"I hope this doesn't scar. I'm sorry you got hurt because of my mess," Kyoya apologized.

"You weren't even there. I was a victim of my own clumsiness. That's not important to me. Are you okay? Where are you hurt? What about your friendship with Tamaki?"

"He sent you those texts. He took advantage of his position as club president."

"I figured that much out myself. You're not answering my questions, Kyoya."

"Tamaki created a large misunderstanding between you and I. He knows better than to interfere in my personal life, and did so outrageously anyways. When I confronted him about it, he didn't understand how he was wrong no matter what I said. I got frustrated. I pushed him. He pushed back. It blew up from there. We'll both have a scar, but we'll both recover. Even after we meet again and resolve our issues, our relationship will never be the same."

I couldn't prevent myself from crying as I bowed low. "I'm so sorry I made assumptions and accused you of trying to do something horrible to me. More than that, I'm sorry I got so upset over such a little thing. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I'm so, so sorry!"

"Please don't cry, Zakia. You had every right to be upset. None of this is your fault. Tamaki manipulated us both. I wish I'd seen it coming, prevented it, but I didn't."

Furukia got up and pulled me into a hug. I tried to stifle my tears. I felt ridiculous for crying in front of a guy I barely knew, but I couldn't make it stop. Even with Furukia soothing me, I couldn't stop.

Kyoya approached our little huddle with a limp, reaching out to pat my head. He seemed terribly awkward and unsure about trying to console me. His hand was gentle and warm.

"Why?" I finally whimpered out as Furukia rubbed circles on my back and my tears began to subside. "Why would you put me over your best friend? Why do you treat me differently? Why am I so important to you when we barely know each other?"

"I'm a man that plans; I think ahead a lot. I am attracted to your looks, yes, but I'm drawn to you by something deeper, something I don't understand myself. When I imagine a future where you are part of my life, it challenges everything else I've ever considered. You are important because of what could be, not necessarily for what is. I'm not sure that Tamaki has much involvement in any version of my future life. We are drawn together now by the host club, but since Haruhi came around, Tamaki and I haven't been very close. I am willing to put that relationship aside because he has made it clear it is not his priority anymore either. Co-founding the host club was something of an act of rebellion. Once we graduate and lose that bridge of common ground, I'm not sure what Tamaki and I would have to tie us together."

"What would tie you and I together once you've graduated?" I balked at the idea that he was already considering things post-grad. A hiccup jolted Furukia into letting go, and she sat back down. Kyoya retracted his hand.

"That largely depends on you and how our relationship develops over the next two and a half years."

"What if it," I was interrupted by another hiccup, "was up to you?"

"We would be dating well before I graduate."

"How do you know you want to date me?" I asked, exasperated by the fact that he could make such a claim without knowing me.

"I just know."

I couldn't help stamping my foot childishly. "That's not a real answer! If you wanted that love at first sight bullshit, you picked the wrong twin." I made to storm off past him, but he caught my right wrist. My momentum twirled me around so I was facing him again.

Try as I might, I couldn't ignore the jitter of excitement at his touch. When I looked up to meet his eye, he smiled forlornly.

"You don't really think that will work on me, do you?" I griped as I yanked my arm away.

I grabbed the hand of my curiously quiet sister and pulled her up, tugging her along behind me as I passed Kyoya and headed for the door.

"Think what will work on you?"

"You think if you just give me a look and smile, I'll fall all over you like all those airheaded bimbos that visit the host club. Here's your wake up call; I don't care if your face makes me all fluttery inside. You're going to have to work for it if you want us to even be friends. And dating? Talk to me when you can win over my sister," I sassed.

He had a super smug grin as he waved goodbye. I scowled and stopped looking back at him.

"Zakia, he didn't tell you about his injuries," Furukia murmured as she followed along like a duckling.

"That's his problem. I tried asking him if he was okay and he carried on worrying about me."

Furukia giggled as I stomped up to the SUV that was still waiting for us outside.

"What are you laughing at?"

"I've never seen you like this. It's really cute."

"You've seen me mad plenty of times and never found it cute."

"Yes, but you aren't mad."

"Of course I'm mad! Kyoya is infuriating with that cheeky smile and a charming gleam in his eyes and that brazen attitude. He can't sensibly expect me to even consider him a friend like that."

"I think he liked hearing you say his face makes you feel fluttery," Furukia giggled some more.

"That's a joke, right? I didn't tell him that."

"You raised your voice. As close as you were, you may as well have been shouting."

"Oh no," I groaned. "He'll never take me seriously again. I sound like those foolish, flighty girls at school. He's just so beautiful I get flustered and mix up what I'm trying to say."

"Did you think he was beautiful from day one, or did you decide that somewhere between the cheeky grin and worrying about you?" she taunted.

"Foo, I'm not kidding around. He took the disproportionate anger into stride, but one of the same shallow floozies he can find at school? Not a chance. I've really wrecked things with him."

"Z-z, you're blowing this out of proportion. I'm sure Kyoya was glad to hear a compliment from you. Why didn't you tell me you like him?"

