bored411: If Tamaki and Haruhi knew how Shigeo was treating Kosuke, this fic would be a lot shorter, lol. All I say is that you're right that this is unhealthy...and I will leave that at that. Thank you!

Akari. Wolf. Princess: Exactly! Unfortunately for Kosuke, I'm writing the plot, so she's just going to keep getting a whole lot of things thrown at her. Thanks for the review!

dibidibi: Thank you! :)

SabellaX: Mmm not this chapter but next chapter we'll get insight into why Haruhi's been dead silent about this. It honestly means so much to learn you're worried for Kosuke, lol. Thank you!

Btw, the cover art now featured for this fic was commissioned by the talented lipasnipis on Tumblr.

Kyoya should have appreciated the calm before the storm while he was still in it.

From: Mitsukuni
12 MISSED CALLS
Kyo-chan!
You're getting married?
Really?
I'm so happy for you! 3 3 3

From: Hikaru
21 MISSED CALLS
?
WAIT REALLY?
Did the Shadow King actually get hitched?
To who?
Do we know her?
Wait its not that Amaya girl is it

From: Kaoru
23 MISSED CALLS
Wait Kyoya are you actually engaged?
Seriously?!
Why didn't you tell us?
Can't believe there's actually going to be a Shadow Queen
Who is she?
No one knows

From: Takashi
Congratulations.

It is in times like these that Kyoya has a deep respect for Takashi Morinozuka.

And also Reiko Kanazuki, who left him one voicemail not even ten seconds long in which she only said, "I just heard about your engagement. Congratulations."

It's funny that not long ago at all, he was begging for something to keep Tamaki from talking to him. He was so close to blocking his number entirely just to get some peace.

Now, Tamaki's complete silence has caused Kyoya some concern.

He's gone over his words time and again trying to figure out what he'd said to make him so abruptly end the call. The only conclusion he comes to is that Tamaki may already know who Kosuke is, which isn't a conclusion at all because that's simply impossible. Kyoya didn't know who Kosuke was before he met her, and he doesn't get to say that about anyone else.

Kyoya can't shake the feeling that there's something going on in Tamaki's mind, but he doesn't try to seek him out. There was no force strong enough to stop a Tamaki Suoh that wanted to talk, so if he had gone mute, there had to be a reason. Besides, he should relish this silence while he can instead of fretting over it.

Haruhi has also been dead quiet, however. Tamaki might have been able to keep the secret, but now it's quite public and he still has not heard a word. The silence from one he might have raised a brow at, but both has Kyoya on edge.

Despite the newsbreak—made a mere two days after his dinner with the Amidas, which seemed fast even to him—his interactions with other human beings has been very limited. He hasn't heard or seen his father, Fuyumi has yet to make another surprise visit, and his house has not seen a guest in a very long time. If not for the staff, he'd be isolated, but he honestly doesn't notice. Two days with no need to leave the house go by so quickly he almost misses them.

He has other things to worry about. Least of all the fact that his engagement is now completely, absolutely official.

It's hard to accept that Ootori Medical is no longer in danger of ruin. It's a painful sort of relief, the pins-and-needles after letting go of a horrible weight. He knows how this all works, but still, after all the mind-numbing stress he'd gone through, it's strange that hundreds of jobs are saved simply by two people becoming engaged.

In some way, he can't accept it. Kyoya keeps his work—the Project—deep in his desk drawer still. After he'd arrived home from his and Kosuke's first meeting (and spent what he thought was a fair amount of time mentally throttling himself for his behavior), he'd gone straight to it. He still tweaks and twiddles with the if-all-else-fails budget. He almost wants to say just in case, but that is a very dangerous train of thought to board.

At the very least, Kyoya can return to the usual needs for his attention: he is more than positive that he'll be returning to his not-job at Ootori Medical very soon. On top of that, he is still a college student. If he follows his abysmal behavior at the dinner with a drop in his grades, Kyoya may very well be under threat of being institutionalized.

There's also a wedding to plan. That'll be fun.

Speaking of, it's very tempting to make a sort of written plan as to how he's going to salvage his first impression with his fiancée, but Kyoya manages to keep a hold of himself on that. He's told himself time and again now that she isn't a project nor a theory. She's a living, breathing person, and a civil relationship isn't going to be found by crunching numbers and collecting data.

Now that their engagement is official, there's nothing preventing the two of them from interacting. They're not courting in medieval times, they can meet and talk as they please. That's as obvious a place as any to start. It's just…

Alright, Kosuke still isn't a project nor a theory, but this is going to be something that he'll have to fit into his schedule. He simply has other responsibilities to do. Whatever few sparse seconds of free time he had before are gone now.

The silver lining to all of this is that he's done well in his attempts to condition his mind away from Haruhi and Tamaki so far. The second that they so much as flicker into his mind, he finds a distraction. Work, school, whatever. It's worst when he's lying in bed to sleep and has nothing but his thoughts to keep him company, but, well. Nothing warm tea and melatonin pills can't fix.

The Monday following his and Kosuke's first meeting is going to be the first chapter of his new life. The best thing he can do for himself is to pretend as if his engagement is nothing important at all. It's as different yet unbothersome as a new class to attend.

