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"Ha-ru-chan! Please come out and play!" Tamaki, the twins, and Honey sing-song to the first person who opens the door. Unfortunately for them, it's not Haruhi. Ranka stares back at the seven of us, looking a little tired. He must have taken the day to relax a bit before his next shift, because he's not wearing his makeup and he hasn't shaved yet. Needless to say, the boys weren't expecting that and look positively mortified.
"Sorry! We have the wrong apartment," Tamaki blurts. I shake my head as they hurry off. Ranka gives me a mildly amused smile and hurries after them.
"Hey, hey, wait a second!" he gathers the six of them and herds them back to the apartment. Ranka steps back inside and we join him in the doorway. The cramped space leaves little room for us to fit comfortably, so I'm sandwiched between Kyoya and Mori. I try not to touch Kyoya too much, leaning more on Mori. Even so, it's as though all my senses are aware Kyoya's right beside me, making me want to stay put and run away all at the same time. Ranka sits down on a green mat before the doorway and looks up at us.
"Don't act so traumatized because you've seen me without my makeup on. Even trannies get stubble first thing in the morning, which is more than I can say for any of you." Ranka chides with his hand on his hip. I can't help it as I giggle at Ranka's statement. I try to cover my smile with my palm, and catch Kyoya looking down at me. Despite his blank stare I can tell he's annoyed and I simply raise my brows in amusement. Tamaki, however, is the only other person to laugh at Ranka's teasing. But, his laughter is about as real as Kyoya's cool exterior.
"You're so funny!" he replies and presents Ranka with a box of treats, "My dear Ranka, I hope this day finds you in excellent health."
Ranka doesn't take the bait, but he does steal it. He knocks Tamaki upside the head with the power of a boxer's fist, then pins the unwitting host to the ground. As Ranka pushes Tamaki's face into the tile, Rank catches the white box and claims his victory with a gleeful laugh.
"Ranka, please... that's my head..." Tamaki mutters as he tries to get up. But Ranka ignores him, pushing him back down. Honey is the only one of us who looks at Tamaki with concern, but that's because we're all aware Ranka isn't being malicious. He's only trying to intimidate the poor fool.
"Oh silly me! I forgot my manners," Ranka says as he returns his attention to us. "Please forgive my appearance, it's so wonderful to see all of you."
"Morning Ranka," I say with a smile, earning a smile back.
"Is Haru-chan here?" Honey asks him.
"I'm afraid not, she's out with the girls today." Ranka explains as he examines the cakes in the box, "They picked her up this morning and you know women, heaven only knows when they'll be back."
"I could say the same about these guys," I add with a small smirk.
"Someone's feeling sassy today," The twins remark, glancing back at me.
"So she's not home?" Honey asks Ranka, sounding sad. It's a contagious feeling, especially since I know how much they idolize the girl. Meanwhile, it seems Ranka finally released Tamaki because he sits up with a very rosy face.
"Well, I guess Haruhi is entitled to spending time with her old friends from middle school once in a while." Tamaki says dismally. Ranka starts to eat one of his new treats, picking out a round pink cake first, with a blissful expression.
"I can't believe she has friends," The twins say after we excuse ourselves and walk back towards the flight of stairs, the mood overall dejected.
"This is why I was against a surprise visit," Kyoya scolds. I look up at him, my fingers clenching. I don't understand why, but his cool response makes me feel a little relieved. The idea of him being as disappointed as the rest of the hosts makes me feel irrationally angry and insecure. But Kyoya deserves to feel that way, after all, Haruhi is his friend too. Yet, parts of me feel pained at the idea. Why? Maybe it's because I'm still worried about what he was going to say to me. It's been a week and he still hasn't told me. Then again, we've been pretty busy with the club and Honey's brother. I shake my head and choose not to think about it now.
"You know, come to think of it, I'm not sure I recognized any of her new friends. But, then again, you never can tell, can you? Haruhi has always made friends easily," Ranka muses as we go. But his next sentence stops all of us in our tracks.
"Just imagine it, my little girl out and about with students from Lobelia Academy."
