Kyouya found it difficult to keep a smile off his face the entire day but he made an effort anyways. He wouldn't lose his title as the cool type just because he couldn't control his emotions. So instead he replayed the encounter over and over in his mind. Her response had given him more joy than he thought was possible and he didn't want to share it with anyone. His scene on Sunday with the other hosts was enough display of emotion to last a lifetime.
Tamaki remained completely unaware of the change of mood in his friend and when the bell for lunch rang Kyouya was proud of his excellent acting skills. He stood up and looked back to see Emi scrambling to collect her things. ~She must have been daydreaming again.~ He thought with a smile, ~She has a habit of doing that in this class.~
She looked up suddenly and caught him staring. She flashed him a broad smile that took his breath away and he found himself being pulled over towards her. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Tamaki appeared beside him with an air of enthusiasm,
"Emi-san let's go eat lunch! I want to talk about the event on Thursday, won't you eat with us today? It will do Daddy a great honor to eat with you!" He then did a not-so-subtle glance at Kyouya followed by a dramatic eyebrow raise and gesture to Emi that said 'say something to her'.
~Purposely saying nothing to this buffoon has definitely been worth the effort.~ He thought smugly,
Instead of responding to Tamaki he looped his arm through Emi's and exited the classroom with a smirk. Tamaki watched them for a moment, too stunned by Kyouya's actions to move.
Kyouya kept his eyes strictly ahead even when he heard Tamaki's heavy footsteps behind them. Mori stood waiting for Emi as tradition by the classroom and fell into step with the trio as they passed.
Out of the corner of his eye Kyouya saw Emi smile up at Mori and Hani perched on his shoulder. She then slid her gaze up to Kyouya's and tightened her hold on his arm. Kyouya knew in the back of his mind that this parade of hosts would not go unnoticed and that Emi could become a target due to her relationship with the hosts. ~I will have to make her an official part of the club soon or there might be trouble.~
Emi tugged at his sleeve softly and he looked down at her. She gestured for him to stoop down and speak in his ear. He held in a grin as he bent over, amused at her delightfully small size; she only came up to his shoulder.
"I don't want to step on any toes but I believe to avoid conflict I should either be officially admitted into the host club or stop affiliating with you all." She whispered so only he could hear.
~She is so observant.~ He mused,
"Well I know the latter isn't an option so I will see to it that you are announced today." He replied calmly and drew back up to his full height.
He felt her place her head on his shoulder for a moment before releasing her hold on his arm and separating from him as they entered the cafeteria.
Together the group of five entered the lunch line and made their way back to the table the hosts always used with their meal. Haruhi already sat there with the twins on either side harassing her. When she saw Emi standing next to Kyouya she smiled.
Kyouya and Emi sat down together and Tamaki settled down next to Emi. A pleasant silence settled over the group, or as close to silence as possible with Hani inhaling a cake and the twins quietly pestering Haruhi.
"So are you two better now?" The twins asked, breaking the spell of serenity,
Kyouya looked down at Emi and saw that she was looking back up at him. He felt as if with one glance they had an entire conversation. She smiled and turned back to the impatient red heads who were observing the duo from across the table.
"Yes, we are much better." She said calmly,
An evil smile grew on the faces of the two boys and one (Kaoru, he thinks) held up a very familiar piece of parchment. Her sketchbook.
"Is that why..." Hikaru said,
"This is in her-" Kaoru tried to finish as he opened up the book but found it had disappeared from his hands.
Emi frantically closed the book and shoved it back into her book bag before any of the other hosts could catch a glimpse of what was inside.
"Zip it and I'll let you go through my art collection at home." She said seriously, her face flushing slightly.
Hikaru and Kaoru looked at each other for a second, weighing their options, "Deal." They said together.
Emi seemed to deflate in relief before turning all of her attention on her meal, attempting to block out the looks the other people at the table were giving her.
Kyouya slid his hand around her back and onto her waist on the opposite side of him. Startled, Emi looked up at him,
"Hiding something, are we?" He said silkily,
Everyone at the table shook in terror at the sound of Kyouya's voice but Emi returned his gaze with a stubborn one of her own.
"Yep. That sketchbook is private property and no one-" She glared a few daggers at the twins who shrunk away in fear, "has the right to look at it without my permission."
"What if I asked nicely?" Kyouya said teasingly, ignoring the bewildered looks of his friends around him.
She smirked slightly, "You can ask as nicely as you wish, but it will take some *major* persuading to convince me."
"That can be arranged." He replied smoothly, allowing himself to lose his train of thought as he stared into her big eyes.
