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Chapter 4

The Question About Marriage

It was that time of year again at Ouran… the anticipated Ouran Festival! Everything was picture perfect and ready for the parents. The Host Club had won the race for the Central Salon (yet again), this time, the race had a mythology theme to it. It required physical activity for such tasks like "carrying the weight of the world" (Atlas) and retrieving golden apples during the foot race (Atlanta). It also required the use of brains like when trying to answer a riddle from a Sphinx.

"The strategy was planned by you, Kyoya?" a woman asked.

"Yes, yes it was." He replied pleasantly.

Kyoya and Hitomi were at the Central Salon with their parents, family, and family friends where they were discussing the success of the race.

"It was such a splendid event to watch." Hitomi replied. "I wished I could have been able to participate. I absolutely am fond of all sorts of mythology, especially Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology."

"Oh, Hitomi, if you did participate, I'm sure you could have won the race all by yourself." Kyoya replied with a pleasant smile.

Hitomi chuckled and said, "Kyoya, you're too sweet."

Was it all an act? Yes…and no.

"Such a sweet couple!" A friend of the Itachi family exclaimed.

"It was right to engage Hitomi and Kyoya together." Seiko Itachi replied.

"Yes, they do seem quite taken with each other." Yoshio Ohtori added. Murmur of excitement began going around.

"Yes, they do."

"Possibly one of the best arranged couples in a long time."

"There is no doubt that their time together will be utterly successful."

"If they both have the talent, then they will be successful in becoming the heads of our companies." Seiko deemed.

"Not to mention the powerful companies merged by their marriage." Yoshio added.

Kyoya and Hitomi smiled pleasantly at each other. Their smiles were just for show, and it somehow was able to fool their fathers. They weren't exactly happy, and not exactly indifferent to each other either. After all, the engagement itself was interesting enough. To Kyoya, Hitomi's smile was only a cover up her own laughter. To Hitomi, Kyoya's smile was only to cover up his true thoughts about his fiancée and the engagement. In reality, who could tell what he was thinking? Hitomi wasn't saying a word and neither was Kyoya.

"Emiko." A voice called.

Hitomi turned to find her mother walking towards her. She was tall and slim, only about an inch taller than Hitomi herself. She did not have the dark wavy hair her youngest daughter adorned, but instead, it was straight with flips on the ends. Beside Hitomi's mother were Mr. and Mrs. Hitachiin.

"Oh, Mother!" Hitomi cried in surprise. She glanced sideways at her father to find him gazing at his ex-wife with cold indifference.

Kyoya touched Hitomi's arm lightly and quietly said to her, "Emiko?"

"My mother's nickname for me. After all, I always do smile." She replied in the same manner. She grinned at him before turning back. (Emiko is Japanese for 'smiling child'.)

"The Central Salon is as gorgeous as ever. I remember being here when I attended Ouran myself." Her mother replied.

"Miyoko." Seiko acknowledged stiffly.

"…Seiko." Miyoko replied in a same tone.

Kyoya could see beyond the amiable smile his fiancée continued to hold. What he saw was worry that her parents would end up fighting, ultimately, embarrassing and degrading the Itachi family. It wouldn't be hard for that to happen, really. Seiko and Miyoko were already locked in a deathly glare. All that it would take for a fight to ensure was a smile spark, no matter how small it was.

"Emiko, darling, we have some business to discuss later." Miyoko said, now ignoring her former husband.

"What about?"

"I want to engage you to one of Mrs. Hitachiin's sons!" Hitomi's mother proclaimed.

Kyoya watched Hitomi's smile falter. Seiko clutched the glass in his hand tightly. If the atmosphere was any colder or the pressure of his grasp was any tighter, Kyoya was sure the glass would shatter.

"Miyoko, are you still going on about that?" Mrs. Tomoyo Hitachiin asked. "I am telling you, it isn't such a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Mother, didn't you get my last letter?" Hitomi asked. "I am already engaged to the youngest Ohtori son. Father arranged it."

"Don't be ridiculous, Emiko. You would benefit much more from a marriage to one of the twins." Miyoko insisted.

"I will not allow that, Miyoko." Seiko added.

"Oh, really?"

"Miyoko, Hitomi's engagement to Kyoya has already been finalized." He commented

"Then perhaps you should un-finalize it." She said stubbornly.

Hitomi frowned, her dark blue eyes glaring at her parents. She grabbed their arms and hissed forcefully, "That is enough. Are you trying to degrade and embarrass the Itachi name? If you want to fight, then do it in the privacy of the mansion, not here at Ouran."

Friends and family who had come with Seiko and Yoshio watched Hitomi Itachi lose her temper in a poised manner. Kyoya smirked. Not only was this interesting, but he admired the fact that her temper was much more dignified than his own. In its own way, it fell into the column that made him and her different.

"Debate who I will be engaged to there, but not here, not now at the Ouran Festival. I would prefer not to be arranged who I will be married to lest that I turn out like you." Hitomi continued spitefully.

She turned to Yoshio Ohtori and Tomoyo Hitachiin. "Mr. Ohtori, Mrs. Hitachiin, please come to our estate tomorrow afternoon. You may support and disagree with the decisions and debates of my parents on the subject of my future husband." She requested.

"Certainly. I shall be there." Yoshio agreed.

"Yes, I will too. What time do you wish for us to attend?" Tomoyo asked.

"Seven at night would be an honor. In that case, we may treat you to dinner as well." Hitomi answered.

"If the matter shall be resolved tomorrow evening, I suggest that it would be to our advantage to not talk about the subject at all for the time being." Kyoya said. "It would be best to have fun here at the Festival for now."

So I've been able to complete this chapter in my 30-minute break from studying for finals. xD Well, the next chapter will be the final one! Wow! xD I had intended the discussion about Hitomi's future husband to be in this chapter, but I felt it had run on long enough so I will be putting that in the final chapter. See you next time!