Jared's shoulders slumped, the boy obviously crestfallen.
"So it isn't true." He sighed, taking shallow breaths in a panic.
"What? What isn't true? KYOUYA-SENPAI!" Hanami snatched the paper from his hands in horrified anticipation. Her eyes quickly scanned the page.
Her mouth fell open.
Hanami had a strong urge to toss the paper to the floor with a "Pssh. Yeah right, it's true," quite scornfully, but she held back her evil thoughts and looked at her old friend with pity.
"No. Jared, I never wrote this letter to you. I should think that I would at least call the person I was supposed to marry on the phone. Richard probably wrote this to make peace, hoping that I'd pity you and marry you. I'm sorry, Jared. I don't like you in that way. This letter, this acceptance to your marriage proposal for when I turn 18, wasn't mine. I never decided this. I'm sorry to let you down." Hanami knew that she should be kinder, but she never wanted a soap-opera life and was extremely pissed.
She looked up to find Kyouya gaping at her, his beautiful face drawn into a look of anger, horror, and shock.
"What-"
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?! IS THAT HOW YOU RESPOND TO A FAKE LETTER OF YOUR MARRIAGE TO HIM?" Kyouya raised his voice at Hanami, just under a scream.
Hanami opened her mouth to speak, but Kyouya cut in.
"NO, you be QUIET. There are several things wrong here! Firstly, did you not notice that it was a letter 'from you' saying that you agreed to marry Jared? And that's not the only thing. DO YOU REALIZE THAT THIS IS A QUESTION TO YOUR SAFETY?" Kyouya had grabbed her by the shoulders and was now yelling at Hanami in the face.
She looked at him, utterly shocked. She had never seen Kyouya burst out like that. His eyes looked at hers searchingly, frantically, a Kyouya that frightened Hanami.
Kyouya realized that the others were looking at him in that same shell-shocked expression. He discovered that he had been yelling and struggled to restore his usual self-control.
Damn it! Why did I do that? I don't even know, myself. It's uncharacteristic of me to have outbursts. What IS the matter with me? I feel so uneasy, so envious, so scared, so protective, so heated, so angry, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY. I would usually be courteous to a man of social standing as Jared, but for some reason I hate him with all of my heart. Don't I always keep my enemies close? Why is it that I cannot hold myself back when he's around? Why is it that I can't even pretend to be nice to him?
"Kyouya. Don't you think you've gone too far?" Tamaki looked worriedly at his best friend.
"Don't give me crap. What if it was Haruhi who was in this situation?"
Tamaki yelped and ran over to his little tanuki and held her tight in his arms, not intending to let go.
"Getoffme!" Haruhi pinched the back of Tamaki's hand, then added force when she thought that she looked like she was being playful with him.
Hanami, who was in shocked tears, had an inkling that Haruhi liked Tamaki back, but quickly focused back onto her own thoughts.
"Oh, dear." Kyouya sighed. "Hanami-san…I…I didn't mean to yell at you. Please realize that your safety is important."
Hanami hiccupped a little and nodded, wiping her eyes.
Why? WHY WHY WHY WHY? Why does Hanami-san's safety concern me so much! Kyouya was having an inner civil war. But on the outside, he used extreme self control to semi-politely escort Jared away, with a check for an airplane ticket back to the United States. Kyouya patted his pocket, making sure that the marriage proposal letter was stowed safely.
"Well. That was fun, but we've got an essay due tomorrow and our teacher refuses to be bribed after a certain time in the evening, so we'll be taking our leave now. Can you kids handle this on your own?" The twins teased, trying to make light of the situation.
"Hah. Yeah, go ahead." Hanami sniffed and waved them away.
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Soon, all the hosts had left, save for Tamaki, Haruhi, and Kyouya.
"I know that you don't like being fussed over and taken care of, Hanami, but I agree with Kyouya. Your safety is an issue if people are trying to get you to marry others. You need to watch out." Haruhi chided Hanami, acting like a miniature mother hen.
As proud as he was of Haruhi, Tamaki focused on the problem at hand. "I agree as well. Your life isn't exactly safe anymore. We all know Richard is trying to get you now. But what can we do to ensure your security?"
"I've already arranged to have Hotta be Hanami-san's personal escort, and several of my private police have been called in to stand guard around this area." Kyouya said curtly, crossing his arms.
Hanami, seated nearby Kyouya, shrank away in fear. She was scared that he might burst out again. "I'm fine, you guys. Leave me alone, I don't need security."
All three looked at her, shaking their heads as a parent does to a disobeying child. "Hanami, I don't think you should live around here anymore." Kyouya interjected.
"It's not like I have anywhere else to go. Lay off me." Hanami muttered.
"No, Hanami-chan. I think Kyouya's right…you can't live here. They, whoever they are, have your address, and Haruhi's too. It isn't safe for either of you. I think I can arrange for Ranka-san to lodge with Misuzu until this all blows over… But I'm not sure about you two…" For once in his life, Tamaki was acting serious. Kyouya was impressed.
"Oh. I have an idea… How about I continue living here, and you and Haruhi can carry on in a romantic rendezvous together?" Hanami was quite irritated. "Because I think I can defend myself. Like I said, LAY OFF."
"What makes you think you can defend yourself?" Kyouya asked, glaring degradingly at Hanami.
"Um. Maybe years of training in the martial freaking arts?" muttered Hanami. "Leave me alone! Don't you get that I don't like being dependent on someone else? Both of my fathers have left me to go to another world, so I've had to learn to manage on my own! I happen to be the heir to the Pineapple throne, and I do think I can take care of myself without anyone's help!" she hissed.
