((A/N: *taps microphone a bit* Yoo Hoo! Testing! One! Two! Two! One! Yay! It's on!
Good morning/afternoon/evening/night fellow Ouran lovers! It's been such a long time and now I'm finally updating! Yay! So...who shall Mao-chan end up with? Well, according to my poll, my followers (about 480+ and counting) voted alternative endings and it's tied with Kyoya's ending and Someone else (Another love interest). Hmm. A lot of people just love Kyoya, huh? You know, while I'm at this, I'm going to edit a lot on this story once I get the chance off work and chores and going to be here all night long! Whoo! *not really because then my mum will yell at me and start lecuring me how I should and shouldn't act. (I think she's related to the person that wrote the ettiquite book).
Oh and yeah, Mao's the Danish Crown Princess! Who knew right? XD I'm going to write an episode about how they go to Copenhagen and meet the Danish Royal family (There is such thing. So is Norwegian, Finnish, Swedish, Spanish and all other countries. You know, I could have just made Mao the Luxembourgish Crown Princess. :3 Oh well, I already wrote it down! Haha.
MK: I'm a what?! *screaming eternally*
KAS: Oh sh*t! You weren't suppose to hear that! Um...*grabs human traquilizer darts and shoots on on Mao's arm, watching her fall to the ground asleep*
Host Club: ...*sweat drops and silent*
KAS: It's for the best. *puts gun away and smiles* I don't own OHSHC or the characters. I only own Mao Kurosaki, Yuki, Mika, Masato, his family and Yuki's family, and the non exsistant parents of Mao who happen to have Royal blood. I also don't own the Danish Royal Family. (If I did, I want to be ruler and I shall be named Kaiser Author-san III *I already know Kaiser is German for Emperor so...DON'T RUIN MY DREAM. Actually my real dream is to be knighted by Queen Elizabeth II or some royal family and be a knight!*) Anyways...
Enjoy the story! ))
"The Culinary student, Mao Kurosaki yes? I think she'll make an excellent wife for my Kyoya in the future. She's grown up in a way Masato and Wiliem would have wanted her to. I just wanted you two to know my intentions." Yoshio said so suddenly that Yuki had to spit out her tea in surprise.
"Well, it looks like we're not going to get along after all," The chairman said, "I'm sorry, but that's the one thing I could never allow my friend. I too want my Tamaki to have a wife like Mao in the future. I am considering Haruhi Fujioka as well." Yuki was surprised that these two were even considering having her daughter get married to two of the most powerful families in all Japan. Let alone be friends with their fathers?
"Whoa! Mao's not a bargaining chip! I demand that you speak about my child in an appropriate manner! I won't allow Mao to find out so soon about herself."
"Yuki, she's at that age now where she's to find out who she is. She should-"
"No Yoshio! I promised Masato that until she's eighteen she'll find out!"
"Masato is dead. This changes everything especially with what's happening in Denmark right now. Mao deserves to know what happened that night ten years ago. She's the rightful heir, not that crook that led to Wiliem's death. We have to tell Mao everything one of these days! I want her to come to my manor to hear everything from me." Yoshio suggested, looking down at his hands.
"Yoshio…"
"Yuki, Denmark deserves to have their princess back. Please have her come to my manor to explain to her."
'I want you to stay here Mao. I'm going to come back.'
'Promise, papa?'
'I promise. Stay here where I told you while I lead the bad men away.'
'Be careful papa. *Danish: I love you, Papa*'
'*Danish: I love you too, my little one. Now, stay quiet.*'
Since the Ouran fair, I've been having dreams about this man - this man that I call 'Papa' and I was speaking some language I don't recognize. This man is the man I'm trying to look because he had promised me that he would come back after he has lead the bad men away that were trying to get us. This guy is my dad because who else would have my eyes?
Oh, Ouran Academy is the school that I was able to get into because of a culinary scholarship that I received, but some students were stupid enough to confuse me as a boy since instead of my long wavy brown-copper hair, I had short, layered and messy brown-copper hair. My looks caught the attention of the guys in the Ouran Host Club. I have something that Tamaki gave me as an introductory for the club, but knowing me, I'm not going to do it. The Ouran Host club is made up of six (now eight) members with different host types and entertain ladies so they are never unhappy. This is something Tamaki prizes because he views all girls as beautiful and never wants a girl to be unhappy. I guess that's what I like about that doofus. I joined the Host club due to my friend, Haruhi.
"Mao, exactly what Korean Drama are we watching?" Nana asked me as I came back with some refreshments that were perfect for watching dramas. I set down the lemonade and caramel popcorn that I was able to make for the girls and took my seat between Nana and Mina.
"It's called Stairway to Heaven," I said. "It was amazingly popular some years back and it still is."
"What a cute name! What's the drama about?" Ai asked me.
"I can't tell you that. You guys would have to find out on your own~!" I taunted with a smile which met with a bunch on whines and giggles.
"That's so mean Mao-kun!" Said Nana. I nodded my head in agreement and pressed play on the home made theater that I was able to create. All I needed was just a DVD projector and a blank white wall with nothing on it and done. I guess you're probably asking why I'm watching a drama in the Host Club when I should be hosting.
Well, Kyoya said during the Ouran fair that Haruhi and I paid off our debt and are free to quit the Host Club. I was all like "Oh, hell no! I worked my butt off and you're telling me to just quit or not?! I'm staying and that's final!" I really didn't say that. I didn't quit because these guys wouldn't make me laugh like they usually do. I'm not missing another chance to see them dressed up as girls again. That reminds me, I still have that photo on my phone and I send it to Haruhi. Good thing we don't post that much things on our Facebook.
Anyways, since the girls wanted to know more about me, I decided to bring in one of my favorite dramas of all time to see so they know why I love these things. Stairway to Heaven is a really famous one and I'm not talking about the Led Zeppelin song.
Things were working out pretty great if you ask me when I said that they were crying at the sad parts of the drama.
"WHY JOON SOO! WHY!? SOON JOO IS YOURS! NOT THAT OTHER GIRLS!" I heard the girls say. It's funny how that I reacted the same way when I first saw the drama and now the girls were saying this stuff.
