he isn't doing it for me, but this would be like a dream come true. My entire family lives in California, and moving back would please them so much! It's been a long two years for them. Anyways, I need to go. Sorry to wake you!" And then there was a dialtone. I jumped when the door opened and Kyoya walked back in.

"I can leave again if the sight of me displeases you so much. What is wrong?" Kyoya crossed his arms and pushed his glasses up his nose, an amused look in his eyes. I felt like Christopher and I had committed some offense and we would be tried for treason against the crown of Ootori.

"Nothing. You just scared me is all. Eyedrops, please?" I took the small bottle he handed to me and let a few drops fall into my eye. The discomfort went away almost automatically, "Damn. These work like magic."

"They are top of the line as well as prescription." Kyoya took the drops from my hands and walked into the bathroom with them, probably to put on his contacts. I followed him and sat on the toilet, my head laid on my arms which were crossed on the counter, "What's the matter?" Kyoya said with a little chortle in his voice.

"If you're so rich, then why don't you get Lasik?" I wonder how many people had asked him that. I mean, really, having it done would be like pocket change.

"I have a degenerative eye disease that affects my ability to use my peripheral vision. The likelihood that I will go blind is entirely small; however, having such a serious degenerative disorder eliminates me as a candidate for Lasik. It is also the reason why I drive a motorcycle. Since I already have tunnel vision, it is practical for me to drive a vehicle on which the blind spots are limited and miniscule compared to that of a cabbed vehicle. That and of course they are cheap to maintain and fill with gas."

"Hmn, I guess that makes sense." Kyoya took off his glasses and folded them gently on the counter before putting in his contacts.

"Emma, would you mind tying this into a braid?" Kyoya held out a brush and a hair tie to me. Was he serious? "Now that the answer to that question is out of the way, what was the second thing you wanted to ask me about?"

"Well, now I have a second and a third question." He chuckled again. This was starting to creep me out. I did not trust this situation, but I could deal with it for now since I got to touch his silky black hair. Why the hell is my hair not as pretty and manageable as his? Not fair. "The first one is about your hair. Somehow it's just hard to picture you as the type of guy who would grow his hair this long voluntarily."

"At first, that is exactly what I thought. While we were on Christmas break in college, Tamaki and Haruhi came out to visit Honey-sempai and me. We were all watching a movie and Haruhi made some comment about how she found men with long hair attractive. That evening Tamaki burst into my room frantically about wanting to grow out his hair but not wanting to do it alone. He proceeded to beg me to join him in his fanciful endeavor. In the end, I ended up having him screech at me for at least half an hour because my hair looked better long than his did. He is such a moron."

I thought he was going to say something about it making him seem older and more sophisticated, or I thought he would mention all of the money he saved on yearly haircuts. I wasn't expecting something as simple as hair to have such a story to it. To be honest, I was a little touched at his loyalty to his friend. This side of him was very attractive too.

"I get the feeling that you care about Tamaki a lot more than you let on. I mean, sometimes I get the feeling that you have an incredible soft spot when it comes to him. Other times I feel like you're the major cause of his bouts of emotional lows."

"Tamaki is a fool. Self-sacrifice comes naturally to him, and he can be completely blind to his emotions that hide underneath the surface. To be honest, the lengths of his ability to be an imbecile can be entirely too frustrating to deal with, but trying to hate him is hopeless. He will look into you as if he can see the flow of your veins, and he will make sure that you know exactly how fast your insides are pulsing." I had seen Kyoya serious before, but usually that was while he was thinking of a plan or working. He was adorable then, with his brow furrowed and his hands running a marathon across the keyboard. This type of serious was different though. It was more emotional, more honest. Who would have known that he held these kinds of words inside of him—sheer poetry, "So what about your third question?"

"Oh, I forgot it. I kept pushing it back and now I can't remember what it was. Stupid me." I patted his back after wrapping the tie around the end of the braid I had made. That was a lie, of course. I wanted to ask him what he was really planning for Ootori SD and for Christopher, but it just didn't seem like the right time for business talk. It had gotten too personal.

