Kyandi: Hey, everyone! Sorry it's been so long.
Naniko: Her muse has favored other stories as of late.
Kyandi: But I am trying to focus on other stories too. It's just...
Naniko: Slow?
Kyandi: Exactly. That aside, I do have a new chapter for all of you.
Naniko: And I finally-
Kyandi: Don't say another word. You are not spoiling the chapter.
Naniko: Party pooper.
Kyandi: Whatever. Best move on before she spoils the chapter. Everyone, please enjoy and review.
Naniko: Kyandi-sama does not own Ouran High School Host Club.
Chapter 25 Snapped
"Of course we're joining the race."
Naniko had prayed, hoped, that those words wouldn't leave Kyoya's mouth when Haruhi asked him about the race for the central salon. Of course, her wish didn't come true. Now she sat at a table, rubbing her temples as Hunny sat a piece of cake in front of her.
"I was afraid you were going to say that. Please tell me that, at least, it's not an actual race." Naniko remarked, thanking Hunny for the cake.
"Last year the winner was decided by a chess tournament. We lost to the student council during the finals." Hunny told her.
Something like a chess tournment was something Naniko could manage. If if had been an actual race, she might have thrown in the towel then and there. She had enough on her plate without having to run all over the school for some stupid race.
"It's not like I care who wins but that's a surprise. You've probably just secured Naniko's help." Haruhi said.
All eyes turned to Naniko.
"Something like a chess tournament, I can handle. I play all the time with our head butler. But a foot race? Count me out. I have enough to do right now without running all over the school. Besides...I'm not the fastest runner there is." Naniko replied.
"It will probably be something different this year." Kyoya told her. "The son of a very important Hitachiin business associate was on the student council last year. Still, just for PR purposes, we stayed in the race through the finals."
"So you took a calculated loss." Naniko stated.
"Yes." Kyoya answered.
That was so like Kyoya, but Naniko couldn't fault him. Had they won, it could have japordized the business relationship between the Hitachiin family and the family of the other boy. As much as Naniko hated the whole workings of rich men, she knew a business florished or failed due to it's connections just as much as it's leadership and management.
"We'll win this year, right? There's no one to defer to." Tamaki said.
"Yes, but we've got a bit of a problem." Kyoya said.
When Tamaki tried to ask what the problem was, Kyoya threw several envelopes at him and Haruhi.
"Look, it's not a big deal, but...every day, for a week, we've been receiving somewhat hostile letters." Kyoya said, waving one letter in his hand.
Naniko came up to his side, lightly taking hold of his wrist to keep his hand still. She read the letter. In letters cut out from a newspaper, the message read as, "Withdraw from the salon race. Or else!". It seemed rather childish, especially since they didn't back up their threat by telling them what "or else" entailed.
"These letters...they're clearly hate mail! We talked about finding a culprit. Can it be...?"
Haruhi trailed off, her stomach feeling like it was sinking as it all dawned on her.
"Kyoya! Why did you neglect the matter until it went this far?" Tamaki demanded.
"It couldn've been a prank of some sort, so I ignored it." Kyoya replied.
"I hate to admit it...but I agree with him. It seems so childish to me. They don't even say what "or else" entails. I would have thought it a prank as well." Naniko remarked.
And they all knew how difficult it was for Naniko to agree with Kyoya. Kyoya nodded, glad that the one person who usually argued with him over everything, was actually taking his side. Opening another envelope, he held out a final letter.
"After the official announcement today, though...we received this."
This note, with a mix of letters cut from a newspaper and letter written with marker, read, "Prepare to Die.". Tamaki freaked out, though Naniko still couldn't see any reason to get so worked up.
"The perpetrator appears to be someone who loses his temper easily. Maybe he's not taking enough calcium." Kyoya remarked.
"You're the one who made him angry! How could you-"
Tamaki cut off as Kyoya turned to him, giving him a sharp look that had Tamaki freezing in his tracks.
"I already said I'm sorry." Kyoya told him darkly.
"Actually, no you didn't." Naniko pointed out.
Kyoya turned to look at her as she was looking over the letters. She was turning each one, studying them and trying to get any new information she possibly could.
"That being said, I don't really see how he has anything to apologize for...this time. Whoever is doing this is the one at fault. Not Ootori-sempai." Naniko said.
The others couldn't disagree with her. Though Kyoya ignoring the situation hadn't made it better, it wasn't really his fault that there was someone sending these notes. Kyoya was surprised that Naniko actually had his back this time. Perhaps it was the fact that he was helping her for once, so she decided to cut him some slack. Perhaps, perhaps not. He wasn't going to ask and risk ruining it.
