For a moment, Éclair couldn't believe her eyes. She frantically scanned the room five times in quick succession, but the truth was undeniably plain: Kyoya was gone. This was unbelievable! With a heart condition—as well as an arm, ribs, and lung that were still mending—it should have been plain impossible for her fiancé to get up and walk away, but apparently he had done just that. A shock of adrenaline hit her and she let out a distressed scream.
The cry brought a horde of concerned Ootoris in from the hallway. "Éclair-chan!" Fuyumi rushed in first. "What's the matter?" The dark-haired woman looked to Kyoya's bed, expecting to find the worst: her younger brother dead. What awaited her wasn't much better. "Kyoya!" She whipped her head back and forth as though he must be hiding somewhere in plain sight. "Where did he go?"
Yoshio was the second to rush back to the room. "Where could he have gone?!" the businessman demanded angrily of himself. "How did he leave without any of us noticing?!" There had been six of them standing out in the hallway, and yet his terminally-ill son had slipped away right under their noses. How could this have happened?
Yuka, having heard Éclair's terrifying scream, had taken off running back toward the room, ignoring the searing protest from her feet that were crammed into her heels. She had been in such a rush that she hadn't even noticed that she had her hand wrapped around her son's wrist, essentially forcing Yuuichi to come back to the room with her. When she arrived back at the room, finding the rest of her family there, she demanded breathlessly, "What happened?!" As she craned her neck into the room, trying to see if something had happened to her son, her heart stopped at the empty scene she was met with. "Where's Kyoya...?"
Recovering from her initial shock, Éclair pushed past Fuyumi and Yoshio, apologizing inwardly for her rudeness, and took down the hallway in the opposite direction. Kyoya couldn't have gotten that far, considering the time frame and his heath condition. She had to find him before he got hurt. If he did, she could never forgive herself.
Akito ran after Éclair, grabbing her arm and forcing her to a stop. "Éclair, wait!" he cried, forgetting to be polite in both of their panic. "What happened? You need to calm down!" Whatever the situation, he couldn't allow her to run blindly wherever she had been headed. She was soaked to the bone, becoming hysterical, and definitely was not thinking clearly. If she were to run out without stopping to take a breath, she would surely be hit by a car, especially in this weather, and this time there would be no Kyoya to push her out of the way.
She turned to face Akito, taking a moment to catch her breath. "Kyoya's gone. He's somewhere in the hospital, or maybe outside already...I've got to find him before..." Her blue eyes were filled with so many turbulent emotions: fear, sadness, guilt, and even anger. "Please, Akito-san." She put a hand on the one he had wrapped around her arm, trying to push it off. "Let me go. I need to find Kyoya before it's too late."
"You have to think rationally about this," Akito repeated, keeping a firm but gentle grip on her arm. "You can't just go rushing out of here or else you'll get yourself into trouble or waste unnecessary time. I'm certain that my father is having everyone in the hospital look for him, so chances are if he's not found within five minutes, he's already outside. So you need to think, okay? Where would Kyoya possibly want to go that it would make him leave the hospital in his condition?" It pained Akito that he didn't know his own brother well enough to hypothesize such locations, and he hoped that Éclair wasn't so riled up that she couldn't figure it out either.
Éclair's cheeks and mind were tinged with a slowly rising fever, but she forced herself to calm down and attempt to be logical about the situation, no matter how much her adrenaline was screaming at her to rip her arm from Akito's grip and continue her blind, frenzied chase.
"I didn't even know until now that he could go anywhere," she breathed out in frustration. "I have no idea where would be so important for him to go." Truth be told, a part of her was hurt and furious at Kyoya for not taking her with him if he was going to go somewhere. Did he honestly not trust her anymore? Was there someone else he would rather talk to or a place he would rather go to calm down? "I wouldn't know where to begin," she admitted. Well, that wasn't quite right. She could always call Tamaki, who would happily put the entire Host Club on the case, but she didn't want to have to face Tamaki, to tell him what had happened in the past hour. She felt so deeply ashamed by all of it. And even the gentle Host Club king would be angry at her for allowing Kyoya to sneak off in his condition.
Akito bit his tongue, trying to think, and coming up with nothing. "Is there a place that was very important to him? A thing that helped calm him down or made him happy or something?" He highly doubted that Kyoya would ever go back home for something, the location being too obvious for the family to find him again. The same went for visiting the home of any friends, as said friend would most likely call his father right away to get him back to the hospital. So where else would be so important to him? If he and Éclair were as close as he suspected them to be, then surely he must have taken his fiancée there at least once?
It was possible that Kyoya had decided to go to the National Art Gallery, his special place, but that was over eight blocks away from their current location. Was her lover trying to get himself killed? The worry and anger flared in Éclair's heart, but her mind had calmed itself. She had one objective now: find Kyoya. A sudden burst of strength gave the Frenchwoman enough power to wrench her arm from Akito's grasp.
