K~~~~~~~~~~

"Do you think you can handle her, Kyoya?"

I looked at Koaru. His mischievous smile spoke volumes. I glanced at Hikaru and felt a tad jealous. She's just giving tit for tat. That's all. She's very good at giving precisely what she gets. Although, I wish she wouldn't bait Hikaru in particular.

"I would recommend that you and your brother be more careful in the future." I cast my Shadow King smile over the twins and recognized the old ghost of fear passing across both of their faces. That's better.

"Kyoya, I need to talk to you." Tamaki gave me his best friend smile. "Haruhi, where are you going?"

"To chat with Judy. That's all. I'll see you in a few minutes." With that Haruhi left and Tamaki grabbed my arm.

"Tamaki, I don't have time for any more pleasantries."

"Our lives are sixty percent pleasantries, so spare another one percent for me, Kyoya."

I uttered a long suffering sigh. "What is it?"

"I know what you're doing tonight. Are you sure it's wise? I doubt your family will be pleased, and I doubt even more that she'll be thankful." Tamaki stared at me earnestly. Sometimes his insightfulness is frightening.

"I've planned this too well to not know how everyone will react. The family will be silent for tonight. She will be upset but respectful for the evening, at least."

"How easily you plan people's actions and reactions, my friend." Tamaki's eyes were sad, pensive. "Be careful. More is riding on tonight than even you know."

He left me standing in the center of the room. I stared at the far wall contemplating my next move when the women reentered.

J~~~~~~~~~~

"Do you know what he's planning, Judy?"

"I figure he has something up his sleeve for tonight. I think it has something to do with his inner corporate relations, but I'm not sure."

"Be careful. More rides on this evening for Kyoya than you know." Haruhi's eyes bore into mine like she was piercing my soul. I really need to get used to Haruhi's serious stare.

"What do you mean?" Seriously, I get it that corporate espionage is a real problem, but is it going to affect me?…Sigh. It likely already has.

"Kyoya's family isn't the most supportive, and they have put certain restrictions on his future," Haruhi whispered.

"Care to elaborate?" Why is she beating around the bush so much?!

"No. The rest is for him to explain." Geez!

"Okay. Well, the doors are about to open. I need to get into position."

K~~~~~~~~~~

Judy didn't look at me when she and Haruhi entered. She didn't look at me when she took the stage or while she completed her final set up. Not one glance. What did Haruhi say? For this plan to work, I need basic communication lines open, at least.

Just as I was about to give in and walk to the stage, Judy looked up and smiled at me. This will work. Before I could even think about responding in kind, the musicians began to play, the doors opened, and the first guests arrived. I signaled the club to look friendly and to keep to their posts. Normally, I wouldn't have to give them assignments. They were now my equals after all, but I was taking no chances. Hani and Mori had a dim idea of why they were invited and stayed close to the stage. Tamaki and Haruhi knew they were to mingle as business partners of mine should. The twins…Are here to make me look good. As long as they don't pull one of their juvenile tricks again.

My father and brothers were among the first to arrive.

"All alone, Kyoya?"

"Yes, Akito."

"You should have let Fuyumi set you up. You know how she's been longing to match you with her best friend." I controlled my anger at Akito's jabbing. Be patient.

"I do believe Matsukaze-san is now engaged to the heir of Shunsuke Corporation. I doubt Fuyumi has any hopes of that falling through now." Matsukaze, an ill attempt of my sister's to set me up with a family approved woman. Although, to Fuyumi's credit, Matsuke was rather sweet: but I have better options.

"You know you only have this season before we make the decision for you, baby brother." This was said by Yuichi, the brother the rest of the population considers the moderate.

"Boys, any decisions of that sort are made by myself," Daddy-Dearest chimed. "You know the consequences for failure, son."

"Of course, you were kind enough to remind me of them this afternoon. However, I will not fail and never have." I glanced at Judy as she stepped forward and opened her mouth. My familial companions changed their focus, too.

The Ohtoris are well known for being completely closed and in control of our emotions, but it only took a few measures of music out of Judy for me to get a good reading on my relatives. My father's face, though still flinty, was calculating and interested. Yuichi was taken with the music; I could see a tear in his eye. Akito was not listening to the music; he was eyeing her up and down. Good. Not one negative reaction; though I need to watch Akito around her.

"I've seen this woman before. Does she work at the university?"

It didn't surprise me that Akito's knew about her. He does have his own intelligence network, after all. "Yes, she teaches applied vocal science."

"I see." That was all I got out of him until my father spoke.

"She's quite beautiful, Kyoya. You have outdone yourself in ornamenting the stage. A foreign object is always more interesting and valuable than a local one." Typical speech from Daddy-Dearest.

"Mmmm," Akito thrummed his agreement. It took all my self-control to not step closer to the stage and obstruct Akito's view.

Yuichi merely said, "Foreign or not, art is art." He patted my shoulder and walked away. Thus, ending our little family chat.

J~~~~~~~~~~

I smiled at Kyoya as the ensemble started to play. He looks like he needs a friendly face. Just then his family arrived. I assume they're family. They look like him. But, Kyoya wins the looks contest by far. I noticed them talking and realized that they weren't having casual chit-chat. "Cold" is the only way I know how to describe the undercurrents of the little family gathering.

I stood and began singing. I allowed the smooth jazz to flow through me and over the swiftly filling room.

"Someday, when I'm awfully low
And the world is cold, I will feel a glow
Just thinking of you
And the way you look tonight."

I noticed the men turned to me immediately. Kyoya's family is appraising me. I swear! What do they think I am? From the look one of the men was giving me, I knew exactly what he thought I was, and it did nothing to raise my view of the Ohtoris.