Chapter XXIV

Halfway towards the train station, Kaori felt something in her pocket. Smooth and glossy, she took out the object with her frozen hand. It was a photo of the view from a cliff she took when she first moved to the west coast of America. The beautiful bay area of San Francisco was captured through the water and the rocky coast that complimented each other perfectly. It was a gift she had forgotten to give to her father.

The roses were for her mother, the photo for her father. Kaori sighed and made her way back to the graveyard, feeling a little calmer than before. A mysterious figure caught her eye as she walked closer towards the tomb of her parents, someone she couldn't quite pin point. It wasn't anyone from the Nakamoto family, that was for sure. Everyone was too busy to make such useless trips, Kaori's family were mostly alienated from the Nakamotos.

The girl was about to politely ask the man who he was until Kaori got a better view of the face. His raven black hair, pointed nose and glasses were a dead giveaway.

"What are you doing?" Kaori raised her voice.

Kyouya's eyes widened for a split second, he was sure that she had left. Her long hair blew with the wind as her eyes narrowed at him. She wore a black coat that went down to her knees, with her hand gripping something that he couldn't exactly make out. Kyouya cleared his throat and straightened himself out.

"Paying my respects, of course."

"And to whom are you paying your respects to?" Her eyes flickered in anger. Kaori was met with silence. Kyouya stood tall, not fazed by her anger. It was clear he wasn't welcome.

"You shouldn't be here, Kyouya."

"I wouldn't if you hadn't shown me years ago."

Kaori thought for a moment. She did bring him here once to see her mother. Kaori sighed, regretting her actions as a teenager. She couldn't remember what made her bring such an egoistic person to see her own mother. It was probably because he had insisted.

"Something I shouldn't have done," she muttered. Kyouya heard her regardless. The place was empty and eerily quiet.

Kaori moved aside and placed the photo on the tombstone. The wet surface made the picture stick to the smooth, polished stone. She stood up again, and faced the man who hadn't taken his eyes off of her. Kaori felt like she was being ogled in a very uncomfortable manner. She looked away for a few seconds to collect herself.

"I really don't know why you would possibly come here to pay your respects to people that have nothing to do with you. I took you here once. Once and I can't even remember why I let you tag along. Your presence is not needed and I would appreciate it if you stopped bothering my family," Kaori calmly but sternly explained. She wouldn't think of sounding rude in front of her parents.

Kyouya held his head high, despite realizing what she said was right. It wasn't his place to come pay his respects to her family members. It was of course, her family and he wasn't going to cross the line with that one. Kyouya may have been greedy and selfish, but he was at the very least, respectful. After all, he wasn't raised without manners.

"My apologies for my thoughtlessness. I was about to take my leave before you had shown up," Kyouya coolly said before bowing to the tombs and turning around to leave. It took a lot more will than he thought to leave without turning back. He still had his pride in tact.

Kaori watched as Kyouya slowly left. She was still taken back by his apology, surprised that he had the decency to apologize at all. Kaori turned back to tombstone with her parents' piercing eyes. A wave of guilt rushed through her as she realized that she may have been too harsh. Kaori took a deep breath.

Why couldn't he visit? She heard her mother scold her.

Because it was strange. It was odd. Why would he come? Why would he have any reason to come?

Because he cared? The amused tone of her father's voice rang in her ears.

No. He was Kyouya Ootori. The infamous Shadow King caring would be too much of a stretch. He didn't care. He…

You were wrong. Apologize. Her father ordered.

Kaori looked around. He was gone. She was alone and her subconscious mind was strangely disguised as her parents.

It was time to leave before her mind drove her any deeper into insanity.

Japan gave Kaori a wave of nostalgia. Her heels clacked on the pavement as she walked through the streets of Tokyo after getting out of the subway. The trip had taken a few hours, with the sunlight quickly disappearing as the evening arrived. The busy Japanese night life was beginning to bloom, an all too familiar sight.

She wasn't hungry, nor was she tired. Kaori wandered around Tokyo, admiring the beautifully lit city. She would never get tired of the busy place. She was at peace. There was no agenda to follow, no plans that were made. She was free.

It had been a while since she had felt this way. Kaori was always on her toes about her studies, paying the bills, remembering to eat… everything had piled up to distract herself. It was strange… having a heavy burden lifted off her chest, at least temporarily.

