Kyoya woke up in a place he's never been, but it felt so familiar. It was probably because commoner dwelling areas tend to look alike. The architecture for the masses turned out to be quite generic at some point.
He looked at his averaged sized room that had a tatami mat flooring. The room wasn't luxurious at all, but it was somewhat to his taste. The minimalist feel of the place kept him at ease. He stepped out of his room, unaccustomed to the lack of space, the poor man hit the tiniest toe of his foot on the corner of the closed his eyes and had this sharp intake of breath. He knelt and rubbed the injured area.
That was by far the worst wake up call.
Kyoya inspected the area he was in. He saw a uniform that hung on the wall. He saw a name tag and found a black school bag on the study table and decided to take a look. Luckily, it was a good head start. Now he knows is he's Kyoya Ootori, a regular high school student. Nothing special. Kyoya then looked at the photos on the bookshelf and he saw a photo of him with people who were most likely his friends.
"Ourin Public High School, huh?" Kyoya took the photo and somehow, he could tell he was close with the people there, but he couldn't remember any of their names or faces.
He looked at the next photo beside it and it looks like a family photo. He recognized himself sitting beside a young girl, who was most likely his sister, and it appears like he has two brothers.
"Why don't I remember anything?"
Frustrated, Kyoya opened his closet. He looked at his books and everything around him. Things weren't making sense. Why couldn't he recognize where he was? Why couldn't he remember a thing? Why was he unusually calm in this situation?
As he was lost in his thoughts, he heard a woman call his name. "Kyo-kyo, breakfast!"
Noriko opened the door and stared at her son. Her checkered apron was still on. "You'll be late of you stare at the walls like that."
"Okaasama?"
"Are you okay?" Noriko blinked a few times and placed the back of her hand on Kyoya's forehead. "You don't have a fever."
Yuichi ran inside wearing only his slacks with his wet hair sticking to his forehead. "Ah, I knew it was here." He said as he took the dress shirt that found its way to his younger brother's closet.
Confused with what's happening, Kyoya went out the hallway and he saw his father having grilled sanma and natto for breakfast as he watched the morning news.
"Good morning, darling." Noriko greeted her husband. "Do you want some tea?"
Yoshio nodded. "Yes, please."
Kyoya stood by the living room in shock. He watched his mother prepare breakfast and his father was watching the news while making some comment. He saw Yuuichi wearing the shirt he took from his closet and sat down beside his father. In the background he could hear someone screaming.
"Fuyumi! Faster I have to use the toilet."
"Wait for your turn Akito!" repied the muffled voice.
"You can use the other bathroom, Akito." Noriko exclaimed as she rolled her eyes. "There's no need for this much noise so early in the morning."
Kyoya felt nauseous at this point. Things looked normal, but it felt wrong on so many levels. Like this was almost an impossible scenario.
"Are you okay, Kyoya?" Yoshio turned around and looked at his son staring at all of them as if he's seen a ghost.
"Yes." Kyoya sat down and got a bowl of rice with furikake. He got some eggs and had a cup of miso soup.
His father, mother, and brother were now looking at him as if he was doing something odd.
"You only got one bowl?" Yuuichi looked at him.
As if this was a queue, Kyoya got another bowl and started eating. His family had a sigh of relief. They thought that Kyoya was abducted or something.
Fuyumi hugged her father and smiled. "Good morning, papa."
"What do you want?" Yoshio asked without missing a beat.
"Nothing. Can't a daughter just be glad to see her father, the new surgery department head, before he goes to work?" Fuyumi pouted. "Neh, Yuuichi-niisan, how's your first week at work?"
"It's going well so far."
"To think you and otousan are both working in the same hospital. It's a miracle you got in." Fuyumi said as she toasted some bread. "By the way Kyo-kyo, who was that girl you were with yesterday. You thought I wouldn't see you coming out of that karaoke place?"
Before Kyoya could defend himself, he felt like suddenly he couldn't breathe. Akito took his brother into a headlock and rubbed the back of his head. "This guy got so much attention from all those college girls from that mixer."
Kyoya coughed and rubbed his head. He glared at him for a few seconds before he continued to eat.
"And why on earth would Kyoya be in a mixer with college girls?!" his mother exclaimed.
"I told him to come. One of my friends backed out and it we wouldn't have even numbers." Akito said.
Noriko was about to nag until Yoshio cleared his throat. "Noriko, it should be fine. All our children are at the top of their classes. Fuyumi's even graduating with honors and has several job offers. Akito is doing well in medical school."
"I guess you're right." Noriko said. Contented with what she was seeing now. "It can't get any better than this."
It was a good thing that Kyoya's father decided to drop him off school on the way to work. Kyoya looked at his cellphone and saw a guy named Tamaki calling him again.
Kyoya answered the call and before he could put the phone close to his ear someone from behind placed his arms around him. Kyoya was able to get a glimpse of his name tag. So this was the person who called him several times.
"Kyoya, you're awake!" Tamaki said with relief. "I was worried you wouldn't wake up. Did you bring what I asked you to?"
He shook his head. "No…I don't recall anything." In fact, he was still confused since he couldn't remember a lot of things.
Tamaki looked so shocked. Kyoya suddenly felt like he stepped on a mine. "I'm sorry. I really forgot what it was."
"It's too late now." Tamaki curled himself to such a dejected position. "I…I…I'll-"
"Senpai, don't block the way." A young brown-haired teenager scolded. She looked at Kyoya and said "Good morning Kyoya-senpai. Is it alright if I'm a little late for club activities later? I'm on cleaning duty."
"It's no problem."
Kyoya took off his leather shoes and changed into the plain white indoor shoes they used for school. He followed Tamaki who he assumed to be in the same class as him since he kept on asking about their homework. As he spoke to those around him, he was able to get more information about himself. So he was from section 2-A and their class representative. He was also the type of person to get a lot of confessions. The day went by quickly. He didn't even notice that it was lunch time already.
He followed Tamaki to the cafeteria and saw a tall student with a young boy on his shoulders.
"Tama-chan, Kyo-chan!" The young blonde exclaimed. "Haruhi's eating at the rooftop with the twins."
Tamaki smiled. "Hello, Honey-senpai, Mori-senpai!"
"Haruhi brought enough food for us. She said that her father brought home so much food from his business trip. Aren't you excited, Kyoya?" Honey said with excitement. The atmosphere was so sweet it felt like Kyoya was seeing pink flowers just growing around the boy.
"Excited for what?"
"Haruhi brought rich people food. It's nice to be friends with someone rich." Tamaki skipped. "She said she was bringing home cooked Italian food today. She brought us "commoners" lunch. Such a gracious display of generosity."
Kyoya then saw Mori-senpai stretching as if he was getting ready to run a marathon. As he was learning more about himself and his surroundings, the more questionable things become. Suddenly, the light aura changed into something more competitive.
"Let's go, Takashi! We need to get some cake before it runs out."
Kyoya took a bit from his curry bread as he observed his friends. Apparently, he was vice-president of the cultural appreciation club. He and Tamaki started it last year. Their members were two thirds years: Takashi Morinozuka and Mitsukini Haninozuka. Their families owned a dojo in the area, and it was basically a tradition for them now. They also had three first years. Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin were twins who also worked part time for their mother's secondhand shop where they sold all sorts of clothes and bags. Haruhi Fujioka was a daughter of a rich businessman who owned several gay bars downtown. Then the president of the cultural appreciation club was Tamaki Suoh. His father works as a principal of the school. It's sometimes hard to believe that someone like Tamaki would be the principal's son. He was too spontaneous for anyone's sanity. Much like right now, they were having an emergency meeting for one of their club events. Kyoya looked at the notebook he was holding. Apparently, he oversaw planning, budgeting, execution of projects, guest relations, scheduling, and basially most of the work. Tamaki's job was to entertain their guests and become the usual idiot he was.
"What do you think about having our next event to be Bakamatsu themed?" Tamaki asked.
"It can be done." Kyoya replied. He instinctively wrote down on his notebook. "Hikaru, Kaoru could you source our costumes?"
"We'll see what we can do." Hikaru replied.
"I'm pretty sure I saw a couple of Kimono's in the storage." Kaoru recalled.
"Takashi and I can use our hakama's." Honey suggested.
"That's a good idea!" Tamaki agreed.
"As usual I'm in charge of the food, right?" Haruhi stated. "Would wagashi be okay?"
The more Kyoya looked through his notebook the more this cultural appreciation club felt more like a host club. As he turned one page after another, he could feel his memories returning. He could remember Tamaki asking him to start a Host Club and how he said that no institution in the right mind would approve of such a club. He remembered how he was able to disguise Tamaki's wish to be a host into something more socially acceptable: A Cultural Appreciation Club. A vague memory of him speaking to the principal about approving the cultural appreciation club came to mind. Slowly, things started falling back into place. He also remembered his family and how they had a joint activity with the other clubs next week. Then he suddenly remembered the thing Tamaki needed which was the approval letters that had to be submitted later. Now his sense of urgency was back. It was time to work.
