Kyoya went back to his room, went upstairs to his bedroom loft, and hacked into the security cameras again to return them to normal. Then, he finally began his normal morning routine. He took a long, hot shower and changed into a white t-shirt, dark jeans, and a charcoal grey jacket.
He lay down on the bed and opened up the email Harvard had sent him earlier that morning which detailed the same exact thing as the letter. He lay deep in thought as he stared at it for the better part of the next thirty minutes. Reading the same message over and over again, he slowly grew tired and his eyes began to close. He drifted off to sleep.
"Kyoya, you understand that I am obligated to tell your father about this, right? However, for your sake, I will bend the rules." Yuzuru Suoh's voice was high and clear, but not entirely devoid of worry.
"Thank you," Kyoya croaked, bowing his head in submission. HIs mouth was too, too dry and he was too, too tired. He was not even sure why he had done it, anyway. It was not like he was going to do the act in school of all places. He was not about to get sent away like his mother for such tendencies, either.
Yuzuru took out his phone. "Your sister is at home, correct?"
Kyoya simply nodded, as speaking seemed beyond him at the moment.
Yuzuru made a call and Fuyumi ran into the office a few minutes later. God knew hiw she had gotten from the mansion to Ouran so fast. Kyoya was ushered out of the office. Feeling a certain sense of dread, he stayed near the door and listened to the conversation.
Yuichi set down what sounded like a piece of paper on the desk. "Fuyumi, your brother Kyoya brought a flare gun to school." She gasped in shock.
"I don't understand…" Her shattered voice sent shivers down Kyoya's spine and daggers down his already painful throat. "It doesn't make sense, why would he…"
"I think you do understand, Fuyumi. Please help him. Save him. He's only in his first year of middle school." She began to sob.
"I tried so many times, but he won't listen! He's too stubborn." There was the almost imperceptible click of a pen and scratching on paper.
"I tried telling Yoshio to treat his sons more like his children instead of businessmen, but he won't listen, either. He doesn't understand how much he is affecting you, Kyoya, and the rest of the family. I've decided to not tell him about Kyoya's state, as he will only make the situation worse if he hears about this." Yuzuru paused and sighed. "Fuyumi, you have to continue trying. Otherwise who knows what will happen to Kyoya."
Sniff. Sniff. Fuyumi, still crying, replied, "You're right, I can't let anything happen to him."
He woke up and inhaled sharply. That memory… It had been years and the day had mostly gone by in a haze, but he still remembered the conversation he had with Fuyumi when he went home. He still remembered how desperate she had sounded and how coldly he had rejected her advice. While he never did end up making an attempt (he could only get so far as planning such things), the world remained monotone and dreary. So different from the person I became after befriending Tamaki. I became extremely ambitious and passionate, full of desire to surpass my brothers. Then, Haruhi made me realize that I wanted to leave the Ootori Group and explore the other options out there for me. It felt like he had been thinking the same thing over and over again, but it helped him ground himself.
Suddenly, his musings were interrupted by one overly-enthusiastic blond. Speak of the devil.
"MMMmommmmyyYYY!" What the hell? "I just had to come visit you on a sudden day off! You need to get off your bed and enjoy this special occasion!" Tamaki practically pranced into his room. His violet gaze fell upon the meal set on the nightstand next to the bed. "Ooooh! Breakfast! You should really eat something, too," the hafu said as he stuffed his face with spicy natto (which he knew Kyoya detested, despite the fact that it was very spicy), leaving the rest of the breakfast for Kyoya.
Kyoya put a hand on his forehead and rubbed his temples. "I'm fine, Tamaki. What do you want? I'm kind of busy right now. I got an acceptance letter from Harvard today."
Tamaki knew when to be serious, at least, and decided to not act like a dramatic four-year-old for once. "Really? You applied to Harvard?" The blond's brow furrowed, and he sat down next to Kyoya on the bed.
"Yes, the deadline for the application was in January. I planned, and still plan, on studying business there."
"So you actually are following your own dreams instead of your father's?" Right, Tamaki was not there when I told the others that I wanted to study business in America.
"Yes, I've wanted this for a long time. But now that I know for sure that I'm going…"
Tamaki's face softened, and he looked at Kyoya with large, violet eyes. "You are nervous as to what your father would do when you tell him this, as well as what will happen to your relationship with Haruhi?"
Curse the idiotic Tamaki and his facade-tearing abilities. I was going to say that I am more certain about what I have to do, but he read right through me. "What? I'm not nervous," he lied through slightly-gritted teeth. "Like I said, I had this planned."
"I know you did. You are not an impulsive person in the slightest. You probably have been thinking of attending Harvard for at least a year now."
"Exactly. So why on Earth would I be nervous, then?"
"Because you know very well what this would mean for your relationship with your father. You aren't sure exactly how he will try to ruin your life after you walk away from the Ootori Group. As for Haruhi, that's much simpler: you never planned for a relationship between the two of you. You and Haruhi both aren't ones for romance, so even though you loved her for a long time, the confessions probably occurred quite unexpectedly." He's reading me like he would a textbook!
