Chapter Twenty-One: Thus Far and a Sports Festival
Kiiro sat at her easel, trying to paint the likeness of the vase of flowers set on the table beside her, when her phone rang.
She retrieved it from her pocket, her screen illuminated with a picture of Kyouya. One she had taken during the festival last week, his glasses flashing with the reflection of the lanterns above. She answered, continuing to paint, "Hello?" she smiled sweetly.
"Kiiro, you ought to start getting ready." he said simply.
Her paintbrush halted, midway through a petal, "What do you mean by that?"
"Hikaru and Kaoru have invited everyone for tea."
She pouted, "For tea? But school starts in a few days, why can't they wait to see us then?" she grumbled, swirling her paintbrush in her water cup.
"Now, Kiiro, don't be antisocial." he chuckled.
"I know, I know, I'll get ready." she sighed. "I was in such a state of flow, too."
Upon the arrival of the Tamaki, Kyouya, Mori, Hani and Kiiro, they were greeted with an adorable sight of Haruhi- who had arrived earlier with Mei- in one of the Twins' mother's latest outfits. Yuzuha Hitachiin, a world famous clothes designer, with help from her sons and Mei, had done up Haruhi's face and hair like that of a professional model. She had a dress (white and ruffled), shorts (high-waisted with rolled cuffs), and shawl (black, turtle-necked with pom-pom ties) from the upcoming fall collection on.
"Ah~! Haru-chan~! You look so cute~!" Hani announced, eyes wide with pleasant surprise.
"As expected from Yuzuha-san's designs." Kyouya smiled.
Mori nodded in agreement.
Tamaki was completely speechless, face red.
"Ne~! H-Haruhi~!" Kiiro squeed, "I can't believe how cute you are."
Haruhi looked uncomfortable and incredibly embarrassed.
The Twins came forward to meet them, "Tono, what about your job at Misuzu's?"
Tamaki grinned, "Yeah! Yesterday I finished it!" he gave a peace sign.
While they were distracted, Haruhi began to inch away, stiffly, as if she had no idea how to move in such nice clothes.
"Haruhi is running away!" the Twins called as she took off at full speed. "Let's catch her!" the Twins, Tamaki, Mei and the seniors chased her.
"Bathroom! I'm just going to the bathroom so-!" Haruhi yelled, running away.
Kiiro shrugged, "I'm not so sure Haruhi likes those sort of clothes."
Kyouya nodded.
"Ah, Kiiro-san?" Yuzuha Hitachiin approached her, she was obviously the parent that the Twins took after, and her hair was even cut short and spiked in a similar way to their's.
She smiled, "Ah, it is nice to see you again, Yuzuha-san." she gave a slight bow. She had met the Twins' mother a few years back at one of the Satou's galas, when the fashion designer had asked who had designed her ball gown. Of course, she hadn't known about her sons at that time, and was only able to put two and two together after meeting them. Recently, Kiiro's mother had become good friends with Yuzuha on account of how Kiiro's aunt was one of her business partners.
"I saw your debut with Kagayaku Limited." her grin gleamed.
"Debut?" she cocked her head.
"Yes. Those shots taken in Karuizawa, I believe." she clarified.
She chuckled, "Oh, I wouldn't consider that a debut. That was more a favor for my sister."
Yuzuha held her chin in her hand, considering, " Either way I was impressed with how well done it looked for an amateur shoot. It's too bad you're so short or else I'd get you on the runway."
Kiiro visibly slumped, "Sh-short... Yeah, it's too bad." 'Why did she have to bring that up?'
She could just barely hear Kyouya's chuckle.
The woman laughed, patting her on the shoulder, "Oh well, you should still consider doing more, maybe one day you'll get to showcase those lovely dresses of yours."
"L-lovely?" Kiiro blushed, to receive a compliment like that from a pro, she was a little weak-kneed, "Thank you."
"Well, it was lovely to see you again, but I'm afraid you caught me on my way out." she grinned. "Say "Hello." to your mother for me." she made her way out.
"Of course." Kiiro waved, once she was out of the room, she swooned a bit, leaning against Kyouya, blushing, "She said my dresses were lovely."
Kyouya chuckled, "I thought you didn't fangirl?"
"Correction: I don't fangirl, often." she smiled.
