Chapter 3: Bonding
They got home and Nana basically danced into the house. Naosuke had his head hanging, knowing his father was going to let him have it for the appalling history test. Kagome was taking up the rear with Nasaka. Nasaka was holding her hand and talking happily. She had said that she had shared her food with her best friend since she wasn't able to eat it all, and her best friend thoroughly enjoyed it. They entered the room with her parents.
"Father, Kagome joined the host club," she said without skipping a beat.
"Naosuke, why didn't you stop her?" He said with a scowl.
"Father," Kagome cut in. "You can't blame that on him." She looked up at him with soft eyes. "I wanted to make friends, and the host club seems to be a way to do that."
"Couldn't you join a different club, musume?" He asked kindly.
"There is no archery club, and Ootori-san approached me ahead of time with Souo-san. They have been welcoming so far, and it isn't that bad."
"Fine, but I want you to watch her Naosuke, and make sure nothing happens." He gave him a pointed look. "And your history teacher called me about the test you took. I expected better from you. You are lucky she is giving you a second chance. Don't screw it up." He turned and left.
"Thanks a lot, Nana. You just couldn't keep your mouth shut." He turned and ran up the stairs.
"Ane, can you play with me?" Nasaka said, pulling on her sleeve.
Kagome knelt and looked her little sister in the eyes. "Not right now, okay, imouto. Go do your homework, and I'll tell you a story tonight, okay?"
"Okay, ane." She hugged her and ran off to do her homework. Kagome stood and could see Nana glaring at her. She scoffed before storming off to her own room.
Kagome knew Naosuke was in a bad mood so she headed to the kitchen. She had finished her homework in class, but would be looking into having someone tutor her in math. It was her worse subject. She pulled out what she would need for a few quick simple dishes and started on a dessert for dinner. It would be a red velvet cake with a lemon cream frosting. It took about forty-five minutes for everything to be done. She placed the dishes on a tray and headed up to Naosuke's room and knocked. The door opened and he scowled. He opened the door and went back to his desk.
"I'm sorry about what father said to you." She set the tray down. "I know things are not how they were. You don't have to watch me and I'll tell dad you were there."
"It's not that." He sighed. "I wanted to be in the host club so bad, but when I asked, they laughed in my face and told me there was nothing special about me. They are friends with each other and they always seem to have each other's backs. When you got invited after just arriving, it made me jealous." He slumped his shoulders. "I can't seem to do anything right."
"I will always help you if you need it," Kagome said. She placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a smile. "Eat. It might cheer you up. And if you need help, just let me know." She quietly left his room and went to her own for a bit of meditation. A knock on her door signified it was time for dinner. She had already changed out of her uniform and was in more comfortable clothes. She left her room and walked down with a chipper Nasaka. She was telling Kagome she had already finished her homework.
They sat at dinner and Naosuke was just pushing his food around his plate, not really hungry. Nana was trying to eat quickly but politely and Nasaka was talking between bites to Kagome about her day. Kagome listened as she ate, eating politely.
"Is something wrong with the food?" His father asked him.
"I'm just not very hungry," he said.
"Snacking again?" He was scowling at his son.
"Ano, that was my fault," Kagome interrupted politely. "He was in a bad mood, so I made him some food. I might have gone a little overboard."
He sighed. "Please don't let it happen again." Kagome nodded. He wasn't so mad anymore. The dinner plates had been replaced by plates with cake on them. They took a bite and couldn't help but think it was delicious. "You've outdone yourself," he told the chef.
"I didn't make it. Kagome-sama did," he bowed and left to let them enjoy the rest of their evening.
Nana was surprised but tried to hide how much she enjoyed the dessert. When her father asked for more, he had been told that there was no more. He was disappointed, but he dismissed them for the evening. He had more paperwork he had to get done.
"Kagome, could you help me?" Naosuke asked. He was a bit embarrassed to be asking her for help. She just gave him a smile and nodded. They entered his room. She pulled up a seat and he handed her his paper. She looked it over and did a few minor corrections. She handed it back to him with a smile.
"You have the facts down," she commented. "You know the dates and the significant events, you just mixed up a few names." He blushed but looked over his paper. She had only switched the names around. After he made the corrections, he asked her to quiz him for his make-up test. She spent an hour quizzing him. She gave him a smile and a great job. "Don't second guess yourself," Kagome advised him. "You should do just fine." He nodded and thanked her. She gave him another smile before leaving his room. She looked at the time and went to Nasaka's room. A maid was having a hard time getting her to take a bath. Kagome walked into the room and placed a hand on her shoulder. The maid nodded and left.