"I have an idea of where he might be going, but I need to follow him alone," she informed the young businessman resolutely. Kyoya might panic and run again unless she went alone. And it was their place, after all. His neglectful family had no business taking part in something so sacred unless Kyoya wanted to show it to them himself. "Keep looking through the hospital, and don't worry about me. I'm fine now." Éclair ran to the elevator before Akito could stop her, forcing the doors closed behind her. Once on the main floor, she grabbed an umbrella and fast-walked out into the rain, in the direction of the gallery. She hoped Kyoya had at least had the common sense to grab some shoes and a coat before he left.
The rain was pouring outside, and thunder rumbled overhead. There wasn't as much lightning, which made seeing where one was going difficult. There were almost no cars out on the street, understandably so with how dark it was and how slick the streets were. There was the occasional taxi with eager drivers looking for customers to take in order to receive a fare. With almost no pedestrians walking about in this weather, they would take anyone if it meant reaching their quota for cash.
Even so, Éclair continued through the rain on foot. It occurred to her that Kyoya might have taken a taxi, but she had no idea if he even had money for that. Even if it would be faster, she would hate to miss her fiancé in the dark by taking a taxi. Four blocks down, she took off her shoes-which were clearly not designed for running through a storm-and continued barefoot, finding she could travel much quicker that way. The young woman was positively mad with worry. A parade of horrible images danced in front of her eyes, possibilities of what could happen to her lover on a night like this. What if he passed out and was killed by a car? What if he was struck by lightning? What if he had stumbled down an alley and been abducted? This was her worst nightmare come to life. If Kyoya had to die, she wanted him safe, warm, and in her arms back in the hospital. Not alone, out in the dark and cold.
The art gallery came into view, the lights inside confirming its claim to be until late. It was rare that anyone came into the gallery at an hour like this, and with the storm, the place was deserted. The receptionist, also acting as a night guard, was dozing in his chair, clearly having been lulled by the sound of rain outside of the door. There was a small trail of water leading into the building, easily signifying that someone had entered not long before.
Éclair consulted a map inside the brochure she had quietly taken from the front desk, careful not to disturb the dozing receptionist. The first and only other time she'd come here, she'd had her eyes closed on their way to Kyoya's painting, and she had been only partially lucid on their way back downstairs. She found the painting's location on the map and ascended to the second floor as discreetly as she could. Every one of her footsteps made a soft echo and her hair and clothes kept dripping water with every movement. At the top of the stairs, she wound her way carefully through the different exhibits until she arrived at her destination. She eyed the back of a familiar figure and fell to her knees, her umbrella and shoes clattering to the ground beside her. Éclair was too overwhelmed with relief and worried anger and exhaustion to take one more step.
Kyoya turned back, having heard a noise, and his eyes widened when he realized who it was. "Éclair!" He rushed over to her and knelt beside her, taking her hand to make sure she didn't collapse further. "Are you alright? What are you doing here? How did you find me?" Kyoya was absolutely soaking and his hospital gown was sopping wet with rain water. His hair stuck around his face and he couldn't even see through his glasses with all of the droplets of water slick against the glass. He had expected people to go looking for him, but he didn't think that they would find him so soon, nor that Éclair would half pass out when she discovered him. He could see various emotions playing through her eyes and he felt his heart clench with guilt.
Éclair bit her lip to keep it from trembling before throwing her arms around Kyoya and holding him tightly. She ran her cold, trembling fingers through her fiancé's hair affectionately, trying to reassure herself that the man she loved was safe and in one piece. Both of them were soaking wet and freezing, but Éclair couldn't feel the chill. All her senses could register was Kyoya's touch, his smell, and his warm breath on her cheek. "Do you have any idea how frightened I was?" she demanded, her voice more sad than angry. "Do you have any idea what I would have done had something happened to you? You scared me half to death, Kyoya!" She began to cry, the terror in her heart seizing her again with those horrible images of what might have happened.
Kyoya returned the hug, holding Éclair tightly, reassuringly. "I'm sorry," he murmured, guilt clawing at his heart. "I...I didn't think about what I was doing I just...I needed to get out of there." He sighed quietly and tightened his hold on Éclair. She was shaking in his arms, either from freezing or from how scared she was that he'd disappeared. He had been so stupid, thinking that he could actually leave without causing anyone worry. That hadn't been his intention at all; he just needed to get away from that suffocating hospital before he went mad…and before he had to face his family again. "I couldn't be somewhere with the Ootoris any longer...I didn't think about you, I'm so sorry, Éclair."
Éclair eventually shook her head. "No. I'm the one who is sorry, Kyoya. This whole mess happened because of me." There was no way around it; all of Kyoya's fights with his family recently had been directly tied to something that she had said or done, and she felt terrible because of that. No wonder Kyoya had run away. "I love you so much. Even if you're upset with me, the last thing I want is for you to be hurt." She softly brushed her fiancé's kiss with her cheeks, wondering if he was counting her among the Ootoris when he spoke of not wanting to be around them.
Kyoya frowned. How was any of this Éclair's fault? She had been the one to come running and looking for him! It was his own fault for being so selfish and running out in the middle of a storm like this, and she was most definitely not to blame. "Why would I be upset with you?" he whispered, brushing his thumb across her cheek. "None of this is your fault...it's just my family's...Yuuichi's...but you've done nothing wrong. You've always been here for me and I could never blame you for what my brother did."
