I checked my watch. Christopher was supposed to be here with Emma nearly five minutes ago. Fatima Chandiramani had been silent since we sat down at the table, preoccupied with taking in the ornate surroundings. Frankly, that was perfectly fine with me, especially as the uneasy feeling from this afternoon was still present, though lessened due to the comforting realization that Kaoru had helped me achieve earlier this evening.
"You know, it's kind of rude to sigh when you're out on a date with a woman." Apparently, I had allowed a sigh to pass my lips. I pushed up my glasses, focusing my gaze on the mocha skinned woman in front of me.
"My apologies, Ms. Chandiramani. I was distracted." Now it was her turn to sigh, closing her eyes and shaking her head as she did so.
"Kyoya, cut the crap. Honestly, we were in classes together in college and hung out to study together all the time. Just because we don't have time to talk aside from coffee with Chris every other month, it isn't as if we're complete strangers. Besides, I'm how you found Chris anyways—though it still surprised me you drove all the way to San Diego to meet him—and you wouldn't have had the equipment and facilities to start a medical research branch of your company if I hadn't become the chief surgeon at my hospital. So, just stop, okay?"
"You are right, Fatima. I am sorry." Fatima nodded, her lips breaking out into a smile before crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair. Everything she had mentioned was true, but still, "This situation is quite different than catching up with one another or discussing research plans." Fatima just widened her eyes and nodded in acknowledgement of that fact.
"Excuse me, I need to use the restroom." I watched her get up and let out yet another sigh.
While not an outright lie, my understanding of the purpose of this evening was, in fact, different than hers. She believed that she would be entering into a marriage agreement with me; however, that was not quite what Christopher and I had planned. This, however, was where my preoccupation lay. It was amusing that the woman sitting before me was the best suited for me out of the choices my father had given to me, yet I was willingly, happily, letting her escape my grasp. Were I as I was prior to meeting Emma, I would have simply extended my condolences to Christopher instead of helping him, for marrying Fatima would have been of the best benefit to the Ootori Group.
Still, I could not stop hearing Emma's voice in the back of my head asking me, "what is it that you want?" Of course, I not only heard Emma's voice in my head but also Tamaki's voice chorused with the rest of my friend's voices as well. It was Emma, though, who reminded me that I had the ability to fight for what I wanted, and also reminded me that those other still, small voices of the people who cared about me were still there, knocking at my mind, asking the same question.
"Where's Fatima?" Christopher's panicked voice broke me out of my written contemplation, and I looked over to where Christopher stood at the end of the table, arm in arm with Emma. It had been three days since I had seen her, and all we had done then was fight. But she was standing here in front of me now, her frame draped in an elegant black dress.
I could not take my eyes off of her.
"She went to the restroom." I held back an utterance of pain as I stood up quickly to greet them, my knee knocking into the table rather forcefully, "I…uh…is everything in order, Christopher?" Christopher moved towards me and pulled out the chair beside mine for Emma to sit down on. I made my move to sit down as well, my shoulder brushing against hers, sending a jolt through my chest. My composure slowly began to fade.
A foolish symptom of emotions that I could do without.
"You two better tell me what the hell is going on, or I am getting a taxi and leaving. Both of you are as pale as death. You're not planning on kidnapping us and selling us on the black market, are you? I doubt I'd fetch a good price." Emma's clearly frustrated words sliced through my apprehension, and I let slip a small chortle.
"Not with that mouth." I looked over at Emma's profile, noticing her fight the smile that was tweaking at the corner of her lips.
"Yeah, well, this mouth is going to keep asking until it gets and answer." Emma reached for the already-filled water glass on the table and took a sip, her gaze shifting between Chris and me, "Well, are one of you going to speak up, or do I have to take a longer sip of water?"
"I'm proposing!" Christopher squeaked out a bit too loudly, drawing attention from the other customers. He looked, panicked stricken, towards the entrance to the dining hall and then towards me. His face was growing paler than it had been when he first entered the restaurant.
"Christopher, take a drink of water and try to calm yourself down. Not only are you making a scene, but you are incredibly close to ruining the plan I helped you work through." I watched as Christopher grabbed his water glass and downed it. I took my untouched glass and pushed it across the table to him, "Drink."