"As I said, we'll have to track down the culprit. By the way, we will never withdraw from the race. We will promptly find the originator of this letter and crush him. We'll teach him what it means to cross us. The fool and his descendants will remember it...forever!" Kyoya declared.
It was a little bit of an over kill, but Naniko got the gist of it. Kyoya turned to Tamaki and Haruhi then, pointing a finger at the two.
"Haruhi, if you can't find him, your debt will be doubled. And Tamaki, you will become my slave for the rest of your life." Kyoya told the two.
"You're acutally going along with this?" the twins asked, turning to Naniko.
"Why wouldn't I? He's right."
All eyes, widened in shocked, turned on Naniko, who was starting to gather her things. She looked up when her remark was met with silence from her friends. She found them all staring at her with dumbfounded looks.
"What?" she asked.
"You actually admitted that Kyoya was right." Tamaki pointed out.
"I know." Naniko said, a little sour as she did.
"How does those words taste for you?" the twins asked, grinning.
Naniko gave them a glare as she shoved the last of her books into her back.
"Like vinagar." she retorted before turning on her heel.
Laughter followed her as she left the room. She was no farther than the end of the hall when Kyoya caught up with her. He fell into step with her.
"I already admitted that you were right. What else could you possible want from me today?" she asked.
Kyoya held out an envelope with her name on it. Naniko looked at it before turning a questioning look on him.
"It's from my brother." he told her.
Naniko took the letter, opening it and reading it. Kyoya looked down at her as her amythest eyes scanned the page. A small smile curled her lips as she read it. Another of those pangs of what he was now sure was jealousy, ripped through him. Naniko honestly seemed to like Akito, but he only had something to do with her because their father wanted to forge ties with the Katsunami company.
In that moment, Kyoya couldn't help but think that it wasn't right.
Naniko, whose life was already messed up thanks to the plots of rich men, didn't deserve to have her future messed with by even more plots from rich men. Maybe it was because he had a clearer view of who Naniko really was, but he thought Naniko deserved to know the truth.
"You honestly like him, don't you?" he asked.
"Believe it or not, but my relationship with Akito isn't simply to anger you. Yes, I like him." Naniko replied, folding up the letter.
When Kyoya came to a stop, Naniko stopped a few steps ahead of him and turned to look at him, questioning in her eyes. Kyoya stared at her, his expression serious, though not annoyed as it usually was when he looked at her. It was like he was actually trying to be honest with her.
"What?" she asked.
"It's all fake." he told her.
Naniko had a sinking feeling in her stomach as she turned to fully face him. She wanted to deny she knew what he was talking about, but she had a good feeling what he meant.
"What are you talking about?" she asked.
"I have over heard my father and Akito-nii-san. He is only spending time with you because my father ordered him to. Father wishes to arrange a marriage between your two for no other reason than to gain the benefits of the Katsunami name that comes with you. Akito is merely following my father's orders." Kyoya told her.
Naniko would have called him a liar, but she could see the semi-apologetic look in his eyes. He was a good actor, but he wasn't that good. Her stomach bottomed out at the possibility of him being truthful.
"So I'm...I'm just a means to an end." Naniko remarked.
"Yes. Akito-nii-san definitely finds you physically attractive, but that is about as far as it goes." Kyoya told her.
"I want to call you a liar. You have no proof to present me, do you?" Naniko demanded.
"No...but I can provide some."
-0-0-0-0-
That night, Kyoya decided to confront his father and brother about Naniko and their plans for her. He found the two in the study and approached them carefully. The two looked up at him as he came into the room.
"What is it, Kyoya?" Yoshio asked his son.
"I have a question for you, Father. It's about Fumeiryo Naniko." Kyoya started.
"What about Naniko?" Akito asked.
"I'm curious as to if you really have feelings for her. She doesn't seem like the type you would have mingled with on your own." Kyoya replied.
He was careful in picking his words. He didn't want to make them suspect anything and he certainly didn't want to anger his father. That could end up being trouble for him.
"Why do you think that?" Yoshio asked.
"She is still in high school, for one, and she is the illegitmate daughter. Both are reasons for over looking her." Kyoya replied.
"True, but the girl is also currently the only heir to a well known and large company that has their hands in multiple fields. Were she to be married into our family, the benefit to us would be great. Even more so if her brother never has children. Upon his retirement or death, the company would fall to her and, as her husband, Akito would become the head of the company. While the girl, herself, as the illegitmate daughter of a commoner, has no merit, she comes with great benefit." Yoshio said.