At the end of the day, I say my goodbyes to the guys and head on home to my two story house – not including the restaurant – and then go to work for who knows how long before my shift ends and then I head on towards another part-time job. I work because I want to provide for my family once Dad died. In case you're wondering why I am working when we already have the money from Dad's life insurance, it's because there isn't enough money to cover mom's medical bills, the cell phone bill, water, electricity, entertainment and now I have to pay back for the motorbike. I only have six thousand left. Boy, did I get a scolding for my boss who almost fired me for mistreating the bike (He didn't fire me because I'm a quick delivery girl).
~-.~-.~-.~-.~
"Mao, exactly how many more episodes does Boys Over Flowers have?" Tamaki asked me as he sat at the end of the seat and about fifteen girls were sitting with us as we watched the episode where Goon Jun Pyo (SP?) took Jan Dai to his mansion and made her all pretty and stuff.
"More than twenty now shut it!" I said, drinking more coffee and munched on some chocolate coated strawberries that I was able to make that day. No, it's not Valentine's Day; that would be stupid if it was.
"Not to ruin your drama week, but Mao, have you studied for the personal finance class exam before winter break starts?" Haruhi asked. I dropped by coffee on the floor and I don't even know if Kyoya's going to put me back on debt for that. Who cares anyways right now? I have a freaking test and I didn't even know about it. I turned my head around to see Kyoya right at his usual spot for the whole week – sitting on a chair at an empty table with his laptop and typing away. He wasn't even watching Boys Over Flowers with us.
"Every personal finance student must pass this exam before graduation. Luckily, you are able to retake it before winter break – which is two months away." He said.
"Say what?"
"You didn't study did you?" He said. I was about to answer him until the episode stopped. I didn't study again because mom was sick again and we had to grab a taxi to take her to the hospital, where they're running tests on her as we speak. I didn't go to bed since there was the late midnight rush and I didn't remember that there was a big exam. I would have remembered something so important if….wait a minute...
"Okay class. I want you all to write this in your notebooks that in next week, I want you all prepared for our exam. I suggest you study so you can relax even before winter break starts."
"Tch. I don't need to be reminded. I have a photographic memory."
"DAMMIT! Me and my big mouth!"
~.-~.-~The next day~-.~-.~
"AAAH! How the hell did this happen…again!?" I yelled, wrinkling the seven paged paper and threw it into a trash bin. Luckily for me, Kyoya walked by when I did such an action and dug up the poor, mistreated test. He unwrapped it and his eyes widened at the test score.
"A thirty-six?" He asked as I just pouted, almost at the brink of tears. I can't even bear to hear that number.
"That's even lower than that trigonometry test back then!" I yelled back. "Why does the personal finance teacher hate me!?" I yelled even more and Hikaru and Kaoru came in and then scoffed at me playfully. "Yeah, yeah. You only failed because you forgot to study." They said in union. I grew an angry vein at the top of my head and Haruhi had to hold me down….again.
"I wasn't asking you, you ginger doppelgangers!" I said, waving my fist around like a madman.
"So you didn't study?" Asked Kyoya. I paused my fury and went into a depression at the table with my hands hiding my face. This was a new low, even for me because I've never gotten a grade that low in my life. I know I wasn't the smartest of kids like Haruhi, but I wasn't also the dumbest.
"Did you at least study before class?" Haruhi asked me as I nodded my head in response.
"I just began guessing when I reached the questions that just didn't make any sense anymore," I said. "I had to go to the hospital again for my mom. There was a freaking midnight rush hour at work and I just wanted to go to bed!" I defended.
"And you're a scholarship student for the culinary arts; you must have-"
"You must have a minimum of 3.0 or higher GPA. I know. You told me this Kyoya." There was that returning fear of my scholarship being taken away again. I would have to go back to public school and I'll lose my chance on finding who my real dad is and who knew. There was no way that I was going to quit after coming so long. I even had jobs – thanks to the chairman that he gave me permission to work – to worry about. It's not a flexible time schedule, I'll tell you that much. Someone has to maintain the family on money support and it isn't going to be Mika since she can practically get us into debt if she goes off and buys more stuff out of her budget. We learned that lesson when dad was still around. It took us three months to come up with the money and a budget sheet on how much we should spend each week.
"I think I might have a solution." Someone finally said and it just happened to be Kyoya and everyone just looked at him.
"Tutoring." He simply said.
"Tutoring?" Everyone repeated after him…well, everyone excluding him and me.
I groaned and rested on the sofa since it couldn't possibly get any worse. This is the worst because I've never been this bad at stuff like this. The lowest I had on my grades were a D- and here I am in high school and I'm getting F's in personal finance class and I'm on a scholarship.
"Yes, tutoring. We'll begin your tutoring today after club activities." Kyoya said, closing his notebook and began with his typing again. I looked at him like the crazy guy he was. Dude, we have two months until winter break starts and he wants me to start now? I mean, sure I'm all up for the idea of starting early and getting it out of the way, but so soon?
"Oh. And don't even think about skipping out because I will be able to track you down." He smirked and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he leaned back a bit I his chair.
Sh*t. What a sadist.
~-.~-.~-.~-.~
Well…Kyoya was right about everything. When was he never wrong?
He was able to track me down once school ended and when club ended.
Today is the start of tutoring by none other than Kyoya Ootori who just happens to have nine hours of class time with me all school day and two extra hours with the host club. It was already awkward enough for me that I had to call home that I'll be home later than usual. Mika got the message and wished me luck on the private tutoring today and hope that I become someone girlfriend or something. I'm going to resent her for that until the day I die.
I waited for the guy to come out to the school gates already. What the hell does he have to take so long and why would he take so long? He's just a freaking guy. And I've been waiting for him for the last five minutes! Not that I'm keeping track or anything like that, I'm just annoyed and want to eat something and then get this whole thing over with.
Why did I even agree to this in the first place?
That's the real question of all this. It was like a freaking dark cloud haunting me even when I was leaning against the wall, already having my imagination go wild. What if he's going to make me tell him my secret recipe for my famous parfaits? Oh my god, not my parfaits! That's how I make my money!
Sighing heavily, I looked around the lonely road and the many limos that I've see park here have come to pick of their masters and drive them home or wherever they need to go. It's still better than waiting at the park where there're lovey-dovey couples holding hands and displaying PDA everywhere. And here I am, waiting in the blistering cold of fall and winter mixing together – the beginning of October.
"Mao."
