Of Wisdom and Cunning
Chapter 28
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy, when skies are grey. You'll never know dear how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away…." Father's voice broke through my consciousness, pulling me out of my slumber, I opened my eyes and glared at his blurry figure. "Good morning Angel, how are you feeling?" he asked brushing my bangs out of my face. I groaned and rolled away from him. He chuckled quietly before pulling my blankets tighter around me. "Go ahead, I'll have the staff keep your breakfast warm." he said quietly and kissed my temple before going into the hall. I growled as sleep managed to evade me, sitting up I heard Father's voice out in the hall. "By all means, but I'm warning you now…she might kill you." He said light-heartedly. I furrowed my brow in confusion, who is he talking to? Ryko, Kaia maybe? I wondered as I flopped back down on my bed, weariness over taking my system. I miss Kaia, and her obnoxiously bubbly ways. Tears welled in my eyes, I blinked them back, I could hug her soon enough. My bedroom door opened I saw a mop of jet black hair enter my room, I blushed and buried myself under the covers.
"Kyoko, what are you doing?" Albus asked sitting on the edge of my bed. "Why are you hiding in your covers? Baby you're still clothed, relax." He teased grabbing my hip and pulling me to him. I glared up at him.
"Maybe I was sleeping…" I growled at him, he raised an eyebrow in mock interest. I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest, sticking my lower lip out in a pout. "I was…until Father woke me…" I stated unhappily. Albus smirked and ruffled my knotted hair.
"You're cute in the mornings you know that?" he asked cupping my face, rubbing his thumb lightly across my cheek bone.
"KYO-CHAN!" a female voice shouted gleefully, I winced at the frequency and smiled, rocketing out of bed, she always knew when I missed her. Albus looked carefully over his shoulder at the door while I quickly changed and brushed out my hair.
"Bedroom Kaia-chan." Father replied, the nickname had been used on him in high school by Kaia's father, it's kinda hard to differentiate now, but I'm guessing he knew she was referring to me.
A little honey blonde head poked it's way around the door, her bright brown eyes twinkled happily when she spotted me.
"Kaia!" I squealed seeing my tiny friend, I held my arms open as she tackled me fiercely in a Haninozuka hug. I laughed as we plopped down on my bed next to Albus who was still in completely shock. Kaia's eyes darkened.
"Who is this?" she asked, her sweet voice hinting at a hidden threat Albus had yet to realize existed. I smiled, a silent plea for her to relax.
"This is Albus my-"
"Boyfriend, Mai and Lynn were talking about him at school, you know…Ryko isn't happy about him." Kaia said quickly holding her tiny pink bunny close to her chest. I rolled my eyes.
"Then maybe he shouldn't have stopped talking to me two years ago." I countered, leaning defiantly on Albus. "Al, this Haninozuka Kaia, one of my best friends." I said to him. He nodded and smiled uneasily.
"Hello Kaia, nice to meet you." He said carefully, Kaia narrowed her eyes at him before smiling happily.
"Nihon e Yokoso Kon'nichiwa! " she chirped, Albus blinked not comprehending. I sighed at my friend's antics.
"She said welcome to Japan. Kaia-chan please speak in English, I know you can." I said, she huffed and pouted.
" Fine, Nice to meet you Albus-senpai." She said holding out her hand politely. Albus took it and smiled more warmly. "You are older than me right?" she asked.
"Well how old are you?" he asked carefully. She narrowed her eyes at him, "Okay, I'm seventeen." He clarified. Kaia nodded.
"Just turned sixteen." She replied with a bright smile. Albus chuckled, I rolled my eyes.
"Is it just you or are the other's coming?" I asked effectively stifling the awkward tension. Kaia frowned slightly.
"I think-"
"Kono baka wa daredesu ka?" Ryko sneered entering my room, his little sister and cousin in his wake. I fought back a groan at his rudeness.
"Ryko-san." I hissed
"Ry-chan apologize!" Kaia said standing in front of him angrily, Ryko smirked and walked around her, stupidly. She tripped him effectively sending the clumsy boy sprawling on my bedroom floor. "Now!" she ordered, her voice suddenly dangerously low.
"English would be preferred." I said not moving to help him up. Mai and Lynn snickered behind him as he stubbornly sat up and made no eye contact. Albus looked at me curiously. "He called you an idiot." I explained.