It was a calming feeling but something still felt wrong. Like things were still unfinished. Kaori shrugged it off. It wasn't like she was going to get better overnight in the first place.

I'll be okay. I know I'll be okay. They say life is beautiful for a reason. Don't waste it.

It became a mantra. Kaori encouraged herself bit by bit, if others could find the strength to live, there should not be a reason as to why she couldn't.

Her feet had taken her to a place that she recognized immediately. The lobby of her old apartment was still in pristine condition with the revolving glass doors. She looked up towards the dark sky with the building being lit sporadically. Something drew Kaori towards her old home; she was tempted to take a quick peek of it. Kaori wondered if everything was the same, or if the new owner had changed the place that she worked so hard to furnish.

She remembered that her Uncle might have already sold the place to someone. It made sense if he did, after all Kaori was the one that told him to do so. There was no point in keeping useless property unless it was an investment. Regardless, Kaori couldn't resist her curiosity.

She walked into the elevator, pressing the button to the 39th floor. Kaori took her time walking through the familiar corridors that led to the apartment. The door labelled 539 gave her chills. It felt like she was in high school again, making her way home. Her finger travelled up to the doorbell, only to have regretted the action after realizing that the new owner would open the door to find a stranger standing by the doorstep.

What would she say? She had no explanation besides the fact that she used to live there. She just wanted to see. That was all. Kaori still had the child-like curiosity that she never got rid of. She bit her lip out of nervousness and contemplated on escaping. Was it too late to walk away? Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have escaped in order to avoid embarrassment.

By the time Kaori had gotten through all the scenarios, she had realized that too much time had passed for the new owner to answer the door. They must not have been home, or they avoided opening the door for which Kaori felt grateful for. Kaori turned to make her way down to the ground floor.

Another idea popped into her mind before she walked away. It seemed as though she couldn't let go. Kaori just wanted a glimpse, a glimpse to let her relive her time when she was a teenager. She didn't know why, but it didn't matter anymore when her mind was fixated on something.

She typed her old passcode into the keypad of the door. The new owner must have changed the passcode, preventing her from entering in the first place. The worst that could happen was that she was denied access. The keypad took a few seconds to configure the passcode, as though it hadn't been used for quite some time. Kaori shrugged, she didn't have high hopes about getting in. A sudden noise was made to signify that the door was unlocked. It took a moment for Kaori to process the fact that she had access.

Her hand gripped the cold handle and pulled down to open the heavy metal door. Kaori cautiously walked into the dark, it was clear no one was home. She called out to the empty place anyway, just to make sure that there was no response. Kaori took her shoes off and stepped into the dark apartment.

She found the light switches to illuminate the place. The open-concept apartment hadn't changed one bit. The large screen TV was still by the dark leather couches, her bedroom looked untouched. Kaori made her way towards the stainless steel refrigerator, peering inside to only find that it was empty as well. The chairs hadn't moved either but there was no sign of dust anywhere. No one seemed to be living in the place, yet it was still squeaky clean. It was strange.

Kaori looked out the glass windows, admiring the view of Tokyo. She was glad that nothing had changed, albeit a little strange how she was still able to unlock the door. Her tour of her old apartment had ended until she was stopped by the collage on the wall.

It was still protected by the glass that she had installed to preserve the photos and to prevent them from peeling off the wall. Kaori had hoped that the new owner enjoyed the piece of artwork. Photos of coffee, the Tokyo Skyline, shrines and the nightlife of the city in different sizes and tones were strategically placed. A smile crept up to her face. Each photo of coffee was taken during their coffee dates.

Memories of Kyouya became foggy. They were no longer as vivid as they were back then. She had missed him, she longed for his touch again despite knowing that it shouldn't happen. Kaori had driven him away so many times, pleading to have nothing to do with him. She pretended to be angry, forcing herself to think that it was for the better, making excuses that would only make her unhappier than she already was.

The way he walked away from her earlier in the day, the rush of guilt was now replace by regret. A knot formed in her throat, realizing that she might have driven him away forever. And to think that she was beginning to forget the time they had made tears form in her eyes. What if he never came back? What if the memories she used to cherish disappear forever? Memories of happiness replaced with death made her heart churn.

