One Year Later

"Can you believe it? We're finally graduating." Marie said, as she sat next to Ayame Jounouchi, the second valedictorian (Kyouya was the first).

"Yes. It seems like only yesterday when I entered Ouran and began competing with Kyouya." the girl said, gently pulling on a curl.

Marie chuckled.

"He is intelligent. I'm just glad there's someone out there who CAN compete with him. He can be so…."

"Suave, smooth, sexy?" Kyouya teased as he walked up to the two girls, giving Marie a quick peck on the lips.

"Arrogant." Marie finished, giving Kyouya a teasing smirk.

"I'm offended."

"No you're not."

"You two are so cute together." Ayame gushed, causing the two to look at her in shock.

"Ayame-san! I didn't realize that you cared about that kind of thing." Marie said in mock surprise.

In truth, the two had gotten along quite well when the younger girl asked Ayame to be her math tutor over the past school year. The duo chortled at the other valedictorian before the chairman stood to make an announcement.

"Excuse me, but will our valedictorians, Kyouya Ootori and Ayame Jounouchi, as well as the salutatorian, Marie D'Lys, please take their places on stage?"

"Well, this is it." Kyouya said.

"Indeed." Ayame agreed.

"Well, guys. It's been a good run." Marie replied before the three took their places in front of the audience of peers and guests.

-Several Hours Later-

It was almost midnight and Ayame's masquerade graduation party was well underway. Marie, Haruhi, and Ayame stood together, giggling over Tamaki's manic expression as he tried to locate his girlfriend.

"You'd think he would see the blond girl and figure out it was Marie." Ayame said, her blue mask covering her eyes and sparkling along with the sequins along the bust of her blue Cinderella dress.

"No offense, but he isn't that smart." Haruhi replied, smoothing the wrinkles in her black dress before tightening the strings to her black and gold mask.

"Oh, tush! Tamaki is intelligent; he just never uses his brain." Marie said as she giggled slightly behind her red fan. The skirt of her scarlet dress tickled her knees and she was glad of the dress's lack of sleeves because Ayame's house was sweltering. Her mask was red with silver flourishes and adorned with a red design that looked like flower petals.

"How right you are, fair maiden. Would you do me the honor of accompanying me in singing a duet?"

Despite the lack of glasses, Marie knew that it was her Kyouya behind the dark silver mask, which matched the silver vest he wore over his dress shirt.

"I'm not sure, kind heart. I am taken you see and my lover is fiercely protective."

Both smirked simultaneously and Kyouya leaned in to whisper in Marie's ear.

"Darling Marie," he said, "will you please give me the pleasure of singing with you?"

"How can I say no?" she replied, before she allowed him to grasp her hand tightly in his own.

Highway runInto the midnight sunWheels go round and roundYou're on my mindRestless heartsSleep alone tonightSending all my loveAlong the wireThey say that the roadAin't no place to start a familyRight down the lineIt's been you and meAnd lovin' a music manAin't always what it's supposed to beOh, girl, you stand by meI'm forever yoursFaithfully

As usual, Marie and Kyouya sang in perfect unison, their voices combining in such a complex harmony, every member of the audience was enthralled with the pair from the start. Though the masks were kept on, it was no secret to those in the audience who sang before them. The sheer grace with which the two sang captured the attention of every man, woman, and child present, so that no one was able to look away from the beauty enfolding upon the stage. As the final chord resonated throughout the ballroom, Kyouya leaned down and whispered,

"Come with me. I need to say something important."

Marie obliged and quickly grabbed Kyouya's arm as he escorted her out of the room and towards a room that was unused.

"Kyouya, what's-" Marie began but cut off when she turned and saw Kyouya on one knee.

"Marie," he began, his lips tilted in a confident smile and his eyes brimming with hope, "I know you've been through a lot this past year, but I want to continue to be there for you when you need a hand to hold, an ear to unload upon. I love you more than the sun and the moon and I need you more than night and day. If anything, I want you to be in my life forever and though I'm not one to beg, I desperately want you to accept my proposal and marry me."

Just as Marie was about to answer Kyouya's proposal with an exuberant "Yes!", a familiar figure walked out from the shadows onto the balcony. "Hello, baby brother. Marie." he said, sneering at the girl's name."Yuichi" Marie breathed, her eyes wide in terror.

The eldest Ootori was leaning against one of the columns, his hair long and shaggy as his eyes held a wild fierceness. His smirk was confident, as if he knew the fear he instilled in the blond girl and the raw, passionate anger that filled his baby brother's spirit with just the site of him.

"Get out, Yuichi. You aren't welcome here."

Yuichi chuckled and stood up straight, sauntering over to the couple as Kyouya took a protective stance in front of Marie.

"You know what, Little brother-"

"DON'T call me that, Yuichi. You are no longer my older brother."

"Oh, Kyouya. You can legally disown me, but we both know we share the same blood."

Yuichi continued to advance, causing Kyouya and Marie to back up slowly. Kyouya glared.

"Just tell me what you want."

"I want you to give the girl up."

"Why?"

"Kyouya" Marie whimpered, looking worriedly at the man in front of her.

"It'll be all right."

"Why don't you tell her the truth, Kyouya? You're both going to die here." Yuichi said, drawing a hidden gun from his coat.

Marie's eyes widened and she grasped the back of Kyouya's vest tighter.

"Say hello to my mother again, Marie. You'll be seeing her soon."

"BASTARD! Marie has nothing to do with this! You made the decision to assist Akito in kidnapping and torturing her as well as attempting to have me murdered!"

"I made the decision? I made the decision? No, Kyouya, YOU made the decision when you chose to best Akito and me. When this…this…GIRL….came along, it only caused you to work twice as hard. I REFUSE TO ADMIT DEFEAT TO YOU!"

"Yuichi. Just shut up already."

Kyouya stood calmly, a pistol in hand and a smirk upon his face.

"HA! You don't even know how to handle one of those!"

"That's where you're wrong, Yuichi. Over the past year, I have learned to handle a gun, get a concealment license, and a gun and safety teacher's license. So unfortunately for you, I do know how to handle one of these."

"Really? Well let's FIND OUT!"

With that, Yuichi let loose a round of bullets that seemed to pass Kyouya. Marie could have sworn that one hit him, but he appeared unfazed as he slowly took aim and whispered,

"Bang."

Out of no where, or so it seemed, Aaron barreled into Yuichi, tackling him and pinning him down before the police handcuffed and escorted him out.

"Well. That greedy bastard received his just rewards." Kyouya said nonchalantly. "Now. Where were we?"

"I think you just proposed."

"Ah yes. So. Will you?"

Though still shaken by the encounter with Yuichi, Marie drew a breath and screamed,

"YES!" and launched herself into Kyouya's arms.

KRRR: The End! Woooh! Finally done! Thanks to all of my reviewers, Em, and Breaking Benjamin!