Chapter 15-

"Why the hell would I want to talk to you?" Hana demanded, "No. I have nothing to say to you. Leave. Now"

Hana's mother looked like she wanted to say something, but was holding herself back. It was probably killing her not to reprimand her daughter for speaking like that, let alone to her father.

"No" her father said simply, calmly, "I have things to say, and I'm not leaving until you hear them"

"Then stay" she snapped, "Sit there until your flesh rots and your bones turn into dust. I will never hear what you have to say"

He arched an eyebrow, "You've certainly got a mouth on you. Poetic, too"

"No one asked you" Hana growled, "And one invited you. Get lost"

"Actually" he said, in that infuriatingly calm voice of his, "I was invited. By your mother"

Hana's glare whipped to her mother, "Oh, so you're in on this too, are you?"

"Hana-"

"I've made your mother a proposal" her father interrupted, "Since you seem to be having some... Financial difficulties" he didn't have to gesture to show he meant their apartment, "I'd like to cordially invite you to my house in France. I understand you would have some reservations about-"

"Don't bullshit me. You can't just show up after eight years and 'cordially invite me somewhere'. You're going to tell me why you're really here, or I'll drag you out myself"

He was silent for a moment, weighing his options, and then-

"I want custody over Sakura" he said plainly, "She's my daughter, one I've never met. From what I hear, she is delightful. Your mother agrees as well. It would be a great help, since she had recently lost her job"

Hana's anger dissipated as she stared at her mother, "What?" She asked, in a dull, dull voice. 'He's lying' the skeptical part of her brain argued.

The logical countered, 'She has been home a lot more often... She didn't make any phone calls on my birthday, she didn't ask anyone to cover her shift...'

"Why... Why didn't you tell me? I thought we were a team. I thought it was us against the world. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Hana I-"

Her father interrupted. Again, "Your mother didn't want to worry you" he said smoothly, "What with starting at a new school, and you managing a part time job-"

"You shut the fuck up right now" Hana said quietly. The words echoed in the sudden silence. It was then Hana realized that she'd never sworn so many times in front of her mother. A part of her knew she should be ashamed, and another roast just didn't care.

"Well?" Hana rounded on her mother, "Aren't you going to say anything?"

"I'm sorry" her mother said sincerely, "It was... Hard, to tell you, because I knew you'd worry. And you've seemed so happy recently. You've made so many friends at your new school, and tonight they even held a birthday party for you. I didn't want to ruin that"

"That," Hana said, "Has to be the most pathetic excuse I've ever heard in my life"

"I know" her mother said sadly, "I know"

"So Hana" her father said, drawing attention back to him, "What do you think of my proposition?"

Hana took a deep breath, plastered a bright smile on her face, and said sarcastically, "I think it is the best proposition ever. I honestly can't think of any reasons why I would not want to leave the country with my scumbag of a father whom I haven't seen in over eight years, and I definitely want him ruining my sisters life"

"I see" he said, "Well then, I'm sorry to say this, but you have no choice. There is a flight booked two days from now-"

"Two days?" Hana echoed.

"And we'll all be boarding it. I have your mothers consent, and your little sister is overjoyed to come with me. At least, it seemed that way when we spoke at lunch this afternoon"

Hana froze, "You spoke to her?"

He said nothing, simply smiled. This was enough to enrage the already pissed Hana.

"You are not allowed to go anywhere near her" she thundered, "You stay away from her"

"I'm afraid that's not possible"

He was calm. He was still calm. He was sitting there, in her house, as if he'd belonged there his entire life, causally telling her that he was ruining her life. And Sakura's, too. Anger, fear, frustration, anxiety and hatred, so much hatred, welled within her until Hana realized she couldn't stay in there, she couldn't stay in there talking to him, with her angry and him just calm.

She ran.

She bolted out the door, snatching her shoes. She ran in her ridiculous dress and her ridiculous make-up, her hair no longer neat and beautiful, instead splaying out behind her in a mess of tangles. She ran barefoot down the stairs and then her feet hit the hard, cold concrete and she kept running, her shoes still clutched in her hand. She didn't know where she was running, only that she was running somewhere, anywhere, anywhere, anywhere. She outran her stupidity, her mother's secrets, but she couldn't outrun her father. He ran with her, teasing her, a step ahead, a mocking smile on his face. She stumbled and fell over, her knees intercepting her fall, the skin tearing and the blood dripping.

And then she stood and continued to run. She ignored the stares of the late night party-goers and shoppers, their whispers as she ran. She was sweating, and her dress was torn, it had torn somehow, and then she stopped, gasping. She wanted to keep running, to keep ignoring the logical part of her head. But her body stopped her; unaccustomed to running, it was at its limit.

Hana tossed her head back and looked at the stars. She remembered how just a little while ago she'd been watching the fireworks at her birthday party, surrounded by friends. Now she was alone, feeling more betrayed than ever.

'Will I be able to see the same stars in France?'

Her hand dug into the clutch bag, retrieving a mobile phone. Her fingers darted, pressing against the numbers, and before she knew it she'd rung him.