He kissed her, unable to bear such self-hatred in her voice. Kyoya loved her with all of his heart, with all of his being, and he didn't want her to think such terrible things about herself. He would walk to the ends of the earth in the worst storm imaginable if it would only prove to her that she was not as bad of a person as she believed herself to be.
Kyoya's kiss warmed up Éclair's whole body and she returned it passionately, burying her fingers in the hair at the back of his neck to deepen the act of affection. All of her turbulent thoughts quieted and the guilt in her heart stopped stinging. Kyoya was here, safe, with her, and that was all she needed. It was selfish, but a part of her wanted to keep her fiancé to herself for the rest of his life. She wanted to protect him and she wanted the both of them to be happy, together.
When the two of them finally broke the kiss to come up for air, Éclair's calm, practical mind jumpstarted. "Kyoya, you're soaking wet." She caressed her fiancé's cheek, and he was ice cold to the touch as well. "You're anemic, you silly goose. Not to mention your heart." She sighed in exasperation which was partially genuine and part teasing. "What am I going to do with you, Kyoya Ootori? Besides marry you, of course."
Kyoya could only smile in response. He didn't have an answer for her, nor did he really want to supply her with one. But the assurance that they were to be married warmed him inside as he helped her to her feet. It was so strange, but even though he felt cold and he'd walked a far way—not all the way, as he'd taken a taxi—he didn't feel especially tired or worn out like he'd expect to with his heart condition. He was freezing, but it didn't feel like death could possibly grasp at him.
"I'm sorry," he said again, gripping her hand tightly. "I just wanted to see it, just to calm down, but..." Kyoya looked over his shoulder at the wall that normally held his beloved painting, except now it held a completely different painting: an abstract design of reds and pinks surrounding a yellow-and-white center.
Éclair looked at the wall, tilting her head as though that would somehow help her to 'get' the painting now displayed there. No matter how she tried, the heiress resigned herself to the fact that she would never truly understand modern art. "I'm sorry that you came all this way for nothing," she said softly, squeezing his hand before slipping her shoes back on and retrieving her umbrella.
Kyoya smiled and hooked an arm around her. "Well...I suppose it's about time I went back, hmm?" He had no idea how he was supposed to confront his family when they got back. He hadn't thought that far ahead when he slipped away at the hospital. All that he'd thought about was getting away from the sterile environment just to drown in the nostalgia of his favorite painting, and he wasn't even able to accomplish that. "I still can't believe that you were able to find me so quickly."
"This was the only place that made sense," Éclair answered. "And I ran here straightaway when I realized that you were missing. Frankly, I'm surprised that you were able to get here so quickly in this state." Her blue eyes ran with worry up and down Kyoya's figure as they walked. It was a miracle that he'd made it so far dressed like that. Kyoya must have taken a taxi after all, in order to arrive so far ahead of her. She kissed her fiancé's cheek again, wishing to go on pretending that the two of them had a lifetime to keep on experiencing joy and sadness and worry together. But it would be over for good soon, and this time she wouldn't be able to bring Kyoya back.
"Don't worry about the hospital," she reassured him. "We'll have a lovely night to ourselves. I'll get you whatever you want to eat." Even though the food at the hospital was perfectly good, ordering off the same menu every night was becoming rather dull. She wanted to get her fiancé a special meal. "And your tests will come back tomorrow, hopefully telling us that we can go to New York." Éclair wanted nothing more than to escape Japan and run away to America in order to enjoy their remaining time together.
Kyoya nodded and smiled, somewhat sadly, as he pressed his lips to her head while they walked. "And even if we're not allowed," he murmured quietly, "we can always go anyway." He wanted Éclair to be happy, and he wanted to be able to formally say that they were married. That was not going to be possible in Japan, so if it meant escaping to North America, in the United States, or even in Mexico, so be it. He was certain that Tamaki would let them use one of his family's private jets if the doctors refused for him to use the Ootori's.
Éclair couldn't help but grin. "Oh, is that so? And since when did by-the-book Kyoya Ootori become so mischievous?" She could hardly believe that the straight-laced Shadow King she had met a year ago was the same person now suggesting that they elope together. It was sweet, in an unexpected way. The two of them quietly left the gallery, where the downpour had slowed to a light drizzle. Even so, Éclair opened her umbrella and gently guided Kyoya down to the pavement where she hailed a taxi, opening the door and shielding her fiancé from the rain so that he could climb in first.
Back at the hospital, things were less than peaceful.
Yoshio cursed under his breath and pulled out his mobile phone, dialing the hospital's security team. "My son is missing. Put an APB out on him. The entire hospital is to be alerted and on the watch for him." The businessman hung up the phone, his directions clearly given, and turned around to take his wife by the shoulders. He didn't know how much more stress Yuka could take. The last thing he wanted was for his wife to worry herself sick. "Don't worry, Yuka. He can't have gotten far, and this hospital is full of workers who know Kyoya. We'll find him, I promise." Truthfully, if the businessman was still young and spry, he might have gone sprinting down the hallway like Éclair and Akito had.
