*Disclaimer I do not own Ouran Host Club, and never will.
Back In Our World
Chapter 11 The beginning of a surreal day.
Kaoru's POV
Clasped in my fingers, I wasn't paying attention to the golden eyes reflecting off the dark polished glass but the chocolate eyes I woke up to this morning . The eyes that surprised the hell out of me when I checked the morning's digital mail. The entire morning felt so surreal …..So dream like…
First waking up absolutely alone in a strange bed, I don't even remember sliding into the night before. Next, after realizing the bed I was sleeping in belonged to my brother. I whipped the overstuffed cover off my body to leap out of bed and head for the bathroom. But instead of plumes of steam drifting from the door I found it empty.
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A little after that the front desk informed me Hika had left for an important meeting. Which in itself isn't just unusual and out of character but truly bizarre for my twin. You add the update I've dreamed for ….no, burned for all these desperate, lonely years she vanished….. To just pop in my email one morning while having my omelet and coffee. After that it kind of felt like I was going to wake up any minute on the runway in nothing but my boxers…like I said it was a surreal morning.
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"Hitachiin-sama, may I call someone to have your bags delivered to your hotel." A woman's voice caused me to peel my entranced eyes from my tablet's screen to catch sight of a pair of dull blue eyes leaning down to peek into mine.
"Ah yes, thank you but I only need the one, leave the rest on the plane …..As you know we'll only be here a few days." With my head I nod to the oversized dark brown leathered case setting out by itself. In my extensive travels I found it's rather a good idea to have at least one suitcase out of the belly of the plane, and available at a moment's notice.
A tall slender woman with golden spun hair pinned in a french twist gives me a wide welcoming smile. I wouldn't be surprised if my brother picked the blond out personally, but seeing as she is not giving me any kind of sign that we've ever slept together and this jet is used mainly for my own travels, I'm guessing he hasn't quite made it to this one ….yet …..Or he never intends to and is just filling my plane with women who could never indulge my guilty pleasure. "Of course sir, I'll see that the one bag is sent to your room at the Embassy Suites."
"Ah, thank you." Swiftly standing from my seat I manage to stretch my arms over my head and bend my legs a bit. Reaching over to the next chair to grab hold of my short camel overcoat and a small leather carryon before making my way to the exit of the jet.
A little while later…..
My fingers wrap around my stainless steel phone for the countless time today. With a few graceful passes along the glistening glass with my thumb I let out a long breath between my lips before bringing it to my ear.
"Ring."
"Ring."
"Hey Kao, how's the flight?" Letting out a relieved sigh once I finally hear my brother's distracted voice.
"Hikaru, where have you been? I've been calling you." I couldn't help but whine a bit at my twin, since this morning it almost felt like my older brother was avoiding me.
"Oh, you know me I had that emergency meeting and had to interview a few models …..etc. …etc." With my brother's words my hand holding my phone to my ear tightened around the piece of metal. Of course it's exactly what I thought…. he couldn't go one night without his little playdates …..Most likely he slipped out in the middle of the night to meet up with one of them.
An acid feeling begins to bubble in my stomach with the thought of my brother sneaking out to see his playdate instead of seeing me off for who knows how long. "You couldn't even spare a minute to text me back."
"Sorry Kao, I've been busy little brother and away from my phone." Oh Hika just admit you miss her….instead of distracting yourself with your little playdates.
Recognizing at this moment there's really nothing I can do for my brother while I'm away. I certainly don't want to confront him while I'm traveling abroad .Hell, there isn't much I can do until he can admit it to himself. "Oh, I see you been that kind of busy."
.
"Opps you caught me, I needed something to keep me distracted while my brother flies off for who knows how long." My eyes catch sight of my tablet peeking from my half zipped carryon bag. The tablet that holds her enhanced and enlarged picture. Another feeling washes over me, a twisting, nasty feeling I've never felt when talking with my twin. The feeling forces my golden eyes to pull from what's peeking from my bag to the teal carpet under my paused feet.