"Oh." Was all Albus said.
"Hi! Sorry about brother, he doesn't think well when he's jealous. I'm Mai and this is Lynn, that's My brother Ryko. We're the Hitachiin siblings." Lynn said small smirk on her otherwise angelic face. Mai giggled beside her.
"Kare wa kawai Kyokodesu!" Mai squeaked, I blushed and smiled. Albus was looking really confused now.
"Watashi wa watashi ga shitte iru to shinjite imasu." I replied. Mai giggled again.
"What are you two talking about?" Albus asked.
"She said you were cute and I told her yes I know." I explained, "Oh and Lynn lied, Mai is the one with black and red, Lynn is blonde and red." I whispered, Albus nodded understanding. Lynn and Mai frowned at me. I gave them a cool smile in reply.
"You know club is in the dumps without you…" Ryko said quietly, looking at his toes. I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Well maybe it wouldn't be that way if someone decided to pay attention when I was giving him pointers on how run it in my absence." I said coolly. Ryko flinched and nodded.
"I guess you're right…" he said defeated, "Are you staying home?" I swallowed and tucked my hair behind my ear.
"I…I don't know…."I said quietly, " I don't feel safe enough to go back to Ouran…." Ryko looked at me with anger in his eyes. "Hey! You were the one who ignored me, you were the one who spread nasty rumors about me after that teacher died! I told you those things in confidence Hitachiin-san! Anata wa, watashinotomodachi ni naru koto ni natte ita!" (you're supposed to be my friend!) I growled angrily, Ryko flinched and looked away from me. I blinked back angry tears remembering my last years at Ouran. Albus rubbed my back, Kaia and the girls looked astounded. I took a deep calming breath. "Let's go eat, Al, I'm starving." I said, calming down. I stood up and held out my hand, Albus grabbed it and followed me out of the room. "I'm sorry about that I'm still a little mad at him." I said to Albus.
"Machigatta ritonruenjeru wa nanidesu ka? Watashi wa anata ga sakende kiita." Father said stepping out from his study looking concerned. (What's wrong Little Angel? I heard you yelling.) I sighed and shook my head.
"Nani mo nai yo, Papa." (Nothing, Daddy.) Father narrowed his eyes at me and walked back into his study. Albus looked extremely upset and confused now. "Father just wanted to know what was wrong, I told him nothing." I translated leading Albus to Father's personal dining room. I sat down as the maids scurried about bringing food for both of us. "Arigatogozaimasu, sore ga subetedesu." (Thank you that is all). the maids quickly left. "Albus….we should head back soon, with finals and all…" I said thoughtfully while stirring my breakfast around on my plate. He nodded and tentatively ate his breakfast. I laughed as he eyed his fork wearily. "Did Father make you eat all the extremely spicy foods last night?" I asked through my laughter, Albus seemed to deem his food safe to eat before he answered.
"I think so, I couldn't eat anything after the first bite, this appears to be safer…" I nodded in his assessment.
"I would certainly hope so, it was Mother's favorite." I giggled, Albus smiled and kept eating tentatively. I heard the masses coming from me bedroom to the living room in father's wing. I closed my eyes and pretended I was invisible, hoping they wouldn't see me, a habit I had formed when I was younger and the kids at school would miss treat me for being a good student.
*Flashback*
"There she goes being Miss Know-It-All again." A girl whispered from the front of the class, I swallowed and kept my head down as I finished the assignment and checking over my questions occasionally.
"I wish she would just disappear, I mean honestly she's such a nerd. Her giant glasses are proof." Another boy whispered, I bit my lip and kept working. "But, Father says I have to be nice to her or Ootori Group won't take our deal. Personally I think it's stupid, I mean so what if they don't want to sign? It's not the end of the world….right?"
"Right, just the end of your family corporation…the loss of jobs, money, food, shelter, schooling…" I muttered darkly. "You wouldn't survive a day as a commoner Kuze-san" I said louder, the boy spun around. I sat up a little straighter, "Currently my family's business is the only thing keeping Kuze Corp a float, if we drop this deal because you were rude to me than your family's ship is sunk, you could never come back from that blow." He narrowed his eyes at me and stood up, the other students started whispering around us. I pushed up my glasses and kept working, knowing he'd back down soon enough. Suddenly his hands appeared rather forcefully on the desk making my pen jump out of my hand.
