Chapter Nineteen

Kyoya

I couldn't help but admit to myself that Tamaki could be right. Tamaki behaved like an idiot, but he was far more intuitive than what he let on.

I didn't have time to process this however, as the sound of the front door unlocking broke through my thoughts. My mind reeled with possibilities of who could potentially have a key to Kana's home. Her maid was off for the weekend. Maybe she had an appointment with someone from the main house?

On edge, I quietly left Kana's study and made my way into her front room. The door had opened to reveal who I assumed to by Amelia Claire. I took a moment to observe her. I could see traces of Kana on her face. Kana had her mother's eyes and curly hair, but the similarities seemed to end with that. Amelia Claire was taller, thinner, and had a sharper facial structure than her daughter.

Her eyes fell on me. I couldn't help but notice that she was subtly running her gaze over my shirtless frame. A small, tense smile appeared on her lips.

"You must be the Ootori boy. I heard rumors that you've been lurking about here." Her voice was even.

"Kyoya Ootori." I bowed. "I apologize if my being here has caused any trouble."

"You may call me Amelia." She crossed to me, moving gracefully in her form-fitted dress and heels. "What business do you have with Kanami?"

"Inao-san is a classmate of mine. She wasn't feeling well this morning." I crossed my arms over my bare chest. "She's sleeping."

"So then why, Kyoya Ootori?" She stood dangerously close to me, her eyes once again running over my frame. "Why are you here?"

"She requested that I stay, Amelia-san."

"Just. Amelia." She ran a long fingernail across my cheek. "I never quite understood the need for such formality in Japan. Say it."

"Amelia." I echoed, the word catching in my throat. I was beginning to understand the Hitachiin's disdain toward the woman.

"You appear to be more than just my daughter's classmate. Why aren't you being honest with me, Kyoya?" Her eyes, so similar to Kana's, were locked to mine. I hated the way my name sounded when she said it.

I held her gaze intently. "I can assure you, I am treating Inao-san with the utmost respect."

"And what would your father say if he knew you were here?"

"As far as I'm aware, you personally have no dealings with him."

"Ah, but my daughter's actions reflect on me, yes?" Amelia closed what little space remained between us, her lithe figure now pressed to mine. I allowed my arms to drop to my sides. "Your sister, Fuyumi, was it? She's written to me in the past. I'm sure she would be just thrilled to find her brother having such a close relationship with me."

"We'll never be close." It was a struggle to keep my voice even. I refused to back down from her.

"But your father, he might not be as pleased. If you want a relationship with Kanami, you'll need me to smooth things over." Her hands came to rest on my upper arms. "Is he as handsome as you, Kyoya?"

That struck a nerve. I felt my face twitch slightly. "Inao-san doesn't need you interfering with Father. She is proving to be quite an exceptional student, and is holding up her end of the deal for being here."

"You don't know my child, Kyoya. She'll fail, eventually. And you'll need me when that happens." Amelia's face twisted into an ugly smirk. "I'll have my own conditions, of course. Kanami is nothing without me. You should know that she has nothing to her own name."

Before I could reply, I felt something soft hit my back. I turned to find my shirt bundled on the floor behind me, casually tossed my way by none other than Kanami. She stood just outside her bedroom door, her hair piled high on her head. She had put on an oversized sweater and a tight pair of dark jeans. Her face was expressionless. Her eyes met mine briefly before she brushed past us.

"That's making you look bulkier than you already are." Amelia hissed.

If the comment affected Kanami, she didn't show it. Instead she poured a glass of water and lit a cigarette, flicking the ashes into her glass. I hesitantly tore my gaze from her long enough to pull my shirt on and adjust the hood.

"It's all that ramen she eats." Amelia continued. "Kyoya, if you ever take her out, you'll have to watch her intake. If you're not careful she'll eventually balloon up to be her father's size. The cigarettes help her appetite, of course."

"Is that where you got the habit?" I asked Kana through my teeth. Kana's figure was perfect in my eyes. I loved the soft curve of her hips.

"And others I'm sure that she hasn't spoken about." Amelia knew she had gotten to me. She was intending to drive a wedge between us, that much was obvious. "I'll never forget her first audition. She was quite the chubby child, Kyoya, and she's always been such an awkward girl. I had tried to shield her from the comments-"

"Ha!" Kanami's sharp laugh caught me by surprise.

"Don't interrupt, child." Amelia's tone was almost sinister. "I gave you every opportunity to follow in my footsteps, did I not?"

I wanted to go to my darling woman, hold her, shield her from her mother. My fists clenched at my sides. Why couldn't I be more bullheaded like Hikaru? Or impulsive like Tamaki?

My heart broke for her. I had never wanted to see exactly how her mother treated her. I was fine with hearing the stories and listening to what little she revealed. I had my own issues with my father, I understood the type of pressure she was experiencing.