Kyoya had figured that was pretty much the case. His father was only approving Akito spending so much time with her because of what he would gain in the end. The question was, did Akito feel the same way.
"She's a polite girl, well read, refined despite her upbringing, and she is better suited to business than most, but she is still just a high school girl who came from common stock." Akito remarked. "She is attractive enough and not over bearing or taxing. That is enough."
Which meant that Kyoya, once again, had been right. Akito had no feelings for Naniko, what-so-ever.
"I see." Kyoya remarked.
"Why are you curious?" Yoshio asked his son.
"I was curious because she honestly seems to like Akito-nii-san. I only wondered if it was the same for him. As I said, I could not see her being the type he would willinging choose." Kyoya replied.
It was all the truth, though there was another reason behind his asking. Thankfully, his brother and father took it face value and Kyoya excused himself. He closed the door behind him as he left the room and turned to the person hiding just outside of the room. When his eyes landed on Naniko, she was staring at the floor. He wasn't sure what the look on her face meant, but he was pretty sure she didn't want to be caught outside of the study by the very people who had lied to her.
Kyoya took hold of her arm lightly and lead her away from the room. He called for her car and waited outside with her, sitting on a bench by the drive way. Naniko remained quiet for the most part, her arms crossed.
"I thought you would want to know." Kyoya told her, finally.
"In a way, I did, but I also didn't. No one likes to find out that they've been lied too." Naniko remarked.
Heaving a frustrated sigh, she surged to her feet and began to pace. From the way she was biting on one thumb nail, Kyoya had a feeling that she was trying to hold something back. She always was holding something back, but this time, she couldn't contain it. With a low growl of frustration, Naniko spun on the spot and punched the brick wall. Kyoya inwardly winced. There was no way that didn't hurt.
"What I wouldn't give for my punching bag, right about now." Naniko muttered.
"You use a punching bag?" Kyoya asked.
Why did that surprise him? Naniko was definitely the type that had anger issues and she didn't seem like the type of girl that handled that anger by writing in a journal or talking about it.
"Yes, I do. It use to be for nothing more than an occasional work out, but lately I've been using it a lot more." Naniko retorted.
Pulling back her fist, she punched the wall again. It hurt, yes, there was no way it didn't, but, at the moment, she needed to do something to keep from hitting a person. Though, she would love to hit Kyoya just once. She pulled back her fist again, to give the wall third punch, but a hand wrapped around her wrist, stopping her. Looking up, she met Kyoya's eyes.
"Punching a wall isn't going to help you. You'll only hurt yourself." he told her.
She knew that, really she did. But...this whole thing, her whole life, was driving her crazy. She yanked away from him, walking a few feet from him as she drove her fingers into her hair. She felt so stupid at the moment. More so than she ever had in her entire life. And that was saying something.
She had had several stupid moments.
"I can't believe I was so idoitically blind. I feel so stupid." she admitted lowly.
"You're only human."
"This coming from someone who is such an inhuman slave driver and thrives in pointing out how stupid I can be."
Okay, he would let her have that one. After all he had done to her and the betrayal of his brother, he couldn't fault her for taking a verbal swing at him. Besides, she was right. He had previously taken every chance presented to him to call her an idiot and to prove his claim.
Naniko came to a stop, pulling her fingers from her hair, and wrapped her arms around herself. She felt stupid, but she also felt angry. It seemed she was always going straight to anger. She really needed to work on that or she would spend the rest of her life being bitter and angry. And that left her feeling so tired. Just trying to keep up her anger towards Kyoya for all he had done to her, was wearing her out.
Their relationship, she knew, was toxic. It was doing her more harm than good, being around him. She was constantly angry and his mere presence screwed with her head. How could it not after what he had done? Her brain had to of snapped for her to be able to sit next to him so calmly everyday. Not that anyone could blame her. After all the anger, she was just so tired and this latest betrayal only added on to it. Her relationship with Kyoya was like those toxic relationship one would see on reality tv.
Gods, did she just want it all to stop.
Life among the rich would be the end of her.
Kyoya glanced over at Naniko as she rubbed at one temple. She looked so exhausted standing there, as if something was weighing heavily on her shoulders. As if sensing his eyes on her, Naniko's eyes snapped up to his face. She met his eyes for a moment before turning to fully face him.
"Look, I'm grateful for the warning, but you have to know that you have seriously screwed with my head and it doesn't come anywhere close to making us even!" she told him.
