"Are you sure you don't want me to stay with you?"

"I'm positive."

"Alright, just call me if you need me."

"Kyoya, you worry too much. I'll be fine." Mitsu pressed a kiss to his lips, smiling at his eagerness to hold her to him. "Now, let me go before I'm late."

"No, I don't want to."

"Kyoya..."

He sighed and kissed her once again. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Mitsu watched as her grandfather spoke to his assistant, silently dreading the oncoming conversation. When he sat down in front of her, he stared into his teacup, and sighed.

"I knew he was bad, but I didn't think he was that bad. Harming you, forcing you to do such a thing, thank goodness Mai came back. I understand that you need to take him down, and that is what I am here to help you with. You have access to every resource for now you own them."

"I own them now?"

"Yes. You are the heiress to the company after all."

"Wh-What? How does that even work?"

"Your mother was supposed to have it, yet after marrying that wretched father of yours, I had no choice but to give it to him. However, he had no children, and you are the only one eligible for the position. I understand that you won't want to with your current life, but-"

"No, I'll do it."

"What?"

"I am the heiress, aren't I? Who will be left to take care of the company? I'll take on the responsibility."

"Very good. Now, the next order of business is your status at Ouran."

"What about it?"

"Since you qualify as a regular student, you're honor student position is unnecessary."

Mitsu blinked at this. "What?"

"You don't need the scholarship."

She sighed. "I figured that was gonna be the case."

"You'll remain an honor student of course, just will not need the money for your studies, since now you have your own wealth."

"Alright."

"Another thing...the Ootori's."

"Yeah, the merger."

"I think you and the youngest son would make a great match."

"I already figured that out, grandfather."

He chuckled. "Yes, but I need to know if he's worthy of the Fukumoto name. If he is, then he is more than welcome as a grandson. Yet, if he is not, then I will be forced to rethink the merger and find you a more suitable husband. Quite possibly Morinozuka."

"Grandfather, I will not take anyone else."

"Oh?"

"I love Kyoya. He has helped me throughout this ordeal, and I don't think I would have been able to come here and tell you my story without him. And Hiromi...oh, Hiromi adores him so much. He'd make such a wonderful father to her, and he already is. She loves him, and he loves her. But, besides that, he is passionate and ambitious. He knows what he wants and strives hard for it, yet also hold enough respect for his father and brothers to not step out of line. He'd make a wonderful head to his family and a strong member in the Fukumoto family."

He smiled. "You know...that was the same attitude your mother had towards your father. We'll see about it. Now, would you like to see your new home?"

"Kyo-chan, mommy is gonna be fine. She's strong, just like you," Hiromi said.

Kyoya had been pacing back and forth, worried that she was having a breakdown or something else. Even the words of the hosts weren't enough to calm him. "I know, Hiro-chan, but I won't be at ease until I see mommy come through the door with that smile I love so much."

"Well, you can be at ease," a voice said. He turned around to find Mitsu smirking at his distressed state. "I never thought that the great Ootori Kyoya would be so frantic."

"I'm not allowed to be worried?"

She giggled and walked up to him to wrap her arms around his neck. "You are, but not too much. I can handle things."

He smiled and pulled her towards him. "How'd it go?"

"Well. You're looking at the next head to the Fukumoto Company."

"Amazing. You'll be the greatest head there is."

"I plan to be. Now, you..."

"Ah, my dinner with him."

"Kyoya, it's tomorrow."

"That soon?"

"Yeah. You'll earn his blessing, I know it. And...I may have given him a piece of my mind about finding me a new suitor."

"He told you that if I don't make the cut, he will find someone else?"

"And rethink the merger. He was thinking if not you, then with Mori-senpai." The third year stiffened at that, and he bowed his head. "Ah, no senpai, don't worry about it. You won't have to worry about us being married. Now, Kyoya... do you think you're ready to face my grandfather?"

He smirked and placed a kiss to her lips. "Of course."

