double upload what the Fcuk
After storming away, feeling rather insulted, angry, and powerful, she went straight to the club room and changed out of her costume. She didn't hang it up in the changing room, opting instead to leave it in a rebellious pile on the ground. Her hot tears of frustration had settled on the outer corners of her eyes, but she had kept them at bay.
On her way home, however, she began to comprehend the gravity of what she had done, and those tears froze. What if Kyoya really did decide to have her arrested? Surely, he wouldn't act so ruthlessly. She'd only reacted like that because he brought up her sister. Otherwise, she would have taken it all, and gritted her teeth then moved on. All she could now was stew in her worry and pent up emotions.
Thus, upon arriving back at the complex, Mitsuru let Teruko into her apartment to borrow something, and used it as an excuse to vent about what happened. She left out some of the less than savory details (like the fact that this was the same group of people she had stolen from), but otherwise recounted her tale for the dancer.
She didn't think it would affect her still after he said it, but as she got to the point when Kyoya threatened her search for her sister, she felt a sharp tightness in her throat.
"Wow, that's wild! And this was one of those crazy rich people, right?" Teruko was properly spread out on Mitsuru's bed, inspecting her nails as she intently listened. Mitsuru was glad the other woman couldn't see her red rimmed eyes as she struggled with her thoughts. What if Kyoya really did go through with his threats? What if she never saw her sister again?
"Um, yeah. He's one of those entitled people," She rubbed at her eyes, attempting to disperse the feelings there. "And he's been acting like I'm some eye sore for the past week or so. It's like, what did I do to deserve this?" Well, truthfully, she had done some things to deserve it, but it surely didn't feel like it.
Teruko, who spread out even more as Mitsuru stood up to stretch, nodded in agreement, "Rich people like that are, for real, complete snobs, yeah? Like, listen to this! One time, I was doing my routine, you know, like dancing and killing it, whipping my hair around and stuff, and this rich guy, like way rich, with like a Gucci suit on, grabs me! So, I do the normal protocol, like 'Haha, look don't touch, sweetie!' but this guy is just like, 'I'll pay.' Like what the hell! I spend the night with whoever I want, not who's paying! A stripper is not a hooker, yeah!"
Mitsuru hummed, nodding along as she stretched. Leaning down and touching her toes, she grabbed the back of her calves and pressed her nose into her legs.
Teruko, undeterred, continued, "Ugh, rich people feel like they can just, like, throw money at their problems! So, anyways, security ended up kicking him out! He totally had it coming."
The teen made a noise of acknowledgement, as she slid into a split. Being flexible was a part of being a good thief, especially the brand that she was: more of a cat burglar than some kind of bandit. Regardless, she didn't give up practicing and staying in shape since she got caught. She had to keep it up for the day when she could stop slaving for the Host Club, and start back on robbing houses. How else was she supposed to make a living?
"But," Teruko sat up, picking up and squeezing a pillow to her chest, "what are you gonna do? Don't you have to go to school tomorrow?"
"Huh? I mean, yeah. I'll have to deal with him again." Mitsuru shrugged from her spot on the floor.
Teruko looked rather fired up, with an intense look in her dark brown eyes.
"He hurt your feelings, Yama-chan. I can tell. You gotta show this guy that you aren't just gonna, like, bend over and take it, you know? He might think he's totally won if you just give up!"
Rolling her eyes at the word choice, Mitsuru mulled it over. The sentiment was nice; be a rebellious little shit until Kyoya admitted he was wrong. That could last a very long time. In fact, if she did that, he might lock her up just for being annoying. Mitsuru knew better than to do that. She didn't have the freedom to act out. Maybe she should just keep her head down and keep working.
"Oh, I don't know. I couldn't do anything too crazy. He'd torture me, or kill me, or both." The brunette readjusted herself to a middle split, getting an impressed coo from Teruko.
"Okay, okay, how about this!" The faux-blonde had a cat-like smirk on her face, like she'd thought of something incredibly clever and sneaky. "Why don't you find out something about him that no one else knows, like maybe he sleeps with a stuffed animal still, or get a pic of him picking his nose or something, you know? You're, like, still a high schooler and everything so that kind of thing would totally ruin him!"
Even picturing Kyoya in those scenarios made Mitsuru spew out some laughter. Like the high and mighty Ootori ever picked his nose! Plus, with the way people were at Ouran, if she posted a picture like that, they'd just say it was a new trend, and everyone would start doing it. Rich people were crazy. But… Teruko was onto something.
"Yeah, yeah… So, kind of like… a secret?" Mitsuru repositioned to sit Indian style, thinking deeply. "Some kind of dirt on the third son. Then, I'd send it to him, to let him know that I know! As long as he can't prove that I stole it, or did anything illegal, maybe he'll leave me alone!"
