Hey, Guys! Here's another short chapter! I figure I should just do smaller chapters from now on because I'm having such a time concentrating. It's like I'm relapsing back to the attention span of a five year old.
I don't own Host Club. As we all know.
Here's the next part of Episode 4!
Chapter Eleven: Episode Four, Part Two: A Strange Call
The sky outside the bedroom window had long since turned dark when Yuki suddenly asked, "Hey, Rini? Have you heard anything from the Host Club about the job?"
Rini was startled. She'd been reading for the last ten minutes, while Yuki ignored his dinner tray and tried to overcome the nausea induced from the test. It had indeed been a rather uncomfortable ordeal, but afterwards Yuki been able to get a little sleep, and more importantly, they had let Rini stay with him the entire time.
Despite everything else the hospital put him through, Rini was at least grateful that they let him furnish his room however he chose. Being a long-term – perhaps life-time – patient, they had even let him go so far as to paint the walls a different color and move in the old rocking chair from his room at home. Cards from Rini and the nursing staff hung on his walls, and once a week Rini brought in new flowers to switch out with the old ones. A small bookshelf was filled with books either owned or checked out for an extended period of time from the library. His wheelchair was parked on the other side of the bed, next to the machine that fed him medicine to temper his pain.
Rini paused, the book open on her lap. "Well…" she swallowed uncomfortably. "I haven't decided yet whether I want to do it or not. I mean…I really like them, but Papa said-"
"C'mon, Rini, you know Papa's got it wrong." Yuki smiled encouragingly. "Not all rich people are like the Ootoris."
"Yeah, but Kyoya Ootori is in the Club." Rini sighed. "And I don't know if I can lie to Papa for that long."
"It's not like you're doing anything bad." Yuki suddenly wiggled his eyebrows. "Or maybe you are? You are hanging out with a bunch of boys, after all."
Rini bopped him on the head with the open book. "Yuki! There's no way, I'm sure there are plenty of other girls-"
Yuki silenced her abruptly by reaching over with one hand and touching her arm. "Rini." His eyes demanded her attention. "You're a million times more amazing than those rich girls. And I'm not saying that just cuz I'm your brother, either."
"Yuki." Rini's shoulders slumped. "I'm not amazing at Ouran. In fact, I'm probably the most pathetic girl there. They're probably just giving me the job because they feel sorry for me."
"That's not true!" The energy in Yuki's voice caught Rini off guard. He gripped her arm tighter. "They're doing it because they like you and because you're really good at cooking! C'mon, Rini, just take the job!"
Rini was still wavering. "But Yuki-"
"No more 'but Yuki's'! If I can't go to school and have friends, at least you should!"
"But…but…"
Rini's body began to tremble. She bit her bottom lip. Yuki sensed her change in mood immediately.
"Rini? Rini? What's wrong? Was it something I said?" Yuki tried to sit up. Rini stopped him immedietly, a catch in her voice.
"N-n-no, Yuki, don't move, you'll hurt yourself-!"
"Rini, what's the matter?"
Rini was having difficulty speaking. "I-I just…it's just that…well, one of the boys there…M-Mori-sempai…I was wondering if he might be…him."
Yuki's eyes went wide. Even though he'd been too young to remember, Yuki knew exactly who him was without any explanation. She'd told Yuki the story about the necklace many times. "Really? Wow, that would be amazing! What makes you think that?"
"It was…just a thought. There's no way it could possibly be him." Rini scuffed her foot against the floor. "It'd be too much of a coincidence."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Yuki looked disappointed, as if Rini had somehow let him down.
Ring ring!
Rini jumped in her seat. It was her cell phone. Pulling it out of her pocket, it took her a few seconds of staring at the name on the screen to register who it was.
"…It's…it's…Kyoya Ootori," she gasped.
Yuki's mouth fell open. "Ootori?" he gasped. "He's in the Club, right?"
"Y-yeah." Rini's eyes darted to Yuki. "Should I answer it?"
"Well, yeah! How often does an Ootori willingly talk to us?"
He had a point. But Kyoya was different. Though that didn't explain why he was calling. Her chest fluttering nervously, Rini pressed the TALK button and put the phone to her ear.
"Hello?"
"Ms. Ikumi? This is Kyoya Ootori."
"Oh! H-hello, Kyoya-sempai."
"I noticed you did not attend school today. Are you feeling all right?"
Kyoya's voice was light and pleasant. Rini was relieved.
"Oh, I'm fine," she said. "I was with Yuki today. He had an experimental procedure and he didn't want to be alone."
There was a short pause. "I see." Kyoya didn't sound that surprised. "Indeed, you do seem to possess a nature that is naturally inclined toward caring for others. You would make a fine addition to our Host Club."
The compliment made Rini's chest leap. "Th-thanks," she said, gripping the phone tight. "I-I'm sorry I still hadn't decided yet."
"Would be open to a trial?"
"Huh?"
Kyoya reiterated, "I can give you one week – paid, of course – to try working at the Host Club so you can decide if you'd like to continue or not."
Somehow, that felt much better than commiting to work for the Host Club until the end of the year. And if it became too hard to hide from her Father, she'd still have the opportunity to walk away from the job.
"Okay. What should I prepare?"
"I think two cakes would be fine for next Monday. You may chose whatever flavors you like. However," Kyoya sounded slightly amused, "Next Monday's theme is going to be Atlantis."
"Oh." Well, that was interesting. The wheels in Rini's head were already turning, trying to figure out what kind of cake would fit in with an underwater theme. By now, Yuki had lost interest in the conversation. He dragged the book off of Rini's lap and began to read it himself.
Rini asked Kyoya, "That sounds exciting! Uh, did you come up with the idea, Kyoya-sempai?"
"I'm afraid not. Tamaki was the one who made that decision."
Rini had the impression that Kyoya was inwardly smirking. "Okay, then. Thank you so much for this chance."
There was silence from Kyoya's end. A long, strange silence. For a moment, Rini wondered if he'd hung up, or if they'd been disconnected. Just as she opened her mouth to ask if he was still there, Kyoya said, barely above a whisper:
"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I cannot do more."
He sounded like he was in pain. Discomfort. Rini was shocked. She'd never heard him speak with that kind of emotion before.
The line disconnected. She didn't even have the chance to ask him what he was apologizing for.
Kyoya is changing. Sorry if the abruptness makes him seem out of character, but the idea I'm playing with is that Rini sort of brings him out of his normal character. That's what happens to a lot of people who fall in love, right?
Till next chapter,
*~Suki~*
