!I'M SO SORRY IT TOOK THIS LONG TO UPDATE. :( I CAUGHT A BUG FROM ACCIDENTLY SWALLOWING CREEK WATER SO IV'E BEEN FEELING AWFUL FOR DAYS. ESPECIALLY YESTERDAY. BUT I'M FEELING SORTA BETTER NOW. :) I'LL DO MY BEST TO GET AT LEAST TWO CHAPTERS IN BY SUNDAY OR MONDAY.
THIS IS AN EXTRA LONG CHAPTER TO MAKE UP FOR MY SICKNESS. :) I THINK IT'S AROUND NINE THOUSAND WORDS!
DISCLAIMER: YADA YADA. YOU GET THE PICTURE. :P
Chapter 12
Instead of answering, he leaned forward again and captured my lips in a firm kiss. Overwhelmed but willing, my eyes fluttered closed.
As Kyoya continued to kiss me, I began to feel lightheaded. Leaning up, I wrapped my arms around his neck. I felt the arm that wasn't on the back of my head, pressing our faces together, snake around my waist. After an undetermined amount of time, he leaned away, his eyes looking even darker.
My face flushed, I tried to catch my breath. Unwillingly, I untangled my arms from around his neck and leaned back. As soon as I was able to tear my eyes away from his face, I couldn't seem to look back at him. He had pulled away the hand that had been resting on the back of my head but the arm around my waist remained.
When I was in control of my breathing, I carefully looked up at him. "Why did you do that?"
Kyoya opened his mouth to speak but closed it a second later. He glanced from my eyes to my lips quickly before returning his gaze back to eye level. "I...apologize." He said with a stiff voice. He pulled his arm away, a very faint blush on his neck. "That was uncalled for."
"It's okay. I didn't mind. We're... engaged, right? So it's acceptable?" I mumbled.
"I've known you only a short time. I shouldn't take those sort of liberties with you."
I raised an eyebrow. It's not like he tried to molest me or anything. It was just a kiss. A really incredible kiss. Trying my best not to lose my voice in my nervousness, I asked once again. "Why exactly did you kiss me?"
His expression seemed awkward and unsure. "Would you be angry if I told you that I honestly don't know?"
I tried not to sigh. It was frustrating having him kiss me with no answer as to why he did but if he was unsure, I had to accept that answer. "No. I'm not angry. Like I said. It's acceptable."
"It's not completely unheard of... But it doesn't happen often." Kyoya muttered, his eyes focused on a bird that was fluttering around outside, trying to find a place to land.
"What doesn't happen often?" I asked.
He glanced at me for a second, an understated smirk on his handsome face. "Feeling an attraction towards your intended. It really never happens for people in my situation."
My face heated up, realizing that I wasn't imagining any of it. He really did have feelings for me. The way he looked at me, he seemed to know exactly what I was thinking. What did this mean? Was he my boyfriend now? No. More than that. Because of Mark's stupid merger with Mr. Ootori, I was Kyoya's fiance. In about two years, I would be his wife.
As I tried to fight off the unpleasant feelings I harbored towards Mark, Kyoya's father and the situation they forced us into, Kyoya's expression turned to one of confusion. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."
Realizing that I must look terrified right now, I shook my head and forced a smile on my face. "You didn't. Really. I'm just... a little overwhelmed about everything."
Before either of us could say another word, we heard heavy footsteps heading for the music room. Not even three seconds later, Tamaki bounded in. That ended our conversation for the time being. I tried not to get too upset about it. We had tomorrow morning or even text messaging to further discuss everything.
Once Haruhi arrived for the morning, she sat down with me and explained how she had to pretend she was a boy. Apparently, she broke an expensive vase and, in order to pay off her debt, she had to be a host. She had paid off her debt last year but she loved being with the host club so much that she decided to stay.
After telling me of a few of the wacky adventures she had been on with the other hosts, she had me laughing myself out of my seat. It sounded really fun to be in her shoes but she assured me that the job didn't come without stress. Mostly at Tamaki's doing. Eying the overly hyper boy, I knew exactly what she meant. It sort of grated on one's nerves to be around him for too long.
When all of the hosts had arrived, Kyoya and I sat down and explained exactly how the entire 'fell down the stairs' incident went down. They all had horrified expressions on their faces. "She just pushed you? Just like that? No reasoning?" Haruhi asked, always the type to want the exact reasoning behind someone's actions.
After a moment of deliberating, I decided to just tell them the truth. "Well, Megumi is one of Kyoya's guests. She's more or less obsessed and her reasoning is that she found out about how I've been spending time with you guys in the mornings and she thought I was doing it to piss people off. So she said if I didn't leave Kyoya alone, she'd get me kicked out of the school. Then she pushed me..."
