HEY GUYS! I'M NOT DEAD!
First off... I'm really REALLY sorry this chapter is being posted a few weeks late... If only you guys knew how much work I have piled up on me... SO! To make it up to you guys *drum roll* I'M MAKING A SUPER-DUPER LOOOOONNNG CHAPTER! And, yes, I'm staying up late again to write the entire thing.
IMPORTANT NOTICE!:
Another thing... I'm really, truly sorry you guys, but I had to cut a few of your OCs, or else there would be too many characters in the fic, and some of the viewers would get confused and all... So, if your character doesn't appear in the chapter or the rest, then I probably cut him/her. *deep bow* I'm so sorry you guys! I know I said that I would use all of them, but I had no other choice! I hope you'll all forgive me!
*deep breath, and sighs* So, are you guys ready for the next Chapisode of "Ouran High School Host Club: Fitting In"? Awesome! Now, I know that a lot of you guys were shocked from K.C. and Kyoya's little moment in the last chapter-
K.C.: HE DESERVED IT!
Gee... you're seriously still ticked up about it?
K.C.: YES!
Wew, I know that you'w just WUV this next CHAPPIE~!
K.C.: u_ulll Please, don't talk like that...
Fine. BUT YOU have to do the Disclaimer!
K.C.: WHY?
Because I've done the disclaimer for the past 35 chapters already, and I'm tired.
K.C.: Well, I'm tired of you torturing me through the story!
It's called angst. And from the reviews I get, angst and cliffhangers are what hooks the viewers. But, on the plus side, THIS chapter is going to be a good one for you~!
K.C.: Can't you just tell me what happens?
No. Because... One, I'd spoil everything! And two... weren't you paying attention to the sneak peak?
K.C.: I passed out on my bed after getting home from that Lesbelia Asylum.
Oh right... Well, then, I just know you'll love this chapter! So, my faithful viewers, read on and enjoy the chapisode!
OCs used in this chapter:
Allyra Mortlock (AllyraMortlock)
Kazuki Takeda (Queen Violet of the Underworld)
Izumi Ajume (silverrain1312)
Kaito Chihiro (HarutaYari)
*grasshopper chirping in silence* K.C.!
K.C.: Huh? Oh right... *Supergirl hands her a note card, which K.C. reads monotonously* Supergirl501 does not own Ouran High School Host Club, or anything Ouran-ne... *Scans over card a few times* Nefoted? What the heck is "nefoted"?
It's "RELATED"!
K.C.: Well, I can't read your handwriting!
Deal with it!
K.C. *sighs*: You know, I'm just going to wing it... *Tosses notecard to the side, and clears throat* Spazzy-authoress, formerly known as Supergirl501, does not own Ouran High School Host Club, or anything Ouran-related, except for her Host Club merchandise that is clogging up her dresser top.
There was nowhere else to put it!
K.C: *Ties SG up and gags her* ANYWAY, she does own me! And, I'm still in shock that I even came from her spazzy, hyper-active mind...
Smmff, nnjmmy dhh chmmtr!
K.C.: Translated: "I'm a loopy nut-job".
Wmmt? Thmmmt's nmt wmmt I smmd!
K.C.: Anyway, enjoy the chapter, everyone!
~ Chapter 37 ~
Operation: K.C.'s First REAL Date
As soon as the chilling, winter weather began to warm up, the trees began to grow back their lush, green leaves, and the flora began to bud from their places in the ground, or in the bushes. New life was beginning to fill the once dreary winter scenery. Nature was finally awakening and bursting from its frosty coat. The animals returned from their long slumber, scurrying about on the ground. Yes, springtime had finally risen to its peak. A time where the beauty of nature bloomed to its fullest; A time where even the slightest romance blossomed.
I scoffed at the last thought, and then slammed my locker shut. Yeah, right. That only happened in the movies. Since when in real life has any romance ever "blossomed" during the springtime? Mine was torn down for me that was for sure. All because that stupid Ootori boy had to tamper with my feelings from square one! All this time I had been wondering what he would gain from beginning a relationship with me. Now, I understand that he only used me just so that we could be on better terms than before. Friends or not, I wasn't going to allow Kyoya to believe that my heart was his little play-toy.
Growling under my breath, I slung my bag strap over my shoulder and tried to act as calm as I could, no matter how much anger was boiling up inside me at the moment. As I traveled down the halls to the classroom, I forced my mind to focus on other topics. Honestly, I didn't care what I thought about (hell, I could think about monkeys eating tacos in a bathtub!), just as long as my mind was off Kyoya. Of course, no matter what I thought about, he would pop up in my mind again!
"Hey, K.C.," a voice spoke interrupting my thoughts.
I was about to snap from my still fuming anger, but when I glanced over to find that it was only my best friend, I sighed. "Hey, Tao."
"Are you feeling okay?" she asked. "You've been distant from everyone for the past two weeks."
"It's nothing," I murmured. "Just a few things on my mind."
"Oh, well..." the brunette began, pausing to glance away in thought. Once she found her words, she turned back to face me, with her typical, sweet smile. "Valentine's Day is just around the corner."
At that point, a sharp, arrow-like pain zapped straight towards my chest. Valentine's Day... a holiday where friends, family, and couples exchange chocolates and colorful cards, whether they were store-bought or home-made. Of course, it was mainly a day of love; and every time I was subconsciously reminded of my failure. Just at the mere thought, I felt like crawling into a hole and dying.
"I didn't know that Japan even celebrated Valentine's day," I commented after a moment of thinking.
Tao nodded. "Don't you celebrate it in America?"
"Of course we do," I answered. "Well, as far as I know. I mean, it's just a day where guys and girls exchange chocolates and cards-"
"Wait," Tao cut me off.
I stopped to face at her. The brunette's eyes grew wide as she stared at me, and her jaw seemed loose enough to drop to the floor. Her expression was pure, honest-to goodness shock as she continued to stare at me, blinking every once in a while. Something I said?
"The boys give girls candy on Valentine's Day in America?" Tao inquired.
"Yeah," I replied. "Well, girls do the same thing for guys. Friends exchange candy and stuff, and so do family members."
"Wow... I wish I could live in America..." Tao spoke dreamily, as her mind began to wander off. "It would be a nice change for once..."
Obviously, she was dreaming about her and Satoshi again; of course, I wouldn't blame Tao for daydreaming about the one she loved. I mean, I know that I would if I were her. I sighed at the thought of Kyoya and I being together, but then quickly banishing it as I reminded myself of what he did to me. That no-good son of a...
"So, what do you guys in Japan do for Valentine's day?" I spoke, before my anger could boil up again.
Apparently, my question brought Tao back from Lala-land, because she was stammering for a minute while blushing. "Well, the girls typically give their friends, and also guys, candy on Valentines. And in March, the guys give the girls a gift or two in return." She sighed again as she gazed off into the distance. "My family's personal chef offered to teach me how to cook so that I can make something for Satoshi."