"Proposing…really?" Emma's eyes grew wide as she tipped the rest of her water into the second glass that Christopher had just emptied, "You need this more than I do, hun."
"Kyoya helped me figure out that it's what I've wanted to do for a long time but have been too scared to do because I just don't fit in her world." Christopher took another sip from the refilled glass, "but the boss convinced me that it didn't matter, that the only world that mattered was the one we would create together."
"Really?" I coughed, opening my menu and turning my gaze towards the elegant font and away from Emma as she physically turned in her body so that she could face me, a look of comical disbelief on her face, "He said that, did he?"
"Christopher is romanticizing it because he is nervous." I looked sideways towards Emma, bracing myself for a punch on the shoulder. It never came, thankfully, because Fatima returned to the table, her wrist bangles as well as Christopher's overloud gasp signaling her return.
"Fa…fa…fa…" Christopher's stuttered. There was a soft yet audible thunk that came from underneath the table as a wave of pain washed over Christopher's face. He threw a grateful look at Emma before finishing his greeting, "Fatima, good evening. You look lovely this evening."
"Did you just kick him?" I leaned over and whispered in Emma's ear, my answer coming from her satisfied smirk, "Good girl." Her response was to lean over and knock me with her shoulder playfully.
"Hello, Chris." All of Fatima's attention was now diverted to Christopher, attention that made it seem as if neither Emma nor I even existed. Not only that, but the two of them were speaking so fast and so excitedly that I could barely even understand anything they said to one another. I allowed my gaze to shift to the side, looking up and down at the woman sitting next to me, the corners of my mouth lifting into a smile. In spite of myself, without even thinking about it, I stretched out my hand, my fingers finding Emma's.
"Kyoya, stop it." She smacked my hand away from hers, standing up from the table and taking out her phone from her purse, "Excuse me, please, I need to take this call."
There was no need to excuse herself since Christopher and Fatima were still far too preoccupied with one another to take note of Emma getting up and walking out of the dining room. I swallowed and looked down at my hand, and overwhelming feeling of sadness washing over me despite the fact that, really, I had been expecting this.
IIIII
Robert had told me come tonight so that I could make a decision but, most of all, so that I could apologize to Kyoya—'cause that was going to happen?! In the two months that we've known one another, I can count on one hand the moments Kyoya has actually been tender and romantic. I've never expected it from him and the few times it's happened were a genuine surprise.
His behavior tonight has overwhelmed and overshot all of my expectations. Despite the fact that we had not talked since Monday and that last discussion was less of a talk and more of me verbally and physically ramming him into the wall, he still cared about me—perhaps even more tonight than he did three days ago. What was wrong with him?!
No. The better question was what was wrong with me. Seeing him smile, hearing him praise me, and even feeling the brush of his shoulder against mine proved to me that I loved him, which was why—for the first time in my life—I was running away because it was what was best for the other person.
From the moment I caught his eyes looking at me, I knew what my decision was.
"Are-ah you Miss. Emma Knight-ah-ly?" I looked up from my journal, gulping down the lump that had been forming in my throat as a man in a tuxedo walked up to me. He was obviously the manager or owner of the restaurant, and I couldn't help but smile at his heavy Italian accent. I nodded at his greeting, standing and grasping the hand that was extended towards me, "Mr. Ootori and Mr. Maples have-ah been two of our ah-most distinguished-ah-customers. It is not only a pleasure to help Mr. Maples make-ah-such-ah profound declaration of amore, but a pleasure to meet their-ah-newest companion."
He patted the top of my hand with his gently before lifting it to his lips.
"Gabrielle, I see you have met my newest partner." Kyoya walked out into the foyer, walking up to me and slipping his arm around my waist. My normal reaction would have been to milk this for all I could, but the time had passed for those kinds of reactions. Instead, I simply raised my eyebrow and looked sideways at my four-eyed boss as he extended a hand to the Italian whose name was obvious Gabrielle. Was he jealous of the tall, dark, and handsom Italian? As Kyoya tightened his grip around my waist, I had my answer, "I appreciate you and your staffs' help in making this night one to remember. Should you require anything, I will be happy to oblige. Anything I can do to repay your fantastic hosting. Christopher? Do you not also have something to say?"
