And the one that started it all! Jeez… more than three years since I first posted Dealing with Renge before completely scraping the whole project and rewriting the five chapters into two full-fledged stories about the relationship between my character and Kyoya.
Good times.
Thank you to Cleo4927, AmbertheCat, Shadowing, Wonderwomanbatmanfan, LMarie99, MvjM, Ariel2812, SpringBorn, Momochan77, ktmyldy28, caelestii.e, GhostCastle16, musiqueismyjam1041, Allie, pupstarstar, Fairytailshipper2017, XantheGrey, and 1 guest for your reviews! I'm sorry you had to wait so long for this. But I can honestly say that, as of right now, it's looking better and better for my writing muse and I finally have the energy and the passion to write fanfiction again. I do officially have a novel in the works, but the more I think about it... fanfiction is where I got my start. I can't leave you all hanging forever. So, here it is. I hope you find this is an appropriate apology for the long wait because I appreciate the heck out of you all!
Disclaimer: Even after almost four years, I do not own Ouran Highschool Host Club. Nothing but Jacklyn.
Attack of the Lady Manager!
The host club was abuzz with the general chatter. A floral perfume wafted through the air, setting everyone's nerves at ease. The lack of high pitched screaming was something Jacklyn was more than grateful for. Sure, she could ignore it most of the time, but some days she just… couldn't stand it.
Letting the flow of a soft classical piece wash over her ears instead, she carefully ran her fingers up and down the piano keys. Today she was sitting alone, but that wasn't a surprise. Kyoya had warned her that as the temperature outside got warmer, their guest numbers tended to dwindle a bit as the sports teams picked up. Later on, once the girls got used to their new, busier schedules, they would return. But for now, her guest list would only include-
"Mind if I sit?"
Kyoya didn't wait for a response before sitting beside her on the bench. Jacklyn's eyes never left the sheet music in front of her, but she couldn't help the small smile that sprung up on her face. It was just a knee-jerk reaction to hearing Kyoya's voice at this point. She did, however, stiffen a bit when she felt his fingers start to poke around her hair bun.
"Oh my… these pins are even more intricately designed than I first thought. They're quite beautiful."
"Thank you. Hitachiin-san said they would match my kimono and just… threw them in."
"Really? I didn't even see them on the bill. Hitachiin-san must have quite the soft spot for you. And they do match your kimono well… though the pins have gold accents instead of yellow. Their design is rather dazzling."
Jacklyn's fingers nearly slipped off their keys when she felt Kyoya's hand brush at her neck as he withdrew. "O-okay! Did you come here just to compliment me or is there something else you wanted to say?"
"Hmm… I suppose there is something else I wished to discuss with you, but that can wait until you finish with your piece."
"So, now?" With a final upward scale, Jacklyn closed her piece to a smattering of applause. She inclined her head towards the rest of the room before turning back to Kyoya. "Carry on."
"Very well." Kyoya shot her a smirk before lifting his black book. "I wanted some assistance with calculating any future sales of promotional items. Some of the guests have been asking about more, but I was hoping any future releases would have better quality."
"Better quality?"
"Yes. Those picture books we sold a few weeks ago were filled with nothing but amateur shots from hidden cameras. I was wondering if you had any ideas?"
"Aaaand what would be wrong with just taking better quality pictures?"
"Pulling money from the school's budget."
"Ah." Jacklyn grabbed the corner of the piano bench behind her, leaning back ever so slightly on her hands as she thought it over. "Well, if we want to avoid that… could we just do it ourselves? Professional photographer or not, if we got the others on board for a few photos from an everyday camera they'd still turn out pretty okay."
"Maybe. On the other hand we could ask the guests for donations-"
"Kyoya!"
"That was a joke."
Jacklyn scrunched her face up, trying to hold the sour look, but eventually it fell away into a smile. "You're such a jerk."
"And you are remarkably dry eyed for today's theme." Kyoya leaned in and Jacklyn's breath caught. Her elbows shook as she tried to lean further away from her crush's face. "I could have sworn I saw Hikaru slipping some eye drops into your folder of music sheets."
"Y-yeah. He did. I didn't use them because I wouldn't have been able to read my music."
Kyoya nodded. "Very wise of you. I almost went to warn you against using them myself when I noticed, but I reasoned that you'd be able to make the best choice for yourself."
"Ah… thanks, Kyoya." Her arms were starting to cramp, but Kyoya was still far too close.
He didn't seem to notice her discomfort, grey eyes locked on her brown ones. "I'm glad you didn't use them. While some of our guests appear to faun over their hosts struggling to hold back tears… to be entirely truthful I don't think seeing you in the same situation would've brought out the same result. No one should wish to see you cry."
There's a lump in Jacklyn's through as she struggles for a response. How was she supposed to respond to that? Why did Kyoya look like he was getting closer? She couldn't look away from his eyes… what was he-
Her hand slipped.
A high-pitched yelp escaped as Jacklyn fell back, her hands flailing about in an attempt to steady herself. Kyoya's eyes widened as he hastily reached forward, grabbing at her arms. By the time they stopped moving, Kyoya was standing halfway off the bench and it almost looked like he was dipping Jacklyn backwards in a dance move, his left arm wrapped around her back while his right held her arms between their bodies. A few seconds passed and neither of them spoke a word. Jacklyn could hardly breathe at all.
