"Haruhi...you're...not a boy..." Kana said, gaping. She relaxed her death grip on the towel.
Haruhi sighed. "You startled me! I didn't think anyone else would come out here this late." She laughed a little. "Oops."
"You're...all this time...I thought...everyone thinks...!" Kana prattled in disbelief.
"Well, not everyone. The other hosts know. And Kasanoda-san. And...now you." Haruhi smiled.
"But...why would you pretend to be a boy? And as a host?"
"Well...it's a long story. It's not so bad, actually. I kind of enjoy it; getting to entertain guests and all. But I don't really mind if you want to tell people. It's not a big deal either way." She shrugged, looking oddly pleased with herself, and...
Surprisingly nonchalant about the whole thing. You would think pretending to be the opposite gender for the whole year would be a big deal.
"No, no. I won't tell anyone. You've been passing as a boy for this long. I don't want to be the one to start that kind of drama." Kana smiled, feeling a sudden sense of camaraderie. "Your secret's safe with me!"
Haruhi smiled back, and looked thoughtfully at the steam rising into the night sky. "Well. It'll be nice to have someone I can relax around."
Kana beamed with pleasure, and the two of them sat together in the warm water, enjoying a few moments of peace and quiet.
A little while later, when the two of them had dried and dressed, they emerged from the waiting room, comfortably conversing.
"...so then, somehow, I ended up making them all lunch, and all they could talk about was how tiny my apartment is..."
"Heh. They should try living in a boarding school dormitory!"
"Exactly. Honestly, it really isn't even that small. Anyway, so my Dad says to Tamaki-"
"H-haruhi?!" an alarmed set of voices asked as they emerged. Tamaki and Hikaru came charging toward the two of them, breathing hard. "What...the two of you...I mean...!" Their faces were a grotesque mixture of horror, questioning, and polite deception.
Haruhi blinked at the two of them expressionlessly. "Kana-chan knows I'm a girl."
Tamaki turned ashen and looked over at Kana. Hikaru sweat-dropped, putting on a sweet, nervous smile and sauntered over to her.
"Kaaaana-hime...you would never tell anyone about this...right?"
"Please, Kana-hime! If Haruhi's secret is discovered, she will no longer be a host, and if she's not a host anymore than she'll...she'll..." Tamaki threw himself at her feet dramatically, trembling all over.
"Uhhh..." Actually, a few things are starting to make more sense, now. "Don't worry about it. I'm not going to tell anyone." She tried to smile at them both reassuringly, and they crumpled in relief. "But...um...you may want to speak with them..." She gingerly pointed behind the two boys, where her assigned maids sat silently, wide-eyed, unnoticed by the hosts until that moment.
Tamaki blinked at the maids for a few moments, his face blank and pale. An icy breeze seemed to blow from somewhere as they looked at each other. Odd, considering the warm weather.
Abruptly, Tamaki shook himself, and his entire bearing shifted into prince mode. He bowed with flourish, looking up at the maids through his eyelashes with more than a hint of seduction. "Well...hello, beautiful princesses! Forgive me for not greeting you sooner..." he sauntered over to them, hands outstretched to take each of theirs. "...but I was in a state of distress. You see..." he wiped a tear from his eye, "Our dear Haruhi's secret has, thus far, remained safe with her family..."
Haruhi rolled her eyes. Tamaki was, of course, referring to the host club, rather than her father or other, actual relatives.
"...but if it was to be discovered by someone else, I am glad to find that it was someone as deserving of our trust as Miss Kana-chan." From somewhere within his lapel, he produced two delicate flowers, and proffered them to the maids, his eyes widening just slightly, in an expression of innocence and vulnerability. "I would be forever grateful for the discretion of your gentle lips as well."
The maids tittered predictably, falling over themselves to reassure Tamaki that he had nothing to fear from them.
Kana gaped disbelievingly at Tamaki's quick work of the maids. Seriously? I knew he was flamboyant, but...good grief.
"M'lord's charms work every time, eh?" Hikaru said cheerily.
"Now that's all settled," said Tamaki, twirling to face them. "I think it's past your bedtime, young lady!" He wagged his finger at Haruhi, who rolled her eyes. "Let's get these sleepy princesses back to their tents!" He announced imperiously to Hikaru, who grinned and saluted, draping an arm over each of the girls' shoulders.
"We'll protect you, ladies..." he purred, seeming to relish in Kana's uncomfortable blush, and Haruhi's irritated sigh. Funny how he and his brother seemed to feed on others' discomfort.
