Chapter Five: A Night at a Gala

"Fairytale?" Kiiro laid back in her bed, "The theme for this year is Fairytale? And, Masquerade Fairytale at that!" Ideas swirled in her head as to what sort of dress she wanted to make, what sort of mask. "Midsummer Night's Dream-esque?" she got up, leaving her four poster bed, "Moulin Rouge-esque?" she circled the pillow pit in the middle of her room. "Too modern..." she made her way to an adjoining door. "I want something older..." she strutted into her studio. "Something beautiful..." she ran her hands along the fabrics hung up along one of the room, passing over reds and blues and yellows, purples and blues and greens and pinks. "I want something shadowy." she rested her hand on black fabric.

The invite rested on her overstuffed bed, "You are cordially invited to Himiko Satou's Masquerade Fairytale Gala."

Kiiro now stood with the familiar uneasy feeling of anticipation in her stomach, just like every year.

'Butterflies...'

Her outfit was complete. The dress she had made, she was rather proud of. Sleeveless, strapless, and just past her knees. Black lace met at both ends of it. It had a tight dark gray waist, a ruffled, puffy skirt and ribbon around the chest of it. There was a large brooch in the back that held a wing-like, chiffon cape in place. Which, in turn, connected to her wrists via two wiry cuffs. She wore a sphere of black glass encased in the same silver wire around her neck. She clipped one spiral earring in her ear. Her mask was cat's eye and light gray. Minimal shadowy make up and plain gray flats completed her outfit.

She fussed with her hair for a good ten minutes, when she got a text, "I'm sending my driver now." - KO.

The butterflies in her stomach whirred around again. She didn't know what kind of directions to give her driver, so Kyouya offered to have his sent to her.

'I'm surprised the offer didn't come with a fee.'

The Satou's Gala was actually three celebrations in one place at the same time. Mr. and Mrs. Satou hosted a dance for the adults, Himiko hosted one for the young adults and they had a group of caretakers watch over the children. Though the entire Harper family was invited every year, only Kiiro would be in attendance this time around. Margot and her father were busy in Europe. And her ten-year-old sister and her mother couldn't take the time off to fly out to Japan.

After she stepped out of Kyouya's family car, thanking the driver, she entered the hall designated for the young adults. She was beginning to believe the masks were one of the better aspects of this year's party. Every year prior it was introduction after introduction after introduction. This year, because of the masks, nobody would have to introduce themselves to her or pretend to like her family or know her. Kiiro sighed a sigh of relief as she stepped through the third-floor ballroom door.

Blee-dal-dee!, her phone chirped.

"I see you." - KO.

'...That's not at all creepy...' she raised her eyebrow.

She scanned the crowd, among all the bright colors resided only a few dark splotches, though it was hard to make anyone one out between the masks and the dim lights.

A hand wrapped around her waist, making her jump. A familiar chuckle reached her ears. She looked to her side, where a tall boy in black stood, "Kyouya!" she greeted with a smile. "You surprised me!" she chuckled, "Wait, how did you know it was me?" she pointed to herself.

"Do you need to be able to see someone's face just to recognize them?" he tapped her chin. "Besides, you're the only person I know of with freckles all year long." he grinned. His suit was entirely black with tails. His shirt, dark gray, his mask, white, along with his gloves.

She stuck her tongue out at him. And turned, heading toward the dance floor. He grabbed her arm, "Kiiro, did you make that dress yourself?" he laced her arm through his.

"Y-yeah."

"You look beautiful."

"Ah?" she stuttered. He had never said that to her, "Th-thank you."

"Is that...?" one dark green-suited boy began.

"...Kyouya-senpai and Kiiro-senpai?" another finished.

They looked at each other, the evil glint could be seen through their masks.

"This will be...interesting." they said in unison.

After a few awkward moments, Kiiro fell into step with Kyouya. Soothing piano music played from the speakers. They circled around and through vividly colored couples, so dressed up and dazzling. Large lanterns hung from the ceiling, offering soft light that drifted down on the dancers. Large windows lined one far wall, allowing for a rather romantic view of large fir trees. A low, full moon barely visible behind them. It was a clear, cloudless night, and all the stars could be seen. And just past all that, the bright lights of the city glittered into view.

'Perhaps Fairytale was a fitting theme...' she pondered, watching the marvelously dressed crowd sway in time with the music.

"Penny for your thoughts?" her dance partner asked.

"Ah, um, just a little mystified by things."

He smirked in response.

Step and step and step and-! Kiiro tipped forward, someone had shoved her. Kyouya kept his footing, which kept the two of them from falling. Her head against his chest, for one brief moment she could hear his heartbeat. She quickly straightened up.

"Kiiro, are you okay?" he asked.

'Other than the heat in my face...?' she thought. "Yes. Thank you. But, did someone just push me?" she wondered, looking around in the crowd.

