Life went on. I finally got to the supermarket. I caught up on my studies and the laundry. I found Mom's Bible and started reading where she left off.
Monday saw more classes and host club. Kyoya's behavior seemed back to normal for the most part. He still spent some of his time waiting upon the ladies and most of it logging the accounts and ordering items for our next cosplay event.
I found myself at his side a lot and he seemed to welcome it. His presence was soothing to me, and yet at the same time my nerve endings tingled with the awareness of exactly how much space separated our bodies. I had to stop myself from laying a hand on his shoulder as I walked by, or on his arm as I discussed something with him. And then I asked myself why it would matter if I did.
Every Friday as I left, he gently took my elbow and leaned down to ask, "Do you have your cell?" When I assented to keeping it on over the weekend he would say, "Alright then. You have my number. Remember, to call me if you need me—any time of the day or night." It would have been patronizing if it wasn't so darn sweet.
At some point my dad let slip the reason for his "business trip" last summer and Kyoya's part in it. At first I was angry that they had kept from me something so important. But eventually that faded and I was just really grateful that Kyoya had intervened to make sure my dad got the treatment he needed. I knew how flighty Dad could be. Who knows what he might have done if Kyoya hadn't taken care of him? Of both of us, in fact. I remembered how Kyoya was always hanging around the Pension, even at the end when he had acted so strange. He was there watching over me, even back then.
Since our conversation, I had become more aware of the way he kept watch over me. Things he'd been doing for quite a while, but so subtlely that I never took notice. He didn't hover, but I often caught him checking the room until his eye landed on me. Seeming satisfied he would then return to his activities. Even when our class had its Halloween scare contest I spotted him loitering in the dark hallway using a flashlight to read a book. I asked him about it later that evening.
Students were milling about in the jack-o-lantern lit courtyard waiting for their rides home. I was looking for the Hitachiin boys when I spotted Kyoya sitting on the fountain's edge. He watched me approach and take a seat beside him. "Why are you here tonight? You're not in our class or even our year."
He stretched out his legs in front of him and crossed his ankles. "Nekozawa and his Black Magic club heard about your class contest and decided it would be fun to frighten the underclassmen. Tamaki and Honey and Mori agreed to help. I was concerned things might get out of hand."
I stole a peek at him from the corner of my eye. His head was bowed, turned slightly toward where our hands both gripped the edge of the stone retaining wall.
"Why didn't you help me get out of that rope net, then?"
"You were doing fine on your own."
And that was how it went. He did watch over me, but he let me seek my own solutions and stand on my own. Most of the time I appreciated it, but I was a little peeved the day he allowed Kasanoda to follow me to the club room even though he knew I was changing. I had some heated words for him later that day.
As host club was finishing up and Kasanoda was finally gone, I saw Kyoya seated at a table in front of his laptop. I plunked myself down in the chair next to him. "You knew I was going to change clothes and you still allowed him follow me to the club room." I let the accusation ring in my voice.
"Everyone knew it," he replied coolly, avoiding eye contact.
"Yeah, but you're the only one who really thinks. You knew. You knew what would happen."
"I did send them after you," he defended.
True. In typical Kyoya fashion he hadn't overreacted and yet managed to keep things from going too far.
Still… "Well, you could be a little more concerned for my modesty!"
His eyes slid over me in a way that made me shiver. "Yes," he drawled, a half-smile quirking his lips. "I was a little too kind to him." My mouth dropped open at his gall. "But the poor man was suffering terribly. He was attracted to you, and he's never been attracted to his own sex before. It was eating him up. It seemed cruel not to end his misery."
"It seemed…" I stuttered. "Attracted?" I tried to make sense of what he'd said.
"Yes, Haruhi. You know you have all of us wrapped around your little finger," he ribbed me.
"I do not!"
He ignored my protest and continued matter-of-factly. "I would advise you to maintain your friendship with Kasanoda-kun, just as before. He is uneasy with women and needs to learn how to be friends with one." He looked at me sternly. "Just don't give him the idea that you have other feelings for him, okay?"
"Yes, Boss," I wilted, bowing my head on the tabletop. I barely heard him chuckle.
Kyoya's estimation proved correct and when Kasanoda became increasingly agitated I decided to take his advice. I was pretty clueless about confessions of love and whatnot—reference my disastrous middle school encounter with Arai—but I wanted to be sure we weren't headed that way. So I loudly proclaimed for him and all the room to hear how much I appreciated having a friend like Kasanoda.
"It's nice to have a friend who shares the same values. I haven't had anyone that I could talk to like this, so it's nice, you know, having a friend like that." Yup, he looked shocked and disappointed. But I kept my composure and refused to give in to the compassion calling me to recant just to make him feel better.
With an effort he pulled himself together. "We'll be friends forever then, you and me."
Suddenly we were surrounded by a bevy of women. I wasn't sure what their deal was, but I wanted out of the spotlight. I spied Kyoya off to one side talking to a defeated-looking Tamaki.
As I came up behind them, I heard Kyoya saying, "That's strange. You are her 'daddy,' right? I wouldn't think you'd feel very sympathetic to Kasanoda."
Tamaki shrugged and stared at the room morosely.
"Besides," Kyoya gestured toward the crowd around my 'friend.' "The women are enthralled with him now." He looked at Tamaki slyly. "We might have to induct him into the club if he keeps getting as much attention as you."
Tamaki's brows pulled down and he looked peevish. Just as suddenly, his eyes widened and he yelled, "Usa-chan?! You're letting him hold, Usa-chan?!" He tore toward Honey and the others.
"That should snap him out of it," he said, turning to acknowledge me. How did he know I was… never mind.
I took my usual place at his elbow. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop. But what was that all about?"
"It's hard to say." He watched Tamaki, an assessing look in his eye. "You know Tamaki calls himself your 'daddy?'"
"Yes," I grumbled, rolling my eyes.
"What do you think it means?"
"He…" I struggled to express it. "He wants some sort of ownership of me. An excuse to take care of me, I guess."
"Yes," Kyoya agreed. "But I think it's more than that. He thinks of all us hosts as family in a way. I suppose, given his lack of siblings and the, uh, unusual situation with his parents, we really are the closest thing to family that he has."
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully and looked down at me. "But since you're a girl, he's not quite sure what to do with how he feels about you." He looked at the fluttering women again. "Rather like Kasanoda-kun."
"Like Kasanoda-san?" I asked in surprise, afraid of the conclusion I was drawing. "Do you think I need to tell Tamaki that we're just friends?"
"Are you?" His probing gaze speared me.
"Y-yes!" I said, taken aback. I'd never really thought about how I felt toward Tamaki, even though I was fond of him. But for some reason it seemed very important that Kyoya understand Tamaki did not hold my heart.
The twins' chorusing voices interrupted with a loud announcement, "The host club is hereby adjourning to the gardens for a contest of skill to determine the rightful uncle of Usa-chan!"
"Uncle?" I quirked a smile at Kyoya. He sighed and shook his head indulgently as we began following the others out the grand double doors.