"After I left her father, his business took a turn for the worse. I kept them afloat, so long as he kept her under control. You don't want this disgusting girl anywhere around you." I watched as Amelia continued her onslaught against Kanami.

"Then why keep her here, Amelia?" I couldn't look at Kana as I spoke.

"Consider it a sense of obligation. She came from me." Amelia waved her hand, dismissing my question. "We'll have to re-educate her. She's clearly forgotten everything I've taught her about society."

"There's no 'we' in this situation." I growled. "She is doing fine."

"She's whoring with the Hitachiin's, and now she's got you in her house. I taught her better than to sleep her way-"

"That'll be enough, Amelia. I know what I need to know." I forced myself to give her a warm, polite smile. "May I show you out? I'll be leaving shortly, after a word with Inao-san."

"I knew an Ootori would understand." Amelia gave me a brazen kiss on the cheek, "I'll see myself out."

Kanami and I watched in silence as Amelia left the house, letting the door slam behind her. I felt myself shaking with built up rage. How dare she speak about Kana like that? What the hell was she trying to accomplish?

Kanami quietly lit another cigarette. She was waiting for me to say something, anything.

"You shouldn't smoke indoors." I managed.

She raised an eyebrow. "I'll go outside then."

"No." Without thinking, I went to her and grabbed her wrist, pulling the cigarette to my own mouth. I took a quick hit and coughed as the smoke hit my throat. I needed something to calm myself down. "Do you have alcohol?"

"Not a good idea." Her voice was flat.

"That's not an answer." My anger was threatening to get the better of me.

"Why are you still here?" She couldn't look at me.

"Would you rather I leave you?" I wasn't good at this, at comforting. If anything, I felt a strong desire to take my rage out on her, give myself a controlled outlet to deal with my own anger.

"Did you not hear any of that?" Her voice broke.

"Kana, she said I don't know you." I slammed my fist down on the counter. "What is it then, what don't I know? Your 'habits', your 'whoring'?"

"Oh my god, is that really what you're focused on?" She snapped. "You're the first person I kissed, you know? I wouldn't know how to-"

"I know. Fuck." I bent down, resting my elbows on the counter, head in my hands. "I know, Kana. Why would she say that? Were the twins-?"

"Alright, you don't know me. Fine. Especially if you really think-"

"I don't think anything!" I shouted, my fingers tangling in my hair. "Fuck. Why, why would she try to do this to you?"

"Because that's what she does. I hadn't even spoken to her before she showed up at Hikaru and Kaoru's. Before that, she visited me on my eighteenth birthday to-" Kana took a breath. "This is just what she does."

I couldn't contain myself any longer. I was on her with one swift motion. I dropped her cigarette into the water, letting it fizzle out as I took her face in my hands. I could smell the fear rolling off her, mixed with hurt and confusion.

"You'll tell me if she comes here again. If I can't get here I'll send Tamaki, or Mori. You aren't dealing with her alone anymore. Is that understood?"

"Yes." The relief was obvious on her face. "Yes, Sir."

This woman. She understood me.

The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. It would be so easy for her to crumble right now, to expect something more comforting from her lover.

"I need to know what else she's convinced you to do to yourself. I'm not going to force you to quit anything you're not ready to."

She considered this for a moment. Wordlessly, she pulled away from me and opened one of her kitchen cabinets. It was lined with prescription diet pills, laxatives, and a tea that I didn't recognize.

"I don't use them. Or, I haven't in a while."

"Why keep them?" I asked gently.

"Sometimes I need the pills to stay awake for a few days, when I'm working on something." She shrugged. "I'll need them for midterms."

"Nothing else?"

"Nothing else." She chewed on the inside of her lip. After closing the cabinet, she turned to me once more. "I don't want to talk about the rest right now. I know you have questions."

"I do. We are more similar than what you think, Kana. My father had his own way of raising me." I drummed my fingers on my leg. "I don't talk about it, either."

"And your mother?"

"She left when I was very young. I don't remember her."

"That's her loss." A small, cautious smile crossed her face.

"Kana, if you'll allow me, I need to speak with the rest of the group about this." I drew her against my chest. "I won't tell them anything they don't need to know, but I need their assurance that they'll protect you. We've got many connections between all of us, and if I'm ever preoccupied-"

"You make me feel safe, Kyoya." Her face was buried in my shirt. "I trust you."

I kissed the top of her head and took my phone out of my pocket to send a group message to the rest of the Host Club.

Cancel all clients tonight. Meet at the usual place in one hour from now.

A/N: Sorry this took so long! Also, I find that I enjoy writing from Kyoya's perspective more than I do Kana's. I'll do my best to balance out the POVs, but they might be a bit skewed in his favor. :)