I winced then, remembering the pain I felt as my back hit the stairs. I fell in such a way that I didn't get any serious injuries. I'm glad I didn't break any bones. I've never broken one before and I really didn't want to start now. That would for sure get mom's attention. She's sneak me onto a plane in a giant suitcase if she had to.
Megumi's words were now ringing in my ears. Would she really get me kicked out of Ouran? I really hoped not. I loved it here. I do now... Other than a few comments on how awful Megumi was and a declaration from Tamaki saying that she was not allowed to be a guest any longer in the Host Club, the subject was more or less dropped.
I had decided to wear the golden pendant to school today and, once Tamaki saw it, he went on and on about how Kyoya didn't know a thing about picking out presents and that Tamaki went to help him select it out of the goodness of his heart. I had to roll my eyes at the way Tamaki swung his arms all over the place, making dramatic poses for no reason at all. Does he always talk like that?
"You'll get used to the boss's antics after a while." Hikaru said before throwing an arm around my shoulder. He put his weight into it so I had to try and support it.
"So tell us. What's going on with you and mommy?" Kaoru asked. He was nice enough to just stand beside me and not try and make me carry his weight too.
"Mommy?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in Kyoya's direction. I remembered Tamaki calling him mommy at the plaza when I went shopping last Sunday. Shaking Hikaru's arm off me, I waited for someone to explain.
"Well, now that you know Haruhi's secret and all..." Kaoru began.
"...I guess you can be let in on the joke." Hikaru finished for him.
Tamaki took it upon himself to run over and explain it for me. "Well you see, I am Haruhi father. It is my job as king of this club to look after her."
"And since Kyoya is Tamaki's right hand man..." Hikaru jumped in.
"...That makes him mommy. So says the 'king'." Kaoru finished, looking as if this made perfect sense. I had to fight the look I had on my face. Only one word could describe Tamaki's reasoning 'He's an idiot'.
Warning Bell Rings
"Well, today's been fun." I mumbled as I hurriedly grabbed my school bag. I gave Kyoya, who was packing up his computer, a shy smile before heading for the door. I was surprised when he returned it. "But I must be going. See you all at the meeting."
When I had almost made it to my class, I was cornered by Mina and Rinae. "Are you okay?" Rinae asked in a panic.
"We heard you fell down the stairs!" Mina said, her eyes scanning me for injury. When she didn't find anything apparently wrong, she seemed to relax.
"I'm fine guys. Promise. Just a little accident. Not even a scratch." Which was sort of true. I didn't have any scratches. But part of my upper arm that was barely covered by my sleeve had Megumi's fingerprints bruised on from where she grabbed my arm. There was also the bruising on my leg and the bump on the back of my head. I haven't checked my back yet but I had a feeling that there might be some sort of mark there too. It still kind of hurt if I twisted my hips from side to side.
"Okay then." Mina said with a frown. "But don't hesitate to call us if you have any problems. We'll run right over and escort you to the nurse."
Rinae grinned. "Ooorrr. She can have Kyoya escort her." She finished it off with a wink. I blushed.
The girls waved as they walked off to their own class. Before I could turn and walk into class, I noticed Kyoya coming this way. He was looking directly at me with intense eyes so I thought it wise to stop and wait for him. When he was about a foot from me, he stopped and leaned down.
"Don't ever be afraid of Megumi's threats. When you entered into this arrangement, you walked under the protection of my father. Don't forget that the power of the Ootori family now extents to you."
He waited a second longer, his eyes searching my face. He seemed to find what he was looking for because he straightened up and walked right into class. When I had my blush under control, I followed him in.
Handing the teacher a note that explained my absence (Mari had been kind enough to forge Mark's signature so I didn't have to talk to him), I went to take my seat to the right of Kyoya. I could feel someone's eyes on me as soon as I entered the room. Looking around, I saw that Hiro was staring at me. "Yes?" I asked, figuring it was okay to still talk since there was a couple minutes before the bell would ring that started class.
He shook his head. "Nothing. How are you?"
"I'm fine. You?" Ever since the Masami plaza thing, I felt sort of uncomfortable being around Hiro. He made it clear that day that he wanted to be more than friends by his stares, the way he talked and how he wouldn't leave me alone the entire day. I guess it would take till after the gala next month to show him I'd never return the feelings. By then, the entire school would know about the engagement. Including Megumi...
He shrugged. "Been good. Got ten new games for my Play Station 4."
"There isn't a Play Station 4." I said absently, my focus on the board. It read 'TESTING DAY 1' in big letters.
"Not for the general public, no. But mine was special ordered. My father owns a chain of electronic stores."
I glanced at him briefly. "Cool. What's the difference between a PS3 and a PS4?" I figured asking him a question about something he was interested in would get him talking long enough that I wouldn't have to really respond before the bell rang.