Yuka let out a shaky breath and tightened her grip on Yuuichi's wrist. "How could he possibly have the strength to just get up and leave...?" Yes, he had been in the hospital for nearly two weeks, so damage from the bus wouldn't have been as crippling as it had days ago, but surely his heart condition made it almost impossible for him to be up and walking around. Just how far could he have gone and, God forbid, how far would he go before his body gave out?
"I don't know," Yoshio admitted in defeat. His son was on death's door, and yet he had somehow got out of bed and waltzed right out of his hospital room. The businessman couldn't wrap his head around it, nor could he make eye contact with his eldest son, who he would hold personally responsible for any harm that might come to Kyoya.
Yuuichi just continued to stare in disbelief, wincing once when his mother squeezed his wrist. If Kyoya had been able to walk out of here and get far enough away to give them a chase, could his wishful thinking be correct? Was it really possible for Kyoya to pull through this? He hoped it was so.
Fuyumi, on the other hand, was dissolving into hysterics again. "What if he gets hurt?" she cried out in worried despair.
Yuka finally released her son's arm and drew her daughter in for a hug. Although she wished for her sons to be more expressive like her only daughter, she was grateful that they were able to sustain a cool head in situations such as this. She hushed Fuyumi gently, running her fingers through her hair comfortingly.
"He's going to be okay," she soothed in a quiet voice, trying to calm her panicking child. "It's going to be okay, Fuyumi, Kyoya isn't one to get himself into too much trouble. We'll find him soon." She felt awful, as though she were lying to her daughter. Yuka couldn't shake the terrified feeling in the pit of her stomach that Kyoya wouldn't be okay and that he was going to get hurt. She had wished to God several times for her son to be safe, or to get better, and so far nothing had happened, so she was quickly losing hope about whether or not good things would be granted to her.
Fuyumi clasped her hands together and began to pray quietly to every deity that she could think of for Kyoya's protection. If anything happened to him, it would devastate her family, who hadn't been able to say a proper goodbye. But even more than that, she knew it would kill Éclair-chan. As much as Fuyumi ached to admit it, the French girl knew Kyoya better and had shown him more love in the past little while than their family had in an entire lifetime. If Kyoya was hurt or killed, his fiancée would probably lose her mind. And so, the Ootori's daughter began to pray for her too, hugging her mother tightly. She looked over the Ootori matriarch's shoulder at Yoshio with teary eyes. "He'll be okay, right papa?"
Yoshio's heart clenched. Fuyumi hadn't called him that since she was eight. He'd told her that it wasn't appropriate for her to refer to him with such endearments in public, and that she should call him 'father' or 'sir'. Looking back, it was an asinine and cruel thing to say to someone that young, but his daughter had taken his words to heart. To revert to such affectionate terms now signaled that Fuyumi was in desperate need of encouragement. The businessman reached out and put his hand on top of Fuyumi's head gently. "Kyoya will be just fine, Fuyumi. Don't you worry. We'll send out the Ootori police force to find him if we need to."
Yuka finally found the strength to release her daughter and she sat down, trying to ease Fuyumi down beside her. Her legs were shaky as she thought of the worst possible outcomes of this situation. What if Kyoya was stumbling around outside, getting soaked to the bone? What if he got lost in the dark? What if he was robbed, or kidnapped, or killed? What if his heart gave out while he was missing and he died on the street? Every imaginary scenario that popped into her head made her feel worse and worse until she felt green with nausea. What terrible parents were they, to let their terminal child walk right out of their own hospital. Yuka could never forgive herself if her youngest son ended up dying because of their foolishness.
Fuyumi sat down beside her mother, and Yoshio on the other side, the three of them clinging to each other. Fuyumi continued to cry. She would never forgive herself if Kyoya died before she could apologize for never being there for him, for never standing up for him.
Yoshio wrapped an arm around his daughter's shoulders. The two of them had never been close; Fuyumi was too emotional and soft-hearted for the stoic businessman to understand. He felt badly for not trying harder to know her. She was still his daughter, and he loved her. The patriarch looked up at Yuuichi, who still seemed stunned by the whole affair. Yoshio saw so much of himself within his eldest son, and he regretted being so harsh to Yuuichi earlier instead of trying to defuse the situation. The fight was his fault as much as it was his child's. He extended a hand to Yuuichi, who took it and came over to stand with the rest of his family.
Yuka leaned on her daughter, almost wanting to smile despite the situation. With this terrible turn of events, the family has ended up being brought closer together, and Yuuichi seemed to have calmed down now that no one was yelling or arguing. She wished there was more she could do, but all she could at the moment was hold Fuyumi's hand and pray for everything to work out for the best.
It had just occurred to her that Akito had yet to come back when the very son walked back from down the hall. "Where is Éclair?" Yuka asked, sitting up a little bit as he approached.
"Outside," he replied, sounding a little miserable. "She suddenly had an idea about where he may have gone and she took off before she could tell me where she was going. There was no way I could have stopped her and there's no way I could find her out in the rain now." Akito shook his head lightly and sighed. "She's crazy, and determined, but she's going to get herself killed if she always rushes into things like that."