"Huh? Oh…yes…thank you so much!" I hadn't even noticed that Chris was also in the atrium. Now he was bent completely over in a bow towards Gabrielle. Thankfully, for my own sanity, Kyoya let go of my waist and walked up to Chris and pulled him back up to a standing position by a tight grip on his shoulder, his other hand going to rest on Chris's chest.
"You need to calm down. If we leave Fatima out there by herself for too long, she is going to become suspicious. Emma and I will handle the roses. You just take a deep breath, grab your guitar, and do what you came here to do. Just like we practiced." With one last soft tap to Chris's chest, Kyoya took him by the shoulders, turned him towards the kitchen, and gave him a small shove.
"Now will you tell me what is going on? Was Chris outburst in there serious? Is he really proposing to that woman?"
"He is."
"And you're helping him with a plan you came up with together?"
"I am." Kyoya lifted his hand to adjust his glasses, "Now, if you are done asking your questions, I am going to need your help."
"You know. I didn't believe Haruhi when she told me that you and Tamaki weren't as different as you appear, but even though it's happening right before my eyes, I still can't believe it."
"It is true. This is the kind of thing that Tamaki would not be able to keep his hands off of." Kyoya just let out a quick chortle, enough of one to say that he was all too familiar with this type of conclusion. I could feel my heart skip a beat at his smile, a feeling that only confirmed what I was really here to do, "Follow me."
"Alright." I evaded the hand that Kyoya had extended in order to grab mine by shifting my body so that it was behind his. After a slight pause, he continued walking forward and through an "Employees Only" door. As I walked into the brightly lit room, my eyes adjusting from natural candlelight to intense florescent lighting, I was somewhat astonished to find a group of about thirty people made up of both the restaurant's customers and workers. I poked Kyoya in the side, whispering, "What is going on here?"
"Thank you all for agreeing to participate in this surprise proposal," Kyoya addressed the crowd, ignoring me completely, "As a close personal friend of the man about to take one of the biggest steps he has ever taken, I wish to express my deepest and most sincere appreciation for helping me and my friend make this night as memorable as possible. Emma, could you grab the basket on your right?"
I looked down at my side, gasping when I saw a wicker basket filled with dozens of huge and luscious crimson roses. Picking the basket up off of the floor, I plucked one from the pile before handing off the basket to Kyoya. He began to explain something to the rest of the group, but his voice became hazy as I looked down at the white ribbon tied neatly around the stem just underneath the flower. On the ribbon were the words, "I love you because you snort when you laugh." I recognized the print instantly—it was Chris' neat albeit feminine cursive.
"Does everyone understand the instructions?" I lifted my head and blinked a few times as Kyoya's voice suddenly broke the haze. Looking around the room, I saw that every member of the group held two roses. Each rose had the same white piece of ribbon falling from the stem and, if I had to guess, each piece of ribbon said some variation of the words that were attached to the rose I was holding in my hands, "So remember, we are going to stagger the passing off of the roses to Fatima every four seconds. Again, my sincerest thanks to all of you."
I watched as everyone in the room dispersed a few at a time, returning to either their tables or to their jobs.
"Come on, Emma, let us go watch." Kyoya grinned, holding out his arm for me to take. I accepted, the astonishment overwhelming my judgment, "It should be entertaining."
I was about to say that I still didn't understand what was going on, but not only would that have garnered some sarcastic and pompous remark from Kyoya about not listening to him, it was also too late to ask anything as he led me by the arm into the dining room.
"Christopher Maples. What the hell do you think you're doing?!" It was obvious to anyone that Fatima was clearly in shock. I was in shock, to be honest. On a small raised platform a few feet in front of our table sat Chris on a stool, an acoustic guitar secured on his knee.
"Fatima. You and I have known one another for a long time. I've…I've loved you from the first moment I met you," Chris began speaking, his arms resting on top of the guitar, wringing his hands. His voice was quavering like usual—the poor spineless fool. He looked up towards the back of the restaurant, right towards where Kyoya and I were standing, but he wasn't looking at me. I traced Chris' gaze to Kyoya's face, watching his mouth as he said "you can do this," in an overemphasized whisper.
"You know I am not the strongest man." Suddenly his voice was deeper and more forceful than it had been before. This was the Chris that went to meetings and gained clients. I shifted another glance at Kyoya who just smiled and watched, folding his arms and leaning back against the doorframe, "I'm not brave, and I am sure as hell not bold. I let fear stop me from showing you just how much I care. Fear of change, fear of your parents, fear. But I can't do that anymore because I love you in so many different ways. Because of that, I have something I'd like to share, and once I share, I have a question to ask you."