True to their word, Tamaki and Hikaru walked them both to the entrance of Kana's tent, where her maids took charge, still falling over themselves as they thanked Tamaki. Kana felt a bit sorry to be leaving Haruhi to the ridiculousness of the two hosts, and gave her an apologetic smile. Still, she looked forward to a good night's sleep, and after allowing her maids to fuss over her briefly, sank gratefully into the egregious four-post-bed. Perhaps tomorrow, the real camping will begin...
The next day, after more fussing, washing, and dressing by her maids, Kana arrived at the main pavilion for breakfast with her fellow guests. Over a spread of soft boiled eggs (served in crystal cups), crêpes with sweet cream and berries (imported from France) and commoner coffee, of all things, the host club announced the activities of the day. Kana nearly choked on her coffee when the words "cruise vessel" came out of Kyouya's mouth.
A cruise? On a lake? Good grief. They will stop at nothing to be as decadent as possible.
The cruise was to commence in a few hours...just enough time, the hosts explained, for the princesses to make themselves even more enchanting in their summer finery.
Wait. Finery? Again?
She glanced over at Mori, seated casually at the hosts' table, and tried not to imagine him wearing "finery". She could have sworn that she saw his eyes flicker, as if he had been looking somewhere else and glanced quickly back at Tamaki, who was still orating. She sighed, pushing the possibilities out of her mind, dismissing them as wishful thinking.
Mori glanced quickly back at Tamaki when he saw Kana's eyes turn toward him. He frowned internally at himself for letting thoughts of her wearing "finery" distract him so much that he had stopped listening. Not that Tamaki was saying much of anything at present, but Mori prided himself on his ability to focus and control the wanderings of his mind. He would spend time meditating this afternoon.
Meditation had been more challenging recently. He tried to spend an hour in silence every morning and evening, but lately clearing his mind had been nearly impossible. Images of Kasuga Kana kept creeping into his thoughts...wearing his coat, sleeping peacefully in the gardens, riding horseback...
And while the pictures were oddly pleasant and warming, he felt anything but peaceful afterward. Something needed to be done, he knew that, but he felt a strange reluctance to change the new pattern. If he was very, very honest with himself, he liked thinking about her. And looking at her.
He stole another glance.
Mori glanced back at her, meeting her gaze for a moment as Kana froze, then turned hurriedly (and far too late) in mortification that he caught her staring. She felt her face heat up, and sighed to herself about how much he seemed to discomfit her It's not fair, really. He's always so serene...it's like nothing phases him. While I'm...I'm...
She self-consciously tried to shield her face with one hand, feeling his eyes on her. The blush deepened.
...Like this.
The "finery" this time turned out to be a sea green satin dress, selected for its knee-length skirt. The neckline was not so low as to be plunging, per se, but it was a tad lower than she was used to, and the fabric had a tendency to cling around her figure. She wondered, as she had often done in the past, if fancy clothing was designed for the purpose of making the wearer uncomfortable in all manner of ways.
Thankfully, the dress was easy to move in, light and soft. In fact, it felt more natural than her daily Ouran uniform, and was certainly more becoming. Not that it was difficult to be more becoming than yellow.
Her maids fussed with her hair again, insisting this time that it had to be in an up 'do, because, of course, one could not repeat the same hairstyle two events in a row. They were scandalized when she suggested it. Still, she sort of liked the way they braided strands of her hair into a headband, and the bits that strategically stuck out at the back gave it a playful look. Maybe Mori will like it... As soon as she caught herself with the thought, she mentally slapped it out of her brain. She was determined not to let herself get carried away.
It was difficult to hold on to that resolve when she saw Mori in his formal wear. No cosplay this time, just ordinary fancy clothes, but these were tailored to perfection and appeared specially designed to accentuate each of the hosts' most striking attributes. Mori's highlighted his long legs, broad shoulders, and brought out his dark grey eyes. Kana gulped.
Clearly, he was taking his hosting duties very seriously today, because she could see when he got closer that his cheeks were touched with a slight shade of pink that wasn't normally there. He must be working hard, and it was getting warm already. Too warm.
"Nice day for a...a cruise, huh?" she said, greeting him with a shaky smile.
"Ah..." he responded, sounding somewhat distracted. His eyes flickered briefly over her dress, before quickly meeting her eyes. "Shall I...escort you?" He asked, holding out an arm and gesturing toward the boarding ramp.
Kana nodded shyly, and let him lead her toward the extravagant ship, focusing very hard on not tripping. Boarding ramps and high heels do not go well together. When they arrived on deck, it seemed to Kana that Mori held onto her arm for just a few moments longer than necessary, and even gave her hand a little squeeze before he left her side to go and greet more guests. She blinked, shaking her head a little and trying to tell herself it was not all just a dream.