I smiled. "Well, home-made things are better. Besides, money can't buy love. Now," I added, turning halfway around, "we can't stand around day-dreaming any longer. The bell's about to ring."
Once I finished, I turned fully around and began walking down the hallway. For a few moments, Tao wasn't by my side; of course, I suspected that she was still in her reverie. After that, though, she caught up to join me, and we walked down the hall together. It was nice to finally chat with Tao again after distancing myself for two weeks. Yeah, I was that upset with Kyoya. Of course, being with my best friend made me realize that I have more people on my side, making about ten, or so, to one. Nothing could ruin my day now.
"Hey, isn't that Ootori-senpai?" Tao questioned, breaking through my thoughts.
Except that.
Glancing down the hall, I found that Tao was right. There was the Shadow King, leaning against the wall with that stupid notebook in hand, jotting down his dastardly plots on befriending anyone that was of use to him. I snarled as I glared daggers at the Ootori boy, and then huffed, turning my attention away from him. Why he wasn't on his was to class was all too easy for me to figure out. Apparently, he was going to stop me on my way to class to give me an update on Host-Club-this, or Host-Club-that. How did I know that Kyoya was going to do that? He's done the same thing for the past two weeks.
I didn't want to deal with him at this moment; not with Tao around. Quickly grabbing my best friend's wrist, I pulled her with me towards the corner of the intersecting hallways, praying that I would be able to dodge Kyoya this time. If Kyoya was desperate to chat with me, he could wait until club hours. The brunette girl questioned me about my sudden behavior, but I shushed her before she could even speak the first three words. I gave a quick glance at Kyoya while leading Tao along behind me, and then I sighed inwardly with relief as I turned my attention down the hall. Finally, I was able to dodge him.
"Going somewhere, Johnson-san?" he inquired, not even glancing up from his notebook.
I froze in place, while still holding Tao's wrist. He played the old "eyes-in-the-back-of-the-head" trick; or in this case, the side of his head. How could I have not seen that coming? Kyoya had been playing that trick on me since I began working for the club. I presumed that I had been to focused on escaping that I wasn't even thinking about the Ootori boy scanning the hallways through his peripheral vision.
Sighing in defeat, I released Tao and told her to stay put. Then, mustering up a smile, I walked over to the Shadow King. "You want to talk to me, senpai?"
"I just stopped by to mention that the club will be holding the gathering out in the courtyard tomorrow afternoon," Kyoya replied, nonchalantly as he continued to scribble in his notebook.
"Let me guess..." I spoke blandly, just imagining the blonde 'king'. "Tamaki-senpai wants the guests to 'view that nature as it awakens into a beautiful, reborn bloom'."
I imitated the prince-type as best as I could while I spoke that last part, not even caring whether I received even the weakest chuckle. Kyoya only kept that straight face as he continued to scan over his notes he took.
"Yes, it is typical for Tamaki," he spoke. Then, he snapped his book closed and adjusted his glasses. "You will need to stay for an extra hour today in order to prepare everything; but during club hours tomorrow, you're free to do as you wish."
Inwardly sighing with relief, I was glad that I could take the afternoon off tomorrow. Finally, I would be able to finish my homework early, allowing enough free-time to study. Of course, as I thought more on the subject, there wasn't really much to study for except the upcoming math test, which would be simple because math was one of my strong subjects. I guessed that I could just turn in a little early.
"Of course, there's the cosplay..." Kyoya continued.
Instantly, I froze. The club was meeting outside, and they were cosplaying? Great... just when I had my hopes up, the Shadow King has to interject and ruin it... like always. Well, the club always had a cosplay day every week, and it wasn't like I hadn't helped the Host Club set up for their cosplay before. Besides, maybe there weren't many props to carry back and forth from the storeroom to the courtyard.
"Actually, there are a couple of props needed for tomorrow's cosplay," the Shadow King spoke.
I froze as his response rang in my head. Just when I got my hopes up again, Kyoya had to shatter them; this time with his little "I-can-read-every-single-one-of-your-thoughts" trick. My lower eye twitched as I ground my teeth together.
"Don't worry, senpai," I spoke, forcing a smile as well as a cheerful tone. "I'll be there this afternoon, and I'll work all night if I have to."
"Excellent," Kyoya spoke, turning to me with that stupid grin. "That's all, Johnson-san. You may head off to class now."
Gladly... I thought as I nodded in affirmation.
I held back the urge to sweep that smug smile off his face, and the two of us strode off in opposite directions. I felt like busting a hole in the wall! Why was it that Kyoya knew which buttons to press? "I have my sources" would definitely be his answer. It was always his answer! He knew I was still livid with him, yet he had the guts to meet me at the same corner of the same hallway two weeks in a row to give me a heads-up about what the Host Club would be doing that week. I released a deep breath to cool myself down. Well, at least he wasn't procrastinating.
"So, what's up?" Tao inquired as soon as I caught up with her.
"Just a weekly update about the club," I answered blandly.
"Oh," Tao answered. There was silence as the two of us continued our stroll down the pastel pink halls, until she spoke up again. "Soooooo, did you tell him?"
Raising an eyebrow, I faced her. "About what?"
"You're feelings."
"No."
Tao sighed, and the placed her hands on her hips. "I thought you did that weeks ago."
I scoffed at the thought. "Tao, listen, never in my life will I fall for such a heartless..." I caught myself before I could curse, and then began again, "jerk."
Tao raised an eyebrow in puzzlement, and then gazed at me thoughtfully. After a few moments of silence, she turned her attention back down the hallway. My guess was that she decided to focus on brainstorming ideas on what to make for Satoshi on Valentine's Day, which, of course, was the obvious. Then again, she could be pondering about the situation between Kyoya and me, which she didn't have to worry about.
During the silence, I tried to simmer down my irate emotions. Every time I allowed my emotions to take control over everything I did, things didn't quite work out well for me in the end... Two weeks ago at Lobelia, for instance: I was still livid with Kyoya for writing his 'opinions' about me in his book (Although, I had to admit that some of them were true), and it ended up in a heated fight with me lashing out and cursing at him. Sighing, I just had to teach myself to use my common sense more often.
~ . . * . . ~
Tao, or any of the others, didn't question about my uncanny behavior for the past two weeks, and we all went along with our typical day during class and chatting during break time and lunch period. It was a nice change to catch up with my classmates, since I had distanced myself from them for a while. I did have to confess that I missed Natalie's dark humor, no matter how twisted it was.
Of course, by the end of the day, that's when I had to endure all hell that would come upon me, especially after club hours. I had only stayed after club hours to prepare the cakes for the next day twice. Once: when I was sneaking out to attend the Stellar Club, and the second time: when the hosts were setting up out in the courtyard. Even though I wished that I could sleep in tonight, I would at least be able to relax during tomorrow's club hours.
