Author's note: This chapter tackles an important and sensitive issue. Non-consensual activities will happen, but nothing too graphic. Please skip said certain parts of the chapter if you're not comfortable with such themes.
Yuuto Davis stood there dumbfounded as the elevator doors opened. His pride was slapped right then and there as he watched a familiar face enter. He felt embarrassed since he was caught. He let go of the woman he was holding . It should be easy to talk to Kyoya. A talk between men shouldn't be an issue. He'd understand, surely.
Kyoya wasn't the type to pry, but contrary to popular belief he still had a conscience that told him to do otherwise. It was a friend of Nadine who ultimately set him up with Chizuru. They both had shared the same passion for music which made it an easy match.
He didn't want to break the news to Chizuru. He was in no position to tell her that he was in an elevator with her boyfriend who was with another woman. He saw Yuuto whisper something to his companion who went ahead as they got off the elevator.
"It's not my business to pry, but I think you should tell her." Kyoya didn't even look at him as he spoke.
"Between us men, sometimes she plays hard to get. I know she's a rich girl who's used to being spoiled so it's been hard on me as well." Yuuto shrugged his shoulders. "At least she pays for everything."
There certainly was truth to his words. Kyoya knew that much. However, it was still unacceptable. Maybe for Yuuto, it was just a one-time mistake but for Kyoya it was a poor excuse of a mistake.
Yuuto casually pat Kyoya's shoulder hoping that this kind of man to man talk made sense to him. "I'm sure you understand, right? There are days when she's just begging for more then there are times when she gets distant. I just had to let off some steam."
He laughed for a moment hoping to lighten up the awkwardness of it all. "Sorry, this must be weird for you since you're her friend."
Kyoya didn't reciprocate the gesture. His face was void of any emotion.
"Damn, you're quite a serious guy." Yuuto laughed again hoping to break the tension. "It was nothing serious anyways. There's no need to blow things out of proportion."
"I'm not asking why you did it. I'm just saying you should be honest with her." Kyoya spoke politely, but there was spite in his voice. He hated this kind of excuse. He's seen it happen many times to Chizuru. Even for her momentary flings, she invested her emotions too much and got burnt each time. She was reckless in that sense.
"Why? What's it to you?" Yuuto raised his brow and snorted. He admitted his guilt without any hesitation. "Besides, it wasn't something serious. Just a one-time thing. It won't happen again."
"Don't treat her like a fool." Kyoya warned. "She's too good for you."
"What did you say, bastard?" Yuuto glared at Kyoya. He wasn't hearing this kind of talk from him.
Kyoya ignored him and maintained his gaze. He wasn't stooping down to his level.
"I can't believe this. Do you have feelings for her? I know you two are close, but really." He raised a brow as he sneered at the man across him.
"You're too old fashioned, Yuuto. Is common decency a foreign concept to you?" Kyoya smiled coldly. The intensity of his gaze was enough to petrify anyone on the spot. "You need to make sure you tell her, or I'll do it myself. It's up to you how she'll get the news."
Yuuto has never felt more scared in his life. Kyoya Ootori was not one to be made light of. He never realized how much the man has been holding back. He still had his pride as a man and left quickly.
"I think it's best if we end our relationship here then." Chizuru's word were cold yet her expression remained amiable. It was a paradox of sorts.
Yuuto glared at her as he clicked his tongue. "This again? One day we're happy and the next day you're being like this. When I told you I wanted to take this to the next step I was serious." His emotions have always been intense. He was just as rash as she was.
Yuuto was the type of guy most girls fell in love with. He was a half-American half-Japanese with the stereotypical mysterious bad guy look. He was the entire package. Playful smirk, artistic wit, indie musician, sultry eyes, with a rebellious streak. He even rode a motorcycle and had several tattoos on his arms and chest. Sure, he was a good four years older than Chizuru, but that didn't matter.