Fuyumi smiled, touched by her older brother's naivety. "She can't help it. People do crazy things when they're in love, little big brother." She used her childhood name for Akito, the one he'd always hated when they were younger. But it gave her a happy, tingling feeling inside. Her family did a lot of bickering, but they still had love and concern for one another. They wouldn't all be here now if they didn't care about Kyoya. She only wished her brother could be here to see it.
Yoshio sighed and squeezed Yuuichi's hand a bit. "You don't have to like that woman, Yuuichi. But I think it's undeniable that her feelings for your brother are genuine."
Yuka glanced up at Yuuichi, hiding a tiny smile on her face. Éclair had proven her feelings for Kyoya in her own way, and though she loved that the Frenchwoman was going out of her way to find her son, she dearly hoped that the girl would be safe.
Akito, on the other hand, only sighed again and bit his lip to keep from smirking at his sister's nickname for him. "I can only imagine. But it wouldn't do if she went and got herself hurt. Then Kyoya would be upset and there'd be an even bigger mess for us to clean up." He shrugged one shoulder. "But it doesn't look like it's anything we can do."
"I'm sure she'll be fine," Fuyumi reached out to take Akito's hand. "She's smart and determined, like Kyoya. If anyone could find him, it's her."
Yoshio reached past his daughter and brushed a stray lock of hair out of his wife's face, hoping the gesture would set both of them a little more at ease. It was hard to stay calm when your child, your baby no less, was missing. Another bolt of lightning lit up the sky, and the businessman cringed. "When the two of them come back, we all need to be on our best behaviors."
Yuka pressed her cheek against Yoshio's hand and smiled. This was the man that she had fallen in love with after they'd gotten married: the gentler man, before he'd become hardened and obsessed with the Ootori Group. Before work had taken over his life and his personality. "And we probably shouldn't stay long when they do...we've been here for quite a long time as it is."
Yoshio nodded. "You children are all invited to the main estate for supper; that is if you aren't too busy." He reacted to Yuka's positive physical response by caressing her cheek gently. He loved Yuka, and he wanted to do something for her. It seemed what would make his wife most happy would be to help mend their family.
That got a smile out of Fuyumi, and she nodded in excitement. "I would love to come for dinner." Usually, her father disapproved of her spending time at the estate. He said that she should spend time with her husband, which she agreed was important. But she wanted to keep in touch with her Ootori family members as well. She squeezed Akito's hand expectantly, looking at him with puppy-dog eyes. "What about you, little big brother?"
"I should be studying for finals," Akito admitted before the corners of his mouth curled upwards. "But I've studied all week. I think I can spare one night." He was already willing to come with the family afterwards, but with Fuyumi's expression, there was no way that he would be able to say no. His eyes glanced towards Yuuichi, anger still rolling in his stomach, before asking, "And what of you?"
Yuuichi had a feeling that if he declined his father's invitation, Akito might kill him. And as if the threat of imminent death wasn't enough, Fuyumi's expression was truly irresistible. Truthfully, he didn't have much to do tonight that couldn't be put off until tomorrow. He might as well go. "I can come, if you insist."
Fuyumi's eyes lit up with cheer and she sprang up to hug her eldest brother. "It will be just like old times!" she declared in a happy, nostalgic tone.
Yuka smiled as she watched her daughter and son embrace. She slid over to be closer to her husband and leaned her head on his shoulder. "This is just like when they were little," she whispered as she watched her children. Fuyumi, hugging and smiling with Yuuichi, who seemed to be less-than-content about the whole ordeal, and Akito scowling, yet still a little joyful, off to the side. It was astounding how her family could still hold the same traits now as they had nearly two decades ago. It gave her hope that maybe the family could mend itself in the near future and grow closer again.
Yoshio placed a hand on Yuka's shoulder, bringing her body closer to his as he observed the scene of their children. In the blink of an eye, he pictured them small again. Fuyumi was dressed up in ribbons and bows, beaming her great smile and trying to get her brothers to play with her and tell her all about their day. Akito, annoyed, would play a joke on her to get her riled up. And stoic Yuuichi would adjust his glasses and return to studying, too above his younger siblings' antics. The businessman couldn't help thinking about how much of his children's lives he had missed, how he had progressively disconnected from them. It wasn't always like this; there was a time that he'd at least been able to help Yuuichi with homework or an activity for school. "I wonder where I went wrong..." he whispered.
"We," Yuka corrected. It was not Yoshio's fault alone. She had her own share of fault in this situation, whether she wanted it or not. They had both made mistakes. At least Yoshio had been involved in their children's lives, whereas she had completely withdrawn from all of them for the past seventeen years, barely giving them even a glimpse of her. It had been lonely, but she actually had begun to believe that it was best for her and for her children. How wrong she was, Yuka probably could not even fathom. Now as she watched her three children, she felt a warmth that could only be explained as maternal instinct that she'd swallowed down for years.