"Nasaka, time for a bath." She knelt to be eye level with her. "After your bath, I'll get you ready for bed and tell you a story." Nasaka looked excited, so she got undressed and let Kagome wash her off before getting into the warm bath to relax for a little bit. She smiled and got a towel and bath robe ready for Nasaka. She dried her off before wrapping her in the bath robe. She wrapped Nasaka's hair in the towel and had her sit at the vanity. She dried her hair so it wasn't dripping wet before taking a comb and parting her hair. She combed it out and let it dry as she pulled out pajamas and underwear for her sister. She put them on without a fight. She hopped onto the bed and Kagome tucked her in, taking a seat next to her. She had Nasaka close her eyes to imagine what the characters looked like. That night, she told her sister the story of a demon lord and his human ward.
"Another story," Nasaka said sleepily.
"Tomorrow night, imouto," she said gently. She kissed her forehead and gave her a smile before tucking her in more warmly. "Oyasumi nasai, imouto."
"Oyasumi nasai, ane." She settled and was asleep in a moment.
Kagome stepped out to see her father and step-mother. She closed the door behind her.
"Thank you for taking care of her," Nanao said. "She is a handful with the maids and Nana doesn't spend too much time with her."
"It's okay," Kagome said. "I always wanted a little sister," Kagome admitted. "Now I have two little sisters and two little brothers." She smiled.
"I would say give it time, but Nana hasn't warmed at all to having a little sister," her father said.
"It does take time. Oyasumi nasai, papa, suteppu haha." She gave a polite bow and entered her room. She closed the door and went through her bed time routine before climbing into bed. She turned off her bedside lamp and was asleep in a few moments.
~~~~~Next Day~~~~~~~~
It was lunch time and this time, Nana had taken the offered lunch, but traded it with her best friend. She knew Kagome was sitting with the host club and she could see her brother sitting at the table in front of her. He was talking with his friends about what a great cook Kagome was. She scowled.
"Are you sure I can have this?" Her best friend asked.
"Yes, Satsuki. My half-sister made it." She dug into the gourmet lunch her best friend traded with her.
"It looks so good." She took a bite and couldn't help but to give a groan. "You are so lucky to have a sister that is this good a cook. I have never tasted anything this good." She continued to eat. She opened the bottom to see a slice of cake. She took a bite. "Oh. This red velvet cake is divine."
Nana's eyes widened slightly and she looked at the note that had come with her lunch, that she didn't bother to read.
I saw how much you liked the red velvet cake, so I saved you the last slice. I hope you have a great day!
Kagome
She looked disappointed but it was lost on her friend, whom was in bliss. She refused to eat the lunch her half-sister made, and she was regretting it. That red velvet cake happened to be her favorite now. She looked over to see Kagome sitting with the host club. The twins seemed to be picking food from the honor student's lunch and Kagome was smiling, chop sticks in her mouth. Tamaki was fussing over the twins. They seemed to get along nicely, if a bit weirdly. It made her a bit sad. Her friends were a bit girly and refrained from doing anything that would make them seem wild. They were supposed to be refined young women.
He was eating his lunch. He was glad Kagome could cook, but at this rate, he would get fat. He wouldn't let that happen. His friends were saying he was lucky to have someone that cared enough to make him lunch. He had to agree. She had gotten him out of trouble with his father twice so far. She cared about him. Usually his mother would comfort him and Nasaka would seek him out when she needed comfort because Nana wouldn't. He was glad to have someone he could lean on.
The end of the day came and Kagome was setting up her section for the club time. There was a pot of tea and a three-tiered tray of what looked to be mochi and tiramisu. Several cups were on a small set of shelves she set up nearby, with small dishes sitting on the top. There was her couch and a table with three other couches. The table was close enough to all of the couches. A few chairs were nearby as well. She made it so she would be able to see all of the people she was hosting. She took her seat next to the host king a minute before the doors were set to open. She was dressed in the club provided dress. She would see about designing her own dress for the club soon.
The doors opened and they gave their customary greeting. Kagome stood and made her way to her area, a group of five males following her. She sat on her couch and gave them a smile, inviting them to sit. They sat wordlessly and they nodded when she offered them tea. She could tell they were shy first years. She gave them a smile and they blushed. Two more males joined them. She recognized them from a few of her classes. She smiled and offered them tea. They accepted and took the couch closest to her couch. She smiled as they sipped their tea. She placed small plates on the table with little forks. They took a few mochi and ate them.
"These are delicious," one of them said, placing the mochi down. He dabbed the corners of his mouth. He took a sip of tea. He was being polite with his eating. He was taught to have manners in front of ladies, and Kagome looked to be a proper lady. "This tea is perfect. Where did you buy it?"