The unlikeliness of the cruise ship did not help her sense of surrealism. The host club was certainly going all out, ordering the oversized vessel just to take a few of their fans out for an afternoon. Kana walked around the deck, marveling at the floral arrangements and fine crystal chandeliers that graced the below-deck ballroom and dining area. The main deck was richly decorated as well, with tiny lights lining the outer rim, ready to be lit as the ship made its way back to dock at sundown.
Soon, all the hosts and guests had gathered on board, and Tamaki was making another welcoming speech to launch their little voyage. He never seemed to tire of those. She allowed her mind to wander, glancing over the other guests' dresses, and marveling at how Haruhi pulled off looking so much like a boy, when she was actually a very pretty girl if you really thought about it...
Did Tamaki just say something about a dance today?
Kana's breath caught. That sort of thing was to be expected, of course, from the host club, but...the image of Mori genteelly asking for "this dance" would not go away.
"...the gentle swaying of the ship will match the gentle swaying of our embrace, as each moves in time with the music of our hearts..."
Good lord, but Tamaki did like to make speeches. Kana tried not to imagine swaying in Mori's embrace. She swallowed, but the lump in her throat refused to budge. I think I'll...spend some quality time by the punch bowl today. I need something to drink.
As the ship made its way slowly around the scenic lake, a string quartet emerged from one of the private rooms below deck, and began to set up for the dance. All the other guests tittered excitedly, whispering to each other about what was to come. According to Tamaki, they would play enough songs for each guest to have at least one dance with their designated host, ensuring that no one would be left out.
The music started, and Kana poured herself more punch. The hosts drew their respective client's names from a jar while the guests waited with bated breath, anticipating when they would be approached for a coveted dance. Kana figured she had some time to emotionally prepare herself; after all, they said every guest would get an opportunity, and the chances of her name being drawn first-
When she looked over at Mori, she realized he was not reaching into a jar to pick a name. In fact, he didn't seem to have a jar at all. Kyouya had walked over to him and was whispering something, and Mori was nodding, his eyebrows slightly raised, and he started looking around the room with a searching expressing on his face. Feeling her heart drop into the pit of her stomach, she remembered that most of her fellow "Mori-and-Hunny" fans were, in fact, fans of Hunny. Some of them seemed to enjoy watching Hunny and Mori interact, but when it came down to it, Hunny was the one they focused their attention on most. It was entirely possible that she was the only one of Mori's "fans" to have come along on this camping trip. And that meant she could be dancing with him exclusively this evening.
Suddenly, his eyes found hers, and he began walking toward her with a very purposeful stride. She gulped. No time to emotionally prepare. And nowhere to run, either, as she had placed herself at the corner of the deck, with her back to the railing.
"Kana-chan," he started, stepping close to her. He lowered his voice to just above a whisper, standing close and to the side, using discretion. "I have been informed that, because Mitsukuni and I have the fewest guests, I will be dancing with him for the first few songs..." he cleared his throat, "...to please them. But." He lowered his voice slightly, leaning closer to her ear so she could hear him better. "After that, the rest of the dances belong to you. If you'd like."
Nervously, she glanced up to see his expression. His eyes were warm, anticipating her answer. She barely managed an affirmative "Mm", and a small smile, which she thought was entirely inadequate, but he seemed pleased. He graced her with a rare, broad smile, and a soft touch on the shoulder before he turned back to perform his hosting duties. Kana couldn't feel her feet touching the deck anymore.
The breeze had begun to pick up as the dance progressed, fluttering the skirts of the guests as they swayed and twirled, and flapping Hunny's bowtie in the breeze as Mori swung him around by his arms. Hunny appeared to love every minute of it, giggling like the small child that he wasn't, as did his guests, beaming like proud mother hens and tittering over the adorableness of it all.
The other guests were just as enthusiastic, each in their own ways. The girl Tamaki was dancing with, a pretty blonde, blushed spectacularly and looked up at him with adoring blue eyes, while he whispered compliments and twirled her expertly. Kyouya and Haruhi each talked amicably with their guests as they danced with more subdued steps, but while Kyouya mostly talked, Haruhi mostly listened. The twins seemed to be taking turns switching guests, dancing in intertwining patterns as they handed off two girls between them. The girls giggled uncontrollably, seeming a little dizzy and breathless, but having a lot of fun.
"Wait! Wait...give me a moment...!" one of the girls begged through her laughter, leaning up against the railing to catch her breath.
"Aw, c'mon!" One of the twins teased; Kaoru, Kana thought, though she wasn't really sure how she knew. "Am I moving too fast for you?" He winked, giving the phrase a double meaning, and causing the girl to blush.
