Sorry for the delay. It took me a while to get this chapter out because I wasn't sure how to write it in a way so that the characters are still in character. Kyouya, especially, is probably still really OOC, so I'll use the excuse that this is an AU fic. What a lame excuse - but oh well.

Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran.

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The next day, at 9:32 p.m., Akari was sitting by her desk, huddled over some work. When her father came into the room, she looked over her shoulder, immediately stopped, and ran over to her bed. She sat on it and looked up eagerly at him.

"I hope I wasn't disturbing you," Kyouya said.

"Oh, no. It was just a project," she replied.

"And what project is that?"

She paused for a moment, debating whether to tell him. Then she looked around, as if there was some other person in the room. Lowering her voice to a whisper, she said, "It's a secret."

He gave a small smile. "So I'm going to assume that it's for your mother?"

"Father! You're not supposed to know!" She pouted.

"Right," he said. "Moving along here; now where did I leave off…?"

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After going through all the morning traffic, the limo came to a stop at Japan Post Bank. Two tall men in suits stepped out, and a passing bystander would have thought the men to be big business owners, not two high school seniors on a mysterious quest.

Kyouya ignored the attention; it was something he was used to. His way of walking revealed his high status. He took long graceful strides, the footsteps almost synchronized. He followed Tamaki to a clerk teller.

"Hello, madam," Tamaki said to a young girl. "My name is Suoh Tamaki."

The girl gave a slight jump. Even people who were not familiar of the business world would know the name of Suoh. Hurriedly, she wrote something down on a slip of paper. Then she looked up and said, "Please take a seat at any one of those vacant tables. An employee will arrive momentarily."

The handsome blonde man looked straight into her eyes. "If you please, my friend and I are on a rather urgent business matter. Would it be too much to ask for a private room?"

She stuttered. "Ah-um…um. Yes, of course. Let me check whether the rooms are available or not. It'll take a few minutes, so please take a seat. Um…I'll send someone over to take you there."

"Thank you."

And the man left, leading his bewildered friend to the nearby lounge.

"And what matter is this, Tamaki?" Kyouya took a seat.

"Remember I was talking about getting a job?" Tamaki sat down across from him.

"Of course, though I cannot imagine what job would befit the heir of a company."

"This is not just any job, Kyouya."

"Indeed. Go on."

"And…remember what I said about using my looks? ...Actually, you've probably figured it out by now. So why don't you tell me. What am I doing?"

The bespectacled man sighed. This was obviously another one of Tamaki's games; and he was in no mood to solve it. However, it was rare for a game to be so equivocate, and yet so intriguing. So he decided to go for it. "This is what I know. You are looking for a kind of job where lineage and money will help. A job where…your looks will help convince your doubters. At the tuxedo store, you used a fake necklace to get in, even though the store was closed. Chivalry. Looks…" He stopped midway.

Tamaki laughed. "As always, you deduce the information around you so efficiently. You're right. Completely right, but you haven't named that job yet."

Then, Kyouya noticed a man in uniform, probably an employee, walk in their direction. He stood up, and Tamaki did the same. "Don't worry Kyouya. You'll find out."

"Suoh-sama? Ohtori-sama? You have been granted a private office. This way please."

Kyouya looked at Tamaki, then at the employee. The man started walking in the opposite direction.

Tamaki followed the man, and Kyouya had no choice but to follow his friend.

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The private room turned out to be the manager's office.

She opened the door for them, and held out her hand politely to usher them inside.

"Please, sit," she said, motioning towards the two armchairs in front of her desk.

"I would like to thank you, first of all-" Tamaki began.

"Asakura Mina. I am one of the managers of this establishment," she said, holding out her hand to shake his. She did the same to Kyouya, who returned the gesture with a polite smile. "So, what gives me the honor of meeting with the young masters of the Suoh and Ohtori families?"

"Please, Asakura-san, coming to a famous bank like Japan Post Bank is an honor that I have only dreamed of," Tamaki said.

"Oh, thank you." Then she leaned in business-like and asked, "What can I do for you two gentlemen?"

"Actually, I have a favor to ask of you, Askaura-san."

"Of course. You only need to ask."

"Well, there are some issues that I cannot exactly speak of – for privacy reasons – but because of these issues, I must make some loans…"

"I would be honored to give out a loan, but I'm afraid I must pry. Could you tell me your issues?"

Tamaki took a deep breath, and just barely, small tears were visible along his eyes. "It has to do with my mother…" He looked down. And he proceeded to tell a long and distraught tale of his mother's disentegrating health.

His mother? Kyouya thought that it was an incredibly wild reason. For some reason, he highly doubted that Tamaki was here for his mother, a woman he hadn't seen for four years and counting. He knew that his mother was poor in health, but it wasn't very plausible. Think! This has something to do with a job and looks!

Asakura politely listened, and offered her condolences. If this was an act, Kyouya thought, Tamaki was certainly becoming a good actor.

Tamaki and Asakura were talking about making loans, about family, and other topics, but Kyouya wasn't listening. He sat back in his chair, deep in thought. For once, there was a game that he was interested in. The talking around him didn't register in his mind – it sounded like gibberish.