The boys hurry back, completely mortified.
"Did you say... Lobelia?"
After Ranka realizes what has happened, and after he's tidied himself up, we head to Lobelia so we can rescue Haruhi from the Zuka club. I wasn't there when the club encountered them the first time, if I remember correctly I had work that week, but during the car ride there I'm informed of what went on. After they mention how they dressed up as women so they could win Haruhi over, it's hard for them to regain my interest. I laughed for a couple of minutes after that, but by the time we finally reach the grounds I'm calm again. Outside the academy, our group has an intense air of seriousness.
"If my daughter is held captive there, I'm not going to sit back and do nothing. But we have to play it cool, the Zuka club is ruthless. Once you become tangled in their web of lies, you can go bankrupt trying to get yourself out again." Ranka says as he leans against the gray brick wall surrounding the school. It's topped with a black wrought iron fence and when I peek through it I can see the school nestled behind some lush trees.
"How do you know so much, sir?" Honey asks him.
"Haruhi doesn't really seem like the type that would get involved with their kind," Kyoya adds, just as curious.
"You're right, but neither did Kotoko." Ranka replies, distantly, "She'd always seem like she was such a strong woman."
"Kotoko?" The twins ask.
"Haruhi's mother," I say softly, "late mother."
Kyoya pushes up his glasses and elaborates, "someone she's always looked up to very much and unconsciously attempts to imitate. There may be some connection between her and the infamous Zuka club."
I look at Ranka, who tips his head as he thinks about his deceased wife. I feel nothing but sympathy for him and for Haruhi. I step a little closer and rest my hand on the man's shoulder. He looks down at me and smiles briefly in thanks. Ranka's been a parent to me ever since I met him, so returning the comfort he's offered me several times before feels like an accomplishment. I release my soft grip and move back to the group, resting against the wall next to Kyoya.
Kyoya looks down at me and I catch his gaze. He averts his eyes, almost like he's ashamed he got caught looking at me. The gesture makes my stomach flip and I duck my head shyly. When I glance at him again he's focused on Ranka, but I still see a faint hint of pink dusting his cheeks.
"I was so blind then. We were newlyweds and I was in love," He says, closing his eyes as he becomes lost in a not so distant memory. He explains how he found out his wife's secret, stumbling upon her collection of Zuka club memorabilia. The hosts all freak out, aside from Kyoya and Mori who voice their displeasure in complete silence.
"What are we going to do?" Hikaru asks, frantically.
"What if Haruhi wants to join the Zuka Club so she can be more like her mother?" His brother asks, his expression mirroring Hikaru's. Though I'm sure Haruhi doesn't want to leave the host club, her bond with her mother might be stronger than with the hosts. I haven't had a mother to feel so strongly about, so I feel completely lost and unable to judge whether she'd actually do it. The possibility we could lose our friend makes my stomach ache and I feel my thumb scratch at my fingers in fear.
"Is Haru-chan really going to go bankrupt? She's practically broke already!" Honey says, waving his little fists in concern.
"Don't worry," Tamaki soothes, "Our girl is worth a small fortune and cute."
But, whatever fantasy plays out between him and the twins forces Tamaki into panic mode. He whips around to face Kyoya and clenches his fist.
"Kyoya, order us some Lobelia uniforms right now. We're going undercover," Tamaki says just before Ranka's foot collides with his back. The transvestite crosses his arm, pushing Tamaki on the ground.
"Overruled!" He declares, glaring at the younger blonde, "Men who only dress in women's clothing recreationally are an insult to us professionals. You don't want to insult me, do you? Do you? Now listen up, to infiltrate Lobelia you'll have to do exactly as I tell you. Exactly!"
We agree to Ranka's terms and Kyoya manages to snag some t-shirts for us, per Ranka's instruction. The pink tees have Benibara written on it in capital letters, with a kiss mark separating the name. Pretty basic but it's enough to state one's love for the Zuka Club, Benibara in particular. The boys change their shirts without a problem and pack their discarded garments in the limo's trunk. All except Kyoya, who doesn't bother changing. Thankfully, I'm wearing a plain tank top beneath my jean jacket so I just peel off my jacket and slip the t-shirt over my head. Ranka also teaches us a few thing about the club and it's fans, giving us a crash course in their society.