"And, and, where will you find a secret like that?" Teruko raised a fist to the air, "In his house, of course! And you're the best burglar out there, Yama-chan! He'll, like, never know what hit him!"
The two young women cheered, as they stumbled upon Mitsuru's plan. It was naive, and absolutely stupid, but it made her feel like she was in control again. She was going back to her roots, and back to what she loved! Even as she thought it, Aya's voice came echoing back into her mind. 'Did you like stealing?' She did what she had to do, that was completely accurate. Perhaps she didn't necessarily love stealing, the act in itself of taking from someone else, but she loved the chase. The thrill of almost getting caught gave her an adrenaline high like nothing else. It was a strange relationship she had with this… hobby of hers. She'd been the best at it, in this entire city, until… well.
But this time, she wasn't going to make any mistakes. It was the Ootori household. If she screwed up, she really would be arrested. And if Kyoya caught her, he'd kill her on the spot. Or worse, he'd go through with his threat earlier that day.
He could do it. She was in no position to fight him on that front, but if she could just find a way to level the playing field… maybe she wouldn't feel so scared of losing her sister. Again.
When Teruko left, leaving Mitsuru with some encouraging cheers, Mitsuru sat upon her bed, in careful thought. If she waited until tomorrow night, it might be too late. Kyoya might already have something horrible planned for her in the morning for storming off. She couldn't just sleep away all the dread in her stomach, as she thought about what he might do to her.
She scanned her room, landing on the place where she had stored away all of her equipment. It was a basic backpack, stuffed into her closet. There, she would find her rope, her climbing shoes, gloves and her night vision goggles. Those had been so expensive! She and Tatsuya had saved up…. Well, no matter. They were hers. She'd actually refused to use them for the longest time, simply because of the history, but what she was planning required the best, and if it meant dredging up old memories, so be it.
Mitsuru didn't even realize she was getting ready until she looked in the mirror. She had changed into all black, and she was halfway through pulling on her gloves. They were worn in, from years of use, but the grip was still intact, and had saved her ass a few times. Again, the memories flooded in, and she shook them out, as she tied up her hair. No need for a mask since she was most certainly, one hundred percent, not getting caught. The mask might lull her into getting sloppy, and she couldn't risk it.
Her amber eyes blazed with determination, glaring back at her in her reflection, as if daring her to change her mind. This wasn't just about her pride; it was about her sister. Kyoya had threatened her family, and she wasn't going to let that stand. Mitsuru slung her backpack over her shoulder, a sense of security washing over her. This was her natural state; this was who she was, not some prissy rich kid pretending to have problems. This was Mitsuru. And this was going to be fun.
-:-
It should have been hard to find the Ootori estate. It should have been a struggle for her, a trek that took all night, but in fact, all Mitsuru did was go to Teruko and quickly ask her to look it up on the internet. The dancer was already half asleep, but complied, barely holding her phone up to the brunette so she could copy it down. Mitsuru thanked her before leaving, but she could see that Teruko was already unconscious.
Thus, here she was. It took a minute to find the place, or rather, find the street it was on. The mansion itself was still a journey away from where Mitsuru was squatting, but this was definitely the Ootori estate. There was a long paved road, the smoothest concrete she had ever seen, leading out into the distance, where the actual mansion stood. Even if there had been no road at all, no indicators of where they lived, Mitsuru would've been able to find them. No, not because she was just that good, but because the house (no, the palace, more like) had more windows than it had walls. The lights on the inside were bright and warm, like a beacon.
It wouldn't be easy to get in, though. The path looked simple enough, lined with trees for even easier distinction, but there was a tall fence, lining what seemed like to be the entire state. Mitsuru had followed it around as best as she could, but the entire place was guarded. On top of that, there were men patrolling, wearing suits and looking bored out of their minds. Climbing the fence would be easy, as long as it wasn't electrified, but getting past a person who was bored enough to be looking for something to do, would not.
Mitsuru had chosen a spot, however. There was a good tree that would give her a place to slip over the fence, without bringing so much attention to herself. She still needed to get that man to move however…
It didn't seem like he was wearing any night vision goggles, which she found strange. He would have little to no insight of what lay ahead of him. A bit of poor planning on the Ootori's part, what with them having a special task force and everything. Maybe this guy in particular had forgotten his goggles. Didn't seem likely, but she needed to test it out.
She patted around the ground beneath her, grabbing a decent sized rock. She couldn't just throw it; he'd know it was her, but she could use it in a different way. She needed to know if he could find her in the dark.
Mitsuru got ready to move, strapping her backpack on tightly. She passed the rock between her hands, carefully planning, and then, as quick as a fox, she tossed it into a shrub nearby and quickly shuffled away, nearer to the tree. It made a great rustling noise, like a small animal scurrying around. The shine of a brilliant flashlight followed the noise and Mitsuru's heart soared.
