~ Chapter Thirteen ~

~ The Reason Why ~

I glared openly at the twins, but turned back to Tamaki and answered as casually as I could.

"I'm okay, I just have some bad news." I said simply, there was a slight shift in the room.

"B-Bad news?" Tamaki repeated, as if he were faint from shock.

"What is it Tsuyu-chan?" Hunny asked, "No more sweets for the rest of your life?"

"Um, well, no…" was my weak reply.

"You failed a test," Haruhi said.

"That felt more like a statement Haruhi-chan…but no…"

"You plan on ruining the Host Club by interfering with Kyouya-sempai's relationship and thus, ruining all of ours through the drama!" The Hitachiins exclaimed, I wanted to bury my burning face into my hands.

"No!"

"I get it you-" Tamaki began, but what I had to say had already shot out of my mouth.

"NO I WILL NOT BE POUNCING ON YOU!"

I was having the strangest feeling of déjà vu, probably because I was under the impression everyone was staring at me like they had in the cafeteria earlier.

Utterly humiliated, I straightened myself out and bowed.

"It is not anything like all of that, I will not be able to go to Okinawa this weekend." There, it was out, the cat is out of the bag. Now to wait out the reactions, surely Tamaki and Hunny would make the biggest deal about it, Haruhi would brush it aside and Mori would have nothing to say on the subject, and well, the twins would be a bother I'm sure. As for Kyouya…well, he was well occupied now wasn't he? I'm sure it won't bother him if I wasn't in Okinawa, because it bothers me now-

I am GREEN with ENVY! I buried my face into my hands, feeling more humiliated than I was a second ago. Yet a hand on one of my arms snapped me out of my self-pitying and I lowered my hands to see it was Tamaki.

"Now, now, Tsuyu-hime, it is not the end of the world," he said simply, "I'm sure you will have as much fun wherever else you are going!"

"Oh, well, it's good to hear you all are taking it so well." I said.

"Of course, we are more worried about you," claimed Tamaki, I blinked. Hunny nodded in agreement, Mori was as stoic as ever, Haruhi looked bored, and the twins…well, they were snickering the background.

"Me?"

"It would seem you were going to go on an adventure to do something dreadful! Or at least that is how it appears to me!" Tamaki said, continuing to rave on and on about how I had to stay and work even more and study and so on and so forth.

"-but don't worry Tsuyu-hime! You'll see us again! I guarantee that!" Ended Tamaki abruptly, albeit gracefully as he took my hands in his and gave me a sincere look that seemed to hold some unbreakable promise that held true to his words.

"I never doubted I would see all of you again, it is only for the weekend," I replied a little uneasily, the close proximity to Tamaki's face was rather unnerving. Not that it wasn't pleasant, but it was giving me images I rather not have racing through my head and I'm sure Hikaru and Koaru were having much too much fun scheming against me.

"Well then, I thought for a moment you would miss me the most!" cried the overly-dramatic Tamaki.

"We are in the same class and year and we are closely related-" Again, those blasted images of dating Tamaki (thanks Mom!) I knew he was referring to his made-up family bonds with the host members (whereas I somehow managed the long-lost sister character), but all these intertwining conversations were becoming a little too close to home.

"Yes, Tamaki," I said quickly, halting the blonde, "I will miss the Host Club members, but please don't burst out and tell Kyouya this-"

"What? That you are not going to Okinawa due to a prince trapped in a tower?"

"Yes-wait! What?" I was so confused, just how many imaginations did this boy have? I gripped Tamaki's hands firmly and as sincerely as I could said:

"Don't let me not being there deter you all from having a good time, I've been having a lot of fun with all of you so far and missing one trip won't hurt." I said.

"Then you are not going to Okinawa after all?"

"No, I'm sorry that I won't be able to attend." I replied, not realizing it wasn't Tamaki who had spoken.

"If that is all then let us disperse for the day," shiiiiiitake mushrooms, that's Kyouya.

Still gripping Tamaki's hands, both the blonde and I turned to find Kyouya at the doors of the Third Music Room. I had also noticed, except for the three of us, everyone else was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is everyone?" I managed to ask, feeling somewhat frozen in the way I was standing.

