Chapter 14:
Over the next few days, Sayuri made some strategized plans and made sure she practiced her hardest. While she wanted to get back at Kyoya, she also couldn't afford to lose the competition. She was finally catching up with Ephriham in the club and was almost sure she could beat him. It now wasn't about winning against the other teams, but about being better than him. Finally Friday came and she arrived early to find a certain Club President.
"Tamaki-senpai!" Sayuri called out to catch the blonde's short attention span.
"Ah Sayuri-san, how good to see you again! We've missed you at the Host Club. Poor Kyoya looks so lonely back at his laptop." He pouted.
"Um…yes, that's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. Could you make sure Kyoya-senpai gets this? It's really important." She asked, handing over a sealed white envelope with Kyoya's name written in neat calligraphy on the front.
"Of course my lady! This knight shall make sure your message is delivered safe and sound to your prince!" He declared before bowing.
"Um, yeah. Thanks Tamaki-senpai!" She waved, dashing away to her own homeroom.
The Suoh heir looked at the envelope with interest but resisted the urge to open it and see what was inside, instead continuing to his classroom where his best friend was already scribbling in that accursed black book of his.
"Goooood morning Kyoya~!" Tamaki greeted cheerily as he sat down. "What are you writing this time hm?"
"You ask each and every time Tamaki and still I give you the same answer. That's for me to know and you to never find out." The bespectacled teen droned.
"Aww, you're no fun Mommy." His friend pouted.
"And stop calling me stupid names so early in the morning." Kyoya grumbled in irritation.
"Hehe, well alright, but only if you'll accept this message." Tamaki dropped the white envelope onto his friends notebook. He picked it up in mild curiosity and asked blankly, "What is it?"
"Open it, open it!" The blonde urged in excitement.
"…No." Kyoya tossed the paper aside, only to have Tamaki catch it.
"Kyoya! You can't just throw this away! I promised Sayuri-san I would give it to you!"
"It's from Sayuri-san?" Kyoya murmured in surprise, taking it back and using his own personal letter opener to unseal the envelope.
As he opened the letter folded inside, a ticket fell onto his lap. He picked it up and saw that it was to a well known theatre to a world touring orchestra playing this Saturday evening. His curiosity even more piqued, Kyoya began reading the letter.
Dear Kyoya-senpai,
I would like to apologize for my behavior Monday afternoon, but I shall not, for apologies are best made in person don't you agree? So to make it up to you, I invite you to accompany me to the Grande Orchestra at Outo Theatre Saturday night. I know it isn't the ballet you offered to take me to, but I believe this is sufficient enough for your tastes. And perhaps afterward you would join me to dinner? If you don't respond either way, then I'll just assume you're okay with me picking you up that night! Haha. But all joking aside, I hope to see you again soon.
Yours Sincerely, Sayuri Nitta.
Pausing for a moment, Kyoya put everything into the envelope and then pocketed it before finally speaking to his friend who was staring at him earnestly. "Tamaki."
"Eep! I mean- Ahem. Yes Kyoya?" The blonde responded.
"I'm afraid I won't be able to attend the Host Club today. You'll have to handle it on your own." He stated.
The Club President blinked in surprise. It wasn't everyday that the Demon Lord took a day off after all. But he simply smiled and nodded before turning his attention to the teacher.
Kyoya tried to catch Sayuri in between classes with no luck and when he failed again at lunch, he questioned her friend, Umiko Nekozawa.
"I'm sorry, but she's busy practicing on the archery field again. She's been practically living there this last week. The competition today is really important to her." The first year explained.
So it wasn't until after classes had finished that Kyoya felt he could catch her. But as he was walking past the kendo building, he wondered if he should even talk to her… Would it upset her concentration if he did? Or would it be the same if he didn't?
As he stood in the walkway thinking, he then heard the twang of a taut string being let loose and a muffle thud of an arrow meeting its mark. Raising his head he could just make out Sayuri's form, no longer in the usual Ouran uniform but traditional archery garb of a short sleeved white robe that tucked into a dark blue hakama, and a single piece of leather armor strung across her chest. Her hair was its usual straight self, but she had tied it back out of the way.
She seemed so focused and determined with each and every arrow she fired. But after a few minutes, she relaxed and rolled her shoulders which had grown tense from standing at attention for so long. In this motion, she caught sight of Kyoya and froze. How long had he been just standing there watching her? Finally he began walking forward and stopped short just three feet away from her.
"I received your letter." He stated as the slow lowering sun flashed off of his glasses.
"I'm glad." Sayuri replied, clenching her bow as its tip rested between her feet.
"Are you?" he questioned.
Pausing for a moment in real consideration, she weighed her options before nodding, "Yes. Are…are you?"
Kyoya looked down for a moment as he took a step closer to her. "I am…intrigued."
"Ah…" She said blankly, having no idea what he meant. Was that a yes in the language of Kyoya?
"I am curious." He continued. "Are you asking me out on a date Miss Sayuri?"
She paused in disbelief. He was going to make her spell it out for him? Crossing her arms she smiled slightly. "Indeed I am senpai. Now the question is…what is your answer?"
Kyoya smirked before leaning forward and whispering in her ear, "I believe the answer to your question is…yes." Taking a step back he wore a smile and said, "Don't be late Sayuri-san. I'm looking forward to our…date."
And with that he turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Sayuri with a blush and little breath.
Not too long after Kyoya had left did the rest of the archery club join Sayuri in a little warm up. The captain seemed more into giving them a pep talk and boosting their spirits, while the vice captain drilled them on things they should focus on and warning them about Lobelia's team.
"Yeah yeah, we get it Hanazawa-senpai, they're ruthless snipers who need to get laid, blah blah blah." His humor earned him a few good laughs from other members while the vice captain fumed and drilled him more.
Captain Konuza then settled everyone down and called their attention. "Right everyone we'll be separated by years so make sure you stick with your teams, those will be the people we've been having you practice with during club hours."
"Aww, so I can't beat their captain then? And I was so looking forward to that." Ephriham said, making Delilah giggle.
The captain shook his head good naturedly. "You'll get your chance next time if you make it in this competition Ephriham-san. But for now, just go out there and shoot your best team!"
And so the competition began. Sayuri was thankful and yet resentful at the same time that as first years, they had to go first. They were lined up two at a time. She was paired with Ferio against two Lobelia first years. They bowed to each other before turning their attention to the targets and focusing.
The goal was relatively simple compared to other competitions. Shoot twelve arrows and your score would be calculated by how quickly you finished and how accurate you were with your shots. The distance wasn't too far thankfully and Sayuri finished first but she was only second best with accuracy, beaten by one of the Lobelia archers. But she managed to win that round, which was good enough for her.
Next was Delilah and Ephriham against two more Lobelia girls and while Delilah did fair, Ephriham wiped the floor with them all. It was sad really as he was second last to finish and yet he managed to get a perfect accuracy score. His total score was a whole two points better than her own.
In the end, their team won with flying colors, but all that mattered to Sayuri was that she had lost to him. He didn't even notice and she wondered whether that was better or worse than having an open rivalry against him. She figured she'd rather not know and simply packed up her gear and called a car to take her home, too tired and disappointed to drop by the Host Club to say hi to everyone, even Kyoya and Umiko.