"I didn't buy it anywhere," Kagome said. "I grew it and dried it myself." She smiled. "It's a hobby of mine."
"I am sure my grandfather would like the tea." He smiled. He was more confidant with himself.
It was at this time that the doors were thrown open. Everyone turned to see the form of Naosuke. He headed straight for Kagome with a smile on his face. It was odd for most of the room. "Ane."
"Ototo." She stood and everyone watched on. He held out his test and she looked at it. She smiled. "Good job." She handed it back to him. "I'm proud of you." He blushed and his eyes widened a little bit. His parents never said they were proud of him.
She sat back on her couch and he flopped down onto it, placing his head into his sister's lap. He reached over and grabbed a mochi from the tray. He took a bite and gave a low hum. He swallowed it before eating the rest of it. He wiped his fingers on a napkin.
Some girls blushed at the two. Two more males sat with them and a few girls inched closer. The proper male had his eyebrow twitching. It had to do with the way Naosuke was behaving in front of ladies.
"Ane," he said from her lap before offering her a bite of his mochi. Kagome took it before taking a sip of her tea.
"You missed a spot, ototo." She dabbed at the corners of his mouth, drawing more girls closer. One looked to see the tray and hesitated before coming closer. She took a seat between two of the older males before taking a saucer and a mochi. Kagome poured her a cup of tea and placed it on another saucer.
She took a bite into the mochi. Her eyes widened. "This is good. Where did you buy them?"
"Ane didn't buy them," Naosuke said. "She made them, and the Tiramisu." He sat up and sat next to his sister. Kagome poured him some tea and he closed his eyes as he sipped the tea. He seemed more relaxed, so a few more girls approached. They took a few seats and were served tea and ate some of the tiramisu or mochi.
"Hisagawa-san?" One of the males said.
"Yes?" They both said at the same time. They smirked.
"Hisagawa-chan," he corrected. He blushed. He should have known they both would have answered.
"Yes?" She looked at the second-year male.
"Do you have a boyfriend?" He seemed curious and it was what the other guys wanted to know.
"I don't," she said. She took a sip of her tea. She knew more questions would be coming.
"What do you look for in a guy?" It was another second-year male.
"Well." She placed her tea cup on the saucer she held and placed both on the table before tapping her chin. "Tall, kind, and smart." She smiled as she closed her eyes. "They have to be strong and stand up for what they believe in." She opened her eyes and tilted her head. "Being older than me wouldn't hurt either." They blushed. She was beautiful.
"If I asked you out, what would you say?" He recognized the voice to be his friend, so he opened his eyes.
"I would say not a chance in hell," he said honestly. The thought soured his mood.
"Now ototo." She picked her cup back up. "No need for such language," she said teasingly. "I would still say no. You are younger than me. I don't date people younger than me." She got serious and looked at him with an analytical eye. "I don't get a kind feeling from you. No, you seem arrogant and full of yourself." She took a calculated sip of her tea. She looked him over. "No muscle definition, so you don't seem strong to me."
"You don't know me," he scoffed.
"Oh?" She raised a brow at him. "Youngest child, so you aim high when it comes to the girls you try to court. You feel entitled since you always get what you want. Attached yourself to my brother because you thought he was heir to father's company. Flirt with any girl you find attractive, which means you are a player. You think you are smart, but your intelligence is only average at best. You are wearing a uniform made of a slightly more expensive material, so you want to flaunt your family's wealth." He seemed to get red. Naosuke was smirking next to her and the others were hiding laughs in their tea cups. "I've learned to read people, seeing as I grew up on a shrine."
He stood up and stormed out of the room.
Club hours came to an end rather quickly. They cleaned up and Kagome changed. She came out in her priestess garbs. "Ootori-san, can Naosuke join the host club?" She looked at the other second year.
"He's nothing special," Tamaki said with a shrug. In seconds, he was being held up in the air by the front of his uniform.
"Don't you dare say that," Kagome seethed. "You may not see him as anything special, but I do." She dropped the tall blonde. "And if he doesn't join, then I can't be part of the host club." She turned away.
"Profits went up with his appearance," Kyoya said. "I do not see why not." He closed his laptop. "Welcome to the host club, Hisagawa-kun."
"Morinozuka-senpai, can I have a word with you?" Kagome asked. He gave a slight nod and she approached him. She watched Kyoya leave the room with the others. "Do you think you could tutor me in math? I'm not doing bad, but I want to do better." He nodded. "Thank you." She smiled at him and they left the club room last, Nasaka waiting at the door.