"Besides playing all prior games for all the other Play Stations, it also plays DVDs, Blue-Ray movies and it also can connect to the internet and access any site. It also has a web cam hook-up so I can chat with people or use it for virtual games. Sort of like a WII. But the part that seriously sets it apart from the rest is the game it has already installed."
The bell would ring very soon. I really was bored with the topic but I was rude for ditching Hiro at the plaza and this was a sort of peace offering. "What game is already installed?"
"It's a virtual simulator. You can custom build a virtual person and they can respond to any question you ask. It's pretty limited but it knows how to answer any question you might have about how the system works and it knows quite a few questions about all past and present Play Station games. It makes it to where I never have to hunt down a manual or go online for help."
That part really did sound cool. I actually looked at him completely as he explained it. "Oh, wow."
The bell rang then. Looking to the front, I could see Kyoya glancing at me out of the corner of my eye. He looked over in my direction very quickly, his eyes looking a little... frustrated possibly? I didn't try to look his way again since the teacher had begun to talk.
"Alright class! Today is day one of testing. I hope you all took advantage of the school wide study day yesterday. Wednesday and Thursday will also be testing as well. Friday, we will announce all who made the top ten in each grade. Although these tests do not determine entirely who will make this list, they are worth a lot of points and will help if you are still needing a grade boost. The top ten of every grade will be going on the big class trip on Saturday. Remember, cheating is never allowed and those who are caught in this act will automatically fail the section of the test they are caught cheating on."
The teacher picked up a large basket then. "I will now pass out the test booklets. Do not start until the timer is set. Each section of the booklet is timed so only do the current section. When you see the word 'stop' at the end of the section, close the booklet and wait. Reading is an acceptable waiting activity. Listening to music on MP3 players or using your phones for any reason is not. If I see any phone, it will be constituted as cheating. You may not use any dictionary. Calculators are allowed on the Math section."
The teacher passed out a burgundy colored booklet about as thick as a Sunday newspaper to each of us along with little packs that included two pencils each. Our names, along with our year, our homeroom class and a five digit student I.D. number, were already printed on the front of them.
When the timer was set, I opened the booklet directly. The first section was Math. Good. I was actually good at this subject. Unfortunately, there was quite a few problems. And the timer was set for a little over an hour from now. When I had finished the final problem, I closed the book, happy with my work. I had remembered to bring the book I bought at the Masami Plaza so I pulled it out from under my desk and lost myself in the secret world of Stephanie Moreau. (A/N: If anyone is wondering, the book she is reading is actually a book I am writing on the side. It's called 'The Fifth Wife'. It's a pretty taboo book but I like the story line I thought up for it.)
When I had just gotten to the part where Stephanie turned eighteen, the timer began to buzz, signaling the end of the test. I put my book up and waited for the next one to begin. I couldn't pretend I didn't notice it. Kyoya was staring this way. But not at me. At the book. He probably realizes that it's the one he read the back cover of in that bookstore.
"Alright. Close your booklets. If you need to sharpen your pencils, do so now. In just a minute, we'll begin the Literature section. Remember, no dictionaries allowed. Put your calculators up and wait for the timer. This section is the longest so you will get ninety minutes to complete it. After the timer goes off for this section, put all your stuff away. We'll be taking a lunch break then."
When the timer began, I reluctantly opened the book and read the first question. It was the kind of section where you had to read a really long story and then answer questions over it. It took nearly twenty minutes to finish the first story and I worried that I might run out of time.
Halfway through the section, I thought I heard someone whisper my name. Thinking it was the teacher, I looked up at her. Her eyes were on the book she was reading. I heard it again and I brought my head down before looking in Hiro's direction. He was glancing at me worriedly. He was mouthing the number twenty-two. Question twenty-two was about the second story. It had asked if using the line 'The beginning of it all was the loudest' to describe the beginning of a fight. I had selected to replace the line with answer 'C'.
Looking down, I refused to even glance at him again. He was wanting me to cheat. Was he insane? My focus was on my own test so much, you'd figure I was trying to burn a hole in it with my eyes. Refocusing my eyes on it, I picked up where I left off and tried to speed up the pace. I still had twenty more questions to go and there was only half an hour left. Unfortunately, Hiro constantly whispered my name through the test. If he wasn't a good friend of Mina and Rinae's, I would've turned him in for it.
I could have practically cried with joy when the buzzer went off. As soon as the bell rang for lunch, I handed the booklet to my teacher and proceeded to pack up my things. "That was really uncool." I heard Hiro say, his tone flat.
"I wasn't going to help you cheat." I said, my hard eyes remaining on the book I was putting in my bag.
"I really want to be able to pass these tests. I really want to go on this trip with you." He said glumly. "I know you're going to make it for sure. I don't think you've gotten any lower than a ninety-nine percent on anything in here."