Drops of water began to roll down her cheeks, her vision became blurred. Kaori sniffed, and cupped a hand over her mouth to prevent herself from making any noise. Her legs became weak, causing her to crouch down to the floor while the tears kept flowing. It had been so long since she cried but she couldn't stop even if she tried.

Kaori had finally cracked. She cried for all the times she didn't allow herself to. The things her father had missed, like her Cambridge graduation. Kaori wanted to cry when knowing that her father was dead. The things that her grandmother had said about her, and her own mother for being filthy and unworthy. Kaori cried for the fact that it was her own fault for driving away the only person left that cared deeply about her.

Her eyes were a waterfall; her throat was still in knots as she tried to muffle her cries. Kaori tried to calm herself down through breathing, but her breath hitched as she breathed in and out. She closed her eyes to stop her contacts from falling out as well as her tears.

The beeping of the door unlocking caused Kaori to stand up straight while wiping away her own tears. She must've looked crazy in a stranger's home, bawling her eyes out. Kaori tried breathing properly again, but with no avail. She tried wiping away her tears that wouldn't stop. It was impossible to not look like a mess.

"Kaori?" She recognized the voice. It must've been her mind playing tricks again. It was Kyouya's voice. Kaori shook her head. No, stop thinking about him. It's not him. You don't deserve him.

"Kaori." His voice was stern, knowing it was her. Kaori faced the glass window, looking through the reflection. Her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. Kyouya Ootori stood at the doorway, in his dark trench coat.

"Are you crying?" Kyouya gently asked.

She shook her head. Kaori was stubborn. She didn't want to face him, knowing how ugly she looked. Her breathing was still irregular as she sniffed. She tried wiping away her tears with her soaked sleeve. Kaori knew that she couldn't show her face like this.

Kyouya waited patiently, watching as she tried to calm herself down through the reflection of the window. He wanted to walk towards her to wipe away her tears, but he couldn't, knowing that she would push him away.

"What are…" Kaori took another breath. "What are you doing here?" she asked when her throat opened up.

"I believe I should be asking you that."

She had forgotten that the apartment wasn't hers anymore.

"You're right. I'm sorry, I'll leave," she quickly said, turning around to walk towards to the door with her face down.

Kyouya caught her arm as she brushed by him towards the door. He wasn't letting go. Not when he had her at such a place. Now she was in his territory.

"No," he refused. "Stay."

Kaori didn't try to resist. Why would he let someone like her stay? Someone who had pushed him away so many times… he really didn't give up. Tears began flowing again. She felt him trying to pull her towards him as a way to face her.

"No," she croaked. "Don't look at me, not like this. Please."

Kyouya didn't listen. He pulled her towards him, ignoring her pleading. Kyouya was never the one to be a smooth talker when it came to heavy emotions. Instead of stuttering and making a fool out of himself, his arms embraced Kaori. His strong arms held her as she reluctantly leaned her head on his shoulder. As her breathing slowed and became regular, she sniffed before pulling away from him.

"Why are you here?" Kaori asked.

"This is my apartment."

He bought the apartment. Kaori was stunned. He would go through such depths… it made her speechless.

"But… why?" Why would you do this? Why would you do this for someone like me? She wanted to ask, but her voice didn't allow her to speak longer than a few seconds before dying out.

"I used to come here to drink," Kyouya admitted. He saw her purse her lips together, guiltily. "I've stopped since then. I just came thinking… you might come."

That was why he didn't change the passcode. It was the Fibonacci sequence backwards. 8-5-2-3-1-1. It was easy to remember, but hard to decipher if you didn't know what it was.

Kaori's tears stopped. She blinked a few times to get her contacts back in place. She took a deep breath and exhaled to make sure she could speak again.

"Why would you come back? Why do you keep chasing after someone like me? For someone that has hurt you, pushed you away like you're nothing… why?" Kaori was desperate for answers. It wasn't like him to do such a thing. She wasn't even sure if she would do the same for him.

"I told you. Ootoris get what they want." Kyouya said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"What do you want from me? I'm not even that pretty. You've seen me at my worst. You know my flaws, my insecurities. I'm far from what you deserve."

"If I told you that you were beautiful, would you listen? If you were the most fascinating and intriguing thing that I've ever experienced…" he drifted off when he saw tears well up in her eyes again.