Yoshio kissed his wife's cheek. Yuka was right. The two of them had created these four children, so both of them shared responsibility for how their family had disintegrated over the years. But maybe it wasn't too late, at least for most of them. His eldest three children seemed to be getting along as well as they ever did. It was just too tragic, however, that this reunion would come at the expense of his youngest child's life. Surely Kyoya's existence was worth more than being a tool to bring his other family members back together. "I just want them all to be happy. I would be pleased if the company could stay in our family and continue to grow, but in the end I've realized that their lives are more important than my own legacy."
Yuka looked up at her husband, a little surprised at his words, before her face melted into warm contentment. She leaned against Yoshio and said, "You sound like my brother." It seemed like such a long time ago, but when she was young, her brother refused the name of the patriarch of her family's company. He had insisted that he'd rather live out a normal life, focusing on family and love over wealth and legacy. He claimed that his family would be his legacy and love would be his currency. Maybe that was what had sparked Yuka's curiosity of love within a family setting, but she had never expected her husband to ever take such a viewpoint.
"I can't promise to stop being a workaholic, or that I will always be able to express myself as openly as I do now, Yuka. But I would like to try to be a better husband to you and a better father to our children." This whole experience had been an eye-opener for Yoshio. The more he thought about death, the more clearly he realized that when it came his time to die, his regret would not be failing to work an extra hour at the office, but rather failing to spend that hour with his family.
Yoshio's phone began to buzz furiously, and when he looked at the screen, he gave a sigh of relief at the message displayed there. "Kyoya and Mademoiselle Tonnerre have returned." The businessman stood, giving his hand to Yuka to help her up. A few moments later, his prodigal son and fiancée came into view. "Thank goodness that the two of you are all right." The Ootori patriarch reached out to gently clap Kyoya on the shoulder. "I am relieved to have you back, my son. The five of us are leaving now so that you can have a peaceful evening. If you need anything..." The businessman cut himself off, not certain if his son was still angry with him, if he still wanted them to leave and not come back. "Well, goodnight."
Fuyumi followed after her father. "Goodnight Kyoya, Éclair-chan." She pecked her brother's cheek quickly. "I love you, Kyoya. Forgive me." The dark-haired woman hurried out of the room before she started to cry again.
Yuuichi felt he had to make some kind of amends, for his family's sake. There was one thing he knew would mean a lot to his brother. The eldest Ootori son, stone-faced as always, took off his suit coat and put it over Éclair's shoulders. "Don't catch cold, Tonnerre-san. Kyoya would never let me forget it."
Kyoya, for the most part, kept his eyes gazing downward, through his father's farewell, his mother and sister's pecks on his cheeks, even Akito's silent handshake that lingered longer than a simple goodbye would. However, when his eldest brother gave his jacket to Éclair, the youngest glanced upward, almost in disbelief. Half an hour ago, Yuuichi probably would have wished death upon his fiancée, and now he was wishing her good health instead. He sensed that it was some kind of apologetic gesture, either to one or both of them, and though Kyoya refused to acknowledge it or utter a word, he felt a little more at ease that his brother perhaps wasn't as stone-hearted as he had been led to believe.
As his family left, Kyoya went back into his room with Éclair and changed into a dry gown in the bathroom. When he returned, he was visibly shivering, the cold finally seeping in. He picked up one of the other towels the nurses had set out for them and wrapped it around Éclair's damp hair. "You really should get changed into something too," he murmured, gesturing to his fiancée's clothes. "Yuuichi is right: I don't want you to get sick. Especially not on my account."
Éclair used the towel to dry her hair, which ended up attractively messy. "I will, but shouldn't you take a shower or bath, my dear? To warm up?" The Frenchwoman hugged Yuuichi Ootori's suit coat closer, touched by the gesture even though she knew it was for Kyoya and not her. It was still a sign that her fiancé's brother had given up on trying to separate the two of them, at least for now. "Oh, and what would you like for supper? I can order it while you get warm and relax." Another tight cough and Éclair had to resist the urge to rub her chest, which was beginning to ache. It seemed that going out into the rain with a cold was not the brightest idea that she had ever had.
Kyoya frowned and held her hand. "It seems like you're the one that needs to get warmed up, Éclair. Take a nice bath. I'll order you a change of clothes and something warm that we can both share." He rubbed his thumb against her palm in soothing rotations. "I don't want you catching a cold. I'll request some cold medicine as well." It was fairly obvious that his fiancée had been fighting a cold all day, or else her symptoms wouldn't be so obvious now. Even though she was trying to fight them, it was clear that going out into the rain was not something that was going to help her. He could practically see the pain in her eyes with every cough she tried to suppress.
Éclair shook her head, stubbornly holding her ground. "This is nothing. Your needs come first," she insisted. "I won't take 'no' for an answer." Kyoya's concern for her was sweet, but she wouldn't allow her fiancé to risk his already fragile health for her sake. Especially not when her worst symptoms were a cough and a slight fever. "If it means that much to you," she attempted to pacify him, "I'll take a shower after you are finished." The Frenchwoman, determined, began to gently push Kyoya back in the direction of the bathroom, kissing him as she guided him backwards so that he wouldn't be able to protest.