Sadly, working in the kitchen felt like an eternity. My mind was focused on making sure the cakes didn't look like a pre-school finger-painting artwork; however, I had to keep a constant pace while working. I glanced up at the clock every so often; of course, I discovered that i was glancing up every five minutes. Club hours lasted three hours; plus, I would be working an additional hour or two just to prepare the desserts for the Host Club tomorrow.
As soon as hosting hours were through, I allowed myself to relax and work at my own pace. It took about an hour and a half to prepare everything for tomorrow; and even though I'd rather be back at my apartment finishing up my homework, haste made waste. Besides, I spent half of lunch period working on my homework so that I would be up past midnight trying to figure out a science problem.
I doubled checked the cakes to make sure there was the right amount; once my calculations were correct, I sighed with relief, and then cleaned off the sugar-coated counters and washed the dishes. As soon as that was complete, I hung my apron back up and made my way out of the kitchen.
A bright light emanating from the far side of the room caught my attention, but it was too obvious to even bother figuring out. There sat the Shadow King, typing away on his laptop. Obviously, he stayed to work on whatever he did on his computer, while also making sure that I didn't play hooky. I scoffed and rolled my eyes at the thought. With as much as I owe him now, playing hooky was the last thing I'd even think about doing.
Shouldering my bag, I strode across the room. "Hey, senpai. I'm leaving."
"Everything has been complete?" he inquired.
I froze in mid-step, as my lower eye twitched. Seriously? Did he not trust me? I have been working for the club almost all year! He should know by now that I complete all of my work before heading out! Something in my gut that he was pushing my buttons again.
Turning around, I narrowed my eyes at him. "Yes, senpai. Everything has been complete."
That was when I noticed the corners of his mouth slightly curl into that smirk. Was he actually enjoying this? I ought to slug him...
"Very well then," Kyoya spoke, plastering on his calm mask and adjusting his glasses. "You're dismissed."
Without hesitation, I turned and made my way towards the door, stepping out into the hallway. I released a deep breath, relieved that today's labor was finally finished. I thought for sure that I was never going to make it out of that kitchen alive! Well, I would have tomorrow afternoon to do whatever I wanted, and that stupid, Ootori boy wouldn't get in my way with anything.
~. . * . .~
Opening my locker, I yawned as I grabbed my books and binders for the morning class and stashed them in my satchel. Boy, did I want to sleep in last night! I was up all night stuck on a trigonometry problem; and after half an hour of thinking it through on my own, I went back to the lesson where it was introduced. As soon as I found the instructions for the problem, I felt like smacking my head on a wall over and over for being so idiotic. Well, I only prayed that I could stay awake during class today.
"Hey, K.C.," a familiar voice chirped from beside me.
Slowly turning my head, I glanced over to find Tao with that cheerful smile on her face.
Of course, when she took another close look at me, her smile faded. "Are you, okay, K.C.? You don't look so great."
"I just didn't get much sleep last night," I answered, rubbing my eyes, which most likely had visible bags underneath them.
"Oh," the brunette spoke sympathetically. "Stumped during homework?"
"That and Ootori made me work after hours to prepare the desserts for today," I answered, gritting my teeth at the thought of him.
"Why today?"
"The club is meeting in the courtyard this afternoon," I answered. "Since there's no kitchen outside to prepare everything, I had to do it all yesterday."
"I see," Tao mused, glancing down at the floor. After a while, her face lit up and she looked up at me. "That means you have the afternoon off, right?"
"Yeah," I answered slowly, glancing over at her.
"You should come to the Art Club with me this afternoon. It'll keep your mind off the stress at the Host Club, and it's a lot of fun!"
I contemplated over the offer. Sure, I was stressed out from last night's work load, but I did enjoy entering my comfort zone every once in a while.
Facing the brunette, I smiled. "I'd love to, Tao."
She smiled back, and then I closed my locker, spinning the combination, before heading off down the halls with Tao chatting about whatever came to our minds.
~ . . * . . ~
Thankfully, classes had flown by in a flash, and, like every afternoon, I found myself carrying a hefty box of props down the stairwell and into the courtyard. This was the second box I had to bring outside. The hosts assisted me by taking a few boxes and tabled outside; but, still, it felt as if my arms were going to drop to the floor along with the props. Nevertheless, I adjusted my grip on the box and finally made it out to the courtyard in one piece.
"Hey, guys," I called out to the hosts, who were setting up the tables and blankets. "I think this is the last one!"
The hosts were already dressed in their robes, and the tables were set with tea, instant coffee, and, of course, the cakes. The decorations that needed to be set up were mainly paper lanterns and flower arrangements. Along with the budding cherry blossoms, I had to confess that the courtyard as a sight to behold.
"Thanks for all your help, K.C.," Haruhi spoke as soon as we were finished stringing the lanterns from the trees.
"It's no problem," I answered. Then, I glanced around the courtyard. "Is there anything else that needs to be done?"
"Everything is complete, Johnson-san," Kyoya's voice replied. "You're free to go."
"All right," I answered, grabbing my bag and slinging it over my shoulder.
"Of course, you'll be back after hosting hours," the Shadow King added before I could take a step forward.
"I will, senpai," I answered, truthfully not wanting to deal with him at the moment.
"Excellent. Mori-senpai and Hunny-senpai have to leave a few minutes before closing time, so our strongest members won't be here to take the tables to the storage. That job is left to us, and then of course there's taking down the decorations and packing them away; plus, storing any leftovers in the kitchen. To sum everything up," Kyoya adjusted his glasses and flashed that grin, "I'd suggest that you arrive a few minutes early if you wish to arrive home and gain your sleep."
I twitched as I stared up at him. So, Mori-senpai and Hunny-senpai had to go somewhere? Of course, I was sure that Tamaki and the twins were strong enough to hoist the tables for a long time; unless, of course, the twins "accidentally" dropped the table on the blonde's foot. Then there was everything that needed to be packed and stored away somewhere, whether it was the food or the props.
Forcing a smile, I turned around to face him. "Don't worry, senpai. I'll be here."
"I'll see you then," the Shadow King spoke, turning on his heel and walking away.
I growled under my breath, and then adjusted my bag's strap before walking back inside the school building.
~ . . * . . ~
"Stupid, no-good, rotten, baka Ootori..." I rambled on as I tore and squeezed the molding clay in my hands before slamming it onto the innocent pile of clay.
Well, I agreed to attend the Art Club with Tao; however, I couldn't keep my mind off of Kyoya. For the past two weeks, he's been pushing my buttons. Did he enjoy seeing me squirm? I rolled my eyes at the thought. He loved being in control and manipulations everyone, so there was no doubt why he would enjoy making people squirm. I squeezed the lump of clay in my hand as I thought over all of the times Kyoya had manipulated me; then, with all of my frustration, I slammed the clay down on the innocent pile.
"Take it easy, K.C.," Allyra chuckled, her southern drawl easily identifiable through her struggled Japanese enunciation. "You wanna sculpt the clay, not murder it."
I sighed, and relaxed my shoulders. "Sorry... I've just been stressed out all week."