Kyoya feels prepared as he's driven to Ouran that morning, yet is isn't until he sees the colossal pink walls that it occurs to him that he's likely to be bombarded. He doubts there will be a moment between classes wherein he won't be badgered for details on his new fiancée.

Speaking of, Kyoya remembers that she will also be attending Ouran, and for a second he's alarmed at the possibility of bumping into her in the halls. But no, that wouldn't happen today. Friday night, she'd had absolutely no details about her living situation, let alone her academic one; there's no way she'd be ready to attend just three mornings later.

That provides at least a tiny relief as he steps onto the campus and heads for his first class.

When eyes land on him, he feels his defenses go up. He prepares himself to smile and give thanks for congratulations. It won't be hard, he's had years of practice to make him an expert. He hasn't had a secret to hide before, sure, but it won't be difficult to mask.

However, as Kyoya keeps walking, one student—Kazuto Nishimiya, heir to one of Japan's most proficient imported goods businesses—chirps, "Good morning, Kyoya!"

Two of his classmates—Sora and Hana Rin, cousins whose parents partner in ownership of a line of luxury hotels—pass by and wave to him with smiles.

A woman with her nose in a book—a foreign student named Elizabeth Armitage whose family held quite a prolific wine company centered in Europe—nearly walks into him, but when she looks up at the last second, she only says, "Oh, excuse me!"

Kyoya does not get any congratulations, no smiles brimming with excitement, no claps on the back, anything. He hardly even gets a look that lingers for a moment too long.

Well, Kyoya thinks, this isn't quite what I was expecting.

He knows he should be relieved, but he can't help but feel that something is very, very off. He feels like a character in a science fiction story who has started to realize that they have gone back in time, while everyone else is milling around unaware that the day has been reset. It's as if he has a secret everyone should already know.

It takes him a moment to take a breath and realize, You're being very dramatic.

Kyoya likes to be up-to-date with every student in the school, their lives, what their families do, changes like engagements and births and deaths—but he is also very aware that no one else shows this commitment like he does. He knows that not knowing every classmate's name, being unaware of every event that happens in the life of someone he's never spoken more than two syllables to…is normal. He's the outlier.

As he sits down for his first lecture of the morning, he finally feels some sort of relief. He might not make it through the whole day without some good wishes, but he won't be flooded. How many students even know what his name is?

Accept it and be thankful, Kyoya tells himself. You could very well be looking to another uneventful day.

Still, as Kyoya walks to his next class, he keeps an eye and ear open for the Hosts. They don't share any lectures on Monday, but he imagines he should at least run into them in the halls. He doesn't see the twins, nor does he see the tallest Zuka trailing his cousin to class. He doesn't even catch a glimpse of familiar blonde hair—neither on a violet-eyed club president or a blue-eyed stranger from a mountain town.

Without any such distractions, he finally gets back to functioning the way that he used to. He focuses on his work and only wonders after his schedule for the week, if his father will contact him when he wants him to return. He doesn't get lost in the teacher's words fretting about the new fixture in his life or the two people he can't have.

In fact, for the rest of his time in classes, it feels just like it used to be. Normal, unchanged.

Maybe everything is, Kyoya tells himself after his last teacher of the day dismisses them. You've just been blowing everything out of proportion.

He almost feels disappointed at having to leave for the day. He wonders if going home is going to do the same thing to him as lying in bed to go to sleep—with nothing to distract or keep him on schedule, he'll go spiraling down the rabbit hole once again.

No. No, he's fine. These past few days were all just one, long episode. He's fine. Kyoya Ootori is fine.

That said, there is a little bit of a record scratch as he spots a familiar head of long black hair at the end of the hall.

"Fuyumi?"

His older sister smiles as soon as she sees him. She's dressed a little formally, in a knee-length lavender dress and a pearl necklace, but then again, casual wear isn't really her style. She meets him halfway, practically skipping in her kitten heels.

"Kyoya," she exclaims, as if she were not waiting for him at all. "There you are! You don't mind if I take you home today, huh?"

"I…don't, but why?"

"My plans today got overhauled," she sighs. "Everything I was going to do went down the drain—so, I figured why not hang out with you some? I'm in the area anyway."

For once (though he knows he shouldn't say that,) Kyoya is actually pleased at the idea of Fuyumi staying around. She might provide a welcome distraction.

"Alright." Kyoya shifts his leather briefcase to the other hand. "But just so you know, I have some classwork I need to finish this evening."

"Oh, that's no trouble. Maybe I can help!"

"Wasn't it me who helped you with your college courses before?"

Puffing her cheeks, Fuyumi mumbles, "Well, if you're going to be rude about it…" She suddenly perks up like a daisy, and gives his free hand a tug. "Can we take a little trip before we go? I want to look at my old classroom."

"Alright, alright. Lead the way."

Fuyumi leads them across one of the courtyards to another building. It's a beautiful day out—the roses are in full bloom, the cherubs in the fountain pouring sparkling water from their vases. The sunlight is warm on his skin.

It all loses some of its luster, though, when Fuyumi chirps, "So when are you going to see Kosuke again?"