"I-" suddenly, the breeze picked up, snatching at the silk shawl draped around her shoulders. Gasping, she grabbed at it, missed, and then jumped as the wind took it higher, just over the edge of the railing. She had hopped up the railing, which was slick from the spray of the lake, and Kana and the rest of the onlookers watched in horror as the girl toppled over the side and into the water below.
Kana started moving without thinking. The spot where she had settled herself in the corner of the deck was near a life preserver; she grabbed it, ran to where the girl had gone overboard, hiked her skirt up, jumped over the railing, and plunged in.
The girl had been wearing a halter gown with a full, princess cut skirt and petticoats. It was lovely for dancing. Deadly for swimming. The girl was panicking as her dress grew heavy with water and began to drag her downward, into the nearly 300-foot depths below. "Help!" she cried out before her mouth filled with water.
Kana reached her in moments, shoving the life preserver in her direction, but the girl thrashed around, too disoriented to grab onto it. Distantly, Kana heard another splash behind her. She reached out to grab the girl by the arm, and felt the girl grab her instead, hands slipping on her wet skin, causing her to panic more, grabbing at Kana's dress and hitting her in the face in the process.
"Not me! Grab this!" Kana urged, shoving the preserver at the girl insistently. Finally, she got a grip on her arm and yanked it toward the floating object, getting hit in the side of the head this time for her trouble. But the girl held on.
"Kana!" a voice bellowed behind her. Kana turned to see Mori swimming toward them, a look on his face like she had never seen before. He pushed another life preserver toward her, and she gave the girl a shove to propel her toward him. After the struggle, she wasn't sure she had the strength to swim all the way back to the boat, much less tow the girl back as well. Mori gave her a worried look, but she said, "I'll be fine; you can't tow both of us. Go take her back." Mori hesitated for only a breath, nodded once, and then swam back to the boat with remarkable speed for having only one arm free.
Kana felt her muscles deaden with cold and weariness as the adrenaline left them. She shivered; even on a warm day like today, the water chilled her. She managed to paddle toward the boat slowly, clutching the life preserver Mori gave her, but stopped to rest every few strokes. Mori reached the boat, staying only to ensure the girl was safely hoisted up to the twins' waiting arms before he dove back into the water. She vaguely wondered what he was doing, before he reached her in a few moments, touching her wet cheek briefly with an expression of concern before he began towing her the rest of the way back, as well.
Soon, Kana and Mori were both draped with warm blankets, and seated next to each other in front of a large bonfire back at the camp. The girl, whose name, Kana learned, was Sakura, was seated between the twins, who seemed to be trying to make her laugh. She had been tearful and mortified over Kana's bruises, not to mention that she had been the one to fall overboard in the first place, but with some reassurances, and surprising gestures of affection from the twins, she seemed to be recovering.
Other than being tired, a little damp, and sporting a shiny bruise on her cheek, Kana was feeling much better. Mori had been embarrassingly attentive ever since they emerged from the water, hardly leaving her side, feeling her forehead, and piling her with blankets until she had to tell him to stop, because they were getting too heavy. Even now that she was changed and getting warm and dry by the fire, she could feel his watchful eyes on her, and he sat a little closer than was strictly necessary. Not that she minded.
Tamaki stood as everyone gathered, clapping his hands softly to get everyone's attention. "My dear princesses, we have had a rather exciting day today, I'm afraid. But now that everyone is warm and dry, and settled with the prince of your choice..." he plopped himself down in the midst of three girls, who seemed to be ready to take turns sitting next to him, "We've arranged for some entertainment this evening. In the true spirit of camping out, it's time..." he put on a positively devilish grin, to envy even the twins, "For some ghost stories!"
...What?
"I've invited our esteemed friend, Nekozawa-sempai, and his Black Magic club to regale us with tales of terror! And please, my princesses...feel free to snuggle up to one of us for comfort and protection, if need be." He gestured invitingly for the girl sitting with him to share his blanket. She jumped at the chance, though the "entertainment" hadn't even started, yet.
Kana gulped.
Having had his introduction, Nekozawa-sempai did indeed emerge, in a spectacular rain of black sparks, seemingly out of the ground. In the dimming evening light, reflections from the flames danced on his shrouded face, making his barely-visible grin seem menacing.
Kana shivered slightly, earning her a concerned look from Mori, as he again placed his large hand over her forehead to check for the fever he seemed sure was there. She gently pushed his hand away, blushing at the proximity. "I'm fine, I just-"
At that moment, four more figures in black appeared with a series of pops, and more black sparks. Kana jumped this time at the sudden noise, letting out a squeak. Mori raised an eyebrow at her, but she avoided looking at him, so he settled for patting her back, instead.