"Everything all right?" Tao inquired.
I groaned, and rested my elbow on the table with my chin in my hand. "Baka Ootori's just driving me crazy, that's all."
"Ah, boys'll be like that," Allyra spoke, curving a stray lock of bright red hair behind her ear. "Trust me. It's like they're robots. They have no feelings, and don't care about anything! Except sports, and that's as far as I know."
"Besides," Tao added. "I thought you liked Ootori-senpai."
"I did," I answered, resting my arm on the table. "But, now I realize that he's a total jerk."
"Well, he's probably not 'the one' for you, you know?" the red-head spoke. "Besides, there are other fish in the sea."
"Allyra-senpai's right," my best friend spoke.
I sighed as I gazed down at the lump of clay. "Yeah... Maybe I should just let Kyoya go and move on."
"That's it, K.C.," Tao spoke.
I smiled at her, and then I tore of a piece of clay. This time, I rolled it in my hands and shaped it instead of smothering the heck out of it. It was nice to know that I had others to talk to. Whenever I had the urge to knock Kyoya's lights out, I could talk about it with Tao, or any other close friend; and if I was still ticked up when I got back to my apartment, I could still vent out my anger on my pillow.
~ . . * . . ~
When there was only fifteen minutes of club activates remaining, I said my good-byes to Tao and Allyra before making my way out of the room and down the hall. I took my time walking through the hallways and down the stairs, because by the time I would arrive at the courtyard, the hosts would already be packing everything up. Once I reached ground level, I passed by a few of the hosts regular clients, who were chattering and squealing about what occurred during the Host Club.
It took another hour to gather the decorations and pack away the refreshments, but we all took charge in bringing a few boxes up to the storeroom, (or the clubroom, depending on what we were carrying). While I began unpacking the drinks and leftover cakes and storing them away, I glanced around the clubroom at the other hosts, who were performing their typical after-club activities, except for Mori and Hunny who had already left.
That was when the cardboard boxes caught my attention. There was one of them stacked up by the door for me to take back to the storage closet, but I was sure that four boxes were taken down to the courtyard. I remembered seeing two of the hosts each take a box back to the storage room, equaling three total. Assuming that everyone lost track of the props, I walked across the room and grabbed the box to take it to storage.
"Hey, senpai," I spoke to Kyoya, who was busy at his laptop. "I think we left one of the boxes down in the courtyard."
"Is that so?" he inquired smoothly.
"I'm not sure," I answered. "But, after I put this one away, I'll go and check."
"That would be helpful, Johnson-san," Kyoya spoke monotonously.
After a few moments of waiting for anything else he had to say, I opened the door with one hand and held it open with my back as I slid into the hallway. At least the storeroom wasn't far from Music Room 3; it was actually just a few doors down at the other end of the hallway. That way, it was a perfect midway point between the location of the staircase as well as the Host Club.
As soon as I made my way into the courtyard, which had been lit by the lamp posts at the corners of the cobblestone pathways, I discovered the missing box of props set underneath the cherry tree. I peeked inside, making sure that nothing had been taken, and then I closed the lid and hoisted the box of props into my arms. After that, I made my way into the school building and towards the storeroom.
Like always, I was glad that my work at the club was finally finished, of course, it was only Wednesday, so I had a while before the weekend, where I could relax, watch some television, draw, work on my scrapbook... I sighed thinking of all the things I could do. This week really hadn't been my week.
That damn Shadow King just had to keep pushing my buttons. Just like back during the second semester, Kyoya and I were cold towards each other. I didn't regret what I told him back during the night at Lobelia, but God knows he deserved to hear it! Forget even confessing my feelings to him! He wouldn't even give a care in the world, unless he could use me like everyone else. I scoffed at the thought. He probably had his own little nifty tool box where he had everyone in it.
I released a deep breath, as I became more aware of my quick, breathing patterns, accelerated heart rate, and taut muscles. Gee, I could become easily frustrated without even knowing that I was. I took a few deep breaths, and tried to think of something else. I just had to let go of Ootori.
As soon as I packed the box in the storage closet, I turned around and began making my way back to the staircase. All I wanted to do was go home and stretch out my aching muscles before working my brain until midnight with loads of homework.
"K.C.!" a voice cried out, breaking my thoughts
Curious, I stopped and turned to the voice only to find that it was Kazuki rushing down the hall towards me. It had been three weeks since Kazuki and I played together in Music Room 2, and we would pass by each other in the halls and chat; of course, most of the time, Zuki would walk me to my next class. He was like any other typical gentleman in this aristocratic school; but, it was always so nice of him to offer.
"Hey, Zuki," I spoke as he approached me.
"Hey, K.C.," he spoke. Then he stammered for a minute as he gazed at me. "Listen, I was wondering if you were doing anything this weekend."
I stared up at him puzzled. Why would Zuki want to know if I was doing anything? Was he planning on throwing me some kind of party or something? My birthday had already come and gone, Zuki would know that. But, what was with the sudden question?
"No..." I answered slowly. "Not that I know of. Why ask?"
"Well, uh," he began lamely. Kazuki paused as he rubbed the back of his head with his hand as he looked away. "I was just wondering if... you wanted to go out with me on Saturday."
With that, he faced me with a casual smile, and I stared up at him wide-eyed. My first date. My first real date! It wasn't set up or anything. It was like any typical date where the guy would casually ask the girl out, they go out, do something, and then go home. At least, that's how dates worked, right? Maybe it varied depending on the people who were dating each other.
Kazuki was a really great guy, so nice and chivalrous... But, I wasn't entirely sure. We have begun to build up a friendship since the beginning of the term; plus, Tao and Allyra said that I needed to let go of Kyoya. Well, if starting a relationship with Kazuki was going to help my put Kyoya behind me, then I might as well accept it.
"Sure, Zuki," I answered with a smile. "What time?"
"How about I pick you up around 3:30pm?" Zuki inquired. "We'll grab something to eat, and go see a movie."
"Sounds like a plan! Can't wait until then."
With that, Kazuki offered to walk me back home, which I gladly accepted. I still couldn't get over the fact that I was actually going out on a real date! The "date" I had with Kyoya was just a set-up by the twins, and I barely knew him at the time. Now, I had begun a friendship with Zuki, and now he was asking me out, on a REAL DATE! I was just so ecstatic I couldn't think straight.
As soon as we arrived at the apartments, I thanked Zuki, and then ascended the staircase to my room. I just couldn't believe it. I thought that once again, I would have another stressful week, but then along come Kazuki to ask me out on a REAL DATE! As much as I wanted to dream about what we would talk about and how the afternoon would work out, I knew I had to stay focused on my homework and get some much-needed rest.
~ . . * . . ~
Before I even knew it had come, Wednesday evening had morphed into Friday afternoon. I had just finished my chores with packing the leftover cake slices away, cleaning the dishes, and wiping the counters clean. As soon as that was said and done, I sighed and then hung my apron up.