"And I told you from the start that I didn't want anything serious. You said it yourself when we started this relationship." Chizuru sighed and closed her eyes. She understood completely where Yuuto was coming from, but she couldn't let it go beyond that. She did find the thought of such a future enticing for a brief moment. In the end, she let reality catch up.
"They warned me about you, you know?" Yuuto's eyes changed. "That you're a flirt with commitment issues…You know that's what they say about you."
"Which is why I made myself clear from the start." Chizuru clenched her fists as she fidgeted with the hem of her dress. This wasn't how she planned her summer. Then again, June was always her least favorite month. Nothing good ever happens when it's June.
"You're the first person I can imagine having a future with. Living in the suburbs and just being ourselves. Having a cat and dog and just growing old together? Was that all a lie?"
"I never lied to you." She admitted somberly. "I didn't lie when I said that was a nice dream. But that was your dream. Not mine. You never asked me what I wanted."
Yuuto slouched in defeat. "Babe, please. Let's make this work."
Chizuru could feel her eyes water, but she blinked several times until the urge to cry disappeared. The demons in her head that she tried so hard to pacify were coming out to play. Now wasn't the best time.
'You're not like everyone else, Chizuru. We have to maintain our place in society. As my granddaughter, I expect you understand your responsibility to our family.'
'My daughter is far too lost in her delusions, but it doesn't matter. A pretty face like hers should be easy to marry off.'
'Haven't you learned anything from your aunt? She's been married four times. All for love, can you believe that?! That goes to show how far love will get you.'
'If you didn't answer that call my sister would still be alive. You can't blame anyone else but yourself. You're partly responsible for your mother's death.'
'Although our family has progressive views, there are certain limitations with how liberal we can be because of our position in society. I hope I don't have to say anything further with regards to your feelings towards that Amakusa girl.'
'I'm not your real mother so don't expect anything from me. You're talented and smart enough to figure things out on your own.'
She reached her hand out and gently held Yuuto's face. She said with a soft smile "You don't love me, Yuuto. What you loved was how I made you feel…You think I didn't know about the affair?"
Yuuto froze. His tone suddenly shifted. "D-did Kyoya tell you? I told him I was going to tell you myself. Besides, we were both drunk and it's just a one—"
Her gaze was expressionless as she looked at him. "Do you think I'm stupid? That I'm just a shallow rich girl with no idea what's going on?" she crossed her arms. She was actually at a loss for words. She cursed Kyoya in her mind for keeping something like that from her. "For your information, he didn't tell me anything."
She took a deep breath for her sanity. Another to dampen the emotions. Then a final one just for good measure. "It was a good five months, Yuuto. Thanks for that."
Chizuru asked for the bill and left. This wasn't the first time she's had to end a relationship. Since she started studying overseas, she's had a few flings here and there. Most people she dated were on the same page. Yuuto was the second serious relationship she had and still she never learned.
If there was something constant in her relationships, it was always on how she found herself giving too much with little reciprocation. It was the same. From her father all the way down to her flings. The first person she had a serious relationship with was during her freshman year. She was a senior from the film department. When she found out about Chizuru's family and the pressure that came with it, she said it wasn't going to work out.
Initially, she decided that she cannot invest too heavily on something without any permanence. She told herself to keep romantic relationships on the more casual side. Even if it wasn't serious, it would make her feel less lonely. She found commitment enticing yet extremely daunting. Still, it didn't stop her from plunging into the unknown and letting herself get consumed by her emotions.
Chizuru hailed the first taxi she saw. "Newbury street please."
She had higher hopes that her chances of finding a genuine romance was better on the other side of the world. Alas, emotions were far too fleeting and volatile. It neither stable nor reliable. Even if her parents and grandmother told her over and over again, she never learned.