My head shot up at the sound of my name being heard in the air. I was a bit caught off guard since I was paying attention to something else in mind.
Oh there he is – the source of all my uncertainty and my impending doom or my demise. He's the freaking son of the Ootori family group, Kyoya Ootori. Yeah, the name still sounds nice when I say it. What am I saying!? I shouldn't be saying these stupid things and random things about my senpai! He's a good friend and only a good friend!
"W-what took you so long?" I yelled, trying to look like I was annoyed and bored of waiting, but that failed miserably since it sounded like I was stuttering from nervousness when it was clear that I was stuttering from the cold!
"You waited here? In the cold?"
"N-no sh*t, Sherlock. Where else would I have waited for you?" I resorted and gave him a glare.
"My family limo." He said, pointing to two limos down and there waited a guy and a door open. I felt really stupid that I really should smack myself in the head or repeatedly smash my head on something that could probably knock the sense into me. I found a good wall and started to gently smash my head on it.
Kyoya chuckled and said, "Shall we?"
The two of us walked to the limo, climbed in and waited for the limo to start. The only time I've ever been in a limo was the time we all went to Okinawa to the beach. It was good to be in the limo because it was quiet and the only noise you heard was the breathing and the wind outside.
"How were your classes today?" He asked and opened up one of his many books while I gave him a 'are you serious' look. He knows very well how my classes were today since he's there almost seventy percent of the time.
"They were okay. I cooked up some German Chocolate cake with coconut sprinkles today and got an A+ if that's what you mean by okay." I answered and glanced over at him. Wow, even if we've become friends, there was a lot of tension around this little space that Kyoya and I shared. Maybe I should start calling him Kyo-Hyung again?
But in Korean dramas, the guy always acts awkward and nervous and sometimes does nice things for the girl that he likes. Is that what Kyoya is doing? Acting all awkward and stuff? If it was, it's the end of the world because Kyoya Ootori is not the type to act all awkward and nervous. May I be hit by lightning if I'm wrong!
'He's helping you study for the retest isn't he? Maye he likes you more than a friend?'
I don't know how to feel about it though. Kyoya only did those things since he's a nice friend. He got me out of trouble from Lobelia with that kiss, right?
'That kiss may have done that, but he also wanted to be your first. Admit it, he likes you and you like him~!'
After telling the voice to shut up, I looked up at Kyoya who was staring at me for some reason.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"You looked like you were arguing with yourself."
"You don't know the half of it." I muttered softly and felt that the car came to an erupt stop, which it did. I was about to open the door when the driver opened the door for me and I immediately hopped out. Once I did, I was met with the stare of a really big mansion and a line of employees all lined up to greet someone. When I said really big mansion, I mean really big because it was even bigger than what I thought Kyoya's house would have been. I thought for sure it was going to be some kind of villa or some cool condo, but no. It had to be a mansion that could rival the Blue house! (The Blue house of South Korea is equivalent to the White House of the US.)
"Welcome home master." The house employees said and bowed down when Kyoya's presence was around. I stayed right behind him and followed him inside his house. It was even bigger on the inside than on the outside. It looked as big as a museum!
"This is it?! This is your house Kyoya?!" I turned my head to him.
"It's not much."
"Not much!? Your house could rival Tom Cruise's! This house looks like a freaking princess could live here!"
"You're that surprised? It's just a house."
"Just a house!? Kyoya, there are people in the world that don't have house and you're here in a mansion that's about fifteen acres!"
"It's actually thirty acres including the grounds."
"Okay! Didn't need to know that! And let's get this studying over with! I really want to pass the retest!" I said, already running around the house like a little kid.
"Wait, Mao. I-"
"Kyoya! I can't find your room anywhere!" I yelled as I ran back to the main entrance hall or whatever rich people called it.
"If you waited, I would have shown you. You really are persistent." He said.
"Are you calling me stubborn?! How dare you!?"
I followed him to his room and I was surprised that it was like a two story bedroom. The first floor of his room was like the living room and there was a flat screen too! That wasn't the only thing that surprised me, there were a lot of Kyoya's clothes lying around on the floor and I was so glad there weren't any underwear lying around, just shirts and pants. Boys will be boys I guess.
"Damn. Fuyumi is rummaging through my drawers again." I heard Kyoya mutter to himself.
"Fuyumi?" I asked, tilting my head to the side in confusion.
"My older sister. I asked her a million times to stop doing this." I looked between the pile of clothes and back at Kyoya and thought briefly about his sister. And that's when it hit me.
"I'm guessing you and your sister a pretty close." I set my stuff down and then knelt on the floor near the pile of clothes and started folding his clothes and separated them between color and length of the sleeves or if they were pants. Kyoya must have been pretty confused now since I just started picking up his clothes and folding them like I was some kind of maid….which I kinda was…only for three weeks since the guy was such a jerk and tried to make me do things I did not approve of. Pervert….
"What are you doing?" Asked Kyoya.
"I'm folding your clothes. I'm not studying in a room that's a mess so we're not starting until I clean up." I said, folding another shirt and laid it down in the drawers. Damn, this Fuyumi person really knows how to mess up the drawers with her…special folding skills. I had to be quick with my job here, but I also had to take my time since I didn't want the drawers to be stuffed and the clothes shouldn't be wrinkled. When I finished, I set them in three different piles. Short sleeved were on the right, pants or shorts were in the middle, and long sleeved shirts were on the left. I also color coated them so lighter colors were at the bottom and darker colors were at the top. I stopped and thought for a moment because I started imagining our future together.
"Kyoya, I just finished up with dinner now." said Mao, well dressed up in a simple yet cute white dress with an apron that she had made by hand. Right at the doorway to the kitchen was Kyoya standing there with his hair slightly slid back with a few strands of hair sticking out. He was also dressed up in a black suit that suited him so well and his tie had been undone.
"You cooked dinner again? We have maids and butlers to do this, you know." Kyoya said in an amused tone and playfully wrapped his arms around his beloved wife of ten years. Mao giggled and playfully smacked at her husbands arms, but then turned to him in a very serious tone.
"You know I like to do things on my own. What good would it do if my husband doesn't eat the food 'I' make for him?" Kyoya chuckled and pressed his forehead onto Mao's, smiling.
"Then please cook as much as you like." He leans close to Mao's lips as she blushes profoundly and waits for the kiss that's about to come. After so many years together, Kyoya's kisses are just magical and amazing.