"Ah~! Haru-chan and Kao-chan are here~!" Hani cheered between huge bites of cake.
The seniors had returned some time ago, and now they were enjoying the tea they were promised without their hosts.
"Because we didn't find you, we're taking tea~!" he giggled.
Haruhi looked around, "Eh? Where are Hikaru and the others?"
"Yuzuha-san departed to work, Hikaru and Mei-chan are seeing her off." Kyouya explained. "Tamaki is probably still searching for you."
"And lost." Kiiro grinned.
Kyouya sighed, standing, "Well, we will go search for him." he held out his hand for her.
"We?" Kiiro raised an eyebrow, but took his hand without further protest.
"How about you two enjoy your tea?" he said to the two newcomers. "There are also Misuzu-san's cookies that Tamaki brought back from work."
"Misuzu-chi's cookies!" Kaoru cheered as Kiiro and Kyouya left.
The halls seemed to go on forever. The only sounds they could hear were their own footsteps.
"Tamaki~!" Kiiro called. "Where could he have wandered off to?"
"Who knows?" Kyouya paused before another corridor before deciding against it.
After a bit of quiet, Kiiro piped up, "Why do boys compete for women?" she wondered aloud, it seemed a bit out of the blue, but he knew exactly what she was talking about.
"I suppose it is still part of our nature." he shrugged, with a smile.
"Still, I wonder what Kaoru will do?" she went on.
"Mm?"
"Well, the boys are both so obviously infatuated and Kaoru is far more perceptive, of course." she looked this way and that into open, nearly empty rooms. "To be honest, the way the two behave is intriguing to say the least. Though their tastes in things vary ever so slightly, they would still get two of everything, sharing an experience to make them seem even more like the same person. But, when there is only one of something..." she halted. "...I think Kaoru would give it up."
Kyouya looked surprised, "That was...quite an impressive analysis."
She grinned back, "What can I say? After a few art classes with those two, you start to pick up a few things."
About then they heard, "Mommy! Aunty!" and Tamaki came barreling down the hallway to their right, latching onto them both, nearly bringing them down.
"N-ne!" Kiiro protested, wriggling.
Kyouya forcibly removed him, "Big idiot.." he muttered.
"I'm so glad I found you!" King blathered on unphased. "I thought I'd be lost forever! I can only imagine how scared my little Haruhi is!" he flailed dramatically. "Haruhi! Daddy will come to find you!" he broke off into a run, only to be caught by the shirt collar by Kyouya.
"Calm down, Tamaki." Kiiro smiled at the idiot. "Haruhi's back with the others. Safe and sound."
"Really, Aunty?" his eyes widened. Again she was caught in a death grip. "You're the best sister one could ask for."
'I always wondered what side of the family I was on.' she thought as she pried him off.
And so they regrouped, not-so-quietly enjoying their tea in the last days of summer.
"Mensore!" the Hosts welcomed their throngs of fangirls into the Third Music Room in Okinawan dialect. Today they were dressed in the traditional fashion of the Ryukyuan people. The people whom populated the arc of islands by southwest Japan.
'Trust the Twins to put in for a cultural display on such short notice...' Kiiro griped, seated a ways away from the boys, muddling through order forms for costumes for their next display. She smiled, 'I did kind of miss this, though...'
Tamaki's numerous customers were the first to swoon, "Tamaki-sama! You're superb! And your kimono is so vivid! It must be an Okinawan bingata!"
'Yep... And a pricey one at that...' Kiiro sighed, wondering how much budget they would have left over until the next season.
"You're right, princess. Did you know? The bingata's crimson character has the same meaning as "color of everything"." he gestured to the designs on his sleeve. "From ancient times, this bingata was the one that Ryukyu's King and many other foreign countries's royal families preferred." he smiled, getting closer to one of his guests. "Though, instead of enveloping my body with the "color of everything", I would prefer even only my heart to be painted by your color..."
The girl's face flushed, "Ah... Tamaki-kun~..."
Meanwhile, Haruhi stared at a dragon fruit. She looked a little girly with the pink flower ornamental hair comb Tamaki insisted she wear, thankfully however, the clients didn't take much notice.
"Hikaru-kun! Kaoru-kun!" another girl squealed. "Today's theme was chosen by the both of you? Did you go to Okinawa this summer?"