From what he could see, he wasn't the only one. Now that he really stopped to examine her and her life, it seemed several people had taken their swings at Naniko. That the girl could still function properly, was an amazing feat. First her father with his neglect of her, then his board of trustees and all they had done to screw with her life, then him and what he had done, and now his father and brother and their plan to use her.
He couldn't blame her for being angry now that he stopped to think about it.
"By all rights...I should report you to the police, or, at least, beat you over the head with a cast iron skillet. I can't even began to put into words how being around you screws with my head! But, logically, it's not like that's going to do me any good. We would just end up going back and forth for the rest of our lives, making me more miserable than I already am. I can handle making myself miserable, well enough on my own, thanks. Just thinking about the endless fighting and bickering, the endless anger, makes me tired." Naniko added, pinching the bridge of her nose, like she was starting to get a headache just thinking about it.
The thought gave him a headache too. While he could keep up the mind games with most people and never grow tired of it, Naniko was a different type of opponent. She could play the game just as well as he could. They would exhaust each other, cause each other to self-destruct, at the rate they were going.
They would end up destroying each other if they couldn't change their relationship completely.
"Our relationship is toxic."
"I agree. What are you purposing?" Kyoya asked.
"A perminate truce. A fresh start, if you will. I don't know about you, but I can't keep going if we cannot manage to completely wipe the slate clean. We've both done things to the other that is unforgivable. We need to put a stop to it before we completely destroy ourselves in the process, call it even and be done with it. You might be different, but I have enough going on in my life. I don't need the extra aggravation." Naniko replied.
"Can you honestly let it go considering what I did?"
"Let it go? No. That kind of thing...I'll be lucky if I can ever get married and actually sleep with my husband without having nightmares, thank you very much." Kyoya frowned. He hadn't thought of it like that and probably should have. "In fact, there's not a waking moment that I don't consider strangling you. So no, I can't forget it. Now moving past it...yes. That I can do, given time. I have to keep moving. I'm tired of being angry all the time, don't you get that? When that anger's all gone, the void left behind is just draining. I've had enough of anger."
"What are you suggesting, then?" Kyoya asked.
If it meant that they could move past this fued, could put an end to the back and forth that was slowly destorying the both of them, then he was all ears. He wasn't ready to admit, out loud, that what he had done was wrong, but, deep, deep down inside, he knew it was. He had done Naniko a serious injustice and there was no way for him to even begin to consider fixing it.
How the hell could he fix it?
Then there was the fact that Naniko was a rival he wasn't sure he wanted to keep. She was cunning and sly, and could play just as dirty as him. One day, maybe, just maybe, she might find a way to beat him at his own game. It wasn't an idea he wanted to consider.
"We both have minds made for business tactics. Why not focus those on more constructive tasks and merely use our combined powers for the good of our club instead of for the destruction of each other. I doubt there's anything we couldn't accomplish if we were to work together instead of against each other. And our friends wouldn't constantly be walking on eggshells around us, as well." Naniko suggested.
She had a valid point.
Kyoya stopped to consider this. Together, their combined mental prowess could put them on top. She annoyed him, but he couldn't deny that she would make the perfect business partner for him. He was doubtful that Naniko could really find it in her heart to forgive him and he couldn't blame her for that, but, for the sake of themselves as well as everyone around them, he was willing to give it a try.
"No more fighting?" he asked.
"No more fighting."
"No arguing, plotting against each other, or anything of the sort?"
"None what so ever."
"Just a clean slate?"
"As clean as it can get."
Kyoya stared at Naniko, meeting her gaze, trying to gauge whether she was being truthfully honest or not. He couldn't see anything in her expression that suggested she was pulling his leg. Holding eye contact with her, he held out his hand.
"Shake only if you truly mean it." he told her.
Naniko's eyes dropped to his hand for a moment before meeting his eyes once more. Reaching out, she took his hand firmly, giving it one shake before releasing it as quickly as she could.
It wasn't going to be easy, that they both knew. It was going to take a lot of work and space. If they ever wanted to be able to manage a somewhat normal relationship after what had happened between them, then he was going to have to give her space to breathe. Elsewise, the next thing she punched wouldn't be a wall, but his face. She was so close to snapping, he could tell. This was just an attempt to stave off the inevitable. She was going to snap one day.
He just hoped it wasn't going to be as big as he thought.
-0-0-0-0-
When Naniko finally got back home, she went straight to her room to change before she was after her punching bag, once again. It was there that Ryotarou found her two hours later. He knew, the moment he saw her, that something was wrong. He had watched her punch the bag for several months, working it over in carefully mastered form. But this...this was nothing more than just wanting to hit something. Which meant that Naniko was more upset than she normally was.