Thankfully, though, Kyoya doesn't feel anything bitter at the question. He almost feels numb to it, which is—better, maybe? "I'm not sure. I thought maybe I would wait until she started classes so I can at least know what her schedule is. She did say she had a lot to figure out."

An understatement, but Fuyumi just smiles brighter. "So when are we going to start planning wedding stuff?"

"'We'?"

"Oh, no, mister. Don't you think for one second I'm not going to help. Lucky for you, I saved all the ideas Tetsu and I didn't use for our wedding, so we've got a head start! Have you been thinking of where, though? Brazil? The Alps? I would say Paris, but I feel like that's too obvious."

Kyoya's vision of his wedding day was nothing more than a scribbly image of a woman in a lump of a white dress and himself in a dark suit. The only thing that has changed is that the woman is blonde now.

"We won't be getting married until after we're out of college. I think we have time to plan all those things."

"You're saying that now, but wait until everyone you want is booked." Fuyumi pauses for a moment, considering, and smiles back again. "At least tell me what you're most looking forward to."

"I'm not sure. The company, I guess. I imagine all the Hosts will be attending, but there should also be a number of people I would like to discuss future business plans with—"

"Not the wedding, just…life! Married life!"

"Married life."

"Yeah! You know, living in the same house, eating your meals together, going out on dates…" Fuyumi's voice drops to an implying whisper. "Have you thought about kids yet…?"

"As a matter of fact, I haven't."

"Sorry, sorry!" Fuyumi looks contrite for all of two seconds before twiddling her fingers and mumbling, "But I want some nieces and nephews and Yuuichi and Akito aren't showing any promise…"

"So you need to ask the brother that isn't even married yet."

"I'm not proud, Kyoya. Anyway, come on!" Fuyumi bumps against him as they come under the shadows of the outside hallway. The pink Greek columns cast long shadows over the bricks. "Talk to me. Tell me what you like about her."

…That's a question. What does Kyoya say?

Well, Kosuke is very pretty, but how vain and simple was that? She seems nice…when she's not drinking while someone's talking to her or looking at her phone during a meal or leaving him waiting for her. But—okay, he might not be able to talk about politeness after his behavior. She's probably smart. Possibly. Unexperienced and unorganized, agreeing to heirdom of a highly profitable company when she doesn't even know how she'll be attending classes at college.

Oh, dear. Bad first meeting and his own romantic worries aside, Kyoya has just realized that he actually does not like his fiancée at all.

"She's nice."

"Poetic. Come on, what else!"

"She's very polite." Fuyumi blinks at him. "She did thank the waiters when they were serving us, I recall."

"You…really don't know what to say, huh?"

"We have only just met, Fuyumi. I have to admit, I'm not that well-acquainted with her personality just yet."

"Right, but…Well. Are you excited about seeing her again? Planning your first date?"

"I have some ideas," Kyoya says a bit distractedly, checking in his briefcase as they walk. He has the nasty habit of leaving his fountain pen on his desk in his usual hurry to get back to work. "There's a number of restaurants close by. Maybe I should take her to one."

He should've watched his tone more. It isn't bitter or mean, but it's distracted and aloof. He forgets to mask the fact that this is just another addition to his schedule. He forgets to feign interest.

Fuyumi's clacking footsteps pull to a stop. They are just outside the double-doors of the University's dance studio, but instead of walking in to look at room where she spent two years of extracurricular ballet, Fuyumi has stopped still and is staring at him.

Kyoya is alarmed to see horror on her face.

"You don't like her."

"What?"

"Kosuke. You don't like her."

"What did I say that made you think that?"

But Fuyumi is already spiraling into despair. Her hands have come up to clasp her cheeks, her eyes glazed over as they stare into the floor.

"How could I not see it? What was I thinking? You're Kyoya. You—You have to know people before you want to be friends with them, and here I am thinking you'll already have feelings for her after one day?"

"No, no, no—"

"I've been—I've been rubbing it in, talking about all this wedding stuff. Just making things worse." Fuyumi buries her face into her palms. Kyoya fears she's one second away from crumpling to her knees. "I'm such a horrible sister! How could I not see it?"

"Fuyumi, listen to me. Everything is fine, I promise."

So quickly he nearly jumps, Fuyumi snatches up his hands in hers, eyes trying so hard to be steely. "Let's talk to Father."

"Wh—Why would we do that?"

"So he can find someone else!" Fuyumi's hands are trembling over his. "Kyoya, I can't let you get married to someone you don't like! You…You deserve to be happy. You deserve to marry someone you love."

Kyoya imagines that he's about to respond in quite a paragraph. He can't call off this engagement, she knows he can't call of the engagement, it's set in stone now. Thousands of people are relying on this thing to work. Does she think their father cares? Does she think Yoshio Ootori will be convinced to stop their family's salvation because Kyoya doesn't get a fairy tale ending?

But above all, he's going to be fine, Fuyumi. He's not going to fall apart just because he doesn't get a happily ever after.

He doesn't get to tell her all of this, however. The doors suddenly pull wide open, and Kyoya's eardrums are assaulted by a cacophony of, "SURPRISE!"

