"YUUBI! GOOD JOB MY LITTLE ROOKIE!" Tamaki was in her face right when she entered through the doors. "I GOT THE NUMBER OF YOUR REQUESTS!"

"Wha – how many," Yuubi asked, her jaw widening in curiosity.

"One thousand six hundred," Haruhi laughed, patting her on the back and handing her the paper with the number on it. "You're quite popular with the ladies Yuubi-san!"

"Nah! It's probably 'cause I let them spend all day talking about themselves," she laughed, half joking, half serious.

"Well YOU'RE AN OFFICIAL HOST," Tamaki proudly pointed directly at her nose. "WELCOME."

"Haha! Thanks Tamaki senpai!" Time to go harass my blackmailer, she smirked to herself as she walked towards Kyoya who was sitting alone at his table.

"Kyoya senpai! Guess what," Yuubi shouted into Kyoya's ear.

"What."

"I finally got 1,600 requests," she danced around Music Room 3, waving the paper with the number on it.

"Good job," he said nonchalantly, raising up his glasses. His eyes fixed on his clipboard.

"Aren't you going to congratulate me?!"

"Why would I do that? You owe us."

She collapsed at the directness of his response. "Ouch!"

"Good job anyway," he said calmly and began to walk away. He stopped mid-way and turned back around to her. "Question."

"Yes?"

"You would make more money just as a host member than as an artist… So why did you chose such a low-paying major? Haruhi wants to be a lawyer. That's reasonable. They make a lot of money… So why art?"

She laughed. "Kyoya senpai! Question: When will you ever take your nose out of that clipboard?"

"Hmm?" His eyebrows rose at the metaphorical nature of the question.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is… you always look at the statistics, numbers, and facts on that clipboard to fix your problems... Isn't there more to life than just a solid answer? There are things that can't be calculated. That's why I'm doing art. There's no right or wrong answer. And I'm happiest doing it. Doesn't matter how much I'll earn. I mean it matters, but it's secondary. I just live doing what I love and what I'm happiest doing, is that a good answer?"

"But… don't you want to be successful?"

"Is success only measured in dollars?" She laughed as she watched his facial expression changed when he heard that question. For once, he looked uncertain. "Man… For somebody as smart as you, you're a little pretentious…" She glanced at the clock. "Oh dang it, time to go home already I guess… I'll see you tomorrow Kyoya senpai!" With that, she ran out the door, waving good bye to everyone else at the club.

"Success….… measured by your own….. happiness," Kyoya chuckled to himself.

…..

"How is the food Kyoya-sama," his family maid Coco asked.

"Ah… It's good. Don't worry," he reassured, slowly picking up his fork.

"You're always so weak! I've never seen a boy, so tired when he does nothing all day," Mr. Ootori shouted. Those were the first words exchanged between family members at the dinner table that night. Usually, everyone ate in silence. Kyoya sighed, putting his fork down on the table. He couldn't seem to swallow his steak, no matter how carefully he chewed. It eventually made him feel as if his throat was turning inside out. "How are you going to take head of the cooperation if you do nothing!? I know you want it, but it seems your older brothers are more qualified!"

"Father…" he sighed, forcefully swallowing the chewed up piece of meat. "I have a question…" He hoped that his father's answer would be different than what he expected. "…Did you create the cooperation because it made you happy?"

His dad nearly choked on his food at the question, laughing in shock. He angrily replied, "happy? Don't worry yourself with such petty things! Happiness!? Focus on your studies and plan on preparing yourself to be qualified to inherit the business! Ok? I can't believe you're focus is on that!" Dummy, what kind of answer were you expecting from father? Kyoya bowed his head and looked at his hands that looked frailer than ever. Could these hands ever create something that would please you? "Do you understand?!"

Kyoya choked as he tried to answer, head spinning. He felt the blood in his body rushing upwards. His dad always did this, did nothing but stress him out constantly, resulting in his highly strung personality. Eventually, he came to a point that any little thing that his father had said broke him down to pieces. "I'm done…" He rose from his seat. "I'm going to my room…. Thanks for the meal."

As soon as he got into the room, he closed the door and set his glasses on the table. He watched the white walls of his room cave in on him. Why do I feel this way? He rubbed his dewy eyes that had suddenly filled up with water. He could only cry in his room; he promised himself that he would never show this side to anyone else.

He looked up at the wall above his bed, face to face with the painting of the colorful flower bleeding out of a painting of lavender flowers. Free myself from the borders that confine me? Was that what you were trying to tell me? He stared curiously at the piece and rubbed his eyes dry, regaining his poise. His lips formed into a curious smile. Quite an imagination this girl has… He crawled into bed and closed his eyes, his heart still heavy from the stress that his father had put on him.

…

"Yuubi… Come here dog," he called out to her from his table, his eyes fixed on his laptop.

"DOG?! WOW!" she jokingly blew up her cheeks and crossed her arms. "Not going over there!"

"Don't be so sensitive. You're just like the twins," he mocked.

She felt the hairs on her body stand up. "What?! I am not like them! I'm coming!"

I knew it would work, he laughed. "Close your eyes."

"What the – why!"

"Just do it!" She hesitantly closed her eyes. "Okay open." Her eyes readjusted to the lights that were in the room and widened at the sight they were revealed to. "What's that for?!"

Kyoya rolled his eyes. "For you… Do you really have to make me say it…"

"What?! Why?!"

"Just take it…"

"Why for me though?"

"For getting 1,600 requests," he shrugged; he didn't really know why he was giving her a gift either, but did everything need a reason?

"Ahh… I see what's going on…"

"What."
"You're falling for me! Hahahaha," she jokingly teased.

He broke out into a fit of laughter. "AhAhHAHAh… funny… I only would have interest an heir of a rich coopera – " He stopped himself and chuckled before she could point out his pretention again.

She looked at him suspicion, "so you're going to make me pay for it…"

"Yeah I am… By reaching your success with it…" He coolly put the set of various paint brushes into her hands.

Her eyes widened as her expression lit up into a wide bright smile. "Thank you Kyoya senpai! Thank you! Thank you! I'll take super good care of them!"

He chuckled, feeling secretly joyous at the act of giving. That's right. Tamaki once taught me, there is more to life than just selfish gain… I forget that at times.