Chizuru raided the shops along Newbury street. Buying one thing after another. Anything that seemed to catch her eye. All in all, she got herself two dresses, a skirt with a matching blouse, linen top with matching pair of shorts, two pairs of shoes, a pair of earrings, and a new bag. It was a humble shopping spree compared to her usual expeditions. Besides, the Valentino summer dress was newly released and the Vivienne Westwood earrings were the last pair. It would be a crime if she didn't get her hands on it.
Kyoya mentioned that he'd be dropping off the rest of the hosts in the airport so he'd be home later than usual. It was too quiet for her taste now that everyone was gone. They left the place spotless. As if they were never even there. She went inside her apartment and took of her shoes. Always stepping with her left foot forward first. Just as she was taught. Considering all the etiquette lessons she had to go through, these little actions were practically ingrained into her very existence.
She placed all the shopping bags on the floor. She hung her coat and saw the other things she bought. Most were still in its respective boxes untouched. She has a tendency to impulsively buy things depending on her mood. Absentmindedly moving on auto-pilot until she found herself in the tub engulfed by the warm water. She hugged her knees to her chest and closed her eyes. The voices in her head were being awfully loud. Memories she'd rather not recall came back. In one swift breath, she did what she has always done. She closed her eyes and submerged herself into the water to muffle out the noise.
When she opened her eyes and found herself in an all too familiar traditional tea house. It was the one her father and grandmother always went for business meetings. She found herself sitting on the tatami floors was wearing her favorite dress. A custom dress her grandfather had made just for her. She loved how the soft ruffles of the sleeves draped her shoulders and how intricate the hemline of the skirt was. The silk and cashmere lining ended shortly below her knees.
It was the start of summer and her father brought her along one of his business trips. She sat there in the tea house feigning interest with what the man across her was saying. Her father excused himself and was outside speaking on the phone with a foreign business partner. The middle aged man who sat across her smile warmly as he sat beside her. Tokuma Hira has been a close confidant of her father who saw her grow up. He was and still is a prominent member of the National Diet. He always smelled like he put on too much perfume. It was too musky for her taste to the point it made her dizzy.
"Chizuru-chan, you're in your last year of middle school, right?"
"Yes, Hira-sama." Acknowledgment and politeness always went hand in hand, she maintained her courteous smile. "I heard from otousama that you've been reelected in the house of representatives." To ensure that she didn't sound bored, she continued the conversation just as she was taught.
"You're a really clever girl." He moved closer to her as he reached for the sake on the other side of the table.
"Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you've become, Chizuru-chan?"
Chizuru leaned forward to reach for his glass and poured some more sake into his cup. Acting exactly as she was trained. Discreetly putting some distance between them. She bowed her head politely. "Please Hira-sama, you're too generous with your praise."
Briefly his hands rested on her thigh and putting his hands around her waist pulling her closer. His lips lightly grazed her nape.
She squeezed her eyes shut. She clenched her hands to stop herself from trembling as the man's hands and lips went to places she didn't want. This was the first time it happened to her. What does a fifteen year old girl do in this sort of situation? Does she push him away? Does she stay put? She didn't know. No one taught her what to do next. She wanted to run away but she couldn't feel her legs.
"It will feel good if you relax a bit." He whispered. The stench of the alcohol in his breath mixing with his perfume was making her nauseous. His hands were definitely on her chest. She could feel his lips nipping lightly on her skin. "You'll enjoy this. I promise." his hands were slowly moving up her dress.
"I-I think we shouldn't do this." she stammered. It took all the strength she had to move his hand away. Ignoring how frightened she was.
"Shhh, don't cry. I'm not going to hurt you."
She bit her lip as she trembled. She didn't even realize she was crying. The sound of a group of men walking down the hall was enough to stop him from continuing. Instinctively, she used whatever strength she had and ran out the door. She wasn't sure how she ended up in one of the gazebos facing the koi pond. When she got to her senses, she realized there was something haphazardly draped over her head and shoulders.
It was a grey men's blazer that smelled like bergamot and verbena.
