Chapter 3:
Her mother was not at the mansion that night and wouldn't be until the next night so Sayuri had a smooth twenty four hours as she went to school again and stuck with Umiko who was quite amusing to listen to sometimes. Sayuri had heard of the Nekozawa's before but not of Umiko and hoped that her mother would allow their friendship to continue. Said blonde friend dragged her up to Music Room 3 yet again and she was again the client of the Club President, though the Vice-President did pay her a courtesy visit and they chatted about their companies mutual dealings with each other.
All in all Sayuri had a good day. But when she stepped into her car to be drove home she stashed away those joyful feelings and made sure she didn't look too happy. Her mother wasn't cruel, but in her eyes, if one had too much fun, then they would become slack and lazy and therefore unproductive and of no use to anyone, let alone as head of Nitta Corp.
She finished her homework and changed before being called down to dinner with her parents. Half of the time it was just her and her father as her mother was very busy running the company, but it wasn't unpleasant with her around either. They did things much as any other family, sit and eat (primly) together and trade amusing stories about their lives recently. Dessert was just being brought out when Mrs. Hatsumomo Nitta brought up something.
"By the way Sayuri dear, what was this you were telling me on the phone yesterday? You went to some sort of club at the Academy?"
"Oh?" Her father quirked a brown eyebrow in interest. "You didn't tell me anything about joining a club."
"Ah, no I didn't join any club. Though I am looking into the Archery club. But a friend, Umiko Nekozawa, asked me to accompany her to the Host Club."
The actions of her parents stilled and they became very quiet as they looked at her and then her father glanced at her mother, not that the woman noticed.
"The school allows such a club? And you went? You should know better Sayuri! And how dare the Director not ban those hooligans from the Academy! I'm going to go call him righ-"
"But Okaa-san! The director's son is the Club President! I'm sure he wouldn't do it behind his father's back. And from what I've gathered, the club has been around for a few years and all of the girls at school go." Sayuri explained.
Hatsumomo paused at the first sentence. "Suoh Tamaki? And just exactly who else is in this club?" She asked shrewdly.
Sayuri drew in a breath before concentrating and reciting off, "Tamaki Suoh, Mitsukuni Haninozuka, Takashi Morinozuka, Kaoru and Hikaru Hitachiin, Haruhi Fujioka, Ritsu Kasanoda and Kyoya Ootori."
Both her parent's eye brows raised in surprise at the last name. "An Ootori you say? Hmm…very well I will allow you to attend for now." Her mother stated before standing. "Forgive me, but there are some dealings I must attend to. Have a good evening you two."
She squeezed the shoulder of her husband and smiled before nodding in farewell to her daughter and finally departing from the dining hall up to her private office. Sitting delicately in the large chair behind the even larger desk, Hatsumomo swiveled to overlook her back lawn as she snapped open her phone and waited as the rings tolled into her ear. Finally a male voice answered coolly, "Moshi moshi."
"Yoshio-san. I'm glad I could reach you. Sorry for bothering you so late."
The voice on the other end seemed surprised but not displeased as he answered, "Ah, Hatsumomo-san. No, I retired early tonight. But what was the reason for your call?"
"Hmm, you remember that bet against Suoh-san you told me about? The one you lost I mean."
There was a mild grumble indicating that he did.
"Well I was wondering, your boy Kyoya is still available then right?"
"…Ah your schemes never end do they Hatsumomo?"
"I haven't a clue of what you are speaking of my dear Yoshio." She smiled.
Graham and his daughter finished their dessert in peace, able to relax a little more now that the 'mistress of the mansion' was out of the room. Mr. Nitta greatly enjoyed making his daughter laugh, something he didn't hear as much now. And he often accomplished this with his impressive 'whiskers' as Sayuri called them. He sported a rather large brown mustache that dwarfed his goatee, but proved for much amusement during mealtimes for him and his daughter. Eventually her giggles subsided and he ran out of pastry to play with and sipped black as they talked.
"So how do you like the Academy so far dear?"
She shrugged but smiled, "It's odd certainly, but still welcoming. Once you get over the fact that nearly everything is pink." She grinned along with the British man at the joke. "I seem to have made a friend and mother doesn't seem to disapprove."
"And what about this…Host Club?" He asked shrewdly over his cup, tea still clinging lightly to the ends of his mustache.
His attempts at a serious question were ruined due to his daughter's one weakness, but she tried to hide her smile as she replied, "It's the oddest thing of all I'm sure, along with its members. But they're harmless. I think they've read too many romance novels and shojo manga- er never mind what those are, but they're all gentlemen."
"Hmm, I hope so. It sounds like they're quite popular. But at least they come from good families. I recognized a few of those names you rattled off. Suoh and Ootori are good clients of your mother. But I myself am a little acquainted with the Haninozukas and Morinozukas from watching some of their competitions."
Sayuri's head quirked to the side in confusion, "What kind of competitions?"
"Hm, well there's karate and the rest of the martial arts for the Haninozukas and judo and kendo for the Morinozukas. I believe their families even trained most of the Ootori's private police force. But enough about them poppet, tell me about your friends and classes!"
The raven haired girl smiled at her father's enthusiasm and their conversation extended for the better part of an hour until her mother came down again and nagged at them about Sayuri needing her rest as a growing young lady.