A/N: Gees, I suck for keeping everyone hanging for so long. I hope you haven't all given up on me. The truth is I have been sick, I don't know what with yet, only that I am miserable and have trouble sleeping. So guess what, you guys get another instalment. Yay. (I totally heard that in my head the way Crispin Freeman said it in the first episode of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumia. Haha). Not that I am unhappy to be writing for you guys (quite the contrary), it's just that it is 4am and I would prefer to be asleep right now.

Enough rambling! On to the main event!

Disclaimer: Pulls out wallet from pocket, looks inside. Nope, it still only contains a left-over one dollar bill, my lucky coin and a button. I guess that means I still am not receiving money from writing this fic. The only other thing in my pockets is my dice bag and half a pack of cigarettes, no sign of the rights to OHSHC. Sob.

Neither Kyouya nor Kamiko were the type to partake of a real breakfast. Kyouya (black coffee, a touch of chicory to lift it first thing after waking) was just beginning to get started, after spending most of the night monitoring the American and European markets. Technically Kamiko was having lunch, not that you would be able to tell. She was on a raw juice diet at present and no one meal was distinguishable from any of the others.

Kyouya, who had become a remarkable early waker (well, 9am) when he had Haruhi to wake up next to, had slipped straight back into old habits of late. The first time that Kamiko had stayed the night in his bed, rather than returning to the guest room, she had woken him by getting dressed far too loudly (according to the Low Blood Pressure Demon Lord).

She had not made the same mistake again.

Kamiko took a sip of her juice. "Kyouya," she said in a voice that sounded far more wheedling than she had intended, "can I get some money?"

Kyouya said nothing, did not even look up from the newspaper, just raised one eyebrow in a way that dared her to continue.

"Have you forgotten, there is that Japan Foundation Center Gala tomorrow? I need money for a dress."

"And why must I pay for this? You have your own money." Kyouya had not changed, he still only spent money if he could achieve a return on investment. He could not foresee such a thing from Kamiko owning yet another designer dress.

"Because I am your guest at the party tonight. If I don't look my best it will reflect badly on you." Flirting hadn't worked, so she went with a veiled threat against the only thing she knew to really touch him: his reputation.

With a faint sigh through his nose Kyouya reached into the pocket of his blazer and pulled out his wallet. Retrieving his platinum AmEx from it, he stretched and placed it in front of her. "It is not a party, it is a prize giving. You know the rule, I will be checking the… What happened to your cheek?" He had finally looked up from his paper and caught sight of the mark on the side of her face.

It was a little red, a little puffy, and there were streaks of purple just becoming visible along her jawline. She had tried to cover it up with makeup, and had done a pretty decent job. But the Shadow King noticed everything. What a surprise.

There was no way in hell that Kamiko was going to admit that a tiny commoner with a mean backhand had marred her appearance. And she didn't want Kyouya to know that she was jealous of his ex, so she fell back on the lie she had practiced in front of the mirror. "The heel of one of my shoes broke, I hit my face against the wall when I fell.

Kyouya's expression did not change as he placed a hand on her chin. He tilted her face so that he could get a better look. "You should have put ice on it immediately. It won't do for people to think that I did that to you. You will need a more effective concealer for tonight." His voice was deadpan as he let her go and returned to his paper.

Okay, so it has been over three weeks since I started that. The reason being that not long after I started this chapter it was determined what was wrong with me and I was admitted to yet another psychiatric hospital. Having been in and out of real hospital while they tried to look for a psychical cause for my psychosis. Life has not been good to me recently. On the plus side I am working on the next installment and hope to have it up by tomorrow at the latest to make it up to you guys for the unbelievable wait.