~How can anyone have such perfectly green eyes?~ It was true, her eyes were unlike ones he had ever seen before. They were such a bright shade of green they appeared to shine and her fair hair only increased their bright luster.
The twins pretended to puke but Haruhi, Mori and Hani looked on at the scene happily. Another wave of solitude fell over the group before it was broken with a small yelp.
Tamaki must have been overwhelmed by the drastic change of events and froze again as Kyouya and Emi flirted. Now that he had returned to his senses he tried to piece together what had happened between the two.
"B-but Mommy you were upset and, and I saw Aunty looking sad this morning," ~Aunty?~ Kyouya glanced down at Emi and saw her eyes dancing in amusement as she watched Tamaki's dramatic performance.
"Plus A-Aunty can't *date* Mommy!" Tamaki nearly screeched before standing abruptly and running around the table to Haruhi. "What sort of example will that be for our lovely daughter?!"
Kyouya felt his irritation increase throughout Tamaki's ridiculous rant and felt a vein begin to pulsate on his forehead. He opened his mouth to correct the blonde rubbing his cheek on the indifferent Haruhi's head when he felt a small hand slip into his.
"I just remembered I have some homework to complete, please excuse me." Emi said,
She gave Kyouya's hand a squeeze and flashed him a comforting smile before standing and departing from the cafeteria.
"At least she didn't disappear on us this time." The twins said in unison.
Kyouya could only nod in agreement and watch her disappear through the cafeteria doors before returning to his meal, allowing his anger to subside.
In the last class of the day, Kyouya had completed all of his assigned work and finally allowed himself to analyze what Emi meant by 'not wanting to hurt anyone' and how she 'wanted to protect him'.
~Could she be associated with a gang? No I already touched base with that idea. Are her parents in politics or part of the Japanese government? That would explain while her files are missing on every database including national websites. But that would usually mean she is already well protected. Why is she independently worried about our safety?~ He sighed softly, ~We have gotten so much closer in a matter of weeks but I still know nothing about you, Emi. When will you let me in?~
o0o
Emi watched Kyouya work on his laptop and sighed in content. The end of the school day was getting closer and she felt a few butterflies flutter in her stomach every time she thought of explaining the bruises to him. ~It really isn't even a big deal. Why am I so worried?~ She thought, ~Because you have never told anyone anything before.~ A small voice whispered inside her head
She looked down at her sketchbook and felt her face soften. She had meant to draw her cherry blossom tree again but Kyouya had infiltrated her thoughts and thus appeared on her paper.
First she sketched her view of him from her seat in the class but it quickly turned more personal after lunch. She was thankful the twins had only found the picture of him working. When she returned from the library her head was still absorbing the forwardness of Kyouya's actions. Subconsciously she found herself drawing closer pictures of his face and eyes. Satisfied with her sketches she closed the book and returned it to her book bag. ~Maybe I should find a way to secure it so the twins don't keep stealing it.~ She began dreaming up all sorts of alarms that would signal her if one of the red heads attempted to nab her book and was dragged from her thought process as someone approached her desk.
Kyouya looked down at her with a small smile playing at his lips, "The bell has rung, Emi."
She stared at him without moving for a moment before releasing an "Oh!" and scrambled to gather her things. In a matter of seconds she was standing next to him and ready to begin their walk to the third music room.
When they arrived she slipped to the back of the room and deposited her bag and turned expectantly towards Kyouya.
He returned her look and raised an eyebrow.
"So..." She started slowly, "What exactly am I too this club?"
"You'll just have to wait and see." He said with a sly grin.
She sighed heavily and sat down on a nearby chair. "Ootori Kyouya you may very well be the death of me."
His smile grew and he turned away from her to join the other hosts.
"Welcome!" She heard them all say as the doors opened and guests filtered in.
She watched with calculated eyes as the hosts broke up and situated themselves in their designated tables or couches. Kyouya, she noticed, did not return to her in the corner table or to his hosting table. Instead he calmly walked into the room at the back and returned with a teacup and spoon.
"Dear princesses, may I please have your attention?" He said with his host voice, clinking the spoon to the cup in order to be heard over the voices of the guests. ~His real voice is much nicer.~ Emi thought cheekily,
"I have an announcement to make." The girls stopped their talking immediately and turned their attention to the host club manager.
"Of the seven hosts before you, six have been entertaining you for two years. Earlier this year, Haruhi joined and added a new type of host to our collection," He paused and produced a bright smile before continuing, "It is my pleasure to introduce a new member of the host club to you today." The room was filled with whispers as the guests contemplated who this new member could be. A few sent glances at Emi and she shivered at the malice that some contained.