After we're done, we sneak on to the property and hunt for our friend. It isn't very hard to find her though, we're able to locate which building she's in when we hear her voice. We peek inside the windows and see Benibara lying in Haruhi's arms. They look like they're practicing for a play.
"My Lord Frederick!" Haruhi says loudly, but in her usual monotonous tone.
"Can you see her? What is she doing?" Honey curiously asks from behind us, clutching Tamaki's shirt and tugging it impatiently. He responds to Honey's prodding slowly.
"It looks as though she's playing the heroine of some sentimental tragedy. But..."
"My Lord Frederick," She says again. I shake my head, my fingers clutching the lip of the windowsill.
"She sounds like a robot, a boring daikon radish..." The twins, Tamaki, and even Ranka respond.
"Even as her father, I can't stand this," He whimpers.
"Someone please make her stop," Hikaru groans.
"How many times is she going to repeat that line?" Tamaki asks, his tone strained.
"I think she's about to start singing!" Kaoru reports. We look inside and find Haruhi standing now, her hand delicately resting on her chest and her head bowed.
"Well, maybe it's not that bad?" I suggest.
"No! Her grades in music have always been absolutely awful!" Ranka yells, clutching his face in terror.
"Here, in this moment, I am losing nothing..." Haruhi starts singing and we're stunned to see she doesn't sound bad at all. In fact, Haruhi sounds amazing. She hits all the right notes. But, our shock is short-lived when one of the girls in the back trips over something and Haruhi's voice abruptly cuts off. Even so, her lips keep moving and for a few seconds we're highly confused. The girls correct their mistake and Haruhi's melodious voice returns.
"Oh, she's lip syncing..." Ranka mumbles.
"Lip syncing?" Honey inquires.
"Hey newbies!" A new voice captures our attention and we all whip around. There's a hoard of girls behind us, each wearing the same t-shirts we have. They look at us intensely, hands on their hips, as their leader addresses us.
"If you want to be a part of the Benibara fanclub you have to follow the rules! Now up on your feet," The brunette orders. We immediately stand, albeit rigidly. "To be a full-fledged member, your conduct must be on approach at all times! Now all together! With enthusiasm! Let me hear those fan club mottos!"
"Lady Benibara!" We utter, hands on our knees as we stand across from the Beni fans, "Please hang in there for your adoring fans today! Lady Benibara, you look magnificent! Lady Benibara, please hang in there for your adoring fans today!"
When we finish repeating the mantra, I collapse on the ground with the twins and Honey. We huddle against the windows we were peeking through earlier, away from the others. I look down at Honey and wrap my arm around his shoulders, allowing him to lean against me for support. The host happily snuggles against me and hugs his stuffed rabbit close.
"That was a real workout," I pant.
"I'll say," Hikaru and Kaoru nod in agreement.
"Glad to have you newbies," A dark-haired girl with purple ribbons in her hair approaches Tamaki and Mori, along with her short-haired friend.
"What do you like most about Lady Benibara?" Her friend asks.
"Uh..." Tamaki utters, unable to articulate a sentence. Luckily for him, Ranka jumps right in.
"Oh ho! Only everything! The way she walks and sings, and the way she looks in coattails!" He gushes, "Why, even the shape of her head!"
"I'm so excited to see the play," The first girl sighs, "It's supposed to be a tragedy."
"It's called the Senorita's Love," The other explains, "Lord Frederick fakes his own suicide as revenge against his father for coming between he and his lover Marianne, but the gun he uses, supposedly filled with blanks, is actually filled with live rounds."
"Oh, that's so terrible..." Purple bows responds.
"I'll say," I mutter, earning a snicker from Hikaru and Kaoru.
"I have my suspicions about the girl playing Marianne though," The short-haired girl muses.