"They said farewell several minutes ago, they were leaving the school as Tanaki-san was leaving." Claimed Kyouya simply, leaving the doors to the music room ajar, but he stayed where he was with one hand in a pocket and the other holding his clipboard at his side.

"How rude! They should have made sure we heard them!" cried Tamaki as he released my hands and approached Kyouya, I suppose it was only I that had been effected by his close proximity. Being caught by Kyouya didn't help either.

"Hunny-sempai told me you two were too occupied to notice them, it would seem the pair of you were the rude ones." Kyouya stated, his eyes briefly flashed toward me, but having been looking away I hadn't noticed.

"It was an eventful moment-"

"That is how it is with you Tamaki," retorted the Shadow King.

"So…who is Tanaki-san?" I asked, mostly to change the subject (not that I was curious at all). Kyouya didn't make the slightest of movements, but I could feel a dark smile lining itself on his face.

"You speak of Miss Takani Megumi?" Kyouya said, making it out to be more of a question than a statement. Tamaki grinned.

"If that was the name of your customer today, than yes." I replied, trying to sound casual as I came closer to the two.

"Miss Takani is a daughter of a prestigious family world-renowned in the medical field. She was in the area and being the perfect host that I am, requested an audience with her."

"She is older than us however, a lovely princess with a mind as sharp as Kyouya's!" said Tamaki proudly, a look from Kyouya and I suddenly made him shrink back.

"Ah! Haruhi must have gotten a ride from those little devils! I must save her! Until tomorrow I must bid adieu! Farewell Tsuyu-hime! Kyouya!" and with that, who I felt was the icebreaker in what could be an ominous discussion with the Shadow King. I watched as Tamaki exited the room, leaving Kyouya and I alone.

He wasn't looking directly at me, but darn, I felt like he was probing my mind just by being in the same room with me with no one else around to interrupt. Talk about feeling self-conscious and paranoid.

"That was generous, the Takanis and Ootoris must have tight connections with each other." I thought out loud, cutting through the silence Tamaki left behind him.

"Indeed, but the Takani family originated in Japan and have been here for generations. They founded the medicology and pharmology of Japan, but we Ootoris came from the west – from the country of China." I looked at Kyouya, that dark smile remained on his face, but there was something in his eyes – something I could have imagined because of the glare on his glasses – something akin to deep knowledge and the urge to share it. He walked away from the door, past me and to his usual hosting spot beside the bookshelf. He requested for me to sit in one of the luscious chairs beside his.

"It is amazing you know your origins like that, I would never have guessed your family was from China." His eyes briefly flashed to mine, but then looked away. I awkwardly prepared my skirt to sit down and when I did, fumbled with the yellow fabric in my lap. Meanwhile, Kyouya took off his school blazer and placed it on a nearby bronze hook. The innocent removal of that particular article of clothing stirred something completely new in me, but the word he spoke next completely wiped away any further thoughts on the notion.

"Todaizumi," he said, startling me for some reason. Kyouya had not yet sat down, but was gazing at the books on the shelf, but his eyes left their spines and met mine then held my gaze this time.

"Why is it you claim you are a Honiwa? Todaizumi Tsuyu is your real name," he said, he might have been whispering so as not to risk being overheard, but it felt like he was speaking much louder.

"Is it to avoid unwanted attention? Or…special attention?" Kyouya knew he had confirmed his suspicions (although I knew he didn't have to ask me to know for certain).

"You do not need to work so hard to be here, you do not need to keep coming into the Host club and pay so much when your family is as wealthy as all of ours." Kyouya felt strangely confused, but I did not know it was because he wondered why I didn't take advantage of my family's wealth, why I chose to live the life of a commoner's.

I shifted uncomfortably, it was a choice I made, but it was still difficult to express in words.

"It is my parents money, not mine." I finally managed to whisper.

Unlike the Ootoris, unlike the Takanis (who had money to burn since the Meiji era), my family was "new money." Kyouya surely knew this.

"You know my parents gained a lot of money opening their own publishing business, with Ouran as one of their clients their business soared. But it…wasn't my work." I said quietly, unconsciously hugging myself.

Kyouya was silent, his clipboard and pen were no where to be seen, not even his constant note-taking was heard, it was almost eerie.

I looked back at him, having looked away when I started talking, his eyes had never moved. They were so intense, I was tempted to reach over and take his glasses off to get a clearer picture of his face in this expression.