"He'll be fine."
Those were the words Tamaki said to himself as he saw being wheeled into the operating room. He watched the nurses hold the oxygen mask over his face. He looked at the surgeons and internists running to the dressing room to get ready for the emergency operation. He repeated it again like a mantra.
"He'll be fine."
He heard the surgeons explaining to Yoshio Ootori and his two sons the plan. Based on the imaging they saw, the bullets hit the lower part of Kyoya's lungs. In order to remove the bullets, they would have to also remove part of his lung. It would also entail putting a tube that would help drain the blood and excess air that accumulated in his lungs. They would also use a camera to see if they would have to operate on Kyoya's abdomen as well as how extensive the damage was. The fracture on Kyoya's right arm and leg would have to wait for now since he was in no condition to undergo a lengthy operation. Several internists would be inside to make sure that he was in stable condition during the operation.
The Ootori Group only employed the best medical professionals. He was sure that Kyoya was in good hands. Tamaki took a deep breath. The fluorescent lights of the hospital, the scent of disinfectant, and all these employees walking around with a sense of urgency went by slowly. Tamaki turned around and saw Hikaru and Kaoru sitting by the vending machine. Each of them holding a half-finished instant coffee that didn't suite their usual taste.
"Will he be okay?" Kaoru asked. He felt this guilt eating him up from the inside. The incident didn't happen too far from where they came from. The moment they heard the news, they were the first one to arrive at the scene.
Hikaru's eyes were still swollen and he was still quiet from the shock. He's never seen that much blood on anyone before. He felt the same guilt that maybe if he decided to just leave the mansion earlier then maybe Kyoya wouldn't be fighting for his life. The more the images of Kyoya laying on the ground came to mind, the more difficult it was to breathe.
"Calm down." Tamaki, who was rarely the voice of reason, had a job which was keep everyone at ease now.
"He'll be fine." Mori said as he stood against the wall. He closed his eyes and meditated once more.
Tamaki nodded. There were those who had plenty of faith in Kyoya. He knew that it would take more than. Kyoya was the strongest fighter he's ever seen. Anyone with that kind of passion would keep fighting relentlessly.
Hikaru punched the wall and knelt on the ground as he sobbed. "It's not fair. Kyoya-senpai did all the fighting. He carried most of the weight, yet why wasn't he reaping the benefits? Why was he still the one suffering until now?"
Tamaki placed his hand on Hikaru's shoulder. He gazed at the lawyers at the end of the hallway discussing how to liquidate Kyoya's assessts in the event of his death. It's true that Kyoya's company was doing well, but with events like this even the largest investors fold. One by one everything that Kyoya worked hard for was disappearing at an exponential rate. All his plans and his dreams were being torn down and salvaged. He wasn't even dead yet, but there were those opportunistic people who treated as if he already died.
Kaoru knelt beside his brother. "It doesn't matter. We'll work things out." He rubbed Hikaru's back. "Even the demon would be scared to greet Kyoya. I don't think he's leaving that easily."
"I'll check with Komatsuzawa-kun. He'll give us the information we need." Tamaki was glad that he was able to help the newspaper club improve their ways. It was always good karma to help others. Now there are plenty of people from their host club days extending their help, but there were those who showed their true colors.
Tamaki's grandmother mentioned that she met with Kyoya prior to the Mizushima Trial. She gave him a word of advice. She said that Kyoya understood and was prepared for the consequences, but was he really? Even a man as cunning as Kyoya couldn't possibly plan for what happens to him even if the unthinkable happens.
Tamaki peered through the small window on the door and saw Fuyumi seated biting her lip while fumbling with the hem of her skirt. She had to stay and watch over her own mother. It was such a shock for the Ootori matriarch that she collapsed shortly after she saw her son being resusicated. It was a delicate topic.
"Fuyumi-neesan?"
Fuyumi stopped slouching and dried her eyes. "Tamaki, how is it outside?"
"It's a lot quieter now. I've managed to distract the press."
"Thank you for doing this for us." Fuyumi said weakly.
"It's what our family does best." Tamaki assured.
Another knock was heard, and Fuyumi saw the head of Kyoya's staff at home. Nanami still looked dignified even with this chaos. That was one of her best qualities.
"Please come in, Nanami-san."
Nanami bowed deeply as she handed a sealed envelope. "It was on his desk for a few weeks now. It may be the document you were looking for."
Fuyumi asked carefully opened it. How could it be so heavy to open things like this. It felt so surreal that she was looking for her brother's will. That was the last thing they should be doing at a time like this. It was the decision of the Ootori Group with what should be done with his company. She watched all these men and women state facts that in th event Kyoya recovers would he still be able to lead. They were stating the numbers that it was almost impossible for him to recover at this point. She could feel her hands trembling. How could they be so inhumane about this? Her brother was in critical condition and all they could think about was their money. This was the document they needed. To think that Kyoya wrote his will. She wasn't surprised with her brother's actions, but it didn't make her worry any less.
"Nanami-san, please call the lawyers. Inform them that we've found Kyoya's will."
Tamaki looked at the document and he could feel his tears trickle down. Even here, Kyoya did everything to preserve the livelihood of others. It was almost a losing proposition for any company the moment there is no clear leadership. Investors withdrew one after another in a span of a day. Even classmates that Kyoya helped one way or another left leaving the company paralyzed during its critical projects. What was smooth sailing suddenly came to a halt. Several of Kyoya's managers and employees started filing their resignation.
All of them left without any second thoughts, but here was Kyoya's will. Even here, he put the company first. He put his employees needs over his. It was stated clearly that in the event that any untoward incident was to happen, they were to liquidate his possessions and personal stocks to keep the company running at full capacity. If there were any employees who were going to quit at this period for the lack of any firm leadership, they were free to leave with compensation. Those who were to retire this year were given full benefits. One benefit after another was written as well as when these conditions could be applied. No detail was spared. There was some relief of Tamaki's part. At least even to a certain extent, Kyoya still had control over this.
It was a special day for the two of them, afterall. Tamaki was a sentimental person and it's been exactly eleven years since his final day as an official host with Kyoya.
Kyoya opened his eyes and rubbed his temples. It's been exactly eleven years since his high school graduation. Much to his father's dismay, he didn't enter the medical field like the rest of them. He insisted on becoming a corporate slave. He took business and management as his degree from Tokyo University. He was supposed to be a 29-year-old man joining the finance industry, but he somehow found himself in advertising and public relations. It was Sunday today and he didn't have work to do. Last night, they celebrated Tamaki and Haruhi's wedding. It was a big thing for all of them. It's been awhile since he saw Mori and Honey. Kyoya looked at his phone and browsed through his social media account. It was nice seeing everyone again.
Kyoya heard his phone ring. His boss 'Kuze Takashi' was calling him. Kyoya was hesitant at first, but work was work. Even if the guy was his senpai back in high school, things become different when work was involved.
"Hello?"
"Ootori! Where the hell are you?" The man yelled.
Kyoya pulled the phone slightly away from his ear. The uncalled-for sense of emergency was just not sitting well with him. "I'm in my apartment."
"What are you doing there?" There was a brief pause on the other line. "The client meeting was rescheduled today!"
"When did they change the schedule?" Kyoya started to get ready for work. The internal hate brewing was brewing inside him. He expected this to be his day off.
"Last night. I messaged you." Kuze exclaimed. "I knew it. I should have stopped you from drinking too much at the wedding last night. It's the one for Mika-chan. The boss is expecting you to go to the location shoot today to bring our products." The caller's voice was filled with exasperation wrapped perfectly with frustration.
"Our products?"
"For kami's sake, it's like as if you don't work as a brand manager. The fucking melon cornflakes, Ootori! Bring it to the shoot."
Kyoya looked at the cereal he was eating. Things started to piece together. Albeit slowly, but it wasn't hard to put two things together. So apparently, he was supposed to bring this box somewhere. There was this unfamiliar feeling gnawing at his stomach. It felt like he was nervous. It was a lingering taste of failure. Something his system hated and rejected. He took a deep breath and ignored that feeling of being absolutely for lack of better word fucked. He looked around his kitchen opening all the drawers and cupboards hoping he has an extra box of unopened melon cornflakes. A sense of relief just went through him when he saw another box of cornflakes.
"Where am I supposed to go?" He asked while getting himself ready. The sudden change of schedule was nothing, but there were no details whatsoever written in the email that "notified" him of the change in schedule.
"Damn it Ootori. You're never drinking again."