So, they weren't completely incompetent. This was going to be hard, but she absolutely loved a challenge. Breaking into Kyoya's house wasn't supposed to be easy! For now, she'd just need to distract this guard long enough for her to jump over the fence, and find a good place to hide for a bit. She couldn't just bolt to the mansion out in the open! She peeked from her hiding spot, watching as the men pointed his flashlight through the grates of the fence.
"Hello?" He paused, then, in a more excitable and expecting tone, called out, "Kitty?"
Mitsuru would have laughed if she wasn't trying to sneak past him. So, he liked cats, did he? That might come in handy. Filing that away, she examined the fence.
It was rather tall, with inconspicuous spikes that she attributed to a modern, functional style. If it was too high tech, it would likely shock her if she tried to climb it. However, as she neared the trunk of the tree she wished to use, she couldn't hear the telltale buzz of electricity. So, she would just have to take a risk.
Biting the inside of her cheek, she made a decision. If she rustled another bush, it might seem a bit scripted, but if she could… well… it would be embarrassing and a little stupid, but it could work. Or, she could run away and pretend she never thought about breaking in in the first place.
She felt a bit warm in the face, and had adrenaline running through her veins as she took a deep breath. If this worked, she would tell Teruko all about it. It would be hard not to brag. So, she hesitantly made her way closer to the shrub she had attacked, where the guard was lingering though not focusing, and grabbed another stone.
"Meow!" She mewled, and tossed the rock a ways away from the tree. A bit too far, if she was being honest, but she prayed it still worked because if it didn't, then she'd had to explain to Teruko why it didn't work out.
"Ah, feeling shy, huh?" The man was talking with a baby voice, despite looking like he was in his early thirties. Mitsuru, as noiselessly as she could, scampered up the tree, and in the back of her mind, she almost felt bad.
Before she could leap over, however, she waited for him to talk again. She watched him from above, not needing her goggles to see him squatting near the edge of the fence, fiddling with something in his pocket.
"Are you hungry? I brought snacks this time! If you come out, I'll let you have some!"
As he spoke, she dove, tucking herself into a roll as she landed. She thought it might have made some more noise than she wanted, but Mitsuru didn't want to lay still and get caught, so she made a run for it. However, as she peeked over her shoulder to survey the damage, she saw that there actually was a cat, hesitantly sneaking some bites out of the crackers the guard was offering.
"Holy shit," she murmured, and continued. Her luck needed to stay this good all night.
-:-
Of course it wasn't going to. She made it to the mansion with only a few hiccups (almost walking straight into the line of sight of a guard, after which she yanked on her night vision goggles), but now she faced the issue of how to get inside. The whole place was basically glass; anyone could just see her if she left her hiding spot. However, it did mean that she could also see them, if she poked her head out a bit.
Walking the halls on an upper floor, Mitsuru could see some servants. There were no pairs of people talking, but just robots carrying out their duties. She doubted that if she even jumped in front of them they'd stop their routine. She wasn't going to test that, though.
Mitsuru couldn't see any other entrances besides the front door, which was a problem. There had to be a servant's entrance or something somewhere. If she was wrong though, there might be a patrol around back… Another gamble she needed to make. She squatted down further, trying to look into the front doors. It was well lit, which was another issue, but she couldn't immediately see anyone. Still, it wasn't an option. What kind of amateur walked through the front door?
She was getting ready to start making her way around when she stopped. The Ootori were rich. Incredibly rich. And this house was huge; there was no way that it only housed family members. And it didn't seem like a parking lot around, unless they allowed their servants to park their cars with the family's, which Mitsuru doubted. So, the most likely outcome was that the workers lived here, in the mansion, too. Which meant that there probably wasn't a door for them to come and go.
Was she really about to just walk in the front door? Mitsuru gulped. She could just turn around and go back home, but that seemed… No, she wouldn't. That would be a heavy insult to her own pride. She was a master thief, a cat burglar for years. She used to be in a gang! She could do this. The second she got through the doors, she would just need to keep her time inside limited. That was an issue, though, because she would need time to find a dirty little secret somewhere. Regardless, she was losing her nerve the longer she waited.
'Fortune favors the bold.'
Mitsuru made a mad dash for the doors, and the second she reached them she had a realization. Why would she even think they were unlocked! For the hell of it, and out of desperation, she tried the handle, and stumbled inside.
The Ootori's must have been so confident in their guards that they leave their doors unlocked… Or it was a mistake. What kind of Ootori made mistakes, though? At least one, Mitsuru hoped, because if she left empty handed then she was going to kick her own ass. The foyer was giant, and open, which instantly scared her. She scanned it as quick as she could, seeing that it was largely empty. There were some cameras, but Mitsuru skirted around their view. Surprisingly, there was a young woman sitting on a nearby couch, her back facing Mitsuru, who ducked down instantly at the sight of black hair. This must be Ootori's sister, or a cousin perhaps: too young to be his mom.
