Alright. I give up. Here's the next chapter. Knock yourselves out.
"But why does the coefficient disappear?"
Fumio readjusted his glasses and looked sideways at me with a familiar sigh. "It doesn't disappear."
"Then where did it go?"
"Just…don't worry about that for now. It comes back later."
I let out a recognizable sigh of my own and settled back into my chair. What might have once had the potential to be helpful had turned into a vicious cycle of Fumio making matters worse, which meant that my grades hadn't improved, which meant that Fumio was still around.
"Amaya!"
Naoki always came to 'pick me up' after the host club was over. I was grateful. She could answer more of my questions than Fumio could, I felt more comfortable asking her questions anyway, and I had the sneaking suspicion that Fumio had never been close to a girl before, and he mistook the new experience as mutual infatuation.
"There is going to be a dance!" she squealed. "The host club is putting it on!"
"Mmh," I mumbled, gathering my belongings. In light of my recent revelations, I didn't like where this was heading.
"Of course, people are welcome to go on dates, but every girl can dance with whichever of the host club they want!" she shrieked. I didn't bother replying. "Aren't you excited?"
"Not really."
"But you have to go. Mom already bought our dresses two days ago."
If Naoki had already known about this, why was she only telling me now that Fumio was around? I had my suspicions. Naoki loved playing matchmaker.
"Are you going to the dance, Fumio?"
Fumio, who had been pretending to be absorbed in reading but who was in reality listening to every word that had passed between us, looked up.
"It's not just girls who are invited, you know," she told him. "The host club can't possibly dance with every girl at once, so there will be plenty to go around."
"Do you even like dancing Fumio?" I asked. He definitely wasn't the charming type who could use dancing to their advantage to win girls, and the more he realized that, the better, for every girl involved.
"As a matter of fact…" an unexpected smile crossed his features, "I'm taking a ballroom dancing class this semester. I'm very good. If you would be so kind as to let me escort you to the dance, I'll prove it to you."
Naoki shrieked. "Oh, Amaya! That's so cute! You should definitely go!"
"But I…don't…"
"Amaya…After all, Fumio has been helping you with your homework…"
After all…
"What color is her dress?"
"I think it's a sort of red…"
Fumio and Naoki didn't require my help to work out the details. They didn't even require my acceptance, for that matter.
There was a time, I remembered as they chattered on, when I wouldn't have cared. I would have bowed low with several elaborate flourishes, gathered up the pieces of my life, and moved on. It was just here, at Ouran, where the students had already shown themselves to be prejudiced and judgmental…the rich could afford to give offense, I suppose, at least the more important ones, anyway. They didn't have friends, they had allies. They didn't have fun, they had purpose. Instead of defending their morals, they worried about their dignity and pride. For examples outside my home environment…I found myself thinking of the host club.
Well, not exactly.
Mori oozed superiority, but he didn't flaunt it. Honey took advantage of his position, but he was innocent about it. The twins…they were just having fun. From what Naoki told me about how they used to be, it was a good thing. Even Tamaki, when he wasn't trying to seduce me, had a big heart and a positive personality.
It wasn't the host club that bothered me, I realized, it was Kyouya. He was the epitome of a spoiled rich brat. He probably didn't care a bit about the rest of the hosts. He was only in it for the benefits, whatever they were in this situation. Connections with other prominent families, most likely. All he cared about was money and power. Haruhi had let drop occasional hints of how the club treated her outside school, and Kyouya was as unpleasant and proud as ever. He was rude to her because she had no money. He thought of me as nothing for the same reason. He had offended me, and that was reason enough for me to hate him in return.
Oh well. Avoiding him was no difficulty. It was making him realize what an idiot he was that was the hard part.
"Oh! But I told Fumio that your dress was red…"
Too bad.
"Red would have looked so good with your hair…"
Oh well.
"I guess green doesn't look too bad…"
Yup.
"But Fumio will be wearing red…"
What a shame.
Naoki required no response. She was content to dominate the conversation so long as I sat still and let her fuss over my hair.
Thanks to my cousin, Fumio's limo would be arriving soon to take us to the dance. She had no date of her own. She wanted to be wholly available for the host club. I, on the other hand…
A maid appeared at the door. "Master Fumio has arrived," she said.