Christopher's hands started strumming away at the guitar.
"Well, that's a surprise." I leaned over and whispered to Kyoya as Chris began singing, his eyes never leaving Fatima's. She had already begun crying during his speech, and now all she could do was stare and let the tears fall, "who would have known he could sing."
"He minored in music during college, actually. You would not expect that coming from such a keen business mind, would you?" Kyoya whispered back to me in answer.
"'I love you. I have loved you all alone. And I miss you. Been far away for far to long. I keep dreaming you'll be with me and you'll never go. Stop breathing if I don't see you anymore.'" As Chris sang, every few seconds a new person would stand up from his or her seat with a rose in hand, walk towards Fatima, and present her with the flower. The flowers began stacking up in front of her, and as I watched her read every one—some of them making her chuckle and some of them making her grimace—tears began to sting the back of my eyes.
"'On my knees, I'll ask. Last chance for one last dance. 'Cause with you, I'd withstand all of hell to hold your hand. I'd give it all, I'd give it all for us. Give anything but I won't give up.'"
With a sigh, I smiled and shook my head, leaning over and knocking Kyoya with my shoulder. As I expected he would, Kyoya reached around me with his arm and pulled me even further towards him, and I responded by wrapping my arms around his waist. This wasn't going to help me do what I knew that I needed too, but it would keep this one memory a good one.
Whatever happened, there would always be this feeling to fall back on…and that was alright with me.
IIIII
"You did well." I said to Christopher, nodding my head to him while reaching out and patting his shoulder.
"I just…I just can't believe she said yes. I just…may I have permission to break propriety, sir?" I nodded, and at my affirmation, Christopher leaned forward and brought me into an embrace. I allowed him, making sure that my pen did not poke his back as I completed the gesture, "Thank you, Kyoya. Thank you so much!" With one last firm squeeze, Christopher let go and ran off to where Fatima had been talking with Emma while waiting for the valet to bring Christopher's car.
"Well, that was definitely a night to remember. A weird night, but a memorable one nonetheless." Emma shrugged as I walked up to her, the two of us waving at Chris and Fatima as they drove away. I handed the valet my ticket.
"Indeed. It was. Though I get the feeling it is not over yet, am I right?" I had noticed that something was wrong with Emma since she arrived. Her constant attempts at avoiding my gaze and my touch all evening until the last few moments of Christopher's proposal were clues enough. They were clues that stung, ones that I did not particularly wish to think about or follow to the conclusion I had already predicted.
"We need to talk. So, yes, your shadowy intuition is correct. And I want to talk before my brother gets her to pick me up." Emma sighed, crossing her arms and looking up at the sky. I echoed her sigh, taking off my suit jacket and draping it over her shoulders.
"Since I picked up Fatima, I do not have my motorcycle. I would be happy to drive you home…unless…" I swallowed, knowing that asking was futile, but doing it anyways, "Unless you would like to come over. It may be more comfortable to have this discussion inside at a more private venue then outdoors with all these people around."
"No. No, Kyoya. No, I don't." Emma took off the jacket as she shook her head, handing the cloth back to me and walking over to an empty bench. She sat, rearranging her dress so that she could gather her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs and hugging them tighter to herself, "Kyoya, I'm not sure if I can...I just don't...it's just...I still need some time to…I…"
"You do not have to explain anything to me. I understand" I sighed, laying my coat over the armrest of the bench before sitting down next to her, "It is not as if I did not expect this."
"It isn't that…" Emma was struggling with her words, and while I could hear her voice clearly, she was barely speaking above a whisper, "It isn't that if my feelings toward you have changed. You are still the man that I love. It's just that I think I need some time to figure things out. For me."
"I understand." If Monday's tirade was any indication, Emma had a lot more on her mind than just emotions. Her capacity for logic and pragmatism was just as strong as mine was; however, she rarely gave into that when making personal decisions. I did not like that. I deeply wanted the Emma who would listen only to her heart and end up crying that she was being foolish, flinging herself into my arms. While I did understand, I did not want to.