Hikaru grinned, "No, but we did go on vacation since we had free time. Though, we only stayed for a week." he laughed. "By the way, listen to this! Kaoru is weird! Even though he could have bought them, he went to the beach to pick up some shells he could take home."
"Hikaru!" a timid Kaoru fidgeted. "Am I weird...?" his crocodile tears began. "I wanted to take home some of the memories of my trip with Hikaru... Saying that I am weird..."
"K-Kaoru!" his brother embraced him. "You're not weird at all!"
Their fangirls shrieked with delight.
Haruhi continued to stare at the dragon fruit.
"Haru-chan~! Haru-chan~!" Hani called, sidling up to her. "What's wrong~? Since we began you have been constantly staring at this fruit~!"
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks, "Yeah... There are a lot of fruits I'm not familiar with, I wonder how they are eaten...and... Is this dragon fruit's skin edible?"
Hani and a group of girls put their hands to their reddened cheeks, adoring her naivete.
Kyouya took the fruit from her hand, "Well, so this is the first time you've seen this fruit? You can't eat the skin, so let me have it a moment..."
"Eh? I can't possibly let Kyouya-senpai-" Haruhi began, surprised that he would offer to skin it.
"Look!" he grinned. "I'll have Mori-senpai skin it for you!"
'Thought so...'
Haruhi sweatdropped.
Mori produced a kitchen knife from out of nowhere and began to peel it. His clients squealed.
'Do they fawn over everything these boys do?' Kiiro thought with a chuckle.
"Haru-chan~! Isn't it great~? Do you want to take home these decorative fruits~?" Hani offered, holding a basket of fake tropical fruits.
"Can I? I would love to." she accepted. "I'll give some to Dad and Mei-chan."
"Didn't Mei-chan already go back home?" the Twins asked.
"Yeah, but she occasionally comes over to eat."
"Yeah! Me too, I often exchange texts with Mei-chan!" Tamaki announced, gesturing grandly. "Recently, she told me something interesting. Gentlemen, don't be surprised! But, in this season, commoner's schools are holding sports festivals! Like multiple sports competitions in one! It is such a youthful event!"
They all ignored him.
"By the way Haruhi, you can take home these dragon fruits." Kyouya handed her a few. "I really dislike their taste."
"Eh? Why?" Haruhi asked before sampling the one Mori had cut. "Hm, it certainly tastes weird but it is somewhat good..."
He sighed, ""Somewhat good", is there any meaning? I really don't understand it. How can people find merit in eating something with such poor taste?"
From the door they heard, "Don't make me laugh, Kyouya Ootori!"
Takeshi Kuze and a couple other members from the American Football Club stood in the doorway, the senior continued, "People came from everywhere to take home southern country fruits! Which proves that you don't have the qualifications to talk about fruits!" he declared, being the son of a family with the largest dealings in imported produce.
Kiiro sighed, wondering why boys had to have rivalries.
"Is it alright, Kyouya Ootori? You said just now that "there isn't any meaning" but dragon fruits contain a lot of protein, vitamins and minerals." he smiled, seeming triumphant. "Besides, you said that the skin cannot be eaten but if we were to pickle it the skin is really delicious! You have just exposed your ignorance, Kyouya Ootori!" he pointed.
"Kuze-senpai..." Kyouya began, adopting his fake grin. "Is that so? Then I'll give you these skins, please make them into delicious food." he dropped to sticky skins into the hands of his senior via a pair of tongs.
"Idiot!" he proclaimed. "To make me hold the skins directly! Don't you have a container to put them in?!" he wailed.
"I have tupperware if you want..." Haruhi offered.
"Ok! It will do!" he turned back to Kyouya. "Don't you have a little maturity in you? How about I break your pride?"
"What a thing to say! I was just expressing my personal taste about this!" Kyouya laughed it off. "About this fruit, what senpai didn't say was that it also contains a lot of phosphorus, calcium and iron among other things. It can also help in reducing your blood sugar levels and your cholesterol, but that is all trivial knowledge, right?" he grinned, flaunting his intelligence. "It is also good in preventing anemia, and since it's so low in calories, I would recommend it to the ladies." his guests squealed.
"I also knew about that!" Kuze shouted.
While the two continued their verbal match, Kuze's fiancee Kanan Mitsuyama of the student council entered the room. "Ara? He was here after all..."