"Whoever she is," The fan club's captain replies, "If she ruins Benibara's play, our very own maiden warriors will be waiting patiently in the wing to critique her performance."
We follow to the dark alley she's pointing to and our heart collectively drop. There stand three girls in Lobelia uniforms wielding weapons and critical expressions. None of them look like they're open to letting Haruhi get away without a fight.
"What the hell is wrong with these people?" I whisper frantically as Ranka and Tamaki both pale, their jaws dropping.
"If Haruhi has to put on a performance in front of these psychos, she'll be done for!" Hikaru states as the four of us hurry to our feet.
"They'll beat the living daylights out of her!" Honey exclaims. I wrap my arms around Honey's shoulders and hug him close, trying to comfort the older but shorter host.
"Haruhi!" Ranka cries, cupping his face while tears stream from his eyes out of pure dread.
"Don't you worry," Tamaki says, growing the most serious expression I've ever seen him wear. His tone is dark and voice low, "We're going to get her out of that place."
"And yet, even as we speak, the curtain's rising is nearly upon us."
Tamaki narrates our movements as we scurry from row to row in the massive theater. The walls are a bright gold, almost orange, and the private booths on the upper floor have purple, velvet curtains draped over the openings. The rows of square chairs are the same shade of purple and the floors underneath are shiny and dark. The front of the room has a huge stage and orchestra that's being prepped for the upcoming performance. We stop at one of the rows for a moment, taking it in and scanning the room for Haruhi, but we find no sight of her.
"Hold on," Ranka says and turns to us, "Where did Kyoya run off to?"
"Huh?" I look around, but Ranka's right. Kyoya is missing. We were too busy with those Benibara fan-girls to notice his disappearance.
"Now that you've mentioned it, I haven't seen him in a while..." Tamaki muses while we continue looking around, this time for the glasses wearing Ootori.
"Hey look! He's up there!" Honey exclaims, pointing to a control booth directly behind us. I look over and immediately spot our friend. He's walking inside the narrow room with a young lady, who looks absolutely thrilled to be in his presence. I frown and bite the inside of my lip, feeling absolutely disgusted.
"That jackass," Tamaki mutters.
"He moves quickly," Kaoru observes.
"A little too quickly." I growl, crossing my arms. I feel eyes on me and notice that all the boys, plus Ranka, are staring at me. I tear my eyes away from Kyoya and the young woman, looking at them instead.
"What?"
"Somebody's jealous!" The twins sing-song, grinning from ear to ear.
"I'm not jealous!" I respond quickly, despite my high voice and red face.
"It's okay Lottie-chan," Honey smiles, "I think it's cute."
"Oh that's so sweet Charlotte! I remember how I felt when Kotoko had all the young men falling for her," Ranka gushes.
"Oh my gosh," I groan and bury my face in my hands. "Don't we have a mission to get back to?"
"Charlotte's right," Tamaki says sternly, "Men, it's back to Operation: Rescue Haruhi!"
Operation: Rescue Haruhi gets put on hold again after Ranka and Tamaki convince themselves it's a good idea to let Haruhi perform. I manage to get away from the boys while they watch the play, they've kept me all afternoon with no breaks. I make a stop at the bathrooms and they're even fancier than the ones at Ouran, probably because the school is full of young women who have a keen eye for this sort of thing. The sinks are gold, the stalls are clean, and everything is intricately decorated. It's like some strange version of heaven's bathroom. There's even cherubs painted on the arching ceiling and a healthy snack dispenser.
After I finish, I decide not to go back to the others. Instead, I start towards the control booth we saw Kyoya in. I'm not sure how to get to it though, but solving that problem is easier than I thought it'd be. I spot the two girls we talked to earlier, the short-haired one and the girl with bows, and walk up to them.
"Hi," I greet them and they both turn to me with wide smiles.
"Oh, hi! You're one of the newbies from earlier, aren't you?" The shorter haired girl asks.
"That's the one," I grin and tuck some of my hair back. "You wouldn't happen to know where the control booth is for the theater, would you?"
"I do," The one with purple bows says warily, "But why do you need to know?"