"The last time we were together like this here in Boston we hated one another. Everything in Japan was so loud and emotional and crazy and sad and perfect. Honestly, it's hard to even think that any of it actually happened. I learned so much though—mostly from them though, from Tamaki and Haruhi and Hikaru and Kaoru and Honey and Mori…and you," She paused and looked up at me with a gentle grin. I managed an tiny smile back at her, but that was it. She looked away, "and I know that I've changed for the better. I'm happy for it, but I need to figure out how to live in the real world again."
"That tends to happen with that group of fools." I could feel the bubble in my throat begin to grow, so I brought my hand to my mouth to try and cough it away.
It did not help.
"Still," Emma continued, giggling softly to herself, "I wouldn't trade any of that away. I don't want to give in and give up. And it kills me that I risking losing you completely, but I can't do it anymore. Not right now." A large sob broke through the end of her words, and tears began pouring gently down her cheeks as she tucked her head into her knees. I reached out my hand, wanting to run my hands through her hair and comfort her, but I snapped it back quickly as if it had almost touched fire.
"You monster." I let out a small, short, laugh, "You have put me in a compromising position."
"Hmm?" She tilted her head to the side so that she could look at me, her eyes glistening from the tears but still so beautiful.
"You are the one being guided by logic while I sit here trying not to fall apart. Trying not to hold you. Loving you more than ever before. If that is even possible."
"I know." I inhaled sharply, closing my eyes and attempting not to lose my composure as I felt a warm hand press itself softly to my cheek, "I must be a horrible human being to make the great Kyoya Ootori shed tears."
"The worst." Lifting my hand, I grabbed onto hers and brought it away from my face. I opened my eyes and smirked at the women sitting next to me. I knew what she was doing, and I understood her rational decision, but for the first time in my life, my heart was processing everything and not my mind. Perhaps it was about time to pass the reigns back, "Though, you are right. It is for the best that we start over."
"I'd like that." Emma nodded, putting her feet back on the concrete and lifting herself up off of the bench. She turned and extended a hand to me. I wiped my thumb and forefinger over my eyes and pushed up my glasses before accepting her hand and standing. She pulled me towards her, and I wrapped my arms around her, squeezing as firmly as I could. I could feel her breath on my neck, a feeling that would only be nostalgia after tonight, "Tomorrow though. Aside from right now, tonight has been such an amazing night, and I want to remember that. So, tomorrow. We'll start over tomorrow."
"I believe that that is agreeable." The honk of a car horn made Emma practically leap out of my embrace, and she turned to look, waving at the car that had just pulled up to the curb.
"Well, that is Robert. I'll…I'll see you at work." Emma shrugged before beginning to walk towards the car. I watched her walk a few feet forward, my heart slowing. She turned, smiled, and waved, "Goodbye Kyoya."
Then she was gone.
IIIII
There was no possible way for an elevator ride to last as long as it was now. My heart was beating faster than it needed to, and I felt even more nervous and queasy than I had my first day in this office.
As the elevator bell went off, the doors opened. Kyoya…Mr. Ootori's office door was open, meaning that he was expecting a lot of people to be coming in and out. It meant that there was a meeting today and he was collecting everyone's last minute facts and figures. The open door an invitation as much as it was a deadline and a warning.
I took a breath, counted to ten, and exhaled before walking from the elevator entrance and into the open door, standing in the middle of the room.
He looked up, smiled, and pushed his chair out from underneath his desk, walking towards me with his noble and purposeful stride.
"Welcome to Ootori U.S. Miss. Knightly. I am the CEO and Chairman, Kyoya Ootori. I am sure that you will be a tremendous asset to my company, and I assure you that it is my pleasure to work with you." He held out his hand, and I took it, firmly grasping it in mine.
"The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Ootori," I let go of his hand, stepping closer to him and lifting myself up on my toes, letting my lips softly greet his cheek, "Thank you."
All he did was nod, and that was all I deserved and needed as our day began and we started over—from the beginning.
IIIII
A/N – Sorry this took so long! It was really, really hard to write. *ducks knives and explosives* I am also sorry about ^that. I promise that there will be a happy ending! I'm thinking only one or two more chapters as well as an epilogue. I will be starting back to teaching, so the next chapter will probably take a while too.
I'M SORRY! It sucks that life happens, but thank you all for sticking with me this long! At any rate, let me know what you think!