Inside of the studio, there's…Well. Everyone. Hikaru and Kaoru have both donned matching party hats and are popping off as many confetti bottles as they can hold. Hani is blowing a party horn as hard as his lungs can manage. Behind him, Mori and Reiko are giving golf applause, but have donned party hats of their own no doubt at the request of Hani.

They're just an island in the middle of a sea of students. Some Kyoya knows but is not familiar with, but most are his classmates, former customers of the Host Club. Momoka and Kimiko, and Momoka's fiancé Kazukiyo. Kanako and Toru, just a few short years away from their wedding. Kasanoda, surprisingly. And of course, Renge, looking as if she is two seconds away from erupting into a volcano of excitement. There are dozens upon dozens of them, and with the mirrors that line the walls, they seem to go on forever.

They're cheering. They're applauding. And they are all looking right at him.

Kyoya does the thing he's supposed to do and smiles. Inside, he's screaming.

He's pulled into the ocean before he can bother walking. There are far too many hands touching him, clapping him on the shoulder, patting him on the back. And over and over and over: "Congratulations!"

Kyoya repeats over and over and over, "Thank you."

So he was never going to have a normal day at all.

He's disappointed, but not surprised.

As he's pulled further into the throng, he tilts his head behind him to look at Fuyumi. She's following, distanced from the people who flock in her way, and her smile is as fake as plastic. Her gaze is still heavy. Brimming with guilt and worry.

If that doesn't make Kyoya's stomach churn, turning back around and seeing Tamaki Suoh with a smile that was not absolutely sincere does.

He's applauding, he's calm, but as Kyoya approaches closer and closer and he opens his mouth, Kyoya thinks he's alarmingly not in store for a typical reaction from him. This is now the appropriate time for him to be bouncing off the walls in excitement, and instead he's looking at Kyoya with that eerie, calm smile.

Well, whatever he's about to say, it gets thrown out the window when the twins bodily slam him out of their way.

"The Shadow King got hitched," they both trill.

Hikaru takes on the devilish smirk Kyoya is far too acquainted with and slaps him on the shoulder. It's hard enough to shake him, which only seems to please the older Hitachiin twin more. "Gotta say, I honestly didn't think it was going to happen."

Kaoru slaps him on the other shoulder. Even though they are much more individual than they were some years ago, they still love to do many things in unison—torment, for example. "Yeah, I thought you were going to be a lifelong bachelor."

"Excuse you both!" Tamaki has forgotten about whatever it was he was going to tell Kyoya before. He stomps back to the twins with a sizable lump on his head. "What makes you think Kyoya doesn't deserve happiness as much as anyone else?"

"It isn't about 'deserving,' Boss." Hikaru uses his free arm to jab his thumb at Kyoya. "Come on, can you remember a single time Kyoya showed interest in a girl?"

Kaoru points out, "He was the only Host who wasn't…Well. A Host."

"I thought you all had it more than covered." Kyoya shrugs the twins' hands off and straightens out his blazer. He hadn't bothered with a tie today, a decision he's regretting even though there was no way to predict this nightmare surprise party. "Besides, wasn't unattainability part of the appeal?"

"He's right, you know!" Renge appears from just about nowhere, as she always does. Though not exactly part of the Club, they'd all become quite used to her presence over the years. Though Kyoya does sometimes remember that she might not be attending Ouran University at all if she hadn't been convinced he was the non-fictional reincarnation of an otome character. "The more mystery, the better the tall-dark-and-handsome character is!" Renge's knowing smile dropped, a finger coming up to tap at her chin. "It's probably best you got engaged after the Club split, though. Being taken kind of ruins the fantasy."

What fantasy? Kyoya doesn't ask. Hani flutters up into his view, glowing as bright as the sun.

"Congratulations, Kyoya!" As his cousin hums his agreement behind him, Hani brandishes a business card. "Here! This is the best baker I've ever gotten cake from. You need to use them for your wedding!"

"You would have an expert's opinion," Kyoya agrees, and tucks the business card in his breast pocket. He wonders if he's just going to chuck it in the garbage the first chance he gets. "Thank you." Taking a glance around the room—a short one, as he is all too aware that despite the buzz of conversations, all eyes are on him—he asks, "How did you guys manage to get this together so quickly?"

"It didn't take much effort," Reiko answers. Her voice is as light and monotone as usual. "As soon as everyone heard, throwing a surprise party was unanimous."

The twins chirped (read: taunted), "And we know how much you love surprises!"

"Fuyumi did most of the legwork, though," adds Tamaki, and the twins nod in agreement. "I was surprised she got a caterer so fast!"

Kyoya takes another glance back at his sister. She's in conversation with a trio of freshmen girls, chittering happily, but Fuyumi's smile is still wavering. Kyoya turns back around as soon as her eyes, still wary, turn back to him. This isn't good.

Renge swirls her way over to him. She has somehow procured a notepad and pencil despite her tea dress having no pockets. "Now, I want a full plot synopsis! How did you two meet? How did you propose?"

Kyoya glances around at all the eager faces. "I thought you all knew. It was arranged between our fathers. No one proposed."

Kaoru blows a raspberry, while Renge rolls her eyes up to the heavens. "Well, at least make it sound exciting!" Shaking her head and sending her pigtails bobbing, Renge tuts and wanders off with her nose against the paper. "This was supposed to be a ripe source of material…!"