"Well, my sister's working it today and I'm studying for the same job she has. She told me I could stop by and get a tour," I explain. Lying feels way too easy but my conscience decides not to bother me just yet. For now, my heart pounds in expectation. Will she believe me or not?
"Oh, well it's just up those stairs, down the hall, and through the first door on the left." The girl says after pondering my reason for a few seconds. I almost let out a breath of relief, but hold it in so she won't get suspicious.
"Thanks so much!" I smile and wave goodbye, hurrying off to meet "my sister". They both wave back and get back to whatever conversation they were having.
I walk past white walls with giant columns and up the carpeted stairs. Ouran is pretty pretentious, but they look pragmatic compared to Lobelia. Following the girl's instructions, I head down the hall and tentatively open the first door on the left. I stick my head through the door, peeking inside the rectangular space.
The room is a lighter shade of yellow-orange than inside the theater with an angled ceiling and a brown marbled floor. The left side of the room, under the angled ceiling, consists of a desk with different buttons and controls that span the entire length of the wall. There's two men in the room, standing off to the side with blank but intense expressions. They look at me and I wonder what they're thinking as they quickly glance me over but return to whatever they were doing moments ago. Kyoya and the young woman from earlier are standing before the controls, watching the performance. The woman presses a few buttons now and again, possibly to adjust the lighting on the stage. Seeing her standing so close to Kyoya makes my skin crawl.
"Hello, Charlotte," Kyoya says as I step inside. I'm not surprised he knew it was me. I walk over to him and stand on his left side, looking out over the theater. It's packed with Benibara's fans and students of Lobelia. I can see Tamaki and the others standing off to the side as they watch Haruhi.
"Excuse me, young lady, who are you?" The woman asks, peering over at me.
"Pardon our manners," Kyoya jumps in, "This is-"
"I can introduce myself, Kyoya." I interrupt, a little too sharply. I soften my tone when I address the woman, "Hi, I'm Charlotte Macy. One of Kyoya's friends."
"Hello, Miss Macy. I'm Hina Arai, the Stage Manager of Lobelia. I was just showing Kyoya here how my staff and I manage the lighting and some of the sound for the plays," She shakes my hand, "Strange, Kyoya didn't mention any of his friends were here. But you're free to stay and watch if you'd like."
"It'd be a pleasure, thank you Arai-san." I smile as we break our hand shake. She seemed a little crestfallen finding out I'm his friend. The small victory soothes some of my previous anger away. Hina gets back to work and I return my attention to our friends.
"Charlotte, is something wrong?" Kyoya whispers in my ear.
"Nothing's wrong, Kyoya. Everything is just peachy. Now, how are we going to help Haruhi out?" I ask him, turning to face him. A small sigh escapes his lips but he quickly puts his mask on again.
"I was about to get to that," Kyoya looks at Hina and smiles at her, "Arai-san. How about Charlotte and I run the booth so you can have a break? It must be a terribly stressful job, you deserve to relax."
"Oh, I don't know Ootori-san," Hina responds, looking up nervously.
"Please, it would be my pleasure. My friends over there already have a spot ready for you," Kyoya points at the two men. I'm surprised to see they set up a chair, pillow, and a small tub to soak her feet in. There's even hot tea ready for her to drink from.
"Well, maybe for just a minute..." She says. Hina flashes some lights on the hosts before going over to them. She sets her shoes aside and sits down in the chair, letting out a sigh of relief when her feet slip into the steaming water. I look back at Kyoya and notice he's already taking over the controls, whipping out his cell phone while typing on the computer.
"What's going on Kyoya?" I ask him as I look outside. We can't hear what's being said, the booth is sound proof so the computers don't bother the audience. But I see Benibara pull Haruhi into her arms while Tamaki charges at them. He slips and falls flat on his face while the center of the stage rises. Benibara attempts to kiss Haruhi, despite my friend's attempts to get away.
"Yes, please forward that photo to me immediately." Kyoya speaks into his phone, ignoring my question. Outside the booth, the fans are getting into an uproar over what's happening. I look at the stage and see a white screen descend from ceiling. Seconds later, after Kyoya taps one of the keys, a picture appears.