Kyoya waited for the head of the household to arrive from his meeting, feeling his nerves get the better of him with every passing second. By the time the door opened, he was fighting to keep his shaking from being noticeable. He stood upon the arrival of the elderly man, surprised to see that he looked to be in his late fifties even though he knew that he was in his early seventies.

"Kyoya-kun, welcome. Have a seat."

"Thank you, Fukumoto-sama. Thank you for inviting me to dine with you."

"Of course. I have to know who will be providing for my granddaughter." He waved over a servant and was served their entree. "So, tell me about yourself."

"Ah, well...I am in my second year at Ouran, top of the class. I plan to study medicine after graduation, and work under one of my brothers-"

"Kyoya-kun..."

"Yes, sir?"

"I value honesty. There is no need to hide behind that ideal facade your father has forced you to oh, so carefully create."

This is where she gets it from. "Well..."

"It's okay. Just tell me what you're thinking."

At that, Kyoya let out an exasperated chuckle. "Well, for starters, I am completely terrified."

"Oh?"

"I knew that if I were to have Mitsu, I had to prove my worth to someone, but I wasn't entirely prepared to prove myself to the Fukumoto Ryuichi. So, I am trying my damnedest to keep from shaking. All I can think about is how I want to be with Mitsu and Hiromi, and I don't care what anyone says. I don't even care about the merger, if I want to be with her, I will. She's the reason why I am risking so much for her. Why I don't even care about surpassing my brothers. I would rather be disowned and with her than the head of the Ootori's without her. For the first time in my life, I'm doing something for me, and I am not letting anything get in my way."

"I see..."

Kyoya mentally cursed himself, worried that he might have offended him. "I am-"

"Don't apologize." He stood and approached him, watching the teen stand. He slapped his hand onto his shoulder and laughed; a hearty and joyful sound that confused the youngest Ootori. "Mitsu was right to refuse another man. No wonder she fell for you. You're quite the heartfelt fellow, huh?"

"E-Excuse me?"

"Any man that is willing to challenge my authority and defy his family is welcome. That merger is also a good idea. Just be true to my little Mitsu."

Kyoya smiled. "I will, sir. Thank you so much."

"No, thank you."

Ootori Yoshio was a respectable man that expected nothing less than perfection. So he deemed his youngest son's behavior unacceptable, no matter the reason. He had disrespected a potential asset, and then disappeared without a single word. So, he had every reason to be rather furious when Kyoya suddenly returned.

"Care to explain your absence?"

"Forgive me, father, but I had rather pressing business to tend to."

"For three weeks?!"

"Yes."

"And what was that fiasco between you and Imagawa? Now, he's considering going to Suou."

"Imagawa was being rather rude to one of our hosts, who happen to be his biological daughter."

"What?"

"The new honor student. She's his daughter, and a mother to a young girl."

"You're associated with a whore?!"

Kyoya had to pause and take a breath before he lost his temper. "She adopted the girl because she was a victim of domestic abuse. I was helping her hide from Imagawa because he was the one that arranged her daughter's kidnapping."

"It does not explain your absence."

"I plan to marry Fukumoto Mitsu."

"The commoner? Are you trying to disgrace this family?"

"Father, don't you recognize the name? She's the granddaughter of Fukumoto Ryuichi. I have met with him, and he's more than willing to form a merger with the Ootori Group."

Yoshio blinked, his anger dissipating as he tried to process this new information. "What?"

"We may merge with the Fukumoto Company."

"This...this is very good. Then, I can forget Imagawa."

"And Mitsu will be safe."

He heard the happiness in his voice. "The merger is not the only reason for the marriage...is it?"

"No, it's not even the main reason. It's because I love her."

"Love?"

"Yes, father. I love her, and I am willing to give up my name and marry into her family. She and Hiromi are my everything."

A/N - Sorry it's so late, but Chapter 13 is here! Now, I need some help with this: should Kyoya take Mitsu's name, Mitsu take his name, or keep their names but their children (yes there will be children!) have the Fukumoto name? Please let me know in the reviews and I'll choose whichever has the most votes. xoxo