"I swear," Kaori sniffed and tried to smile. "I don't cry like this usually." She looked away from him out of embarrassment. Kaori still couldn't believe Kyouya Ootori was still willing to say such things about her after what she had done and what he had seen of her. How someone was willing to accept her despite how much of an emotional wreck she was.

"I'm sorry," she apologized again. "I'm so sorry for hurting you, for leaving you… I just thought that… your dreams were more important than… us." Kaori couldn't take away the Ootori Corporation away from him. "I understood that your father wouldn't want someone like me to be beside the Ootori heir. On top of that, my dad was already diagnosed with heart disease and dementia… I just… I left."

Kaori couldn't read Kyouya's expression. It was an odd mixture of guilt and concern, while his shoulders relaxed to show relief. He nodded, like he accepted what she had done. Like she was forgiven in a matter of seconds.

"Shouldn't you be angry at me?"

"Why would I be angry at someone who selflessly put me before them?"

"I kept you in the dark for so long. I hurt you."

"You did," Kyouya admitted. "You hurt me."

"Then why do you keep coming back?"

"Because I love you."

Kaori slowly woke up in her hotel room, surprised after realizing that she had slept soundly. Her eyes were difficult to open; Kaori knew that they were obviously swollen. The bright sunshine was seeping through the curtains which made her wonder what time it was. She rubbed her eyes to get herself awake. Kaori reached for her cell phone which flashed 2:18 PM JST. The girl had slept for nearly 12 hours. A record that broke the one that was set back in high school for her. Kaori hadn't been able to sleep that well for years; she must've been extremely exhausted.

Kaori forced herself out of bed and walked into the washroom. It was unavoidable now that she had a large mirror in front of her. She needed to brush her teeth and clean herself up. Kaori took a small peak at herself, scared to see how much of a monster she looked like.

Her hair was in knots, with her eyes swollen. Her face was bloated, probably because of the difference of time zones that forced her body to adapt under circumstances. She had forgotten to take her contacts out the night before, making her eyes irritated and red. Kaori hadn't even changed into her sleeping clothes before she collapsed on the bed. She sighed after seeing herself in the mirror and began to clean herself up. Kaori brushed her teeth, remembering what happened the night before.

Because I love you.

Kyouya's deep voice replayed in her head. Was it a dream? Did her mind play tricks on her again? She wasn't ready for any type of emotional attachment. Not yet. Her memory was blurred again, skipping to parts where she took her leave.

I'll wait.

Another phrase replayed in her mind as she stepped into the cold shower. She flinched at the sudden change of temperature, but relaxed after being completely awake. Perhaps now she could think more soberly.

Did he say he was willing to wait for her? Why would he do such a thing? Kaori was doubtful. She was always cautious, a habit she developed as a defence mechanism. He had wasted so many years already. It was… it was quite frankly, dumb.

He was a fool. The only fool that would be willing to go through all of this for her. But was it really for her? A little part of Kaori felt like it was too good to be true. Of course, he was Kyouya Ootori. The man who only did things with a merit. Would she make him happy? Kaori didn't know. The exchange seemed to unbalanced, too much of a loss for the Ootori when Kaori weighed out the options.

She stepped out of the shower after hearing her stomach grumble. Kaori was famished, and decided to grab a bite before leaving the country. But before doing so, she made herself look decent. The power of makeup was fascinating as it covered up her dark circles, and brightened up her face. Kaori didn't wear much; she wore just enough to make herself look less zombie-like.

Kaori quickly packed up her things before leaving the hotel. Her flight was in six hours or so. She stepped out of the building, contemplating on what food she had missed most from the country. Yet the back of her mind was focused on someone else.

Someone that she needed to see before leaving.

With the largest size of dark coffee she could find, Kaori stepped into the entrance of the skyscraper after a hearty meal. She was surrounded by office workers that eyed her suspiciously causing Kaori to dash into one of the crowded elevators of the Ootori Corporation.

Even then, she was still eyed suspiciously.

Must be a rookie worker, was what most people agreed on.

She felt rather self-conscious, listening to the whispers of the employees. It was clear she wasn't exactly dressed for the job, but at the same time Kaori was astonished at how quick it was for the employees to spot someone out of place. Everyone seemed to have been in some type of conformity, all were hardworking individuals that took their jobs seriously. But of course, working for the Ootori Corporation was pretentious on its own. It made sense.

