I locked the door to Grams' apartment behind me. I'd just gone by to water the plants and unclutter her mailbox before going to the mall to buy a few cat things for Noel.
I know that for both those things I could get somebody to do it for me. But I really needed to get out of the house and enjoy my independence while I could, after all, Father was in Paris in some meeting or other and Kyoya was going to take me to his beach house for the rest of the summer.
I know.
That's what I said.
"What the hell, Ootori?" I'd told him over the phone the day before.
"If you think for a second I'm going to allow a public scene like yesterday's to happen again, I'd say you're dumber than you look, toroi."
"Don't call me toroi, you doke!" I practically growled at him, "And it's not as if I'm not going to do it again." I'd argued.
"That's absolutely right. Because I'm going to take you to my summer house where there's no one around for miles to see you."
"You're a bastard, you know that?"
"And you're a sly snake."
I could feel an anger rise in me just remembering that conversation. I was so busy in my own thoughts that I jumped when the person coming up the stairs as I went down blocked my way, "Risa!" Haruhi Fujioka's dad shouted loudly.
"Oh, hi, Ranka." I said smiling.
He looked gorgeous, perfectly applied make-up, his long wavy hair falling on his shoulders delicately. Man, I thought, how fair is it that someone with that level of testosterone look so much better as a woman than me?
"How are you? You've disappeared! How dare you have left my Haruhi so upset?" his perfectly made-up eyes were looking at me reproachfully, "She considers you a friend, you know."
My eyebrows flew up without my permission. I didn't know. Really? "Gosh, sorry, Ranka, I- I've been busy in college. I'm going to Sato College now, so…"
"I don't care! You should make more time for your friends. I've been telling your grandmother, you know. And she agrees with me!" suddenly my Grams not looking for an apartment-sitter made much more sense, "Plus Haruhi has so little girlfriends…" he pouted.
I blinked, "Ranka, I promise to visit Haruhi more often from now on." I said, flinching a little inside. I truly hadn't realized Haruhi saw me as a friend and that worried me. She must be more shut-in than I thought. "Just not this summer yet," I amended, "I'm traveling, but I'll-"
"THAT'S HER!" a male voice interrupted me.
My eyes were quick enough only to catch a glimpse of someone rushing back inside the apartment and shutting the door. I stood there a little puzzled.
"Isn't that your apartment?" I asked Ranka.
His beautiful face was set in an angry expression, "That damn Tamaki must be seeing my Haruhi without my presence again!" without looking back he started marching towards the apartment.
"Bye…" I called, as I watched him kick the door open.
"TAMAKI! WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT YOUR VISITING HOURS?!"
I sort of scuffled away after that. I took a quick detour to the garbage cans to throw out one of Grams poor dead plants and walked over to where I'd left my scooter.
Yes, I drive a scooter.
And it's red with white daisies (courtesy of Izumi Kai) painted on it, and it's adorable.
I'd just mounted on it and put on my helmet when from the corner of my eye I saw a bush behind me move. I turned around and saw the silhouette of a guy.
"Pervert!" I hissed at him and sped away.
***third person***
The mall was very crowded which made it a little difficult to find corners to hide six people, but it also helped because their target didn't seem to even notice she was being followed.
"Are you guys sure?" Haruhi asked for what must've been the fifth time.
"We're positive." The twins answered, their eyes fixed on the figure about twenty feet away. "That's the girl Kyoya called his fiancé."
"I can't believe she called me a pervert." Tamaki said, tears brimming in his eyes.
"Well, you were peeking at her from behind a bush, Tono." Kaoru said.
"I can't believe my Dad left you off the hook so easily." Haruhi commented, "He's been much more strict ever since our year in Boston." She looked at their focused expressions and sighed, "Did Kyoya say anything when you asked him, Tamaki-senpai?"
He shook his head, "He just told me that there was nothing to worry about and to mind my own business."
"*But why wouldn't Kyo-chan tell us he had a girlfriend?*" Honey asked, also looking at the girl that was checking out cat cages.
"Maybe he was ashamed for dating a waitress." Tamaki said, remembering the first time he'd seen the girl.
"Hey, what's to be ashamed about dating a waitress?" Haruhi demanded.
"Nothing at all!" Tamaki said waving his hands in front of him, "It's a wonderful and rewarding profession!"
"*It's just that it never seemed as if Kyo-chan would go out with someone that had a job like that, Haru-chan.*" Honey explained and Mori agreed silently.
"Look, she's my friend, so don't talk bad about her job." Haruhi sighed, they were moving again. Risa had chosen an orange and blue cage and was moving towards the toy section of the pet store. "Why are we following her?" Haruhi complained as they settled behind a column, about fifteen feet away.