Then the clock tower rang, signalling the end of hosting hours, and the spell broke.
Kyoya eased Jacklyn back onto the piano bench before taking a full two steps backwards, adjusting his glasses as he did so. Jacklyn simply did her best to pretend like her heart wasn't about to beat out of her chest. Kyoya cleared his throat and she jumped a bit.
"I…" He cleared his throat again. "I think I see Tamaki attempting to harass Haruhi with affection again. Shall we?"
Jacklyn peeked up, immediately taking note of the pink blush coating Kyoya's cheeks before nodding quietly and rushing off in the direction of the other hosts. She'd pick up her music sheets later. Once her hands stopped shaking.
True to Kyoya's word, by the time Jacklyn reached her neighbor's side, Tamaki had already piled a mountain of sweets into her hands and was now contemplating other ways to make her "fall" for him. She couldn't help but watch the scene with a bit of envy. I wish I had his confidence when talking to my crush.
Haruhi gently nudged Jacklyn's side with an elbow. "Hey… who's that?"
"Hm?"
Jacklyn and Tamaki looked over to the corner Haruhi was indicating at the same time. A girl was standing just outside the doors, half of her face covered by the frame as she peeked inside. Jacklyn didn't recognize her… but she was so terrible with faces and names that didn't necessarily mean anything.
"Oh ho? Looks like the host club has a brand new guest!" The twins charged forward, voices silky smooth as they offered roses in an attempt to lure the girl further into the room. Jacklyn was tempted to ask Kyoya if he knew the girl, but with her skin still prickling from the way he'd held her earlier, she held her tongue for now.
Tamaki walked up behind the twins and casually smacked the back of their heads. "Knock it off, you two. Is that any way to treat a new guest? Honestly, I don't know who taught you proper courtesy, because you certainly didn't get it from me. Now…" He turned away from the twins and gave the new girl a wide grin, gently reaching out his hand to cup her chin. "My Princess, I welcome you to the Ouran Host Club. Won't you please tell us your name?"
The girl hesitated, but the other hosts just watched on in silence. Jacklyn smiled softly as her friend put his best foot forward. Call him what you will, but Tamaki certainly didn't skim when it came to giving girls attention. This new girl was already blushing hard as she stared up at Tamaki's face.
Then she smacked him.
"No! Get your filthy paws off me, you Faker!"
Jacklyn let out a small yelp of her own when she saw Tamaki get hit across the face. A warm hand immediately came up to her back to steady her, and she might've blushed if the new girl's screechy voice wasn't busy making her cringe.
"You shouldn't go spreading your love around so easily like cheap butter, you stupid! You must be a dimwitted narcissist if you think that's what women want to hear! You're too incompetent to be a part of this club! You're a commoner! You're disgusting!"
Jacklyn's mouth was completely open as she watched one of her best friends collapse to the floor, eyes full of pain and tears. Her heart broke for him. Who was this girl to judge what others wanted? And Tamaki might be a bit of a narcissist, but he spread so much love because he had that much love to give. This girl didn't know Tamaki in any way that allowed her to make such a claim! Who did this girl think she was?
As if he could sense her rising blood pressure, Kyoya began rubbing his thumb in soothing circles on Jacklyn's back before he spoke, "Forgive me, but, you are..?"
The girl gasped. "It's you… Kyoya!"
Jacklyn barely had time to be offended by the new girl using Tamaki as her personal springboard before she was being shoved to the side and onto the ground. Honey was beside immediately, helping her sit up. From the floor, she watched as the new girl threw her arms around Kyoya's chest and squeezed him in a tight hug.
"How I've longed to meet you! My one and only prince charming! My perfect and wonderful fiancé!"
Everyone in the room let out a gasp. Those still standing took a full step back from the embracing couple. Then they looked down at Jacklyn. Their hearts lurched at the look on her face and the very real tears in her eyes.
The mark of a true host had only cost her one heartbreak.
*\/*
Jacklyn wasn't looking at anyone.
She had heard Tamaki shuffling himself over to the far corner to sulk a while ago and almost felt the drive to join him. But she couldn't do that. That would make her feelings all too obvious, and the last thing she needed to do was make Kyoya feel guilty for having a-
Her heart lurched into her throat, and she pushed the thought aside. No. She would not cry while she was still here. Instead, she waited for Haruhi to suggest that they move to a collection of couches and get the full story before drifting off to the piano bench. Her fingers shook as she slowly packed her music sheets away. She felt unnaturally cold except for her eyes, which felt hot and irritated. Her bottom lip quivered unless she bit down on it.
"Um… so, you're Kyoya-senpai's fiancé?"
"Of course I am! My name is Renge Houshakuji, and I'll be transferring to Ouran Academy's Class 1-A tomorrow to be closer to my beloved Kyoya!"
Jacklyn stopped moving, her breath now shaky as more tears threatened to fall. A hand gently touched her shoulder and she jumped, looking down so her hair curtained the sides of her face.
"Jacklyn-senpai?" Haruhi. "Want to go fetch Tamaki for us?"
She thought about it for a moment, then shook her head. She couldn't risk her brave face falling apart where the others could see it. Haruhi gave her shoulder another squeeze, but she let her friend be all the same.