Slowly each worker got off at their floor, sneaking a quick glance at Kaori. They all wondered why she would be heading even further than they were. The higher the floor, the higher the status. Hence, why the CEO of the Ootori Corporation had the highest floor. Kaori figured as much, and gave a small bow out of respect to the employees that got off the elevator.

Kaori stepped out of the elevator quietly when she reached the top floor. Careful with her footing, she made very little noise across the place. Kaori heard the quiet murmur of someone on the phone and carefully peeked from the wall to see the receptionist speaking quickly to the other line. The man seemed very engaged with the phone call, clearly too distracted to see her peering from the other side.

She wondered if the Ootori had a business associate in the office. Although it seemed too quiet to be plausible, Kaori decided to take a chance. Besides, she had coffee in her hand to give to the Ootori. Walking quickly to avoid his secretary's field of vision, Kaori pushed open the glass doors into the office of the CEO.

She watched as Kyouya focused on the piles of paperwork on his desk. His eyes narrowed at certain spots as his pen circled and underlined places.

Kyouya felt the presence of someone in the room. He sighed.

"What is it, Ryotaru?" he growled, clearly irritated by the interruption from his secretary. He was tired and in need of his caffeine again. Kyouya didn't look up from the papers, waiting for Ryotaru to speak. He heard something being placed on his desk, the corner of his eye glanced at the large cup. He smelled coffee. Kyouya raised his head from the pile of paper, with his eyes travelling towards the coffee and up to the generous person who placed it upon his desk.

Her lips curved up a little, when she saw his eyes widen at the sight. One look and Kaori could tell he was confused. His eyes asked her why she was here.

"Your lobby doesn't exactly have any security protocols. And… your secretary is easy to pass by when he's deeply engaged in a phone call."

"I should make a note of that," Kyouya was back to his professional demeanour. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

Kaori chuckled a little, finding it strange to see him so professional after seeing him in different perspectives. She shook her head.

"I just… I didn't want to leave without saying bye again."

She was met by silence. He was working after all and Kaori didn't really expect him to be particularly interested in her when he had a company to run. Kyouya Ootori was not the one to be unprofessional, especially when on the job. It wasn't a good time to talk about what happened the other night, Kaori figured.

"You look like you need the coffee. And… I have a flight to catch." Kaori smiled, as if to tell him she was alright. She will be. Eventually. "Take care of yourself, Kyouya."

Kaori adjusted her glasses and took another look in her bag just to be sure she had everything. Passport, air ticket, cell phone, makeup bag… normally, she would also have her laptop but she didn't have any work to do over her break. She stood in line, patiently waiting to check in her luggage. Her flight was in a little under 2 hours anyway, she had plenty of time to kill.

One of the check-in counters was finally vacant, and the woman gestured for the young traveller to approach. Kaori always loved airports. Everyone was so busy, always straightforward but polite. It was the type of atmosphere she loved to sit back and watch.

"It seems as though you have been upgraded to first-class…" the attendant said as she skimmed through the information on the computer.

"I'm sorry?" Kaori didn't think she heard right. She always flew on Economy class, despite being able to afford first-class seats. There was no point in wasting money.

"You've been upgraded to first class, courtesy of the Ootori Corporation," the woman politely explained. A curt smile plastered over her face.

"Is there… any way to downgrade?" Kaori bit her lip, knowing it was a strange request. She could tell that the lady was confused by her question. Why would anyone downgrade?

"Miss, is there anything we can accommodate you with? If you are unhappy with—" The attendant still had the girl's best interests in mind. Of course, if you had the option to travel, why not travel comfortably?

"Oh, no… I mean. It's just… it surprised me. Uhm…" Kaori read the expression of the woman's face. It was clear she wanted her to take the offer. After all, downgrading might have been a hassle trying to find another seat and changing the tags of her luggage. "I guess I'll fly first-class then. Thank you."

The woman smiled and gave Kaori her boarding pass, wishing her a safe and excellent flight.

All her life, she had never flown first-class before. Even with her parents, they always opted for Economy class. Which was more than fine, Kaori was satisfied with having the window seat and experiencing the thrill of taking off. A part of her felt indebted to Kyouya, knowing that he was behind the pleasant surprise.

The first-class lounge was beautiful. The place had a sleek design, with a beautiful view out of the glass windows. The skies were already dark, but the airplanes were still easy to pick out. Kaori loved watching planes. She ordered a cup of matcha green tea and sat back to enjoy the view.

