I'm sorry this had so many errors in my first posting. I've fixed, so enjoy!
Anya was a mess club because of her missing phone full of pictures of Mori-senpai. The customers loved it because her flustered clumsiness was mixed with a modest maid costume. Of course, my maid costume was shorter than Anya’s and I was having a hard time being rather kind and polite while watching out for peepers. Gah! What was Anya thinking when she made this stupid thing? Why did Anya get to pick the outfits? We eventually made it to a break period where Anya and I could sit down and chat with the guests. We had about ten guys there to see us, four from my class, four from Anya’s, and the other two we didn’t recognize. I was told by Tamaki-san that I am to be knowledgeable in conversation to contrast with Anya, who isn’t very smooth when talked to. I think Kyoya finally understands that I don’t enjoy taking his direct orders. I fed a rather lanky guy a piece of cake when a sudden gust of wind blew into my face. Luckily, I was able to keep my skirt plastered to the chair before anyone noticed. I squinted through the wind to see THEM.
“Do you mind? We’re trying to eat cake and you’re blowing it off the table!” I yelled over the fan. One of the patches of red hair twitched from behind the nearby bush.
“Who would want to eat cake with FAKE twins? I mean, look, you’re not even DRESSED alike,” Hikaru laughed. If they are here, then it must almost be time to close.
“Does Kyoya know you’re here?”
“Of course not. He’s not our master, but it seems like you treat him like one...” Hikaru smirked.
“Oh, does Kyo-ya~ know?” Kaoru mimicked me in a girly voice. If only that fan wasn’t on, I would go over there and…
“Hikaru! Kaoru! Stop messing around!” I heard Tamaki-san yell from the balcony. Things must not have being going well with Haruhi-san again. He should just drop the daddy act and start acting like a man for once.
“See you later, Rika~” Kaoru giggled as he switched off the fan.
“I’ll be sure to tell Kyoya to buy you a leash!” Hikaru waved at me as he walked up the steps. Anya looked puzzled, she probably didn’t know they had taken her cell. I stood up and carefully spun to face the rest of the bewildered guests.
“Any final requests?” I gestured to the piano.
After we escorted the boys out, I charged Anya with putting things away so I could take care of some urgent business. I slammed open the door to the host club and walked toward the closest tuft of red hair. He could barely turn around before I got a hold of his scalp and pulled it back.
“OW! HEY! What the-!” he yelped. I could hear the other hosts coming.
“You ready to eat your words?” I growled in his ear. I twisted his hair in my fist so he faced me.
“Come on! Bring it pretty boy!” I yelled. The foosteps stopped, except for one pair close behind me.
“What do you think you’re doing to Hikaru, filthy commoner? You Americans have no respect for nobility.” I pushed Hikaru against the wall and turned to face Kaoru, who's girly face looked like a pouty 4-year-old's.
“Say that again. Call me filthy. In America, there is no nobility, just wealth. And on those terms, we’re even. But wait... I’ll be alive tomorrow morning.” I stared at his beaty little eyes. Disgusting.
“RiRi, calm down,” Anya placed her hand on my shoulder and pulled me away. “It’s okay, he’s just stupid, calm down. Let’s go home. Your piano came in and your room is almost done! I’ll help you put it together, okay?”
Oh, right, I had a lot to do once I got home.... and MY piano is at home. I haven't played it in years.
“Oh… yeah,” I sighed, I let go of Kaoru’s shirt and took Anya’s hand. The room was silent. Great, I’m a freak now. So much for having a good work environment...
“Go wait in the car, okay? I’ll get your stuff,” Anya sighed, closing the club door behind me.
When I got home, everything was a haze until I was able to sit at my Baldwin. Anya understood and left me alone. I didn’t even have it brought to my room, I just played it in the front hallway until I felt normal again.
“Hey, Rika, thanks for getting my cell back,” Anya said when I came for dinner.
“Your cell?”
“Yeah, Kaoru gave it to me. He said he’s sorry for what he said.”
“Not now Anya. Let’s eat.”
“Just give those guys a chance.”
“Sure. I’ll give the twins a chance...,” I sighed. I guess she's right. I've been to rough on them.
“Not just the twins, RiRi. Kyoya-senpai needs a chance too. He likes you and…”
“No he doesn’t.”
“Yes he does. You’re just being cold.”
