Megumi stifled a sigh. It was getting late, and Kaoru was across the room, deep in some kind of discussion with Hikaru, Mori, and two other men she didn't recognize. Chiyo had been sending her nasty looks all night. She was exhausted and ready for the night to be over. Suddenly, Ootori was in front of her. "Would you care to dance with me, Hisakawa-san?" Megumi wasn't particularly eager, but she couldn't think of a graceful way to refuse. At least it was better than sitting alone at her table, looking like an abandoned wallflower. She took the hand he had extended, and the two made their way onto the dance floor.
Ootori was an excellent dancer, which came as no shock. Megumi had him pegged as one of those people who didn't particularly bother with anything in which they did not excel. Waltzing with him wasn't actually unpleasant to start with, and it took several leaps forward into rather enjoyable when she caught sight of Chiyo's envious stare. Emboldened, she decided to try her hand at poking the bear. "A little vicious tonight during the auction, weren't you, Ootori-san?"
"The twins needed a little reminder," he said seriously. "They forget that Laney doesn't have a decade and a half of history with us, the way Haruhi or even Reiko do. She doesn't know all the inside jokes and old stories yet."
"I haven't known her very long, but I have the feeling she is more than capable of putting them in their place herself."
Ootori gave a small huff of laughter. "No doubt. But she knows it gives me a bit of a masculine thrill to do so on her behalf, so she very sweetly lets me act the caveman now and again. Besides, the money is all going to a good cause, and the Hitachiins can easily afford the hit."
Megumi looked at him, considering. He was being extremely good-natured with her tonight, far more so than she'd ever known him to be. Clearly there is another shoe waiting to drop, she thought.
"You and Kaoru have become very close, it seems," he said after a few moments of silence.
Ah. Here we go. "Is this the part where you interrogate me concerning my intentions, assuming that since you've opened up to me I'll feel an obligation to be more forthcoming with you?
He looked at her, surprised. He covered it quickly, smiling at her. "Touché, Hisakawa-san. A palpable hit.
"We're all powerful figures, you realize. On the social scene, yes, but that's incidental. The Suoh, Ootori, and Hitachiin families alone represent a not insignificant portion of Japan's GDP. Your family? Not so much." His hand on hers had tightened; not enough to hurt, but enough that she was in no doubt it was intentional.
A fine trembling had spread through Megumi as he spoke. She fought down a wave of rage, willing her voice to be steady. "Do you have a point?"
"A suspicious person might wonder whether your attraction to Kaoru stems from his family name, rather than from his personality."
"And a smart person would trust his friend's judgment. He's not stupid, you know. In fact, he reads people better than almost anyone else I've ever met. I seriously doubt I could fool him."
He nodded once in acknowledgment. "If you try to bring him down or ensnare him in anything, things will go very, very badly for your family."
"Ootori-san. Look at me. If I had an unquenchable thirst for money and influence, do you really think I'd be an elementary school teacher?"
"I have no comeback for that one," he admitted. The music had ended, and she caught sight of Kaoru, clearly looking for her. Ootori looked over and saw him as well. He neatly tucked Megumi's hand into the crook of his elbow, preparing to escort her over to her date. "Hisakawa-san." In any other man, his tone could be described as hesitant. "He deserves to be happy."
"Yes," she agreed, lifting her chin defiantly, "he does."
Kaoru came towards them, smiling; if he had noticed anything off in their interaction, he evidently had chosen to ignore it. "Having fun?" he asked Megumi warmly.
"Of course," she replied politely, conscious of Ootori still at her side. "Ootori-san is an excellent dancer."
"As are you, Hisakawa-san." Evidently Ootori was back to his polite façade. "But now I think I'd better rescue my wife." He indicated Laney dancing with Tamaki, who was talking to her with great intensity.
"Haruhi and Reiko took refuge in our old room," Kaoru informed him. "I was just about to ask Megumi if she wanted to join them while we close this out." At Megumi's soft sigh, he looked down at her and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, babe. Leaving early isn't an option tonight."
"I wish you'd mentioned that when you asked me to come," she griped.
"I'll let Laney know," Ootori said, walking away. Megumi looked thoughtfully after him.
"What?" Kaoru asked, picking up on her mood.
"Nothing," she said. "It's just … does he ever actually just come out and say what he's thinking?"
"Kyoya?" Kaoru looked after him. "Once in a blue moon. Why? He didn't say anything rude to you, did he?"
"I'm not sure, to be honest."
Kaoru's shoulders hunched up. "He can be such an asshole sometimes. I'll talk to him."
He started after Ootori, but Megumi tugged him back. "No, it's fine. He was just trying to look out for you."
"I'm a big boy, Megumi. I can look out for myself."
"That's what I told him."
Kaoru relaxed again, putting an arm around her shoulders and hugging her close. "You're perfect, you know that?"
"I'm exhausted, is what I am."
"You remember where Music Room 3 is? Top of the south wing, end of the northern hallway."
"I work here, remember?" she said testily. "Should I wait for Laney?"