A feeling of guilt nagged her as she relaxed. Kaori took out her phone, contemplating on whether or not the Shadow King would appreciate a call before she left. Did he even have the same phone number? He must have changed it, knowing how Kyouya was always up to date with the latest technology. Even Kaori had changed her phone number, multiple times to be honest. She decided to try anyway, hoping for him to pick up.

"Kyouya Ootori," he answered.

Kaori stayed silent for a few seconds, stunned by the fact that the Shadow King wouldn't change his phone number after all these years.

"You didn't change your phone number," Kaori noted.

Kyouya was surprised by the sound of her voice. Calm and collected, like she had expected some sort of baffled response. Kyouya could see her smile at his lack of response.

"I'm a little perplexed as to why you would spontaneously put me on a first-class flight," Kaori didn't beat around the bush.

"It was a mere act of gratitude for the coffee," Kyouya smoothly said.

Kaori scoffed. "Kyouya, a cup of coffee does not amount to an upgrade to first-class."

She pictured him smirking. Kaori was indebted to him, not just for his "small" action of gratuity but emotionally. How would she ever repay him? It didn't feel right taking so many things, yet not giving a single thing back. Kaori pondered over the fact that she might have been forever indebted to the Shadow King. A scary thought to those who didn't know him well.

"Are you purposely making me feel indebted to you?" she mused.

"Hm… perhaps." Kyouya's lips curved up in a smile as he grabbed his jacket off the coat hanger. He called it a day from work and decided to head home.

"And why would that be?" Kaori asked.

"You know why."

"Are you guilt tripping me to be with you?"

"If that's what it takes." Kaori heard the satisfaction in his voice. Kyouya was not afraid to use underhanded tactics, although there was nothing underhand for spending money on someone who deserved it. In the end, it was Kaori guilt tripping herself.

"Kyouya," Kaori leaned back in her seat, her voice becoming serious. "What you said the other night…" A part of her felt embarrassed to say it. Did he really love her? Just the word love felt foreign, it felt strange. Almost too cliché for her liking, like a fantasy that she refused to believe in. Was there such a thing? Was Kyouya Ootori capable of such emotion?

Kyouya patiently waited for her to continue as he travelled down the elevator.

"Would you really wait for me?" Kaori changed the topic of her question.

"I would," Kyouya responded without hesitating. He made his way down the underground garage where his car was parked.

"You're a fool," she replied, just as quick. "Why would you do that?"

"A fool would not be running one of the top companies of the world, nor would they know how to manipulate someone as well as I do."

"You're manipul—" Kaori paused to think for a moment. Was he manipulating her, or was she guilt-tripping herself? Was she thinking too much? Kaori became confused and irritated at the fact that Kyouya was probably smiling in triumph. She sighed.

"Kyouya, you've wasted so many years on me…"

"Not quite," he interrupted. "The greatest investments take years to build upon its success."

"I'm not an investment, Kyouya. I'm more of…" Kaori wasn't exactly fluent in business double-speak. "Whatever is the opposite." Clearly it wasn't the most intelligent choice of words. She heard him chuckle.

"The point is that I don't know if I can ever… thank you enough. If I can ever love you the same, if I can ever repay you for the way you always unconditionally come back to me. I need time to get myself together, and I don't think it's fair for you to keep wasting your time on someone like me."

"And if I left, would you be happy?"

No. I wouldn't. Kaori couldn't bring herself to lie anymore. Kyouya was met with silence as he started up his car. He already knew her answer.

"How do you read me like an open book?" Kaori pondered.

"I wasn't aware that I do," Kyouya replied. "You were more difficult to comprehend back in high school."

"You were easier to figure out in high school," Kaori chuckled. The roles were now reversed. Fortunately for Kaori, Kyouya still used his eyes to speak over his mouth. She just couldn't quite comprehend why he would want her. "But why me of all the women in the world?"

"Do you need a reason to love?" Kyouya had thought about this countless times. For the company, of course there was no merit. He would gain no profit, no money, no status nor fame. But for his peace of mind, his odd fascination with the girl and the strange connection he felt with her and nobody else, it made more sense. He felt like he was human with her.

"Do you really love me?" her voice became gentler, almost scared that he would say no.

"Yes."