Fraught with this new ugly feeling I force myself to swallow down hard, preparing myself to bare my soul to my brother. "Hika, something happened this morning…. I need to speak with you about it."
"Oh?"
Damn it! I can't, who knows how he'll react …..It could send him over his emotional limit while I'm gone…..I just have to live with the new crappy feeling. Nervously pressing down on my lip with my teeth before allowing my condemning words to fall from my mouth. Causing the new nasty feeling to be sealed deep in my chest …to live with it until I can come clean with my twin. "Never mind…. I'll just talk about it with you the next time…. I see you."
"Well, I guess we'll talk about it face to face when you get back then."
"Hey Kao, my assistant is waving me into another meeting …..I need to let you go. Okay?" Yeah right, I'm sure he's not even at the office but at home twisted around at least one naked model, trying their best to imitate an X-rated pretzel.
Letting out a depressed sigh as I'm reminded after numerous attempts my freaking assistant won't even return my phone calls. Have one little guilty pleasure in your office and you get nothing but a cold shoulder …..Hell, what does that irritating woman want from me….. a car? "Yeah, I should try and call mine and see if she will even take my call yet." Hopefully she will get over being pissed with me after a few days away at the Hitachiin hot spring. Which I managed to arrange for her while I was there…..then maybe she'll forward my work that I'm sure is screaming for my immediate attention.
"Hey Kao, why not give her a little more time, I think she stepped out for a minute."
My polished leather oxfords halted with my brother's words. "Wait she's there, I thought she was going on vacation?"
"Ah, she must have come in to finish a few things up….before she leaves." Hmm, maybe my little hot spring invitation worked?
My brother's voice echoes in my ears ….as my head drifts to his heartbreaking words from last night …
With my wet touch my brother peeks an eye in my direction. He closes it and pauses to think about his words. Turning his head to gaze into my eyes with an almost panicked expression all over his face. "Kao, while your away on your trip ….are you even going to miss me?"
Damn it, I can be such a shitty brother! Here I'm accusing him of leaving me behind to have one of his little playdates when he swore to me …no women. What the hell am I thinking? Name one time my brother ever spoke a falsehood to anyone, let alone to me. That's the one thing Hika shared with …well our past "friend"…. our currently photographed past friend .I'm pretty sure her blunt honesty is what caused Hika to turn his head in her direction in the first place ….and you call yourself his twin .His sweet words last night were painfully honest and struck to my core. "Yeah, that's probably it, I'll call her later….Hey Hika about what you said at the hot spring….. I already miss you, man."
"I love you too, Kao."
Hearing my brother's words caused me to pull in my breath as I'm barely able to squeeze enough air to push out the words from my guilty heart. "Me too Hika, I'll see you soon."
The call ended with my head fallen in disgust, pointed down to see my polished leather oxfords step on the world famous teal carpet. The carpet that looks like it leaped straight out of some 1980's vintage video game. With a firm resolve I force the guilty feeling to be locked away for now. I only have a small amount of time here ….and it was time to get to work. Lifting my head while pushing my feet forward to see a green and white sign. :
"You are now leaving the PDX airport, please come back soon."
After passing the sign I quickly enter the silver rotating doors of the airport to find myself outside in the dreary grey weather. I wonder if they make people go through these damn things so they can't turn around once they see the actual weather. Extending my hands to tug the collar of my overcoat closer to my neck to shield me from the slight chill in the air. Noticing that I was dry for the moment caused me to lift my eyes to a shimmering canopy of clear glass far over my head where you could see wandering small streams of accumulated raindrops cascade down the glass.
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Stepping out on the cold, grey sidewalk outside of the airport I find the car I arranged for myself before leaving Japan. Walking up to the driver that held out a white dry erase board with my name sprawled out in black ink. "I'm Hitachiin….please take me down town to the Embassy Suites, around Broadway."
A little while later...
It wasn't long before the black car found its way emerging into the gloomy weather. Sounds of drizzling drops striking against the metallic roof breaks the still nature of the hushed car. The car slowly rolls its wheels at a snail's pace, stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. Making the most of this time I reach into my bag to quickly find my fingers wrapped around my phone and up to my ear.