As I made my way out of the kitchen, I hummed a little tune. Tomorrow was the day, the big day. The day I would be on my very first actual date. At least I was going out with someone who actually wanted to know me as a person, and not know me just to use me in the future. I trusted Kazuki, and I knew that he wouldn't tamper with my feelings like that Ootori boy had done for the past two terms.
"Hey, K.C.," a pair of voices spoke in unison. "You seem a bit chipper."
I stopped and glanced up at the twins. "Oh, I'm just happy."
"About what?" the brothers inquired, curiously.
I sighed dreamily. "Well, if you must know. I'm going on a date tomorrow."
"A DATE!" Tamaki's voice shrieked from the other end of the room. Instantly, he was leaning over me, while grasping my shoulders. "You're going out on a DATE, K.C.? Without Daddy's permission?"
"Senpai, I think I'm old enough to make my own decisions," I answered blandly.
Tamaki stumbled backwards in his typical dramatic fashion. "NO! Don't say that, K.C.! You know that even as you get older, you'll always be Daddy's little girl!"
"If I'm 'Daddy's little girl'," I began, "then, that does that make Haruhi?"
"You're both my little girls," the club president whined.
I sighed at him. Seriously, I just had my happy moment before I was freaked out and then embarrassed by Tamaki's "Fatherly nature".
"So, K.C.," Hikaru spoke slyly, as he and his brother propped an arm on my shoulder.
"Who're you going out with?" Kaoru finished.
"Kazuki Takeda," I answered.
"Zuki?" the two brothers repeated, rather stunned.
"Yeah," I answered. "Do you know him?"
"Well, yeah," Kaoru answered. "He's in our class."
"Why would you go out with him?" Hikaru inquired. "He's not your type."
I sighed at him. Since when did a person's 'type' even matter. "Listen, you guys, Kazuki and I have become good friends, and he asked me out. So, tomorrow afternoon, we're going out."
"Where?" the brothers' inquired.
"That is none of your business," I answered. "Now, if you'll excuse me," I added walking across the room. "I need to get home to make dinner."
No one else said a word, and no one even bothered to stop me, not even Kyoya. That was strange, even for him. Typically, he would stop me on my way out to make sure that I had everything completed. When I glanced over at him though, I found that he was gazing at his computer screen with his hands hovering above the keyboard. I wasn't sure if my mind was playing tricks on me at the moment, because Kyoya seemed to have a look of disbelief on his face. Of course, I could've been wrong; besides, even if he did, he quickly hid it and resumed his typing.
I gave him one last skeptical look, but then shrugged and exited the music room. He probably just had some writer's block or something...
As soon as I exited the clubroom and turned to walk down the hall, I bumped into someone along the way "Ah! Gomen Nasai."
"Oh, no. You're fine," she answered. "I should've been paying more attention to the door when it opened."
That was when I glanced up at the girl. She was petite with wavy, burgundy hair trimmed in a bob style. It was difficult to distinguish her more distinct feature because of the slightly benighted hallways, but for some reason, the girl reminded me of someone.
Then, realization hit me. "Hey, you're Asuka's older sister, right?"
She nodded. "I'm Izuma Ajume."
"Pleased to meet you, Ajume-senpai," I spoke with a smile. "I'm Katherine Johnson."
"Ah, so you're the one Asuka's always talking about," Izuma spoke.
I froze at the thought. I knew that Asuka considered me her rival and most likely hated my guts, but she actually talked about me at her home.
Izuma sighed and glanced off into space. "Asuka is always the competitive one in the family, especially when it came to grades. She studies every time she gets the chance, and she pulls all-nighters if she has too. Apparently, she's always striving to be at the top of her class, whether she was the smartest girl, or the smartest of everyone." Then, Izuma glanced down at me and smiled. "I guess you beat her at her own game."
"Well, I'm not trying to beat anyone," I spoke. "I mean, being a scholarship students means that I have to keep making the top of the list; so, I'm just doing it to stay here."
The older Ajume sister nodded in agreement, and then silence fell between us for a while before she spoke up. "So, Katherine, do you mind if we walk together down the hall?"
"Sure," I answered with a smile, "And you can call me K.C. if you want."
"All right," she spoke, returning my smile. "And you can just call me Izuma."
After that, the two of us began walking down the halls together. Well, at least I wouldn't be walking home alone; plus, I had more on my mind dealing with Kazuki and our date tomorrow. I could just imagine chatting with him and having dinner, and then enjoying his company as we sat together in the movie theater. As I continued to dream about how the day would go, more thoughts began to enter my mind. What would I wear? What should we talk about during dinner? What movie would we see? Gee, I was so busy thinking about the date that I didn't even bother to think about what we would do.
I glanced up at the older Ajume sister, knowing that it would be easier for someone who's most likely been there don that. "Hey, Izuma?"
"Yes?" she answered.
"Listen, I have a question," I began. "When a guy asks you out on a date, what do you typically talk about?"
Izuma froze somewhat and stammered at the question. I only prayed that it wasn't too irrelevant or difficult for her to answer. Then, I noticed that Izuma looked somewhat bothered by this, but why? Did it bring back memories of her first love?
After a few moments of silence, the older Ajume turned to me and smiled. "Well, I don't know much about dates, but you should probably just be yourself. One thing I do know is that when your attending any event, you have to look your best."
"Well, I know that, but I don't think any of my outfits are that impressive," I spoke.
Then, I noticed a smirk cross Izuma's lips. "Well, it's a good thing you and I crossed paths, K.C. because I know just the person who can help you."
"Really?" I asked, hopefully.
Izuma nodded. "He's more of an artist, but he does know a thing or two about fashion."
A wide smile spread across my face as I gazed up at her. Finally, all my answers to this "date" crisis would be solved! No more worrying about what Kazuki would think about how I looked because I would have a professional's opinion on my clothing and what would impress Zuki the most. Well, at least I would have to be dragged through a mall or attacked with mascara when...
Then, Izuma's response ran through my mind a few more times. Wait... he?
~ . . * . . ~
Finally, Saturday had arrived. It was half passed noon, and I was riding with Izuma in her limousine to her friend's estate. Yes, this was the friend she was talking about that was going to help me pick out my outfit for the evening. I told her about my deal with the Host Club, mainly to explain bumping into her yesterday after exiting the clubroom. She kept telling me about this Kaito Chihiro boy and how great his artistic abilities were, which apparently ran in his family. Well, I have only heard of girls being the fashion experts, like Mackenzie; but never had I heard of a fashion expert who was a guy.
As soon as we reached the grand doors of the large estate, Izuma stepped up to ring the doorbell and took a few steps back. In a matter of seconds, a man in his mid fifties or so answered the door. I assumed that he was one of the butlers that worked for the Chihiro family.
"Hello there, Shigeki-san," Izuma spoke cheerfully.
"Ajume-sama," he greeted. "Are you here for Kaito?"
"Yes, sir," she answered.