"I believe so."

"Could you call that accomplished?" Hikaru asked, tilting his head.

"It didn't exactly have the desired effect..." Kaoru crossed his arms.

"But it did maker her blush!" they grinned.

"W could still put plan B into action..."

"But there's no way she would fall for it..."

"Unless..."

"Hikaru? Kaoru? Is that you?"

The two boys halted their plotting to address the young man in a white tuxedo behind them. "I hadn't known you two were here!"

"Quiet, Tono!" they hissed. "We're in the middle of something."

"What something?" Tamaki whispered. He looked out to where the boys were watching. "Is that...? Hey, Kyo-!"

"Shush!" they clamped their hands over his mouth. "He'll hear you!"

"Mhhmmhmhhm!" he protested. They let go of him, "You better not be up to something, shady twins."

"That was close..."

"...too close."

"Why can't I say hello to Kyouya?" he pouted.

"Because..."

"...do you see who's with him?"

Tamaki glanced again in Kyouya's direction, "Is it...Kiiro?"

"Exactly." they stared at him.

"What do you mean?" he raised an eyebrow, wary of any scheming.

They whispered their plan into his ear.

"Hikaru! Kaoru! You shouldn't be tricking people like that!"

"Shh! We're not tricking, we're helping."

"But our first plan didn't work..."

The Twins shared a glance. Then, they turned to Tamaki.

Even he could decode the look in their eyes, "Oh no, I'm not going along with this." he objected.

"But we're only giving them a little... push."

"Think of how nice it would be for them."

"Besides..."

"...we'll be needing..."

"...somebody the same height as Kyouya-senpai."

'Why do I feel some ominous aura?' Kiiro wondered.

All of the sudden, Kiiro's hair clip unsnapped and her hair fell in front of her face.

"Ah! Well, odd, excuse me for a moment, please?"

"Of course." Kyouya chuckled.

Kiiro receded to the restroom to redo her undone hair.

Kyouya stood against a wall for a moment, thinking about what he had said to Kiiro earlier, she really did look beautiful tonight. He was drawn from his thoughts when two arms took their place on each of his shoulders.

"Hello..."

"...Kyouya-senpai."

"Hikaru. Kaoru." he greeted the Twins, they had their usual Puck-ish aura about them, amplified by their fairytale garb.

"You should come with us..."

"...only for a moment."

"No, thank you." he shrugged them off. "I'm here with someone."

They frowned. Hikaru looked at Kaoru, then back to his senpai. In one swift moment he reached into Kyouya's breast pocket, taking his phone from him and running.

Kyouya growled, looked toward the restroom doors, and hurried off after the Twins.

Kiiro looked at her face in the mirror, 'What's with me tonight?' she asked herself. 'Why do I feel so...weird?' she thought to when he called her beautiful. To when she heard his heartbeat. She shrugged it off, stepping out of the restroom. She scanned the room for Kyouya. This time he stood just a few feet before her. Leaning on his side against a decorated pillar, looking rather...urbane. More so than usual.

'What's with that pose?' she smiled as she made her way to him. "Okay, I'm back," she started. "Sorry to keep you...," she trailed off as he lifted the back of her hand to his lips. "...waiting? Kyouya?"

He pressed one gloved finger to his lips, leading her out onto the dance floor.

'What's with him tonight?' Kiiro immediately noticed something was off. Kyouya had never danced with her quite like this. The music was a little faster than before and he flawlessly kept pace with it. He dipped her, spun her, and twirled her. In fact, it was so different than the norm that it had drawn a crowd. She never thought Kyouya would let loose like this in public. She was struggling to keep up. Their dance ended perfectly with the song and one last dip. He stepped back and smiled.

"Wow, what amazing dancers!" the crowd cooed.

"I'm so jealous!"

"That was great!"

'It...was...?'

Kyouya began to walk off and just as Kiiro had decided to follow he rounded a corner.

"Kyouya, wait!"

Just as she turned the corner, he rounded another. When she turned that one he was gone. She stopped, one hall went left, the other right. She turned right.

Blee-dal-dee! her phone rang.

"Cold." -KO.

'What?' Kiiro turned completely around and headed down the other hallway.

Blee-dal-dee!

"Warmer." -KO.

'What is he doing?' she wondered. She continued forward and it continued like this for a short while. Every time she went one way a text would be set to tell her whether she was right or wrong. Finally, at one intersection, she saw one gloved hand beckoning her in the right direction. She followed.

She was led to the balcony, where Kyouya waited.

"Kyouya, finally, what's gotten into you?" she asked with a laugh.

"Oh, hello, Kiiro," he turned to face her. "What do you mean?"

"All the dancing...just know?"

"What? I don't know what you mean, I was out here looking for my phone."

"Then...who was that?"