I pressed the urge to tell him that I didn't want to be around him anymore if he was going to be angry with me for not helping him cheat. Before I could respond, the teacher called for Hiro. "Hiro, will you come to my desk for a moment?" Uh oh... The teacher must have either seen him try to cheat or heard him after the bell rang.
Looking over to her desk, I watch a rather frightened Hiro walk towards her. She looked in my direction and I began to worry that she thought I was cheating too. I gave her a very polite smile and hoped she read the sincerity in it. Walking swiftly from the classroom, I nearly barreled into Kyoya. I skidded to a stop and looked up at him in surprise.
"Go to lunch with me?" He asked.
I blushed. "Uh...sure." As he turned around and started walking towards the main stairs, I had to jog a little to catch up. I thought about what Mina and Rinae might say about me not sitting with them today but they both were so determined to get me to spend time with Kyoya that they probably would be thrilled about it.
When we entered the cafeteria, Mina and Rinae were already sitting at our usual table with their lunch trays. They watched me with wide eyes as I gathered and paid for my selected lunch and went to sit at the host club's table. None of the hosts seemed surprised. They were all happy to scoot down and leave room for me to sit next to Haruhi and across from Kyoya.
Lunch with the hosts was entertaining to say the least. Almost right away, the twins got into some sort of argument over something stupid but the slight smiles tugging on their lips told me they were doing it for fun. They both had really good comebacks and they ended up dragging Tamaki and Haruhi into it. I think it had something to do with their favorite characters in an Anime.
After finishing my food, I stood up and took it to the tray drop off. I was a little startled with someone touched my shoulder. Looking behind me, I saw Kyoya with his tray. He handed the tray to the waiting lady there and motioned for me to follow with his head. He was already holding my bag. He handed to me and we both left the cafeteria.
When we had safely made it to the back door that led to the rose garden, he spoke up. "I prefer to spend the last half of my lunch hour out here. It's quiet."
As we walked through the entrance of the maze in silence, I wondered if he would be upset if I took his hand. Deciding to test my luck, I reached forward and clasped it lightly. He stopped walking as soon as I did this. Looking over at me curiously, he looked down at our hands. I figured he'd drop my hand but, instead, he linked our fingers together and started to walk again, his eyes now back on our path.
Why is he always so calm about everything? It makes it really difficult to tell what he was thinking. As we rounded the corners of the constantly winding maze, Kyoya matched his stride with mine, making it easy to keep up. I didn't want to disturb him since he seemed to enjoy the quiet but I really did want to ask him what he meant by kissing me earlier.
"Kyoya, I-" I started but I cut off when I noticed that he seemed to be very tense.
"Yes?" He whispered, not even glancing at me.
"What's wrong?"
"Someone's following us."
"It is a school full of students. I'm sure we're not the only ones who thought a walk through the garden would be nice." I tried to reason but he still seemed on edge.
"I hear their steps but they aren't talking or anything."
I pulled my hand back a bit, tugging on his arm. "Relax." I whispered. I did hear the steps but I wasn't panicked the way he was. I thought I saw a flash of black when I looked behind me but it was gone again in the blink of an eye.
Kyoya didn't wait around to find out who it was. Taking a sharp right turn, he started going in various directions with more purpose. Not even five minutes later, we had made it out of the maze's exit. He was quick to get us back inside the school. He didn't even take us back to the cafeteria. Instead, he let go of my hand and grabbed my arm before dragging me upstairs.
"What about everyone else?" I asked, trying to free my arm.
"Lunch is over. We've got less than a minute to get back to class."
I knew what that meant. If we were late for class at the same time, everyone would get suspicious and it would only be a matter of time before their snooping around led to answers. When we made it to the classroom, Kyoya allowed me to go in first. About fifteen seconds after I made it to my seat, Kyoya walked in too. He seemed to be a lot more relaxed now.
For the remainder of testing that day and even during the club, Kyoya was kept so busy that I couldn't talk to him at all. I didn't particularly want to listen but I knew Mark would be furious if I didn't leave the club meeting early like he said to. Getting an earlier spot in a group of random girls I've never sat with, I began to realize how stupid it was to actually be a guest of the host club. All these girls did was fawn over him and try to give him gifts.
A particular favorite gift that all these girls seemed to love attempting was cooking. Considering that these girls were all filthy rich and most of them probably hadn't even seen a stove until they got the notion to make something for a host, I considered it risky to try it. Kyoya may have been cold and falsely kind to his guests but he was no chicken. He pulled a cookie out of each of the girls bags and tried them, complimenting each on their exceptional cooking skills before going back to explaining something or other about the budget. I didn't miss the way he casually disposed of the cookies in his mouth into the napkin near him.
When I got up to leave for the day, Kyoya stopped talking completely, his eyes going from the girl he was explaining something or other to to me. He seemed tense all of a sudden. "I apologize but Miss. Yukimura is in my class. I borrowed a study guide from her and I really should go to my locker and return it to her. I'll be back momentarily."