The butler nodded, and permitted us to step inside. While Shigeki went to call for Kaito, I gazed around the grand foyer with its sleek, tiled flooring. There were a few paintings took up nearly the entire wall! And even the ceiling was painted like those during the Renaissance period. Most of the paintings I couldn't recognize from famous artists, so I presumed that they were some of the Chihiro family's originals.
"Izuma!" a voice called out from the top of the wide staircase.
I glanced up to find a lean young man around the age of eighteen or so with spiky, jet black hair and magenta streaks. His bluish-green eyes stood out with the frame of black eyeliner around them. He wore a button-down magenta shirt that frilled at the sleeves, and sleek black leggings to accent a sparkly black kerchief that had been twisted to the side. He had a ring on each of his fingers, all of which didn't match the other. First thought that popped into my mind: This was a guy, right?
"Hey there, Kaito," the older Ajume girl spoke as soon as the boy reached the bottom of the staircase. "We're here."
"I see," he spoke with a crooked smile. "So, you must Miss Katherine."
"Um, yes," I answered.
Honestly, I would've said more if I hadn't been distracted by his appearance; of course, as I thought more about it, it wasn't right to judge on people's appearance, no matter how awkward it was. It was just difficult to avert my eyes from the classy fashion, though.
"So, I've heard that you've got a big night tonight," Kaito continued. "Of course," he added, facing Izuma. "What's in it for me?"
I raised an eyebrow confused, and then glanced up at the older Ajume girl, who seemed just a perplexed.
"What do you mean, Kaito?" she inquired.
The boy gave a weak chuckle. "Come on now, Izuma, I don't give away my fashion ideas to just anyone." He turned and paced around the room. "Especially to those I just met."
Izuma rolled her eyes, muttering, "You're so vain when it comes to style." Then, a smirk played on her lips, and then turned me around slowly leading me out the door. "Well, it's too bad that you won't help poor Katherine out," she called over her shoulder. "I mean, she does know Morinozuka-senpai."
At that moment, the sound of wood dropping on the tiled floor echoed through the large foyer; and then, Izuma stopped me along with her.
"M-Morinozuka-senpai?" Kaito repeated. "As in... Takashi Morinozuka?"
"Um, well," I began, turning around to face his shocked, frozen figure. "I guess... I mean, I only know one Taka-"
At that moment, Kaito had zipped over and grasped my shoulders so that his eyes were locked onto mine. "You actually know Takashi Morinozuka?"
"Yeeaaah..." I answered slowly. "I guess you could say we're good friends."
"This is it, then," Kaito mused to himself as he released me and stood up straight. "By getting through you, I can finally get to Morinozuka-senpai and gain the confidence to confess my feelings for him that I've had through my entire years of high school!"
While the boy continued to ramble on, I gazed up at Izuma confused. "Did I miss something here?"
"Not really," she answered. "When it comes to Mori-senpai, Kaito gets a little overdramatic."
"Because..."
"He's had a crush on him throughout his years of high school."
Ooooookkaaaaayy... So, my gut was right about this guy. The Zuka Club may have been the first queers I've ever met, but they tried to take advantage of me. With Kaito it was a bit different. He acted like any regular guy, but his sense of style and his love interests were different than that of a typical boy. Well, that's what made him more interesting.
Izuma finally settled Kaito down, and then he led the two of us up to a room on the top floor that was five times the size of a typical clothing department. The room was filled with outfits and accessories, ranging from dresses to blouses, and hats to jewelry. I was sure that if I wandered around long enough, I would become lost in the sea of outfits.
I must admit that Kaito was a genius when it came to fashion. He knew what outfits would be modest on whatever occasion, and he even knew which colors would best match up together as well as they style of clothing. Unlike the Hikaru and Kaoru's sea of mannequins that I got to pick from, Kaito knew what he was looking for. He would narrow down his results, scan me over a few times, and eliminate one outfit at a time. In the end, my outfit was a white T-shirt with a navy, ruffle-neck mini-jacket; a navy, frilly mini-skirt with black leggings, and a pair of black flats.
Kaito even offered to style my hair for me, which I gladly obliged. Hey, if he could pick out the perfect outfit, then I was sure that he would have no problem with my hair. Kaito was quick with the straightening iron, and knew just which strand to curl; of course, he brushed out the curls slightly, so that my hair remained in a wavy fashion.
Then, of course, came the make up... As much as I wanted to run and hide somewhere, I knew I couldn't. It wouldn't be right. Besides, I'd have to get used to it eventually. Once Kaito was finished, I took a good look at myself in the mirror and then thanked him over and over again. Hey, I may not be a style expert, but I could tell right away that everything matched perfectly.
After assisting Kaito with putting away the outfits that we hadn't used, I thanked him one last time before he led Izuma and me back to the foyer; and then we said our goodbyes, and Izuma led me towards the parked limo and climbed in/ I told her that I would wear the outfit just for today, and then dry clean it and give it to her at the end of school on Monday so that she could give it to Kaito because I didn't feel right by just borrowing someone's clothes and not giving them back.
It was 2:30pm now, and my apartment was about forty-five minutes away by car. So, by the time Izuma dropped me off, I would only have about fifteen minutes to make sure I looked perfect with no wrinkles in my outfit or smears on my make-up. It's not like I cared about my appearance that much, I just wanted this date to be perfect.
Once the limo pulled beside the sidewalk leading to the apartment complex, I stepped out of the vehicle and onto the sidewalk, thanking Izuma and her driver of course. I waved goodbye as the sleek black limo rolled down the road and out of sight; then, I sighed as I climbed up the staircase and headed into the apartment. It wouldn't be long before Kazuki arrived to pick me up, so with that time, I might as well touch myself up.
~ . . * . . ~
Well, after two wrinkle-checks, four make-up checks, and about eight or so breath-checks, I was still a nervous wreck! No matter how much I tried to calm myself, I just could keep the butterflies from fluttering around in my stomach. There must've been a lot of them in there, because the multiplied as soon as the doorbell rang. This was it. As soon as I opened that door, I would be come face to face with Kazuki.
Thoughts about his outfit began buzzing around in my head as I made my way through the kitchen, grabbing my purse along the way. Before opening the door, I took a few deep breaths to calm my nerves, which helped somewhat, and then I placed my hand on the door knob and turned it. As I gradually swung it open, there was Kazuki dressed in a rather casual attire. Not what I would expect from a rich kid like him.
"Wow, Katherine..." he breathed, scanning me over a few times. "You look... amazing..."
"Thanks," I answered with a slight blush. "I had a little help. You look pretty amazing yourself."
"Yeah," he spoke, sheepishly. "I just pulled out whatever would work for today."
I giggled, and then I stepped out of the room, and closed the door, locking it before I followed Kazuki down the stairwell. So many thoughts began swarming in my mind, especially where Zuki was considering taking me for dinner, or what movie we would see. That was the one thing that puzzled me the most about a date. Was it the person who asked you out that chose, or did the you both have to decide?