"Naniko?"
Naniko paused in her punching, catching the bag to stop it's swinging. She didn't turned to face him, so he couldn't see her face.
"What is it?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"Are you alright?"
He knew it was a risk asking. Normally she blew up at him when he asked if she was fine. She never wanted to answer his questions. It was as if the girl was incapable of relying on another for anything. This time, though, she surprised him. First, it was just the light trembling of her shoulders, then she drew a ragged breath. What she did next dumbfounded him.
"No, I'm not!" she gasped before sinking to hit on the floor, her head hanging.
She hadn't planned on ever admitting that, but she couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't hold back the swell of emotions that had been building up. Before she knew it, tears had welled up and spilled over. Ryotarou was instantly at her side, crouching next to her and wiping at the tears with handkerchief from his breast pocket.
"Naniko, what happened?" he asked, his free hand a warm weight on her back.
"I-I can't take this anymore." Naniko muttered, dropping her face into one hand.
"What? Naniko, what happened!?" Ryotarou asked, now really concerned.
What was she suppose to tell him? She couldn't tell him the whole truth. It would only serve to make things so much worse than it already was. But after this, he would never leave her alone until he knew the truth. She couldn't tell him the whole truth, but...maybe a half truth would work.
"I...I..." It was so difficult to admit aloud. The shame was enough to make her feel like burying herself alive. "I...was raped."
By the time it came out of her mouth, her voice was so low, she was sure Ryotarou hadn't heard her. One glance at his face, and she knew he had. She watched him through tear filled eyes as his expression went from shocked horror, to dawning realization, to furious. Then he was pulling her into a hug. Naniko went stiff as first, not use to being hugged by him, but she relaxed, bit by bit, as he stroked her hair.
"Naniko, I...I don't even know what to say. I'm so sorry. If I had paid more attention to you...I was just trying to give you space..."
It seemed Naniko wasn't the only one who didn't know how to handle all of this. And how could he blame himself? It wasn't even remotely his fault. But the way he held her tightly, as if he was holding onto her for dear life...Naniko couldn't put to words how it made her feel. What she would have gave to have felt such a warm, protective embrace growing up.
She had just fully relaxed into his hug when he pulled back. Ryotarou's hands settled on her shoulders, holding her out so he could look into her eyes with a serious expression. A seriously pissed off expression.
"Who was it?" he asked, his tone dropping.
Naniko shook her head. She couldn't tell him who it had been. Especially not after finally reaching a truce with Kyoya earlier that very day. The last thing she needed right now was for the huge scandal that would arise from Ryotarou finding out it had been Kyoya.
"I don't know. I didn't see their face." she lied.
Ryotarou's eyes drifted to the side, as he thought of what to do next. She knew the business side of him wanted to grill her, to get all the information he could so he could possibly find out who had done it, but the brother in him didn't want to push her and possibly traumatize her. When his eyes fixed on her, she knew the big brother in him had won out.
"We need to take you to the doctor and get you checked out." he told her. "And pray he used protection."
The last part was growled low under his breath. Naniko shook her head, making him look at her in surprised.
"I would know by now if I was...it happened a while ago." she said lowly, unable to say the word "pregnant".
Actually, she hadn't even thought about that when the whole thing with Kyoya had happened. All she had thought about, was her anger. Now that she thought about it...she could have ended up pregnant with Kyoya's child. The thought sent a shiver down her spine. She had seriously dodged a bullet.
"I'm not just worried about that, Naniko. After school tomorrow, I am taking you to the doctor myself." he told her firmly, refusing to take a no.
Seeing the same firm, stubborn look on his face that she, herself, sometimes got, all Naniko could do was agree with him. When she agreed, he heaved a relieved sigh.
"Don't worry, Naniko. We'll take care of this, and I promise I won't let something like this happen again."
In other words, he was now going to be glued to her every chance he had. While that would hamper her in her investigation, it also kind of made her feel a little better. To know he cared so much that he would devote every spare moment to her? She couldn't say that she hadn't wished for something like that since her mother died.
Now how was she going to explain to her friends that she would have to leave club early?
-0-0-0-0-
The next day, eleven days before the start of the school festival, Tamaki gathered their whole club for a debriefing of sorts. It seemed he was taking the whole "find the culprit" thing seriously. Then again, seeing how it had been Kyoya who had ordered it, Naniko wasn't surprised. Tamaki might be the president of the club, but it was Kyoya who, ultimately, called the shots.