"Our story is one of true love at first sight!" Renge started going on and on about her relationship with Kyoya and Jacklyn did her best to control how her shoulders shook with repressed sobs. She tried not to listen, but Renge's voice just rubbed her the wrong way, forcing Jacklyn to cling to every word. Though… there were some things that surprised her.
She hadn't realized that Kyoya had the time to go on strolls just to admire the flowers, unless he was doing research for the club. And rescuing an injured kitten was awfully sweet… but Kyoya struck her as the type to call an animal shelter and have them take care of it instead. And that was only if he looked out his limo's window long enough to spot it. Was there really a whole side to Kyoya that Jacklyn didn't know? If she was missing such a big part of Kyoya's personality, then maybe she didn't deserve to have a crush on him in the first place.
She really was no better than Kyoya's other guests.
"Um… do you think you maybe have the wrong guy-"
"No way, I'd recognize my Kyoya anywhere!"
Jacklyn choked back a sob. A part of her wanted to thank Haruhi for trying, but she mostly just wanted to be alone. There was no time for her to be getting her hopes up. She should be doing everything in her power to push through the 5 stages of grief as fast as possible before she let something slip in front of Kyoya or embarrassed herself in front of him.
That being said… if Renge kept gushing about Kyoya's sweet side that no one else was aware of, Jacklyn might break down soon whether she wanted to or not.
"He looks like the star of the popular dating sim 'Uki Doki Memorial'! You're my real life Ichijo Miyabi!"
A jumble of piano notes filled the stunned silence that followed Renge's announcement. Jacklyn's cheeks were red as she stared down at her fingers, which had hit the piano keys as she scrambled to grab her falling music sheets. Had… did Renge just say…
"Uki?"
"Doki?"
"OTAKU!"
"And proud to be one!" Renge happily twirled off, having a grand time fantasizing about her future wedding while everyone else scrambled around trying to piece together the puzzle. Jacklyn stayed still on her piano bench, watching everything with wide eyes and lips in a straight line. She didn't dare get her hopes up just yet though…
She didn't notice Kyoya try to catch her eye, purposefully staring at Haruhi instead as the other girl was shaken around by the twins.
"I get it now. You're in love with the character and, since we look similar, you've projected your love onto me, as well as your personal fantasy of what you wish your relationship with the character was like."
That got everyone to shut up real quick.
Tamaki inched over to the couch Kyoya was sitting on, peering over his shoulder. "So… she made it up? You're not really engaged to her?"
"Not at all. I've never even met the girl before today. Ow-" Kyoya winced, one hand coming up to rub at his newly sore arm. Hikaru stood off to the side by his brother, shaking out his hand as he glared at Kyoya. "What was that for?"
"You couldn't have said that sooner?"
Kyoya didn't understand for another two seconds before it clicked in his mind. Turning towards the piano again, he saw that Jacklyn was once again facing away from the group, slowly packing up her music. She was still upset… so was she upset like Tamaki was earlier, because she thought he'd been keeping a secret from her? Or…
A body suddenly throwing itself onto the cushion side him had Kyoya whipping his head around. To no one's surprise, Renge was gazing up at him imploringly… but he couldn't help but note the new strain in her smile. He looked away, folding his arms across his chest, uncomfortable.
"So, according to my research you're this club's manager, right Kyoya?"
Honey pushed his head in between Renge's and Kyoya's, forcing the girl to lean back. "Kyo-chan's our vice president, so when he's not hosting he acts like our director-"
"So you're the director, oh, that's perfect! I've always wanted to help in advertising by wearing a sandwich board! Welp, I suppose that settles it! I guess I'm your club's new manager! I can't wait to work with you boys!"
"Wait, what?" Jacklyn stood up from her piano bench, her sheet folder tucked under her arm as she made her way to the group. "I'm sorry Ms. Houshakuji, but what do you intend to do as our manager?"
"Oh, you're still here?" All movement in the room stopped when Renge's voice dropped the cheerful lift. She planted her hands on her hips as she raised an eyebrow at Jacklyn. "I thought all the other guests had already left."
Jacklyn stopped, stunned by the girl's tone. "I… I'm not a guest. I'm the musician."
"Really? Is that why you were flirting with the boys earlier? I haven't heard you play at all since I've been here."
She saw. She saw us. Me and Kyoya on the piano bench. Jacklyn's breath caught in her chest as the pieces fell into place. She thinks-
"Jacklyn-senpai is our musician, Renge. She's been a part of the Host Club almost since it began last year, when she first arrived here."
"She's an exchange student?"
"She's standing right in front of you and can answer your questions better than the others. And yes, I am."
Renge raised both of her eyebrows this time, looking her up and down. "Alright. No need to be rude, you know."
Off to the side, Kyoya was watching the exchange with tightly pressed lips. Was Renge really saying 'no need to be rude' after how she was speaking to Jacklyn just now? Unfortunately, he finally remembered why Renge's last name sounded so familiar. Her father was a rather important business client of Kyoya's father, meaning he had to treat Renge kindly, too. An order he relayed to Tamaki when asked.
Even though… their hospitality might become rather dependent on how Renge treated Jacklyn in return.
*\/*
School stopped being fun really quickly after that. The next morning, as Jacklyn attempted to approach Kyoya and Tamaki in the front of the school, Renge swooped out of nowhere and practically hung herself off Kyoya's arm like a personal coat hanger. His expression of distaste was brief, but it did nothing to stop Renge from sending Jacklyn the most scathing expression she'd ever received at Ouran before she dragged Kyoya inside.