"My friends..." Nekozawa began, addressing the newcomers, "...have I ever told you the tale of the Two Sisters?"
Collectively, they shook their heads "no", inviting him to continue, as they stepped lightly around the fire, moving in an almost-dance.
"Well, then...let us begin!"
Maniacal laughter filled the evening air. It was unsettling how well he did that.
The Black Magic club members began half-telling, half-miming, and shadow-playing their tale, which was full of Deaths Occurring Under Mysterious Circumstances, and characters that were questionably living, dead, insane, or somewhere between all three. They were not even halfway finished before Kana found herself trembling, all inhibitions forgotten, and burying her face against Mori's shoulder.
"Kana-chan." His voice came softly, soothing.
She was afraid her voice would break if she answered, so she said nothing. She tried to nod.
"Kana-chan." Firmly, this time, but still soothing. "Are you all right?"
She felt an arm wrap around her. She was sure her face would have burned right through his coat if she hadn't been so caught up in her own fear, and not due to any fever. She managed to shake her head "no."
"...would you like to go?"
She couldn't nod hard enough. For a moment, she worried what others would think, if they saw the look on her face when she left the safety of his shoulder, but he drew the blanket around so she was shielded from them, and to a questioning pause from Nekozawa-sempai, said only, "Kasuga-hime is tired. I am escorting her to her tent." That seemed to satisfy them, and she stumbled away with Mori's steady hand on her back, guiding her.
"I don't. Like. Ghost stories," she said emphatically, when she regained her voice.
"Ah."
"I never have. They just...they make me feel all cold, and..." she shivered again, and Mori gave her another reassuring pat.
"Ah."
Kana sighed gratefully as they reached the little path to her own tent. Her heart sank, however, when she realized it was dark and empty at the moment. Of course, the maids were not required to be present when she was not, and she was not expected back for a few hours, yet. Still, the thought of being there by herself...unthinkingly, she stepped a little closer to Mori.
He just looked at her for a few moments, while she mentally argued with herself about what to do. He walked me all the way here...I can't go back. I don't want to go back. But I don't want to be here by myself, and-
"What do you want to do?" he asked, finally.
She gulped. "Uhhh..." she looked up at him nervously. Just say it. "Please stay with me for a bit." He'll probably say yes. Ask him. No matter how she pep-talked herself, the words would not leave her mouth. She heard herself say in a small voice, "I-I'm fine. By myself..."
His eyes narrowed slightly, and he bent down to look at her face more closely. Expression almost accusing, he said, "No. You are not fine." He straightened, and began walking toward her tent, opening the flap for her. "I will wait with you until the maids return."
Her head spun, but she nodded and followed him, turning on the interior camp lights her tent was furnished with, once inside. Mori left the tent flap open slightly, and sat near the entrance, so the maids would not be scandalized by his presence when they did arrive. Kana took a seat halfway across the tent on the edge of her bed.
"Th-thank you. For staying with me. I...didn't want to ask. Are you sure this is okay?"
Mori nodded in acknowledgement, his eyes soft.
"If you couldn't tell, I don't care for ghost stories. At all. They stick in my head until I can't think about anything else, especially at night. It's worse when I'm alone." She gave a short, mirthless laugh. "The girls at boarding school thought it was hilarious." She shivered.
Mori frowned as he listened.
"Oof. I can't stop thinking about the story they were telling tonight, either. Please, ask me something. Anything. Just get me talking about something else." Her voice had a pleading tone to it.
Mori nodded. "Tell me more about boarding school."
Kana blinked at him in surprise, and bit her lip. "O-okay. Um..." She fidgeted needlessly with her hair, suddenly embarrassed at being the center of his attention. "It was an all-girl school, and I lived in a dormitory with ten other girls my age. There were...pros and cons to that. Not a lot of privacy. Kind of hard if you didn't fit in." She shrugged uncomfortably, looking down. "Which I didn't."
Mori frowned in concern.
"I mean, the education itself was pretty decent. The school had beautiful grounds to go walking in. It wasn't all bad. I just...didn't make a lot of friends, there. The one friend I did make only stayed for one term, before she moved."
"You were bullied?" he asked bluntly.
Kana swallowed. "Well...yes."
Mori's fist clenched. "How?"
"Uh...verbally, mostly. They had all sorts of names for me. Leaving me out of events. Hiding my belongings. There were some...physical things, too. But I don't really like to talk about that part." She gave him a weak smile.
He waved his hand slightly. "You don't have to. I'm sorry."