Hikaru feigns a forlorn sigh and throws an arm around his brother's shoulders. "Guess that just leaves you and me in the Singles Club. And you, Mori."

Mori hums, not looking particularly amused.

Tamaki has stepped away from just a moment during all of this, and he reappears with two glass cups of punch. He hands one to Kyoya with a smile, but there is still something so off that Kyoya can't help but furrow his brows at the blond. Where is the bubbling excitement? The blinding joy? What could possibly be wrong to Tamaki?

Is he jealous?

Don't you dare board that train of thought.

As Mori also breaks off towards the refreshments, and Reiko asks Hani what kind of cake he'd like, Kaoru claps his hands together. "Alright. Give us the details."

Again, it's so expected Kyoya is just numb to the question. He takes a sip of punch—You have some nerve, judging a girl who just stepped into high society for doing just that—and asks, "What do you want to know?"

"Um…" Hikaru looks to his brother, who mirrors his raised brow. "Anything would be a good start."

"Seriously, we've asked around," says Kaoru. "No one knows anything about her. It's like she didn't exist before now."

To the side, Hani nods. "Everyone I asked didn't even know Mr. Amida had a daughter."

"To be fair, neither did he." Kyoya lets it out easily, but realizes his mistake when eyebrows go shooting up to hairlines.

Of course this isn't public knowledge, what the hell is he doing?

On the one hand, Kyoya has no business sharing all of this, especially when it seems that neither Amida has let such information go to the public. On the other hand, this will certainly break very soon, and he can't take back what he said. The bottom line is that he very much wishes he could.

When he takes too long to explain, Hani blinks his giant brown orbs and parrots, "He didn't know?"

Reiko and Mori return at the same time, Reiko asking as she hands a sizable slice of German chocolate cake to her fiancé, "Who doesn't know what?"

For once, Hani is so confused that he doesn't down the cake the second it's in his hands. "Mr. Amida didn't even know he had a daughter."

"Could you—Please." Kyoya waves his free hand at them, eyes flitting around the room. Eyes are still on him, but they are still warm and congratulatory. No one has heard. More importantly, Renge is nowhere to be seen. "I shouldn't have said anything, don't tell anyone else."

"You have to tell us," Hikaru insists.

His brother adds, "Seriously, don't just leave us hanging. What do you mean?"

Huffing through his nose, Kyoya steps a bit closer. So do the others, including Mori, until they've wound into a tight circle—though they certainly don't look discreet, the other attendees respectfully turn away as to not eavesdrop.

"I don't know every little detail," whispers Kyoya, still hating that he's saying this at all. "Mr. Amida's wife was pregnant when they divorced, but he didn't know. He only met his daughter just recently."

"And he already offered her heirdom of the company?" whispers Hikaru.

"Yes." For some reason.

"Wow." Kaoru blinks for a second. "Wait, then who is her mom?"

"She…" She's dead. Remember that, Kyoya. Remember that this woman has lost her mother not too long ago, and letting her make that known on her own terms is the least you could do. "No one, really. She raised her daughter in an average life."

"A commoner? Like Haruhi?" When Kyoya nods, Hani perks up—now having chomped down most of his cake—and chirps, "I bet the two of them will get along!"

Another reminder that Kosuke cannot be distanced from the rest of his life. The idea alone of her standing here and talking to the others just makes Kyoya uncomfortable. It just doesn't fit.

As the circle disbands and he sees Tamaki—who he only now realizes didn'thuddle in to listen—Kyoya feels like he's about to blurt out at him. Tamaki's eyes have gone to the side, watching the crowd mingle and mix, but there's something on his mind and it's clear all over his face. Kyoya has already told him the story, hasn't he? If Kyoya didn't know any better, he'd almost say that the Prince was worried.

Or Jealous? Stop. It.

"Alright," says Kaoru, pulling Kyoya back to the present. The younger twin puts on a smile, obviously trying to bring the atmosphere back up. "Well, that's something. But what else do you have?"

Hani exclaims, "Yeah! What's she like?"

"What does she look like?" asks Hikaru. "She has to be pretty cute, huh?"

Even Reiko jumped in with the hounding. "What is her personality?"

"That's what I've been trying to figure out," confesses Kaoru. "The only girl I can see with Kyoya is one that's exactly like him, but I don't think Japan can take that much dark energy together."

Kyoya is almost happy to stop the questions. "She was a bit shy when we met, but she's very nice. Friendly."

Kaoru is unimpressed with the response. "Well slow down, Romeo."

"They did just meet," Hikaru maturely reminds him…only to then add, "She's cute though, right?"

It's a foreboding sign that Tamaki does nothing more than give him a look and a sharp nudge with his elbow—no harsh scoldings, no snapping at his behavior.

As always, Hikaru is hardly fazed. "It's a fair question!"

What really has Kyoya so confused in all of this—and Fuyumi's, before he'd let his façade crack too much—is how despite knowing the pure bureaucracy with which the engagement was made, they still excitedly gush as though Kyoya has popped the question to the woman of his dreams. He's been trying hard to be amiable about all of this, to be a gentleman maturely accepting his betrothal to a proper woman, but what has he done to seem as though he's head over heels?