Lunch and Homeroom were just as bad, Renge appearing like she'd just dropped from the ceiling before Jacklyn could exchange more than two words with Kyoya. By the time hosting hours came around, Jacklyn had all but given up trying. If Renge was determined to hate her, and Kyoya's father wanted them all to be kind to her, maybe it was better for the two of them to be as far away from each other as possible.
Even if Renge shoved a bag of black charred cookies into Jacklyn's hands the moment she walked through the club doors that afternoon.
Renge's other bag of cookies didn't look all that edible either, but at least they didn't look like lumps of coal. Jacklyn watched as she presented the nicer cookies to Kyoya with the most flowery language possible. It left an awful bitter taste in her mouth, reminding her of when she baked the hosts cookies for Valentine's Day only a few months ago. They repaid her on White Day by giving her six whole boxes of white chocolate goodies. A brief smile flickered over her face before a whiff of burnt cookies brought her back to the present.
With a sigh, she watched Renge chase Honey and Mori around the room while Jacklyn dumped the bag into the trash. It wasn't Valentine's Day anymore. She had to face reality. If Kyoya was pretending to be Renge's fiancé just because his father said so, who's to say that he wouldn't become her real fiancé sometime in the future, just to keep her happy? It wouldn't be the first arranged marriage she'd seen since becoming a student here, but it still sent a knife though Jacklyn's heart to think about it. She couldn't help but think it, though. She'd been up until the early morning hours, unable to sleep because she couldn't stop thinking about what Renge could make Kyoya do to appeal to her whims…
"All your characters except for Kyoya's are lukewarm!"
Jacklyn spun around at Renge's shout, along with the others. They stared as Renge began on a long winded speech about creating dark sides for their 'characters'. What characters she was talking about, Jacklyn had no idea. But she did have a bad feeling about it.
"As your new manager it's my job to start changing your character backgrounds, starting with you!" She jabbed a finger in Honey's direction, causing the small boy to squeak in fear. "If all you are is cute inside and out, that makes you no more interesting and annoying than a baby. So from now on your inside is going to be ruthless and blood-thirsty, the "Baby-faced Thug"! Along with his flunky childhood friend, Mori-senpai, who follows Honey-senpai around trying to lead him back into the light, even when he ends up the one being punched!"
She continued on with the other boys, changing their lives and personalities like she was implementing new memories. And eventually, she arrived at Jacklyn.
"And then there's you. The lonely exchange student with no friends, no family, and limited language skills, only able to communicate your feelings through music… Yes, you're the loner girl who pushes away anyone who tries to get close, but you play love songs on your piano because you crave a relationship, even though you only ever develop feelings for those who are unobtainable for you! The Heartless Romantic!"
Jacklyn's heart dropped to her toes. Heartless? She's calling me heartless?
There were no words. Absolutely no words at all to describe what she was feeling right now. Especially not when Renge suddenly spun around and started doting over Kyoya, calling him perfect and affectionate. Just how "affectionate" was she talking here?
Jacklyn jumped a bit when two arms suddenly draped themselves over her shoulders.
"Okay, I think it's time for us all to start heading home."
"We certainly have a lot of stuff to process tonight."
"So, if we're not hosting today." Hikaru and Kaoru spun Jacklyn around and started steering her towards the doors. "Good afternoon, everyone."
Jacklyn lasted until they were at the other end of the North Hallway. A few tears slipped out and she rubbed at them with her hands, the three of them stopping just at the top of the staircase. She managed a weak smile when she looked back up at them. "Thanks for that, you guys. I dunno what I'd do without you."
Hikaru shrugs like it was no big deal, but Kaoru carefully patted the top of her head as he hummed, "Not a problem. We didn't want to be in there any longer, anyways."
"Yeah… besides, you kinda had the same expression that Tamaki-senpai did when he hit the ceiling."
A snort of laughter bubbled out before Jacklyn could stop it, along with a few more tears. "R-really? Oh no… he looked so st-st… he looked really dumb when he did that. Did I really?" Some weak laughter escaped as Hikaru and Kaoru's arms returned to her shoulders, leading her down the stairs. Ducking her head to wipe away the newest tears, she spotted her school bag swinging from Hikaru's hand along with his own, and she cried a little more.
"You're… you're being so kind to me. Do you… you remember how you used to… you didn't like me?"
"Yeah, we do, Jacklyn-senpai."
"Back when we were young and stupid."
She couldn't tell if she was laughing or crying now. "You're not st-stupid!"
"Agree to disagree."
Jacklyn tried to swat at their chests, but they dodged out of the way before coming back to her side. They walked in silence up to the front doors before Hikaru spoke up again, "You probably don't have to worry about Renge much longer, Jacklyn-senpai."
"She's running all of us ragged, especially Kyoya. Mostly because of how she's been treating you."
"I'm sure he'll snap-"
"-any day now."
Jacklyn dropped her hands from her face, now rubbing at her arms instead. "Maybe… if his father lets him."
The twins glance at each other over her head, but say nothing.
*\/*
"Sir? Ms. Renge has instructed us to send Ms. Jacklyn to the kitchen to help prepare the workman's meal break."