Chizuru sat on her usual seat as she watched Kyoya prepare coffee. He got back to his apartment about an hour ago and asked if she wanted some warm to drink since it started raining out of the blue. The wind was so strong the glass started shaking and the rain hit the windows violently that even Noel wouldn't come close to the ledge. He needed some practice on using a coffee siphon. It was like a chemistry set that was out on display. The glass fixtures and the Bunsen burner were all neatly laid out.
"Do you remember the first time we met?" she said suddenly breaking the silence.
Kyoya leaned against the counter as he waited for the water to boil. Unsure where this question was coming from. "I thought we made a deal to forget about that?"
"No, I mean the first time we saw each other." Chizuru knew that he recognized her even before the encounter between the Zuka Club and Host Club.
He continued to add the freshly ground coffee beans to the upper pot. The gurgling sound of the water was the only thing that can be heard. He did remember that day. He was fifteen and was in his final year in middle school. He came with his father and brothers for a business meeting as usual. The first time he saw Chizuru. She was sitting by a koi pond on a warm summer afternoon.
"Why did you leave your jacket with me? You didn't say a word and just dropped your jacket on my head." She watched Kyoya stir the mixture of beans as the water boiled upwards from the lower part of the siphon. It was something she was curious about but never knew how to bring up. It wasn't an experience she wanted to recall.
He blew the alcohol lamp and suddenly brewing process was complete. The water passed through the filter pipe and moved back into the lower bowl. He knew Chizuru was waiting for his answer.
"I didn't just drop my jacket on your head." He said as he poured the coffee into their cups. "I asked if you were okay for around fifteen minutes. You wouldn't answer."
"What? Really?" Chizuru blinked a few times as she held the cup of coffee with both hands. She blew on it lightly before taking a sip. "I didn't hear you."
Kyoya sipped his coffee directly. The scathing temperature was tolerable for him. "I asked if you were okay because for some unknown reason it was warm outside, but you were trembling."
"Aren't you curious why?" she asked without looking up. She still felt ashamed with what happened. That maybe if she was just more aware of her surroundings or if she was stronger, she wouldn't find herself in that situation.
"I made my assumptions. My brothers and I were walking to one of the private rooms and we heard someone sobbing. You ran out shortly after we passed." Kyoya was careful with his words. Unsure how she'd react. "We saw Tokuma Hira come out of the room a few minutes later. We've heard rumors about him. Even otousama doesn't let Fuyumi-neesan within a five meter radius near him without any bodyguards in the same room."
There was nothing but silence as they drank their coffee. Kyoya could clearly see how Chizuru blamed herself for being in that situation. She was terrible at hiding her emotions. He wanted to say that it wasn't her fault or offer some sense of comfort, but he had no idea how to put those into the right words.
'What sort of thing would Tamaki say?' he thought to himself.
"I hope their flight doesn't get cancelled." Chizuru looked out the window. Suddenly changing the topic.
Kyoya stood up and placed a pot of noodles in between of them and handed her a pair of chopsticks. It was always the same spicy noodles with sausage, egg, and dried seaweed. He was a man of habit and consistency.
"It wouldn't be pleasant to be in a delayed flight with a corpse."
Chizuru snickered at the comment. "Tamaki and Haruhi took a different flight, right?"
Kyoya nodded as he added more seaweed to the broth. "He even asked for a charm to ward off any spirits."
Again, they ate in comfortable silence. Just the sound of them eating filled the room. They didn't always need to fill their time together with meaningless conversation. Having company was more than enough for them.
"How long have you known about Yuuto?" Chizuru asked as she slouched in her seat. Seeing Kyoya push his glasses up was enough proof that he's known for quite some time.
"Not too long ago." Kyoya replied.
Chizuru sighed as she ate her noodles. He avoided opening the topic further. Her companion hated dealing with sobbing individuals or openhearted moving scenarios. Regardless of gender or sexual orientation, he preferred not to deal with such emotionally laden situations in general.