"Sugita Emi will be stepping up as the first official female member in the Ouran host club," ~How sneaky of him to put 'official' in there...~ "and assist the club in being our personal art manager and part-time host."
~Wait. What.~
A few girls began to clap and the others followed suit. Kyouya beckoned her over she joined him in the middle of the room and curtsied.
~Oh crap. Why would he make me do this. Isn't introducing me enough?.~ Her social anxiety was making her feel nauseous but she forced herself to stand back up from her bow and face the sea of girls. Staring at her. All those eyes, with no place to hide. ~Keep it together Emi.~
"I look forward to working for you and making the host club the best it has ever been." She said sweetly, observing the ladies in front of her. A majority smiled up at her supportively. She returned the gesture with a smile of her own, forcing the waves of nervousness down, and took note of the familiar faces amongst the crowd.
A few glared at her with a fierce intensity that irked her. ~I guess it would be too much to ask for a one-hundred percent acceptance rate.~ She thought.
After the introduction Emi tried to slip back into her corner to work but many of the girls got up to talk to her. She spent the entire duration of the club chatting with nearly every guest. Everyone wanted to know why she was being accepted as a host. Each time the question was brought up she would try to look as resigned as possible and say that Kyouya had simply needed help with managing the club and offered her the position. By putting the decision in Kyouya's hands she effectively defused the fangirls from questioning it further. The prestigious reputation of Kyouya was not to be trifled with and most of the girls accepted this reasoning wholeheartedly. A few outliers stood a few feet away from the couch Emi sat at and verbally attacked her.
"I bet she slept her way into the club."
"Did you see the way she was hanging onto Kyouya earlier today? No doubt she's a slut."
"Tamaki is always staring at her, she's probably bewitched him somehow."
"I can't believe the first female host is going to be such a tactless cunt."
Emi stoutly ignored the hurtful comments but after the small cluster of girls started saying more threatening things about her and the other hosts, she excused herself from the girls she was currently chatting with to approach them. All anxiety disappeared and instead steel resolve strengthened her. They grew quiet as she neared them.
"I am afraid I heard those things you were saying about me." She said softly, putting every ounce of pain she could muster into her voice. "I apologize if I hurt you all in someway and I wanted to assure you that I accepted the invitation into the club purely out of the desire to work with you, the lovely ladies of Ouran high school." The faces of the malicious girls began to soften. "If there is anything I can do to gain your favor, please tell me for I do not want there to be any ill feelings within the club."
The girls were silent for a minute before one timidly placed her hand on Emi's shoulder, "I'm sorry Sugita-san. It wasn't fair to say those things without getting to know you first." The other girls chimed in with similar remarks and Emi pasted a bright smile on her face.
"It's fine, you are completely forgiven. If you sit down I will be right back with some refreshments." The girls voiced their thanks and Emi walked into the back room. Her smile disappeared the moment she entered and she clenched her fists in rage. She shut her eyes tightly and took a few deep breathes. ~Hold it in until I get home.~
"You're a natural." A voice from behind her said,
She turned and saw Kyouya standing in the doorway with pride in his eyes,
Without a word she stomped over towards and punched him in the shoulder. He expected some sort of retaliation for dropping the news on her like that but her punch really hurt.
"There, now I won't be the only one with bruises." Emi said with a smug grin,
Kyouya rolled his eyes at her, "Do you mind telling me now that I've had time to think about it all day?"
Emi giggled shyly, "I know it was dramatic but," she took a deep breathe to gather her courage, "I don't share personal information with anyone. Even if it is as simple as why I have bruises."
She felt a hand softly grab hers and she looked up to see Kyouya staring back at her. ~He could melt me if he stares too long.~
"I am honored that you are willing to open up to me," He prompted,
"When I told you and Tamaki that I took self-defense lessons in middle school it was a lie." She began slowly, searching Kyouya's face for signs of anger. When she saw none she continued, "I train daily with an elite offensive team and it often leads to me getting pretty beat up. Nothing major of course, I have learned how to get out with just bruises, I haven't broken anything in years."
"You train with an offensive team?" Kyouya asked, "Not a martial art?"
Emi shook her head, "No, I do hand-to-hand combat but in a modern setting. Now I really must get these drinks out to those snobby girls before they start gossiping again." She turned to the cart and quickly filled it with tea, coffee, and cake. As she pushed the trolley to the door Kyouya stopped her.
He took one of her hands and raised it to his lips, placing a chaste kiss to her knuckles. "Thank you." He said before letting go.
Emi gave him a small smile and forced down the blush until after she had exited the room so he wouldn't see.