It was a miracle, but somehow Kyoya made it to the shoot in one piece. He handed the box to one of the employees there.
"They didn't have to bring such a handsome messenger." One of the girls replied as he handed the box.
Kyoya smiled and bowed his head slightly. "It was my privilege to deliver such goods personally."
"Oh my, he's charming too." The girl moved closer to him. "Do you have a girlfriend?"
"None that I know off."
"Hey, Mika-chan! Be careful with that guy. I always see him hanging around downtown near the host club." A girl with bright pink hair and green colored contact lenses stood beside them. Her loud multicolored outfit and uneven socks practically screams she came straight out of Harajuku.
Kyoya froze. He didn't think he would frequent such places. Him? A host club?
"Yeah, you're the king's friend, right?" The girl batted her almost unnaturally long lashes.
"King?"
"Yeah, Tama-kun." The girl rolled her eyes. "The moment you enter the host club, the King talks about you like you're his wife. I practically know your entire life story."
Kyoya now understood where they came from. Tamaki did start a Host Club and Kyoya was there quite often. He felt like it was more like home than a club. "What exactly has the king been telling you?"
"Oh, you're a real smart guy. Top of your class in high school. You and Tama-kun were best friends. He told me you took business and finance, but somehow you found yourself in the advertisement agency. Then you also like to eat spicy food. You were his inspiration for the summer heat contest." The girl enumerated with confidence.
"I see you know me quite well, my princess."
"Ha! I'll tell Tama-kun I met you at work. He'd go on a frenzy." The girl smirked as she started to dab some blush to her cheeks.
A man with an awkward growing beard approached them. "Oi, Mika-chan, how may bento boxes should we get?"
She started counting people silently. Her mouth slightly agape as she pointed at each one of the crew. "8"
"8?"
"Yeah, we're including Mr. Cute Best friend. You are staying, right?" She smiled at Kyoya. "I'll tell your boss you have to wait here until we're finished."
Kyoya wasn't sure whether he should be thankful at this point, but it didn't seem like he had an option. Besides, he had no idea where to go from here. All he was told on the way here was to follow whatever orders were given to him.
"I'm sorry, I wouldn't want to-"
"Shhh…" Mika, batted her eyelashes as she placed her finger lightly on Kyoya's lip. She placed the phone on speaker mode and waited for Kyoya's boss to answer. "Kuze, we need your messenger here. No one else is going to return the products."
Kyoya went outside for a sense of solitude. Peace, quiet, and a cigarette to relax him. They've been getting ready to shoot a cereal commercial for the past 3 hours and there were no signs of the endorser arriving anytime soon. The room was starting to fill up with a negative vibe. It didn't help that one of the girls in there couldn't stop moving and sitting too close to him. He wasn't interested with those kinds of girls.
Then as he stood there by the exit, it just hit him. The meeting of two different worlds are at times, unexpected. Seldom do these connections last, but there are few that resonate. A familiar face showed up and there was this feeling he cannot put into words. There was a sense of longing. It felt like something or someone was clutching his chest.
Who was that woman?
Kyoya stole a few glances as he finished his cigarette.
"Who are you staring at?" The weirdly bearded man, who introduced himself later as Chou, asked. He was the epitome of "perfectly chill" or "anything goes". Everything about him from his hair, breath, clothes, and personality just fit. Slightly unkempt, his jacket had an old stain on it, a discreet tattoo on his wrist, and a vape.
"No one. Just that person who just went in looked so familiar."
"Really? Of course, she should look familiar. That idol is practically advertising everything now. Rice cookers, socks, smartphones, you name it she's done it."
"I suppose so." Kyoya decided to agree to avoid any confusion. He wasn't talking about the idol. He saw her face on 5 different advertisements on the way here. The girl's manager or assistant looked vaguely familiar.
"Hey, Kyoyaaaa." Tamaki poked his friend. "Kyoya?"
"Yes?"
"You were spacing out again." Tamaki blinked his naturally glassy eyes. "Are you alright?"
Kyoya nodded. Was it odd for him to say this, but this Host Club felt like home? He didn't even work here, but some of the customers assumed he was part of the roster. He drank another shot of whatever it was on the table. Tasted and felt like it was Hennessy, but he didn't pay attention to whatever it was Tamaki placed on his table.
"Is your boss still pouring you with too much work?" Tamaki was back again. His customers had just left and it was almost time to close the shop.
"Yeah, why else would I be here? He gave me enough work to make sure I miss the last train. The best option was to just have a drink." Kyoya yawned.
Tamaki smiled. "Kaoru told me all about your mystery lady."
"My what?"
"Your mystery lady." Tamaki repeated it slowly with a slight tease. It wasn't like Kyoya to be staring at girls. Kyoya was practically a house plant.
Kyoya wasn't sure what it was about that woman. He felt like they knew each other. Like they could have been distant friends or someone from preschool. He wasn't even sure if that feeling of uneasiness was warranted. Due to the number of contracts he had with the Melon Cornflakes idol who he now knew as Miya-san, the opportunity to get to know the idol's manager had presented itself several times.
Unfortunately, it always ended with the intention. Kyoya never really had any real purpose of speaking directly with the idol's manager. Such an intentional conversation wasn't something appropriate in the workplace. Asking her on dates is almost impossible considering the number of men that try to win her attention. In the few months of working together all he knows that the woman's name is Julia and that she is a demon. The ultimate over glorified babysitter of good looking teenagers who know how to sing and dance.
"Can you sleep here again?" Tamaki asked. "I really wanted to watch this movie with someone."
Kyoya looked at the movie Tamaki was holding up. He personally had no problems with scary movies, but Tamaki was a masochist of a different type. He would torment himself by watching things that terrify him.
"Watch with Haruhi. I'm tired."
"Please." Tamaki pouted his lips like a child with his glassy eyes staring at his friend.
"That's not going to work."
"Kyoyaaa"
"No."
"This is the last one. I promise."
The glassy eyes broke into Kyoya's armor. Obviously, there was no choice left for him. Tamaki always gets what he wants.
"Fine, I'm only staying because I need to go to work early tomorrow."
Normally Kyoya only does certain things if it brings him merit, except for certain cases like Tamaki. He was an exception to the rule.
Kyoya got to work the following day. Besides have a sore arm from Tamaki hitting him every time a ghost appeared in a movie he had no interest in watching, he also forgot to have some coffee. Luckily, Tamaki's place was close to where he worked so getting something to eat was possible. Kyoya went to the very familiar coffee shop near his office. He went in and was greeted with the smell of brewed coffee and some faint jazz playing in the background. He went to this place like clockwork. At 6:30 am, the store would open ready for the early birds looking for some coffee and breakfast. He would usually arrive at 7:30 am with just enough time to get some coffee and food for takeout but considering how much time he saved coming from tamaki's place he had an extra 20 minutes to spare.
"Good morning! What can I get for you today sir?" the barista greeted.
"I'll have a brewed coffee and a bagel." Kyoya ordered and handed his credit card.
"Will you be having that to go?"
"No, I'll have my coffee here."
"Great, we'll just prepare your food and call you when you're ready."
Kyoya turned around saw a good spot in the corner. It had enough space for him to just sit quietly with his thoughts. The idea of his perfect morning was unfolding. The table was spacious enough for him to start writing down the things he had to do for the day without having to adjust how he liked to lay out his food. The lighting was perfect. Natural sunlight was best, but it wasn't directly hitting the spot. It wasn't too close to the airconditioning that it would also freeze him to death. Kyoya walked towards his targeted spot. He had to claim it before someone else could.
However, destiny had other plans for him. What Kyoya Ootori didn't know was one of the part timer's in the coffee shop was late. Unfortunately, this person had very little time to do cleaning and left the mop a little bit too damp as he hurried cleaning the store before the breakfast rush came in. He was in such a hurry he forgot to put up the sign that tells people he just moped the floor. This posed a hazard to all customers. Kyoya felt the floor had a little less traction, but he had no problems whatsoever. Unfortunately, a woman just emerged from the restroom and walked closely to him. She was in such a hurry that she didn't realize the lack of surface tension. Events unfolded almost in slow motion for Kyoya. He found himself catching the woman like he was from a television show. He held her so close he could smell her, and he felt the woman cling to him as well. It was as if time stopped. They stared at each other for quite some time. Kyoya's grey eyes looked at hers. It was a unique shade of blue. Her cheeks had a slight pinkish glow which quickly turned red. Time suddenly caught up with him.
"I'm so sorry." The woman bowed low and deep out of shame for what just happened.
"It's no problem." Kyoya replied. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, I just wasn't paying attention." The woman bowed again and again until she got to her seat.