"Did you know before we started summer classes?" Classes started roughly a month ago and there were almost two weeks into June.
"Your birthday's coming up soon." Kyoya replied as he blew on his noodles. The mist formed on his glasses like it always did.
Chizuru clicked her tongue. He definitely knew. He always changed the subject when he didn't want to answer her directly. "Why didn't you tell me? If someone were cheating on you, I'd definitely tell you."
"Goodness. Of course, you would. That's why I decided not to date anyone." Kyoya said as he took some of the pickled radish that Mori's fiancé made. "Besides, It's not as easy as it sounds."
Chizuru rolled her eyes and crossed her arm. Puffing her cheeks as she pushed her glasses up. She hated how Kyoya brought out such an immature side of her sometimes. It was his lack of any reaction that brought out this side of her.
"Please pass me the chili sauce." Kyoya said before taking a long sip of his coffee. "I wasn't that fond of him either way. On to more pressing issues, were you a bull in your past life?"
She handed him the sauce and looked at him questioningly. "A bull?"
"You're unusually fixated with all sorts of red flags."
Chizuru almost choked on the noodles she was eating. She had to drink a glass of water to bring the food down. She started laughing at his joke. Kyoya briefly glanced at her with that look of satisfaction on his face.
"I see you're finally taking my advice." She said as she glanced at the new sound system in Kyoya's living room. The guy has always been reserved with all aspects of his life. It was nice to see a bit of self-indulgence for a change.
It looked like it was expensive even by her standards. Another not so secret hobby of Kyoya was how much of an audiophile he was. His shelves were stocked with an exquisite collection of artists. It came as a surprise to her that he was a huge fan of Sergio Mendes, Basia, Ive Mendes and Miki Matsubara.
"Yes, yes. I followed your advice." He admitted. He stood up and picked up the latest CD he bought. "Do you mind?"
"No, please go ahead."
She looked at the CD Kyoya was holding. It was a special audiophile edition of Clair Marlo's Let it Go album. Given her exposure in arts and music, she's observed how much a person's music taste said a lot about them. For all the cool, sharp, and calculating exterior Kyoya put up, the songs he listened too were much older than expected. The songs he played were all quite 'warm' and 'rounded'. He was drawn to songs that had a soft attack and was temporally stable.
"It felt good, right?" Chizuru gloated. It was rare for Kyoya to admit such things considering his pride was larger than the entire continent they're in.
Kyoya rolled his eyes as he sat back down. It was a good thing that Mori's fiancé was in the food industry. He finally had another thing to look forward to when he met with the Host Club now. He was about to get the last piece of pickled radish, but he watched it slip through his fingers as Chizuru took it from his chopsticks.
"What the-" Kyoya looked legitimately pissed. Like a mother scolding a child. "Do you have to eat so fast?"
"Why are you getting so worked up? You can just get more." Chizuru blew her cheeks.
"That was the last piece." He showed her an empty jar. She wouldn't even look at it since she knew she ate most of it. "You ate most of the pickled radish already."
"You're so self-centered. Why don't you just eat faster?" Chizuru placed her chopsticks on the table. She couldn't believe that Kyoya was acting like this right now. Kyoya wasn't good at sharing. It didn't help that food was also touchy topic for him and he hated it when someone took what was his.
"Why should I control my pace when those were my pickled radishes to begin with?" Even when Kyoya was annoyed, he never raised his voice. There were a few exceptions, but in general he was calm. "That's quite brazen for someone who's been leaching off from me."
"Leaching off you?" Chizuru couldn't believe what she just heard. "What a bastard. Hey! Just because your my landlord doesn't mean you're the boss of me!"
The statement caught Kyoya off guard. His lips turned slightly upwards. The funniest thing in the world was Chizuru cursing. She just couldn't do it. It always sounded like a joke. It never came naturally. Her voice and manner of speaking was naturally soft and well-mannered, so it was an interesting contradiction when it happened.