There was an uncomfortable silence between them.
Surprisingly, Mori broke it first. "Ask me something."
"...What?"
"Ask me a question." He looked at her earnestly. "Anything you like."
Kana shifted on the bed, trying to get a better look at his face. He was as unreadable as ever, but the invitation seemed genuine. She felt a thrill of anticipation at the thought of actually getting him to talk. She didn't need to think about what question she wanted to ask.
"Um...when I talked with your brother, he seemed surprised that we had gone horseback riding, but he wouldn't say why. He said...something sad happened." She glanced at Mori, unhappily noticing that his eyes suddenly looked very distant. "Please...if you don't want to talk about it, it's okay! I just-"
Mori held up a hand, and she trailed off. When he met her gaze, the look was gone and he wore a gentle smile again. "It's all right. It's true that riding with you was the first time I'd been on a horse in five years. Before that, I rode all the time." He looked wistfully out the tent door into the darkened campsite, lit now only with the solar lights lining the little pathway. "There was one horse that was...very special to me. When I rode her, I could lose myself in the ride. She knew what I was thinking before I thought it, and understood and accepted me in a way that no one else did." He looked back and Kana, seeming surprised to hear himself talk so much. "I'm sorry. That probably sounds strange."
"No!" Kana shook her head adamantly. "Not at all! Some animals are special like that. What...what happened to her?"
Mori sighed. "She...died. Broke her leg while I was riding her at a canter between jumps. We were preparing for a show...and I felt it was my fault."
"But...!"
He held his hand up again. "I know. It happens all the time. But that's how I felt, and I didn't want to ride again. Until you asked me to." He smiled at her, gratefully.
Kana's mouth suddenly felt a little dry.
"Riding with you made me miss it, so I've been spending more time with the horses at home. In fact...I'm thinking of applying to the university equestrian team." He swallowed, not quite looking at her. "...Thanks to you."
Kana became very interested in her fingernails. Thanks to me? "Mori, I..."
Mori nodded in the direction of the path outside the tent. "I think your attendants are coming back." He started to rise.
Kana hopped off the bed, hurrying over to him, and impulsively reached out to touch his arm. "W-wait..."
Surprised, he looked down at her questioningly.
"I, uh...I thought of a name for your bunny... What about Momiji-chan?"
Mori's eyes twinkled, and he took Kana's hand, which was still resting furtively on his arm, in his. "That sounds like a perfect name, Kana-hime." Slowly, maintaining eye contact with her, he bent his head down and planted a firm kiss on the back of her fingers. Her head spun dizzily, and she barely registered his words of farewell and her own response, as he left the tent and briefly conferred with her maids before continuing on to rejoin his fellow hosts.
He's thinking of joining the university equestrian team...because of me? She was floating, but another thought brought her sharply and painfully back to earth. University. He's graduating this year, and I... She felt tears prickling inexplicably at the back of her eyes, I don't know if I'll see him again after that. The maids arrived, but she barely heard them as they gave their apologies and started making preparations for her bed. Why do I feel like this? Why are my emotions all over the place? The answer that she knew, that she had been actively avoiding, and as the back of her fingers still tingled where he kissed them, she realized she couldn't push away anymore, came crashing down: I like him. I like Mori. She covered her face with her hands. A lot.
She brushed off the maids' expressions of concern by saying that she was just tired, and settled into a troubled sleep.
On the television, two anchors babbled back and forth about some inane local "human interest" story. It was the ticker tape scrolling along the bottom of the screen that caught Sendou's interest: "KASUGA U.N. PROPOSAL WILL DECREASE ORGANIZED CRIME BY 400%, STUDIES CLAIM. VOTE TO TAKE PLACE ON 09/25".
Sendou glanced at the calendar hanging on his wall. That was in less than two weeks. Something would have to be done about Kasuga Kyon before then. His daughter did not seem to be cooperating; very well. They would proceed without her cooperation.
He had given her a fair chance.
END OF CHAPTER.
Author's note: My dear readers, if you are ever in a situation like Kana's and a friend is in trouble in the water, DO NOT JUMP IN AFTER THEM. This is my version of "Kids: don't try this at home." There is a reason Kana earned some bruises in this chapter. If you are ever in this situation, call for help, get a lifeguard, or throw a floatation device to the person until help can arrive. Do NOT get in the water with them. A drowning person can drown you, too, in their panic; no matter how good of a swimmer you are. /disclaimer
Oh, and guess what? We have finally reached the chapter where I reveal Kana's fear! :D Your answers were all very good, but a bit more serious than I had intended. You're too deep for me! ^^; I really just meant she's afraid of ghosts and such...the "clue" I mentioned occurred several chapters ago, when she is looking for clubs to join and briefly happens upon the Black Magic Club. It was very short, and if you blinked, you'd have easily missed it.