"Well maybe if your family's prices weren't so high we wouldn't be in this situation." He hissed, I grabbed my pen and kept writing down the answers to my questions. "Ootori-san!" I jumped and looked up at him.
"Yes?" I asked coolly.
"I'm talking to you!" he bellowed. I smirked and tucked my hair behind my ears.
"Actually you are yelling at me. Talking to me is done in a quieter tone and allowing me to speak as well, and I need to actually be interested in what you are saying." I said in a calm tone, looking over my glasses at him. "and seeing as I'm doing the homework and you interrupted me doing so, how can I be remotely interested in what you are saying?" his face flushed red with anger, "If that is all, I bid thee a good day." I said standing up as the bell rang signaling lunch time. I closed my books and placed them neatly in my bag and walked out the door bag and all. I sat down at a table and pulled out my lunch and smiled knowing how hard Mother had worked on it. I looked around hoping to see someone else at my table…again I was sadly alone. I sighed and began eating my homemade meal in peace. the students started their whispering about me again, I closed my eyes and blocked out the sound of them.
"Hey, Kyoko-san?" a sweet voice asked, I flinched and refused to look up, 'maybe if I don't move, she'll go away' "It's me, Morinozuka Railynn, may I sit with you?" she asked. I tentatively looked up and nodded. "Um…why do you always sit alone? Don't you have friends? I thought everyone wanted to be friends with an Ootori." She looked at me earnestly. I swallowed the bite I had in my mouth.
"I'm not a normal Ootori, at least that's what Grandfather says. Something about me is different. The other kids don't like that. I don't fit the cultural norm apparently." I said carefully. Railynn tilted her head confused.
"Normality has nothing to do with how they should behave around you, your family supports over half of Japan. That's why it's a group not a Corporation. The Ootori family is practically royalty in Japan. The only people above you is the government. You should not settle for such lowly behavior in your presence, you should be respected not shunned. Zane-san, Ryko-san!" she yelled and two boys came over to the table. "Sit with us." She ordered, almost immediately an auburn haired boy with chocolaty brown eyes and an impish face plopped down next to me, I instantly recognized him as Hitachiin Ryko, the other boy had sandy blonde hair and dark blue eyes and a bright smile, I knew his face, he looked oddly familiar but I could not for the life of me figure out how I knew him. "This is Hitachiin Ryko, and Suoh Zane, his father is the chairman." She said brightly. A light bulb flickered on in my head.
"Hello, Ootori-san, it's been a while hasn't it?" Zane said with a voice similar to that of his father's but higher pitched and slightly courser. I gave him a business smile.
"Yes I believe it has Suoh-san. I think the last time we spoke you destroyed my birthday cake." I replied innocently, he chuckled and blushed. "But that's in the past now, how have you been?"
"aha, good, good. I got to go and visit Mother over the summer." He said sitting down with us. Ryko looked sheepishly up from his food, at mine, a curious set to his fine cinnamon eyebrows.
"What's that?" he interrupted our light conversation, I looked at him displeased. "why do you have a box?"
"Mother prefers to make lunch for me instead of having me eat some stranger's food." I replied coolly. Ryko wrinkled his nose and went back to his food. "Father agrees, it's much more sanitary, and safe." Zane looked mildly impressed.
"May I?" Zane asked, motioning to my food. I smiled and nodded. "Thank you…Ooo, Fatty Tuna…" he murmured.
"Careful, Cook makes it a special way, so it may be…"
"Woah!"
"Hot." I bit my lip as his guzzled water from his water bottle.
"You weren't kidding." He breathed.
"I like my food spicy." I explained. He smiled sheepishly.
"You've got everything?" Father asked, I nodded, Albus smiled at him. "Okay, I love you, see you in a few more weeks." He hugged me and kissed my head. "Sayonara Albus. I hope to see you again soon too." Albus nodded and shook Father's hand. "Take care of her."
"Yes sir, goodbye sir." Albus said, I kissed Father on the cheek and disapperated on the spot. "You ready for exams?" he asked as we collapsed on the common room couch.
"I've been ready since December, these will be easy." I replied snuggling with him as Slytherin moved around us busily getting ready for afternoon classes. "Come on, let's go blow Gryffindor out of the water in potions." I said standing up and holding out my hand.
"I'm game for that." he said laughing as I lead him down the hall to the Potions' dungeon.