Chizuru started laughing. They were acting like children fighting over a toy. She watched Kyoya shake his head as he pushed his glasses. He always did that when his smile reached his eyes.
"Who would have thought you'd be such a petty person?" Chizuru bit her lip. She suddenly perked up when she heard a highly familiar tune. "I love this song!"
"Lose love...try again, and you ask yourself questions. So much emptiness, is it ever gone? Oh your heart running out of time."
Kyoya just watched Chizuru sway in her seat as she sang. It was a good thing she sang extremely well. He didn't mind her singing even when it happened at random times. Sometimes she'd sing a song midway without any warning. It was pleasant to hear her sing.
"So you give love another try. And you try, and you lose. And you can't find the solid ground. Growing tired, all confused…As you go for the ride"
He continued to watch her. He was amused since she used one of her chopsticks as a microphone of sorts. This burst of energy was much better than her being morose. He had an inkling earlier when he saw the number of shopping bags scattered in her living room that something wasn't right.
"And you start to see the signs. Your heart beating loud and strong. Then you know it's worth the time. When love begins to take you on."
Her singing was interrupted as Kyoya's phone rang. It looked like Tamaki was calling.
"Aren't you going to answer that?" Chizuru looked at Kyoya while he was just looking at his phone.
"It's bound to be something stupid." Kyoya started to clear the plates.
"I'll wash the dishes." Chizuru stood up and took the load off Kyoya's hands. "He's just worried about you. That's all."
He stood beside her as she washed the dishes. Letting his phone ring the entire time. "I'm perfectly fine. I hoped that having Haruhi around him would distract him from my affairs, but it seems like he still has far too much time in his hands. Doesn't he have something more important to do?"
"Maybe he's scared that you feel lonely now that he's gone."
Again with the loneliness? He wasn't lonely. Does he have to scream it to the world? In fact, he was far from it. Why doesn't anyone find that premise believable? Relationships were there because it provided a certain sense of security in people. He didn't need to date or have any romantic relationships. There was someone already there filling the gaps. He knew who it was and he had no plans of changing their dynamics anytime soon.
His phone rang again. Chizuru glared at him and accepted the call on his behalf. He sighed and mentally prepared himself for whatever whimsical idea Tamaki had.
"KYOYA!"
The greeting was loud enough to make Noel lose one life of his. Chizuru almost dropped the coffee cup she was holding. It seems like she accidentally accepted the call on speaker mode.
"You're on speaker." Kyoya mentioned as he placed the phone on the counter so he could help Chizuru dry the dishes. "What do you want?"
It seems like Tamaki didn't listen to his disclaimer. "Benio and Hinako are already here at the airport with us. The twins have the matching outfits ready. We're already boarding soon for our flight to Barcelona. You're 100% sure Chizuru's schedule is clear this weekend? You must do everything in your power to move your flight tomorrow afternoon instead of Friday."
"Yes, I'm certain." Kyoya stopped what he was doing and put the phone off speaker mode. He went out to the terrace and finished discussing the details for Chizuru's 21st birthday party.
After five minutes, he went back inside. He saw the cheeky grin on her face. "Just pretend you didn't hear that. I don't want to deal with anyone moping around because of a failed surprise attempt."
Chizuru nodded. Despite all the things she's gone through, it's still a relatively happy life. "Thanks, Kyoya."
"You don't need to thank me for the planning. Benio and Hinako did most of the work." Kyoya crossed his arms as he sat on the couch.
"You know what I mean." She stood in front of him and pat his head gently. "Did you want to watch a movie before going to bed? It's my turn to choose, right?"
"Go ahead. If it's that kind of movie, you can start without me." He excused himself so he could take a quick shower.