I just had to ask: "So, Zuki. Where're we headed first?"
"Just a little restaurant down town by the theater," he answered as we climbed into the limousine. "It's not too popular, but the food's pretty good."
I smiled. "Whatever you're up for is fine by me."
He smiled back, and I gazed out the window. From where I sat, I could see the road ever so slightly through the tinted windows, and I noticed that I could see everything in the limousine's side-view mirror. Of course, that was when I noticed the reflection of another sleek black limo in the mirror, which made me raise an eyebrow in puzzlement. But, then I shrugged it off thinking that it was just someone who was traveling somewhere else. Ignoring the reflection, I turned back to Kazuki to strike up a conversation.
~ . . * . . ~
For a restaurant, it was surprisingly not all that fancy. In fact, I thought for sure that Kazuki was going to take me somewhere like a five star restaurant or something. I mean, he was rich after all. Well, may he just had a different taste in cuisine than his parents or the other wealthy students that attended Ouran Academy. It didn't matter much to me. All that did matter was that I got to spend time and chat with Kazuki, and the food was superb.
During dinner though, I would hear, and/or notice, some of the plants in the restaurant by our table moving. There were faint whispers that could be heard over the low murmur of the other couples and families nearby. Of course, I decided to ignore it; I mean, it may hve been just the air flowing from the vents to cause the limbs to tremble like that. Again, I focused my attention on Kazuki and we continued our chat.
"Ah, that was the best tempura I've ever had," I mused as Kazuki and I walked down the sidewalk from the restaurant.
"I knew you'd like it," he spoke with a smile.
"You know, Zuki," I spoke, glancing up at him, "I thought that you were going to take me to some five star restaurant."
Kazuki shrugged. "I'm not really into the aristocratic lifestyle, you know. Everyone else I know visits a five-star restaurant and everything, but I don't want to be compared to them in a stereotype. I just want to be treated like a normal human being and not be judged by my wealth."
I nodded understandingly. I guess I expected too much od Kazuki. For instance, I was worried about what clothes would be more appropriate to impress him, or what restaurants he ate at and what food he ordered off the menu. Of course, after I saw him in the casual clothes, that explained everything. Zuki didn't want to be treated like a rich kid, he just wanted to be respected as a normal human being.
As soon as we entered the theater, we bought our tickets, and then grabbed our popcorn. I proceeded to match the number of the ticket to the number on the door we were supposed to enter to see our movie; and as soon as I spotted the door, Kazuki's voice stopped me from taking a step.
"Is that Suoh-senpai?" he inquired, rather surprised.
I glanced over in the direction he was gazing off into. Sure enough there was Tamaki squealing and spazzing over all the "commoner's candy". Yeah, that was exactly what he was calling them. Poor Haruhi had that "Shoot me now..." expression on her face as she stared at the perky blonde. At first, I thought those two were on their own date until the twins showed up. From there, I concluded that Tamaki dragged everyone off on one of his little commoner field trips.
Placing my arm in Kazuki's I led him away from the scene. "Just keep walking, and hopefully they won't look in our direction."
Kazuki allowed my to pick which seat we would take where we would watch the movie. I gazed at the rows of seats thoughtfully. I didn't want to sit close to the front for fear of straining my eyes, plus the sound was much louder down there/ So, I picked a spot in the middle, not too close and not too far from the screen.
Kazuki and I shared a bag of popcorn, but every time we both went to grab a piece, our hands brushed against each others. I quickly reacted by reeling my hand back and turned my attention away from Zuki, hoping that he didn't notice my blushing face. Why was I blushing so much? We were just two friends hanging out together. We weren't officially and item yet, and I wasn't sure if we were going to take the next step or wait a while.
As soon as the opening credits rolled in a draft of air flowed from the air vents, causing me to shiver slightly. I hugged myself in order to keep myself warm. Why did this mini-jacket have to be short-sleeved? I stayed like that fost of the opening of the movie and for the first five minutes of it; however, it was difficult to pay attention to the film while since I was busy fidgeting in order to keep myself warm.
"K,C?" Zuki's voice whispered from beside me.
Startled, I glanced over at him. "Y-yeah?"
"You, okay?" he inquired.
I smiled reassuringly. "I'm fine. I'm just a little cold, that's all."
After that, I turned my attention back to the silver screen; but then, an arm was wrapped around my shoulders and I was pulled towards Kazuki while he scooted closer to me. My face began to heat up at the closeness, but I tried to focus my attention on the screen so that I wouldn't worry about Zuki's closeness.
Suddenly, there was a small breeze, and then a slight rustle of paper. When I glanced down, I found that it was a crumpled piece of paper, which I proceeded to unfold.
"What is it, K.C.?" Kazuki inquired.
I shrugged in reply, and then I grabbed my cell phone and used the light to read the note:
"HANDS OFF OUR IMOUTO!"
I growled under my breath as I snapped my phone shut and crumpled the paper in my fist. At first I didn't suspect a thing when that limousine was following me and Zuki in his; however, I knew something had to be going on when those plants were moving and rustling in the restaurant; and on top of all of that, Tamaki, Haruhi, and the twins were at the movies. Only one person could've written this note, and they would pay for it!
Forcing a smile, I turned to my date, "Excuse me for a minute, Zuki."
He nodded, while I stood up from my seat and climbed the staircase, where I found Tamaki in a huddle with the twins on either side of them. They were whispering about something, probably their next plot on how to ruin my first date. So, Tamaki didn't drag the hosts on his little "field trip", he, and all the other hosts, were stalking me and being peeping toms on my date! Well, I was going to teach them a lesson they would never forget. I yanked them by the collars of their jacket and leaned forward.
"Outside. Now." I hissed in their ears.
Without hesitation, the three boys stood up and walked down the stairs with me and out the door leading outside the theater. Words couldn't explain how furious I was with them at the moment. What would they gain from all of this? I still couldn't believe that they even decided to something like this...
"Why the heck were you guys spying on me?" I inquired.
"We weren't 'spying'," the twins answered nonchalantly.
"YES you were," I answered, placing my hands on my hips.
"We were only trying to make sure you were okay, K.C.-chan," Hunny's voice piped up from behind me.
I turned around to find the little Loli-shota along with his cousin and Haruhi standing beside me. So, the twins and Tamaki weren't the only ones in on this plot, but Hunny and Mori as well, and even Haruhi?
"Don't ask," the female host spoke bluntly. "I was technically dragged here against me own free will."
Well that explained a lot, so she was off the hook, but the other five I would ahve to take into consideration.
I sighed, to cool my anger down. "Look, I appreciate you guys wanting to look out for me and all, but I really don't need it. And if the only reason why you all have been following me all day was because you wanted to play peeping toms and all that, then you can just get your butts back in your limos and go home!"
"But, K.C.," Tamaki whined.
"'But' nothing, senpai," I snapped. "I am not going to allow you to ruin my first date-"
"First date?" the twins repeated.
