Chapter 41 | And so Kyoya met Him!

--two weeks later--

~Third Person POV~

"It's been two weeks, Arabella! Two weeks and you still haven't told them!" Haruhi said.

Arabella sighed. "I know, Haruhi! I'm sorry! Every time I tell myself I'm going to tell them, I end up chickening out and then eventually forgetting and by the time I remember it's the next day and I still haven't told them! I'm just not ready yet!" she said.

"Yeah, well, you better get ready! You have about another week to tell them that you're leaving. If you don't tell them and leave without them knowing, they'll be confused and hurt. Then they'll have to hear it from me, and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't want that--they'd want to hear it from you. If you don't tell them, they'll really be hurt, Arabella. They'll already be hurt by the fact that you're moving, let's not hurt them any more than we have to." Haruhi said.

Arabella gave a nod. "You're right... I have to tell them soon. In fact, I'll tell them today."

"After club hours?"

"No. Before club hours. Right away. I can't wait anymore, if I do, I won't do it. It's then or never."

"Good idea. I know it'll be painful, but it's gotta happen." Haruhi said.

"You're right. And it's happening now." Arabella said as she and Haruhi opened the doors to Music Room 3. They stepped inside.

"You're late," Kyoya said. "As always."

"By what? One minute?" Arabella asked.

"No. Two minutes."

"What a tragedy." Haruhi said sarcastically. Then, she gave Arabella a look.

Arabella took a deep breath. "Guys, I have to tell you something--"

She was cut off by Kyoya. "Can't it wait until after hours?" he asked.

"W-Well, not really..." Arabella said.

"What is it you need to tell us, my little girl?" Tamaki asked her.

"Oooh! Is it big? Is it awesome?" Hikaru said, excited.

"Go on, tell us!" Kaoru urged.

"Yeah, what is it, Ara-chan?" Honey asked.

Haruhi looked at Arabella.

Arabella gulped. "Well, ya' see... what happened--"

She was interrupted by Kyoya again. "You can tell us after hours. Our guests should be arriving now." he said.

The doors to Music Room 3 opened.

They all got into position. "Welcome!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"My, my... what is that unfamiliar-looking piece of furniture?" one of their customers asked.

"That is a kotatsu, if memory serves." said another.

"Oh, is that what those are? It's my first time seeing one!" another customer said.

"Me too!"

"Normally, kotatsu are only used during the winter. As such, it may be a little early in the season for these, which makes this fitting for all of you, who are ahead of your time, to take pleasure in. Ladies, please fully enjoy the home-style kotatsu service of the Host Club members today!" Tamaki said, gesturing at all the kotatsu all around the music room.

Everyone eventually sat down and began having tea at the kotatsu.

"Is sitting under a kotatsu really all that fun?" Haruhi asked.

"Yeah, I don't see the big picture." Arabella said.

"Well, they're a big hit, aren't they?" Kyoya said.

"Is this kotatsu service thing one of Tamaki's ideas?" Haruhi asked.

"Yeah." Kyoya said.

Haruhi and Arabella just looked up at him.

"What's the matter? Are you discontent with this?" Kyoya asked.

"No, it's just I've always thought it was pretty remarkable. But, Kyoya-senpai, the Host Club was originally founded by both you and Tamaki-senpai, right?" Haruhi said.

"So, and?" Kyoya said.

"What we're asking is, why would someone like you just dive into a project as crazy as the Host Club?" Arabella said.

Kyoya stopped writing on his clipboard before he smiled and looked ahead at something. Haruhi and Arabella turned to see what it was.

Kyoya was looking at Tamaki, who was having a nice chat with Honey and some of his customers.

Kyoya then turned back to the girls and smiled again. "Because it was crazy. That's why."

About two years ago

Back then, being born the third Ootori son as I was, I was about to embark on my last spring in middle school.

"Ootori-kun! Kyoya Ootori!"

Kyoya stopped walking and let the person behind him catch up.

"My father attended the completion commemoration for your folks' new hospital yesterday! He was so surprised! He said it was like a who's who of the faces from the top of every field! My father said to be sure to extend his regards." the guy said happily.