"Well, if you think of it then do let me know. By the way, Emma, wonderful work on those grant proposals. Ootori U.S. new researchers will be all top of the line and should prove to be assets to the company's research future. Oh, and because of your work the other day with Christopher on the merger, our stock is up nearly fifty points. Very good work, Emma. I am impressed." Well, I guess I could be wrong about the business talk. At least now I knew that his good mood was motivated solely by the prospect of business deals and making money. I guess, even if he is happy, Kyoya is still Kyoya after all.

"It's weird, this morning. I don't think I've ever seen you this happy or talkative before. It's nice, but I can't decide whether to be more terrified or less terrified for my life."

"Everyone feels exactly the same way around him." Kaoru and Hikaru said together as they walked into the bathroom, scaring me so much that I nearly jumped a foot into the air backwards right into Kyoya. The two of us fell, me practically sitting in his lap, his legs bent on either side of me and his arms wrapped around me. I think I'm going to have a heart attack or a massive nosebleed.

"Hold on, just keep that pose right there. Tamaki-sempai would die to see this!" Kaoru pulled out a camera and was about to flash a picture when Kyoya grabbed something from the sink and threw it at the twin, making him fall backwards into Hikaru and the two of them tumble into the bathtub in a mass of legs and arms.

"That was so mean, Kyoya-sempai!" Both of them whined together as they tried to untangle themselves.

"Damn, I thought that all the racket up here would have been because of something more exciting and scandalous, but this is just lame." Sayaka was now leaning against the doorpost, looking from the twisted—in more ways than one—Hikaru and Kaoru and then to me and Kyoya. She sighed and went to go help the twins untwist themselves. Mori was right behind his wife and reached out a hand to me and helped me up. I nodded my thanks as he extended the same courtesy to Kyoya.

"Hikaru. Kaoru." The tall silent one reprimanded.

"We know, we know Mori-sempai."

"Tamaki sent you up here to help Emma try on swimsuits and to tell them that we're all planning on going to the Tropical Aqua Garden. You both fail miserably. It's a good thing we were on our way to get changed or even more people would…" Sayaka suddenly was pushed forward, Mori catching her in his arms before she flew headlong into the mirror.

"What on earth is taking you all so long? We have to go now. This is the first day of our 'Host Reunion' plan!"

"Tamaki, you nearly killed me!" Sayaka threw a punch into Tamaki's shoulder, making him clutch the spot, his bottom lip quivering.

"Mori-sempai! You're wife's so violent!"

"Tamaki, you brought this on yourself." Mori spoke. A sentence.

"I don't understand what's going on. Kyoya has been being nice and sociable all morning and then Mori says more than a few words. I must be dreaming. If I am though, don't wake me up."

"And this would be where Tamaki would have thrown out a line, saying something like 'Princess, if it were my choice, I'd make every day you breathe like something from a dream.'" Tamaki flushed crimson as Haruhi now entered the bathroom, wrapping her arms around Tamaki's waist.

"If this were the Host club again, that's exactly what Tama-chan would have said, Haru-chan." Honey squeezed next to Tamaki and Haruhi, Natasha smiling behind him.

I looked around the circle of guys, all of them looking at one another with thoughtful and distant expressions in their eyes.

"Ten years is a long time, isn't it Kyoya-sempai?" The twins asked, their arms wrapped around one another's shoulders.

"Indeed, which is why I am going along with Tamaki's plan to relive the days of the Host Club, including all of our fieldtrips. I was able to make some calls and reserve the water park for the entire day."

"Kyoya! Mon-ami!" Tamaki leapt across the room and glomped Kyoya who just sighed as everyone else began to laugh, everyone that is except for Renge, who had just wobbled her way into the room, Sayaka and me.

"Kawaii!" The three of us screeched in unison—it's good to be a fangirl.

IIIII

Honestly, being friends with these lunatics takes more energy than one should probably expend over a week's time, let alone a morning. Did they honestly think that I reserved the water park because they would enjoy it more? No. Since this establishment stands as an Ootori property, having this group of dummies running amok amidst regular customers would certainly lessen the esteem this healing facility had among the general public. Besides, any one of us could easily reimburse the park for the money lost by the park today.

"Kyo-chan, you're not going to join us?"

"I am not." Even though I was in an extraordinarily good mood, I was not in the mood for a childish game.

