Chapter Thirty Two

Mitsukuni

"Ladies, this is Kana-chan. Kana-chan, this is Utano-chan, Emiko-chan, and Sachio-chan." I watched as my guests regarded Kana with smiles laced with jealousy. Women were easy to read like that. My cousin often said that it was easy to figure out who the bad guys are, and the same applied to the women who sought out our company.

Kana was harder. She wore a lovely mask of shyness and innocence, but that mask had cracks. Very obvious cracks. Takashi had noticed them before I did. He saw her loneliness and the wounds her mother had left her. Yet it still surprised me when he began seeking out her company.

"So you're Kana-chan." Utano leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm. I didn't like the tone in her voice. "We've heard about you."

"I'm not sure I want to know." Kana shifted uncomfortably. She sat between Takashi and I. I could only guess that Hika and Kao had dressed her that day. She wore a long-sleeved, knee-length dress that had a flowy patterned skirt. It was cute on her, but it made her look like everyone else.

Maybe I was selfish of Kana's cuteness. Not selfish for myself, but for Takashi.

"You're Amelia Claire's daughter, right?" Emiko's eyes lit up. "Do you think you could introduce us? What's she like?"

Kana's response took me by surprise. "She's quite busy so I don't see her often, but I'll see if she'll come visit campus sometime."

"It would be interesting to meet Kana-chan's mama." I gave the girls a sticky sweet smile. I took a sidelong glance at Takashi, who was casually pouring Kana a cup of tea. His knee was pressed ever so slightly against hers.

"Is that why you're so close to Hikaru and Kaoru? We've seen you walking around with them." Utano pressed.

"Kanami." Takashi's voice rumbled. I turned to see him gently bringing a forkful of cake to Kana's lips. Takashi's attempt at distraction worked-not only did Kana's cheeks flush, but the action sent the other women into a fit of giggles.

"Mori-senpai, why don't you feed us like that?" Sacho pouted.

"Don't tell me that Mori has a crush." Emiko's eyes widened.

"Honey-senpai, have you tried this?" Kana's voice had grown adorably high-pitched. Had we found a weakness of hers?

"You like cake too, Kana-chan?" I giggled. I reached for my own plate of cake and took a bite, relishing in the rush of sugar that hit my palate. Today's cake was vanilla with hints of citrus.

"I like this cake." She took another small bite.

"I wish I could eat sweets." Utano's voice held a sinister tone. "It must be nice to eat whatever you want."

"Why don't you?" Kana tugged at the hem of her skirt, pulling it further over her knees.

"I think you should eat more sweets, Utano-chan." I slid a piece of cake over to her. "Would you please try it?" I ducked my chin and looked at her with the best puppy dog eyes I could muster.

It worked, of course. While I was slowly growing out of the boy Lolta type, it was still easy to channel my inner softness. I let my attention return to Takashi and Kana. Takashi had draped an arm over the back of the couch, his fingers just barely brushing her shoulder. She was so small compared to him, but it was so easy to picture the two together.

I knew something had happened between them. Takashi had grown more and more protective of her. I found myself wondering what had happened when he spent the night with her, alone. I could picture the two of them. I knew the type of lover Takashi tended to be.

The mental image of him ravishing her was intoxicating. I envisioned him teasing her, pinning her with his strength and bringing her to a sweet, sweet edge. I wondered how her wetness tasted on his tongue, and if her fingers tangled in his hair while he was between her thighs. Did she scream or whimper as he poured into her?

God.

I quickly shoved a large bite of cake into my mouth, willing the images of Takashi fucking Kana out of my head.

She would probably be weirded out if she knew of my voyeuristic desires. But what if she wasn't?

Another bite.

-break-

Takashi and I left with Kana the second the Host Club closed for the night. I could tell Kana had grown exhausted from the interaction with our guests. Still, I had to admire her for keeping her cool despite their obvious jabs against her.

"Takashi's going to stay with us tonight. Hope that's okay." I linked my arm through Kana's as we walked to Takashi's car. Takashi walked behind us, carrying Kana's bag, as usual.

"Is it hard being away from him?" Kana asked.

"I think he misses me when I'm not around." I stuck my tongue out. "Don't you, Takashi?"

"Sometimes." Takashi smirked.

I heard my phone's text tone chime from within my pocket. I couldn't stop myself from smiling at the name that lit up the screen: Reiko.

To the one who has captured my soul, I have received a vision of great danger around the new treasure in your midst. I advise that you keep that treasure close until I can get a better reading.

What kind of danger, love? I managed to respond as we walked.

Of that I am uncertain. Might I meet this treasure?

"Say Kana-chan, would you like to meet my girlfriend?" I squeezed her arm. "She's asking."

"Your girlfriend?" A look of surprise crossed her face. "I'd love to. I'm sure she's lovely."

"She is." I grinned.

She'd like to meet you~ I'll see that it happens.

"What's your girlfriend like, Honey-senpai?"

"Hm. She's strange. She's very into the occult. In fact, she threatened to put a curse on me at first." I chuckled. "But I love her. We've grown so much together."

"Are you sure it isn't the curse?" Kana's eyes were wide.