What the heck am I doing?! I shouldn't be thinking that way right now! And what the heck!? Married for ten years?! Marriage is a long way from now and I don't think I'll marry Kyoya at any time! Sure, he's handsome, smart, cute at some times, funny, charming, cool, caring, kind and swe-! GAH! What am I saying?! I shouldn't be saying such things and he's the total opposite of that despite him telling me that he'd rather call me Mrs. Ootori back at the Ouran Fair, but I just brushed it off as a joke! Was he really serious?
"Are you done?" He asked me as he was just sitting there watching me fold. Why the hell was he even watching me? His voice was the one thing that brought me out of my thoughts over something really silly.
"Yes, little master. I'm done." I said and took my seat across from him of the table. I heard him chuckle and opened up a few books of the stuff that we're going to cover. I followed his example and took out my Personal finance notebook. He looked over at it and somewhere in his thoughts, he thought of snatching it and taking a quick peak at it.
"Could I see that?" He asked me and I just handed it to him. It was already a mess and he noticed it.
"Your personal finance books could be better if you actually do something about it Miss Kurosaki." Kyoya said, flipping through my Personal finance notebook. He scrunched up his eyebrows and closed it quickly.
"It's no wonder you have a C- in class. Your notes are horrible and unorganized. At least they're better than Tamaki's." He plainly said. "Well I'm not you! The teacher goes too fast than what I'm normally used to. A lot of the curriculum has changed ever since I got here."
"Well, it's not too late for you to change that. Ready to study, my dear?" He said with a smirk.
Did he just actually say that? Did he really? I almost ripped my notebook because he said that. I felt my face blush but I kept it down and tried to concentrate.
"Y-y-yeah, yeah! Okay! Stop using your host looks at me! It's not going to work!" I yelled at him. He smirked playfully again and threw my notebook in the trash.
"Hey! I need that notebook you know Kyoya!" I said. "That won't be necessary. I provided you with a new notebook. With that, let's start off with vocabulary. Salary is…" Kyoya asked me. I remembered this from the top of my head!
"It's a regular payment; often at monthly or biweekly intervals, made by an employer to an employee, especially in the case of professionals, or white-collared employees. Salaries are paid for services rendered and are not based on hours worked."
"Correct. Now...screening effect?"
"Ah…it's the idea that education increases the efficiency of production and results in higher wages?" I said questionably. Kyoya looked at me and held up the "Wrong" card.
"The definition you just said is for learning effect. Screening effect is the idea that a college degree is a signal to employers that a person is intelligent and hardworking. You have to know these since it's on the test next Friday." Kyoya said to me calmly. I gave him an "Am I stupid?" look that I hope no one saw.
"You better loose that attitude Mao. You wouldn't want to fail the exam, would you?" He said.
I quickly turned my attention to the book and wrote down the definitions for all the highlighted words and wrote some examples. While I was doing that, I didn't notice a shadow king sneaking a few glances at me.
"You have beautiful handwriting." He commented. I looked up and brushed it off. There wasn't anything special about my handwriting except that it kind of looked Victorian inspired.
"Thanks." I said and continued writing, still not noticing Kyoya's secret glances at me. Sometimes when he looks at me, I wonder what he thinks about me...
I like this side of her...so focused...and so cute.
Everything was so quiet that the only thing that made noise was the pencils writing on the paper and the two of us talking about the notes for my retest.
That was until…
"Kyoya! Everyone in the manor told me you brought home a visitor!" I looked up at the bedroom door to see some woman that almost looked like Kyoya. She wore a pretty green dress that I wouldn't mind wearing…that is if there was a copy and her hair is down really elegantly if I might add. I would have mentioned more if it weren't for us making eye contact and then cue awkward silence.
"Oh." She and I said at the same time. I heard Kyoya sigh and stood up from his place and I followed his example.
"Fuyumi, this is Mao Kurosaki. Mao, this is my sister Fuyumi." He said and I put on the best smile I could muster.
"It's really nice to meet you Fuyumi. I hope we can get along." I said and looked at her while she just stood there watching her as she did the same to me. It was a few minutes until she spoke again and good thing too because I thought she was going to turn around and say she didn't like me or something.
"Kyoya," she said and walked up to me to do the unexpected, she hugged me. "She's absolutely adorable! And she's such a sweet heart!" I felt my cheeks turn red from all these complements she was giving me and hugged me tightly that I swear my face was turning purple or something. Did Kyoya's sister do this a lot to all the girls that came across Kyoya's interest or just the ones that are special? I don't know.
"Fuyumi, get off of her." Kyoya sighed again and pushed his glasses up his nose and stuff and then pulled me off his sisters grip and then brought me closer to his person with his arm around my waist. It was embarrassing enought that he kissed me and showed the picture to everyone at the Lobelia school's play, it was embarrassing to see that I had to tell stories of how I did 'many' things in middle school and now I have Kyoya holding onto my waist?!
"Is she your girlfriend Kyoya?" Fuyumi proclaimed with a slight giggle and my face turned the darkest of reds that day that it took some time for the color to flush out and I'm pretty sure I made a new shade of red. I pouted and shook my head furiously.
"W-w-we're just friends! Y-yeah! We're friends and I only came over to study! Kyoya is helping me with my personal finance class!" I uttered loudly and stayed perfectly still since this is Kyoya's older sister for goodness sakes! She could kill me if she wanted to! Fuyumi then broke into a smile and started to laugh and I was confused as hell. Aren't older siblings overprotective over their younger siblings? I should know since I have Mika.
"She certainly is like you told me, Kyoya." She said in between her laughter and laughed even more when she noticed Kyoya blush more, but I just stood there in shock because…
Kyoya talks about me? To his own family?
"Fuyumi…" Kyoya muttered angrily, but his face was turned the other way from me and from the glance up that I had, I knew for sure that he was blushing.
"I'm sorry Kyoya. Why don't you let us girls talk for a bit. Mao deserves a study break and you can get us something from the kitchen. Please?" Fuyumi pleaded and Kyoya gave a "I give up" sigh that he agreed to his sisters' wishes and dismissed himself and walked out his room, leaving me and Fuyumi in the room.