This is the son of the chairman of a major electronics maker.

"Thank you. I hope you will come with him to the next one." Kyoya said with a smile.

He continued on walking until he arrived at his classroom.

Two of his classmates bounded up to him.

"Ootori-kun! We heard you were at the head of our class again!" the first said.

This is the son of a major department store family.

"You've got the class chairmanship locked up for third year, huh?" the second said.

This is the youngest son of a well-known member of the Diet.

"Look, look, it's Ootori-san!" said a girl who was standing by a window with two others, watching.

"He looks so sharp today!" said the second.

"He so does!" said the third.

Some frivolous-minded girls.

Kyoya went to his usual seat, pulled out the chair, and sat down just as another one of his classmates approached him.

"Ootori-kun! How about coming over to my mountain villa some time?" his classmate said.

He is the son of a well-known fund manager.

He turned to his classmates. "How about you guys too?" he asked. "The stars are extraordinarily pretty from there, and we even built in a small observatory! It's a villa that my father uses for vacations, so we might see him there."

I don't really care for stargazing...

"I look forward to it." Kyoya said.

... but I am very interested in your father.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"My, my, my, Kyoya-san, you've decided to impose on their mountain villa for such a reason?" Fuyumi Ootori, Kyoya's older sister, asked.

"I'm not imposing; they're the ones who wanted me to come over. This is a pure give-and-take." Kyoya said.

"It's absolutely impure, isn't it?" Fuyumi said. "Perhaps they purely do want you to come look at the stars, Kyoya-san. It's so romantic, isn't it? Strengthening friendships under a starry sky?"

After a moment, Kyoya sighed. "Fuyumi, pardon me, but could I ask you not to rummage around in my closet drawers?" he asked.

Fuyumi stopped shoving Kyoya's clothes around. "Oh, no, Kyoya-san. I thought I would organize your clothes for you!" she said as she struggled to shove them back in, but just ended up making a pile on the floor next to herself. "Ugh...! It won't go back in...!"

"Please let me help come take care of that." Kyoya said.

Fuyumi stopped. "Say, Kyoya-san... father being as strict as he is, maybe you have a hard time under all the pressure, but you're different from your older brothers, so maybe you could relax a little bit." she said.

"It's true, I will not be succeeding the Ootori family, I am not like my untroubled brothers, who simply had to go along on the route they were promised, and keep heading upward. It is because I am the third son that I cannot relax. I will certainly fulfill the expectations placed upon me, and yet always respect my brothers and never step too far forward. How far can I demonstrate my abilities without exceeding the limit of being 'third son'? Painting a perfect picture on a canvas that has already been placed inside a magnificent frame--that is my task." Kyoya said.

"Kyoya-san, you are so bright, you will accomplish everything you ever do well, but will you be happy with that?" Fuyumi said.

"Whether I am happy or unhappy has nothing to do with it." Kyoya said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My oldest brother had already graduated from medical school, and was already in training at the same hospital as my father as his successor.

My second brother is still in medical school, and after graduating he plans to get an MBA and support our brother.

And then there's me, the third son.

"Kyoya."

Kyoya stopped eating his dinner.

His father sat at the end of the table, reading a newspaper. "Today is when that son of Suoh's was going to transfer in, correct? The Suoh Group and the Ootori Group have done much business, going way back, and our ties run deep. There is also much business in which we compete with each other. Which is exactly why it wouldn't hurt to become friends with him. Keep your friends close, and keep your enemies closer."

"Yes, father." Kyoya said.

"Keeping yourself at the head of the class while you're in school is an accomplishment that your brothers have achieved. You must know that it will take much more than that to satisfy me." his father told him.

"Yes, father." Kyoya said.

I had confidence that I could see through people, but they could not see through me.

Whomever the son from the Suoh Group's family might be, making friends with him at least would be easy.

I would do all that my father wanted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tamaki Suoh. The child that the chairman had overseas.

Having no children with his wife, now divorced, the chairman took him in, after much dismay.

And his love child becomes the heir of the Suoh Group over night.

Kyoya laid down on his bed after he had researched the son of the chairman of the Suoh Group.

