Chapter 25: Far better than winning a championship

I took a deep breath and nodded my head in assurance to myself. "I can do this." I said to myself. "After all of coach's yelling and the host club's continuing support, I just know can do this."

"Haninozuka! Come here!" Coach yelled.

"Yes!" I answered and scurried over to him and Daniel.

"This is it, in about an hour the race will start. If you really want to win, you will give it your all today. I know you can do this because I know you're tough and you've been with me for the past years. Go ahead and win this, Aki!" Coach said.

"Yes. Thanks a lot for everything, coach. I will give it my all and I can do this!" I replied as I balled my fists in determination.

"Alright, see you in an hour. Don't wander off now." He instructed.

"Yup, I won't."

He and Daniel left. I zipped the top of my suit and sighed. I got my cell phone from my pocket and flipped it open. I stared at my wallpaper—the picture of me and the Host club just before I left. "I just wish that you guys could be here as well." I said to myself.

I felt sadness and anxiety at the same time. I really wished that they could be here later to witness my race. I'll have to face this alone I guess.

"Good morning and welcome to today's race! Today's race will certainly be exciting for whoever wins will qualify for the upcoming championships! So let me start by introducing our racers!" the guy over the PA system announced.

"Hey, nervous?" Daniel asked as he laid a hand on my shoulder.

"Tch, me? Nervous? I asked as I raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, yeah I am." I admitted as I pouted.

He chuckled. "You can do this, Aki."

"There's always the possibility that I'm going to lose." I said.

He smacked my head.

"That hurts, moron!" I shouted.

"Idiot, never think that way." He replied, smiling at me. "Got that?"

I smiled at him. "Yeah, sorry." I said.

"Now give me a high-five!"

"Yeah!" we both said with enthusiasm as we did a high- five.

"I guess I have to check up on my car, I'll see you later." I said and walked away going to my car to be used for the race. It was being tuned up and ready for the race.

After a few minutes, it was ready. I stared at it for a few seconds. I could feel my heart beat faster as the feeling of nervousness came over me.

"Go for it, Haninozuka!" I heard coach say.

I turned to him behind me. He handed me my helmet. "Thanks coach." I said and took it from him.

"It's going to start." He said.

"Mm," I nodded. "Coach, will you get mad at me if ever I don't win?"

"No," he replied. "Because I know that you gave it your best shot. Akira Haninozuka gives it her best all the time." He added as he gave me a pat on the shoulder.

"Racers get ready!" the PA system announced.

"That's me, see you at the finish!" I said and went over to my car. I wore my helmet and got in the car. "This is it." I said to myself.

"Racers, start your engines! We all know the rules, count of 5 and a signal of Go! And then start moving. Good luck and let the race begin!"

The engines started to burn the gasoline in them. The tension grew among us as all racers were in their own cars. The sound of the motor sounded as loud my own heartbeat that was pumping louder and louder as I looked at the electronic board in front of us.

"Racers, start in 5…4…" the guy over the PA started to count.

"3…2…" I counted along seeing the electronic board flash the numbers on screen. "1 and…"

The countdown and PA system stopped. We remained in our cars for about 2 minutes before it occurred to us that something was going on.

I looked to my sides. The other racers got up and took off their helmets. They started complaining.

"Hey, what is this?"

"What's going on?" I could hear them complain.

I got out of my car and took off my helmet as well.

"Oh man!" I heard one racer say.

One man from the administration office came down and announced using a megaphone "Ladies and Gentlemen, there seemed to be a little glitch in our system. The electronic board and PA system seems to be malfunctioning and stuck at the moment."

"What?!" I exclaimed.

"We are terribly sorry for this inconvenience. We will try to fix this in a span of 15 minutes. In the meantime, racers please take a break for a while. We will call your attention as soon as we get things back to order."

"Crap." I mumbled to myself as I walked towards the standby benches.

I got a bottle of water from my bag and started drinking. "Damn it, what's with this delay anyway? It's making me more nervous." I complained to no one as I returned the bottle of water in my bag.

"I'm sorry for that." A male voice said.

I turned to that person. I blinked for a few times and rubbed my eyes. "K-kyoya?" I said in surprise.

"Surprised?" he asked almost teasingly.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" I asked, still not believing he was actually in front of me.

He walked closer to me. "I forgot to wish you good luck." He replied.

"That's it?" I asked. I raised an eyebrow at him. "You came all the way here just to wish me good luck just because you forgot?"

"No." he answered.

"Huh?" I uttered in confusion.

"I also forgot to say I love you."

I stared back at his black orbs that were staring back into mine. "Wh-what?" I uttered almost in whisper.

He suddenly pulled my face to his as our lips met. My eyes widened at this action. He pulled away and smiled at me.

"I don't understand, Kyoya." I said. "Aren't you bethrothed to Haruhi?"

"Not anymore." he replied. "The only thing mutual about me and Haruhi is that we both don't want to get married with each other. Besides, I know Tamaki is in love with her."

"So your father got mad?"

"Of course he did." He replied. "But I told him that the girl I want is a top racer and from the Haninozuka family so upon seeing your achievements and your prestigious family name, he approved."

"So just because of my achievements and family name? I think you're rather using me that way." I said.