A job…

"Thank you very much." Tamaki's voice suddenly alerted Kyouya, and he saw that his friend had stood up. He was shaking Asakura's hand, and she was saying that it was no problem, whenever Tamaki had trouble in his family all he needed was come to Japan Post Bank.

Then Tamaki and Kyouya left, leaving a still shocked woman behind.

Seeing the door close after them she was muttering, "Such a sad story. I cannot imagine why such cruelty would be done to a wonderful boy's mother…"

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Once safely back in the limo, Tamaki turned towards Kyouya. "So what do you think?"

"To tell you the truth, I wasn't listening to your conversation. I was trying to think of what job it would be," Kyouya said.

"It's okay; it wasn't important anyway. And you did figure it out, right?"

"I have a pretty good idea…but it's quite outlandish. I cannot imagine why you would do this."

Tamaki laughed. "I have never known you to call your own conclusion outlandish."

"I hope you aren't serious about doing this. You could get into trouble – jail perhaps. Negative attention will only hasten your family's downfall. What will you do with this money you got today?"

"From what you've said, I take it that you really have figured it out. The money will be the first of my income to my family, of course. And I don't intend on getting caught. I have you, don't I?"

"What makes you think I'll do this with you?"

Tamaki stopped laughing. His face became serious as he said, "Because you're my friend. Think about it; I'll wait for your answer."

"Because I'm your friend, I'll break laws with you? Don't do this."

"I have to!" Tamaki grabbed Kyouya's hand. He snatched it away. "I don't have a choice! Or should I stand aside and watch my father fall into despair. I thought you would understand; besides, it'll be an adventure!"

"I have my own priorities, unless you didn't notice. Also, I, unlike you, may have a chance of inheriting a healthy company. I'm not going to follow you on this. I can't."

"Kyouya-"

"I'm sorry."

"But…can you at least tell me what the job is? I want to know if you got it right."

As if on cue, the limo stopped. Kyouya saw that they had returned to his home. The chauffeur opened the door, and he got out.

He turned around one last time, looking at Tamaki, almost in disbelief.

"I never imagined you as a con artist."

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Lying alone in his bedroom, Kyouya pondered the meaning of Tamaki's words.

I have to! I don't have a choice!

No choice, huh? Kyouya couldn't imagine Tamaki going into crime of all things to support his family. But he had seen him first hand lying to people to get what he wanted. Access into a store, loans for an unknown, but probably infinite, amount; who knew how far Tamaki could get? And if Tamaki ever got caught, Kyouya would get involved, seeing as they were together.

I don't intend on getting caught. That meant Tamaki was confident about himself…but. I have you, don't I?

Kyouya thought about his options in the future. His father had yet to announce his heir, and Kyouya certainly did not want to miss out on that.

He thought to the induction ceremony of the Business Society to day earlier. He thought about the bond that Tamaki shared with his father; a bond he never had with his own father. His father was intelligent, an extremely capable man – yet he never seemed to prioritize his own family.

But if we never get caught…

He shook himself. He would never stoop that low. Going with Tamaki meant running away. Where? He didn't know. His father would know immediately something was wrong. He would send people after them, and Kyouya would be found out. And then he would be out forever. Disowned. No chance.

I have you, don't I?

Kyouya mulled himself to sleep, unsure of his future as ever.

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For the next week, Kyouya acted quite detached from life. Most of his classmates did not notice anything, and Tamaki was keeping his distance for once. But Kyouya could see in his eyes that he was waiting for him.

It'll be an adventure...

He passed through the week absently. He was there, but he wasn't there.

When teachers asked him questions, he answered them perfectly, but his voice had a robotic tone to it, as if he was programmed to recite answers.

At home, he dumped his bag on the ground, and sat at his desk just thinking – very unKyouyaish.

He thought to a conversation he had with Tamaki a few years ago…

They were at Kyouya's house, sitting at a kotatsu.

Tamaki was rambling again.

'I have the perfect idea for a club! A club where we use our looks for profit!'

Kyouya, who was bringing tea over, stepped on his sitting friend. 'Sleep talk when you're asleep.'

Tamaki was laughing. 'No. I'm serious. It could work…'

That idea of a host club never took off. Kyouya deemed the idea as ludicrous, crazy. Being the good friend he was, Tamaki had dropped the idea.

Thinking back, Kyouya wondered what might had happened if they really had created a Host Club. Would he have acted differently?

Forget it. He didn't want to deal with another side. He wondered if he had gotten soft, a trait that would go against him if he wanted to be the heir.

Then he thought some more until he realized that it was the next day.

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Kyouya looked down and saw that Akari had fallen asleep. The time flashed 10:30.

Maybe she found my whole decision making process boring, he thought. Then he took out his black notebook, and wrote himself a small note about it. Who knew; it might be useful information to him someday.

Akari's breathing was slow and steady. He smoothed the bed covers over her, turned off the lights, and looked at her for one last time before leaving.

Good night.

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This chapter is really OOC for Kyouya, so I'm sorry. I can't imagine him spacing out or being unsure of himself. He's going to make his decision next chapter...I think. I'll try to make him more in character next chapter. Thanks for reading.

Please review!