Bunny-san ended up being named "Momiji", partially because Fruits Basket is personally my favorite manga of all time (even more than Ouran!), but also because, yes, Kana likes anime, and I think she would be familiar with the reference. Also, I didn't choose the name Bunny-chan or Usagi because...that's the name of Hunny's stuffed rabbit! ("Usa-chan" = "Usagi-chan") I didn't think Kana would want to copy him even though Mori might have gone for the idea...
Thank you, Shadowess 88, for suggesting the rabbit's name be "Momiji". I knew it was perfect when I read your review. ^_^
FAN MAIL
From: LollipopWanter
I have some questions, 1: This is for everyone, whats your BIGGEST fear? 2:Kyouya, whats your opinion of Laleanen-san? 3:Kana, what would you have your...special someone... dress up as? Oh and Laleanen-san i think your really cool for writing this!
Laleanen: Uwaah! And I think you're really cool for reading it, Lollipop Wanter! ^_^ As to your other questions, I think we discovered Kana-chan's this chapter, and if you're familiar with Ouran, you probably know Haruhi's as well...but what about our esteemed hosts, hmm?
Kyouya: The most sensible things to fear are those that pose a potential threat to my physical or mental health, from which I might not escape. *shrugs* Thankfully, I do not come across too many things like that.
Hunny: Waahh! Why are we talking about scary things? I'm scared of the dark!
Mori: *pats Hunny's head*
Hunny: You're lucky, Takashi! You're not scared of anything!
Mori: *shrugs*
Hikaru: Ehh, not a big fan of snakes, personally.
Kaoru: Or things that sting.
Both: We try to avoid them.
Tamaki: Fear not, my comrades! Your fearless leader will protect you from-
Nekozawa: *waves*
Tamaki: YIPE! *hides behind Haruhi*
Laleanen: Well, I think that settles that. Oh, Kyouya, I believe Lollipop-san also wanted to know what you think of ME? This I've got to hear.
Kyouya: *quirks an eyebrow* What I think of you, Laleanen-san? Are you sure you want to hear this?
Laleanen: Fire away.
Kyouya: For starters, you update far too slowly. Your readers will lose interest at this rate; many of them have already stated that they have to go back and re-read chapters just so they know what's going on, because it has been so long since you last posted. You also spend far too much time and space on the fan mail section, when in the grand scheme of things, it is utterly irrelevant to the story, and frankly, seems like a shameless plug to get more reviews.
Laleanen: Erk. *looks down at herself painfully, as she is impaled with several sharp cartoon arrows* Ouch.
Kyouys: *adjusts glasses* Your grammar is passable. Imperfect, but passable.
Laleanen: *coughs* Well, let's move on from that, shall we? Kana! Answer your part of the nice reader's question! *winces as she pulls out an arrow from her chest*
Kana: I...uh...all right...*reads question* Eep! *turns bright red* Wh-what would I...have...er, someone...dress up as? *gulps and fidgets nervously* Well...I really liked Highland Games day...the traditional kilts were very...ah...becoming...
Mori: *pretends not to be listening, but is actually carefully memorizing this piece of information*
From: xxyangxx2006
I would like to know about the Hosts' favorite memory from their Host Club activities.
Hunny: My favorite memories are eating cake! *smile smile*
Mori: *glances at Kana* Entertaining guests.
Kyouya: *pushes his glasses up, smiling* Making a profit.
Hikaru and Kaoru: Any time we get to dress up Haruhi...*they grin at her, hair curling into devilish horns*
Haruhi: *sweatdrop* Uhhh...my favorite memories are of the times I had peace and quiet...and that was before I met these guys...*eyes them flatly*
Tamaki: But Haruhi-chan! What about the time you cooked a delicious, home-cooked meal for Daddy? Or the time you and Daddy skipped together down the school hallways, hand in hand? Or the time-
Haruhi: None of that actually happened, sempai...
From: Aqua Cahill
Questions for the Club and Kana! If they could be any person other then themselves who would they be and why? For Mori: Do you enjoy all this talk about you and Kana?
Kana: I think I would choose to be Jane Goodall. I love the work she has done in raising awareness about the true, gentle nature of gorillas, even though they seem scary and dangerous, and...*looks at Mori for some inexplicable reason* and...uh...living with gorillas would be exciting!
Tamaki: I would like to be Napoleon!
Haruhi: Err...why?
Tamaki: *pouting* I like his hat!