"Put her in the editing tent. She'll be their 3rd person consultant for the best angles for the movie."
"Yes, Sir."
The words exchanged between Tamaki and the Deputy Director had echoed in Jacklyn's ears for the past hour as she sat in a dark room, occasionally throwing in her own opinion on whatever scene was currently on the television screen. She wasn't sure if she was more moved by how much effort Tamaki was putting into keeping her in the loop, or if she was disappointed by how it wasn't Kyoya.
It wasn't Kyoya who tried to argue with Renge to let Jacklyn have a role in the movie. It wasn't Kyoya who put his foot down when Renge tried to keep Jacklyn off the film set in its entirety. It wasn't Kyoya who gave the crew special instructions so that she could still have a hand in the film's process. In fact, she hadn't seen much of Kyoya at all today, other than in class. And even with the other hosts trying to distract her, there was no quieting Renge's loud voice as she gushed about the homemade lunch she'd made for Kyoya while leading him down the hallway.
Even with the others insisting that Kyoya was now actively trying to shake Renge off his tail and he apparently looked disappointed whenever he lost the chance to speak with Jacklyn, it still hurt.
A tap on her shoulder snapped Jacklyn out of her thoughts. The woman who'd nudged her watched with soft eyes as Jacklyn apologized for zoning out.
"It's quite alright. As much as I hate the rumor mill that comes with filming a movie, word does get around about the cast…"
Jacklyn was positive her cheeks were bright red, so she looked down at her lap. "Oh?"
"Mmm. Well, we've gone through all the footage we have so far. Why don't you take a break now, okay? Unless you get sent somewhere else, you can come back and help some more. You've got a great eye."
She was sure the compliments were just to make her feel better, but Jacklyn nodded anyways and murmured her gratitude before slipping out of the hastily made tent. A few of the stagehands waved at her, and she waved back. If there was only one good thing that came of today, Jacklyn was currently surrounded by other English speakers for the first time since winter break. It was nice being able to brush off her native language for something other than helping others study it.
Skirting the forest set, a hint of mist from the faux rain landed on Jacklyn's face and arms. It felt good. It might be spring, but it was a rather warm day. Thankfully, Jacklyn had found a short-sleeve shirt in the club's prop closet along with what she was sure were tuxedo pants, but if they didn't want someone to wear these pants then they shouldn't have put them up in the prop closet.
Jacklyn heard Renge's shouting long before she spotted anyone. Coming around the final corner of the stage, she spotted Renge hunched over one of the cameras with who Jacklyn assumed was the Director. She was distracted. Good.
Hoping to not be seen, Jacklyn ducked around the various metal stands and cameras to where Hikaru, Kaoru, Kyoya, and Haruhi were relaxing. They hadn't spotted her approaching yet, either.
"And another thing, why does this stupid script portray Kaoru as the Pitcher?"
"Yeah, that totally goes against what we portray for our guests!"
"But this movie isn't for your guests. Or, not entirely, at least."
The four hosts immediately smiled upon noticing Jacklyn standing with them. At least, for a few seconds. Then their expressions fell and more than one glance in Renge's direction was cast. Kyoya lowered his journal to his side, taking a few careful steps around Hikaru's chair until he was standing next to Jacklyn. The closest they'd been since Renge first introduced herself. Jacklyn tried to quell her racing heart.
"What did you mean by we're not making the movie for our guests?"
"Because Renge wants to change your characters and personalities to fit her game Uki Doki better. I did some research, and other than Haruhi and I the new character roles she gave you guys perfectly match the other characters in her game. I think this is just the next step for her to dive deeper into her Ichijo Miyabi fantasy. The more she can make Kyoya like Miyabi, the more she gets to live her fantasy of engagement. So, this is a movie for Renge before anyone else, with all of her personal head canons involved. That's not to say the guests won't enjoy it at all… but it's not technically for them, I'd have to say."
Haruhi and the twins let out long 'oh's as they took another look at the script. When Jacklyn glanced up at Kyoya's face, she was completely unprepared for the proud half-smile he was giving her. Heart thudding in her chest, she quickly looked away.
"How clever of you to research Ms. Houshakuji's game. When did you first suspect that's what she was doing?"
"Yesterday, I guess? She came up with those character backgrounds too quickly to have not given it a lot of thought or to already have those character ideas in her mind somewhere. Even though I can't help but wonder if she was just trying to be mean… because your character also has a few faults in the game that she completely ignores while the other character's she exaggerated their faults."
"Hm. Seems as though I have a fan."
"You already had plenty of those before Renge showed up! And at least they didn't obsess over you! And they actually thought they liked you, not a completely different person who looks like you. Besides, even compared to Miyabi you're-"
Kyoya took a step closer and Jacklyn's breath caught. There was barely a gap between their bodies, they were so close. She felt dimly aware of Haruhi and the twins nearby, probably watching the two of them closely and with baited breath.
"I'm..." He goaded.
"I… I meant… well, you're… you're more-"
"Jacklyn! If you have enough free time to chit-chat and distract my actors, you can do this new job I found for you! Come around here!"
Renge's voice brought reality back and Jacklyn moved away from Kyoya. She refused to analyze what his fallen expression meant as she followed Renge around the corner of the school building. Renge gave a disappointing sniff when Jacklyn approached, but she didn't care anymore. As of this moment, Renge had officially won.