From the glimpse that Mitsuru got, the woman was intently reading a magazine. It should be somewhat easy to get past her, then. There was a giant staircase to her right, and Mitsuru slowly made her way up it, careful of the cameras. The stairs had nothing between them, which was unsettling, but she made it to the next floor without falling, or alerting the young woman. As Mitsuru reached the top, she peered over the railing, and saw that the Ootori woman wasn't reading at all, but sleeping with the magazine open in her lap. How quaint.
The sound of voices startled Mitsuru into moving, putting an ear to a nearby door before slipping inside. It appeared to be a guest bedroom, given the lack of any personal items except for a carefully pruned plant. Besides that, it was a rather dull room. Mitsuru looked out the window it had, and saw the expense of the estate. It was massive! Damn rich people.
Hearing those voices become louder, Mitsuru cracked the door a bit. There wasn't anyone in the hall, but she could hear people speaking clearly. Perhaps they'd just entered the foyer. Her luck really was doing her massive favors!
"-and you! What are you still doing here? You should be with your husband: your own family."
"F-father, I'm sorry. I only wanted…" A woman's voice. The one of the couch, if Mitsuru had to guess. She had a sleepy edge to her voice, which was surprisingly soft and rich.
The other voice, though, was cruel and cold. It was the voice of a businessman, of a cold and sterile hospital room where there was no comfort to be found. The phrase, 'This is an investment of mine,' came to mind, and Mitsuru pursed her lips. So, this must be Kyoya's father. He sounded so pleasant. It must be where the host got his charm from. She could practically hear the scowl in his tone.
"You reflect badly upon us with your actions, Fuyumi. Since it's too late to leave now, go back home in the morning. Understand?"
The woman's muffled, "Yes, father," made Mitsuru roll her eyes. What kind of a family was this, anyways? She couldn't say that she had much experience with them, but if her uncle talked to her like that, she could just imagine what kind of fight they would've had.
"Kyoya," Mitsuru flinched. He was here? Down there? "Your studies are doing rather well. However, it's your extracurricular activities that concern me. You manage that club rather well, but I fear that it's not the most valuable use of your time."
She could almost see his little smile, a cover up for the well oiled machine in his head, conjuring up ideas and thoughts and responses for everything. He was probably making a face that conveyed that he was listening, taking what his father said to heart, but Mitsuru knew he wouldn't stop the Host Club. It was an investment. And he liked those, apparently.
"Of course, father. However, it's been a great tool in getting closer to the Suoh's."
Oh? Mitsuru almost pressed against the door, wishing to hear more, but she couldn't hear the last bit, and suddenly heard footsteps on those stairs. Not willing to endanger herself any more than she already had, she found the closet in the room and jumped into it. She could only hear her own heartbeat for a few moments, until the steps passed the room, and continued down a hallway she wasn't sure ever ended. She needed to know if that was Kyoya, so that she could follow him, so she went back to the door and listened.
"You shouldn't waste your time with that stupid club, even if it is a tool." It was like Kyoya's voice, but older. The father's voice, but more short tempered. A brother, maybe? "It's a disgrace."
Kyoya's smile was in his tone, like a mask, "Yes, well, I'll need all the resources I can find, if I wish to achieve my goals. No matter how disgraceful you find them to be, Akito."
"Don't mess with me, Kyoya. You need to give up on trying to take Yuuichi's place. You're not him. You'll never be him."
Mitsuru opened her mouth without even thinking, irrationally almost spewing out-
"That's not fair." The sister butted in. Mitsuru shut her mouth quick.
"Fumiko, you're not even supposed to be here." The brother scoffed, "I'm going to bed. You two can discuss your failures together."
Those footsteps came and went, but Mitsuru didn't bother hiding this time. In fact, she didn't even feel like bothering to find out a dirty secret anymore. It felt like she had just accidentally stumbled upon one that even she didn't want to know. She vaguely understood the implications of being a third son, and how it bothered Kyoya, but she hadn't realized… even his family was treating him with a bit of disdain, just for trying to achieve his goal.
The fire in her conviction was suddenly snuffed out. Kyoya wasn't being an asshole because he didn't care; he was being an asshole because he cared a lot. Maybe not about her, per say, but about his future, and his friends, despite what he was saying. She had jeopardized that, and if his family had seen how she acted…
Sighing, Mitsuru surveyed the room. Now that her cause was busted, she just wanted to get out and go home. It was getting rather late. She tested the windows, but they had no locks, and no give. So, they were essentially walls. Great. She would just have to wait out Kyoya and his sister.