"Probably. She has no sense of direction at all." He caught sight of Hikaru beckoning him from the far side of the room. "Shit, I've got to go over there. Tamaki asked us to tag team Ichijo Tsubaki and see if we can't get her to soften up a little." At Megumi's questioning look he elaborated, "She evidently feels that allowing more than one scholarship student per grade level will dilute the socially elite composition of the student body to unacceptable levels. You know the Ouran motto: Breeding first; money a close second."
"She sounds delightful," Megumi murmured. "Go, soften. You'll come get me when you're done with all this?"
"Wild horses couldn't keep me away." He grinned cheekily, kissing her swiftly before moving off to join Hikaru.
Megumi moved to the side of the room, waiting for Laney to join her. Rather than rescuing his wife, it seemed Ootori had gotten dragged in to the discussion. Tamaki and Laney were both chattering animatedly, while Ootori closed his eyes, rubbing his temples. Megumi chuckled to herself. Serves him right, she thought.
"Well. I suppose I ought to congratulate you on your winning bid," a cold voice said.
"Hello, Chiyo," Megumi sighed, turning to face her old classmate. "Thank you; it was a unique piece, and I'm really looking forward to enjoying it."
"No doubt Kyoya rigged it in your favor."
"Why would he do that?" Megumi took in the bitter expression twisting Chiyo's face. She felt a small piece of her heart chip off. We were such good friends once. Best friends. What happened? "And how would he do that? The highest bid wins. It's for charity. There's no rigging."
"Then how did you get that kind of money?" Chiyo was flushed with anger.
"I don't think that's any of your business," Megumi replied.
"Don't think I don't see what you're doing."
"Buying art?"
"Befriending him, sitting at his table, dancing with him. I'm not blind, you know. I'm not an idiot. You can't hide it from me."
"I haven't tried to hide anything from you, Chiyo. The plain truth is that you haven't really paid attention to me in years. I'm sorry that my relationship with Kaoru came as a shock to you, but you have no one to blame but yourself."
"Not him!" she hissed. "Kyoya!"
Megumi stared at her. Wait. She can't possibly think I'm interested in Ootori, can she? "Are you insane?" she asked bluntly. "His wife is my friend. Where you even getting this from?"
"His wife? Please. She's nothing more than a trashy, status-seeking American hafu."
"I'm sorry?" Laney came up behind Megumi. Busted. "I hate to come into the middle of a conversation, but I had the oddest sense you were talking about me. But surely I'm mistaken."
Chiyo paled, but plunged ahead. "Everyone knows you only married Kyoya because your family's business was failing and his father forced him to bail you out." Some part of Megumi had to admire her commitment. In for a penny, in for a pound. That was always Chiyo.
"Oh honey, bless your heart," Laney said in English. Switching back to Japanese, she continued in a whisper, leaning in close to Chiyo. "I married Ootori Kyoya for one reason, and one reason only. He is phenomenal in bed." She smiled coquettishly, then turned to Megumi. "Shall we?"
The two women walked out of the room. Megumi resisted the urge to look back. She was done with Matsuda Chiyo. At her side, Laney was practically vibrating with suppressed rage. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"I probably shouldn't have said that, should I?"
"She had it coming."
"The merger between our companies was mutually beneficial," she seethed. "And I would have married him even if it wasn't."
"I know that, Laney."
"This country sometimes!" Laney stopped. "Tell me it's not just me, that I'm not losing my mind."
"It's not just you," Megumi reassured her. "But Japan is changing. Our society is changing, opening up. Don't judge everyone in that room just because Chiyo is a miserable bitch."
Laney pressed the heels of her palms to her eyes for a minute. "I'm sorry. I just really miss home sometimes."
Megumi waited until she'd gotten herself under control. "What was that you said in English to her? Some kind of blessing?"
She laughed. "Bless your heart? That, my friend, is Southern for fuck you. Start it off with an oh honey and it is elevated to fuck off and die."
"But it sounds so kind."
"Well, it can be that too. It's all in the execution."
"That seems confusing."
"Because all y'all always come right out and say exactly what you mean?"
"I suppose you have a point," Megumi conceded.
Laney looked up and down the hallway. "Do you have a clue where we're supposed to meet Haruhi and Reiko? Kyoya said it was back in that music room, but I'm all turned around."
"Come on," Megumi said, knocking her shoulder lightly against her friend before setting off down the hall.
Author's Note: Thank you so much to Amandalucia, ChibiCheshire, Lorelai Sofia Petrova, Love'sPoison, Naomi Nara, and mika1617 for the favorites, and to Existiert Nicht, No-Time Lord, Fallenlily366, mutemuia, and Mairelle for the very kind reviews. You guys rock. Really. In the good news category, I actually have the next chapter over half written, and I'm hoping to get that up before Thanksgiving. And although this chapter was delayed by a huge amount of tsuris in both my life and in the world at large, I did manage to get up a one-shot fluff piece about Kyoya's wedding night. If you'd like to check it out, it's called "All The Things You Are."