As Tamaki started the meeting, Naniko sat at the back of the room, her journals open before her as she continued to think up and write down ideas for the roles and story lines her class would be using. Despite that, she was half way paying attention.
"Listen up! Express your theories and observations regarding this threatening letter!" Tamaki ordered.
Since, technically, Kyoya had given the job to Tamaki and Haruhi alone, the others weren't really paying attention to him. This caused Tamaki to yell at them to get their attention.
"That's a job for the Poor and Destitute." the twins replied.
"I need to feed Bun-Bun some cake!" Hunny added.
"Don't you even care that Haruhi, our descendants, and I will be cursed forever!? Can you still call yourself a member-"
"Tamaki-sempai...they can't help it." Haruhi said, cutting off Tamaki. "They're busy preparing for the festival. Not that we asked forthis, but let's make the best of this partnership, okay?"
Just the phrase, "make the best of this partnership", was enough to have all the others crowding around the table Haruhi sat at with the letters. Naniko, still sitting in her seat across the room, shook her head. She had too much work to do before Ryotarou showed up to pick her up.
Haruhi quickly organized their efforts, going over the letters and the fact that seven letters were made using clippings from a newspaper while five were completely blank. The twins theorized that perhaps that was the culprit leaving them a chance to respond to the letters.
"The perpetrator must think that his team can win the race as long as the Host Club is eliminated. Therefore, we can safely assume the prepetrator is a strong competitor who regards the host club as a real threat." Haruhi remarked.
"It could be just a personal grudge." Karou suggested.
"It says "or else", but it doesn't actually say what they'll do. It sounds kind of stupid to me. Can't they even claim they'll make our family's stock crash or something?" Hikaru asked.
Mori picked one of the letters up then, giving it sniff when he caught a faint scent that was coming off the paper.
"These reek of citrus." Mori remarked.
"You're right! The perptrator must love fruit." Hunny exclaimed.
This caught Tamaki's attention.
"Then can it be...? No, that's just impossible." Tamaki muttered.
"What is it, Tamaki-sempai?" Haruhi asked.
"Of course! the perpetrator must be on the Student Council."
Naniko glanced up from her journal when she heard Renge's voice join the discussion. Sure enough, the girl now stood behind Haruhi, having appeared out of nowhere, yet again.
"Renge, where did you spring from?" Haruhi asked.
"Listen up, everyone!" Renge declared, ignoring the question. "Since ancient times, the hero faces the Student Council in all school dramas!"
"This isn't one of your games, Renge." Naniko called out, though Renge waved her off.
"I've felt something amiss with the Host Club for a long time. What the Host Club needs is a recurring absolute evil to confront. First of all, the student body president is a handsome youth who seems gentle and honest but his true face should be that of an immoral, power hungry monster. That's how things are!" Renge ranted.
"Gee, who do we know that fits that description?" Naniko remarked.
"Yeah, Kyoya has already taken that role." Koaru agreed.
"We already have one enemy in our family. No need for another." Hikaru added.
"Did you say something?"
Kyoya appeared then, smiling one of those smiles that barely hid ill intent. The twins quickly insisted they hadn't said a word. Kyoya then turned to Naniko, raising an eyebrow at her considering their agreement the day before. Naniko raised her head to see the look and gave him a sheepish smile.
"Sorry, old habits die hard." she told him honestly.
A knock on the door at that moment, called all their attentions to the doorway. there stood a pretty girl with twin braids and a young man with hallowed cheek bones.
"Excuse us for intruding on your conversation. I'm Matsudaira, Student Council President. We've come to let you know we chose to withdraw from the race this year." the boy said.
"I told you this wasn't one of your games, Renge." Naniko remarked lowly.
Renge quickly, and quietly, made her exit.
"It's too much of a burden to compete against the great candidates. Besides, we hear it won't be a chess tournament this year." Matsudaira continued.
It was obvious that he wasn't much of a person for a contest that required physical talent over mental talent. That just meant that there was one less opponent for the Host Club.
"Will the Host Club also be withdrawing?" the girl with Matsudaira, asked.
"Not at all." Kyoya told her.
"Okay. Good luck, then." she told him.
With that, the two left, leaving the members of the Host Club to return to their theories on who their prepatrator was.
"Come to think of it, Tamaki-sempai, you were about to say something eariler." Haruhi prompted.
"Hmm...about everyone's theories...There's one person who fits the bill. If we can safely deduce a profile from these theories, then eight or nine times out of ten the culprit will be-"
"Hmph, so the student council is turning tail and running."
Naniko looked up from her work as a new voice joined the conversation. This time, it was three members of the football club. The speaker was the middle one, a third year and the president, Kuze Takeshi.