"HANAMI! Don't screw around with me," Kyouya snapped and dropped the honorific, surprising Hanami. "You're not a normal teenage girl anymore. You're an ICON. Can you please realize that and get off your high horse?"
He paused to meet her gaze. Hanami stared, noticing something strange in his look.
"Maybe your fighting skills would have been fine in hand-to-hand combat against a potential rapist. But here? In the business world? You won't stand a chance. Hanami-san. People play dirty around here. There will be some who will not stop until they see you dead, your family dead, your friends dead… They will have enough power and money to do the unimaginable, for example, forging your letters. Manipulation is not forbidden at all. Please, Hanami-san. Take that into consideration."
Tamaki nodded in agreement with his closest friend's story. "Hanami, please take this into consideration. It would be beneficial to you both to live elsewhere for a while."
He stopped, then thought for a while.
"Because then you would be safe, and Haruhi could eat ootoro!" He remembered his thought.
Hanami sighed, Haruhi doing the same.
"Well…I guess It couldn't hurt to check into the Four Seasons in Tokyo's Marunouchi Business District…Besides, it's quite close to my company's building…"
Tamaki grinned, Haruhi sighed again, and Kyouya was still frowning.
"Hello? Kyouya-senpai? Happy now?" Hanami was still a bit icy from Kyouya's anger at her.
"Frankly, no, but I guess we'll have to compromise. If you go to a hotel, I will supply security for you. I think I can spare Aijima, although Tachibana is the most reliable of my escorts."
"Uh…no. I will be utilizing the Four Season's security service, if you do not mind. Do you?" Hanami did not try to hide the malice from her voice.
"I do." Kyouya returned, never losing his cool. He was quite relieved to regain his composure, though. "Surely there is another place you can go." Like my house, he almost added, then blinked and wondered why he had thought that.
"Like Kyouya's house!" Tamaki said brightly, as Kyouya choked beside him.
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"Kyouya-senpai?! Are you alright?" Haruhi looked concerned as Hanami laughed at Kyouya's expense.
"Shh! Haruhi!" Tamaki hushed them all, and continued with his thought. "Hanami can live with Kyouya, so then she'll be really safe under the protection of ALL of Kyouya's bodyguards…and his private police! And…"
"And?" All three raised their eyebrows at Tamaki.
"And…Haruhi can live with me…?" He said sheepishly.
"As if." Haruhi and Hanami chimed together, as Kyouya explained "Doesn't your grandmother know what happens in Suoh Mansion #2 as well? It would be terrible for your future if Haruhi were to live there."
"Well…then can both live with you, Kyouya?" Tamaki sidled up to his dark-haired friend and shined his great, big, blue puppy eyes at Kyouya.
"Sorry, Tamaki. I've only got one spare room that isn't used for guest dignitaries. It's Fuyumi's old room. It's a rather large bed, but it's indecent for the two have to sleep together. Horrible manners on my part."
Hanami brightened up. "Then Haruhi can stay with Kyouya-senpai and I'll go to the Four Seasons by myself."
"No, you won't. Haruhi will stay with the twins, and you will stay with me. I've made the decision for all of us. No, Tamaki," Kyouya raised a hand when he saw that the Frenchman wanted to speak, and continued, "While Haruhi's safety is important, it's Hanami-san's life that is in the most jeopardy. Haruhi will be safe enough at the Hitachins', but it is my estate that can offer the best protection as of the moment."
Hanami thought it wise not to argue, with Kyouya's face set in stone, but resolved to find a way to escape somehow.
"I guess you're right." Tamaki sighed. Then: "BUT WHY DOES SHE HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE TWINS?!? THOSE TWO HORRIBLE KIDS….THE THOUGHT OF THEM ALONE WITH MY HARUHI…I'M SUCH A HORRIBLE FATHER!" And he ran out of the apartment in tears.
Having people plan her living conditions for her irked Haruhi, but she understood that safety was a priority. "Kyouya-senpai…will my father be safe?"
"Yes. Now, both of you, please pack as much as you can into whatever you have. If necessary, I'll have some suitcases delivered. Please hurry, for urgency is needed when lives are in danger. It does us no good to assume that the enemy will not discover our plans immediately."
"Now?!" Hanami was shocked.
"Yes. We must act as quickly as we can." Kyouya's voice was no-nonsense and down to business. Hanami recognized this, and although her heart was burning with anger, she listened anyway. She could save cussing Kyouya out for another time.
Author's Note: Merry Late Christmas, guys! Sorry. I haven't updated NCSI in a bajillion years…SO BUSY with school and all. It's tough! But I guess 1st semesters always are. Please review, even if you hate me for not updating! And please don't hate me! On top of being swamped with schoolwork, I couldn't think of a good way to finish up this chapter. It's kinda long..sorry.
Disclaimers go as usual, Bisco Hatori is the genius behind Ouran, etc, etc. I don't own anything 'cept Hanami.
PLOT NOTICE (IMPORTANT!)
From here on out, there could potentially be even less of the Mori and Honey...I'm sorry to those who are their fans. I'll do my best to incorporate them in, but from now on the focus of the story will be Hanami and Kyouya…Tamaki, Haruhi, and the twins are the next runners-up. There isn't enough plot I can prepare for Mori and Honey, unless they become Hanami's second love interest or something. This is PRIMARILY a KyouyaXOC fic, but if you want me to toss in some MoriXOCXKyouya (with Kyouya being the winner, I can't change that. For a Mori/OC fic, see my author page) I have written some ideas for that. And the reason why my fic is rated T will come up soon. Originally I had planned on M for safety, then realized I can't write things like that for beans. Too scary, anyway! So please enjoy reading!
For a more multi-character fic, try Mistress of Deception. It's a KyouyaXHaruhiXTamaki fic.
Read and Review, Please!!