"You are right. There's no saying what my father is capable of or how hurt Haruhi would be if I leave when we just got together."
"Kyoya, she'll understand. She's that type of person, as I'm sure you know. You can just do a long distance relationship. You do love her, right?"
Kyoya balled his hands into fists. "More than anything."
Tamaki's violet eyes burned with sudden emotion. "Then you'd do anything you can to remain with her. I followed her to Boston to stay with her, so I think you can manage a long distance relationship."
He can get rude when he's emotional — such as the time he told Haruhi that she was weak because she is a girl, when he really meant that it was okay for her to ask for help and that even though she was undeniably headstrong, being a woman automatically put her in danger of attacks from actual rapists — but what he just said right now does make some sense, at least. Kyoya had the sudden urge to embrace the blond. "Idiot as you are, you are right again. We won't really be apart as long as we keep in contact."
"There we go!" the blond exclaimed in a sudden change in tone, his eyes tearing up dramatically with joy. Never mind...I'm not hugging that idiot. "Mommy's finally going to follow his own path! We are all going to miss YOUUUUU!"
Kyoya smiled but then hit him with a pillow.
"That overly emotional display was not necessary. So what did you come here for in the first place?" Kyoya wanted to get his mind off of things for a while (only temporarily, of course...he would, no doubt, stay up late again that night).
Tamaki's eyes sparkled, and Kyoya regretted asking. "Well, I came to play music with you. We'll perform a great duet, with me playing piano and you playing violin! Fuyumi told me that you are an incredible violin player, but you still haven't played for me! I want to see how good you are."
Why can't we just watch a movie? I don't even play the violin. Is he actually that stupid? Also curse the friendship between him and Fuyumi, along with all the other things I cursed this morning. "No. I don't play the violin."
Tamaki gave a scandalized gasp. "But Fuyumi said..." He looked on the verge of an emotional breakdown.
"I don't play the violin." All of a sudden it occurred to him where the whole violin business came from. "I usually listen to music while i work, and sometimes I just randomly sing along if I'm in the mood, which is rather rare if you could imagine. Fuyumi heard me one day and said that I was talented. I don't trust that particular judgement, but she keeps insisting that I am 'amazing.'" He said the last word as if it was some sort of curse and paused to make sure that what he was saying was sinking into the blond's thick skull. "She must have told you about my singing, but of course you misheard and thought she said that I play the violin well." Kyoya glared at Tamaki to make his irritation abundantly clear.
Tamaki made it abundantly clear that he could not take a hint. Sparkles danced in the blond's violet eyes. "Will you sing for me? I'll play the piano and you'll sing!" He seemed more excited than before, and Kyoya knew why.
Kyoya sighed and wondered if it was possible to kill Tamaki right now without raising suspicion. Probably not, as the other hosts would immediately suspect Kyoya. "No," he replied with another withering glare.
"Please?" Tamaki brought out his most dangerous weapon: puppy eyes. Damn it! I won't fall for it this time. This sentiment only lasted a few seconds.
"Fine," Kyoya said, adjusting his glasses and pinching his nose. Tamaki barked like a little puppy who just received a tasty treat from its owner. "Shut up, you moron." The blond whined. Sigh. "If you are going to play the piano, we have to go to the living room."
"But your living room does not have a piano." Honestly, what do I do with him?
"Not the living room in my room, nitwit. The actual, formal living room right next to the foyer. The one where you play piano almost every time you visit."
Tamaki gasped. "Mommy, how rude! Speaking of the living room, I even brought Haruhi with me, and you are acting like this." The blond immediately put a hand over his mouth.
So that is why he suddenly wants me to join in on his music extravaganza. I am definitely going to kill him. "You brought Haruhi along?" He said this in a pleasant tone, but a beastly aura began to surround him, betraying his irritation.
Haruhi walked in on Kyoya about to throttle Tamaki. "I was getting bored waiting in the living room so I just asked one of the servants where you guys..." she froze when Tamaki wailed and suddenly wrapped himself around her.
"Please protect Daddy from angry Mommy! The demon lord has awoken to cut my life short!" She deadpanned before finally addressing Kyoya.
"Kyoya…" He smiled innocently, as if daring her to chastise him. She sweatdropped and immediately attempted to change the subject. "So, Tamaki said something about doing a violin and piano duet with you. You play the violin?"
"No, so he's making me sing instead." He shot Tamaki a look.
"Okay, let's go back to the living room and hear you sing," she replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Fine, but I personally do not think my singing would warrant such interest. I am much better when it comes to business matters." He glared at Tamaki once again. I'm definitely going to get my revenge. Just you wait, Fuyumi and Tamaki.