Kyoya bowed politely and went to his corner. He ignored how fast his heart was beating and drank his coffee in peace. It would make sense why their client's manager was here. How could he forget that they were going to do the next set of product shoots that day?
Nothing travels faster than gossip.
Even a bullet train would be put to shame when compared to office gossip.
By 8:30 am that day, people knew of a certain incident. Kyoya could hear the whispers everywhere. The last one he heard were co-workers dating each other in secret. He wasn't entirely sure why dating was such a big deal in Japan. It's not like there are laws that prohibit dating within the same office building. It's wasn't a big shocker for him as well since the two practically stared at each other all the time. It also didn't help that his desk was right across theirs. He just went on with his work. He wasn't so interested to know what occupied the time of his officemates now that he had to get paperwork done before the 9:00 am shoot.
"So have they been going out?" he heard someone asking.
Kyoya could see his two co-workers gossiping as discretely as they could. By discrete, they're doing work but speaking loud enough for news to catch onto others.
"Mitsuki-chan was there. She said that you can feel the romantic tension in the air."
"But he's so indifferent."
"That's what makes him so appealing!"
"Shhhh! He might hear you."
Kyoya ignored their voices. He had a feeling it was about the incident earlier. It brought him no merit to listen to common gossip. Work was his only priority. He finished one document after another. Sending it to his supervisor for any corrections.
"Ootori-san, are you ready to go to the shoot?" Kuze asked.
"Almost. Just one last document." Kyoya replied without taking his eyes of the screen.
"Take your time." Kuze fixed his tie and suit. On face value, he looked like an intimidating man in his early 30s, but he was an otaku deep inside. He and Kyoya met in college. Being a good senpai, he made sure his mysterious kohai was always with him to learn the tools of trade. With his talents, he got to work with Miya-chan was the best thing that's happened to him this year. The idol was casted to play in a live action remake of one of his favorite films and seeing her in the flesh made his otaku heart bleed.
"Neh, Ootori-san?"
"What?"
"How long are you going to hide as an otaku?" Kuze whispered and looked at him too closely.
Kyoya ignored the question and fixed his belongings. He never considered himself an otaku. He just read whatever he found interesting. He read all sorts of books without any discrimination of any genre. However, one of Tamaki's regulars always brought all sorts of manga. She practically called him Miyagi from some dating sim video game and introduced him to all sorts of manga. He wasn't purely interested in those kinds of hobbies, but he knew the woman worked at a famous magazine which they can use for endorsements. A good connection would help him raise potential audience for their clients. It was like hitting two birds with one stone. Kyoya then found himself hooked with a historical series one. He started reading it regularly only to realize that it was a yaoi manga after five volumes. He wasn't so bothered with the love story. In all honesty, he would skim through certain parts that just didn't sit well with him, but he cannot deny a good plot. The yaoi genre didn't exactly bother him, but the stares he received every time he bought the latest issue was almost difficult to ignore.
"I'm not exactly an otaku" Kyoya replied. "An acquaintance just introduced me to the series."
Kuze raised his brow. "I was sure I saw you at the bookstore the other day."
"Yes, I was shopping with an acquaintance. She works at Wan-wan Magazine." Kyoya explained. "Maybe if someone spent more time looking for other platforms for our clients, I wouldn't have to go out of my way." Kyoya smiled pleasantly.
"Oi, that's no way to talk to your senpai!" Kuze jokingly replied. "What did I do to deserve such a cold hearted kohai?"
Kyoya shook his head and sighed and left his senpai alone with his theatrics. How was it he always found himself a loud airhead as company?
The set was being prepared by the time Kyoya and Kuze got to the shoot. The production team was behind schedule and things were not going into place. They had no choice but to help around with the setup. Kyoya took off his blazer as he helped move furniture around. Kuze was busy helping with the lighting. It didn't take long before he saw the same blue-grey eyes he saw this morning. Awkwardness filled the air. They glanced at each other for awhile. Julia's uneasiness was showing. She smiled at Kyoya briefly and went back to work.
Kyoya just couldn't shake off the feeling that he actually wanted to talk to her. She was pulling him in without her knowing it. He had no reason to talk to her. Engaging in conversation would be more bothersome and there isn't any possible merit. Kyoya started rationalizing his emotions. There must be a reason why his gut feel was telling him to just go. He ignored his feelings and dismissed it as his gut feel. That was his trying to convince himself that maybe he can make this meeting something more productive and not out of sheer curiosity.
Somebody tapped his shoulder and handed him a tissue and water bottle.
"Sorry for the incident earlier." Julia couldn't look at him directly. It was uncomfortable for her to already trip, but to be caught by someone at work was just too much for her. "It's not like me to slip like that."
Kyoya bowed his head. "It's nothing. Anyone would have done the same."
Kyoya had less than 5 seconds to salvage this conversation. He had a choice: to let things take its natural course or was he going to be deliberate in his actions? He didn't believe in gods paving the way for him. He had a high sense of self-empowerment. This was the only way he could get rid of the gnawing feeling he couldn't describe whenever he saw her.
"You know, I realized we haven't been properly introduced." Kyoya said very coolly. He was careful to not sound too eager.
"Hajimemashite. Julia Mizushima."
"Kyoya Ootori. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu."
It was odd for them to only be properly acquainted now since they've seen each other a few times on different occasions. The conversation was just the usual pleasantries and nothing too personal. Maintaining a certain formality at work was still a protocol they had to follow. They had to cut the conversation short and continued with work.
"I'm really sorry you had to help up with the set." Julia apologized. "It's not your job, but it's our fault for suddenly rescheduling the shoot."
"It's nothing." Kyoya replied as he fixed the ornaments being placed on the shelves.
Just when Kyoya was able to muster the courage to engage in small talk, Julia was already somewhere else fixing something. He shook his head slightly, as if he was mocking himself. He had enough on his plate as is. He couldn't possibly go around looking for more trouble. The shoot came together as scheduled. The initial delay was now compensated. It was a good day for all of them since the photographer was in a good mood. He sat down and watched the production and design team do their magic. It was quite an impressive bunch. The photographer today was one of the young talents sponsored by Nikon. One of the girls working for costume design was the daughter of one of their supervisors at work. He did enough socializing throughout the day with those that mattered. It seemed like a bad habit, but he didn't consider this kind of chosen socialization as something unpleasant. It looked bad, but it got him to where he is. He was a Japanese salaryman and good salary men only do things that benefit their company. There was no other way but up. Kyoya took his briefcase and was about to head back to the office to drop off some documents.
"Ootori-san, will you and Kuze-san be joining us for the team dinner?" Julia asked.
Kuze placed his arm around Kyoya and brazen smiled. "Of course, we'll be there! Right, Ootori-kun?"
Kyoya was uncomfortable with the sudden closeness. He could feel the sweat of his co-worker sticking to his shirt and it was almost too much for him to handle. "I'm sorry, I have to drop a few documents-"
"Ah, you can do that tomorrow. No one's gonna sign those even if you bring it now. It's 10:00pm." Kuze reasoned. "I know you're the best in our department, but we've gotta enjoy ourselves."
Julia found herself looking at the two. Ootori-san was the workaholic type. He was sociable only when he needs to. Kuze-san was the opposite. No further explanations were needed at this point.
"Mizushima-san, where are we going?" Kuze asked.
"Ah, there's a club the girls were raving about. They said the place had good ambiance, but I've never been there though."
Kyoya sighed. It looks like he was going to be late with his usually meetings with Tamaki. He texted Tamaki and put away his phone. It can't be helped since work was work. There might be some merit with getting to know the members from the other teams.
The familiar neon sign glared on Kyoya's glasses. Apparently, this was the club with good ambiance and food. It was just his luck now. There's no turning back.
"Irashaimase"
The familiar greeting rang through his ears. Today's theme was Bakamatsu. It was a personal favorite theme of the King. It didn't take long until Tamaki found his target.
"Kyoya! I thought you couldn't make it." Tamaki lunged forward and greeted his friend with valor.
"Oi, Kyoya-senpai. We thought you got over your playboy days. Why bring all these pretty ladies with you?" Hikaru teased. He smiled at the other members of the team. "I hope the Shadow King has been treating you well."
Hikaru looked at the astonished crowed behind him. He wanted to stir up some trouble. Ever since Kyoya started working he's tamed down somehow.
Kuze froze. "Shadow king? I thought that nickname would have ended in high school."
"It's a joke." Kyoya replied lightly. "Right, Hikaru?"
The all too familiar chill ran down Hikaru's spine. Kyoya hasn't lost it one bit.
"What are you talking about, Hikaru?" Tamaki chuckled and placed his hand on his chest. "Kyoya has someone-"
"Let's put that erroneous information aside now." Kyoya smiled. "Tamaki, could you please show us to our table? You're making these women wait awfully too long."