"Well, Miss Mao Kurosaki, how does it feel to know that Kyoya talks about you to me?" She asked me and I instantly blushed at the thought of Kyoya talking about me to his family. Does he really like me that much? Wait, did he talk about the good things about me!?
"...Should I be flustered or...should I be be estatic?" I quietly questioned, looking down at my fingers as I was fiddling with them. Seriously, I don't get to hear often that a guy talks about me to his family. Don't get me wrong, it's sweet and it makes my chest hurt a lot. Isn't that a medical health problem? Your chest hurting a lot? Is that normal?
"The first time a girl falls in love is always the scariest." She giggled and my eyes widened in shock. Me? In love with Kyoya?
"You mean that-?" I began to ask a question, but I stopped myself and tried to process all of this. I'm in love with Kyoya? No, I can't possibly be. If I was in love with Kyoya, then why do I also get this feeling with the others?
"Fuyumi-Noona, what are you talking about?!" I asked and she jumped back in surprise.
"Fuyumi-Noona?"
"Noona is a Korean honorific that boys use to call their big sisters. Since I'm playing off as a guy at school, I call all the girls older than me Noona because it's also used towards girls that you're really close to." I explained much more than I wanted to and she was just so fixed by what I was talking about that her eyes shown interest.
"Oh! That's wonderful. If you're calling me Noona, that means we're close now, right?"
"I guess so. You are Kyoya's older sister…Anyways, what does Kyoya talk to you about me?" I asked, a little curious what that cool host bastard says about me. Fuyumi noticed and smiled.
"The first time that he told me about you was during the spring dance I think. He told me about a girl that had red-brown hair and the prettiest green eyes he's ever seen. He also said that the girl wanted to become a chef to find her family and obsessed with Korean Dramas."
"It's not an obsession. I just…really like the plot of the show and really want to meet the actors."
The two of us talked for quite a while that we even exchanged a few laughs. Kyoya's sister is a really funny and sweet person. I'm kinda glad that he has someone like her in his life. At least I won't have to worry about him surrounded by his big jerks of his brothers and his non supportive dad. Everything went smoothly for a bit until she asked me the one question I hoped she wouldn't ask.
"Mao, do you like my brother?" I stopped right there and froze on the spot. This is what I was talking about before. I realized that when I'm around the guys, my chest starts hurting and I've talked to a lot of people and they said that I was in love. A girl falling in love in real life is different from a girl falling in love in a Korean Drama or any other drama show from another country. It's an exageration and to make it more dramatic than it's suppose to be. But what I'm feeling for Kyoya and the other's can't be love. It's got to be friendship since that's what I think of them as - just friends.
"For a girl that watches Korean Dramas, you sure are dense about love." She laughed at me and I pouted.
"Hey! I just don't pay attention to it when it's about me! I could have thought that I was going to be an unmarried woman! Also, not all Korean Dramas have romance! Some of them are filled with action!" I yelled, getting up with a red tomato colored face; It looked like that and I hated it.
"Mao," Fuyumi-Noona called out and reached over to grab my hands and looked at me straight in the eyes to make me know that she was being serious. I know she was serious already. She cracked another smile on her face and I just looked at her back, wondering what the hell she's going to say. "If you're in any trouble, just come see your big sister!"
Say what?
"B-big sister!?" I exclaimed.
"Having this talk, I feel like we already have become siblings. Welcome to the family Mao!" She reached across the table, letting go of my hands, and embraced me in another hug of hers. Fuyumi-Noona reminds me of a certain someone as she's doing this...
"Mao-chan~! Come and give big sister a hug!"
"Mao-chan~! I'm drawing my favorite OTP! KyoMao!"
"Is there something I missed?" Kyoya's voice just appeared once he entered through his own room with a few snacks in hand. Fuyumi suddenly stood up and smiled at me as she grasped my hands.
"I enjoyed our talk Mao. Feel free to come to me whenever you want to, okay?" She asked and I simply nodded since I didn't want to be rude or anything. Fuyumi then dismissed herself and walked out of the room, leaving me and Kyoya alone in the room.
Wait…..Kyoya and I are alone….in the same room…..
…
SOMEONE HELP ME! I'M TRAPPED IN A ROOM WITH A HOT GUY! AND HE'S MY SENPAI!
"Mao, would you stop making weird gestures to the audience and pay attention to your study guide at least?"
"And would you stop breaking the fourth wall, Kyoya? They already know they're reading a fanfiction. And they love me!"
"Whatever you say."
And there goes my confidence.
As we quietly studied, we slowly ate the snacks that he brought for Fuyumi, himself and I and it was just me and Kyoya. What he brought up were some finger sandwiches.
"One of the maids will be bringing the tea later." He said, not taking his eyes off the notebook in front of him.
"What kind?"
"Chai. With cinnamon and milk."
"Yummy! I like the scent of Chai tea. Let me guess, your tea is imported from India, right?"
"Correct. I'm not surprised since you are on the culinary scholarship."
"It's not much, but I'm still learning." I said, putting down my pen and closed my eyes to remember everything that I have done up to this point. Everything from that night up until now started projecting itself into my head and I could see it all with my eyes closed.
With my eyes closed, I know for sure that I can still see what I've been through; however, I can't see what I'm really looking for.
My past. My past before I was five years old.
'Mao, I need you to say here while I lead the bad men away.' The man with a reassuring smile said to me.
'You promise, papa?'
'I promise to come back. I love you, sweetie.'
'I love you too papa. Come back safely.' As I squated down and watched the mans' figure disappear down the alleyway, I saw the men that were chasing us run after him and they haven't even noticed me hiding in the dark. I...I...
SCCCRRRREEEEEECHHHH CCRRRRAAAASSHH
"Why did you stop writing? Is something wrong?" Kyoya asked me and sat closer to me than he normally did before and his voice was a concerned one. I opened my eyes again, pausing the movie of my life and saw Kyoya's face close to mine. His own forehead was pressed against mine. This sudden gesture was making my face all red and my heart beating like no tomorrow. What is it? Make-Mao-Kurosaki-Blush Day?!
"You don't have a fever." He said.
"No s*** Sherlock."
"Since when did you start using such words?"
"Since that idiot got me worried over nothing! Do you know how frustrated I am?"
"I doubt it. You're talking to a man that works through the night and don't sleep until five in the morning."
"Geez. Are you like a vampire or something? Well, you do look like vampire material and the good kind too."