These girls had never met me before at all but each seemed perfectly content to give me downright vicious glares as Kyoya stood up and left the club room with me. I had never lent him a study guide but he must have some reason in telling them so. When we had arrived at the main staircase, he explained.
"I have a bad feeling about whatever was following us in the maze. I'm going to escort you to your car."
"Kyoya, I honestly think you're just being paranoid." I sighed. "For all you know, it could have been a cat."
"Pets are not allowed on Ouran grounds. There is no way an animal could have made its way in without being seen. I don't mean to alarm you but there are people out there that really mean harm to people from my family."
He seemed so serious as he said this that my eyes widened in alarm. "I didn't plan on getting a ride today though... I told Mr. Kobayashi to not pick me up. I was gonna walk... I'd call Mr. Kobayashi but I think he's been promised the afternoon off..." I really didn't want to disturb Mr. Kobayashi when he could be resting...
He looked frustrated then. "Will your brother allow you to wait until the club meeting is over to return home?"
"He specifically told me to leave half an hour early." I told him.
He sighed. "Wait here. I'll be back soon."
Without waiting for a response, he walked quickly around the corner. As soon as I was alone, I became very aware of that fact. My eyes scanned the halls and looked out all of the windows. Was he serious? Was I going to be kidnapped or something for being the fiance of Kyoya?
I was half convinced to run around the corner and find him when he returned. He had collected his book bag from the club room and he seemed like he was planning on taking me home himself. "You called for a ride so you can take me home?"
He shook his head. "No. I'm going to walk you home. I can't manage a ride before five."
"Really Kyoya. I'll be fine." I tried to tell him, not wanting him to go to all that trouble.
"Let's get going." He said, ignoring me. "It will take ten minutes or so to get there."
When I didn't start walking fast enough for his taste, he grabbed my hand and practically drug me down the stairs. Once we got to the Ouran gates, he slowed down considerably. It probably had something to do with me yelling at him to slow down. Why did he have to be in such a rush all the time.
Kyoya seemed to be putting forth an effort to look relaxed on the walk to Mark's house. That didn't stop his eyes from looking all over the place. Once at the house, he went so far as to walk me directly inside. Mark had been waiting near the parlor at the time and didn't miss the chance to hang up with whoever he was talking on the phone with and try to strike up a conversation.
"Kyoya. How are you?" Mark asked, his smile pleasant.
"Just fine sir. I walked your sister home. I hope that's alright with you." I didn't miss the completely fake smile Kyoya was using. The smile reserved for people he didn't care at all about. Also the smile reserved for people he seemed to hate. Mark didn't seem to notice at all.
"Don't mind at all. Let's have Mari bring us some tea. Maybe you could stick around until Avianna and I plan on leaving for the restaurant. You could ride with us."
Kyoya held up his hands in protest. "Thank you but I have things to see to at the house before dinner. My ride will be arriving at the Academy soon so I really should get back." He turned to me. "I'll see you in a couple hours."
After he left, Mark seemed to be in a much better move. "I knew this arrangement was a good idea. See how you two are getting so close?"
I glared at him. There went my good mood. I'd rather Mark not be all happy with himself. I would've continued to feel the same way I've been feeling about Kyoya, engagement or not. "I guess..."
He took notice of my uniform. "Put on a nice dress like you wore to Mr. Ootori's, okay? This dinner may seem casual but it's really just an excuse to discuss some of the fine print of our negotiations. I want you to look presentable."
If this dinner were to see anyone else, I'd wear a pair of sweats just to tick Mark off. But knowing Kyoya would be there changes things. Pretending as if I didn't hear a word he just said, I walked upstairs and shut myself in my room. There was still about an hour and a half before we would be leaving since it would take about half an hour to drive downtown. That will leave me enough time to take a shower as well as get ready.
When I had just wrapped a towel around me after a twenty-minute shower when my phone began to lightly ring. Wrapping my hair up in a cotton wrap to keep it out of my way, I went to answer it. When I read the caller I.D., the blood rushed from my face. Mom...
Clicking 'call', I brought the phone to my ear. "H-Hello?"
"Avianna! I've been trying to get a hold of you all day!" Mom said angrily.
"I'm sorry. I didn't get any calls. It's probably the reception. It makes it difficult to make calls to other countries."
"Spend all that extra money on international calling and this is what we get..." She mumbled.
I laughed. "Technology isn't perfect, mom."
She sighed a more relaxed sigh. "Yeah, I know. I just really miss you... Having you gone for half a school year is hard for me. Your grandma and I are always going flee marketing to have something to do but it seriously is weird with it just being the two of us. Did I tell you? Some boy from your class last year showed up when you didn't return to school and asked me to give you a letter. I kept forgetting about it. I left it in my purse."