“No, I’m not, it’s just that he thinks that we have something when we…”
“You DO. He told me….”
“Whatever. It was childhood, I don’t care!” I stared at my potatoes.
“RiRi! Look at me. Your—“
“I don’t care if I’m perfect for him! He’s—.”
“Your fiancé.”
“—a moron. I don’t CARE if he’s...,” I stopped and stared at Anya in horror.
“MY FIANCE? Oh, I get it! You’re just saying that so I’ll consider him. Hmm... Considering… Rejected.”
“Would I joke about this?” Anya stared at me from across the table, all her usual laughter was replaced by a iron-clad stare.
“When did that happen?” I barely even know that Kyoya guy.
“Did he mention something about ten years ago?”
“Well, yeah.”
“Dad came here with you on a business trip. He was talking to Kyoya’s father and well….”
“Now what am I going to do….”
“You’re asking ME?” she laughed. We sat in silence for a minute.
“I’m going home.”
“What?”
“I’m not going to stand for this. I’m going back to America and having dad stop this nonsense!” I started running to my room.
”…But I promised I wouldn’t tell! Kyoya-senpai will be mad at me!” Anya was following. I don’t care about Kyoya. How dare my father not tell me about this! “Don’t leave me here!” she screamed.
“You’ll be fine! I’ll have Tama-chan and Mori-senpai take care of you.” Did I REALLY just call Tamaki-san that? Ugh. He’s rubbing off on me. Anya stopped following me once I reached my room. I was leaving tonight and there was no way she could stop me. I tore through the clothes I just set out and shoved them in the suitcase. If I would have known this would happen, I would have just stayed in America. I lugged my large suitcase and carry-on down the stairs and headed towards the front hall.
“Please bring the car around,” I said in a thick accent. I didn’t care if I pronounced it properly. I waited up front for the car to pull up and threw my bags in the trunk, ignoring our new butler. I slid into the seat of the small black car just in time to see Anya running out of the house, flustered. I really hated to do this to her, I really did, but I had to fix this before things even went farther down the drain.
“DRIVE!” I yelled. The chauffeur slammed his foot hard on the gas and we peeled out of the driveway. I’m sorry Anya, I really am. I pulled out my cell and called Tamaki-san.
”Tamaki-san, I need you over at my house, stat. Anya’s upset and I don’t know if she can handle being alone,” I said seriously.
“Um, sure, should I bring Kyoya?”
“NO! Uh, I mean…. Bring Mori-senpai, he should be able to help. Oh! And Honey-senpai, he should be able to make her happy.”
“Sure, but why—,” and I hung up. I didn’t have time to explain. I accessed the internet on my phone, bought some plane tickets and made a hotel reservation. I was set to leave.
The plane ride was rather uneventful. I spent most of the time on my laptop and cell deleting Anya’s messages. They eventually stopped and I was able to listen to my music without constant notices popping up. I called my step-mother and asked where my father was. She kept asking if I was okay and why Anya had called asking the same thing. I wouldn’t answer, but once I got a location, I hung up. I liked the woman, but I was on a mission. As I got off the plane, I called a taxi and left to go straight to the art gallery my step-mom had talked about. I quickly paid the driver and told him to drop my things off at the hotel and if he didn’t, he would hear from my father’s attorney. I’m not taking any chances and I’m not going to waste my time dropping of some stupid bags. The security almost held me back until I showed my gilded company logo and driver’s license on the inside of my wallet. The business is good for something for once. I quickly skimmed the backs of the guests in the lobby and the hallways and then headed on to the main attraction, the showing room. I was able to spot my father’s long black hair from across the room. He still didn’t understand that most Americans cut it short and didn't put it in a ponytail. He was in the middle of talking with someone, but I didn’t care. For me, this was an emergency. I grabbed a hold of his shoulder.
“Father~” I said charmingly in Japanese. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you. I have something I need to speak to you—“
“Why RiRi~! How nice to see you!” He smiled at me. “This is the daughter I was talking about! She just came back from Japan.” He knew I was coming… great. The man in front of me smile and introduced himself, he was a wealthy investor in the company. It figures, my dad must have told him something about me he liked.