They went downstairs into the living room area of his room. "Kyoya, I wanted to ask...Why does your room have its own living room and a Western style bedroom loft? Your room alone is bigger than my whole apartment!" Haruhi asked pointedly. Tamaki was still hanging on to her for dear life.
"I'm rich," Kyoya replied with a slight chuckle.
They made their way to the Ootori's living room, and Tamaki at last detached from Haruhi and made himself at home on the piano bench. "Time to play!"
Notes began to lift off of the grand piano. Kyoya inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. Just sing and forget everything else, like Fuyumi always told you to do. She said that life is hard and that everybody needs a break, so let yourself go just for a small moment as you sing, even though Father would hate it, Kyoya told himself.
A familiar, bittersweet melody filled the living room. As I expected. Kyoya, his eyes still closed, listened to the music. It was a piece Tamaki had created when they were in middle school. The blond had persuaded Kyoya — using puppy eyes — to add lyrics to the piece (Kyoya had always been the one who was better with his words, and indeed the lyrics he had written brought the hafu to tears), but they did not have someone to sing them. Until now. That was why he was so excited when I told him that Fuyumi thinks I am a good singer. He felt Tamaki smile expectantly at him.
Kyoya took another deep breath and began to sing the lyrics so deeply etched in his mind.
"Tsumetai yoru no tsuki akari ni terasarete
Utsushi dasareru machi no kage ni kakureta
Shinjirareru mono nante
Mou nani hitotsu nai to
Yukikau hito gomi no naka
MONOKURO no sekai ni
Unazuite ita keredo
Kizu itan da
kimi no kotoba de
Ashimoto ni yori sou
hana hitotsu
Ushitatte mo
Kowaku nante nai to
Iikikasu yo ni
Aruki dashita...
Shizukesa dake ga
Boku no mune wo umetsukushi
Nozomu koto na do
Shirazu ikite kita no ni
Utagau koto no imi sae mo
Mou wakaranakute
Yukan deku machi no naka ni
Tadashisa wo kanji
Nagasarete ita keredo
Kizu itan da
Kimi no kotoba de
Ashimoto ni yori sou
hana hitotsu
Ushitatte mo
Kowaku nante nai to
Iikikasete mo
Toki wa susumu
Kizu itan da
Kimi no kotoba de
Ashimoto ni yori sou
hana hitotsu
Ushitatte mo
Kowaku nante nai to
Iikikasete mo
Toki wa susumu..."
The silence that followed after Tamaki played the last note was profound. The blond seemed to be frozen in place, while both Kyoya and Haruhi uncharacteristically began to tear up. The two wiped their eyes, though Haruhi did not seem to mind showing that she had been moved and thus was not as quick to dry her tears.
"That was beautiful. Your voice is incredible. To imagine that you would be so good at singing," Haruhi said with a whisper, as if hesitant to destroy the atmosphere. Kyoya did not reply, as he was sure that not a single sound would come out if he tried to talk at the moment. The music, the lyrics, had hit too close to home even though it had been years since he and Tamaki created the song.
Tamami stirred as if he had been abruptly brought out of a dream. "Kyoya, why did you not say a thing when I was looking for a person to sing this? Your singing is..."
Kyoya swallowed and then, finally, attempted to speak. "Because I don't like to sing in front of others. It's too... personal. If only you had tried to listen to me when we were in my room, you would have understood that."
Tamaki, in a sudden change in mood, cried anime tears. "Waaaah! Sorry, Mommy!" He ran and grabbed Haruhi by the shoulder. "Haruhi! Please help your Daddy find a way to apologize to Mommy! I know, we can get him a brand new laptop! Wouldn't Mommy like that?"
Kyoya, who was now back to normal, was about to make a snarky retort when she beat him to it.
"Get off me," she deadpanned.
Tamaki went off to grow mushrooms in a corner. Kyoya sighed for what seemed like the millionth time that morning. But at least I'm not the one who will have to get rid of the pesky fungi. I hope the blonde likes to clean. The evil thought cheered him up considerably.
I don't even know why I wrote this. *sweatdrops* I guess I wanted him to sing.
Here is the translation of the song, which is called "Tsumetai Yoru" and is actually Kyoya's theme song. It's sung by Kyoya's Japanese voice actor and is absolutely gorgeous and heartbreaking. If you have not listened to the song on YouTube yet, you definitely should.
What is there for me to believe in?
There's not a thing
In the midst of a crowd going and coming.
In a monochrome world,
I had hung my head, but-
I realized through your words
And the single flower at my feet...
If I lost it,
There would be nothing to fear.
I could convince myself to walk on.
Nothing but silence
Fills my heart and
I've lived my life
Without knowing what I desire.
I don't know
What it means to be doubtful anymore.
In a distorted town, I feel justice,
Though I'm being swept along.
I realized through your words
And the single flower at my feet...
If I lost it,
There would be nothing to fear.
I could convince myself that time would go on.
I realized through your words
And the single flower at my feet...
If I lost it,
There would be nothing to fear.
I could convince myself that time would go on.