"Which boy?" I asked, trying to remember if I ever had any boys in my acquaintances. I didn't think I did.
"A Conner something. Medium height, kind of scrawny. Red hair."
"Oh! Conner Smith you mean. He was my lab partner all last year. We never talked outside of class. Did you read the note?"
She sounded sheepish. "Yeah. Sorry."
"Mom..." I was upset that she invaded my privacy. "What did it say?"
I heard the faint crumpling of a paper.
Dear Avianna,
I know we were just lab partners and we didn't really get to know each other outside of class but I really wish we could be good friends. Truthfully, I have a crush on-
"I'd rather not hear the rest." I interrupted her. "I honestly don't return the feelings."
"I'm sure he doesn't mind too much. Your grandmother and I ran into him at McDonald's the other day and he seemed real happy with the girl he was with. But in other news, I was offered a promotion! Just yesterday night. Can you believe it? That means another thousand dollars a month. We could pay off the car in just two months and our credit will go up enough for us to buy a new house. Doesn't that sound nice?"
I grimaced, glad she couldn't see my face. I tried to put some enthusiasm into my voice. "Sounds really great mom."
"How is school at that fancy private academy going?"
"Going really good. I'm in the middle of testing. The top ten in every grade are able to go on a trip to Okinawa for a week. I've been doing so well in school, I just might get to go."
"Okinawa? Isn't that a plane ride away from Tokyo?"
"Yes but it would be completely safe. There would only be forty students going and there would be about five or more teachers or chaperones. It wouldn't be like the entire school trying to go or anything."
She sighed. "I don't know honey... I'm guessing Mark is too busy with work to chaperone."
"Correct." If mom called Mark and demanded I not go, he'd probably ignore her since he was under the impression that Kyoya's dad really wanted me there. Although after dinner tonight, if Mark brought it up, I might be caught in a lie... If I was caught lying, Mark would for sure ban me from the trip.
"I'm going to call Mark and talk to him about it."
"Okay mom. I gotta go anyway. I'm going out to eat with Mark tonight and I need to get ready."
"I love you sweetie. Be safe and don't forget to carry around that pepper spray I packed for you."
"You packed pepper spray?"
"It's in the side zipper of your big suitcase. The phone's starting to cut in and out. Love you! Bye!" A second later, the line went dead.
Putting the phone down, I went right to work on blow drying my hair and fixing it in a braided bun. Once my makeup was done and my teeth were brushed, I went to go get dressed. I hadn't really put aside any dress to wear so I had to dig around in the closet for one of the dresses Mari had told me Mark put back for special occasions.
I ended up finding a dark blue, knee length cocktail dress that seemed fitting for the occasion. Most of the torso was crocheted while the skirt part was made of a softer, fluffy material. This restaurant was supposed to be upscale, right? (A/N: Pic link of dress on profile.) When I was dressed in it, along with some matching flats, I grabbed my black purse and pulled the strap around my neck and let it drape to the side.
Mark was on the phone when I walked down the stairs. Judging by the conversation, I guessed my mom wasted no time in calling him. "The trip will be completely safe. I would never allow her to go on it if I didn't think so. She'll be on the trip with friends...Yes, she's been making lots of friends."
"Hey." I whispered as I walked towards him. He held up a finger. He was upset.
"There's always the chance she won't make the top ten in her grade and then it won't matter, will it? So... No. I'd never let her go to Okinawa with a group of friends. This really is a school trip...I know it sounds expensive but this is Ouran Academy. Everything they do is expensive. I had to pay two million yen for her to just attend one semester there. They usually charge five million yen for a full year but they gave a discount since she'd only be going half the year."
I nearly had a heart attack. I quickly added it up. Isn't that around twenty-five thousand U.S. dollars? For one semester?
"I'd love to stay and talk with you for the next hour but I've got a business meeting soon and I've gotta get going...Yes, Avianna is going with me...Because the man is bringing his son and I figured the two could chat while the grown ups do the boring paperwork...I really gotta go. Bye...Yes, Goodbye." He pressed the end call button and gave me a sour look. "Thank you Avianna for telling your mom about the trip. You almost started a fight over it."
"I can't just lie to her Mark." I told him with a glare. "She needs to know if I'm planning on leaving the main island, doesn't she?"
He began to run a hand through his hair but then seemed to think better of it and looked in a nearby mirror to slick it back into place. "I guess you're right. Now let's get going. If it's not you making us late, it's your mom..."
For that, I wasn't speaking to him for the rest of the night. Turning on my heal, I marched out the front door and got in the waiting limo. The ride to the restaurant was actually quite fun. In the sense of the scenery. The closer we got to the restaurant, the more the area looked like upscale New York. The kind of places you see in movies only better. Everything about this part of Tokyo was modern and full of life.