Kyoya sighed as he entered the bathroom, and resolved to finish his bath quickly so as to let Éclair use the shower as soon as possible. Unfortunately, after settling into the warm waters of the bath, and nearly falling asleep from its comfort, it wasn't until twenty minutes later that Kyoya was warm, dry, and stepping out of the steamy bathroom. "I apologize for how long I took. It is all yours." He slipped back into the hospital bed, settling under the cool sheets that felt wonderful against his feverish skin.
Éclair was in and out of the shower in a measly four minutes, just enough time for her to get warm and quickly wash her hair. She dressed in a nightgown, throwing a bathrobe over the top of that. The hot water had cleared her lungs a bit and her cough had calmed down. She returned to Kyoya, as fast as she could, relieved to see him looking relaxed. Éclair sat on the edge of the bed and put an extra pillow under Kyoya's head, tucking him in and making sure that he had enough blankets to keep him warm. "Do you still want dinner, or should I let you sleep?" she inquired softly, gently brushing the hair out of her fiancé's eyes. It was moments like this, when Kyoya looked peaceful, that Éclair was the most happy. If only she could keep Kyoya content like that forever.
"We could share a meal," Kyoya offered with an easygoing smile, entwining his fingers in hers. "And we need to get you some medicine to make sure that you don't get sick either." He pulled out the menu from the bedside dresser for them to look over. There was a mixture of cold and hot meals, but the one thing that sounded the best to him was hot soup to warm both of them up even further. Éclair hadn't been in the shower for very long, and he couldn't possibly imagine how much that would have done to warm her up from top to bottom. "How about this?"
Éclair nodded, though she wished that she could give Kyoya something better than soup. But he had chosen it, so she wouldn't protest. She thought it sweet that he was still thinking of her in offering dinner and medicine to keep her healthy. She didn't dare tell him that it was too late for any of that; she'd been sick before this evening, and the rain had done nothing to help her condition. "It sounds delicious." She picked up the bedside phone, dialing the cafeteria and ordering a bowl of soup for the both of them. Then she called down to the pharmacy and asked them to bring her some over-the-counter cold medicine. When her calls where finished, she hung up the phone and climbed into bed with Kyoya, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "I meant what I said earlier, you know," she told him softly. "About you being strong."
"Not as strong as you." He kissed her cheek and held onto the hand that was around his shoulder. It was true, for what had he really done that could be considered strong? All he had done was slap his brother and then run away like a coward. He couldn't even face his family with a straight face and instead opted to cast his eyes away from them. He wasn't strong at all; he was a spineless, dying teenager. Éclair, on the other hand, had endured years of torment and bullying from her parents, was willing to marry a man she didn't love for the sake of a friend, continued to visit the club of those she knew hated her...She had even proven her brawn in the past hour, by suffering through his family's antics and insults and finding him through the pouring rain. His fiancée was unbelievably strong and it only made him love her more.
Éclair laughed. The strength and confidence that she had projected prior to meeting Kyoya had been a facade, an illusion meant to hide the fact that she had no substance underneath. The reason she seemed to have no weaknesses was that she never cared about anything enough; there was never anything for her to risk. The present-day Éclair did not consider this strength. Since her involvement with the Host Club, Éclair had become less logical, less practical, less careful, and less composed. Her emotions had slowly gotten the best of her, causing her to behave in a reckless and erratic manner. In these last few weeks of loving Kyoya, she had been reduced to a blubbering mess, crying all the time over the littlest of things. That was not strength either. "The little strength I do possess comes from you, Kyoya."
"Then it seems we're each other's strength," he said, smiling. Éclair may constantly deny it, but he knew that she was strong. Maybe it wasn't the kind of strength that she counted as meaningful, but he loved her through anything, and she helped him through so many things that he couldn't help but label her as "strong". She was his rock in this tragic situation and every time she calmed him down or wiped away his tears or whispered how much she loved him, he felt his heart swell.
Kyoya leaned over and planted his lips on hers. It wasn't forceful or passionate, necessarily, but soft and gentle. No words had to be exchanged; he knew that she understood. He loved her, with all of his heart, and that passion would transcend death. He would be by Éclair's side even after he died and would love her until her own, natural end arrived and the two of them could be reunited once more.
Éclair returned the gentle, thoughtful kiss. It was carefully crafted, a kiss that communicated the depth and innocence of their love. Éclair's uncertainties about whether or not she was worthy of Kyoya seemed so meaningless when she could feel his devotion to her so clear and strong. In that moment, it was easy to believe Tamaki's sentimental ideals about fate and a love that could last more than one lifetime. It didn't matter if she was reincarnated a thousand different times, because she would fall for the same person over and over.
When their sweet kiss had ended, Éclair brushed Kyoya's cheek with her lips chastely. "I hope you don't still believe that you are dispensable, Kyoya," she chided affectionately. "There is no one in the world who could have replaced you in my life." Without Kyoya, she would have ended up a workaholic, forced into an arranged marriage with someone who would either leech off of her success, or treat her like an object. Likely, she would have ended up bitter and cold, like her parents, working and drinking herself into an early grave. Her fiancé had saved her from such a grim fate. Even when he died, she would still have the traces of his love to sustain her. She would never marry again, no matter how much her parents threatened her. She would never be disloyal to Kyoya.
