Chapter Ten: Karuizawa

Blee-deedel-dee!

'Phone. Wake up, Kiiro, pick up the phone...'

Kiiro weakly reached for her cell phone on the nightstand.

"Grgh?" she answered.

"Now, how on Earth was that supposed to translate to hello?"

"Margot? Sleepy..."

"Come on Frankenstein's monster, stop mumbling and listen to me." her sister ordered.

"Mmmmmm."

"Alona! Wake up!"

"My name's not Alona, it's Kiiro..." she roused a bit.

"Fine then, Kiiro, will you do me a big favor?"

"Sure, why not?" she sat up.

"I have a friend, she's an ascending photographer and she wants somebody new to snap pictures of. Well, I'm busy, and you're closer to her, so I told her you would!" Margot's smile was prevalent in her voice. "Seeing as how we look alike, she accepted!"

"...But it's my vacation..." Kiiro slumped.

"Yes and you aren't busy, she hasn't decided on a place, yet, but it should be somewhere in Japan, okay?" she giggled. "I'll text you her number later!"

"..."

"Alona?"

"Fine...but don't call me Alona."

"Sure, next time you see the family send my love for me, okay?"

"Why don't you ju-"

"Love ya, bye!"

Click!

'Six a.m? Why so early?' Kiiro thought as she looked over at the clock on her nightstand. She fell back in bed only to be woken up later by her sister texting her the number of the girl, named Yukari.

Kiiro was in the middle of whining about her wasted vacation to Kyouya when Yukari had texted her to tell her that the location would be Karuizawa.

It was the first day she had spent in Karuizawa and Kiiro had already gotten bored of the place. As of then, she was wandering the streets looking for something to do. She had been in front of the camera for hours, or so it seemed. The photographer, Yukari, had taken more pictures of her in just that day than anybody had in her entire life, combined. Thirty-four just that morning.

Apparently Yukari had been contracted by a friend that worked in fashion, one who was too cheap to pay for a more experienced photographer and model. So now Kiiro was stuck modeling different types of outfits. She didn't mind the clothes, though. So casual...and they reminded her of what a rock star might wear. Shirts with short slogans in bold, black print. Along with ripped jeans and black tights and then, of course, studded belts and bracelets, a lacy choker here or there in a shot. Dark make-up in ruby reds and glittering blacks. Her hair was always tousled and let down.

'If the Hosts could see me...they'd laugh...hard.'

As if on cue, she heard two familiar laughs from behind her.

'No way...please don't be...'

She turned, and there, behind a white fence, two red-haired identical boys were pointing at her.

"I-Is that Kiiro-senpai?!" Kaoru cracked up.

"We thought you were some poor commoner!" Hikaru wiped the tears from his eyes.

Anger boiled in her gut, "Twins! Stop laughing. Speak. Now. What are you doing here?" she ordered.

"W-we're vacationing here." Kaoru answered, straightening up.

"What are you doing here...?"

"Dressed like that?"

She crossed her arms, "I'm doing a favor for my sister. Her friend wanted somebody to model for her."

"They made you dress like that?" Hikaru surveyed her.

"We don't think the punk style suites you, Kiiro-senpai..." Kaoru pondered.

"Y-yeah?" she pouted. 'I like it...'

"Kir-chan~!"

Kiiro looked behind the brothers, Hani was running up to her.

"Hani-senpai's here, too?" she began to think something was up.

"Yeah, we all are." Kaoru explained.

"Tamaki-senpai thought Haruhi'd been kidnapped." Hikaru added.

"So he drug all of us here to see if she was okay."

"Are you in the contest, too, Kir-chan~?" Hani grinned.

"What contest?"

"For the final room in this pensione, Haruhi's working here." another voice said.

"Hello, Kyouya."

"Hello, Kiiro. I was wondering when we would run into you," he smirked. "Nice look."

"I don't recall telling you I'd be in Karuizawa." she glared at him, 'Something is definitely up...' she sighed. 'At least I won't be bored anymore...'