"Where do you come up with these ideas?"
"Didn't you say the same thing at Karuizawa?"
"No. I said it differently."
….
…
…..
….
"I'm bored Kyoya! We've been at this for what? Two weeks now?" I exclaimed and laid on my back, looking at the ceiling despite the fact that I didn't want to whatsoever. Dang, that's a really tall ceiling. I can't even touch it or anything. What kind of sick game is this!? Anyways, for the last two weeks, I've been coming to Kyoya's house to study and stay there until it starts getting dark and crap. He always takes me home with his fancy limo every night and it gets annoying to know that the neighbors are asking me if I can ask my new 'boyfriend' to get some things they want.
"What do you want me to do about it?" He asked me.
"I don't know. Play some music, anything actually." I said, pointing to the stereo he had. Wait, he has a stereo?! Well, it's right over there and it has the speakers. GET IT TOGETHER MAO!
"Okay. Since we're taking a break, why don't we have fun?" He suggested and I gasped.
"Who are you and what have you done to Kyoya!?" I exclaimed, placing my hand where my heart is.
"What are you talking about?"
"The Kyoya I know barely has any fun. Well, his definition of fun is calculating money and playing around with his calculator or laptop." I said.
"I do much more than that, thank you. I'm just like any other person out there so don't think of me that differently." He finished, walking to his laptop. "What do you prefer?"
"I'm feeling a sing-along. What do you have?"
"The Sound of Music."
"You do!? That's my favorite movie with Julie Andrews! Play it, play it play it!" I said, jumping up and down like a child – something I normally wouldn't do even with someone I know, but I let my passion of a movie get to me that day. Kyoya chuckled at how enthusiastic I was and quickly pressed play and the song started to play.
The hills are alive with the sound of music
With songs that have sung for a thousand years
The hills fill my heart with the sound of music
My heart wants to sing every song it hears
I sang, spinning around like she had done in the movie while Kyoya was sitting and watching my performance. I was so into the roll that I started imagining that I was in the same scene as in the movie.
My heart wants to beat like the wings of a bird
That rise from the lake to the trees
My heart wants to sigh like a chime
That flies from a church on a breeze
To laugh like a brook when it trips
And falls over stones on its way
To sing through the night
Like a lark who is learning to pray
Just when I was about to catch my breath and start singing again, I heard another voice from behind me. I'm pretty sure that I didn't sing that deeply. Despite not being my voice, it sang as beautifully.
I go to the hills when my heart is lonely
I know I will hear what I've heard before
The only other person that could sing along with me was Kyoya. It would have been impossible since he's not much of the singing type from first glance, but what do I know? He could secretly sing to himself before he became the wannabe accountant that he is today.
Well, there was one way to find out. To turn around and see if it is.
…..
Guess what? It was Kyoya.
There were so much of Kyoya that I didn't know or understand and this is one of them.
My heart will be blessed with the sound of music
And I'll sing once more.
He finished singing as he cupped my face and made me look straight up into his eyes – the same way the male lead actor in a drama would do to his loved one just as they're about to kiss or such.
"Um….Can you like step away from my face please? I realy really want to watch a movie now." I said quickly, pushing his face away from mine as fast as I could before something happened.
"You misspelled really that first time."
"Wha-!? How do you even know!? You weren't even near us while we were writing the chapter!" I exclaimed, backing myself out of his way.
Well, he did do what I wanted him to do and now we're stuck in an awkward silence. Where the hell's my movie?!
"So, a movie?"
"Yeah! Do you have Hayato Miyazaki?" I asked, walking towards his flat screen and trying to find the cabinet that held a bunch of movies and stuff.
~-.~-.~-.~-.~-.~
I'm just going to give out some important and small details of what I've experienced at Kyoya's house.
There was just something that I wanted to know more about him – more about the life of being Kyoya Ootori. Does that sound a bit stalkerish because if it does, I swear, someone lock me up before I become even more dangerous.
Anyways, Kyoya and I kept up with the studying sections and there were a couple times where we actually had fun. We took breaks by him showing me around the house and I gotta admit, it was an amazing time – we even played Hide and Seek just because I wanted to and he simply agreed. I still don't know why he agreed to it – it didn't sound like something Kyoya would do, but I guess everyone has a little kid in them that comes out every so often.
The two of us were counting the days that the exam would be. Right now, we're just two weeks away from the exam and Kyoya was not wasting any time about all of this.
"Okay, can you give me the definition of Conglomerate?" He asked and I dropped everything and responded,
"A corporation that conducts business in at least two different industries."
"Good. Now, how about franchise?"
"It's an arrangement in which an established company sells the right for others to use the company's name and operating plan to sell products or services."
"Good. Limited liability?"
"You cannot be legally forced to use personal money and possessions to pay business debt."
I paused because Kyoya paused and I waited for him to say something until he closed his notebook and smiled at me gently.
"You did good Mao." He said. Something in me must have been broke or something because the next second that I noticed was that I jumped from where I was sitting and then wrapped my arms around the four-eyed Ootori bastard, smiling.
"Thanks Kyoya-Oppa! Thanks a lot!" I exclaimed and then…
MAO IS PROCESSING
MAO IS PROCESSING
MAO IS PROCESSING
MAO IS PROCESSING
MAO IS PROCESSING…IN 3…2…1…
"Ah…..W-w-w-what I-I m-m-m-mean to say i-i-is…w-well–I'mleavingnowandthankyou! GOODBYE!" I yelled and then picked up all my things, rushing out of his room as quickly as I could.
"What?" He finally said and stood up to catch up to me. I was already at the entry hall of his house – which he didn't need since you're already seeing the person when you open the door – and I opened the door, not seeing a very important person; VIP, wanting to come inside the house and I happen to bump into them as I was wanting to exit the house to escape the awkwardness that I created with Kyoya-Oppa and I.
Oh great, I've gone back to using Korean suffixes on Kyoya now and this one is the most embarrassing of them all.
"Wha-!" The man that I bumped into said. I heard footsteps behind me and they stopped immediately when they saw that I bumped into someone. I backed up and bowed down as an apology.
"I am so sorry sir! I didn't see you there! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" I quickly apologized and didn't even look up to see who it was.
"Young lady, I'll-! Oh, Miss Kurosaki."