She hadn't won fairly, but that hardly mattered now. Jacklyn wouldn't break Renge's heart, even if she thought Renge was an entitled brat. She refused to be labeled a homewrecker or a mistress. Besides… she would be leaving soon. Two more years. Less than two years, actually. And then Renge wouldn't have to worry about Jacklyn's crush on Kyoya ever again.
"Right, so here's what I need your help with."
Jacklyn looked up from the ground and nearly had a heart attack. Standing in front of her and Renge were two ferocious looking guys snarling down at the two of them, both of them easily over 6 feet tall. It was only when she realized they were both wearing Ouran uniforms that she managed to relax just a tad, their expressions becoming less vicious in her eye the longer she looked at them.
Renge spun around and gestured to the boys like she would present a painting at an art museum. "These lovely gentlemen have graciously agreed to appear in my film!"
"Film? What film?"
"You just asked us to come help you out with something, you didn't say anything about a-"
"After all, we're gonna need some tough guys to play our villains for the climax. That's when the host club finally comes together to destroy the real evil in their school. According to the script, these two come from families who only got their wealth by being a part of the Yakuza!"
"H-hey! That's not true!"
"My grandfather's life had nothing to do with me!"
"Jacklyn, I need you to catch these boys up to speed on what we've already filmed so they can get a feel for the mood, then run through a few possible stunts for them to use on camera. Maybe a choke-hold would work?"
"What's with this girl?"
The boys looked really upset now, the tallest one turning to Jacklyn with tears in his eyes. "I would never try to hurt you, you're a sweet girl! You're the one who gave me back my homework assignment after I accidentally dropped in in the hallway!"
Jacklyn sputtered, "Renge, hold on, aren't you listening? They don't want to be in the movie! Why can't we just find someone else?"
"Why would we do that? These guys are perfect!"
"No! They're not! Just because someone looks a certain way doesn't mean they don't have a personality under it, too! You're just generalizing and stereotyping and it's not right-"
"Ugh!" Renge rolled her eyes and grabbed the shorter guy by the arm. "Well if you're not gonna help me then I'll just direct them myself. Now you come over here and wait for you cue!"
The guy managed to pull free, his eyes narrowing. "You think you can push me around? You don't know a thing about me!" This friend called out for him to stop, but by then it was too late. The arm Renge had been holding onto pulled back before roughly shoving her to the side.
Renge, not prepared for the push and wearing heels on rocky terrain, let out a shriek as she stumbled towards a leaning pile of wooden beams and lighting equipment.
"Watch out!" Haruhi came running around the side of the building, throwing herself between Renge and the metal poles, getting squished between them in the process. Jacklyn ran forward as Haruhi slid to the ground, one hand rubbing at her face.
The tall guy was staring in shock at Haruhi and Renge, who was now crouched down as well. "I… I'm sorry-"
Jacklyn cut him off, frantically gesturing towards the front gates. "Get out of here, go! Before a teacher comes!" The guy seemed frozen for a second before his friend grabbed him by the back of his school jacket and hauled ass in the opposite direction. Only then did Jacklyn turn around and crouch between Haruhi and Renge.
"Haruhi? Renge? Are you both okay?"
Haruhi made a groaning sound and winced, still rubbing at her eye, but Renge's head practically shot straight up like a dog that had just heard the front door open. She stared at Jacklyn for a long moment until Tamaki came racing around the corner, sliding to his knees on Haruhi's other side. Renge backed away, giving the two 2nd years space.
Jacklyn hovered nervously by Tamaki's shoulder as he gently cradled Haruhi's face in his hands. And as worried as she was for her friend, she couldn't help but feel somewhat… jealous. Obviously not about the pain she was feeling, but how Tamaki clearly cared for her and her well-being. Must be nice...
Haruhi finally let out a relieved sigh, pushing Tamaki's hands away while showing off her right pointer finger. On top of which sat a contact. "Got it. Must've gotten knocked out of place."
"So… you're not crying out of pain?"
"What? No. Renge's like a feather, I barely bumped this stuff." She kicked the nearby board for good measure before carefully cradling the contact in her palm. "I should probably get home and put this back in… Senpai? What is it?"
Jacklyn also wanted to know why Tamaki was laughing all of the sudden, his head thrown back as his own tears of mirth dusted the corners of his eyes. The two girls watched as Tamaki forced out the words, "You did it! You're able to cry without using eye drops! You're officially a true host, Haruhi! Well done!"
Even if they hadn't found Tamaki's logic hilarious (which they did), ignoring Tamaki's bouncing laughter was easier said than done, and soon enough all three of them were laughing, leaning against each other or the wall for support.
"That... was... perfect! Please tell me you got that, cameraman!" The laughter stopped as soon as Renge spoke again. "The ideal final scene! So long as we cut out the footage of Haruhi's contact falling out, it's practically made of gold! All we need to do now is film my precious Kyoya delivering a moving narration to the thugs to make them change their ways and edit him into Jacklyn's place!"
Crunch
The sharp noise made everyone jump, even Renge going quiet as they turned to see Kyoya standing by the camera, holding a rock against the now broken lens. Jacklyn gradually stood up, helping Haruhi to her feet, but her eyes never left Kyoya.
"Is… something wrong? What did you do that for?"