"Misuzu-chi, the fence is fixed!" Tamaki told the owner, one of Haruhi's father's friends, a man dressed in a frilly, aproned dress that he had made himself.

'Is that really fixed?' Kiiro thought from where she sat, enjoying her coffee and the relaxing feel of the sweet country-like pensione.

The fence looked horrible. Its new boards were all jagged, crooked and tacked on diagonally.

"The result of your work isn't refreshing at all!" Misuzu scolded him.

The Twins were brushing dust everywhere with the broom, "You're just scattering the dust!"

Hani went up to Misuzu with a bundle of flowers, "That's cute but.."

"They're so desperate to be refreshing that they're neglecting the work..." Haruhi, in a cute homemade apron, frowned.

"Well, they've never worked a day in their lives," Kyouya explained from his seat at the table on the patio. "So, Haruhi, Kiiro, who do you think will win? Wanna wager?"

"No thanks. I have no clue." Haruhi shrugged.

Kiiro thought, "Well, I know better than to bet against you, but the Twins have the best chance at it."

"Really?" Kyouya challenged. "A quick look would tell you that Hani-senpai is visually out. Tamaki could win if he shuts up, but we all know the likelihood of that happening. Hikaru and Kaoru could win this, but..."

He gestured to where Mori stood, chopping wood.

"...there's this great dark horse."

"So, Mori will..."

"But if Hani drops out, I'm guessing Mori will do the same. That means the Twins will win." his glasses gleamed, "Which is too boring."

Kiiro smiled triumphantly but, Kyouya turned to her, "There are many ways to make the game more exciting, right?" he flashed his scheming smile.

"Wanna bet?" Kiiro dared.

"If I win you become my slave for a month." Kyouya announced, a dark look in his eye.

"If I win I get to stay at your vacation home here." she countered. "I hate hotels."

He smirked, "Deal."

Tamaki was running around with his dog, Antoinette, in the yard. The two fit the archetypal "boy and his dog" trope quite well.

'Which is refreshing.'

And then the dog toppled Tamaki and made it too much.

"That dog..."

"I had her sent here to help him win some refresher points, but I guess it didn't work." Kyouya sighed.

"Hey, Antoinette, don't be naughty." Hikaru commanded.

"Come over here, I have a treat for you." Kaoru beckoned.

"Good, plus ten refresher points!" Misuzu announced, twirling in his dress.

Kiiro smiled at Kyouya smugly, earning his glare.

As she went to sit down, she heard beautiful piano music.

'Dammit.' she cursed. 'With Tamaki playing piano...'

"What will I ever do with you..." Kyouya returned the smug smile she had given him moments ago, sitting next to her. "...for a whole month?"

Her stomach flipped, "I knew better than to gamble with you..." she whined. "I didn't even know this place had a piano!"

"Extra club work? Cleaning duties?" Kyouya thought aloud. "Or something darker?" he whispered.

A shiver went down her spine, blood rushed to her cheeks.

He chuckled, "What's wrong, Kiiro?"

She was about to yell at him when a loud crashing noise filled her ears.

"What was that?"

"Kaoru! Haruhi!"

Kiiro looked over to where Hikaru's voice had come from, seeing Kaoru bent over Haruhi. There was a broken window on the ground, from the second floor.

"It's only a little cut..." Kaoru explained as Hikaru rushed to his side, pointing to the scratch on his cheek. "Nothing else... Hikaru?"

"Don't scare me like that..."

"Okay, I'm sorry, I'm all right."

They had drawn a crowd, Misuzu was among them. Kiiro noticed the act, and turned to Kyouya just as Misuzu announced, "Refreshing brotherly love! Cheers! One-hundred refresher points! The winners are the Hitachiin Brothers!"

Tamaki's notes fell flat.

Kiiro smiled, "Gotcha."

"Do you have everything packed?" Kyouya asked bluntly, still sore from losing.

"Uh huh!" Kiiro chirped, getting into his family car. "Thank you, Kyouya."