"They did not gain high status until you were six," he suddenly spoke.

"I remember seeing you at one of my parents parties." He blinked and the spell was broken, he looked out of the window.

I wanted to poke him, to prod his arm just to make sure he was real. The curtains allowed enough sunlight to bounce off of him, he almost appeared surreal and without his school blazer, the white shirt-sleeves made him seem less shady. Significantly less shady. He was warm; not a cheery-benevolent warm person like Tamaki or marshmellowy-sweet as Hunny, but warm. He was more like an underwater glacier rising up to bask in the sun.

I did not know him like Tamaki knew him or how anyone else knew him, but I had the distinct feeling there was more to Kyouya than his cool looks and dark schemes. The image of Kyouya in crisp, white shirt sleeves seemed to tell me this as they softly glowed in the late afternoon sunlight. Light bouncing off his glasses enhanced his scholarly look. Kyouya, in a certain way, was darker than Reiko and Nekozawa-sempai, but he could stand in the window where on the other side was the sun.

A feeling I could just barely discern welled up inside my chest – I want to know more! I want to know what Kyouya is honestly like when I'm not looking.

"I heard," I breathed out, he raised an eyebrow at me, probably wondering why I had been holding my breath. I don't even remember inhaling and holding it either.

"From my mom I mean, we talked on the phone last night and well," I fumbled over my words and without flashcards I was at a loss, but I couldn't take off and leave Kyouya to his own devices – he could hear worse from his sources.

"Kyouya, I won't be able to go to Okinawa this weekend." Kyouya knew I wouldn't be going, but I needed to him while not in the face of his best friend.

I nearly bit my tongue off when I said it though, why was it I wanted to go to Okinawa so badly now? But I wanted to see my parents again at the same time! The strong emotions threatened to make me cry, but I bit my lip and fought the urge – I would not cry in front of Kyouya, or anyone for that matter. It was improper unless I did so in front of a highly trusted individual.

The silence in the room thickened again, but I'm beginning to believe it was just in my head. I had just been holding hands (well, technically he was holding my hands) with Tamaki and had a sincere conversation with him. Surely Kyouya would come onto the idea if I were to go to Okinawa, I would prefer Tamaki's company over his.

Or maybe this is all in my head again.

"All right,"

I stared at him funny, but he merely looked back at me calmly.

That's it?

"I mean, it's because-"

"You do not have to explain, not everything needs an answer and I do not feel obliged to hear one if there is." Said Kyouya as he finally sat down and folded his arms. Words were jumbled and crowding in my cranium, but my mouth would not function properly. The Shadow King was a hard one to read, but I couldn't help but feel that I heard a hint of disappointment in his voice.

Then again, Kyouya not wanting to hear an explanation might just be that hint.

"Are you sure you are all right with it?" I asked, I wasn't exactly sure why I was hoping or what I was even hoping for from Kyouya.

"As you told Tamaki, one trip will not hurt. We have plenty more in store," claimed Kyouya.

Then why do I feel so ashamed…? With an inward sigh, I stood.

"Let me get my things, I have those photos you wanted." I said, he nodded.

When I returned I handed Kyouya a small, slender case with wallet-sized images of Haruhi manipulated to look like her genuine middle school pictures. I felt torn between bolting out the door or to stay rooted to the spot to accept his praise or despair, but when Kyouya opened the case and pulled a couple out, he was satisfied with them.

"Your photo-manipulations are sufficient, any inconsistencies will be easily overlooked." He said, I let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"May I ask what exactly you plan on bribing the others into doing?" I asked, he smirked, the thick atmosphere seemed to lift for the moment as we returned to our everyday comfort zone with one another.

"What makes you believe I plan on bribing Tamaki, the twins, and Hunny?" he asked, giving me the names of those he was intentionally going to fool with the minds of. I smiled.

"Just a feeling I have," was my reply.

"Of course something will come about, I must have a trick or two up my sleeve just in case there is a need for motivation." I imagined the fun I would be missing out on in Okinawa.

"It was strange to put Haruhi back with her long hair, personally I think she is more attractive with short hair." I thought out loud, thinking of when I was working late into the night manipulating Haruhi's appearance.