Tamaki was now distracted from a possible monologue and has gone into host mode. Kyoya was safe for now. Being a regular guest here, he was often mistaken as a host. Kuze noticed that most of the regular customers greeted Kyoya as well.
"Oi…Ootori-kun, I didn't know you frequented this kind of place." Kuze replied. He felt uncomfortable. Maybe that's the reason why Kyoya didn't seem to pay attention to girls.
The other girls were curious to hear it as well. It was one of the few times Tamaki had impeccable timing.
"It's shocking how someone as serious as Kyoya would go to a host club, but he's one of my investors. My accountant and fund manager." Tamaki praised. "I would have definitely gone bankrupt without my bestfriend, but enough about Kyoya. You're my guests. Which host do you wish for tonight?"
"The orange haired one earlier." One of the girls replied.
"Ah, Hikaru will be with you shortly."
Kyoya got Hikaru as a part-timer because he was good at getting customers to bring out money. More drinks spent means more money. More drinking games means more money. He did quite the feat today, the champagne tower capped their monthly quota just like that. Unfortunately, Kyoya had to take a lot more shots as his female companions refused drinking at a certain point. They've all reached their limit. He was lucky to be sober enough to get a taxi for some of his co-workers. He hailed another taxi for his senpai. Hopefully he can get home in one piece.
Kyoya and Julia realized they were headed the same way and decided to wait for the next bus. Tamaki's host club was just a few blocks away from the bus stop. Kyoya massaged his left shoulder gently as they were waiting for the next bus. He briefly looked at Julia who was checking out her phone scrolling through whatever social media app.
"That was quite a party." Julia said as she massaged her temples. Her cheeks were flushed pink and she was still a bit drunk. She watched the video of her co-workers play online. It looked a lot more fun in the video than in real life.
"Yes, Hikaru is known for starting drinking games." Kyoya replied.
"I'm sure you've reached your quota for the month." Julia mused.
Kyoya leaned against the wall cooly replied "Thank you for your patronage. I hope you come back and visit more often."
"You're quite odd, Ootori-san. You're the type who does things for benefit, but why did you go tonight?" Julia asked.
"You're drunk, Mizushima-san."
"No, I'm right." Julia looked at him earnestly. "Humor me then. Why else would you spend a Saturday night out with a bunch of women? Yuki-chan was persistently trying to get your attention."
"Yuki-san? The makeup artist?" Kyoya confirmed. He was quite drunk he was getting the makeup artist and the stylist mixed up.
"The extra hand cream move was something new." Kyoya briefly looked at his hand and smelled it. There was still a faint hint of tangerine. "Would you do something like that?"
"Maybe if I liked the guy, but-" Julia snorted and shook her head suddenly changing her mind. "No, not really."
"What would you do then?"
"I'm not really sure. I've never had someone I liked before. I'm not exactly looking for a relationship."
They saw the last bus approaching. It was surprising enough they needed to get on the same bus already. They really were heading in the same direction.
Julia's sentiment earlier was something Kyoya understood. He didn't find himself wanting a relationship. He didn't want to actively look for someone "on the market". Julia also seemed to be deep into her own thoughts.
"Like those dating apps, it feels superficial." Julia suddenly blurted out. "Best foot forward? Only to find out the trash hidden underneath all that. I'd rather not."
Kyoya looked at her. "You've tried those?"
"Yes, and they all want something easy. It's easy to know what they're thinking and what it is they want." Julia sighed. "I don't want that kind of relationship. If that's all there is to it, then I'm not interested."
"That's an interesting thought. It must be your western side talking." Kyoya replied. There was no need to point out that Julia was a hafu. It was obvious.
"What's wrong with wanting an authentic relationship? I don't want to be married just because society dictates it. I'm not going to quit my job and become a housewife." Julia responded passionately. "I've worked too hard to lose my identity and just become someone's wife or mother. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing bad with being a housewife or a mother, but I just don't see myself being that person."
Kyoya listened more to Julia and her feelings about a lot of topics. Alcohol makes her quite the talker. She's a lot more reserved when they see each other at work. He never thought he saw someone who felt the same way about plenty of things. They just had different ways of expressing their frustration with society.
"How about you, Kyoya? I've been doing all the talking." Julia smirked. "What do you want in life?"
"Money." He said without any hesitation.
Julia laughed. "You're straightforward. That had no filter at all."
"What's the point of keeping my guard up when you've let all of yours down?" Kyoya replied. "I want to be rich. I don't have other goals besides that."
"No, but who doesn't want money?" Julia elaborated. "What do you want to do for the rest of your life to get money? Being a salary man might not get you there."
"I want to run my own business." Kyoya bit his lip. "I want to run something that's useful. Something that's a necessity. I don't know what kind of business, but I'm not going to start something frivolous."
"Ah, so basic services? Like food, healthcare, transportation, clothing, and I don't know… Funeral parlors?"
Kyoya wasn't able to hide his amusement. "Funeral parlors?"
"Have you ever met anyone who hasn't died?" Julia asked.
Kyoya shook his head. It was true, but that line of business had its own stigma. "Why not a little bit of everything?"
"Wow, you've got quite a goal there." Julia teased. "You seem to be determined enough to get there."
Kyoya nodded. The fatigue was starting to get to the both of them. The rest of the trip was silent until Kyoya he was almost at his stop.
"I'm getting down here." Julia said as she held her bag. She fixed her hair and bit the dry skin on her lip.
"So am I."
It was just one coincidence after another. Apparently, Julia moved to this area two weeks ago. She was few streets away from his.
"You live close to the 6-11 convenience store?" Kyoya asked.
Julia nodded. "Yup, the apartment complex right beside it. How about you?"
"The building in front of the park."
"That's on the other side." Julia raised a brow.
"I don't think I can let anyone walk alone at this time." Kyoya stated.
"Wow, such a gentleman." Julia said with a hint of sarcastic awe. "You don't look like the type."
"I'm not, but there's this man who was following us earlier." Kyoya stated. He noticed that the man was trailing on Julia. So, he decided on a last-minute change of route. It was an additional 5 to 10-minute walk so it wasn't much. "There are reports of those kinds of people in this area."
"This is it." Julia said. "Thanks for walking me home."
She'd be lying if it the gesture didn't make her heart race a little bit. Kyoya waved when he saw her enter the building.
"Stay safe!" Julia said as Kyoya walked away.
He turned briefly and nodded. He tucked his hands in his pockets and made his way home. He must be tired from all the walking and drinking. It wasn't like him to feel his heart beat this fast.
Julia tapped her nose. "Would it be better to get a peach or a watermelon for dessert?"
"You've been standing there for a while, Mizushima-san." Kyoya stated.
Julia almost dropped her groceries. "Ootori-san, what a surprise to see you here." She laughed at her own generic statement. She looked at the dark-haired man holding his grocery basket. "That was stupid. You live in the area."
A small smile found its way to Kyoya's face as he watched her make one of the most groundbreaking decisions. "The peach looks better."
"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing." Julia agreed. She held the peach, but then the thought of having an ice-cold watermelon was also tempting. The thought of a nice cold watermelon with its slightly crunchy texture and that hint of sweetness was also something she wanted.
Simultaneously as Julia was pondering which fruit to get, Kyoya was also having an inner debate with himself as well. Was it a good idea to talk to someone from work? Should he engage in conversation or maintain a strictly professional relationship? Or was he going to risk with going into uncharted waters?
Kyoya took the watermelon. "I felt like buying this, but I think it's too much for me to eat this myself." This was it. He was going to jump into the unknown. "Do you want to have some with me?"
Julia held the peach and nodded. "I guess I'll have to buy more peaches to share."
It was too early for them to visit each other's homes. They weren't in that level of friendship yet. However, the mundane task of getting groceries was more bearable with company. Even the boring bus ride a few nights ago wasn't so boring. Kyoya wasn't very familiar with this kind of feeling.
"What do you usually do during Sundays?" Julia asked. "Is there any place to go to here?"
"There's a street not too far from here that has a few family owned restaurants. It's not as lively as the ones downtown, but it's good enough."
"It sounds interesting enough to go to and I don't feel like cooking dinner. Care to join me?" Julia asked. She wasn't exactly sure if he would accept the invitation, but she would be lying to herself if she didn't find the man in front of her good looking. She would also be lying if she didn't have a slight crush on him.
"Why not? I don't feel like having instant noodles again."
It's been the longest three days for Julia. On the first night, Kyoya had an emergency operation. They were told that if he makes it through the first 24 hours after that, there should be little complication. Unfortunately, he suffered a fever on his first night. He was placed on a respirator and was brought to the ICU for close monitoring. For two days, she watched Kyoya from a distance no one could go in.