"But I say it's a wise decision. The race this year will be a one-on-one duel anyway, between the football club and the Host Club." Kuze remarked.
"I don't know where to begin." Haruhi remarked lowly. "Why is he eating the orange with the rind still on? Does he think it's cool or something?"
"Amongst the athletic clubs, they're the most talented group. They make it to the national champsionship regularly. Their team is called the Ouran Orages. It's a French word that means "tempest". They chose the name for its similarity to "orange", the fruit, that is. The family of the club president, Kuze, holds the largest market share in imported produce in Japan." Tamaki told her.
"What about that presonal grudge we talked about?" the twins asked.
The answer came as Kuze turned on Kyoya. This instantly caught Naniko's attention, making her look up from her journals.
"Hey, Ootori! There's this rumor that you guys deliberately threw the chess tournament last year. That true? Ever since you beat us at the semifinal, we've been a laughing stock. The story is an embarrassment, but this rumor even reached the ears of fiancee." Kuze said.
"That's an unjustified grievance, Kuze. Had people respected you, no one would laugh on the basis of such a rumor." Kyoya replied with a polite enough smile.
"What? Are you telling me it's my fault? Even when you were a kid, you had some nerve. Remember when we were in pre-school?" Kuze asked, taking a bite out of his orange, rind and all.
"I don't remember what we did when we were kids. Please don't drip on the carpet." Kyoya replied.
Pulling himself together and calming himself, Kuza wiped his mouth and pat Kyoya on the shoulder, as if he wasn't effected at all. Naniko was pretty sure that this was the personal grudge the twins had been looking for.
"Hmph...do you think the heir to the great Ootori family should belong to such a carnal club as this? Oops...excuse me. You're only a third son, so no matter how much you try, you never can be the heir to the family, can you? No wonder you lick crumbs of glory from the boots of the chairman's son. The thought makes me weep." Kuze sneered.
Suddenly, something hit Kuze's chest, forcing him to take five stumbling steps back from Kyoya. Both Kuze and Kyoya looked down to find Naniko standing in front of Kyoya, her hands on her hips.
"My, my, such a foul tongue you have. You know, one has to wonder...if Ootori-sempai indeed licks the crumbs of glory from Tamaki-sempai's boots, as you so falsely accuse, then...what does that say about you who lost to him?" Naniko asked, her voice sickly sweet. "That's not a very good self image you have there. You really should do something about that self-depricating humor you have. It really isn't healthy."
Everyone stared at Naniko in surprise. Kuze and his companions from the fact that she was actually talking to Kuze the way she was, and her friends from the fact that Naniko was actually standing up for Kyoya. Kuze, refusing to let this girl get one up on him, grit his teeth.
"Why, you...! How dare you talk to me like that! Who do you think you are?" he demanded.
"Oh, my apologies. It seems I've temporarily forgotten my manners. You'll have to forgive me. It seems being in the presence of ill tempers has made my manners momentarily lacking." Naniko said, smiling a sweet smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm Fumeiryo Naniko, first year. I'm also the heiress of the Katsunami family. I assure you, the pleasure is all your's."
At the mention of her family's name, Kuze flinched slightly. At the current moment, Ryotarou was looking to branch their company into new horizons, and one of those just happened to be produce. As such, Ryotarou was looking to start business with Kuze's family, which would only benefit Kuze's family. To start an outright fight with Naniko now...Kuze couldn't risk it and Naniko knew it.
"It seems you are aware of our families' possible business partnership. That's good, it saves me time. I'm only going to say this once. The subject you so rudely brought up...That's none of your business. If you have a grudge, then you can resolve it in the competition, as I'm sure my fellow club members will agree." Naniko said, gesturing to her friends who nodded in agreement with her.
"Hmph...fine. Let's see how talented the respectable son of our chairman and the new found, illegitmate daughter of the Katsunamis, is." Kuze retorted.
Naniko gave him another fake smile that didn't reach her eyes. She polite folded her hands in front of her, tilted her head to the side, and narrowed her eyes.
"I suppose we will. Now, if you do not mind, you have greatly over stayed your welcome. Please leave." she told him.
Kuze shot Kyoya one more look before turning and leaving, his companions following him. Naniko waited until the door closed behind them before she turned to look at her friends. She found Kyoya staring at her in wonder and shock.
"What?" she asked. "We did agree to help each other instead of tearing each other down, didn't we? I'm sure you could have won that arguement in the end. I just landed you a helping hand. You're welcome."