"Must be the face," Kyouya replied as he stood up alongside me, before he could even ask I stepped aside to make room for him.

"I was thinking it had more to do with her eyes," I said, unconsciously looking up as Kyouya started to move and our eyes met once again, this time his face was as close to mine as Tamaki's was. My brain seemed to freeze and all thought processing shut down. The faint noise of a floor polisher down the hall buzzed in the background, reminding me I still had a job to do.

"…thanks for talking with me Kyouya," I managed to say, our eyes broke away.

"It was the least I can do for not being your host this afternoon, I am sure Hikaru and Koaru kept you occupied however." He said, I shook my head.

"It is all right, you were with your fiancé after all." I am not in line for special treatment anyway, I thought, but the look Kyouya gave me unsettled me.

"Fiancé?" he repeated, I nodded.

"Yes, Tanaki Megumi." What got me was the curling of his lips, Kyouya looked like he was about to laugh.

"Tanaki Megumi as my fiancé, I will have to give Hikaru and Koaru credit for that kind of creativity." Kyouya said, he happily smirked as the realization dawned on me.

"They were teasing me!" I snarled, and I believed them! But it wasn't entirely my fault I did! They were completely dysfunctional (more than usual) today! What with that ludicrous game and their serious faces and AUGH!

"I cannot honestly believe you believed them," admitted Kyouya.

"To be honest I can't either, they threw me off turbulence with their serious expressions." My face was burning again.

"Hm, maybe they want something special from you." Said Kyouya as he gathered his schoolbag on a nearby table and put his clipboard inside it.

"Something about telling them apart," I said as I ran a hand through my hair.

Kyouya smirked to himself.

"Well, as I said before, you seem to have a definite hold over us Honiwa-san." I remembered when he had told me that the day the Host Club wreaked havoc in the Third Music room. I peered over at him, but Kyouya was already at the door he had left ajar earlier, but Tamaki had closed completely.

"I took the liberty of arranging your clothes to be left in the back changing room."

"Oh, thank you!" I glanced toward another doorway that would lead to the ornate backrooms (every room at Ouran had a backroom to call it's own, the Third Music Room's had a vanity collection, walk-in closet full of costumes and a changing room).

Kyouya paused for a second as he reached for the room's handle, but I instantly knew why. Those shirt-sleeves were blaringly obvious. Without thinking, I pulled down his blazer and while he waited I walked across the room and handed it to him.

"Thank you Tsuyu," he said as he put it on.

"No problem, until tomorrow then Kyouya," I said, mimicking Tamaki.

"Yes, until tomorrow." He replied then he left the room.

Quietly fuming as I remembered what the Hitachiins had tricked me into thinking, I turned to go to the backroom to come to an abrupt halt.

Where I had lifted Kyouya's blazer from the hook, was now a shelf in the wall where a vase stood. A white rose with moist petals winked at me, the vase silver with white swirls painted onto it. The green of the stem broke the two white objects apart, it was so aesthetically appealing I could not tear my eyes away from it for many long minutes.

At the time I wasn't thinking of how the rose got there when a few minutes ago there was nothing but solid wall and a bronze hook. If I had been thinking and recalled what Itoki-san told me, there were several secret compartments and faux doors through the school (the architects must have had a lot of money to toy around with). The hidden compartment into the janitor's suit for example, but there was also a compartment where the vase now stood in the Third Music Room that Kyouya knew about, it was activated by placing pressure on the bronze hook then releasing it.

Kyouya had intentionally forgotten his blazer.

Yet I was not thinking of any of that, but how white the rose and Kyouya's shirt-sleeves were.

A/N: Oh the symbolism! This is getting REALLY deep, right now I'm running on the anime with research off of the manga.

Soooooo...exactly how many readers did I fool into thinking I gave Kyouya a fiance? Muhahaha! Quite a few of you lol!

Anyway, kudos to those who know what manga/anime Megumi is from! lol PREPARE FOR FURTHER CROSSOVER CAMEOS! Haha!

Feel free to suggest fluff scenes for Kyouya and Tsuyu as well as a number of other couple pairings! Go to my profile to learn of my favorite couples from OHSHC! OCXCANON ARE FAVES!

~Chapter Question~

Does anyone else sense the foreshadowing of parental drama?