"Terribly sorry, Ms. Houshakuji, but I'm afraid this little game of yours has gone on for far too long. I can not allow there to be any record of a club member being involved in a violent act. It would reflect badly on them, the club, and the offending party regardless of being provoked or not. Moreover, your blatant disregard for the safety of others is more than a little worrisome and offensive, considering you made the mistake of attempting to put someone I deeply care for in the cross-hairs on purpose. I think you've caused enough trouble around here, Renge. Please stop being such a pest."
The courtyard fell quiet, save for Renge's tearful sniffles. As the rest of the host club walked into the courtyard, her sobs slowly growing louder and louder. She took a small step back, eyes darting over to Jacklyn briefly before returning to Kyoya. She took in a breath before shouting, "But you're supposed to be on my side! You're supposed to pat my head and say 'don't worry about it'! You're supposed to be kind and affectionate! You're supposed to like me, not… n-not…"
"Nah, not our Kyoya."
Tamaki gave Renge a gentle smile before continuing, "Our Kyoya is much harsher than your game character. He likes cold, hard facts, spicy food, and doing kind things in secret, roundabout ways. If you're looking for someone like Miyabi, you're not going to find him in Kyoya."
Renge gave a few more sniffles before she collapsed forward onto her knees, tears now pouring down the sides of her face. Despite everything, Jacklyn couldn't help but feel a little bad for the girl. Rude as she'd been, Jacklyn knew first hand how painful a broken heart could be.
Haruhi stepped forward. "You aren't thinking that all hope is lost, are you? I hope you're not."
"H-huh?"
"Well, like Senpai said, if you're looking for a real-world Miyabi, you're not gonna find him in Kyoya, but that doesn't mean you'll never find him. If you keep looking, one day you'll find someone who makes you feel just as special as Miyabi does now. And even if he looks or acts different than you expect, if you get to know someone, little by little… well, you might find something you like even better than your expectations! It's a lot more fun that way, besides!"
Renge stared up at Haruhi for a moment before her gaze dropped to her knees once more. "I… I think I understand. Kyoya and I… We're meant for different people. People who want to get to know us, little by little. Right?"
Her eyes lift back up, finding Jacklyn in the crowd as Haruhi whispered, "Right."
*\/*
"Welcome ladies! Today, we will be holding a group hosting event to make up for the two days we were closed! Come on in and find a seat!"
Jacklyn stood back from the doorway and smiled as the girls flooded past her. Most of them offering her kind greetings or, if they wanted to be cheeky, little hints about how they saw Jacklyn and Kyoya back at each other's side. She just gave those guests an eye roll and a head shake… even if she blushed a little.
The host club hadn't heard much from Renge since yesterday afternoon. Haruhi, Hikaru, and Kaoru reported to them that the girl had been remarkably quiet in class and only exchanged pleasant greetings with them early that morning. According to the latest gossip, she was set to get on a plane and head back to France before the day was out. Many assumed she'd be gone as soon as the final bell rang.
Jacklyn couldn't tell if Renge was really going to leave without saying goodbye or what, but considered that it might be better if she did. There was still a lot she had to apologize for before she tried acting like their friend, even if she had suffered heartbreak not even a full 24 hours ago. And there was no telling how she'd talk to Jacklyn now.
And there was still that weird vibe she had left lingering between Jacklyn and Kyoya. While the guests might not be able to feel it, Jacklyn definitely could. Their knuckles had brushed that morning while they walked into the school and the shock of it had them both pulling away like they'd been bitten. Eye contact was almost impossible, at least for Jacklyn. She had no idea if Kyoya had realized her crush for him during yesterday's excitement, though she was starting to think he did. Meanwhile, she didn't know if Kyoya liked her or if he just wanted to be her friend. He had called her someone that he cared about yesterday, but he had also let the situation get to that point by not telling Renge to step off… Jacklyn just didn't know what to think anymore.
Taking a seat next to Kaoru, making all the hosts accounted for, the guests opened the floodgates.
"I bought a copy of the movie you all made!"
"Me too!"
"So did I!"
"Oh, the rain scene with Hikaru and Kaoru was just phenomenal!"
"Thug Honey was so cute and angsty!"
"Jacklyn and Tamaki taking care of Haruhi is my new favorite thing in the world!"
The comments just kept coming. Requests for a sequel and cosplay days with everyone getting back into their movie characters ripped through the crowd of girls like wildfire. As they started gushing to each other, temporarily ignoring the hosts, Tamaki slowly turned around in his seat.
"Kyoya? Mind explaining yourself?"
"I only damaged the camera lens to make a point. The film inside said camera, however, was perfectly intact, and we'd already gone through the trouble of filming everything, it seemed a shame to put our afternoon to waste. Even with paying for the camera and the production of the movies, our profits are looking up. We should make enough from the sales to have a decent cushion in our budget for the next school year." His smile faded a bit as he turned to look directly at Jacklyn, whose eyes fell to her lap. "Jacklyn? Would you mind going over the budget with me after club activities? I can always use an extra pair of eyes."
Should she?
"Good afternoon, everyone." The voice was almost unrecognizable. Soft and careful rather than demanding and screechy. Jacklyn whipped around, eyes wide when she realized Renge was standing not two feet from where she was sitting down.
"Renge?" Tamaki sounded as shocked as Jacklyn felt. "But, I heard you were on your way back to France?"