The more that the others titter and chatter, the more Tamaki's shoulder stiffens. He's never seen Tamaki Suoh uncomfortable at a social gathering.

More so than that, Kyoya can't help but feel that Tamaki is holding a secret, somehow.

Is he j—

He is engaged to be married.

Tuning back into the conversation, Kyoya catches Hikaru sighing, "Look, we're going to meet her in just a minute anyway. We'll find out what she's like then."

Kyoya is relieved that the conversation has come to a close…

…until he rewinds what Hikaru just said.

"'In just a minute'?"

"Yeah, she's coming, too," Kaoru answers, completely casual.

Reiko sweeps her gaze around the room elegantly. "They're a little late."

Literally just as she says this, a shout rises up from the crowd: "They're coming!"

Suddenly Kyoya is caught in a haze of Shh, shh, shh. The conversations all die as people glue their mouths shut, some crouching as if they were going to hide. The excitement is as silent as it is electric.

Kyoya only gets one last second as the doors open before his two worlds collide.

Kosuke is there, standing in the doorway, crushingly real. Her blonde hair is loose to her shoulders now, bangs braided to the side. Gone is the ankle-length dress—now she's wearing a mint green cap-sleeve shirt tucked into a high-waisted denim skirt. There are no adornments besides a simple fleur-de-lis necklace dangling at her chest. Though she's not dressed in designer items as most female Ouran students do, she is nevertheless a college student in casual wear, and thus no less human.

When the room full of strangers scream, "SURPRISE!" Kyoya thinks for a moment that Kosuke has been sent into cardiac arrest. Then she's all but pulled into the babbling crowd, strangers smiling in her face, and Kyoya almost feels bad for her. She tries to put on a smile, but it keeps slipping, leaving her looking horribly lost.

Watching as the first excited wave consumes her, Hani beams. "She's really pretty!"

"Told you she would be." Hikaru dips his voice lower. "Nice legs, too. Ow!"

While Tamaki glares dagger into Hikaru, now with a sizable lump on his own head, Kaoru hums. "Not what I expected, to be honest. I always imagined Kyoya with a girl who was…Well, tall dark and handsome. Not that she's not handsome."

Again, what did it matter? Kyoya has no choice in this. He takes another sip of his punch. "I'm glad she has your approval."

"Whoa, slow down there," Hikaru says with a smirk. Kyoya's mood drops lower, if at all possible.

Kaoru, of course, mirrors the devious smile. "We haven't gotten to know her yet. Let's wait and see if we approve or not."

Kyoya doesn't get to protest before the twins slink in his fiancée's direction. Hani skips behind them, Reiko and Mori bringing up the rear. For a second, Kyoya wonders if he should follow and maybe spare Kosuke some trouble. If this surprise party is already overwhelming her, the Hosts are going to knock her off her feet.

Then he feels a warmth on his shoulder, and he turns. Tamaki is not smiling. He looks nervous.

"Kyoya…Could I talk to you for a minute?"

Fully unnerved now, Kyoya simply nods and lets Tamaki lead the way. There's no privacy to be found anywhere in the studio, not even pressed against the walls, so they wind their way to the changing rooms at the end. Other than a few curious glances their way, no one pays them any mind.

With nothing but lockers and benches in their company, Kyoya takes a breath of fresh air. He hadn't even realized he'd felt so stifled while he was among the crowd.

Tamaki locks the door behind them for good measure, but looks no less nervous. The smile he gives Kyoya is as wobbly as gelatin.

"I hope you don't mind the party…!" Tamaki twiddles the tips of his fingers together. Sheepishness is not a usual look for him. "Can't say it wasn't my idea, though…"

"It's fine. I probably should've seen it coming." He only means it factually, but Tamaki's head dips a little lower. He's not looking at Kyoya at all. "Is something wrong?"

"No! Yes. No." Tamaki shakes his head fervently, tossing his golden locks everywhere, trying to get a hold of himself. "Nothing's wrong…but I think there's something you should know."

There is a tiny, tiny, tiny—atom-sized—flicker of hope that Kyoya tries to snuff out. Why does he keep forgetting that Haruhi is practically Tamaki's world? If she were here, he wouldn't be able to take his eyes off of her.

Still, seeing the Prince so uncharacteristically dim, Kyoya asks, "Are you sure nothing's wrong?"

"Well…It's something I think I maybe should've told you sooner? I mean…I kind of wanted to tell you when you were at the dinner, but I panicked."

Okay…Despite himself, the flicker grows, and Kyoya rushes to extinguish it. He really is delusional. "I'm sure I won't be upset, Tamaki. Just say it."

Tamaki twiddles his fingers for a few more minutes.

"Um…You remember when Haruhi's classes got cancelled last year and she went on that trip to Karuizawa?"

Well, that certainly throws Kyoya off-track. "Erm—Yes?"

"And you remember how she made a friend there?"

"Yes."

"Right…And, uh…Remember how I said she's Haruhi's best friend now and they hang out a lot and I really wanted you to meet her sometime?"