The moon hung above them, providing plenty of light. The stars shone overtop of the large pine trees beyond the balcony.

"Does it really matter?" Hikaru patronized quietly.

"Starting the music." Kaoru pressed play on the stereo.

A slow, instrumental song began to play.

'So...this was a setup?' Kiiro thought.

"It sounds like whoever had stolen you away was a pretty good dancer," Kyouya seemed to want to play along, he bowed holding out his hand. "You know I can't stand to let them to beat me." he smirked as she placed her hand in his.

As they began to dance, Kiiro whispered, "Kyouya, you, um, know this is some scheme we're in, right?"

"Well, yes," he raised an eyebrow, "it's quite obvious, Kiiro." he twirled her. "In fact, the Twins came straight up to me earlier. So they're not even trying to hide it."

"So they're the ones behind this?" she chuckled, "I feel like an idiot for not knowing..." she sighed. "Hold on...who was your impersonator then?"

"You know the Suoh family was invited this year." he clarified for her, ego apparent, "In fact, Himiko Satou is one of Tamaki's regulars, so really it's no surprise..."

"Wait, you mean it was Tamaki?" she went wide eyed. "Oh, of course, how did I not realize?"

"I was about to ask that very same question." his eyes darkened.

"Sorry." she smiled. "Where are they now, though?"

"Hiding in the hallway." he tilted his head in their direction.

"Well, let's put an end to their silly game, then." her smile became a grin.

He dipped her, holding her there, "Kiiro...let's finish this dance at least." he suggested.

"O-okay." she nodded.

He pulled her up, "Besides, I want to show Tamaki how it's done." his grip on her tightened, pulling her closer.

Compared even to Tamaki's dance earlier, he was incredible. The way he led her, quickly shaping his path, quickening his pace, she was having a hard time keeping up. Every turn, twist, and angle calculated to the step and executed without error. She felt his movements come alive. When he dipped her, her chest tightened. When he twirled her, her breath stopped.

Just as the song ended he turned her around so she faced the other direction, opposites hands interlocked. She blushed wildly, her back pressed against his chest. She heard his laugh.

"Satisfied?" he called into the hallway. "Now let's end their silly game." he released her, going on ahead.

"Y-yeah." she stammered following after him.

Tamaki was so caught up in watching his classmates dance he hadn't thought to remove the wig the Twins had given him, though he had discarded the black tuxedo, "I think you were right." he addressed the Twins. "This was a nice thing. Daddy is proud of you." he gave them a thumbs up.

They turned to him, "Daddy?"

When they looked back out to the back out to the balcony from around their corner, to find no one there, "What? Where'd they go?"

"Where did who go?"

The trio whipped around to see Kyouya standing just behind them, hands in his pockets, "Ah, Tamaki, I see I was correct as to the identity of my impostor." he said darkly.

"O-oh! That?" Tamaki flailed. "That was just-!" he stuttered.

"Tono, why would you..."

"...do something like that?"

"What a wonderful question!" Kiiro appeared behind them. "Why would he play a trick on me?" she clapped her hands together, menace rather equal to Kyouya's though she was smiling. Softly, she continued, "Do you remember what happened last time you two played a trick on me?" she placed a hand on one shoulder each. "And, from what I can gather, Kyouya would like his phone back."

Kaoru shakily removed a sleek, black cell phone from his pocket. When caught in between two black auras, it's best to cooperate.

"Now, like every year, we will be adopting the American tradition of naming a King and Queen!" Himiko announced toward the end of the night. "It's no surprise, we all saw their dance, this year's Fairytale King and Queen is: Kyouya Ootori and Kiiro Harper!"

"Fairytale King and Queen..."

"...more like..."

"...Shadow King and Queen."

Out of the kindness of their hearts, the Twins had volunteered to assist Kiiro with the cultural matters of the club for the next week and Tamaki had offered to assist Kyouya with club management for the next two.

"You know, the Twins were the masterminds behind this little fiasco," Kiiro mused during one of the last dances. "Tamaki didn't do much at all, really."

"I think I'll have the Twins clean the club room for a week." Kyouya smirked. His mask glinted, just as his glasses normally would, in the light. "Tamaki's punishment is for stealing my date."

"Oh, Kyouya, you had a date?" Kiiro said in an exaggerated tone.

"Of course, I never have much triuble finding one." he said arrogantly.

"Oh, and, who was she?" she raised an eyebrow, jokingly.

Again, he dipped her, holding her there, "You of course." this time his voice was nonchalant.

Kiiro couldn't help but notice how close their lips were this time.

They straightened, "And, I would like to know whether or not I am the better dancer."

"Hm..." she feigned hesitation. "I would say you, but I would need more convincing."

"Is that just a ploy to get me to continue to dance with you?" he smirked.

"Yes." she admitted.

"Good." he wore his dark grin.

Kiiro giggled.