Mitsuru didn't hone in on their conversation. She perused the room as quietly as she could, checking out the valuables. The pruned plant wasn't worth snatching, but there was a little plate of gold shaped like a leaf, likely for holding jewelry. She didn't know how long she stayed there, debating whether or not to leave with it. Footsteps startled her out of her daze, quietly beginning at the stairs, and she shoved the plate into her backpack without a second thought before hiding in the closet. The steps stopped at the door of the room she was squatting in, and she held her breath. She waited, until whoever it was quietly pulled the knob shut, and kept walking.
Not wanting to be there any longer, Mitsuru listened until those footsteps were too quiet to perceive, and slipped out the door. She made her way down the stairs, carefully avoiding the cameras' gazes. The woman on the sofa was gone, the lights were out, and she morphed back seamlessly into the night.
Leaving was as dangerous as entering, in her experience. Mitsuru stepped out and rediscovered her hiding place, surveying the patrols around her. They were a fair enough distance away that she could manage a few feet running before slipping back into the shadows. She did just that for a while, until she risked looking behind her.
The mansion was just as big as before, but she could've sworn it looked even bigger. Sadder. The distance between those rooms growing in her mind. The windows even looked taller, and one of them in particular caught Mitsuru's eye. It was lit, unlike many of the others, and it must have led straight into Kyoya's room because he was standing there, seemingly looking out into the night. Her heart stopped. Could he see her? Surely not, right? Right?
Mitsuru didn't want to find out. She ran as fast and as hard as she could towards the fence, throwing caution to the wind in case Kyoya decided to ring the alarm. If he hadn't seen her, she was acting rather foolishly, but it was better safe (as in far away from here) than sorry. When she arrived at the fence, she was out of breath, and out of stamina. The guard was many yards away, facing away from her, thank goodness, so she simply climbed the fence as well as she could. It wasn't as quiet as it should have been, with the plate rattling against her goggles, but Mitsuru managed it, and even caught a glimpse of her savior, the cat.
It mewled at her, and, after waiting to listen for sirens or rushing steps, she knelt down and scritched beneath its chin. It purred at her, the vibration loud like a motor. Mitsuru smiled down at it, risking a vulnerable moment as she kissed it on the crown of its head. Surprisingly, it let her, with only little resistance. The guard probably pet it and snuggled it, too, so it must be accustomed.
Mitsuru stood, giving the cat one last 'thank-you' pet, before running off. This heist wasn't necessarily successful. For the first time in forever, she had snuck in with the intent to steal information: nothing physical. However, she did come away with anything valuable in that sense. If she was careful, and used some back alley methods, she could pawn it off without Ootori finding out. In fact, she hadn't seen her uncle in a while… It was probably safe to pay him a visit.
She left for home with a heavy feeling in her chest, as she remembered that she would have to face Kyoya the next day. She was definitely not looking forward to that.
Even as she fell asleep, her last thought was 'What is he going to do?'
-:-
Apparently, the answer was nothing. She arrived at campus as per usual, leaving her bike in an unsuspecting place, and walked to class. She kept looking over her shoulder, waiting for some of the Ootori police squad to take her down, but they never came. Mitsuru was paranoid throughout her classes, too, and didn't hear much of anything anyone said.
"Hello? Earth to Mitsuru? Is something wrong?" Hisako was waving her hand in the spaced out teen's face. She hadn't even heard Hisako talking.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't get much sleep last night!" Mitsuru didn't even have to fake a yawn. She hadn't slept a wink after having a quick and uneasy dream about a cat police officer sending her to the electric chair. "I was up all night studying with my tutors. They were rather helpful, but still, I'm exhausted."
"Wow, you're so studious, Mitsuru! But you've gotta get some sleep! When classes are over, go straight home, okay?" Hisako was smiling, wide and lovingly. Mitsuru wanted to give her a big hug.
Instead, she smiled back, "You're right. I do, however, need to stop by the Host Club. They might be needing my help today. Will you be joining me to see Mori-senpai?"
Even at the mention of his name, Hisako seemed to turn pink, "Well, it is Valentine's Day, so… I'm going to give him some homemade chocolates. I worked really hard on them… Then I'll probably go see him later during club hours, too… I'm kind of nervous."
"I'm sure he'll love them. You are such a kind girl, afterall." Mitsuru reassured her. She had completely forgotten what day it was. This all probably meant that she was needed at the club, in the end. Today was likely their most profitable day, with all these single girls living out their fantasies.
"Thanks, Mitsuru. I'll… go ahead and give them to him! I'll catch up with you later, okay? Wish me luck!"
Hisako looked a bit robotic, walking to where Mori was standing, but Mitsuru waved her off wholeheartedly regardless. With it being Valentine's Day, there was probably more than enough work waiting for her in the music room. She wanted to spy, though, to watch and see how Mori reacted, so she figured that if Kyoya was going to be mad at her anyway, she may as well take her sweet time.