"We need to know more about her. There's gotta be a reason Kyoya hid her from us." Tamaki answered.
"Well she's very pretty…" Kaoru started.
"…maybe Kyoya's insanely jealous?" Hikaru finished.
"If that were the case he wouldn't let her go around in a commoner's mall." Tamaki said, his handsome face scrunched in a pensive expression.
"*What's the matter, Takashi?*" Honey turned his face up to his friend.
Mori was looking intently at the girl ahead of them, his face showed no emotion. "I think I know her." He said.
"That's it!" Haruhi said impatiently, stepping from behind the column "I'll just go there and ask her."
"No!" five pairs of arms pulled her back.
"No, Haruhi," Tamaki said, his finger pointed up indicating that he had an idea, "We need to be more subtle than that."
***Risa's POV***
I stared at the two plush mice in my hands. One was red and yellow, the other purple and orange, and I was trying to remember if cats had color vision so that my decision would, in fact, make a difference.
I fiddled with them trying to find a difference on how they bounced about. I looked at their glued in black eyes and remembered (with butterflies in my stomach) the fact that I had made my first ever business deal. With a nominated company, no less.
I smiled as I thought about Kyoya's visit to my house after our lunch. By then Chika, Riko and Izumi had left, but he was still seething over my acting performance.
"There were other ways to have made that agreement, you know." he said as he sat in my living room sofa.
"Oh, puh-lease. You didn't give me any choice." I opened my notebook on my lap, "Plus, admit it, it was a little funny."
He glared at me and I laughed at his face. I felt so light, I really should become more of a positive person, a "cup half-full" view of life, I mean, I did single-handedly make a deal for my company and I didn't even have to act all flirty and girly to do it.
Kyoya, if (God forbid) I didn't finish my project in time, would have to marry me. Zits and all.
Speaking of which I'd gotten an awesome cream that should dry them up after one night. I should really remember to put in on.
"Hurry up, I have more important things to do." He said curtly.
"Hey," I complained, while I waited for my project to open, "What happened with:" I tried to mimmick his voice, "'Your beauty cannot compare to the most lovely cherry blossom."
"Do you have a cold, or was that supposed to sound like me?" his glasses caught a glare of light.
"Jackass." I mumbled, my eyes now fully concentrated on the screen in front of me. "Alright, it's actually simple." I said, showing him my progress from the little idea I'd had three years ago, "Every smart-phone, iPhone, tablet or whatever that have 4G or 3G technology have their own IP address, so basically, in small words, I'm working on a way to have a Wi-fi signal to be able to detect each and every mobile device that connects with it." I showed him how that was already possible, since I was connected to the Wi-fi in my house I could find my cell, my notebook and Kyoya's iPhone, "But, more important than that is to find a way to differentiate each device to send personalized messages."
I clicked a few buttons and suddenly Kyoya's phone was playing I'm a Barbie Girl, he jumped and looked at the screen, there was a cartoon cat holding a sign written Risa Kotoku rocks! On it while he shook his hip.
I couldn't help giggling. Me and the girls were having a wine powered sleepover when I programmed that e-message, for some reason I just couldn't change it.
"How do I shut this up?" Kyoya asked.
"Just press the Go Back button." As soon as he did the cat lowered the sign and said "Aw, you suck!", and his screen went blank.
He put his cellphone back in his pocket. "Well, that was quite impressive." He said.
"I'm sorry, what?" I faked shock, "Try revolutionary, this is going to make today's e-commerce look like baby talk. Every commercial establishment is going to pay to get this to attract customers, I mean, can you imag-" he shut me up by putting his finger on my lips, I froze.
"Talk dream-speak in your dreams." He took his finger away, " This hasn't left your notebook for now, and if it's so perfect how come your father hasn't seen it yet?"
I sighed, "Because the whole idea is for this to be automatic. I want a thirty-second window from when the person has access to the Wifi signal to when he/she gets the message, and to personalize each message, so that you could sort of "recognize" a customer and send things specific to his/her needs. But that is not as simple as it seems." I closed my notebook and rested my head against the couch.
"It doesn't sound simple." Kyoya said, surprising me, it was something of a flattery, right? "But, how close to that does it have to be for your father's approval?"
I sighed, "Maybe… maybe if I could have the message play to whatever device that connected, then yeah, then even if he pouted because it's my project, his board of directors would support me."