He eyed her, "You're welcome."

"Oh! By the way, don't you think it's odd how we both ended up in Karuizawa for this vacation?" she asked.

"Not at all." he shrugged. "Considering I emailed your photographer the best pictures of Karuizawa I could find."

"W-wait, what do you mean?" she stammered.

"I knew we would end up here and decided that I shouldn't have to be here on my own surrounded by those idiots..." he concluded.

"Kyouya!" she gaped. "That's like the shadowiest move you could have made!"

He pushed up his glasses, catching the glare from the street lights, "My nickname is well earned, Kiiro."

'Shadow King...' she simmered. "Ah, well, I suppose it works out for me anyhow. This way, I don't have to sleep in some hotel."

"What's wrong with hotels?" Kyouya raised an eyebrow. "You were staying at a rather high-ended one."

"Uhm, I guess..." she wondered. "I guess I just don't like being unfamiliar with a place..."

"Hn." he rested his head in his palm. "Then what makes you think you'll be more familiar with my vacation home?"

"...Well..." she turned to him. "You'll be there, Kyouya." she smiled.

"Hm." he watched her for a moment, eyes hidden from view, he placed a hand on her head and ruffled her hair.

"Hey!" she protested, pushing his hand off. "Don't treat me like a kid!"

"Why not? You're about the size of one." he smirked, teasing her.

"Kyouya!"

"Eh, Kyouya, why is your vacation home exactly like your actual house?" Kiiro asked as she hopped up the front steps.

"What do you mean, Kiiro?"

The place was just as modern and minimal as his other home, done up in strict whites and blacks and very sparsely decorated. Tall windows, straight hallways, and no frills.

"Well, your house in Tokyo is all minimalist and not an ounce of spontaneity." she told him. "This place is very much the same."

"Do you have a problem with the way my family decorates?" he asked, dropping one of her bags to the floor.

"N-no, it's just, when my family buys a house somewhere," she thought of all of her vacation homes. "We tend to decorate it with where we are in mind." she held up a finger, "The one in Tokyo is a perfect example, it has traditional rooms inside, and there's a garden in the center with a wrap around porch!" she exclaimed.

"Maybe it's your family that's the odd bunch." he chuckled. "Anyway, I'll show you to your room," he began to walk down a hallway. "It's getting late, and Tamaki will want to check on Haruhi early tomorrow especially now that the Twins will be staying at the pensione."

"Yeah," Kiiro sighed. "And I have an appointment with Yukari in the morning, too..."

'God! This is so boring!' Kiiro sighed as she posed for another picture.

"Kiiro! Don't slouch!" Yukari growled.

Kiiro obeyed, straightening up. She could see why she and Margot were friends. The two of them were so bossy.

The clothes that day weren't at all like those from yesterday. This time it was a white, short-sleeved shirt with the brand emblazoned on the breast pocket and a pink and red plaid mini-skirt. She wore black tights and brown loafers. Her hair was in a ponytail and Yukari had applied only neutral make-up today.

'I feel like I'm in middle school again.' Kiiro dipped her hand into the pond Yukari made her stare into. 'Then again, that may be the point...'

'The Twins better not laugh at me...' she thought as she made her way to the pensione.

When she arrived, she found all of the Hosts, bar Hikaru and Kaoru, chatting with an unfamiliar boy. He was about their age and apparently he was a friend of Haruhi's from middle school, his name was Arai.

""Bright, but shy, rather normal and on a basketball or soccer team."" Kaoru judged, both he and his brother seemed extra standoffish around the newcomer. "In real life he's probably a hit with the girls but in manga he would be the archetypal sidekick, that's about the sum of it."

"You're right! I'm on a soccer team." Arai commented. "How did you know?" he completely ignored how rude the tone of the comment was.

"Are you guys trying to pick a fight or what?" Kyouya asked.

"Oh, nothing." they said in unison.