The redhead approached rather tactlessly. She stopped when she stood directly in front of Mori, and seemed to make some less than pointless conversation. Takashi, however, took it in stride, entertaining her odd demeanor for a few minutes. As Mitsuru was beginning to become impatient, Hisako presented her chocolates with little to no pomp and circumstance. They were wrapped in a perfectly quaint package, with a blue bow tying them off. Odd that Hisako didn't go with pink or red, the more common colors for the holiday, but Mitsuru wasn't close enough to hear her explanation. And it didn't seem like Mori wanted to hear it, because he held up his hand in the universal gesture of 'stop.' Hisako's face faltered. Mori's mouth barely moved, but it was clear what he was saying. He wasn't going to accept them.
Mitsuru drew near only after Mori walked away. Hisako still held her gift in her hands, an undistinguishable look on her face.
"Are you alright, Hisako? I saw what happened… I'm so sorry." She reached out a hand and reassuring placed it on her friend's shoulder.
Hisako, however, didn't look sad at all. If anything, she looked both angry and confused. "No, I'm okay, Mitsuru. I just… I'm actually kind of mad!"
"Mad?" The thief was trying hard not to laugh. It wasn't funny that Mori had rejected her, but it was her first time seeing the girl furious. It was a rather good look for her.
"Yeah! It's fine for him to say no to me, but, well, I demand an explanation!" Hisako exclaimed to the sky. Mitsuru buried her laughter deep down inside. She could guffaw and snort all she wanted, after the girl was gone.
"You're completely right, Hisako. Why don't we go to the club now?"
"No. I'm not going to chase after him. I'm always doing that," Hisako huffed, "If he wants to talk, he knows where to find me. How frustrating! I'll see you later, Mitsuru. Have fun with the club."
"I'll try. Are you going to be alright?"
"I already told you I'm fine!"
She couldn't contain a chuckle, trying to keep it contained, "I just meant… you're not going to hurt anyone, right?"
Hisako was midway through storming away when she spun around and only somewhat angrily replied, "Of course not!"
-:-
It was an easy walk to the music room from where Hisako left Mitsuru, but she decided to take the scenic route. There wasn't much to see that she hadn't already seen, but she did stop by to say hello to the custodians. However, she reached those horrid double doors sooner than she'd hoped. Whatever was awaiting beyond those doors wasn't something (or rather someone) Mitsuru felt like facing right now. She couldn't run away; that was never really an option, so all she could do was rip the bandaid off now. So, she went inside.
The scent of roses smacked her directly in the nostrils, and Mitsuru considered turning back around.
"Ah, Mitsu-chan! Look here!"
Defeated, she turned her eyes towards Honey, who was carrying a bouquet of red roses, bigger than his torso. Mitsuru tried to hide her smile.
"What's going on? Is this for Valentine's Day? I thought that was for the girls."
Honey-senpai shook his head, barely visible behind the roses, "I have a cavity, so I can't eat any sweets. So instead, we're giving out these roses! Kyo-chan ordered so many!"
"Are you going to be giving anyone special a rose, senpai?" Mitsuru decided to gloss over the mention of Kyoya. He was here, somewhere buried beneath some petals, so she would surely see him eventually. That didn't mean she had to think about him, though.
"Yup! I'm giving roses to all my best customers! Ah, and here's one for you, too, Mitsu-chan!" Without hesitation, the blond host plucked a rose from the bouquet and held it out for her to grab.
Mitsuru eyed it and laughed. She reached out, but instead of taking the flower, she rubbed Honey's hair. "You're a riot, senpai. I'm not like all these pretty ladies who come visit you. Save these for them, okay?"
"Huh? But Mitsu-chan, you're a pretty lady, too!" Honey's eyes had taken on a puppy dog look, and in turn, Mitsuru reached down and pinched his cheeks.
"Huh? Are you trying to charm me? Flatter me so I give you cake? Or chocolate? There's no way, cavity-face!" She twisted his soft face as strategically as she could; she didn't want to aggravate his teeth, afterall.
That's when Kyoya's voice cut through their scene, like a cold wind, "Honey-senpai. Do you mind placing that bouquet over there?"
"Aye-aye, Kyo-chan!" Honey turned on his heel to obey the King's orders, unknowingly leaving Mitsuru to her demise.
Kyoya didn't look particularly happy or upset about her presence. In fact, he hadn't even acknowledged her. He was scribbling away in his notebook, not paying her much mind. Mitsuru wondered if he had even seen her. She was perfectly fine with just avoiding him for the rest of her high school career. If that's what he wanted, then she could oblige.
"Yamasaki-san." His voice stopped her as she made her way to the prep room. 'I guess we're not ignoring each other,' she thought.
She turned around to face him, putting her hands on her hips in the strongest stance she could muster. "Ootori-san."
Her mind was racing, wondering if some servant or maid had tipped him off to the missing plate. What if he had seen her, and there were police hiding in the prep room, waiting to take her away?