"But Mon-ami! We have to play! Our dignity as members of the Host club hangs in the balance." Tamaki's pleading eyes would not work this time. I already did them my quota of favors for the day.

"Actually, Tono, our dignity as men is at stake." Hikaru and Kaoru were standing back to back with their arms crossed, squirt guns in the shape of handguns already secured in the belt loops of their trunks.

"This was your idea. Don't complain." Mori-sempai was right. It was the twins who came up with this competition. The idiots.

"It wouldn't be like you men would win against us even if you had one extra player." Sayaka had one hand on her hips and a large rifle-esque squirt gun in her other hand, tapping the muzzle against the back of her neck, the pump resting on her shoulder.

"I can't believe he is such a wuss. Intimidated by a bunch of strong women, this doesn't bode well for him at all, does it? Poor little Kyoya—when it comes down to it he just doesn't have the guts for anything but business." Emma. If I continue to sit here, she wins and labels me as a coward; however, if I join in, she wins as well and I lose my pride. Damn it.

"My courage or lack-there-of is really not the issue. The issue is that you frivolous girls are attempting to prove your strength by angering your opponent, adding to their ranks, and thereby making them more fierce competitors and coincidentally making your victory even more splendid. However, that all hinges on the supposition that you can win."

IIIII

"Nicely done, Emma. I don't think I've ever seen Kyoya-sempai give in so easily to anyone other than Tamaki. It's pretty impressive." Haruhi was filling up a few water balloons. I could tell that she was about as thrilled at this game as Kyoya was, but that her ability to shrug it off and just have fun was much more advanced than his. It didn't take me long to realize that deep down he had a competitive nature. I had know he had one for business, especially considering my conversation with Christopher this morning, but I knew when he attacked me for jumping on him yesterday that his competitive streak ran deeper than that.

"Ladies, I think we have just witnessed the birth of a new relationship of love. I could eat three giant bowls of rice!" Renge was tying her hair up into ponytail with a huge pink ribbon, stopping to dry her otaku tears with a handkerchief.

"I don't know if it's a relationship of love or a relationship of hatred and the desire to have the other one assassinated."

"Well, you know what Claire Stanfield said in Baccano! About Chane. 'I can't figure out if she wants to meet up with me so she can kill me or if it's because she actually likes me. It's driving me a little crazy, you know. And for the sake of argument, let's say she is trying to kill me; I don't necessarily think that necessarily means she isn't in love with me?' I think Kyoya and my situation is similar."

"You are totally in love with him. It's so cute!" Natasha grabbed me from behind into a huge bear hug—her arms engulfing me since she is so huge.

"Aside from my entire body tingling at the possible love between you and Kyoya as well as your ability to quote perfectly episode 16 of the dub of Baccano!, I, Renge Hitachiin, vow to help you win your man."

"I agree too. Though I don't really think we can change his mind about you, it'll be hilarious to help you mess with him."

"Thanks you guys, but right now I'm content with the way things are. I have serious commitmentphobia and my distaste for Kyoya will return soon enough, so I'd rather not begin to like him more than I do now." This was all true. I hated myself for liking him. Part of that hatred came from the fact that Kyoya was an evil bastard, but part of it came from the fact I knew I would never be able to allow myself to not completely demolish any form of relationship—even as colleagues.

"To be honest, I think that the two of you are a good match for one another. You're overly emotional and enjoy having fun, which makes up for the wall of ice Kyoya-sempai puts up. Yet, you can also manipulate and think on his level. While I have no intention of getting involved any more than Tamaki has forced me to, I do guarantee that this development will be interesting. Not only that, it will be good for Kyoya-sempai. It might not seem it, but Tamaki and I could tell that he's been incredibly lonely and because of that he hasn't been taking care of himself, and whether you have realized it yet or not, you've been helping to heal him, which means the world to my husband and, therefore, the world to me."

"HARUHI! That was so beautiful!" Renge, Sayaka, and Natasha all mobbed the lawyer—who, considering that speech, was obviously a fantastic lawyer.

"Look at that, the girls are already crying. Maybe you should forfeit if it's too much for you!"

"Drop dead, Hikaru." Haruhi threw one of her completed water balloons at the twins face, instantly soaking his spiked hair.