Kiiro was kind of lost after that, her mind wandered to the twins, 'I want to tell them to be nice but Hikaru might get worse.' She sighed and Kyouya gave her a look that told her that he knew what Hikaru and Kaoru were doing but it was best to leave them alone.

"...He's obviously attracted to Haruhi." Hikaru said accusingly, his face scrunched up as if he had smelled something rotten. "It's so obvious that it's annoying."

"Hikaru! You're the one who's being annoying!" Haruhi scolded.

"It's okay, Haruhi, it's true. I was attracted to you but, you rejected me a year ago." Arai said simply, not taking any offense at all.

Hani, Tamaki and Haruhi all looked surprised.

"Why are you shocked too?"

Haruhi stammered.

'I bet she didn't even know she rejected him.'

"Haruhi, you broke that pure boy's frail heart with your complete insensitivity." Kyouya accused, sounding a bit like the 'bad cop' in an interrogation.

Kiiro gave him a funny look.

"I'm so sorry." Haruhi bowed.

"It's all right. I got over it." he smiled. "The fact that you didn't get it meant that you weren't interested. That's all. But you had a quiet and unfathomable quality. And the way you looked straight into the eyes of whoever you're talking to... I really liked that about you."

"You were so sincere about my daughter!" Tamaki grabbed his hand, deeply moved. "Rest assured, your bravery will never be forgotten."

The club seemed quite taken with him, excluding Hikaru. "You went to Kyoto for a middle school trip? Isn't it weird staying in the country~?"

"No, it's typical."

"Hmm! I love Kyoto, isn't that right, Kyouya?"

"Yeah, you once dragged me out there to explore every single temple."

Kiiro laughed.

"You think it's funny?"

"Yeah." she earned his glare. "Uh, it was... just the way you said it."

"Hikaru! Kaoru! Come over here! It's a precious opportunity to hear about Haruhi in middle school."

"Not interested. It's dumb anyway." Hikaru retorted. "I don't get it, why do all these old stories excite you so much? Besides, can't that guy tell we don't care about him at all?"

'Hikaru?'

"Haruhi's heart has no room for him!"

Thwack!

Haruhi stomped over to him and slapped him in short order, "That's not something you decide! And I won't let you insult my friend any further!"

Hikaru was stunned before his face lit up with anger, "Come on... Who cares about other people?! We're the ones who are your friends!"

"Hikaru wait!" Kaoru shouted as Hikaru ran upstairs.

Kiiro sighed.

"Their world is still... very small."

"Well, goodbye."

"Please come visit again." King smiled as Arai made to leave.

"Arai, I'm sorry about-" Haruhi bowed.

"It's okay." he cut her off. "I guess I did something wrong. Will you apologize to Hikaru for me?"

"No need to apologize..." Hikaru came out, looking ashamed. "It was my fault, I'm sorry..."

"It's okay." Arai grinned. "Goodbye, everyone."

"Take care."

"Bye bye~!"

As they watched him ride off on his bike, Haruhi turned to the singular Twin, "Kaoru? Why are you pretending to be Hikaru?" she asked darkly. "And where's that cut on your cheek?"

"Just some quick make-up!" he smiled, having been found out. "Hikaru has yet to recover his spirit. Ouch!" he yelped as Haruhi rubbed his cut cheek. "By the way, I want to ask you a favor, Haruhi."

"Hm?"

"Will you go on a date with me tomorrow?"

The entirety of the club nearly died in that moment.

Later, over lunch, or breakfast in Kiiro's case, she and Kyouya were discussing important club matters.

"So, what do you think about this date thing, Kyouya?" she questioned. "I wonder what Kaoru's trying to pull coming up with that, I thought King was going to rip his head off."

Kyouya smirked, "Doubtless it has something to do with his brother. Kaoru has always been the more mature of the two."

"And the craftier one..." Kiiro slumped. "Truth be told, I didn't think it would be him to ask her out first..."

"First?"

She looked up from her pasta, "Yes, first, I know you've noticed it in Tamaki, it's too obvious for you to overlook."