I shook my head back into reality. After that Kyoya had said that a quiet, isolated place would be ideal for my full concentration to fulfill my goal. When I'd agreed I'd thought he'd meant he'd leave me alone to work in my house, not that he'd call me the next day informing,- informing, not asking or inviting, mind you, -me that he'd spend the rest of the summer with me in his beach house.
"*Excuse me, miss?*"
I jumped at the adorable voice next to me and looked down.
Okay, I've always been the tallest amongst my friends, but I'd never been taller than any boy. This guy's head was about the height of my chin.
"*Do you mind if I ask a few questions?*", he had a funny little mustache and was holding a clipboard and pen, "*We're doing a little survey on our customers.*"
He also had such a cute way of talking that had me wanting to hold him close and cradle him. Pull yourself together, Risa!
"Um, I don't know if I'll be much help." I told him, "It's my first time shopping here."
"*That's all right, miss!*" he grinned and clicked his pen, "*Our first-time shoppers are just as important!*"
"Er, okay."
"*Right! First question.*" he furrowed his brow looking at the clipboard, "*What, is your, name?*" he read, then looked at me.
"Uh, Risa."
"*Last name?*" he asked hopefully.
"Is that really necessary?"
"*Ah, uh, no… Do you have any pets?*"
I stared, Is that a trick question? "Yeah… I just got a kitten."
"*Ah! How cute!*" his blue eyes shone, "*And do you have a boyfriend?*"
I swear, it was his adorable blue eyes that had me answering, "I, um, no, I have a fiancé."
He seemed pleased by my answer, "*Ah, and do you love him?*"
"What?" I blushed, "Is that really written there?!" I reached for the clipboard.
"*Ah! No! I was just asking!*" he clasped the clipboard against his chest, his cute eyes were wide and frightened, I immediately regretted yelling at him.
"I'm sorry, you just caught me off guard." I was blabbering, "What's the next question?"
"*Mm… Do, do you like cake?*" he asked in a small, shy voice.
What kind of customer survey is this?
"Well, I do love cake, but my favorite dessert is actually ice cream, so I like to have those two together. So the ultimate favorite is the ice cream cake." I smiled at him, trying to apologize for trying to peek at his notes.
But I guess my answer was only too right, because he suddenly reached out and locked his arms around my waist. "*SHE'S PERFECT!*" he shouted to whoever, practically crushing my ribs in his embrace.
"Aaah! Lemme go! Lemme go!" I started punching his head that was pressing against my breasts. Damn short men!
I know I said I knew karate, but the truth is that after three years of training in high school, all I ever got was a (grudgingly given) yellow belt on the last year, Chika and Riko insisted on teaching me, but there was just no evolution to be expected. Especially since, when the time came for all that training to help me out, I have to say I was disappointed. All I got were some bruised knuckles against the short guy's head.
But it was effective, he let me go clutching the top of his head. "*Ow, she's mean!*" he said in a crybaby voice that had my righteous anger melting away.
Then as swift as the wind (and out of nowhere!) the tallest guy I'd ever seen swooped up the short guy and carried him away before I could even get a decent look at his face.
I stood there, my heart pumping adrenaline fast as my eyes looked in every direction suspiciously. WHAT THE HECK?!
A/N: Hi! Two things are important: A) Risa's idea is actually possible, according to this specialist I interviewed anyway, B) The ** on Honey's lines are on purpose, I just can't have Honey talking without something resembling flowers hanging on his words.
Oh, and C) I'm sorry. I couldn't resist making a third person bit. I couldn't pick one of the hosts to write in his/her POV and I thought it was important to show how much the host club members know.
Thank you readers and reviewers! Please keep reviewing, it's very inspiring for me to keep going. =)
Response to reviews:
Extended Experience: Lol Thanks! I had lots of fun writing the last chapter. And truth be told, the idea to have Risa trick him was actually last minute... and based on a true story! XD
TheDarkestTimeline: Yay! Cool! I'm glad, 'cause I only learned afterwards by my other fanfiction writer friends (did that make sense?) that OC are not very popular in the fanfiction world, so I'm happy you're having fun with Risa and her friends.
etzelg: I know! Risa can be dramatic when she allows herself to be. Soon you guys will see that she's more fun and spontaneous than she gives the impression. Ah, and yes, you can expect ALL the host club members and their respective pairs to show up. It was a little of a coincidence of you to ask when I was going to have the hosts show in this chapter.
GIR3c: Thank you so much! It wasn't so much that he would be talking a lot as that he needed to sound like himself that worried me. I think the most important thing from the last chapter was Kyoya revealing his selfish reasons behind the engagement. Now, are there any selfless reasons, you may ask, ah, but it is too soon to wonder…
Tee-hee-hee!