Naoki jammed the last pin into my hair and whirled away, looking for her purse. I rose slowly to my feet and followed Naoki out the door, flicking off the light behind me.
Here we go…
"Isn't it gorgeous, Amaya?"
I was fully prepared to mutter my noncommittal agreement when I actually looked at the scene. It was a beautiful night, in any case. Stars hung thick and heavy over the school. Lights shone from every window of the Central Building, illuminating the cherry trees and the blossoms that sometimes flew from them when a gentle breeze brushed past.
"It is beautiful," I exhaled. And suddenly, the evening seemed less dim.
Half on accident, half on purpose, I left Fumio behind as I followed Naoki into the hall, which was already overflowing with people.
She was aiming for her group of co-conspirators. I stayed, knowing that there was no one else in the room to talk to besides Fumio.
"But do you know who he is?"
"What? Who?" Naoki lost no time in getting involved on the gossip.
"Over there!" one of them pointed.
A new student, obviously. But I had to admit, he cut a dashing figure. For a moment, I felt my sanity falter, and wanted to know with the rest of them who he was. He didn't seem proud, at least.
He stood on the balcony, a little apart from the group of hosts, scanning the people below him. When he saw our group, all of us staring fixedly at us, a smile lit his features and he began walking towards us.
"Oh, quick, compose yourself."
"Is my hair okay?"
"Is my makeup smudged?"
"I'm so glad I wore this dress."
I had managed to convince myself that the flutters in my stomach were from the overall excitement of the evening, and told myself it had nothing to do with this stranger, who happened to have devilishly good looks, who happened to be heading in our direction.
"Ladies," he bowed low when he reached us. The butterflies in my stomach stopped mid-flutter. Was he just another womanizer like Tamaki?
"I am Narahashi Taro. I was wondering if I might be troubled for an introduction."
And then, I realized that I didn't even care if he was.
Taro had dark brown hair and light brown eyes, which looked up at us from his deep bow. Everyone was too captivated to speak. Naoki recovered herself first. Everyone else followed suit before too long.
I stood slightly apart from the group, wondering what had just happened to me. I was supposed to be the sensible one. I wasn't Naoki, who flung herself at every man she met. I was me, who kept to herself and could never find a man who suited her. Before long, though, I was the only one who hadn't introduced myself, so Naoki did it for me.
"That's my cousin, Amaya," she said.
He nodded at each of us in turn and then, despite the chatterboxes present, an awkward silence fell.
"What brings you to Ouran?" I finally asked.
"My parents wanted me to get a good education," he smiled, grateful for the conversation. "But it's too far a distance from where I live, so I'm staying with one of the families here."
"What class are you in?"
"The second year. Same as my host."
He waved a hand back in the direction of the balcony, where the host club were whispering amongst themselves.
"Which one?"
His face darkened a bit. "Ootori Kyouya."
Well, no wonder.
"Do you like dancing?" one of the other girls had finally managed to come up with a question.
"Absolutely," he said, "And I hope to dance with as many people as I can. If I'm going to be a host while I'm here, it's best if I get to know everyone."
"A host?" Naoki squealed.
A touch on my arm pulled me out of the new world I had stepped into. Fumio had found me. One by one, the lights shut off, Fumio, Taro, the rest of the girls and I turned to face the balcony, where Tamaki had begun to speak
"Welcome!" the room was instantly flooded with light.
"We wish you to enjoy this dance with all of our host members," the speaker was Kyouya. Before I could stop myself, I let out a quiet snort of disbelief. Taro looked down at me and raised an eyebrow. I shook my head and averted my eyes.
"Also, to the lady who displays the best dance, to the guest who is chosen as the queen tonight, you shall receive a warm kiss from our king on your cheek."
Tamaki's next words were drowned out with screams, and soon after the music began.
Taro turned to me. "Would you like—"
I would have liked. I would have liked very much, but Taro stopped when he saw Fumio dragging me out to the floor. I looked apologetically back at Taro. He gave an understanding smile and nodded.
"I'll find you later," he mouthed as Naoki swept him away with her.
Oh, let it be so.
yeah, that's right MizzChocolate or whatever your name is. I'm using the same exact words