"Maybe not," he agreed, "but I still want you to be able to move on. What kind of fiancé would I be if I made you stay devoted even after I was gone?" Maybe Éclair would never be completely happy, but he hoped that she could at least find someone that made her smile, and who loved her, and who wanted the best for her. The last thing he would want was for her to be lonely up until she died, just because she held him up on a pedestal as someone who could never be matched. He was anything but a perfect person, and if Éclair continued to think of him as someone whose strength couldn't be challenged, whose devotion was never-ending, whose morals were unbending...She would be left mourning someone that he wasn't.
"I appreciate your concern, Kyoya," she said in a soft, sincere tone. "I truly do. But what you are asking is impossible. What I feel for you is the genuine article. Trying to have a relationship with anyone else...it would be like owning a cheap replica of a famous artwork. I would live my whole life in constant awareness that I was entertaining a farce that in no way approaches the realm of the original. And how selfish would it be, to marry someone else when my heart still belonged to you?" That would be unfair to both Kyoya and the poor sap that she foisted herself off on. No person would want to be the replacement goldfish for another, especially not for their spouse. If she couldn't be with the one she loved, Éclair would rather remain alone. She understood that Kyoya was human. He wasn't perfect, and she didn't think that she was holding her fiancé to an impossible standard. She loved Kyoya for who he was. To love a perfect, idealized, saintly version of Kyoya after he was gone would be just as much a disservice to him as forgetting him.
That was why she wanted to spend as much time with Kyoya as she could now, so that she would never forget or be inclined to romanticize her memories. She just wanted to keep these simple, beautiful moments between the two of them. She smiled as she could feel Kyoya's returning body heat radiate and warm her as well. Kyoya's breaths were so gentle, and they soothed her into a pleasant, semi-sleepy lull. So this was what 'cuddling' was like (although Éclair was hesitant to use that word). No wonder normal couples enjoyed such a thing. She felt an innate sense of closeness and oneness to Kyoya when they could enjoy each other's company in intimate peace this way.
With a quiet sigh, Kyoya settled back into bed and held Éclair close to him. Her body was warm against his and to him, it was hard to believe that he had been soaking and freezing half an hour ago. For the past few nights they had fallen asleep with either Éclair in a chair or on the edge of the bed to give him the most room. But with them holding each other like this, Kyoya found that all he wanted was to be able to sleep this close to the person he loved the most. He felt so comfortable and he could hear her steady breaths and almost hear her heartbeat.
They lay there, silently, and just together. Kyoya had given up on trying to argue with Éclair, and instead settled for simply enjoying her company. He held her close and let her head rest against his chest so he could stroke her hair. Never before had he felt so close to someone, felt so strong of a connection. With all of his heart he wished for more time to spend with Éclair; to be able to do all the things that fiancés, and later spouses, were supposed to do. Dating, engagement, marriage, a long life together...it was all an impossible dream, and the only positive thing he could hope to accomplish would be marriage. And even that came with a string attached.
"Do you think the doctors will let me go with you to America?" he murmured, tracing light circles on her shoulder with his thumb. "I feel fine...After so much of doing nothing, I've never felt better, and yet I'm..." Kyoya let out a small sigh and rested his chin on her forehead gently. "I want to be able to leave knowing that I'm married to you, Éclair."
Éclair purred in pleasure as Kyoya pet her head and lightly caressed her shoulder. Even though it was Kyoya's heart and mind that she valued the most, it would be an outright lie for her to say that she was not physically attracted to her fiancé was well. Kyoya was devilishly handsome, and every time he touched her it sent shivers of pleasure through her body. As much as she enjoyed their chaste displays of physical affection, it saddened her that they would never go further, that she would never get to completely show her love to Kyoya. Not just in the physical sense, but the emotional one as well. There was only so much that she could do with Kyoya and learn about him in their limited amount of time. All of the normal hallmarks of a relationship like theirs had been cruelly stolen away. There would be no growing old together, no growing sense of love and devotion as the years passed by. No accomplishments that they could lay claim to as a couple. It seemed so bitterly unfair.
Éclair smiled at her fiancé's affirmation. "I want that as well. If I can call myself your wife and carry your name, then that's one more part of you that will always be with me." She traced gentle circles on her fiancé's hand in the same soothing pattern that he was making on her shoulder. "If you have enough strength to go running out in the rain like a cheesy romantic drama, then I'd say you're well enough to come to America with me." She help up Kyoya's hand and kissed it sweetly. "And if they refuse, we'll go without permission, as you said."
Kyoya smiled and closed his eyes. There are so many things he wanted to be able to do with Éclair, so many places he wanted to visit with her, so many hallmarks that he wanted them to accomplish together. Now, it won't be so, but he refused to be unable to marry the beautiful girl that he loved so dearly. "It sounds like a plan, then."