Wait…what?
How did this person know my name? To only find out, I lifted my head up and felt like an idiot in that moment because I dropped all my stuff and looked at Kyoya-Oppa's dad, Yoshio Ootori, the Head of the Ootori Medical Group – or so I've been told.
Picture this. Imagine yourself in front of your one true enemy that you're really afraid of. Imagine yourself in front of your crush and you did something really embarrassing. That's the exact look I had when I was facing Ootori-Ajusshi.
Oh great, I'm back to my old Korean honorifics.
"Miss Kurosaki, what a pleasant surprise. Ah, excuse me for being in your way and for asking…why are you in my home?" He didn't sound sarcastic or harsh; he actually sounded like Masato when he was embarrassed and didn't know what to do. Wait….the great and powerful Yoshio Ootori is embarrassed….embarrassed of what? Look even Kyoya-Oppa was confused at this.
"Um…Y-you see. Kyoya is helping me out for this Economics retest coming up and I come by so he could tutor me." I said.
"A retest? I could arrange you the best tutors I know-"
"That won't be necessary! Kyoya's the best! Believe me, he's the best of the best! And I doubt you'll find anyone better." I finished, giving off a smile – a failed smile that could have become a bad poker face. Ootori-Ajusshi did the unspeakable next….
HE PATTED ME ON THE HEAD! THE HEAD AND SMILED!
"I know he is. Anyways, I'll be in my office if you two need me." He last said, leaving me and Kyoya wonder "Who was that and what did he do to the real Yoshio Ootori?"
…
….
…
"Did that really just happen?" I asked Kyoya and he nodded his head.
"I think it did. I never saw my father act that way, not even to close family relatives. He's only acted that way around two or three other people from what I've heard of." He said, turning his attention to me. "He's started acting that way ever since he saw Yuki-san during the Ouran fair."
"Weird. Of all the people she knows, she happens to know your dad….Wait, is that how you got her phone number?!"
"I searched my father's contact and I happened to find your fathers and then dug deeper to find the current phone number your family had."
"You're such a stalker."
"I am not! I was just trying to get a hold of your mother in case something was to happen."
"Kyoya, your family is in the medical business and if something did happen, I would hope your first instinct is to take me to the ER and then call my mom with my cellphone. I can trust you." I uttered out loud without even thinking and he heard me for petes sake. Dammit, I didn't want him to hear that.
"You…trust me?" He said it like it was something that's unbelievable and stuff. Am I really that heartless and don't really trust people? Am I really a person that just doesn't want to let people in? Am I really a person that has a wall up and just keeps people out for the sake of not being hurt again?
'Are we really not going to see daddy ever again?'
'Daddy, where's mommy again?'
'Mommy's gone to sing with the angels now. Mommy's now gone and become an angel herself…'
'Daddy, why are you crying? If mommy's an angel, she'll do everything to keep us safe, right?'
'T-that's right…you're right, darling, she'll keep us safe...just…keep believing in the one thing that you'll never lose…'
"Why wouldn't I trust you? You trusted me when I had the take the Physical Exam as a guy so I technically owe you something?" I said, fiddling with my fingers and just tried to keep a calm face, but it's really hard to do that since my heart is doing the opposite.
BA-BMP BA-BMP BA-BMP BA-BMP BA-BMP
"W-we've known each other for about eight months Kyoya-Oppa and I was…" I paused and bit my lip trying to think about anything that didn't sound stupid especially when I said it out loud. A lot of embarrassing moments in life are caused by what you say with your mouth and are led by what you think. I'm pretty sure a majority of people do not want to be embarrassed and do something stupid unless it's on purpose.
"Yes?" Kyoya said, looking at me right in the eye.
"I was just wondering…the day before the exam, can we throw a little movie to wish me good luck on the exam? You pick a movie and I pick one?" I finally said and looked up at his face. When I did, I saw the fallen look on his face or at least that's what it looked like when I saw it. I think I saw it – it was there one second and then he replaced that crest-falling look with a smile at least.
"I think I can do that. Do you want me to take you home? You…still have your motorcycle in repairs, right?"
"No. My motorcycle's all fixed up…I just need to pay it so it's still at the mechanics." I said.
"T-then, could I…" What is this? What is this?! Kyoya Ootori is stuttering! Kyoya-Oppa does not stutter! WHO THE HELL IS THIS GUY!? Wait, why am I even worrying about that!? Kyoya-Oppa..! I'm really going back to saying Korean honorifics! No, I rather just call him only Kyoya!
"Can I at least give you a ride?" He said. I shook my head and smiled.
"I'm fine Kyoya-Oppa. T-t-thank you though! …I'm gonna go now so yeah! See you tomorrow Kyoya-Oppa!" Great, even I'm studdering. Why is Kyoya making me do this?
'Mao Kurosaki….why is your heart feeling this weird around this guy?'
'I don't know…things have been weird ever since the Ouran Fair…maybe…it's almost time to grown up some more…'
((Kyoya's POV A/N: OMG FINALLY! ))
"I'm fine Kyoya-Oppa. T-t-thank you thought! …I'm gonna go now so yeah! See you tomorrow Kyoya-Oppa!"
I'm just glad that it's not too cold or snowing right now.
It's late November and in a few weeks, we'll be out of school for winter break; I hope she makes it home before nightfall.
As she left, I walked back inside and sat down on the sofa, thinking nonstop about her.
Eight months.
Eight short and amazing months that I'm kind of thankful for.
Mao Kurosaki, a girl that I once thought was just a lost and lonely girl that I didn't think would affect my life, but I was clearly wrong.
This girl, a girl with green eyes and a dream...a dream to make people smile and hope of finding out some small glimpse of her past. Slowly, but surely, she's making me fall in love with her more and more. How she gets so determined when a challenge arises, how she gets flustered and denies everything (such a Tsundere), when she smiles when she's with someone she likes - I like everything about her.
'Dammit! I should have done it then!' I thought, resting my head on the wall because today, I wanted to tell her how I feel. I wanted us to be alone so I could just tell her-!
"She certainly grew up just like her mother." A new voice that sounded amused appeared up above me and my father was there, watching over at the direction Mao headed out. He was up there smiling and almost sounded as if he were teasing me. Father then did something I never really thought he'd ever do in front of the family; he laughed as he tried covering his mouth. Did he eat something strange?