"Whoa! What the hell, when did this happen?" I ask Kyoya, shaking his arm. We both watch as Ranka books it for the stage, closely followed by the twins. Just like with what happened to Tamaki, all three of them trip on something.
"It was before you started coming to the club," Kyoya explains, "We helped the young woman in the photo and during a dance, to preserve Haruhi's first kiss, Tamaki tried to intervene. He ended up pushing Haruhi on to Kotoko, hence what we see here."
"Sounds like a blast," I grin and look back at our friends. Haruhi tries to escape Benibara and leaps into Tamaki's arms. The poor fool isn't able to catch her and instead, she lands squarely on him. As she tries to escape Ranka and the twins, she's pursued by Benibara who lands on Tamaki too. After that, everyone on stage is chasing after the poor girl. Once they reach the left of the stage again, they all end up slipping and falling.
"What's happening out there?" Hina asks as she gets up. She gasps when she sees what Kyoya's done and frowns at us both.
"Out, out, out!" She urges, not bothering with niceties anymore. The two suited men step towards her, but Kyoya waves them off. They leave the room first and Kyoya and I follow suit. The door shuts behind us with a sharp click.
"So are these guys your security detail?" I ask him, curiously. Kyoya nods and after we're acquainted he requests they give us a minute alone. The men silently obey the Ootori's orders, giving us plenty of space.
"Charlotte, are you upset with me?" Kyoya asks.
"Why would I be upset Kyoya?" I respond but he doesn't seem amused. He gently grabs my arm and takes us around the corner, away from prying eyes. He traps me against the wall, but doesn't hold me still or restrict much of my space. I realize he's preventing me from getting scared, not letting my fear of small spaces get the better of me. Even so, he is so close I could touch him if I dared.
"You're not very good at lying, at least not to me, so tell me what it is."
"Or you'll do what?" I challenge.
"I'll get it out of you somehow, Charlotte. But I'd prefer you tell me yourself. We are friends." His voice is a little gentler, coaxing my mind off the edge of stubbornness. I sigh slowly, combing my fingers through my hair.
"It's, it's just that you left us to be with her." I look down, feeling embarrassed. My cheeks feel warm, possibly pink. He left me...
"Is that what this is about?" Kyoya asks, a little surprised. I'm too embarrassed to gloat over surprising him. I feel his cold fingertips tentatively touch my chin, lifting my head so he can see me.
"Charlotte, are you jealous?" He asks, which reminds me about the trip to the beach. When I walked in on him and Haruhi and trapped myself in the closet he asked me the same thing. Back then, I said no. But now, I honestly can't lie to him. My heart pounds in my ears, thumping hard in my chest. I look at his eyes, seeing the grey orbs peering into mine without any hint of malice or judgement. He's warm, concerned. No mask is covering this side of him. Just as I'm about to respond, we hear footsteps rushing towards us.
"There you are!" Tamaki grins as he approaches us. Kyoya steps away from me casually, looking at me almost forlornly. I wonder how I look, if my dejection is evident. Another missed opportunity.
"We have to get going, we don't want Benio or that crazy fan club catching us!" Tamaki says hurriedly. Kyoya and I nod, following the harried blonde down the hall and towards one of the exits. The hosts are already outside the door, including Haruhi. She isn't wearing her costume anymore, they must have let her change before rushing out here.
"Go men, hurry!" Tamaki shouts as we start sprinting back to the limo. I look at Haruhi as I fight to keep up with everyone, smiling widely to my younger friend.
"You did a great job!" She looks at me with exasperation but slowly smiles.
"Thanks."
We drop Haruhi and Ranka off at their place first, bidding the two warm goodbyes and waiting until they're safely in their apartment before we leave. The limo starts down the street again and I sit back in my seat, brushing my fingers through my hair. Everyone is tired after a long day, so conversation is quiet and practically nonexistent. I look out the window, watching the buildings we pass by. Everything is cloaked in an orange-pink glow due to the setting sun.