I sighed. "Yes, my first date. You two should obviously know that since the last one was set up."
"YOU TWO SAID YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO THE NAMES!" Tamaki exclaimed at the two brothers.
"As I was saying," I began again, "If you five just came down here to ruin my first date, then you can just go home!"
"Correction, Johnson-san. There were six of us in on this," an all too familiar voice spoke.
You have got to be kidding me. Kyoya was in on this whole thing too? I would've definitely expected Tamaki and the twins, but not Kyoya, nor Haruhi for that matter, Why would he even dare to step so low as to stalk me on my date? It just didn't make sense.
Folding my arms across my chest, I turned to face him. "Now, there's a surprise. I never really would've expected you to be the snooping type, Ootori-senpai. But, then again," I added, shrugging, "I guess that's why they call you the Shadow King."
The Ootori boy adjusted his glasses. "Well, now that it seems that we've been caught, is there anything you'd like for us to do?"
I thought long and hard, piecing my words together perfectly. "Actually, yes, senpai, there is. Tamaki-senpai, Twins, Haruhi, Hunny-senpai, Mori-senpai, if you all aren't interested in the movie, then you can just get back in your Mercedes or whatever cars you brought along with you and go home. And as for you, Ootori-senpai," I added turning to him.
I paused as hot tears forced their way to my eyes, but I wasn't going to allow my perfect make-up to smear. I gazed up at him for a minute, but then glanced down at the concrete. He was calm and stoic like a wall of stone; well, if that's what he was, then he could take anything thrown at him.
"STOP TAMPERING WITH MY FEELINGS!" I exclaimed.
Without another word, I spun around on my heel and raced back into the theater. As the door closed behind me, I took a few deep breaths to calm myself so that Kazuki wouldn't grow curious. Then, I made my way back to the theater and joined my date to finish our movie together.
~ . . * . . ~
The purr of an engine and the gentle shaking aroused me from me slumber. Wait... when did I even fall asleep. I gazed around at my surroundings, but all I could see was benightedness, while a few lights from the street lamps zoomed passed a glass window. That was when realization hit me. I must've fallen asleep during the movie, and now I was in Kazuki's limo as it drove me home. Speaking of my date... where was he?
My questions was quickly answered when an arm wrapped around my shoulders and pulled me close to another being. I released a small yelp in surprise.
"It's only me," a calm voice whispered from above me.
I glanced up to find a pair of gray eyes gazing down into mine, and then I smiled. "What did I miss?"
"Just the last thirty minutes of the movie," he answered. "It was a predictable ending from the start, though."
I nodded my head in agreement, and then I inched a bit closer to Zuki, resting my head on his shoulder. For some reason, being close to Kazuki made me feel more at ease that I did around anyone else. I wasn't sure why though.
As soon as the limousine came to a full stop, Zuki and I climbed out from the vehicle and strode through the parking lot. I was still somewhat weary, but Kazuki still kept his arm draped aroun my shoulder until we reached the top of the stairwell. Wordlessly, was walked down the halls until we reached my door.
Kazuki released me, and I turned to him with a smile. "Thanks so much, Zuki. Tonight was amazing."
"I'm glad you liked it," he answered.
Then, he too my chin in his hand, and in one swift move, he leaned down and planted a small peck on my cheek. My face began to heat up at that moment, and even after Kazuki stood up straight, I stared at him wide eyed and gingerly touched the spot on my cheek where he kissed me.
He only smiled down at me. "I'll see you Monday."
After that, he turned around and walked down the hall. I watched him as he descended the stairwell and strode through the parking lot towards the parked limousine. Even after he climbed in, and the limo disappeared down the highway, I still continued to ponder if what just happened was all in my sleep-deprived mind, or it actually occurred. Boy, was I getting some major déjà vu...
Yay! There you go you guys! I didn't sleep all night, so yes, this was completed in a 9hr period... My first all-nighter!
Oh, and just so you guys know, I'm not really sure if Mori-senpai is gay or not; however, I doo remember reading in one of my mangas that he actually has had the urge to kiss Hunny-senpai... Yeeeeaaaahhhhh...
K.C.'s not here to end the story with me today... She's actually off picking a few bunches of daisies and- HOLY SNAP I THOUGHT YOU WERE GETTING A COUPLE!
K.C: This is a couple.
No that's not! That's like a hundred dozen!
K.C.: Whatever... *plops down on bed, and picks away a petal one by one* He loves me... He loves me not... He loves me... He loves me not...
*sighs* Well, she's twitter-pated in LaLa-land...
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed it! Remember to Rate and Review!
SNEAK PEAK FOR CHAPTER 38:
I strode down the halls of the Ouran Academy that afternoon. It was after club hours, and of course, I was hauling the prop boxes back to the storage room. Like every day, it had been a long, tiring one, and all I wanted to do was go home and rest.
"So, this is what you do during club hours," a menacing voice spoke from beside me.
Startled, I whirled around to find Kimiko standing at the corner with that smug grin on her face.
"Kimiko-san," I greeted, blandly.
"Don't try to hide it, Katherine," she spoke, walking up to me. "I now know what you're up to. Now, I know why you always enter and exit the music room during hosting hours. You work for the club."
My grew wide as all the color drained from my face. How in the world did she figure that out?
Replies to Reviews from Previous Chapter:
xXanimeluver15Xx: Haha! Yeah, he got served with a side of rice. Yay for the Host Club! Thanks!
Takara Rose Oizumi: :)
ValueMyHeart: Thanks!
SarahELupin: Yeah, she's not all sugar and spice... I know right? Vic is so awesome!
KaseyKay10: Emotion is was brings out all the angst, drama, angst, action, and did I mention angst?
HarutaYari: Yeah, Kyoya just got served! Haha! Thanks!
Shan-Shan XP: Yay for the tough girls! Thanks!
i'mthenewCAKEPIG: Yeah, I getz the idea. haha! Kyoya is so complex. And YAy for Archuleta!
pres1111: Thanks! I was worried that i wouldn't do too well with her ^.^' but, I'm glad I did! :)
AllyraMortlock: She has a tendency to let her emotions do the driving sometimes... I know! I wanna be in the hide and seek club too! It sounds like so much fun! Thanks!
Witty-Little-RedHead: Yes, the Zuka Club is quite the bunch... Thanks! I try to keep everyone's OCs as close to their personality as possible. Yes. Thanks!
Snow'n'Cupcakes: Haha! I'm the same way! Thanks!
Keira-hime: Thanks! Glad you like it!
Aurora-16: Thanks! Oooh Yay! Triple chocolate chip cookies! Thanks a bunch!
Moonlight's Shadow Warrior: Yay! Thanks! Yeah, he is kinda heartless...
BunnyNinja: Thanks! It was Ichibancon 2011 in NC. And it was AWESOME!
00StellaKichi00: OMG, you print out every chapter? I bet that's a lot of paper... Anyway, I'm glad you like it!