Goodness, is she here now? Kyoya has to admit, a stranger's engagement party seems like a fairly private event to invite a friend along for. For a second he wonders if that's why Tamaki is so quiet, but no, he should be bouncing off the walls to introduce Kyoya to Haruhi's best friend, especially after talking her up for so long.

"Yes, I remember. Is she here now?"

"Yeeeaaaahhh…" Tamaki swallows so hard Kyoya can hear it. "Do, um…Do you remember what her name was?"

Hm…It shouldn't be that hard to remember, he mentioned her often enough. It started with a…C? No, a K. Ka…Ki…Ke…

Ko…

Kos…

Wait a second.

Kyoya scans his eyes over Tamaki's face, over and over and over. Tamaki still has yet to meet his gaze. He is still as a stone. Sweat is running down his temples.

Just—

No.

There was no. possible. way—

"Tamaki, are you trying to tell me…that the woman I am engaged to, who no one here even knew existed before now…" Kyoya sticks a limp finger towards the locked doors. "…also just so happens to be friend Haruhi met at Karuizawa?"

"…mm-hm…"

Kyoya tries to accept it.

He cannot.

It's too near to impossible.

Just—

Wh—

There are over 125,000,000 people currently living in Japan.

What. Are the odds.

The…

This is not—real.

How long has he been standing there, silent and processing? Thirty seconds or thirty minutes? However long, sweat is starting to pour down Tamaki's face, drops as large as bullets.

"I—I—I know it sounds weird." Tamaki's eyes are both restless and unwilling to meet Kyoya's, so they're rolling around in his skull like pachinko balls now. "I thought it was just a coincidence when you said her name was Kosuke, because her surname has always been Nakahara to me, but we've been talking and her estranged father just came back to meet her for the first time, so when you said that, I asked about what she looked like, and I still thought maybe it wasn't that weird, but I was really worried, but I didn't want to alarm you, so I asked Fuyumi what she looked like and it turns out she took a picture when no one was looking, and yeah, it was Kosuke, and I was really shocked and didn't really know what to do and I didn't really know if it mattered or not, and I asked Haruhi about it but she didn't know anything so apparently this was supposed to be some kind of secret and I'm sorry if you're angry Kyoya but I really, really didn't know what to do."

Which—okay. Does not make things any clearer or easier to grasp.

Just—

What are the odds.

Not the peculiar circumstances of Kosuke's life, the fact that she just so happened—by sheer coincidence—met Haruhi and Tamaki.

Kyoya's almost crossing his fingers hoping that this is just a joke.

Tamaki's been twiddling his fingertips so long now that his indexes have gone red. "Are you mad?"

Kyoya blinks, but maybe just because it's the only movement his body will let him do. "No…"

"You're sure?"

"What are you apologizing for?" Kyoya knows it should, but his voice doesn't have any comforting reassurance. Tamaki's sheepishness is only serving to confuse him even more. "You haven't done anything."

Finally, the Prince's eyes meet his, not quite at their full puppy-dog-level power, but close. Kyoya's stomach flips. "Yeah?"

"I—Yes. Just…" Kyoya readjusts his glasses and looks away himself. Another moment of wishing the world would stop spinning so he could just process everything correctly. "That's…surprising."

"It is…Like I said, it sounded like such a one-in-a-million thing I had to make sure. I really don't know what the odds are."

"Neither do I." Kyoya tries to think of the first question he's going to ask. "Does anyone else know? Does Fuyumi know?"

"Just me and Haruhi as far as I know. And you, now. So, just to be clear…you're not angry…?"

"No, Tamaki. I'm not angry."

"Good. Good. Well, then…"

Tamaki's hands clasp together just under his nose and he takes a long, deep breath that melts the tension from his shoulders.

Then he smiles the Tamaki Suoh smile. Kyoya regrets missing it.

"This is great!"

"Great," Kyoya repeats numbly. He still can't get a grasp on this. "This is great."

"I already knew she had to be amazing." Tamaki's hands grasp Kyoya's arms, giving him a little shake. "For you to already like her right after meeting her…I tried to come up with an idea of what she might be like, but not only do I already know her, I know for a fact you're going to be so happy with her! She's kind, she's responsible, she's such a hard worker—and the most amazing cook I've ever met!"

Kyoya tries his best to take note of this, find some solace.

125,000,000 people…

Tamaki's eyes have only grown starrier and starrier, looking almost like violet galaxies at their peak, until he glances away with another sheepish (but not nearly so guilty) smile. "I'll be honest, I was kind of nervous for a minute about her being a stranger…I know this probably sounds selfish, but I've been so used to things being a certain way, I thought it was going to take me a long time to get used to you being with someone…but I don't have to worry about that anymore!"

Well, Kyoya can agree with that much…"Did she…not tell you or Haruhi?"

The beaming smile slips from Tamaki's face. "Well…She was pretty close-lipped about it. All she said was that her father came to talk to her. I don't think she was trying to keep a secret; I wouldn't know how to explain it, either. She's been texting Haruhi about needing to talk to her…I'm pretty sure she's already moved into Mr. Amida's estate here in Tokyo."

Then Kyoya has to remember (after instantly forgetting) that it's not as simple as friendship, it's best friendship. For every memory that comes back to him, two more flicker out. "What has Haruhi said?"