Her heart fluttered. Kaori's mouth curved upwards, not listening to her mind that told her to stop. Her heart rate increased two fold, like she was a teenager all over again. An announcement was made to board the flight.

"I have to go… but uhm," Kaori felt embarrassed now. Kyouya heard how flustered she was, he wished he could've seen her face. It would have been a definite ego boost. "Thanks?" Kaori wasn't sure what to say.

"Have a safe flight, Kaori."

"Wait," Kaori quickly said, not wanting to hang up. "Um… call me." She couldn't believe how flustered she was. She wasn't a teenager anymore and yet she couldn't bring herself to sound the least bit collected before hanging up.

Kyouya smirked.

Family dinners at the Ootori Mansion were rare. Yoshio Ootori had retired months ago, and spent his days playing golf while spending time with other retired associates. His wife did the same, shopping and gossiping with other prominent women of the higher class. The older two Ootori sons worked under the company, in their own respective fields while his youngest oversaw the whole company.

Yet, despite having everyone go their separate ways, family dinners were still quiet and uncomfortable for them all. Fuyumi was the first to speak, commenting on the weather. She was met by silence and a few glares were given, quieting her down once again.

The wife of Yoshio Ootori cleared her throat, garnering the attention of the rest of the family.

"Isn't it time for you to find yourself a suitable partner, Kyouya, my dear?"

Kyouya continued on with his meal, he was expecting the question after all. The Ootori family looked to Kyouya for a response.

"I believe we've spoken about this topic earlier. There is no need for a marriage."

"But there is a need for an heir," Yoshio cut in, narrowing his eyes. It was important to keep the company alive above all.

"There are plenty of well suited women for you, Kyouya," his mother said. "It's a shame that Ariana did not fit your tastes."

Kyouya was barely in his mid-twenties. In fact, he had just inherited the company less than a year ago. The thought of marriage was not on his mind at all. The company came first. However if he did have to marry…

"I have someone in mind."

The whole family turned to the youngest member.

"Oh? And who might she be?" His mother curiously asked, ready to pounce on the name and degrade the woman to shreds. Unless she approved, there would be no way she would let her son marry. She kept her eyes wide, careful not to narrow them to give her son the wrong idea.

Kyouya looked across the table, peering to see his father's reaction of them all. Yoshio Ootori didn't seem to care, nor was he interested. Kyouya shrugged.

"It was a joke, mother," he stoically said. The rest of the family sat back in their seats, with their curiosity deflated. Kyouya Ootori was definitely not a good comedian. His mother was not happy, narrowing her eyes and excusing herself from the dinner table.

Kyouya felt mildly triumphant before excusing himself to his own room as well, followed by Fuyumi who went to question her little brother about his behaviour at the table. The older Ootori didn't bother knocking on the doors of her little brother's room, finding him typing away on his laptop.

"What was that?" Fuyumi asked.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're referring to." Kyouya was still typing.

"You had someone in mind, and you didn't tell your sister?"

"It was a joke, Fuyumi. It seems as though our family has no sense of humour, no?" He chuckled, amused by his sister's anger.

"Kyouya, you aren't the type to joke. Don't lie."

He ignored his sister that sat on the side of his bed, nagging him to tell her who it was. It began to become irritating. Kyouya put his laptop aside and ushered his sister out of his room.

"It's none of your business," Kyouya growled. "Get out."

"My little brother is in a relationship, and it's none of my business?"

"I'm not in a relationship," he clarified.

Fuyumi raised an eyebrow. It was hard to tell whether or not he was lying. "You're not going to give me the 'it's complicated' excuse, are you?"

"Get out."

"You know I'll find out."

"Out." Kyouya was guiding his sister closer to the exit of the door.

"If it's not that girl from high school, I won't let you go for it," Fuyumi warned.

Kyouya gave a small smirk before pushing his sister out of the door. He walked back to his office, admiring the photo that was placed on his desk. The beautiful Tokyo skyline, with her signature engraved at the back of the frame. It was strange how things had changed. How he used to find the photos so heart wrenchingly painful, but now he felt an odd sensation of peace.

A/N: I've gotten so used to writing these two apart, it almost felt weird writing them slowly finding themselves together again. I really hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter, and thank you so much for the wonderful reviews. :) Once again, and as usual, thank you for reading this chapter! I am thankful to each and every one of you that bother to read my rambling.