"Hey! That's cheating!" Hikaru was jumping up and down, pointing at Haruhi, "Tono, Kyoya-sempai, do something. The two older men ignored him and continued to plan, making Hikaru's head hang as limply as his perfect hair was.

"I assume, Haruhi, that you think you'll frighten us by using those kinds of tactics. Right now you women feel as if you have the power, so let us up the stakes. We will let you take positions first. Does this sound agreeable to you?" Kyoya looked over his shoulder at us, his eyes glinting in the sunlight, even without his glasses. Kaoru and Tamaki were hanging off of Kyoya's shoulders, grinning at our estrogen filled group. They were going down.

"Alright girls, we need a strategy, and I think I have the perfect plan. Right now the guys outnumber us, and we have a pregnant woman—no offense Renge. So, what we have on our side is the element of surprise and to use their weaknesses against them. Here's what we're going to do." Game on, boys, game on.

IIIII

"I can't believe you two actually agreed to something like this! Don't you know how difficult it's going to be to fight against our wives! Kaoru, think about Renge, she's pregnant! She should not have to defend her life and that of her unborn child!"

"Tono, Renge's more frightening now than she even was back in high school. Besides, her moe senses wouldn't allow her to do anything that would put herself in danger." Kaoru was correct in his assumption. He would have to be to have married that woman..

"Tamaki, your delusions drive you from real issue here: you are the one who cannot fight against your wife. This exactly what they are going to use to eliminate you from this battle. I assure you that Emma is planning to have Haruhi make an assault on Tamaki directly, which will render him defenseless. Hikaru should fight with Tamaki to take out Haruhi. They'll be expecting this because of Haruhi's early strike, but playing into their hands will work for that instance since Haruhi is the least athletic of the women. Renge would normally be on the offensive, but because of her fragile condition she will probably be on the defensive. Be careful to not allow yourself to be completely exposed. Natasha's kind spirit will make her unable to attack Honey-sempai directly, but she will not hesitate to attack Mori-sempai. No offense meant to your wife, Mori-sempai, but she is the more ruthless than the others, so I'm positive that Emma will put her on the offensive."

"No offense taken. She's my wife; I know her better than anyone else. Mitsukuni?"

"I'll take out Sayaka. I have no problem with that. She may be faster than me, but she really doesn't have the ability to maneuver like I do."

"Honey-sempai! How could you be so ruthless!"

"Tono, don't you understand. This is war! We're fighting for our masculinity!" Hikaru and Kaoru were right, albeit a little over dramatic. There was just one piece in this plan left to place.

"Kyo-chan, I have a question. What about Em-chan? Of all of the women, we know the least about her."

"Emma played soccer in high school and was injured, but I am sure that her athleticism is on par with Sayaka's, but other than that I do not know what her strength will be. I do know that she will most likely be on the offensive but come into the fight much later depending on what events take place. She's their wild card. I will outmaneuver her and take her down before she gets into position."

"So does that mean that you're our wild card, Kyoya-sempai." Kaoru stepped forward and picked one of the fake handguns from his belt loop and twirled it on his finger. I grinned at him, knowing that he knew exactly what I had planned.

IIIII

"This is a brilliant plan, Emma. How did you know that Kyoya would think you'd be on the offensive instead of the defensive?" Renge and I were perched on top of a tower where the entrances to numerous waterslides were located. We were acting as snipers—so incredibly legit!

Tamaki had been taken out by Haruhi, as planned, and Haruhi had been taken out by Hikaru, which Kyoya obviously thought was his plan, but it fed into ours ultimately because Natasha was lying in wake to lead Hikaru to us. Renge took him out. Honey was playing chase with Sayaka, but they were closing in on our position. Natasha, unfortunately, had been eliminated by Mori. That was unexpected; however, his friendship with Honey meant that he was headed in our direction. Kaoru had somehow escaped my gaze, but I assumed that he would appear soon enough.

"He thought that I would attack him because, out of all of the guys, his abilities are the most covered in shadow. He probably even labeled himself as the silent mover, the man to find me and take me out. Kyoya thought that I would be on the offensive because he didn't realize that I could allow myself to push my pride aside and wait for the opportune moment. I knew that we would be easily overwhelmed by Mori and Honey because I did some research on them and know that they excel at martial arts. If you were here to face them alone, we would lose despite your surprisingly excellent marksmanship."