Instead of turning to my house, which isn't very far from Haruhi's complex, we go down a different street. I look to Kyoya, tapping him on his shoulder. I keep my voice quiet so we don't disturb the others, particularly our napping loli-boy.
"Kyoya, wouldn't it make more sense to drop me off first?"
"I suppose it would, yes." He responds, checking his email on his phone.
"Then what's the deal?" I ask, confused. Kyoya sighs and looks over at me.
"I wanted to speak to you before we dropped you off, without the others getting in the way." Kyoya explains, "Is that alright?"
"Oh, okay..." I nod and wonder if our conversation earlier has anything to do with it. I sit back and we remain silent for the rest of the ride, even as we drop off the others. When we drop off Mori and Honey, the taller host simply carries his sleeping cousin inside so he doesn't disrupt his sleep. I admire Mori's dedication, it's inspiring. The twins are next and they walk to their home hand in hand. Tamaki is last, but instead of going to the main house he turns for the second complex.
"Why doesn't Tamaki go in the main house?" I ask Kyoya, looking at the tech savvy host.
"He isn't allowed inside," Kyoya responds, elaborating after, "His family has a very troubled relationship. His grandmother isn't very fond of him, so Tamaki must do what he can to please her."
I'm stunned for a few seconds as his words sink in. Tamaki, how could any one not like him, especially his own grandmother? I turn back to the window and watch him enter the house as we drive away. My heart hurts for him, I wonder how he's able to stay so positive despite his situation. Unconsciously, my fingertips touch the window as if could console him in some way.
"I feel so bad for him," I say softly, looking at Kyoya.
"He'll win her over soon, I'm sure. It may take a while, but Tamaki's geniality with people can break through any walls," Kyoya says fondly. He looks like he wants to say more, his lips parting for a second, but ultimately changes his mind.
"You believe in him."
"That I do," He nods.
"I do, too." I smile and settle against the comfy leather cushions, watching the sky turn a dusky grey-blue as the sun's last rays of sunshine disappear. The quiet inside the limo is nice, amicable, just like it was last weekend. I still remember how comforting it was having Kyoya by my side. Seeing him step out of the limousine was so relieving. And when he gently took my hand, I felt so special. Kyoya isn't the type for such intimate contact but he freely gave it to me. I glance at him from the corner of my eye and wonder what's going through his mind.
"Charlotte?" Kyoya suddenly asks, breaking me out of the most private recesses of my mind.
"Yes, Kyoya?"
"You still haven't answered my question," He reminds me, looking over to me now. Behind him, outside the other window, I spot a few stars shining in the grey-blue sky.
"Oh, that's right..." I stammer out, blinking and ducking my head. "I... I guess I was a little jealous."
"A little?" He teases, touching my cheek. My face lights up, burning under his touch and I have to swallow back a squeal. I look up at him and pout, crossing my arms indignantly.
"Okay! Okay, more than a little..." I mumble as I look back at the carpeted floor. His habit of teasing me is probably why I feel so confused about his feelings toward me. Not to mention it's super annoying. I recall he nearly made me jump out of my skin the week before summer break, in front of my grandmother no less. When I glance at him he smirks a little but softens his expression after.
"Charlotte you don't have to be jealous," He says, slowly. His tone sounds different and I don't feel him looming over me. I look up again, he's not as close and his posture is a little more rigid. Is he... shy?
"Why not?" I ask softly, my brows creasing together.
"Remember, last week when you asked me why I didn't want you going on that date?" He replies.
"Yes, you didn't answer me then either." I nod, sitting up a little straighter.
"And I know you weren't there, but remember when the other hosts wanted to visit the 'Commoner's Expo' without you two and I ended up spending the day with Haruhi anyways?" Kyoya says, his eyes focused on me. I nod again, wondering where he's going with this.
"Well, Haruhi and I had plenty of conversations that day, all of them enlightening." Kyoya explains, "But Haruhi told me something in particular that day that bears relevance to us, or more specifically, to me and how I feel."