"Ah, that, well..." he shrugged. "You know how he is..."

"Oblivious?" Kiiro grinned.

"Speaking of..." he began.

She waited for him to finish speaking, but he never continued, "What did you mean, Kyouya?"

"Hm?" his glasses glared. "Oh, never mind. What sort of pictures did you take today, Kiiro? You look like a school girl. Not that I'm complaining."

She reddened, "I-It's not like that!" she protested. "I didn't have time to change afterward!"

"This isn't going to end well." Kiiro sighed.

"I agree." Kyouya added.

Hikaru and Haruhi were on a date. Kaoru was supposed to be with her but he was "sick". So now the rest of the Host Club was tailing them.

'At least this time we're well disguised.'

Kiiro's hair was pulled up under a scarf and she had sunglasses on. Her dress was a common floral thing that made her look completely different. She guessed that she was supposed to be a tourist like Kyouya and Hani, who was dressed like a little girl.

"I'm asking you why Haruhi has to date Hikaru!" Tamaki yelled at Kaoru. "Why does this have to take place after what happened yesterday?"

"This might be Haruhi's first date ever~!"

"You're dead Kaoru! And also because..."

'Haruhi looks adorable.' Kiiro smiled at the girl from afar, she had a cute, blue dress on and her hair was up in little pigtails.

"It's not fair. Not fair." Tamaki whined.

"Not fair~!" Hani cheered.

They all fled behind a corner before Haruhi and Hikaru turned toward them.

"Look, Tono, I think..." Kaoru began. "It's a good thing for Hikaru to find other people who matter to him. For a long time we were concerned only with ourselves. We're exceptionally codependent and tend to shut everyone else out. We've never cared how others felt, and that's how we became how we are today. Hikaru is especially immature. He acts out his feelings without restraint." he sighed. "Tono, you didn't seem to mind it, so I let him be. I don't think Hikaru is conscious of it, but he cares about Haruhi a lot. But all he knows is how to throw his feelings at others so he ends up acting like a possessive child. Even when he wants recognition as a friend, he doesn't know how to go about it. If he wants to be a true friend, he's got to respect the feelings of others too. So, I think Hikaru has to learn the basics of personal interaction."

"So sincere." Kiiro awed. 'Kaoru...'

"Kaoru..." Tamaki mirrored. "You're awesome."

"The thing is, I didn't realize any of this myself until recently."

"In other words," Kyouya concluded. "Today's date is meant as a trial for Hikaru to learn some compassion."

"It's like a fantasy movie~!"

"That's right! That's why I don't want you to interfere! If you do you're dead!"

"If that's the case then we don't have to follow them do we?"

"It's more fun this way."

"So, you're still selfish that way." Tamaki groaned.

"Tamaki, what's wrong?" Kyouya asked as he caught sight of the blond staring up into the sky for the umpteenth time.

"Nothing, I was just hoping that the sun would stay with us." he mused.

As of yet, the pair sat on a bench, not doing anything at all. Hikaru appeared tense and bored.

'Hikaru's already snapping...'

"What kind of a date is this?" Tamaki wailed.

'And so is Tamaki...'

"There's no trace of chivalry here! Swap places with me Hikaru! I'll escort Haruhi for you!" he continued to throw a fit.

"That will ruin everything, Tono!"

"Then, Kyouya, you go after Haruhi as a lowlife! We'll have Hikaru save her!"

"Sleeptalk when you're asleep." Kyouya pushed him away. "But they do need something to defuse the tension a bit."

"Ice cream~! Get your ice cream here~!" Hani had slipped away and dressed as an ice cream vendor, he pushed a cart toward the pair.

'Where'd he get that cart?'

Mori grabbed Hani and ran.

Haruhi did however get ice cream at a separate shop. she was about to share a cone with Hikaru. Tamaki, also dressed as a vendor, quickly gave Haruhi another so they wouldn't have to share. Kaoru grabbed King, "Why did you have to do that when things were going so well?"