"I play a lot of dating-sims. Assassins Amore. Every mini-game was a gun fight. I always chose to be the sniper. Sometimes games do help in the real world. Look, here come Mori and Honey." Renge was right. Not only about the games, but also about Mori and Honey. Sayaka flashed us with her watch, notifying us that she had successfully lured Honey to the target. A serious battle commenced below. Unfortunately for Honey, Sayaka was carrying a water bottle so she could reload. Honey was defeated.

"Fuck! That's cold!"

"Sayaka, no!" Renge reached over the railing, arm outstretched towards Sayaka who sunk to the ground.

"You lose, Saya" Mori had snuck up on Sayaka before she could bring him within Renge and my ranges. Damn it! Since this was only a stupid water gun fight, Mori's leaning down and picking up Sayaka in his arms as if she was really dead was a bit melodramatic. The good thing was that he was walking straight into Renge's range. Victory was going to be ours.

"Shoot him now, Renge!" I turned to the side and was only met with the sobbing face of Renge.

"I can't! It's so…it's just so…it's just so beautiful that I…AAAAAAH!"

"No, Renge!" Renge dropped her gun and turned to face her attacker who shot her again, the pink bow on her head soaking through with water, unwinding, and falling to the ground, almost in slow motion.

"Kaoru? Kaoru, how could you! I thought, I thought you loved me?" Water was running down Renge's face. He had shot her in the back and then had given her an execution shot—how brutal.

"I do love you, Renge, but love doesn't matter in a fight like this. I'm sorry." Pardon the anime reference, but this was way too much like Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom for me. No, Emma, stay in the game, don't fangirl. Not yet.

"I'm impressed, Emma. You almost figured out Kyoya-sempai's plan and even managed to eliminate even Mori-sempai and Honey-sempai. We knew that you were the wild card and that you would assume Kyoya-sempai was the wild card too. You underestimated Kyoya-sempai's longing to not play this game. Here. Look right below you." Kaoru threw me a pair of binoculars, and I looked for the exit pool at the end of the slides. Kyoya Ootori, that mountebank, was sitting on one the poolside chairs—wait, was he sleeping? He's been there the whole time? No way!

"Now, Emma Knightly, you die….

IIIII

It has been about half an hour. There was no trace of anyone around me, and I was not damp, meaning that I not only was able to take a much needed nap instead of play a stupid game, but the Host club was winning this war. Just as planned.

"Kyoya, how come I'm always the one who loses these games?" Tamaki's voice could be heard from behind me and he moved closer and sat in the chair next to me. He was almost dry.

"So, you were the first one to get hit. That is not surprising."

"Kyoya-sempai, you figured out Emma's plan, didn't you?" Haruhi grabbed a folded up towel and began to dry Tamaki's hair. If he was enjoying it anymore, he would be purring.

"It was easy enough. She was expecting more of a fight from me, so she neglected to think that I would assign someone else to fight in my stead. Kaoru is sly, so shifting the confrontation from me and Emma to Kaoru and Emma was the knot she would not have the skills to unravel. Besides, Kaoru owed me for exposing that video to Emma, and I cannot allow myself to lose to her again." Haruhi and Tamaki just looked at one another a shrugged.

"Yup, you two are definitely perfect for one another." I was about to ask Haruhi to clarify that statement when I heard rustling from the bushes to the side.

"I'm going to destroy you when we get home. Don't think that simply offering me your muscles is going to change my mind." Hmn, Mori-sempai must have attacked Sayaka in the end, which means that Sayaka must have somehow been able to overwhelm Honey. Mori-sempai will still protect Honey when it comes down to it.

"Don't be mad at Takashi, Saya-chan! That was fun!" Honey was bouncing up and down.

"It was fun, wasn't it Mitsukuni." Natasha grabbed her husband from the ground, picking him up in an embrace.

"I was surprised that Emma was up their too, but I guess Kyoya-sempai had planned for that. Now we just need to wait for Kaoru."