"And what's that?" I'm almost scared to find out. By now, the limo's been parked in front of my house for a few minutes.
"She was inquiring about why I'm friends with everyone and after I mentioned it's based on self-interest, she asked about my friendship with her. And with you," Kyoya says, keeping his voice clinically calm, "She wanted to know what I had to gain from a friendship with both of you. After I told her why I maintained my contact with her, she wanted me to continue about you. And..."
He pauses, his fingers twitching as he thinks about what he's going to say.
"And I had to think about it. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I don't have much to gain from you," He says and I feel my heart skip a beat. It's coming, he's going to stop being friends with me. I can feel my skin paling, my hands clenching, and my eyes watering.
"Charlotte, what's wrong?" Kyoya asks now, his eyebrows creasing as he examines my face.
"Are... are you saying you don't want to be friends anymore?" I timidly ask. Kyoya blinks, surprised.
"No," He assures, "Far from that Charlotte. I gain many merits from my relationships with the other hosts, even beyond monetary means. My relationship with you has some similarities to my relationship with Tamaki. You both help me understand my feelings more, something I've not been able to do in a long time. And my feelings, with regards to you, go beyond what I feel for the others," Kyoya clarifies. He shifts closer to me now, carefully. I feel myself drawing closer too, and my hand slowly inches toward his.
"And how far is that?" I ask coyly, a small forming on my lips. Kyoya's face leans closer to mine and I can feel his breath tickling my skin, smell the peppermint cologne he wears. His eyes glance down at my lips and my heart flutters. He doesn't say anything more as his other hand comes up, cupping my cheek. I breathe in sharply at his touch, stopping him for only a second before he finally presses his lips to mine. Its like the world comes to a stop, my mind stops working. My eyelids flutter to a close, allowing me only a glimpse of his face before there's nothing but the cool sensation of his fingers brushing on my cheek and the warmth of his mouth. I clutch his other hand during this moment of pure bliss.
When he pulls away, he doesn't go far. He simply rests his forehead on mine, breathing in slow, deliberate breaths. I have to remind myself to do the same, that the burning in my lungs is not normal. I take a few soft, delicious gulps of air and feel my rapidly beating heart slow down. My face feels hot and though I'm sure I'm blushing, I simply don't care. When I open my eyes again, he's staring back at me. Kyoya's own face has a dusting of pink on it and instead of his mask he looks completely open. There's a small smile pricking his lips and his expression is nothing but fond and perhaps a little dazed.
"That's pretty far," I say simply.
"You're very articulate," Kyoya smirks. He sighs gently and looks outside, "It's getting dark. You should get inside, before your family worries."
"Okay," I say even though I'd rather stay here. I would stay here forever if I knew we could relive that moment again, no worries or fears. Just us.
We exit the vehicle, with the limousine driver opening the door for us. I thank the older man and wait for Kyoya to step out. Once he's outside, he walks with me to the front door. Before I open the door, though, I look up at Kyoya and smile.
"It was fun today," I say, "And back there... that was pretty brave of you. I know you're not one for laying your emotions out like that. But I'm glad you did, thank you."
"You don't have to thank me," He responds honestly, "But I'm glad I did as well. I'll see you on Monday, Charlotte."
"Bye Kyoya," I nod and watch him walk away. I open the door to the house but turn around again, "Kyoya?"
"Yes, Charlotte?" He stops at the bottom stair. I hurriedly approach him, smiling because he's level with me now, take his hands and gently kiss him. Kyoya seems surprised, caught off guard by the affection. But he responds in kind, even returning the pressure I'm applying to his hands. I chuckle at his stunned expression when I stop and let go.
"Bye," I wave again and watch him shake his head before he waves back and walks back to the limo. I step inside the house and close the door behind me. Inside, my grandmother is talking with Hallory. I walk over to the two, who sit at the kitchen table, and wave at them both.
"Lottie-chan!" Hallory's face lights up when she sees me and my grandmother smiles widely to me.
"There you are darling. How was your day?" She asks, curiously.
"It was great," I smile before joining them at the table, "Really great."