Hello everyone! I can't believe that I've made it this far! (: Usually my stories only last for two chapters before they are forgotten about entirely… Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran XD
Chapter 14- A Strange Feeling
Kameko stared bewilderedly at me when I came home from school that day. I was so hyper that I was practically shaking with exhilaration. The prospect of chess every single school day was simply overwhelming.
"Miyoko?" she asked, frowning perplexedly. "Are you okay?"
"Fine!" I chirped happily, skipping up the stone front steps.
"You seem rather… happy."
I couldn't believe that she was actually concerned about this. Wasn't it supposed to be a good thing that I was enjoying myself?
"How many times do I have to tell you?" I sighed, patting her on the shoulder kindly on my way inside, "There's no need to worry about me. I'm perfectly alright."
Kicking off my clodhopper school shoes, I immediately began working through my homework. Although it was strange, I found doing homework really satisfying. It helped me get my head around things in a weird way which I couldn't explain. Besides, I was determined to beat Haruhi in the next school exams. My bedroom was silent as I started writing my long Japanese essay; my mind was full of Monday's chess game.
"I will win this time!" I declared openly, clenching my fist in determination.
Furiously, I sped wrote through my work, rambling about the way I was positioned by the text and so on.
After three rounds of chess, in each of which I thoroughly creamed my big sister, I was certain of my upcoming victory. I would defeat him this time, whatever it took.
"Wow, Miyoko," Kameko complimented cheerfully, clearing the table for dinner, "You're really good at this."
"Really?" I asked, touched.
"Yes," she confirmed firmly, handing me a stack of white china plates, "Now put these on the table. Two of the servants came down with the flu, so we're short staffed tonight."
Heaving a sigh, I followed her obediently and placed my plates neatly on the long, deserted dining table. It was always so empty nowadays. We sat down as the maidservants arrived carrying our meals in their hands.
"Enjoy, mistresses," they told us in unison, bowing deeply before heading back to the kitchen.
"Thank you very much!" my sister called gratefully, "It looks great!"
Smiling at me uncertainly, she motioned for me to begin eating. Bored, I fingered with my dragonfly necklace as my sister and I ate our dinner in silence.
I had been practicing chess since five a.m. that Sunday morning. When it was half past nine, I was interrupted by one of the maids. She was holding out a silver phone receiver.
"Miss Miyoko, your friend had asked for you," she explained gladly, handing me the phone.
"Oh," I answered in surprise, wondering who this friend was, "I'll take it,"
I put the phone to my ear, only for it to be deafened by a high-pitched squeal that was very familiar. It was Kita, and from the sound of it, she'd been shopping.
"Hi, Miyoko!" she exclaimed loudly, causing me to hold the phone out at arm's length to avoid bursting my eardrums, "Guess what?"
"What?" I asked wearily.
"I have a surprise for you!" she shrieked elatedly.
"Oh… thank you," I replied bluntly.
"I'll give it to you tomorrow!" she squealed, before hanging up the phone.
Well that was strange, I thought, staring at the now dead receiver, at a loss as to what had just happened.
Kameko decided that she was going to take me to a function for a possible buyer of my family's software company. I had moaned and objected profoundly, but she had insisted. My sister could be incredibly forceful when she wanted to.
"Why do I have to go?" I complained, dragging my feet halfheartedly.
"Don't grumble, Miyoko," she scolded firmly as we climbed into the limousine. "If these people do buy our company, then you need to make a good impression on them. You may be working for them one day after all."
The car's engine slowly hummed to a start as we began reversing along the sandstone driveway.
"Mother and Father can get me any job I want when they come home," I pointed out.
"Yeah, and what will that be?" she asked, sounding stressed as she frantically patted down her already perfect brown hair. "A professional chess player? They couldn't manage that, Miyoko. There's only so much they can do to help you. I'm really worried, you know."
I rolled my eyes. Why was my sister always like this? It was seriously annoying.
"For the millionth time, don't worry about me!" I shouted, losing my temper. "Worry about yourself!"
I could feel the eyes of the occupants in cars around us staring at me. I had shouted so loud that the sound had escaped the car. I sat down and tried to pretend like nothing had happened at all.
"But F –, "she began, her eyes welling with tears.
"Can we go faster please?" I ordered the chauffer, cutting my sister off before she could answer with one of her irritating motherly ideas about my wellbeing.
I should have known. This party was hosted by the Suoh Corporation. Why did these things always happen to me? Was it merely a coincidence that the possible buyer for our business happened to be the Tamaki's family company, of all possibilities?
"Look, it's Miyo-chan!" a high-pitched voice from behind me exclaimed happily.
It was Honey. I groaned in despair. To top of this night of bothersome coincidences, the entire Host Club (bar Haruhi, of course) was also present at this stupid function. I supposed that they all did own important companies, but why did they seem to follow me whenever I went out of the house?
"Why are you here Miyo-chan?" Honey asked me, clinging on to my shoulders.
I was too busy attempting to shake him off as subtly as possible to register that he had asked me a question.
"Yes, why are you here?" Kyoya repeated curiously, closing his black notebook. "I know that the Suoh Corporation is thinking of purchasing the Takaki Company, but I would never have assumed that it be necessary for you to attend a function like this."
With one last shove, Honey finally let go of my shoulders. Clearing my throat, I began to answer.
"Well, my older sister, Kameko –"
"Miyoko?" Tamaki interrupted stridently, appearing out of nowhere. "Why are you here?"
Like the idiot he was, he had just inadvertently disrupted the answer to his own question. I rolled my eyes at the irony of the situation. There was no way that I was going to attempt to answer that stupid question again. Tamaki was out of luck.
It seemed like business as usual for the Host Club, even at a major function between our families. Honey was going hyper, Mori was staring into space and Kyoya was calculating something. The only difference in the situation was that firstly, Tamaki had gone off somewhere with his father and secondly, the twins were nowhere to be seen at all. In a way, I found the Host Club to be somewhat familiar and comforting – I was stuck in a ballroom with a bunch of random important people, and I was being made to wear an ugly green dress. It was nice to have something there that wasn't totally out of the ordinary.
"Kyoya, where's Tono?" Hikaru asked in a bored tone. Obviously, he had just arrived at the party.
"His father wanted to introduce him to some company owners," he replied at once, not looking up from his notebook.
"That's not fair," he complained grumpily, "We were planning on playing a prank on him…"
After a few minutes of sighing he saw me standing next to Honey.
"Hey why are you here?" he asked, confused.
"I have been asked that question at least three times tonight," I told him plainly, "I'm not going to tell you."
He looked momentarily disappointed before scaning the crowd and grabbing hold of his passing brother from the sea of well dressed people.
"Kaoru, Tono's not here," he told him sadly.
Kaoru shrugged.
"Oh well," he replied before turning towards to me, "Why are you here?"
I was struck dumb.
"Ummm…." I stuttered nervously.
He was staring at me with his amber eyes, waiting expectantly for my answer. But for me, it was if I had never noticed how extraordinarily beautiful those eyes were. I couldn't even tell him that I wasn't answering that question - I was too busy admiring how handsome he looked in his black suit. All of a sudden I was remembering how nice he had always been to me, although I was too stupid to realize it. My entire face began to burn fiercely with strange emotions. Both brothers stared quizzically at me. My face grew hotter than ever.
Fidgeting uncomfortably, I tried to answer.
"Err…" I muttered quietly, staring at my shoes nervously.
It was at that thankful moment that Kameko chose to pull me away from the Host Club. For once I was actually glad that she had interfered. I couldn't stay there any longer with that strange new feeling.