"Ring."
"Ring."
"Moshie, Moshie, you've reached the Komatsu Agency, Komatsu-san speaking, how may I help you?" A gruff voice echoes in my ear.
With my eyes locked on to hers a smile snakes its way on my lips as I begin to speak with the man. "Komatsu, it's Kaoru Hitachiin, I'm here. Please, arrange for your man to meet with me."
"Wait boss, what are you talking about ….you don't mean…your actually there…..in the states?" Takeing in an astonished breath before speaking in a bit of confusion.
"As a matter of fact, I am…. More precisely I'm in Portland, Oregon stuck in rush hour traffic headed to my down town hotel located just blocks away from the establishment the photograph came from ."
"So I take it we struck gold with the pic of the two loss birds since your there in all…..Boss, I just wanted you to give me a jingle not red eye it out to the states."
"I was already flying out this morning to the east coast for work but once I received your email I decided to add a little layover to talk to your man."
The man chuckles over the phone before speaking slyly. "Anxious to set your own peepers on your little loss bird …..I get it, like I said before this isn't my first rodeo."
"Uh, yeah, something like that." My eyes peeled away from my tablet before mindlessly sliding a few fingers across the cool condensation of the fogged window, creating a winding path. Peeking through the path I notice the car stopped in front of a massive building with an enormous amazon like woman holding a trident in one hand and reaching out with the other.
Letting out a long breath before speaking. "Well, there might be a problem. You see my guy is at work and can't be contacted …in fact he's undercover for you."
"Pardon?" My fingers continue to make lines in the fogged glass.
"You see the only reason we were able to get a picture like we did is because my guy works as a performing song bird in the establishment…..Once he set his peepers on your pics of the subjects from the pass he knew exactly which birds we were looking for ."
His words caused my fingers to suddenly halt on the window. "How the hell did you manage to slip someone in such a short amount of time?"
"Ah, well I didn't, you said lettuce wasn't an issue …..So I kind of had an associate of mine throw a whole lot of salad in the direction of another songbird."
The gruff man swallowed down hard before speaking in a somewhat nervous tone. "Uh about next month's bill."
My fingers begin to draw paths in the fogged glass while rolling my eyes at the detective. "It's not a problem …..What else did you find out from your guy?"
His voice seemed relieved when I carelessly let the money go. "Well, not much more …..except the loss bird drops off the song bird's lunch around the same time every night."
My entire hand falls across the fogged window stunned with the man's words. "Wait, what did you say?" Abruptly leaning forward as my heart stopped beating in my chest. My eyes glanced over to my tablet that held the girls picture…After all this time ….I…I could actually see her.
The gruff men begins to snap his words. "Wait boss, hold your damn horses, I know what you're thinking, it's dangerous! Considering the "family" that's still involved."
A feeling begins to erupt with unforeseen magnitude within my body towards the man who's keeping me from her chocolate eyes. Clenching my teeth I seethed through the phone. "I don't give a flying fuck, if you had any idea how long I've …"
"Fine, but I warned you." Abruptly cutting me off.
Calming a bit but still manage to snap at the men. "Fine, you warned me …..When?"
Letting out a sigh before reluctantly speaking in a defeated tone. "If you head for Darrcelle's now, by the time you make your way through the evening traffic you should make it around happy hour. If you keep that damn thick skull of yours down in the crowd you shouldn't have a problem…..Your song bird usually takes his break a little after that …be careful boss the people watching over them don't mess around. I'll see if I can find a way to contact my songbird from the inside." With a click of his phone the man is basically letting me know I'm pretty much on my own from here.
A little while later….