"And she's certainly like her father." Her father? He could only mean Mao's adopted daughter, right?
"W-which one?" I asked despite myself knowing father should know only Masato-san. When I asked, the amused look on my fathers face was replaced by a look of sadness and admiration; I have never seen him this way before and it was interesting. As it did, he looked down on the ground to avoid eye contact with me and I saw his hands turned to fists and he kept them that way for a full three minutes (with a few sounds of some grunts) until he looked at me again and said,
"Her biological father."
((Mao's POV))
That was so dangerous! It's still so dangerous! Oh my god, I thought I was going to die of embarrassment or something! Why did I act like such an idiot at such a time like that!? I shouldn't feel like that since this is Kyoya and Kyoya's dad and his house! Or is it manor? Which one is it? Oh, listen to me, I can't even tell the difference between a house and manor! I'm so pathetic!
"Mao, if you're going to worry about how pathetic you are, do it somewhere else while I'm watching a few episodes of Winter Sonata." Mika said as she walked into the kitchen to see how dinner was going. Tonight, we'll be having some Chicken Teriyaki and some of dad's favorite dishes that I got from his mom. I was trying so hard not to burn anything from Mika's words, but it was proving to be hard.
"Geez, don't you think you should go back to watching anime?"
"Geez, don't you think you should realize your feelings for Kyoya-senpai and the others?" Feelings? What feelings? They're friendship feelings, right?
"Oh, come on Mao! Even a blind man can see that they like you and you like them! However, I'm not sure if you're allowed to marry more than one man!" She said with a laugh that just scared me; I'm think I'm buying her too many sweets.
"I like them as friends! And Kyoya is just helping me out with my retest in two weeks." I said it in a obvious tone, but Mika didn't seem to buy it.
"But what about the time he tried to help you with the physical exam?"
"You helped me out there because you're such an Otaku..."
"And the time he and the others dressed as girls to get you to stay at the host club?"
"That was hilarious. But still, they mostly did that for Haruhi."
"And the time he got the whole Lobelia school and the Host club to see the picture of you two kissing? He practically saved your first kiss from being a girl."
"That was to make sure my first kiss wasn't a girl. A-a-and...GAH! Don't remind me of that incident! It was horrible!"
"Okay...then how about the time Hikaru, Kaoru, Haruhi and I found you in that corner on Halloween? You ran into Hikaru's arms and started cryin-!"
Oh, what do you know? I burned the food. Hahaha~! I guess now Mika has to eat Ramen out of a cup. I shoved her a cup and gave her a pot too for the water. She looked at me with shock, but she was only looking at the invisible figure of me as I walked to the living room and looked at my dad's shrine from the corner of my eyes.
'There's always someone special for everyone, Mao. It just takes time to figure out who they are.'
They're all right though - I watch so many Korean dramas and yet I don't know what I should do when someone wants a romantic relationship with me. I'm already in my bed ready to go to sleep and nothing has been bothering me more than all those gestures from the guys and the tingling sensation of when they had their arms around me or when we held hands.
'Don't worry ever again, Mao. I'm never going to leave you alone again.'
The next morning, I woke up early like usual and the first thing I did was dress up in my school uniform and decided to take a walk around the neighborhood to clear my head. Before I knew it, I was walking to the neighborhood in which I was found in and the orphanage that I lived in was still there. The image of that night struck me again and I held my head in pain. Familiar green eyes and a sweet voice rang over and over again, saying "Stay here, Mao. I'm going to lead the bad men away."
Six o'clock came sooner that I hoped and I made my way home again, but this time, everything felt strange and unfamiliar for a while. I shrugged it off and walked to the train station with Mika and we both went our separate ways since Hatori met her there and they went to the same school. I went the other way and walked in pure utter silence to Ouran Academy where students in the familiar blue and yellow uniforms were walking to the building. Many of them greeted me kindly, saying 'Good morning' while I smiled back. I really didn't know that today was going to be a day that would change my life forever.
Like any other morning, I saw Haruhi and headed to class together and there we saw the twins. We all exchanged laughs and made conversation. They teased us during our classes and we just ignored them. Unconsciously, I reached down my shirt a couple of times today and glanced at the necklace I always wore when I started a new day (I always take it off before I go to bed and I never let it out of my sights). The necklace is red and gold with an golden inscription - "For My God, My Country, My Honour" - whatever that meant. Sometimes when I look at it even more, I can't think of it as just some kind of necklace accessory, but something else.
I've been distracted all week that during lunch time one day as I sat with the guys, I heard some commotion going on behind me and the next thing I knew, some men in black suits. While this was happening, the television was going on about the anniversary of the disappearance of the Crown Prince of Denmark. They were going on about his daughter, whoever she is, still missing and searches all around the world were going on. The men in black suits swaggered to my direction, leaving me and the others surprised.
"Miss Mao Kurosaki," One of the men said. Kyoya was the first one to speak out of all of us.
"What is the meaning of this Tachibana?" He asked, but Tachibana ignored him and his other acquaintances helped him to grab me and started escorting me out. What's going on? People were now talking about what's happening now and talking about what's happening and why Mao is leaving the room with these strange men. Before I even asked what was going to happen, I was being escorted outside and toward a limo. Everyone was trying to follow me, but Tachibana was not letting anyone come near me. The limo drove out of sight of the school and then before I knew it, I was at Kyoya's house. A million questions were going through my head and one of them was why was I at Kyoya's house? Yoshio-san was standing outside and a person came over to open the door for me before I even had a chance to open it myself. I stepped out and really wanted to know why the heck I was at Kyoya's house again and why did they take me out of school.
"Mr. Ootori, why did you bring me here?" I asked finally and what happened next surprised me. He knelt down like I was royalty and then the people behind me followed his example, bowing in respect. Why is he bowing down at me when I'm clearly middle class and he's first class!?
"Your Royal Highness, Princess Adelheid Mao Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg Glücksburg. Welcome back." He said.
What?
((A/N: BECAUSE I was lazy, I didn't look up the translation of what I wanted in Danish. So yeah, Mao now knows she's a princess! Sort of! Hooray! Finally! So...what do you guys think? Is it okay or do you guys want to rip out my eyeballs and cut off my fingernails and strip me naked and watch my body burn in Siberian cold weather? Well, anyways, Review!))