"Do you believe in that stuff Kana-chan?"

"I'm not sure."

Takashi made a small warning noise. I broke my eyes away from Kana's to see another man headed straight toward us, absorbed in his phone as he walked. I managed to tug Kana out of his path, but he still clipped her shoulder as we passed.

"Ah, sorry!" He exclaimed. Takashi quickly moved closer to Kana, positioning himself between the two of them.

"Are you alright Kanami?" Takashi's eyes narrowed.

"I'm fine. I should've moved quicker." Kana gave Takashi a small smile.

"Kanami?" The man stopped. "Kanami Inao?"

"Should I know you?" Kana sounded almost defensive. I watched her eyes run over the man's unassuming frame. He didn't look dangerous, quite the opposite really. He reminded me of Haruhi when we first met her, with his shaggy black hair and thick glasses.

"Probably not. I'm in your development class, but neither of us talk much." He flashed a wide smile. "I'm Takumi Shido. You're new this semester, right? I've got a lot of experience, so if you need help-"

"She should be offering you help." I interrupted. "Kana-chan's smarter than you think."

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend." Takumi gave a small bow.

"Please don't apologize, Shido-san. I'll see you in class." Once Takumi had left us, Kana turned to me with a strange look on her face. "Honey-senpai, if I wind up having to tutor him…"

Takashi let out a small chuckle. Still, I couldn't help but notice the concern in his eyes as he watched Takumi disappear into a building. Takumi seemed harmless, but Takashi had a way of seeing through others. His silence made room for those around him to speak more, reveal more. I admired him for that.

I insisted that Kana sit in the front seat next to Takashi on our way to her house. The back seat was a small price to pay to watch them together. I pretended not to notice how his hand captured hers as he helped her into the car, and how he ran his thumb over her knuckles before he closed the door behind her.

It made me smile.

"Are you tired Kana-chan? Or can we stay up for a while together?" I shimmied over to the middle seat so I could talk to her easier. Not that there was much room to move-Takashi, despite his size, had a thing for sports cars.

"We've got an early morning tomorrow." Kana sighed. "I'm sure Mori-senpai will want to be out before my maid comes in."

"Can't you just tell her not to come?" I pouted.

"I think I have her number…" Kana pulled out her phone. "What excuse should I give her?"

"Hm. Tell her that you have two stunning men sleeping over and you want some privacy." I leaned forward and tickled her ear while I spoke.

"That's the truth though, not an excuse." She turned her head and gave me a goofy grin. Her words hinted that she had grown used to being flirted with, but the blush on her cheeks showed that my words had still gotten to her.

"Maybe I can finally repay you for the candy." I lowered my voice to a whisper.

"Honey-senpai!" She squeaked. "You two are keeping me safe, that's more than I could ever ask for."

"About that." Takashi's fingers drummed on the steering wheel.

"Have you heard something?" Kana asked as she typed out a message on her phone.

"Not yet. Kasanoda promised us that he would have an answer this weekend." I sighed and fell back against the car seat. "Apparently one of his guys found the person who had made the request, but he isn't talking."

"I don't think I want to know why he's promising information by this weekend." Kana wrapped her arms around herself.

Before I could speak, Takashi reached over and rested his hand on Kana's knee, not taking his eyes off the road. Kana seemed to immediately relax under his touch. She hesitantly put her hand on top of his, her fingers closing around his palm.

"Kasanoda isn't a bad guy." Takashi said quietly.

"But he is yakuza, and Takashi made it pretty clear that he wasn't going to let anything happen to you." I was torn between wanting to protect Kana from the severity of the situation and wanting her to know the truth. If Reiko's vision was correct, she would be finding out soon enough anyway.

"Is it wrong to admit that I'm afraid?" Kana stared straight ahead. I could barely read her expression through the reflection on the windshield.

"No." Takashi's voice was firm. "We can work through it."

"More training?"

"And meditation. Channel that fear and grow through it."

I couldn't help but smile. Takashi was an incredible teacher.

Kana's phone buzzed. Her face twisted into confusion as she read the message. "Did someone give Tamaki my number?"

"Tama-chan doesn't have your number?" I cocked my head to the side.

"Kyoya asked me not to give it to him. Something about 'his constant flirting being a distraction'." Kana's voice dropped an octave, imitating Kyoya's cool tone. "This message just sounds like him."

"What's it say?" I asked.

"'Dear princess, you looked positively radiant today. I hope to see more of your stunning figure soon'. God, who talks like that?" Kana wrinkled her nose. Takashi's grip noticeably tightened on her knee.

"Tama-chan doesn't text like that. It's mostly emojis and capital letters." I frowned.

"Probably a wrong number. I'll just block it." Kana shrugged.

We finally arrived at Kana's house. It was noticeably small compared to the other structures on Amelia Claire's estate. Kana convinced Takashi to park in her driveway, saying something about not caring what her mother thought about her having company, and besides, she wasn't afraid of a surprise visit when we were around.

The thought was comforting. Kana was showing trust in us. I knew it had to be hard for her. I didn't know the full story behind her past, but I knew enough to understand trust wasn't something she would give away freely.

Treasure indeed.