Haruhi: *sighs and rolls her eyes* I don't think I would want to be anybody but myself, but if I could choose to be like someone, it would be by mother...
Hikaru: No one.
Kaoru: We wouldn't change at all.
Both: *shrug*
Mori: *quietly* I would choose to be Rurouni Kenshin.
Hunny: I would be Bun-Bun! *smiles cheerily*
Kyouya: *thoughtfully* I always thought Sun Tzu seemed an interesting person.
Laleanen: Actually, that makes a disturbing amount of sense, Kyouya... *sweatdrop* And uh, Mori, part of that was addressed to you...
Mori: *re-reads it, eyes widening slightly* *coughs* ...Ah. *glances sideways at Kana*
Kana: Wait...what? Did I miss something?
From: Sunstar Writer
I have to ask the entire club (and I think this is a relevant question), We know your "types" but what types are you into?
Kyouya: *raises eyebrows* "Type"? I don't have a "type"...
Tamaki: *bows chivalrously* ALL princesses are lovely in their own way, and they are ALL my type. How can I choose between beautiful flowers?
Haruhi: Err...I don't really have a "type", I guess...I never really thought about it much. Probably someone who respects me...and gives me some space...*glares pointedly at Tamaki*
Tamaki: Eep!
Hunny: *taps his chin thoughtfully* Hmmm...Well, I really like a girl who is honest with herself, and with me. It's cute if she blushes a lot, too! *winks playfully*
Mori: *swallows and nods in agreement with Hunny's last statement, glancing at Kana out the corner of his eye*
Hikaru: Uhh...well, I like a girl who's laid back...who I could joke around with...*rubs the back of his neck, looking oddly uncomfortable and trying not to look at Haruhi*
Kaoru: *grins wickedly* I like a girl who can challenge me, but who I can also take care of... *suddenly laughs* Or maybe just you, Hikaru!
Hikaru: *playing along* All we need is each other, Kaoru!
*they fall into each other's arms dramatically*
From: Sesshomaru's Babydoll
So great to see an update for this story again. I've missed reading it. As
always, kana and mori are adorable. And the timing for having kana discover
haruhis secret was very well thought out I think. As to what element kana
should be, I'd have to say water. Water is fluid and graceful, but can take
many shapes and be very deceiving in appearance. It's strong and dangerous yet can be calm and gentle. There is strength to kana that we are slowly seeing in this story and hopefully we'll see more of it. Hope you like my reasoning :)
Laleanen: I love your reasoning so much, I wanted to share your answer with everybody! ^_^ Thank you, Sesshomaru's Babydoll! 3
I also wanted to share this answer:
From: Guest
Kana-chan could either be earth or air. I say air because she is easily flustered in many situations and sometimes appears to be fragile. Despite her clumsiness, I think she as a graceful personality. What I mean by that is that she just rolls with the punches. She also always seems to have her head in the clouds. And she also runs like the wind. Earth would be my first choice because she is very down to earth. She doesn't look down on others, is helpful and respectful. She is kind with her maids and staff and has a gift with animals.
Laleanen: Thank you, Guest! Kana would really appreciate you thinking of her as having a graceful personality...she certainly wouldn't choose to describe herself that way. What well thought-out answers! *tears up a little at having such lovely readers*
"Guest" goes on to ask...
Dear Kana,
If you were to go on a date with someone COUGH COUGH *Mori* COUGH COUGH, how do you imagine it? And I want to know what Flick-chan thinks about Mori?
Kana: I...what? *looks around to make sure Mori isn't listening* Well, I...I guess I always imagined a first date to be something like...g-going for a walk in the springtime, maybe getting an ice cream together, feeding the ducks at a pond...a-and he walks her home...*blush*
Laleanen: Well, you've done half of that. We just need ice cream and some ducks.
Kana: I...I-I WHAT?
Laleanen: *winks*
*Flicks ears prick up at the sound of his name* Chee? *He hears Mori's name, and suddenly scurries around, his ears pricked up happily* Chee! Chee!
Laleanen: And last but not least, I couldn't resist including this little gem...(I love your username by the way. LOVE.)
From: CreepyStalkerFangirl
Heres some fan mail for mori. I WUBS YOU MORI!
Mori: *slight blush* *ruffles CreepyStalkerFangirl's hair* Arigato.
That's all for today, I'm afraid. I tried to make it nice and long for you! And I promise, I will TRY to be better at updating. I'm a bad, bad, bad person, I know (and so does Kyouya, apparently...) But I reiterate my promise: I WILL finish this story. It will not be abandoned. I've worked too long and too hard on it, and if you couldn't tell, things are about to get very interesting...
See you all next time! :D