Exactly. If all had gone according to plan, Kaoru would have taken out Renge and would have sent Emma down on one of the open air slides so that when she arrived, I would be able to finish her off.

"Look! Here come Renge-chan and Kao-chan!" Honey was right. Kaoru was helping Renge out of the service elevator, meaning that Emma would make her entrance any time now. I grinned, satisfied with my victory.

"Kyoya-sempai! I made a mistake!" I looked as Kaoru ran up to me. Not an inch of his body was wet. What kind of mistake could he have possibly made?

"What's wrong, Kaoru." Tamaki stood up, eyes filled with concern.

"Emma, she went down the wrong slide. She should have been down by now. Kyoya-sempai, I'm sorry, but she went down the tube slide. You don't think she would be afraid of that too, would you?"

I wish I had my glasses to push up. Yes, Kaoru, I do think that she will be petrified of sliding down a tube slide. Emma. Dammit.

IIIII

"Emma? How do you feel?" I opened my eyes. Tamaki and Haruhi were looking down at me. I remembered this sight from a bit earlier, but the rest of the host club, including Kyoya, were part of the picture then. He was kneeling right next to me then, that first time.

"A little light headed. My chest feels really heavy too. Thanks for giving me my notebook." I thought that this had drowned at the park, but I guess someone saved it for me. I'd be lost if I couldn't write in it, even when recovering from this afternoon. I remember slipping and starting to slide down a slide. Kaoru tried to help me out, but my hands were wet, and I slipped out of his grasp. I was caught in a tube slide—perfect place for a claustrophobe. There were openings every few feet, and I remember grabbing onto one and trying to push myself up the slide, against the rushing water, "I passed out on the slide, didn't I? What time is it?"

"It's past ten in the evening. You've been asleep for a long time. Are you sure you're okay?" Haruhi pressed her hand to my forehead to check for a fever, but her hands felt warm.

"You passed out on the slide and then the current took you down. Honey and Mori had went to the top of the slide just in case you had managed to climb back up. Kyoya jumped in as soon as we saw you fall into the pool. He dragged you out and gave you CPR. The last time I saw him that emotional was the first time I went over to his house and he nearly pummeled me to death." Tamaki sat down on the couch next to me and grabbed my hand in his, running his thumb over the top of it, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine. I just think I need to go upstairs and go to bed. I think if Kyoya's still up, I should say thank you, too. Thanks for being worried about me you guys, and sorry for ruining your day. I did have a lot of fun, though."

"That makes me happy." Tamaki smiled at me and helped me stand before both he and Haruhi pulled me into a hug. Once again I was rendered impotent due to my claustrophobia, and once again it was Kyoya who saved me. This was not helping me stop being selfish and getting over him before I really screwed everything up.

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I felt a small chill as the covers were lifted up and then a sinking of the mattress to my left. Emma must have finally woken up. Despite Tamaki's insistence that I wait downstairs with them, I declined. I had some work to do, and I really could not stand any more looks of surprise or pity. Were my actions that out of character? Nonsense, she was an employee and a valuable one at that. Losing her meant losing out on numerous business ventures.

"Kyoya."

"Emma, I sincerely hope that you have no intention of developing some sort of hero complex about me regarding this afternoon's events." That was a little bit harsh. Damnit.

"That could never happen. Villains can't be heroes. If they could, they wouldn't be as interesting." She sounded like she was alright, at least alright enough to laugh. I joined her.

"Your right." She had had another scare today, despite the directions I gave Kaoru about exactly which slide to force her down. I hated when my plans went wrong, and today that mistake almost cost me something valuable.

"Um…?"

"What is it?" I tried my hardest not to jump when I felt her wrap her arms around my left arm and lay her head on my shoulder. I felt small drops attach themselves to my skin, their coldness sending a shiver up my spine.

"Thank you, Kyoya" Her weight shifted onto me a little bit more. She must have fallen asleep. I would not put it past her considering the day that we all had. I resisted the urge to lean my head against hers, and I could feel the pace of my heartbeat quicken against my will in an emotion I had never felt before nor cared to feel now.

Emma Knightly was indeed a monster, a monster in more ways than one.

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I apologize for any significant blood loss due to moe nosebleeds. If you enjoyed it then review, review, review!