Kyoya pushed his glasses up his nose, keeping his face carefully neutral, "I owe you an apology."
Mitsuru wished she had kept that digital camera he lended her for the spring photos. She wanted to capture this moment in all its entirety. As much as she wanted to appear smug, though, with an expecting expression she manufactured, she didn't actually feel the need to gloat, tease or torment. Maybe tease, after he was finished groveling, but the malice she had felt yesterday was washed over by the sounds of Kyoya's family, and the distaste in their voices.
"I was overworking you due to the fact that I was under pressure thanks to Kuze-san's challenge." His tone was calculating and precise, not at all remorseful. "However, you acted out in an insanely childish way. Someone could've gotten injured thanks to your incompetence. Your little outburst could have blown your cover, had we not been alone. Your actions could have reflected badly upon everyone, as well. However, since I am a gracious person, I'll let this slide."
Mitsuru took it all back. She wanted to kick him, and hard, somewhere he'd never forget. This wasn't even an apology! He was just pointing out all the things she did wrong! This was nothing! Plus, the only reason she had blown up in the first place was because he talked about her sister, and he wasn't even addressing it!
Kyoya must've seen the less than pleased face she was making, because he took a breath before saying, in a much more sincere tone than anything he had said thus far (perhaps in his entire life), "It was also out of line for me to mention your… family. I have no concept of your situation, and crossed the line. I apologize."
Mitsuru raised a hand to her face, feigning pinching her temples. However, she was doing her best to hide a little smile. Now, that was more like it. Once she tucked her grin away, she put on a look that she hoped came across as only a little bit annoyed.
"Hmm? Oh, were you talking to me? Strange, I'm still waiting for you to beg for my forgiveness." She tapped her foot, imitating impatience.
Kyoya's gaze usually gave nothing away, his emotions hidden behind the icy politeness of his expression. However, his eyes were knowing, now, and if Mitsuru looked beneath it all, she thought he looked incredibly tired. Maybe he had been rather stressed by the whole festival thing.
When he opened his mouth, she held up her hand. "No. Stop. This is fine. Your darkness-filled heart can only handle so much fake honesty. I'll let this all slide, too, on one condition."
"Which is?" Kyoya prompted.
"All you have to do is answer one question, completely honestly. Got it?" Mitsuru waited for him to nod before she continued, "Are you embarrassed of me? Is that why you're so unkind to me when the others are around? Because if so, why not just have me in the background all the time? I can just stay in the prep room during club hours, and Haruhi can serve the customers. Your reputation won't be hurt, and I can still work off my debt."
"That's more than one question." Kyoya had a bit of a smug smile on his face, and Mitsuru didn't want to punch it off immediately.
"Yeah, well, then, let me condense it. Are we friends?"
The Shadow King wasn't made speechless often, but he seemed to be stunned into contemplative silence. Mitsuru's expression was brilliant: raw, passionate, and burning with sincerity. It was hard to look into her eyes, those amber orbs that shined so brightly they could pass for balls of flame.
"You'll continue to work the floor during club hours. But, for today, there won't be any confections needed, so you can go home early. We'll just be passing out roses, since Honey-senpai still can't have sweets." Kyoya's voice was perfectly poised, but Mitsuru was waiting for her answer.
"As for the matter of your… status, no, Mitsuru, I'm not embarrassed of that. Haruhi is in a similar situation to yours, and I still treat her with respect. Your behavior and your antics are another matter entirely, though. You need to work on your attitude."
"And to answer your true question..." Kyoya paused. Mitsuru couldn't tell what he was thinking, or feeling. It was like he was unreachable, building up walls all around him until he was alone in his own little castle. She didn't like how familiar that scenario felt.
"Yes."
Now it was Mitsuru's turn to be stunned. She was almost entirely sure that he would dodge that question, or at least saying something like, 'No, we're just coworkers.' She wondered if he was truly being honest, or if he was manipulating her feelings to make her work harder. There was really no way to tell.
"Alright, then. I'll just clean up some things in the prep room and I'll go home."
Mitsuru tried to copy Kyoya, and keep a neutral expression, but she could feel how hot her face was becoming. It wasn't often that someone came right out and told you that you were their friend. It was so straightforward. It was so… nice. It was also a huge relief that he didn't mention the night before. It was a calming confirmation that he hadn't seen her, and subsequently, she still retained her talents (and her find!).
She closed the prep room door behind her rather hastily, and let out a content sigh. That was nerve wracking! It was such a strangely out of body experience to hear Kyoya tell her the truth! Mitsuru frowned. Well, it could be the truth. Or he could be lying to her. She wanted to believe the former, but didn't want to discount the idea that it was a ruse.