"We're here." Mark said as Mr. Kobayashi pulled the limo to the front of a really expensive looking place. A moment later, he had rounded the limo and was opening the door for me. Getting out, I waited on the curb for Mark, surprised by the huge line for the restaurant. It wrapped around the block even and was closed off with a long velvet rope.
Instead of going to the back of the line, Mark walked right through the front door with me in tow. A woman in a formal black kimono was there to greet us. "Konbanwa. Can I help you?"
"We're here with the 'Ootori' party."
The elegant woman nodded and began checking the velvet covered book in her hands. After scrolling down the list for a second, she looked up and smiled. "Right this way. Your party is waiting in the Burossamu room."
As the woman led us through a hallway with black oriental glass walls, Mark pulled out his phone and turned his phone completely off. Figuring that mom might try and call, I did the same before returning it to my purse. At the end of the hallway, the woman turned and opened the last door to the right for us. I figured that we might have to sit at one of those Japanese floor tables but thankfully, the table inside was a black lacquered western style table.
Stepping inside the room, my eyes first zeroed in on Kyoya, who was dressed in black slacks and a button up white shirt with a nicely done up tie. He and his father got up from their chairs when we entered the room and bowed. Bowing back, I stepped towards the seat next to Kyoya but he intercepted me by casually placing an arm around my waist. He escorted me from the room and we both followed the woman in the black kimono back through the hallway. She stopped at the room right next door and opened it for us.
"This is the Gāden room." She said before stepping aside. "Someone will be by shortly to take your orders."
When we had been shut inside, I looked at Kyoya with confusion. "My father and your brother wish to discuss everything in private. We are to dine in here until they are finished."
"Okay?" I mumbled as Kyoya walked over to the table and pulled out a chair for me. Taking a seat in it, I picked up a menu while Kyoya took his seat across from me. All the food on this menu was incredibly high priced and it I only knew a few of the dishes. Putting my menu aside, I looking up at Kyoya. Now that we had some actual time to ourselves, I figured now would be a good time to dig up all those questions I've been wanting to ask. "Kyoya?"
He looked up, his dark eyes looking ashy with the strange lighting in the room. "Yes?"
"I have some questions. Um... first off...Why exactly... What does it mean... You kissed me and..." I mentally slapped myself, trying to find words that made sense. "Was it just a spur of the moment thing or did you have intentions behind it?"
He almost seemed amused at my mumbled questions. Scratch that. He was amused. The smirk that was forming was a dead giveaway. Instead of responding right away, he reached across the table and gently grabbed my chin between his thumb and index finger. Bringing my face forward, he lightly brushed his lips against mine. A chill went down my spine and then traveled right back up again.
When he pulled away, he was staring at me with those really appealing half lidded eyes. He kept my chin in between his fingers, not allowing me to look down when the blood rose to my face. "Both." He said simply.
I blinked, trying to make sense of my suddenly scattered thoughts. "Both?"
"It was spur of the moment. But I didn't do it without a reason." I guess he really wouldn't just kiss me for no reason. Doing something for the fun of it didn't seem to be in Kyoya's character. He seemed like he was about to say something else but decided against it. "Now you said you had questions. What else do you want to ask me?"
I tried to remember them but most slipped from my mind. Only one really stuck out. I had been thinking of it before testing this morning while talking to Hiro. "While at the Masami Plaza...you were glaring at Hiro and he didn't look to happy to see you either. What's going on between you two?"
His relaxed eyes hardened a little at my question. "Ask a different question."
I tried to shake my head but it wasn't easy with him still having a grip on my chin. "Tell me."
He gave my face a calculating stare. "So persistent... Should I start from the beginning?" I did my best to nod. After a moment of thoughtful silence, he began.
"During my freshman year, Hiro Bicho's father was in the process of a contract with my father. One that would give my father's company a good deal when buying things like security cameras and other odds and ends that are essential for his hospitals. While in the process of making this agreement, it was my responsibility to look after Hiro. He was... reckless then. Not as much now. He doesn't enjoy being told what to do and he'll do dangerous things to get a rise out of people.
A few days before the contract was to be signed, Hiro decided that he would go swimming at a lake near the school. It was December twenty-eighth. His reasoning had been that his friends had done it and he didn't want anyone to think he was a coward... I had followed him there when he ditched class with his friends. The lake had begun freeze over but it was thin enough that Hiro and his friends were able to break some of the ice apart with sticks.
I watched from a distance, hoping he'd end up leaving soon. If he were to get hurt, my father would blame me. I would've too. He was almost my age but he was so childish that I knew he needed someone around to tell him when enough was enough. Hiro was the first to jump in. He propelled his body under the water until he was about twenty feet from the shore. When he tried to swim to the surface, the ice above him wouldn't budge. It took me a minute of watching to realize he was drowning.