Kyoya couldn't help a single, low chuckle as she walked away from him. He was starting to wonder which one was worse; Naniko being angry and trying to destroy him all the time, or Naniko being nice and "lending a helping hand".
Before anyone could pick on Naniko for actually sticking up for Kyoya, the door opened once more. This time, though, it wasn't a schoolmate, but Ryotarou.
"Oh, Ryotaoru, you're early." Naniko remarked.
"My meeting wrapped up sooner than I thought it would. Gather your things, the doctor is waiting." Ryotarou told Naniko.
Naniko nodded and turned to hurry over to her corner of the room where her journals and notes were spread across the table. Her friends turned to Ryotarou.
"Doctor? Is something wrong with Nani-chan?" Hunny asked.
Ryotarou awkwardly looked towards Naniko as she stacked her notes and neatly slipped them into her bag. She had her back to them and was far enough that she wouldn't hear.
"It's precautionary. Naniko...well, she recently, finally, broke and opened up to me and shared some distressing news." Ryotarou remarked.
Kyoya perked up, his eyes going from Ryotarou to Naniko. She hadn't told her brother, has she? No, she couldn't have. Ryotarou wouldn't be so relaxed if she had.
"What news?" Haruhi asked, concerned.
Ryotarou glanced at his sister again, hesitating. In the end, he decided that telling them might yield him some information he could use. He lowered his voice and told them that Naniko had admitted to being raped, but that she hadn't seen who the prepatrator was. All eyes, wide in horror, turned to Naniko's turned back.
"I'm merely insisting she go see a doctor for obvious reasons." Ryotarou said, lightly patting his stomach to mean that he was taking Naniko to get a pregnacy test among many over tests.
Kyoya's eyes widened slightly. That was what he had forgotten! In his fury induced haste that night, he had forgotten protection. It had been long enough that he was sure that it was highly likely that Naniko wasn't pregnant, but, even if it was true that she wasn't, it would have been a near miss. He really had been thoughtless.
"Please, I beg of all of you," Ryotarou started, looking at each of them in turn. "Please, keep an eye on my sister. I honestly do not want to see her suffer anymore than she has and she's not one to tell anyone when she's going through something. But, please, don't let her know I told you. It was hard enough for her to say anything to me. She was in a complete state of disray, tears streaming down her face. I never thought I would see a person like her cry."
Naniko...had cried?
Kyoya turned his eyes back to Naniko as she slid the last of her journals and pens into her bag, a casual smile on her face as she secured the buckle on her bag. All she had ever done to him was hiss and spit, something he brought onto himself. To think she had actually cried, because of him...he certainly didn't feel good about it.
"I'm ready to go, Ryotarou."
Naniko joined them again, the others watching her silently. Seeing them stare at her silently, Naniko turned to her friends, raising an eyebrow in questioning.
"Why are all of you staring at me that way?" she asked.
Ryotarou sharply cut his hand across his throat behind her back, silently telling them to cover up their conversation.
"It's nothing! Have a good doctor's visit!" Tamaki said quickly, overly cheerful.
Naniko's brow scrunched together, but she shrugged. There was no point in questioning Tamaki. The guy was so weird that she had gotten to the point where she had stopped questioning his strangeness.
"Well, I'm sorry I have to leave the club early today. I'll see you all tomorrow." Naniko told them.
She waved to her friends as she turned to follow her brother. While it was nice to see that her relationship with her brother had seemed to have gotten better, it upset them all that something like this had to be cause. Haruhi didn't even know what to think. For a long time, Naniko had shared everything with her and now...now all these secrets were coming to light.
All these secrets that Naniko was keeping from her.
Haruhi had known that Naniko wasn't good with sharing things, but she had thought that they were close enough that that wasn't true with her. Perhaps she was wrong. Then again, Haruhi could see this latest secret being difficult to share.
Kyoya watched as Naniko and her brother vanished out the door. She had covered for him. Was it because their so-called fresh start, their clean slate? Perhaps she really was capable of trying her hardest to move past his screw ups. That simply meant he had to do the same.
That, and spend a very long time making it up to her.
END
Kyandi: And there you all go!
Naniko: One can only take so much...
Kyandi: Very true. That kind of thing builds and if you don't let it out, it can destroy you.
Naniko: You would know.
Kyandi: In a way, yes. Anyways, moving on. I'm sorry if there are more grammar errors than usual.
Naniko: She was being rushed.
Kyandi: I was. And I'm being rushed now, so everyone, enjoy and review.
Naniko: We hope to return as soon as possible.
Kyandi: Bye-bye!