It was just today when they deemed it was safe enough for them to go inside the room. She held Kyoya's hand and sighed. She was telling him about the peach and watermelon his upperclassman from Ouran bought and how she wanted him to try it. It was shipped from Hokkaido, so it was grade A quality. Tamaki told her about Kyoya's history with Kuze and how they were basically mortal enemies, but even in this situation the guy decided to drop by with some peaches, watermelons, and an inhumane number of oranges.
"Neh, Kyoya. When you wake up let's have some meat, okay?" Julia bit her lip as she looked at him.
This was the price he had to pay. This was supposed to be done by her, but Kyoya took the liberty of taking that burden off her hands. She didn't even notice the things he saw. She blamed herself for what happened, but Kyoya's parents assured her that it was Kyoya's choice. He decided to take the bullet for her. She then realized how different Kyoya was. She thought they were probably on the same level, but he was completely different. He anticipated things that she couldn't have even imagined. He saw problems before they materialized. He singlehandedly fixed and paved the way for her to waltz in safely into the company.
Haruhi knocked on the door. "Do you want something to drink? I'm getting some coffee."
"No thank you. I'm good." Julia replied.
"You should go home and rest. You've been here for three days." Haruhi said out of concern. "Tamaki and I will stay here tonight."
Julia tried to hold back her tears. "No, it's fine. I have to stay."
"You should rest." Haruhi insisted. "He's going to have another operation tomorrow and knowing you…you wouldn't go home again."
"Maybe I should." Julia said. She felt so drained. Physically she had no sleep, but the emotional toll this was taking on all of them also started to show its effects. She didn't even notice Haruhi leave the room.
She looked at Kyoya. One could barely recognize him anymore. His face has all these bruises. His neck still had marks of being strangled. He couldn't breathe by himself and there was a tube sticking out of his chest. There were all these contraptions and machines monitoring what was happening to him. What was bothersome was why he wouldn't wake up. Doctors were looking at all these images of Kyoya's brain stating that he had no outward brain damage. The doctors spoke about the possible effects of extreme trauma and other chemical imbalances that they need to manage.
"I'm so sorry." She said as she sat down. She kissed his hand. "Please, stay strong for me. I can't lose you too."
Julia's grip on his hand tightened and she whispered. "I love you, Kyoya. Please, don't leave me."
She would trade everything. Her money, her family, and her newfound position and society for Kyoya. She didn't care if Kyoya had money or not. Those things for her didn't matter. She didn't fall in love with the wealth or family he flaunted. She fell for him because of who Kyoya was and she felt like as time passed by, the more difficult it was for her to get him back.
Kyoya held his grocery bag tightly. He could feel his fingers growing numb. The pub he knew wasn't too far from the grocery. Just a 10-minute walk. It was up the hill and the roof deck had a spectacular view. They walked through the neighborhood which wasn't very spectacular either. It had the usual laundromat, a few restaurants, and a single café. It wasn't the best place to start a business, since it's too far for most people to visit.
"Where are we going?" Julia asked.
"There's this pub that sells good quality meat." Kyoya said.
When they got there, they saw three middle aged men. They looked more like bodyguards than anything.
"Oi, Ajima we have a customer."
The three men looked at the sole customer that entered. "Irashaimase" the men greeted.
"Ah, it's you again." The cashier greeted. Tachibana recognized their new regular. He would usually have two orders of beef and a beer without fail. It was the first time they saw him with company.
The tall man wore shades and gave them a menu. "Will you stay at the usual spot?"
"It is alright if we stay at the roof deck?" Julia asked.
Tachibana nodded. "It's no problem, madam. Please, follow me."
Kyoya and Julia had dinner in peace they sat across each other as they watched the sun set over the busy Tokyo skyline. The warm orange glow contrasted the dark colors of the buildings. Kyoya still couldn't shake off this feeling that he met her before. He asked about her past discreetly. The more he found out the more alien she felt. She graduated from St. Lobelia and went to college at Ouran University. They felt like they were worlds apart, but why did she seem so familiar?
"This place has good food. Why is it so empty?" Julia asked as grilled some more meat.
"The style of the place." Kyoya stated. "It looks like it came out of the 90's."
Julia nodded. The interiors and the intimidating employees who looked like they were going to beat you up if you didn't order properly wasn't a good idea. The roof deck had a nice feel to it. The paper lanterns had its charm. She decided to post it on her social media account and took a video of the view, the food, and the company.
"Ootori-san, say 'Hi'" Julia said as she looked through the screen of her phone as she panned through the room. Kyoya nodded raised his beer when he saw the camera directed at him.
"Do you have a social media account? I'll tag you."
Kyoya showed his QR code and he saw Julia's latest post. "Wow, you have a lot of followers."
He was legitimately surprised. It was ten thousand followers. Then if made sense to him that a lot of those followers would be the fans of the idols she managed. He looked at her posts and she did have photos of them occasionally.
"Hey, look!" Julia smiled as she browsed through her phone. She suddenly sat beside Kyoya and showed him what was playing in the ads. It was the first ad they made with the melon flakes. The concept was quite psychedelic, but that's what made it so viral.
"It's even becoming a dance challenge now." Kyoya realized.
"Right?" Julia had so much pride right now. "That would teach those guys from Higuma station a thing or two."
Kyoya found her competitive outburst entertaining. They were the reason why they suddenly had to reschedule their events which made logistics more difficult. He watched the commercial again with her. It was probably the third time they've seen in now. He ignored his heart beating so fast. Julia was seated too close to him. He could feel her leg brush slightly against his. He could smell her perfume and he didn't notice how he's been staring at her.
"Do I have something on my face?"
Suddenly Kyoya was back. Initially, being assigned to the melon cornflakes project was something he resented, but now he was looking forward to each meeting.
After the scandal on the tabloids with Megumi being pregnant with Hikaru's child and Ranka's funeral, things started to slow down. Kaouru was sure that there was something more happening. Julia was often seen with Yoshio Ootori now and was acting as his personal assistant. Chizuru wasn't sure now what to think. Rumors said that she was becoming Yoshio's…escort. Kaoru though knew Ootori's were always deliberate with their actions. Their family values refused to let them be seen with an escort. He was no expert with mind games, but something was going on and he wasn't sure what it was.
Kaoru watched the Shadow King sleep. He looked at his watched and sat on the edge of the bed. It was almost 11:00 am and he showed no signs of waking up anytime soon. He heard Kyoya's phone ringing. Milord's personal ringtone was playing. It's been the 8th call since he got to Kyoya's room.
Alas, the Shadow King awoke. Kaoru watched him silently as he took his glasses to see what in the world was happening.
"Milord called you eight times already." Kaoru said. "What's for lunch? I'm hungry already."
Kyoya was startled by the sudden company he had. "What are you…"
"I'm trying to get answers." Kaoru laying on his stomach and he cupped his face with his hands. "I feel like you know something about this."
"About what?" Kyoya rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Kaoru told him about what was bothering him. In turn, Kyoya explained that he knew about Julia spying on soichuru. Kyoya was aware that she was trying to get enough evidence for Haruhi to prove his guilt. Kyoya knew everything that was going on, but it didn't mean he agreed with it. Kaoru sat on the edge of Kyoya's bed.
"Why won't you stop her?" Kaoru asked.
"I'm in no position to dictate her actions." Kyoya said as she stood up. He took of his shirt and got a new set of clothes for the day.
Kaoru understood that sentiment, but this was Soichuru Fujiwasa. "But-"
"At this point, she's far ahead of me and I have no right to say anything against her." Kyoya's voice was slightly muffled as he placed on a shirt.
"Yeah, I know-"
Kyoya looked back and Kaoru with confidence. "With that being said, it doesn't mean I'm not doing anything. Let's just say that I'm doing what I can to make things easier on her end."
Awe and realization hit Kaoru. It didn't completely put him at ease, but things were clearer now. Not to mention that Kyoya looked so cool.
"You were really cool just now. Milord must be rubbing off on you." Kaoru said.
"But that doesn't explain why you came to my bedroom uninvited." Kyoya said as he placed Kaoru in a head lock.
"I still have more questions!" Kaoru protested.
Kyoya sighed. He sat down on the couch and stretched his neck. He could feel how stiff his muscles were right now. The pressure was starting to get to him now. Tachibana discreetly entered the room and brought snacks and refreshments for them.
"So what exactly is Julia doing?"
"She's trying to weaken the alliance between Soichuru Fujiwasa and Koharu Miyura." Kyoya sipped some coffee.
"Then…" Before Kaoru could complete his sentence. Things started to make sense. "So, she's working closely with your father and gives information to Soichuru?"
"Precisely, but she's also giving information to my father since the dissolution of this particular alliance benefits him." Kyoya explained. He left out a few facts and string he pulled to open up these little cracks.