Kyoya always took at twenty minutes to take a shower. Chizuru took her time to prepare her blankets and pillows for the perfect movie experience. She was glad he gave the go signal to start without him because it was the perfect time to watch 'A Walk to Remember'. She didn't have the patience to wait for Kyoya to finish his bath. She's seen the movie at least ten times and it was just as therapeutic and cathartic as the first time.
"You've obviously never asked anybody for help before, right?" Jamie held her books close to her chest.
Landon muttered under his breath. "No."
"A request like yours requires flattery and groveling. It can't be all about you. It has to be for the common good of everybody." Said Jamie.
"It is for the common good." He replied.
Kyoya couldn't hide the disgust in his face with all the sappy lines. The movie was playing so loud he could hear it from the bathroom. He dried his hair with a towel as he sat down. This was the kind of shit Tamaki would watch.
"Okay. One condition though, Carter." Jamie faced him.
"What's that?"
"You have to promise you won't fall in love with me." she said with a serious expression.
Kyoya wasn't sure if he should be amazed with how Chizuru was mouthing all the lines or disgusted with how cheesy the script was. "What movie is this?"
Chizuru turned slowly and looked at him with eyes wider than he's ever seen before. She had to pause the movie because she couldn't believe what she just heard. "You haven't seen A Walk to Remember?"
"No." he was taken aback with the response. Was it some sort of requirement?
"You haven't seen A Walk to Remember?" Chizuru repeated slowly with more emotion as she stressed through each syllable.
This was something Kyoya found annoying. It's like as if his answer would change if the question was repeated slowly. He sighed and leaned against the pillows behind him. He took the remote and pressed play. The rest of the movie was predictable. He could tell that Landon was going to fall in love with Jamie.
"Don't look at her. No…don't fall for her." Chizuru wrapped herself in a blanket and started to mouth the song the heroine was singing.
Kyoya watch the scene and he couldn't understand where all the emotions were coming from. The lead actress looked like she was singing and then the lead male actor kissed her at the end.
Chizuru started slapping Kyoya's arm. "It's too late. Landon's fallen for Jamie."
He didn't expect what an emotional meltdown this movie was. He surmised that she probably had some kind of terminal illness midway. The leukemia was far from creative and the progression of the disease wasn't realistic.
"Amazing, he can make a high powered telescope in his backyard? If he can- " he commented sarcastically.
"Shhhh...don't ruin the moment." she cut him off.
Kyoya looked at the sudden weight on his shoulder as Chizuru leaned her head against it. The smell of bergamot and verbena calmed her as she sobbed quietly through the rest of the film. He made a mental note to avoid any movies associated with Nicholas Sparks.
Thank you so much for all the comments, views, and kudos. I'm so happy that my heart is full of joy. I can't wait to already post the next chapter.
I'd like to take this time to shed a light on sexual abuse/assault . How lots of men would only stop only in the presence of other people, but when asked directly by victims they ignore the pleas. East Asia (especially Japan) has one of the worst cases of under reported instances of sexual assault and harassment. Instead of going at the root cause (AKA the men), they tell women to avoid dark alleys, wear modest clothes, and to not put themselves in such situations.
Then to make this chapter much lighter since Chizuru basically went through so much, I had to fill it in with fluff. I've been building Kyoya's character up and I hope I'm able to show how differently they're treated by the same society. Even if they have similar expectations and responsibilities from their families.
Also, I'm thinking of making a playlist of the songs I imagined Kyoya listening to. I'm not sure if I should post it on spotify but for some odd reason he seems like an old soul in that sense. His parents and siblings are much older so he grew up faster than his peers.
This is especially for you Guest. Thanks to your kind words I got this out of my system much earlier than I expected. Thank you so much for your support and how much you love the dynamic of the two. I hope you continue to stay and comment on this chapter. I'd really like to know your thoughts on this.
Thank you BethxAngel for the follow and favorite. I hope I'm keeping you engaged with my little story.
As usual for everyone else I'd like to hear your thoughts, favories, bookmarks. Don't be shy, I don't bite.