A freezing fat raindrop splattered against my wet slicked back hair before sliding down under the collar of my overcoat causing me to shiver with a chill. Quickly relieved when my golden eyes find some sort of refuge under a garishly decorative overhang covered in blazing flickering lights. The bright lights hanging over head causes the wet pavement to have a glossy appearance in the rainy night. Hastily making my way to the end of the line, behind some squealing girls all dressed in hot pink feather boas and silver plastic tiaras. While patiently waiting my turn I couldn't help but notice the somewhat buzzed ladies glancing in my direction before giggling to their friends. Trying not to encourage the giggling girls I give a polite smile before awkwardly adverting my eyes in some other direction.
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My eyes burned into the darken window trying to take a peek inside. Staring into the blackened windows I begin to catch myself in a daydream. Dreaming my heart's desire of my old friend standing just beyond the door. Running up to stand before her with my heart singing ….but my lips surprisingly stayed awkwardly silent. Rubbing my moisten palms against my dark denim while an almost panicked thought strikes me. Over the lost years without my friend I always managed to think about what I should have said …..What I should have done. It's been so long since she vanished I never really considered those all-important words that would glide off my tongue if I ever managed to catch up with her. I mean yeah, I knew what to say in broad strokes but stringing the words together so they express my feelings while trying not to send her screaming in another direction….Is all together another panicked story. My heart begins to franticly beat forcing me back to reality. Managing to clear my head from the dream but my sweaty palms remind me of my new mission that's quickly approaching… possibly just beyond the door.
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Slipping my hand into my pocket to pull out a few bills for the cover charge when a robust bald man perched on a stool at the entrance of the club leers in my direction. With a raised eyebrow the man chuckles before waving me through. "Oh go ahead and enter, I'm sure all of tonight's patrons will enjoy you….Although a word of warning, be careful what you drink." My golden eyes gave the man an odd look before entering the establishment. With a deep calming breath I begin to scan the room to see rows and rows of crimson chairs filled with screaming women lining a small stage but no chocolate eyed girl.
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That's when I caught sight of a stage full of scantily dressed men. The men provocatively gyrate to loud thumping music rather close to the screaming ladies that happened to wave crumpled bills at the men. Damn it, I wonder if Komatsu even considered that I am a ginger headed Japanese man in a room full of intoxicated ogling women. If I keep my head down in the crowd …..I should be fine. My ass, I couldn't possibly standout more if I wanted to.
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Scanning the room I found a chair easily obscured from the bar and in the back. Leaning to my side I ducked behind a rather rotund woman before sliding my eyes over to the hot pink bar. My eyes caught sight of a long haired ginger man serving a few drinks to a couple of hysterical girls. The man suddenly glanced over in my direction before I quickly ducked behind the rather large woman wearing a puffy red midriff sweater that didn't quite cover all of her…and not in a good way. The woman turned her head to catch my eyes with irritation before a seductive smile pulled at her stained red lips. Causing me to awkwardly lift my hand to wave my fingers at the large woman while sitting back in my seat a bit uncomfortable.
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A disappointed feeling crushed my sitting body noticing the ginger bartender couldn't possibly be the cross dresser I was looking for. Lifting my eyes towards the stage I notice a female impersonator with platinum blonde hair piled over a foot high as he steps on to the stage. He's dressed in plumes of feathers and more red sequins you could possibly sew onto a dress.
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Keeping my eyes peeled to the door that's just beyond the stage I almost didn't notice the cross dressing waitress. "Hey sweetie, a bachelorette party wanted to buy you a drink….. How the hell!? ..did you find-" The cross dresser snapped in surprise.
End of Kaoru's POV.
End of chapter 11
Oh hey, to bring in the New Year right I almost have chapter 12 done and I must say "Wow!"
Happy 2016
I just wanted to welcome all the new followers to the story .I really hope you enjoy the ride.
Thank you for taking a peek. Please Follow /review Alimackatjac
So once I work the details out with 12 it's off to the world of Ouran Host club in "Life continues" where their getting ready for a masked ball and a 12 year old letter arrive
After that I'll swing by the dark world of vampires in "Through vampire eyes." Where Reji has called a family meeting about Yui…..crap that can't be good.
Then keep your fingers crossed I may break into a land of magic with a guild named Fairytail…..well that's a busy week .Please take a minute and tell me how my travels are going.