"Julia's so cool. She's like a double agent." Kaoru nodded his head slowly. Now understanding what he saw. "But wait, then Haruhi is working with your father?
"Yes, let's say that the Mizushima Family and ours go a long way back. He's in need of a lawyer to take that case to court." Kyoya explained.
"And Soichuru is involved in this?"
Kyoya nodded. "It won't be long until the trial. Haruhi has enough evidence."
He understood why Kaoru was being suspicious about this. The Hitachiin family wasn't the type to engage in these kinds of politics. They were a family of artists and free-spirited individuals. Being involved in a case like this was worrisome for them. He watched his underclassman relax. Dealing with a scandal on this level was beyond any of them now.
"Thanks for trusting me enough to tell the truth, Kyoya-senpai." Kaoru leaned against the chair. The weight on his shoulders was almost gone now.
"It's no problem."
What no one else knew was the consequence it took on Kyoya's conscience. The number of people he had to step on. He knew he was capable of getting a position in the Mizushima Corporation without taking these necessary measures, but it wasn't fast enough. He even created a false heir, a man with a questionable past who had is fair shares of killing, that needed to be disposed of. With the right amount of manipulation, he gave the information to Soichuru who finished the job for him. Losing another life was just collateral damage now. It also had an unintended effect of harming the Mizushima Corporation along with it. That gave him enough leverage to become one of the board members now. The price was steep, but it should be worth it. The largest gains came with with the greatest risks.
Unfortunately, there was one miscalculation. Kyoya didn't take into consideration the lengths that a desperate madman would take for revenge. That desperation couldn't be put into numbers or probability. It was a wild card that wasn't supposed to materialize. In the brief time he let his guard down, Soichuru found a way up and that was how he found himself here. Laying still on a hospital bed with Honey, Mori, and Kasanoda watching over him.
Honey sat down and looked at Kyoya. At least there's been progress with his health. His operation was a success. He looked at the drawing Ageha left on the wall.
'Cyborg Shadow King' was written and there was a drawing of Kyoya's entire right side of the body being made from metal. Honey smiled since it was true now. All those jokes about Kyoya being a robot had some truth to it now. The surgeons placed all sorts of bolts, screws and titanium implants on Kyoya's body considering the number of fractures he had.
"Mori-senpai, isn't there anything we can do?" Kasanoda asked.
Mori looked at Kyoya briefly. "We're doing our part by supporting what Kyoya's worked for regardless of the outcome."
No one in the Host Club withdrew their shares from the affected companies. The rational decision was to sell stocks and let someone else become the owner by buying off the corporation, but they stood their ground. Majority of the shareholders have gone, but there were a few who stood their ground.
"A lot of employees were planning on resigning today." Kasanoda clenched his fists. "Ever since the news leaked that he was in critical condition, it's just been getting worse."
"How did you know this?" Honey asked.
"A couple of guys…they were ex-yakuza." Kasonada explained. "Kyoya-senpai took them under his wing. Now, there's not a lot of people left."
There was no need to elaborate on the story. It wasn't something he wanted to remember. A large gang war in Tokyo happened eliminating a few clans. There were a few survivors, but no one was brave enough to offer them jobs. Kyoya was the only one who gave them an opportunity. That was how Kyoya earned the respect of the underworld.
It was all over the news that Kyoya's properties and other possessions were being sold. Everything was done to make sure all businesses were afloat. What couldn't be secured were the other projects. One company after another fought over the projects being headed by Kyoya. As the days passed, there was almost nothing left.
The air in the room was heavy. Even Tamaki who was usually so cheerful wasn't being his usual self lately. Honey couldn't even bring himself to eat cake. It didn't sit well with all of them that all of this was happening. Right now, they were all waiting and praying that Kyoya continued to fight.
What started as a simple dinner found itself multiplying. Even after their project with the melon flakes, it became a weekly occurrence for Kyoya and Julia to meet and have dinner at the pub. They were creatures of habit but there was room for a few changes. Initially they sat across from each other, but lately they've been seating next to each other.
"Do you want to go on a trip next month?" Kyoya asked. It was the modern era. They were adults who earned a living and going on a trip alone wasn't a big deal in this day and age. There was no reason for him to be ashamed with such a question.
"Like a vacation?"
"Yeah, there's a few holidays that would let us have a few days off." Kyoya couldn't look at Julia directly. He had to be calm about this. He couldn't let himself look too eager.
"That sounds like a plan. Where do we go?" Julia pressed her lips together. It was going to be her first time to travel alone with a man. She wasn't sure what to do.
"You want to visit Hokkaido? We can go the Summer festival." Kyoya suggested. It was one of the top destinations for couples based on his research.
Before she could reply, Tachibana, Ajima, and Hotta went to their table and gave another serving of meat.
"Ah, we didn't order this." Kyoya said.
"It's on the house." Tachibana replied. "We're closing the pub soon. You two have been our regulars."
"You can't close." Julia protested. "You guys have really good food."
Hotta rubbed the back of his neck. "We're not doing so well with profits. We might not make it until next month unless we get another loan."
"Have you tried getting an accountant to counter-check your expenditures?" Julia asked. She was genuinely concerned about this place.
"We couldn't afford such a thing." Hotta replied.
"Maybe I can be of assistance." Kyoya said. It would be a waste if this place closed too soon. "Is it alright if I take a look at your ledger?"
The three men looked at each other. Although they looked tough, they were gentle spirits. They scampered to look for all the things Kyoya needed. Tachibana gave him all their records and another serving of meat. Julia watched Kyoya analyze the situation in front of him. She took another bite and they all watched him silently.
"What's the breakdown of your food expenditure?" Kyoya asked. The numbers didn't add up. It seemed like they were stocking up on too much food and not enough was being cooked.
Tachibana enumerated their costs and where it was sourced. Kyoya didn't leave a single item. He made the three write down all the items they usually needed. Then he started asking for which items were usually ordered. Even the recipe for all their dishes down to the average number of customers in a day and what their usual ages were all being asked.
"I see your problem. You have to downsize your menu." Kyoya browsed through the menu again. "Your food wastage is too high. Another issue is you aren't sourcing your ingredients directly from the source. The additional costs from those can be fixed. I'm going to need some time and more information, but this is something that can be fixed."
Tachibana, Ajima, and Hotta looked at him in awe with a hint of fear. He looked like a strict man. Strict, but thorough. Kyoya then asked if they could give him all the information he needed by next week and from there they'll take the next step. They insisted on giving the couple's meal for free, but instead the two paid for it in full and even left a tip.
Truly, it was a blessing from the heavens.
"I think I found something more interesting than a trip to Hokkaido." Julia said as they walked down the street.
Kyoya nodded. "I think we'll be going here more often."
It didn't take long for the three men to produce the information Kyoya requested. The more Kyoya looked into their problem, the more he saw how much work was to be done. The only redeeming quality this pub had was the food tasted good, everything else was a mess. This was exactly the kind of thrill he was looking for.
"You guys get a lot of customers from the area." Julia looked at their customer's profiles. Most of them were salarymen who stopped by before going home or housewives who bought food for lunch.
"You know, I think this place needs a theme." Julia pointed out. "You call this place a pub, but it feels more like a takeout shop."
The comment stabbed the three men. Julia looked gentle but her words were harsh and true. She took out her phone and looked through the place with her camera. "Most customers now look for ambiance. All the good places now have that factor where they can take a good photo to remember their visit. The roof deck is nice but there's still room for improvement. The the first-floor needs a lot of redecorating."
Julia showed the three men all the famous restaurants similar to theirs that were getting plenty of customers. They realized her point when all had a common theme.
"Sometimes, it's not even about the food but the ambiance." Julia stated. She showed them a restaurant with gorgeous interiors and the number of posts it had on social media. "This place is all ambiance. They food is mediocre. However, look at their staff."
"They're all good looking." Tachibana noted. All the employees had a certain look. "It's too late for us to be like them."
"We're not going to make you look like them, but the fact here is even if their food sucks people go back because of the experience. You're very lucky that you have quality items. It's much easier to create ambiance than a good menu." Julia said.
"Hotta-san, can you show me the revised menu?" Kyoya asked. They needed to get items that complemented each other. The wastage with too many ingredients being bought was one of the largest costs. If they could put together a new menu with overlapping ingredients to minimize loses, that would be perfect.
Hotta handed over the newly made menu with all the ingredients listed. He watched Kyoya make computations for the possible pricing of their dishes.
"Can this be substituted with another ingredient? Although fresh ingredients are better it's too costly to keep this." Kyoya asked.
Ajima nodded. "There are canned preserves available. It's a bit saltier but we can change the recipe slightly to compensate."