"I don't like him! He's just attractive. There's a difference."

"So you feel the same way about Kyoya as you do Kaoru?"

"I don't think so. Kaoru isn't as good looking."

"Oh, is that all?" she giggled at my expense again.

"Yes, that's all. What are you nagging me for?"

"What were you thinking when we met Kyoya?"

"I was hungry after you made me give the Hitachiins my lunch, I was nervous with the whole club assuming we were gay men and not knowing what they were going to do, I was in pain from the burns, I was embarrassed the Hitachiins barged in while we were still changing and saw me in my undershirt, and I was furious when Kyoya was dismissive to you. I was ready to box."

"How did you get from ready to fight to fluttery butterflies?"

"When I realized he is as much an outcast as I am simply for being who he is. You should hear how the guests of the club talk about him. Even the other hosts are hard on him. I can't help but relate to him. Once I learned he was just a lonely guy with a cold demeanor, it was easy to give him a closer look. He has the most beautiful face I've ever seen."

"He gave us his number."

"What?"

"He labeled Tamaki's number in our contacts, and added himself."

"Who does he think he is? I didn't ask for his phone number. I didn't say he could have ours either. Has he called or sent a text?"

"No."

"Let me see that."

I dialed Kyoya's number, but judging by the two rings and message to leave a voicemail, the line was busy.

"Now I'll have to wait for him to call back."

"Or try again in a little bit. Now that I have a clearer picture of the whole you and Kyoya issue, what about Kaoru? You agreed to go to the movies with him on Friday. What's that all about?"

"Oh, that...after Mother tried to ground me, I agreed to the movie date with Kaoru as an act of rebellion. Crappy of me, right?"

"I wish I could disagree."

"I thought about canceling since I agreed for the wrong reasons, but now that it's a couple days away, I actually want to go with him."

"You do?"

"Sure. I may not know why those two redheads keep pushing to be part of our lives, but they are trying, in an awkward way. They're paying enough attention to try to cater to our interests. I want to reward that effort."

"But Kaoru thinks it's a date."

"Is that bad?"

"Zakia," my twin's voice dropped in the way it did when either of us were starting to get annoyed.

"Okay, okay, yes it's bad. I don't have anything against the guy, but I haven't had any real interest in him or attraction, either. I don't want to shut him down cold though; there might be more to him than I've had the opportunity to see. I'm not superficial, you know. There's more to a person than their looks, and if someone takes longer to open up, it'll take longer to know more about them. Would I rather have pudding and watch a cartoon with him? Absolutely. Will I do what he proposed to look for common ground between us? Undoubtedly. You wanted me to date, right? Find my true love, or soulmate, or whatever?"

"By toying with Kaoru's feelings?"

"Dates are for getting to know each other better. The sparks don't have to fly out the gate."

"But if the two of you were destined for each other, you'd already know."

"Says who?"

"Your heart. You already found your other half, and you know it as well as I do."

"God, when are you going to learn, Furukia? Your fairy tales aren't real, whatever fantasy romance you think is between me and Kyoya is just a pretty face and hormones, and stories don't come to life. I think Kaoru deserves an honest chance, and you know what? I think I do too. I agreed for the wrong reason, but the more I think about it, the more I want to go on that date Friday."

"You're just saying all of that because your reaction to Kyoya scares you. You're using Kaoru as a shield, because you know as well as I do that you'll never feel strongly about him. He's safe because he can't hurt you."

I could feel that scalding mixture of rage and fear bubbling under the surface again. Taking a slow, even breath, I kept my voice calm and neutral.

"You're all I need, Foo. If you insist I back out of the date, I'd just as soon never agree to another regardless of the partner."

"I can't believe you're my twin sometimes!"

When the car finally got through the terrible traffic to drop us off at home, Furukia and I weren't speaking, and our mother was waiting on the steps with a scowl.

"What did I say about you being grounded, Zakia?"

"I had to go to the hospital, but thanks for caring about my life. Oh, wait..." I trailed off with snark before I stormed past her into the house.

When I called Kyoya again, hiding in the playroom attached to Furukia's and my bedroom, it was picked up quickly.

"Ootori, Kyoya. With whom am I speaking?"

"Like you don't know."

"Zakia? Are you alright?"

"Cut the crap! Why didn't you answer earlier?"

"Despite what you may believe, I gave you my number, but I didn't take yours. I was doing some work for my father and the number was unknown, so I ignored it. Would you like me to save your phone number?"

"No, I want you to stop playing with my head."

"In my defense, Tamaki was the one responsible for that, and with the reaction you had that day, I thought it better not to have your number until you told me to save it yourself. Short of that, I'm afraid I can't do anything to comfort you. I'm sorry."

I felt my heart beat too hard, the heat rising in my cheeks, the way my stomach flipped.

"You terrify me," I whispered before I hung up the phone.

True to his word, he didn't call or text, as though he didn't have my number at all. I felt tears dripping from my chin, a heave in my stomach, and ran for the ensuite bathroom just in time to hurl my guts up into the toilet.