He ran his fingers through my hair. "I'm not using you. How can I when I've fallen in love with you?" he said and pulled my face gently as he pressed his lips with mine.

"Haninozuka!" I heard coach call. Kyoya and I pulled apart and looked at him.

"You can kiss your boyfriend later. We have a meeting right now." He said and walked away.

"B-Boyfriend?" I questioned as I felt a blush creeping on my cheeks.

Kyoya gave a rare chuckle. I looked at him. "What makes you think I feel the same way about you?" I asked him as I raised an eyebrow.

He looked at me surprisingly as if he couldn't believe what he just heard.

I laughed. "I'm kidding! I-love-you." I said and smiled.

He gave a sign of relief and smiled at me.

"Wait a minute! When you said sorry just now, do you mean that you have something to do with the glitch they were saying in the system?" I asked.

"I might have…" he replied with a teasing tone in his voice.

I smiled at him and giggled. "Good job."

"My name is Haninozuka Akira. I was here last semester but I had to leave for a competition."

"Hey, aren't you the one who came in second at the Formula one eliminations?" one student asked me.

"Mm," I nodded. "That was me."

"You qualified for the championships right?" another asked.

"Yep, I did." I replied. "But I didn't win the championships itself."

"That's a bummer." A boy said.

"Not really." I replied with a smile.

So that's what happened. I came in second in the eliminations but got beat at the championships. It's all good anyway, after those races; I decided to go back to Japan. I recall saying before that I wouldn't return if lost right? But of course that changed since Kyoya and I got together.

I decided to return to Ouran first and finish my studies here. My father bought a lot near our mansion and converted it into a circuit. He also got me a trainer here in Japan so I wouldn't have to go to England every now and then. I don't join competitions anymore since I'd like to concentrate more on my studies; I just train to keep my skills up. Oh, and by the way, the circuit isn't just for my personal use, we made it a business as well.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to watch you race, Aki." Haruhi apologized. "I don't have a passport."

"It's alright." I replied.

"It's a shame Haruhi missed it." Said the twins as they patted her at the back.

"Rich bastards…" I heard Haruhi mutter.

Oh in case you want to know, Haruhi was the only one who wasn't able to go to England and watch the race since she doesn't have a passport. It's a shame that slow Tamaki didn't get her one. He's so slow, if he doesn't make a move, someone might take Haruhi away from him. Guess I'll have to help him make a move.

"The school already knows you're a girl, still no chance of wearing the yellow uniform?" Tamaki asked holding up the girl's uniform.

I shook my head. "Uh-uh. No way. It doesn't mean I've kissed a boy means I would love to wear that."

"Oh come on!" the twins said as they kept pulling my arm back and forth as if we were playing tug of war. "Wear the dress already!"

"Let go of me, idiots!" I shouted.

"No way!" They said teasingly.

"Hey Aki, could you help me carry these boxes outside?" Kyoya asked as he came out from the back of the room carrying two medium sized boxes.

"Sure." I replied and got one box from what he was holding.

We went out the room. Upon closing the door, he placed his box on the floor.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

He then placed one hand on my cheek and he leaned closer to capture his lips with mine.

"Oh, so you two just wanted a moment together huh?" the twins teased as they were all watching from the side of the open door.

"Hey, close that door!" I ordered as I dropped the box on the floor.

"It's the first time we've seen you kiss for real as a couple!" Hunny said.

I turned a little red and burrowed my face on Kyoya's shoulder. "Damnations, this is embarrassing." I said.

"Today is our lucky day since I just happen to have captured that moment in my cell phone." said Kaoru.

"Oh yes, camera phones are wonderful." Hikaru agreed as he looked at the photo in the cellphone.

"What? You got a picture of us kissing?!" I exclaimed as my cheeks continued to turn red.

"Yep." They replied.

"Delete that!" I ordered as I ran towards them.

A cat and mouse chase went on. The twins and I ran around the room, I jumped on them from behind and I snatched the phone from Kaoru's hand.

"Hey don't delete that!" he commanded.

I looked at the photo and smiled. I stood up, handed it back to him and simply walked back to Kyoya.

"Hey, I thought you were going to delete it?" said Hikaru.

I turned to them and said "Nah, it looks cute anyway."

"Hey Kyoya! Let's go out to eat, I'm hungry!" I said as I was walking back to him.

"Don't you have training today?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Well, yeah but…" I began to give a pleading look

"Fine then." he said with a smile.

"We'll come too!" the twins insisted.

"Alright! Anyone else?" I asked.

"Haruhi and I will come as well!" said Tamaki as he held Haruhi's hand. Finally, he made a move.

"Us too! Come on, Takashi!" my brother declared.

"Un." Mori grunted in reply.

We walked away from the third music room teasing each other as Kyoya and I walked together with our hands entwined with each other.

Trust me; this is far better than winning a championship.

Author's note: Hey everyone! I would like to thank all those who supported my first ouran fan fic! I never could have made it without you guys and I never expected this much reviews too! All the reviewers in the review page! Thank you so much! Sadly, the story is over and although I hate ending this story, everything has an end. Uhm… I'm sorry to say I won't be making part two but I do have another story that you could maybe read as well. It's a KyoyaxOC fic too. It's entitled "Life with Mr. Data Detail" and I do hope you check it out. Please do check it out and leave comments. :) Once again, thank you for the support. :)