Julia and Kyoya visited the pub as often as they could. Their inputs started to show some profit, but it still wasn't enough. With tax season coming, the three men weren't sure how they could keep themselves afloat.
Tachina confessed. "We appreciate all the help you've been giving us. We don't know how to repay your kindness, but we're not generating enough profits to pay for the business taxes."
"What kind of business permit did you apply for?" Kyoya pushed his glasses as he looked through all the documents one by one.
"Personal business permit." Tachibana replied.
Kyoya had a smile on his face. "You can incorporate your business instead to lessen the taxes by almost 15%." He took his calculator and did a few computations. "With your current revenue, you should break even with the costs."
Tachibana looked at Kyoya's computation. It was really going to get them to pass through the next tax season. There was still hope, but this was getting too technical for him. He was no business graduate.
"This looks promising." Hotta looked at their new ledger. It really was possible. "I don't even know how to do this kind of business. None of us are qualified to do this."
Kyoya pushed his glasses. "What do you think about having an investor?"
Julia smiled. She realized where Kyoya was going with this. He was going to take the risk now and she decided that she was going along with him. "I think we might have enough savings to give this place some proper branding."
Tachibana felt like he was young again. His dream to have a bustling business was becoming a reality. Ajima and Hotta were already opening more cans of beer to celebrate. Tachibana looked at the two bowed deeply to welcome their new members of the team. They were in a mood of extreme happiness right now. Julia suddenly stood up and walked the entrance. They four men watched her in silence.
She took a good look at the layout and drank her beer in one go. "Well then, since it's official let's do the next step." She stretched her arms and asked the four men to move the tables and chairs around. There was no time to waste.
What was supposed to be a vacation in Hokkaido became a renovation period for the pub. Kyoya found out that Hotta used to work in construction, but due to an injury he had no choice but to quit. They took down one of the walls to create more space. Julia and Ajima went shopping to get secondhand antiques and decors. Tachibana was printing out the new menu and fliers for their reopening. For three straight days, they worked tirelessly until it was complete.
Julia put her hair up as she looked at the pub. It was an improved look. What was once a plain 90's décor restaurant was now a trendy hangout place. She even placed it on her social media and Kyoya also invited his friends to go.
"We some time to eat before we open." Kyoya said. "Let's get ourselves ready."
Ajima was the most intimidating looking member of the group. He was a man of few words, but he always got the job done. "We have a gift for you."
The man took out two name tags with Kyoya and Julia's name. He pinned it on their shirts and smiled. Koban Incorporated was officially listed as a business.
Hotta stretched out his hand and Ajima placed his on top. Tachibana followed soon after. Julia and Kyoya found this almost hilarious. The three men were old fashioned even with how they hyped themselves up. They felt like middle schoolers huddling during a sports festival. Julia joined in and Kyoya followed as well.
"Let's go Koban!"
The first day of Koban was filled with customers. They even had a waiting list and it was featured in several blogs. Nothing but good reviews were written. People even asked to have their photos taken with the three middle aged men. Julia's idea of making them wear the cutest patterned shirts made them seem more approachable. No one had the time to rest the moment they opened. The last customer just left 30 minutes after closing and everyone was drained.
Hotta had to put his feet up and he wiped his face with a damp towel. Tachibana was wiping down the remaining tables and Ajima brought out food for them to eat.
"Ootori-san, how much did we make?" Tachibana asked.
They all looked at Kyoya as he counted today's revenues. It was the first time they saw that much cash enter their register. Ajima was shaking his leg already. The suspense was killing them. Kyoya printed out the receipt.
"395,686.00 yen"
Hotta and Tachibana hugged each other, and they shouted. This was the largest sale they've ever had since opening. The trend continued and the business grew even more. What started with 300,000 yen was now at an average of 400,000. At the end of three months, they made their first million yen. With the growing demands of the restaurant, Kyoya realized that this was what he was looking for. He bet his life and permanently worked there. It surprised everyone in his company that one of their top employees left for such a risk. Tachibana offered that Kyoya take the lead as things were getting too complex. With offers from investors, they now had room to even open more branches. Julia then decided to work full time as well. She had a good network that could support their growing business. She found herself becoming the manager of the restaurant and Kyoya was Tachibana's business partner. He became the vice-president of Koban Incorporated.
What felt meaningless and monotonous was now changed with the challenges and risks that brought Kyoya purpose. He found that having a place that brought people together was what gave him fulfillment. It was why he liked managing the Host Club. He needed to have control over everything. That was his greatest fault. He was borderline obsessive and he knew he had a ruthless streak to him. He was also resourceful, and he knew finally what he wanted.
Suddenly time stopped. What felt like years of work suddenly stopped. He looked at his surroundings. He suddenly felt so light and dizzy. He could hear a machine beeping and the smell of medicine. His vision was become hazy. He took a last look around his surroundings. Hotta and Ajima froze while tossing each other more cans of beer. Tachibana sat there in silence watching the rest of them. Julia was laughing midway as she held his hand. For years, he felt lost just accumulating more companies one after another. He started projects that looked like it had more merit, but he saw what he lost now. It was that passion he had years ago. It was the passion his friends helped him find. With his previous experiences, he felt that he lost that passion and it turned into pride more than anything. It was a matter of proving it to others, not himself. It became about showing other people his abilities, but that wasn't what gave him happiness. Now he knew what it was he lost and it wasn't going to happen again.
The light feeling he had was suddenly replaced with such a heavy weight. The pain started to sink in and even breathing was burdensome. It felt like his body was run over by a train. Kyoya opened his eyes. He couldn't see anything and tried to look for his glasses. He moved his hand to the side table and was relieved to feel a pair of glasses. He was able to put in on but somehow, he felt so drained after that simple movement. He saw lots of cards posted on the wall. All were cheering him to keep fighting.
A nurse entered the room and gasped at what she saw. She rang the alarm notifying everyone what he was finally awake. The next person he saw running to the room crying was the last person he saw in his dream. She dropped the food she was holding and almost slipped as she went to Kyoya's side.
"Kyoya? Are you alright?" Julia sat on the edge of his bed and held his face.
"Yes." Kyoya replied. His throat felt so dry and his voice was so weak. He could barely hear himself. He wasn't sure how long he's been asleep.
He watched Julia cry out of relief as she held his hand. Kyoya looked at all the bandages and casts he had on his body. With all the strength he had, he wiped Julia's tears with his fingers. "I missed you, Mizushima-sama."
"I missed you too." Julia was sobbing uncontrollably now. It wasn't like her to breakdown like this, but this was a miracle. To hear Kyoya call her that was a relief. She wouldn't be here it if weren't for his efforts.
Doctors were already discussing about removing life support since it's been three weeks and Kyoya showed no signs of improvement. Today was the last day they were observing him before any decision was made. Even his shares in the Mizushima Corporation were lessened. Other members of the Ootori Group were already debating on buying Kyoya's company and scavenging whatever was left of it, but the Host Club protected it with all their might. They had to make sure their Shadow King still had something left when he woke up.
Tamaki He looked like he ran a marathon just to get there as fast as he could. Everyone from the Host Club was in the room. Honey, Hikaru and Kaoru were already crying. Even Haruhi found a few tears on her eyes and Mori was smiling. Everyone looked so tired. It was only there they realized how difficult it was to be Kyoya. He always protected them and now that they had to protect him. They realized it wasn't easy at all which made them appreciate Kyoya's efforts even more.
"Welcome back, Kyoya." Tamaki said. He looked at Kyoya and took a deep breath.
"I'm back, otousan."
OH MY GOD.
Of course I cannot kill Kyoya. Finally. It's officially over. Yes. This is the last official chapter. Everything else would be extras now. My poor heart poured so much into this that I can't believe it's over. Thank you so much for all your support. Thank you for reading until the end. Thank you thank you thank you. It took me years to write this and now it's finally done.
I found myself rereading the story and I noticed a few gaps and I'll be fixing those, but I'm finally done. I've tied all the loose ends I could think of.
This is just a segment for me to thank my reviewers who've been there.
Lillyannp- thank you for being there since the beginning. You were one of the first people who encouraged me to finish. It may not look like it but I've taken your reviews into consideration when I wrote certain elements of the story.
SarahELupin- you were also one of the reviews I looked forward to reading. You always noticed the details I placed. I actually spend more time researching that actual writing.
YaoiRPAlley- thank you for defending and encouraging me even with the negative reviews.
eggsamich, RTTree, siinner31, the-truly-wicked, musiqueismyjam1041, Paige McCarthy, fowlgirl19- thank you thank you thank you thank you.
To my inspiration and idol for writing amazing ouran fanfics mamabug thank you as well.
Now for those asking, yes there is an epilogue. All the omake's are just for me to write down my fantasies now. I cannot express my gratitude fully at this point.
