Chapter 3

Sunlight streamed through the bedroom windows. Outside was a radiant spring day. Buds were opening on the trees. Pale shoots were pushing up through the soil of the flower beds. Excited birds sang and fluttered through the breeze. All of this was lost on Kyoya. He sat like a zombie watching morning television. His eyes were open but glazed. He was awake but unthinking. Dawn had broken, morning had come, and Kyoya hadn't noticed.

A harsh ringing caused him to jump and gasp. It was his phone. Fumbling through the tangled blanket, he managed to find it in the ocean of soft folds.

"Hello?" His voice came out little better than a croak.

"Kyoya! You're awake! Good! I wasn't sure you would be." It was Tamaki. Kyoya glance at the clock on the wall. It was 9:12 AM, which he supposed was early by his normal standards. "You have to come to Hikaru and Kaoru's house tonight. We're going to have a 'Sleepover Party.'"

It took a moment for the fog in Kyoya's mind to clear enough for him to follow what Tamaki was saying. "We're going to have a what?"

"A Sleepover Party! I learned about it from television. I called Haruhi and had her explain the details to me this morning."

"You mean those overnight things for little girls where they have pillow fights and such?"

"Haruhi says they're not just for girls. Boys can have sleepover parties too. Commoner children often do this to celebrate their birthdays, but it doesn't have to be for a birthday. They can happen any time. And even though it's called a 'Sleepover,' Haruhi says that there isn't much actual sleeping. Everyone dresses in their pajamas and brings over pillows and blankets as if they are going to sleep, but actually everyone stays up all night playing games, watching movies, eating snacks, and talking."

Tamaki was rambling on and it was clear to Kyoya that he was excited about this new novel activity. "So, we're all going to get together to pretend like we'll be sleeping, but really we're just going to hang out like we do in the daytime."

"Yes! Exactly!"

"Why don't we just skip the pretense of sleep and wear normal clothes?"

"No! We must put on pajamas and brush our teeth and such. It's part of the ritual. It's important to respect the ceremonies of commoner culture, Kyoya."

Kyoya considered the proposal. On one hand, he was feeling exhausted and wasn't eager to deal with his friends' exuberant behaviour. On the other, he was being offered the exact thing he had wished for: company during a sleepless night. He had to take advantage of opportunities when they presented themselves.

"Alright. I'll come to this 'Sleepover.'"

"Great! The twins and I already decided we're going to watch American action movies. Don't worry, we'll have the subtitles on."

Kyoya rolled his eyes. "Whether or not the movies are subtitled is really not one of my concerns."

Tamaki laughed. "I'll swing by your house this evening to pick you up. See you soon! Bye!"

"What? Wait! Tamaki!"

Tamaki had hung up. Kyoya tossed his phone down on the couch. He hadn't had the chance to find out what the point of Tamaki picking him up was. He had his own car and driver after all. But like a good soldier, he picked himself up off the couch and began to prepare himself for the day's battle.

Washed and dressed, he gathered things together for his overnight stay at the Hitachiin mansion. He was unsure just what he was expected to bring to this activity. Did he need to bring his own pillow? A blanket? Did he need to wear actual pajamas? Or would boxers and a T-shirt be fine? He needed to ask someone with sleepover experience. He picked up his phone.

"Hello?"

"Haruhi. I need to ask you about this 'sleepover' tonight."

There as a long silence before she answered. "This isn't seriously happening, is it?"

"Tamaki assured me that it is," replied Kyoya.

There was another long pause, then a sigh. "What can I help you with, Senpai?"

"What am I supposed to bring to this event? Do I need to bring my own bedding? What is the dress code?"

"Dress code? Ummm… I guess I'd call it Extreme Casual. I'm sure whatever you sleep in will be fine."

"And that's all I need to bring?"

"Yeah, that and your toothbrush and maybe some snacks to share."

"What kind of snacks? Like a charcuterie board? A fruit platter?"

Again, there was a pause before she answered. "No. Not that. Like candy or junk food."

"Eclairs?"

"Sure. Eclairs. Whatever."

Kyoya could tell that he still hadn't hit on the correct answer, but that Haruhi was too apathetic to explain. Pushing further would only annoy her. If she didn't care what snacks were brought to the party, then he certainly didn't either. He thanked Haruhi for her help and went to the kitchen to ask the pastry chef to make up a plate of desserts.