"I understand that you're undoubtedly in love with me" he said, sounding smug, "However, we need to separate so we can sleep"

She didn't know why or how she could, but she grinned, "I'm not calling because of that, idiot"

'In France... Will I still be able to smile the way I can now?'

"Then what are you calling for?"

"I don't know where I am"

"Metaphorically?"

"Of course not. I wouldn't make a metaphor that idiotic. I started running, and now I have no idea where I am and it's the middle of the night and I'm alone"

He paused, then sighed, "You are honestly too much trouble to deal with. Did you try looking at a street sign? Maybe calling your mother for help?"

She hissed when he mentioned her mother, then took a deep breath. His voice again, concerned, "Hana, what happened?"

"My... My father, he..." The words were stuck, they couldn't come out, until they did and she blurted, "He came home"

"Really? That's all?"

"What do you mean that's all? Didn't you hear me? My father came home"

"Hana, I understand you and your father aren't in the best terms, but you can't freak out every time you see him"

"I can I and will" she said stubbornly.

He sighed, "Have you found a street sign yet?"

She had, and she told him where she was.

"I'll send someone to pick you up"

"Wait, what? You're not picking me up?"

"I was sleeping. I'd like to get back to that"

Hana remembered a crucial fact about Kyoya at that point; she should never, ever disturb his sleep. Those who had done so had described it as the worst mistake of their lives. The fact that he'd been so calm when speaking to her spoke volumes.

"O-of course" she agreed, "Thanks for helping"

"Think nothing of it. And Hana?"

"Yes?"

"You can't keep letting your father affect you like this"

She breathed out slowly, "You're right" she admitted grudgingly, "I did over react. It was just a a shock, seeing him there-"

"You can explain once you come to my house"

"I-I'm coming to your house!?"

"See you soon, Hana"

'In France... Will I be able to see him?'

The driver had said nothing.

Hana didn't know whether to be pleased or annoyed. On one hand, it was great he had said nothing about her appearance, which, admittedly, was horrible. Her hair was tangled and frazzled, her legs had dried blood on them and there were deep gashes on her knees from when she'd fell. She was barefoot, she'd left her shoes somewhere, and her feet ha d,it,e nicks and scrapes. She was not looking her best.

On another hand, the fact he hadn't said anything made Hana wonder. Just how many girls had Kyoya sent his driver out to pick up in the middle of the night who were as filthy as she was?

Plenty, judging by his lack of reaction when he'd seen her. Unless he was a stellar actor.

And so now, after one of the most awkward drives of her life (she'd tried to start conversation, he'd barely replied) she was at Kyoya's mansion that was supposed to be his house. Looking at it, Hana wondered how he maneuvered through it. Did he have a compass?

Standing there, she felt like tiny. Maybe she should've told the driver to take her home so she could have a bath and change her clothes.

He marched over to the door, opened it, then nodded at her. She stepped in, remembering how nervous she'd been the first time she'd come here, back when she'd had her tutoring session with Kyoya. She made a mental note to force him to tutor her again. She knew she could use it.

Hana walked up the stairs, quickly yet quietly, hoping not to run into anyone. She knew his father was at the opposite end of the house, and wouldn't see her, but if a maid saw her and reported it to him...

She winced. Not the best way to meet the father. It struck her as ironic that she'd been in his house before, but she'd never met Kyoya's dad. She wondered if the famous Yoshio Ootori was as cold as he'd seemed in the newspapers.

She found Kyoya's room (it was hard to miss; it was gigantic compared to the other rooms, and the other rooms were gigantic compared to Hana's room) and knocked three short times.

"Come in" he said lazily, and she opened the door.

The room was dark, lit only by the lamp in the corner of the room. As her eyes adjusted, she saw Kyoya sprawled on his bed, hair messy. He sat up, reaching for his glasses.

"I have some spare clothes for you, from my sister. You said you'd ran in the phone, so I thought you'd need them"

Then he froze. And sat bolt upright, before leaping off of the bed and storming up to her.

"What the hell happened?" He demanded, "Is that blood?"

"Um, yeah, it is" Hana said, wondering what the big deal was, "I tripped"

"I understand you don't like your father Hana, but this is too much" he raked a hand through his unkempt hair, "I have an en suite. You should go take a shower"

Put off by his reaction, she said, "What's got you all worked up?"

He gave her a look, and Hana's cheeks flared, "I know I don't look that good-"

"It's not that"

"Then what is it?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe I'm not comfortable with my girlfriend showing up with a torn dress and bloodied knees and looking like she's just been in a fight?"

A pleased smile covered her features, "Girlfriend?"

He rolled his eyes, but a smile was tugging at his lips. And unlike what he normally did, when there were others around, he let it blossom into a full smile, and Hana inhaled sharply. It made him look different, somehow. Gentler. Kinder.

"That's what you get out of what I just said?" He shook his head, "I don't understand you sometimes"

She lingered there, both of them staring at each other, then she stepped away, picked up the clothes, then looked around, before asking, "Where's the en suite?"

He closed the distance between them, covered her mouth with his, and Hana barely had the time to react when he said, after a few seconds, "Over there"

"No fair" she managed to murmur, dazed and shocked, "You play dirty"

That smile was back, but it was devilish now, "I never claimed to play otherwise" he whispered into her ear, "Now go"