“I have to go, call me sometime if you can. You see, she just got back and I haven’t even gotten to say hello. So, I’ll see you some other time~!” He waved and walked with me towards the entrance, still waving goodbye to some ‘wealthy business possibilities’ as he called them. His car was already pulled up when we reached the front, and so the discussion came once the door closed.
“Father, I know Anya called you already. So, explain,” I waited for a moment, his face was passive but cold at the same time. “…Please.”
“About what? I don’t understand,” he said in his low voice.
“About this engagement with Kyoya Otori of the Otori conglomerate!” I burst out.
“Calm yourself, it’s very unladylike to yell in a car. I don’t know if Kyoya’s father would appreciate that behavior,” he started talking in Japanese. He always did this to remind me of how I was raised. I would oblige, for now. I waited for him to talk.
“I grew up with Kyoya’s father. Ten years ago I went to visit him for old times sake and it happened we were in the same business. We talked and then children came up. Naturally, I mentioned you and that you were there with me. He told me he had a son a year older.”
“And when did marriage come up?” I asked rather huskily.
“That was your own fault.”
“M-my fault?” I laughed, thinking he was kidding.
“Just as we were talking about you, the door to the room opened and there you were, scraped up and dirty with Kyoya holding you tight. You’d fallen down in the garden and he helped you find me. You ran to me all teary. You were so cute." He was looking off at the distant memory with a soft smile on his face.
“I don’t remember that.”
“Really? I’d think you would. You two were completely inseparable for our time there and you bawled like the world was going to end when we had to go. ‘Kyoya! No! I want to stay with Kyoya!’ you said,” he started laughing. I blushed, embarassed. I don’t remember any of it. Kyoya, let’s see…. He would have been eight or nine tops. I guess the memory would have stuck to him more than it would have with me….
“But, did you HAVE to take it as far as MARRIAGE?”
“Yes, because Kyoya’s father was worried that some gold digger would get a hold of his son. His best friend’s daughter seemed like a brilliant option and I agreed. Of course, I had to teach you to be a proper Japanese aristocrat after that.”
“THAT was all for him?”
“Rika, calm down…”
“NO! You sent me to live in a country shack with no friends for over five years without telling me WHY! And now I find out it’s for a guy I CAN’T EVEN REMEMBER? Why couldn’t I have just stayed with Anya and had fun? Tell me!”
“Yes, it was for him.”
“I want out! NOW! I’m not marrying someone I can’t stand!”
“What happened? You used to like him so much.”
“Growth happened. Time happened.”
“Kyoya is YOUR problem.”
“Mine? Why is that? YOU started all this!”
“You see, I called the Otoris to talk this over.”
“You’re kidding. I came here to talk to YOU so YOU could call this off!”
“It’s too late, he’s already at the house.”
“I’m staying at the hotel. I paid for it already, so I’m staying there.”
“Then I’ll have to send Otori over—“
“Oh no you don’t!” What was he thinking…. All he had to do was break it off himself.
After getting to the hotel I relaxed and got ready for bed. It was only eight, but I needed an escape away from reality. I needed some sleep.
The world swirled around with the colors bleeding together and then separating. Music followed, a melody I hadn’t heard before enveloped my ears. I suddenly hit a wall and stumbled back, feeling wet paint on my face. I stepped away from the wall I had collided with and stared at the beautiful site. It was a painting within a painting. The inner painting was of purple flowers within a golden frame, but it spilled onto the wall into a beautiful rose above that covered the wall entirely. I carefully traced the path of paint from the painting, to the frame, to the wall….The colors were gorgeous. Bang! Bang! Bang! I tried to hold up the wall as it cracked and crumbled. I couldn’t forget this, it was important. I knew it was crucial. I had to save it, but I was too awake and my eyes flew open. The person outside knocked a few more time. Whoever he was, he was going to pay for waking me up. I walked over to the door, in my tank-top and shorts, still half asleep.
“This had better be important…” I growled.
“I assure you Miss Tsukasa, this is of the utmost importance,” he said tersely in a thick Japanese accent. I looked up and was shocked by the unmistakable resemblence.
“My father said he would send Kyoya over,” I said carefully, trying not to look suprised.
“He said he would send Otori. I am Tanaka Otori, Kyoya’s father.” The head of the Otori medical conglomerate was stand in front of me, in aNew York hotel. To confront me about my cold behavior and neglected engagement which would ensure the future stability of his company and family.
You can’t be serious.