I ended up running across the ice and I had to beat my fists against it to get it to break. By the time I pulled him out, he was near death. His friends helped me drag him to the shore where an ambulance was called immediately. I got in the ambulance with him and called my father on the way who then proceeded to call his father.
Before anyone could arrive at the hospital to see Hiro, who had contracted Pneumonia, Hiro woke up and told me he would have been fine if I hadn't of dragged him out. He must have hit his head so hard on the ice that he couldn't remember all that happened. The doctors had a hard time getting all the details from him. He was so angry with me for intervening and even more so for letting the news reach his father that he hates me for it now. Hiro's father also was angry with me for not keeping his son safe and canceled the contract with my father. Hiro swears that he can't remember drowning at all. Though the kid was unconscious when I pulled him from the ice..."
When Kyoya finished his story, he brought my face just a little closer. His eyes looked around, searching for something. After a few seconds, he seemed to find it. "I won't fail this time. I'm to keep you safe. You won't come close to death...Nowhere near it..."
I felt a heavy feeling in my chest. "So... this is all your attempt to make up for Hiro almost dying... Not that that was your fault... He was stupid and reckless..."
His eyes widened slightly. "I didn't mean it like-"
The door slid open then and Kyoya let go of my face before leaning back. A woman in a pink kimono walked in. "Konbanwa. I'm Airi. I'll be your server tonight."
Leaning back as well, I sighed, resigned to the fact that Kyoya is only showing all this special attention towards me to make up for what he thinks was his fault with Hiro... When Airi left with our drink and food orders, Kyoya shot right back into what he was trying to say earlier.
"I didn't mean it that way Avianna." He said in a soft tone but the way he said it seethed with frustration. "I've buried my ties and anger towards Hiro. It doesn't help that he's in my homeroom class every year but I'm able to ignore him and he does the same."
"Then why are you suddenly showing all this special attention towards me? Because it's what you think your father would want?" I asked him, completely confused.
"If that were the case, I would've been this close to the girl I was engaged to last year." Our voices were slowly raising. I doubted that Mark or Mr. Ootori could hear us over the music and the loud laughing coming from a drunk sounding Mr. Ootori but I could hear giggling coming from outside the door. One giggle sounded like it was coming from Airi.
"So it's because of this 'attraction'? I've had guys say they've felt 'attracted' to me before! I know exactly how that ends up working out! It ends with me needing to get far away from them because all they're looking for is some fun! I'm no whore that you can manipulate into-"
He shot up from his seat. "If I wanted a common whore, I'd buy one! What I want from you is a future! If this is what we're forced into, I'm going to find the good in it! Like it or not Avianna, you are my finance and that's not about to change!"
A very long silence stretched on after Kyoya finished speaking. My words fading in my mind, I looked away, not wanting to cry in front of him but losing that fight too. To my horror, the room next door had gone deathly quiet. I heard a barely audible yet sharp intake of breath from Kyoya and his chair scoot back. Covering my face with my hands, I stiffened with his placed both of his hands on my upper arms.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to raise my voice." He said softly. Shaking my head, I tried to say that it was okay but sob broke through my lips. He began to lift me up to my feet by my upper arms and pulled me forward until I was wrapped in his arms. "I'm sorry."
For the next ten or so minutes, Kyoya allowed me to cry all of my frustration out onto his chest. Not just for the fight we had but over the engagement I had been forced into, for all the dispute between Megumi and myself, for finding out that my father had another family before my mom and me that he never told us about and the fact that my dad wasn't here with me now to tell me what I should do.
When all my tears were spent, I took a deep breath and pulled my face away from Kyoya's shirt. I grimaced. It was soaked with tear stains and even a touch of glitter from my glittery skin tone eye shadow. He looked down at it and chuckled briefly. "Well, look at that..."
"I'm sorry." I frowned. "I'll buy you a new shirt."
"No no. It's fine. Really. My suit jacket was taken by the hostess. I'll have her bring it to me." As he spoke, he lightly brushed his fingertips across my cheeks, moving away the stray tears. "Are you alright now?"
I nodded. "Yes. Thank you. And you don't have to apologize for earlier. That was my fault too. I drug it out of you."
He began to lean down, looking more shy and tentative than ever. "I've been taught to never, under any circumstances, raise my voice to a lady. Even an infuriating one who seems to get some sort of... rise out of me every time we're in the same room." He finished his statement with a slight smirk and I bit my lip.
He removed one arm from around my waist and moved his fingertips across my bottom lip until I stopped biting it. Moving his hand to cup my cheek, he leaned down and kissed me again.
"Awwwww!" Said a group of girlish voices. Be both broke apart in surprise to see about five different young waitresses peeking into the room, the door about a foot open. Behind them was Mark and Mr. Ootori.