"I've spoken to my father and decided to stay here. We've agreed that this school has good luck for love, because even though I didn't find what I was looking for I did find what I needed!"
The words practically ripped Jacklyn's heart out of her chest. Did Renge… want to try again with Kyoya? Get to know him, like Haruhi suggested? Not sure if she'd be able to take it, Jacklyn stood up to leave.
But before she could escape, Renge reached out and grabbed her arm. "Wait, it's not what you think. I wanted to apologize for how awful I was to you, Jacklyn. You didn't deserve it, and I can only imagine the pain you went through. You're such a kind person, you even checked to see if I had been injured despite everything I said and did to you. I now see why Kyoya tried so hard to calm me down and change my opinion of you these past few days, but I was blinded by my jealousy. I hope one day you'll forgive me, and maybe we can even become friends. I promise that from now on I'll stay out of the way of real love!"
Jacklyn didn't think. She just reacted. She heard Renge say the words 'real love' and immediately her eyes flickered over to where Kyoya was watching from behind the couch. His face was pink, just as hers must be, and their eyes locked.
Sucking in a sharp breath, Jacklyn pulled herself out of Renge's grip and nodded, trying to come up with a good escape route in her head. What was she supposed to do now? How was she going to face Kyoya-
"Jacklyn? Could I have a word?"
Oh god, it's now. It's happening now. Jacklyn felt all the blood in her body rush to her toes so fast she was surprised she didn't pass out. She looked around for help, or maybe an out, but the girls were still talking about the movie and the rest of the club seemed to be trying to pry Haruhi from Renge's grip.
So she just nods and follows Kyoya to the back of the room. Her mouth felt unnaturally dry as the two of them stopped far enough away so the others wouldn't hear them. They faced each other, even though Jacklyn's eyes were on their shoes, and she had no plans of lifting them for the duration of this conversation. It would just make her anxiety all the worse-
"Jacklyn? Could you please look at me?"
Or… not? She considers it temporarily before shaking her head.
"I suppose I had to try." Kyoya's words paused just long enough for Jacklyn to gasp as he grabbed her hands and brought them up between their chests. "I was hoping to be able to see your face while I confessed to you."
Jacklyn didn't think she was breathing at all. Had he… was he…
"I'm sorry that I didn't do this sooner, and especially for not making it clear during this Renge business that my feelings belonged to you, not her. I hurt you, and I won't bother with asking for your forgiveness, because I don't deserve it. Instead, I ask that you give me a chance. And I will do everything in my power to not let you doubt my feelings for you again."
She didn't know when she had finally started looking up. If she asked Kyoya, he'd probably be able to tell her, but there were so many other, better things for her to ask him right now. Questions that involved the words 'when', 'where', 'why', 'how', and-
"Jacklyn Prout, would you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?"
Words won't work at first, so she nods instead. A big smile spreads across her face and she pulls her hands away, pressing them against her cheeks. "Oh my gosh… did that just happen? Did that really just happen?"
"Yes, I believe it did." Kyoya's eyes were bright, and while his smile was small and still more of a smirk than anything, it was as genuine as the flush on his cheeks and the tips of his ears which was just so endearing. Giggles were bursting out from between Jacklyn's lips as she covered her face, still trying to process all of the emotions now flooding through her body. This couldn't be real life…
But the kiss to her forehead disagreed.
Dropping her hands almost immediately, she stared at her newly decreed boyfriend as he looked away, blush still running rampant across his cheeks. His ears were dark red now. He glanced at her from out the corner of his eye. "I… might not be as openly affectionate as Renge wanted me to be, but I hope you don't mind… small doses?"
Jacklyn blinked a few times before her laughter spilled out some more. "Oh gosh, you're such an uncool dork." She didn't see his expression due to her taking a step forward and pressing her face against his chest, forehead against his shoulder. "But you're my uncool dork, now."
She feels his hands slowly ease themselves awkwardly between her waist and her hips. "Oh, am I now?"
"Yes. No take backs."
The chest pressed against her face jumps a bit in muffled laughter, but before Jacklyn can say anything further to provoke more, a shout echoes throughout the music room.
"Well, it's about time, you two!"
Jacklyn jerks her head up right as the host club and all their guests break into applause, watching them from the other side of the room. Hikaru and Kaoru let out a mixture of wolf-whistles and variations of the word "Hallelujah" while Tamaki appeared to be trying not to sob outright. She spotted Renge hanging out near the back of the group. She was smiling and nodding, clapping along with everyone else.
Kyoya's hands hesitated for a moment before they slid off, trailing down Jacklyn's arms until he was holding her hands. Their faces were really close when they looked at each other, but it didn't feel as awkward as the other times before. Instead, Jacklyn allowed herself to get lost in the warm look in Kyoya's eyes.
"Don't worry, we'll find some way to get back at them for breaking the moment."
Jacklyn blinked three times in rapid succession before breaking into laughter yet again, laying her head on his shoulder again. "That sounds perfect. It's perfect, Kyoya."
aaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Before anyone worries, I am going to continue on through the whole show, I promise. But lookit! As an apology for being such a shitty updater! Since next semester is going to be significantly less busy than this one and my doctor finally put me on anxiety/depression medication, I might be able to work more than ever! Here's hoping!
See you next chapter!