"Well…" Tamaki taps his finger on his chin. "We actually haven't talked since we found out…I think she's just really shocked. I invited her today, but she never said if she was going to show or not."

Kyoya himself doesn't even know if Haruhi being here would make him feel better or worse. He misses the days when they were swept up into the Host Club's antics and the two of them could find peace and quiet in each other's presence.

"Kyoya?" Tamaki's long fingers snap in front of his nose. Kyoya doesn't know how he has the energy to go through so many emotions so quickly—guilty, afraid, ecstatic, concerned. "You're not saying anything…"

"I'm just…surprised. It seems so—unlikely."

"Oh, I know. I honestly have a hard time believing it myself." The stars returned. "But I consider this an amazing turn of fate!"

"You're not wrong…" Kyoya swallowed. His bodily functions were slowly coming back to him. "So this all really did happen at once for her."

There was only the tiniest of shrugs in Tamaki's shoulders. He seemed to be in Kyoya's boat—unsure if it was his place to speak of Kosuke's personal life. "She said she didn't even know her father's name before they met. She was just living in Karuizawa, working as a cashier a grocery store and taking care of her siblings. I'm a little worried, honestly…Knowing how she lived before, if all of this is going to be too much for her."

Kyoya knows that Tamaki's probably just talking about the superficial things—the glitz and glamor, the etiquette to follow. Kyoya, though, he's thinking of how his fiancée is in no way, shape, or form prepared to be an heiress. When Mr. Amida passes, or if he passes Amida Health down early, it'll be in the hands of a woman whose employment experience hasn't been any more complicated than counting correct change.

"Well." He tricks his tongue, tells himself not to do it again. "If she's as great as you've been saying, I'm sure she'll be fine."

"'As I've been saying?" Tamaki's delicate blonde eyelashes flutter for a moment. "I thought you liked her."

Stop DOING that.

Having Fuyumi know convinced that Kyoya is going to be trapped in a bitter marriage already has his nerves on edge. If Tamaki gets the same idea, that's two sets of pitying eyes that are going to be following him around for the rest of his days. Not to mention, though he doesn't want to sell the Prince short, that he can't help but worry how long Tamaki can hold a secret for. The one he'd just confessed took…what, three days before it was safe to let it loose? Tamaki is not going to be able to make it for the rest of their lives.

"I do," he insits. "I just wish I knew more about her."

It works. Tamaki throws an arm around him and pulls him in for a crushing side-hug. "Well, you have the rest of your lives to learn!"

"That's true."

Very true.

Tamaki pulls back and lets his hand linger on Kyoya's shoulder. "Just come out and join us when you're ready, okay? We'll be waiting."

Tamaki leaves, the brief opening of the door letting in a burst of excited babble from outside before Kyoya is left in silence. He should really appreciate it more.

The Prince wasn't wrong; Kosuke being a familiar face to at least a few of the Hosts means she won't be so jarring a change for them all. She has to be used to everything Tamaki Suoh by now, and having the title of Haruhi's best friend should speak wonders of her character. Except that problem hadn't even occurred to Kyoya, and what he still did not have a solution for was how he was supposed to get used to it.

He'd been so discomfited by the idea of Kosuke sitting with the others, talking to them, sharing jokes, just being comfortable in each other's presence—it was that standard feeling of two people in your life who have never been in the same room suddenly coming together, but multiplied by a thousand.

He still can't picture it, but…Oh well. It's happened.

It's probably only bothering him because Kosuke still doesn't seem…individual to him. She's real, but all strangers are. She's just like every other person in his life he's researched without meeting. He knows her story, he's heard what her personality is, he knows a few little facts about her, but that does not amount to a person.

Kyoya sucks in air while he still can. Does this change anything? No, not really. They're still getting married in the end.

This is just…weird. Too weird. But—he needs to stop worrying about problems that aren't problems. He was doing well for a minute there. A bump in the road, that's all.

Besides, anyone would be thrown by this. It isn't Kyoya blowing this out of proportion, it is strange.

It's fine. It's fine, it's fine. This is not a problem. He'll get over it.

He can't stay in the changing rooms anyway. Running a hand over the front of his shirt, Kyoya opens the door and takes another look at the crowd before he ducks in. Kosuke has been officially trapped by the others—Hikaru and Kaoru look all too pleased to be grilling her. The other students have not stopped to stare, but many are watching Kosuke, some looking amused. Renge is all but breathing down her neck. Haruhi still isn't anywhere to be found.

Tamaki takes a moment to locate, and Kyoya's jaw clenches when he sees what he's doing. He and Fuyumi are pulled just slightly off to the side, a conversation just for the two of them. Fuyumi is not smiling. Kyoya can't hear a word she's saying regardless, but he knows just by looking that her voice is hushed. Tamaki is trying to keep up a smile, but it keeps flickering the more that Fuyumi speaks. She's trying to convince him of something. He's trying to convince her of something else.

Well, this is a problem. One he's definitely going to need a solution to.

Thinking quickly, Kyoya looks back over to Kosuke. She still looks flustered as she speaks to the others, but is clearly trying to be friendly.

Okay. Let's touch up on those acting skills.