"Oh, Mitsuyama-senpai! Long time no see!" the Twins greeted.
She laughed, "Sorry about this! It seems he wants a match against Kyouya-kun. It can't be helped. He is such a compulsive idiot."
"Ah, it can't be helped if he's an idiot." the brothers agreed.
"Match...?" Tamaki seemed to get an idea.
"You're really a calculative bastard." Kuze went on. "What about it? Let's have a match!"
"I refuse." Kyouya declined, still wearing his faux smile. "To accept a match without gain... For a long time, my father-"
"No! Accept this match, Kyouya!" Tamaki interjected himself.
"Tamaki?" Kyouya cocked his head at the blond, looking a bit aggravated.
"It must be sports!" King continued. "Men should confront themselves with sports! Sinking into your sweat that comes from you going all out! Hot spirit! By their will of winning, men are bonding themselves with friendship!"
"I'm not quite sure that logic is sound..." Kiiro mused aloud, sidling up next to a nodding Haruhi.
"Tamaki, calm down!" Kyouya grumbled. "In the first place, the idea of me bonding a friendship with Kuze-senpai is wrong."
"What did you say?!" Kuze screeched.
Ignoring them, Tamaki was still going on about it, "That's it! That's it! It must be sports after all! Right now, everything is connected in my mind!"
"Eh... You must be kidding... It can't be..." Haruhi stammered, also opposed to the idea.
"Therefore, I will propose right now..." King pointed to the two, a look of determination in his eye. "To hold the first Ouran Sport Competition in Ouran's History!"
Everyone looked at him with expressions of shock, cheer or intrigue, or, in Kyouya's case, extreme aggravation.
'He's really that opposed to it, huh?' Kiiro thought, looking to where he stood, completely silent.
"Sport festival?" Yuzuru Suoh smiled. "That's okay. You have my approval."
Everyone who had previously been in the club room had made their way to the Chairman's Office on Tamaki's insistence that they get started in setting the event up right away.
While most of the people there cheered, Kyouya deliberately stood away from the group, acting indifferent.
"There wasn't a Sports Festival in our school until now because parents considered it dangerous." the Chairman went on. "But, if it is a request from the students, they will approve it. Nvertheless, I am not really familiar with this kind of event, so, Fujioka-kun..." he motioned Haruhi to the front of the group. "What kind of activities are there in a normal school's Sports Festival? I should also know what kind of faculties the field needs."
"Eh, no, in a normal Sports Festival, a school's field is enough... The activities are, for example, the rope pulling contest and the bread eating contest."
Almost everyone had a faraway look on their face, no doubt imagining what those sorts of contests would look like.
"There is also the Cheerleading Contest, the Relay and the Cavalry Battle."
'C-cavalry Battle?' Kiiro sweatdropped, thinking about a feudal battle on horseback.
"I see..." the Chairman looked to be deep in thought. "The activities aren't related and there are a great diversity of them. But, how can pulling a rope be fun...?"
"Ah?" Haruhi raised an eyebrow. Obviously they were misinterpreting her.
"For the Cavalry Battle, we should arrange for at least fifty horses."
"How can we compete in bread eating?" the Twins spoke up. "The ones who eats the most elegantly?"
"Yeah! Yeah!" Tamaki agreed. "It is splendid by all means." he marveled at the commoners' ways. "In that case..." he began to daydream, a small smile playing on his lips. "I want to try candy crafting..."
"Eh? How is it related to sports...?" Haruhi frowned.
"And then I think it would be good if the Cheerleading Contest was Hamlet!" King grinned wide.
"No! It should be Romeo and Juliet!" the Twins argued.
"I would be Romeo and Kaoru would be Juliet!"
"Dn't you bastards know about Macbeth?!" Kuze shouted.
"Wait! Why are you all mentioning Shakespeare's plays?!" Haruhi interjected.
"Tamaki playing Hamlet!" Yuzuru was also caught in some dreamland.
All the while Kyouya remained silent, and obviously unhappy. Kiiro was beginning to worry about him.
"Alright! Tomorrow we'll immediately request of the Student Council a room for the Executive Committee!" Tamaki ordered.
"Yes sir!" the Twins and seniors saluted.
Before Kiiro could say anything, Kyouya was already out the door.