"I don't want her to share food as if they're a real couple!"

"Too bad Kaoru couldn't come..." Hikaru thought aloud.

"Brother! I'm here!" Kaoru cried.

"Calm down Kaoru don't lose it now!"

"Kao-chan have some ice cream!"

They decided to take a break from all their stalking.

Kyouya pulled Kiiro over to a shaved ice stand, "Snow cones?" she questioned.

"Kakigori." he answered, "Which flavor do you want?"

"Cherry, please!" she smiled sweetly.

"And one blackberry." he told the vendor.

They sat down not too far away from where the rest of the club warily still watched Haruhi and Hikaru.

"So, what do you think?" Kiiro asked with a smile on her face.

"I think Tamaki is about to explode..." Kyouya shrugged, dipping his spoon into her shaved ice.

"Hey..." she protested, sticking her red-dyed tongue out.

He responded by mirroring her, sticking out his purple tongue, "It's vacation, so no whining. Try some of mine." he offered her his spoon.

She hesitated.

"I promise I don't have cooties." he smirked, rolling his eyes.

She accepted the bite, "It tastes exactly like blackberries." she reflected. "Maybe it's some commoner magic?" she smiled.

"More likely it's just sugar and flavorings." Kyouya responded flatly.

After their short break they followed the pair as they made their way across town, visiting shops and stands. They seemed to be having a lot of fun.

"While we weren't working everything turned out okay."

"I'm not positive that Hikaru is actually escorting her."

"Ice cream is relaxing and clears the air~."

"Let's go home. It would ruin it if they were to discover us now." Kaoru said. "And there's also that guy who shouldn't be here any longer."

Tamaki stood stalking the pair from behind a pillar.

Back at the pensione, King was pacing, Hikaru and Haruhi still hadn't returned and it was storming outside.

"You okay, Tamaki?" Kiiro asked, becoming anxious from his pacing.

"Yes, you seem nervous." Misuzu added.

Beep! Beep! Kaoru answered his phone, "It's Hikaru. Hey, Hikaru...Are you coming home on foot?...What about Haruhi?...What?...You got in a fight and left?!" his eyes widened.

Tamaki leapt over, snatching the phone from Kaoru, "Hikaru! Did you see Haruhi get in a car?! If not go back! Go back and find Haruhi!...You jerk! Go back and find Haruhi right now!" he ordered.

'What's going on?'

"How dare you leave a girl behind in the rain! Before you throw a fit like some jealous brat, think about how others might feel! Haruhi is afraid of thunder!" he snapped the phone shut in sheer anger.

Kaoru frantically called Arai Grocery and then Hikaru, "I called Arai Grocery and they said she followed you! If you stay on the same road you should bump into her!"

After anxiously waiting out the rain, the group went out and found Haruhi and Hikaru in a church, having taken shelter from the rain there. Haruhi was asleep at the time, thankfully she had Hikaru's headphones on to block out the noise of the thunder. Tamaki was so worried about her that he insisted on carrying her.

As the rest walked ahead of them, Kiiro looked to Kyouya, who in turn looked to Kaoru.

"By the way, Kaoru, you meant for Hikaru to learn some compassion on that date. Did you think about the possibility that he might fall in love?"

Kaoru turned away, watching everyone else, "Oh that...that won't happen yet. After all, Hikaru is still an idiot."

"Well, he's lucky..." Kyouya followed his gaze. "...because this club is full of idiots."

Kiiro chuckled, "That's for sure."

"Awww. I can't believe summer's almost over." Kiiro whined when she got back home. "I'm never doing another favor for Margot again."

Blee-dal-dee!

She opened her phone. On the screen was one of the photos Yukari had taken. One of the ones Kiiro regretted the most. With short shorts on and a cropped t-shirt that barely covered her bra. Her lips painted ruby red, and her hair falling in front of her eyes.

"Is this you?" -K.O.

"Yes", she texted back.

Blee-dal-dee!

"I'm keeping it." -K.O.