Mitsuru pulled on some rubber gloves after retightening the bun on her head. Her taut hair hurt her skull, as well as her racing mind. Was he being honest, or was he just playing her like a fiddle? Kyoya was such a mysterious person. It was scary that no one besides Tamaki could really understand what was going on inside his head. Mitsuru wondered if anyone else had some insight, but she didn't feel like asking around. It would come off as… well, it wouldn't be the message she wanted to send.
"Ugh, who cares!" She grumbled to herself. She needed to get her mind off of this. She could just numbly clean, and then go home. She and Kyoya were back to semi-normal, and she didn't have to worry about being hunted by the Ootori police force for breaking and entering. Things were okay.
The dishes didn't take very long. She was done before she could even hear customers outside. Maybe she should have gone slower, but there was no way she could have stretched out the cleaning for an hour or so. Plus, she was actually looking forward to going home. She was sore and tired, and had some studying to do. Maybe she should have thanked Kyoya for the day off, but that was going a bit too far. He was still a bit of a prick, afterall.
As Mitsuru peeled off her rubber gloves, and laid them on the counter, something caught her eye. She circled the counter, until she came face to face with a small, glass vase. It was thin, and tall, with a skinny neck that held a vibrant orange rose. Mitsuru had never seen one of that color; in fact, none of the roses out in the music room were this color, either. They had been deep crimson, the color of romance and hot blood. This rose, however, was unique. It reminded Mitsuru of the burning sun: of fire. Someone surely must have left it here by mistake. But who else came back here besides Haruhi and herself? It must be the brunette's. There was no way someone left it for her.
Mitsuru plucked the rose from its home, carefully maneuvering around the thorns, which were left on the stem for some reason, and carried it outside. She was prepared to hand it off to Haruhi, or maybe Tamaki (since he had such a fondness for the girl), but as she stepped out, she noticed that some customers were trickling in. She didn't want to wait for them to be unoccupied, but if they needed this rose for a special customer…
As her eyes scanned the room, hoping to catch someone before they got too busy, she and Kyoya made eye contact. Surprisingly, his glasses weren't hiding his expression, which seemed to melt a bit at the sight of the rose in her hand. Maybe this was his? Mitsuru made a step towards him, but she was intercepted by the twins.
"Ah, you got our gift!" Kaoru sounded a bit surprised. Did he think she would just ignore it?
Mitsuru made a less than savory face, confused as she processed what he'd said, "Huh? This is from you?"
Hikaru chuckled, "No, not just us. It's from all of us. To say 'thanks' or whatever. It was Kyo-" Kaoru cut his brother off quick, with a sense of urgency, "Cute! It was cute, so we all decided it suited you. Yeah, so, thank you, Mitsuru-senpai for all your hard work!"
No wonder the thorns were still there. She was not stupid. Just because she got caught once due to some momentary loss of logic, didn't mean she couldn't perform some basic connecting of the dots. Mitsuru forced a smile, feigning ignorance.
"Uhhh. Well, you're welcome, I guess… Though, you do know that I'm not really doing this willingly, right?"
The twins groaned at her teasing, "Ughh, just take the rose and go."
"Yeah, yeah, have fun playing house," Mitsuru waved them off, and started towards the doors.
Before leaving, she took a look around the room. There were more girls, now, and they were all aglow, clutching their single roses to their chests like it was the only thing they valued in life. Mitsuru, surprisingly, didn't feel the urge to roll her eyes. Everyone looked like they were having fun. Honey was passing out roses left and right, and Mori…
'Well, look at that.' Mitsuru had a satisfied grin.
The gentle giant was presenting a neatly wrapped bouquet, smaller than the ones being plucked from, but still generous, to Hisako, who appeared starstruck. So, their lover's quarrel was over. She wondered if she was invited here, or came willingly afterall.
Mitsuru kept looking, and her eyes found Kyoya once again. He was already looking her way, which she tried not to think about. She raised her rose a bit, as though it were a glass of champagne, and grinned brightly.
'Thanks.' she mouthed.
The Shadow King didn't respond, instead choosing to simply watch her exit the music room. As the door shut, he focused his attention elsewhere, but was unaware of two soft eyes observing him. Honey had watched the whole thing with interest, unbeknownst to Kyoya, and had a cheerful expression on his face.
Mitsuru had been rebellious the other day, acting out and being unkind to Kyoya, but he had also deserved it in a way. The two of them were incredibly similar; they both were fiery people, with passionate ideals, but Kyoya hid his true self beneath a layer of professionalism and manipulation. He tried so hard to appear as someone who only did things for a profit, but Mitsuru's reflection of himself was starting to loosen Kyoya up. His icy demeanor was melting a bit. In turn, the thief was beginning to open up to the hosts, even going as far as to treat Honey as though he were family. The blond host hugged his bunny closer to his chest, hiding a wide smile. Those two were going to be an exciting pair!
two little chapters back to back! what a tre at