The car pulled up to the supermarket. Kyoya gave Tamaki a look that left no doubt about how unnecessary he thought this stop was.

"I told Tachibana that we were going straight to the twins' house. Otherwise he would have come with us."

Tamaki smiled and patted Kyoya's knee. "We'll only be here for a few minutes. It'll be fine."

"My father would not approve of me being out in public without my bodyguards."

Tamaki was already climbing out of the car. "Two minutes. Just two minutes and then we'll be gone. I promise."

Kyoya sighed and followed Tamaki out of the car. He scanned the small parking lot as he walked to the market doors. People were scurrying among the cars, trying to load up groceries and get their children buckled into car seats. He jumped as a car honked at a pedestrian.

Inside, the market was full of people doing their weekly shopping. Kyoya flinched as a woman brushed past him with her shopping bag. Ahead of him Tamaki strode with purpose towards one the aisles. Kyoya trotted to catch up.

"What are we doing here?" he asked.

"We need snacks for the sleepover of course." Tamaki pulled up short in front of a row of chips causing Kyoya to bump into him.

"We already have snacks."

Tamaki gave his friend an exasperated sigh as if he were having to explain something painfully obvious. "This is a commoner activity. We need commoner snacks." He set about choosing flavours, trying to pick the ones that were the most popular with commoners.

Kyoya flinched again when a man bumped his elbow. Around him people were moving about doing their shopping. No one was looking at him or Tamaki, yet Kyoya felt an unfamiliar tightness in his chest. It was strange being out without Tachibana and his team hanging back just behind the corner.

"What do you think, Kyoya? Should we get cucumber flavour? Or crispy salmon? Kyoya?" Tamaki looked up to see Kyoya standing tense against the shelves, watching the people around him. "Kyoya? Are you alright?"

Kyoya's wrapped his arms around his torso in a self-hug. "I'm going to go wait in the car."

Tamaki grabbed two bags of chips and headed to the end of the aisle. "Relax, I'm done. I'll just go pay for these and then we'll go together."

Arms still crossed in front of him and slouching, Kyoya glanced towards the door for a moment but followed his friend to checkout.

There were few people at the checkout, but to someone unused to standing in lines, the wait was excruciating. Around him, people moved in polite chaos. There was a small crash when a man dropped a soup can. A toddler cried as he was scolded. A couple bickered about how much paper towel they should buy. It was all very normal, yet Kyoya found the noise and movement irritating. He clenched and unclenched his hands while trying to calm the pounding in his head.

Tamaki got to the checkout counter, and Kyoya slipped past him towards the door. "I'll meet you in the car." If Tamaki replied Kyoya didn't hear him.

He stepped out the door of the market and spotted the car parked down the lane. He turned to head towards it when he heard the sound of squealing tires. Without thinking Kyoya bolted. They were coming at him. He could feel them grabbing at him. He could smell the cigarettes. It was happening again.

He sprinted to the car, wrenched open the door, and dived into the backseat. The driver waiting in the front seat, confused by the dramatic entrance, stared at him in the rear-view mirror.

Panting, Kyoya knelt on the backseat and looked out the back window towards the entrance to the market where he had just been. There was no black car with tinted windows. No thugs coming to grab him. Just a hatchback that stopped short to avoid hitting a small child that had carelessly run out into the parking lot. His heart still racing, Kyoya turned around and slid down into the seat and took a deep breath. It had felt so real.

The car door open and Tamaki slid inside. He regarded Kyoya's heavy breathing for a moment and then pulled out a magazine from his shopping bag.

"Look Kyoya, they had this by the counter," Tamaki slid over on the seat with the magazine and put an arm around Kyoya's shoulders. "It has a quiz that tells you what sort of person you're most compatible with based on your favourite foods. And look, there's an article listing 25 fashion accessories that will 'up your style game.'"

Kyoya wasn't sure if Tamaki had seen his sudden dash to the car and was being nonchalant, or if he was being sincerely affectionate. It was impossible to tell with this boy. Regardless, Kyoya was comforted by the physical contact. "I think this magazine is marketed mainly to women."

"Do you think so?" Tamaki flipped a few pages, delighted with the bright photos. "Do you want to know your horoscope?"

"No."

"How about the 10 best mats for doing yoga at home?"

"You're an idiot."