Kyoya sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

"What a lucky guy he is." he said to himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Chairman, vice chairman, come over here."

Kyoya and the vice chairman approached.

"Let me introduce you. This is Tamaki Suoh."

The boy with blonde hair, Tamaki Suoh, held out his hand and smiled warmly at both Kyoya and the vice chairman. "Pleased to meet you!" he chirped.

"Suoh-kun, this is the class chairman, Kyoya Ootori, and this is the class vice chairman, Ayame Jonouchi."

Tamaki took the vice chairman, Ayame's, hands and looked into her eyes. "Your hair is so straight and pretty. I'm sure your heart must be as true and beautiful as your hair." he said charmingly.

Ayame blushed furiously and giggled.

Cultural differences? Kyoya thought.

Tamaki held out his hand again and smiled, this time to Kyoya only. "It's a pleasure, Ootori-kun." he said.

Kyoya smiled back. "The pleasure is mine. If you would like, how about I show you around the school?"

"I'd be thrilled!" Tamaki said. Then he and Kyoya shook hands.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Up ahead here is the west school building. The special classrooms are all on the other side." Kyoya said as he showed Tamaki all around the school.

Tamaki stopped walking. "Oh, by the way, Ootori-kun, do you have a kotatsu at your house?"

Kyoya stopped walking too. "Huh?" he asked.

"A kotatsu! Kotatsu sure are great, huh?" Tamaki said. "Here in Japan, where you have the charming culture of sitting right on the floor! I made up my mind to be sure to sit under one once I got to Japan," He frowned. "But we only have western rooms at my place..."

Kyoya grimaced. Oh, he's one of those... The sort, common along foreigners, who is in love with Japanese culture... he thought to himself.

"Unfortunately, we don't have any kotatsu at my place, either. We do have some Japanese rooms, though." he said with a small smile.

After he said that, Tamaki gasped and immediately took a step back, his eyes widened.

Kyoya's eyes widened as well. What? Did I hit some sort of nerve or something???

"I see. You don't have a kotatsu, then? I'm sorry, Ootori-kun. It was insensitive of me to ask without knowing. The family relations at your home aren't all that close, huh?" Tamaki said before he stepped up to Kyoya and put his hands on Kyoya's shoulders. "No, it's okay! You don't have to hide it! The kotatsu is the symbol of a happy home life in Japan, is it not? In Japan, you kick each other's feet under the kotatsu in playful fighting while watching Costume Grand Prix, and building bonds of trust among the family, right? Oh, right, and you can't leave out the Mandarin oranges! But, I guess, you don't have that at your place, huh?"

Kyoya, trying his best not to get irritated, said, "Let's just put your misunderstanding aside for now. If you'd like, I can put a kotatsu in one of our Japanese rooms."

Tamaki stood there for a second before he suddenly dropped his bag at Kyoya's feet and jumped up and down excitedly. "Thank you, Ootori-kun!!!" he shouted happily before he engulfed Kyoya in a bone-crushing hug. Kyoya winced.

"You're a good friend!!! My best friend!!!" Tamaki said as he hugged Kyoya. "Hey, I know! To make us closer, would you let me call you by your first name from now on???"

"Uh... Suoh-kun--"

Before Kyoya got to finish his sentence, Tamaki jumped off him and began jumping up and down excitedly again.

"Bravo! Kyoya! Mon ami! Mon ami! Yahoo!!!" he shouted as he jumped.

Kyoya just stared.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"My, my, my, Kyoya-san, you mean best friends, in one day?" Fuyumi asked Kyoya that night.

"He probably doesn't comprehend the meaning of 'best friend'. I'm not really sure if he's really fluent in Japanese, or if he really isn't," Kyoya said before he sighed. "And, like I said, Fuyumi, please don't go rummaging around in my closet drawers."

Fuyumi struggled to fit Kyoya's clothes back in his drawer.

Today, he drew me into playing everything at his pace. Well, I am well aware now that he is a fool. Kyoya thought.

"Kyoya-san, there is too much crammed in here!"

Kyoya looked over at his sister and the newly formed piles of clothes now all over his room.

"Once you take something out, it won't fit back in, you know?" Fuyumi said.

"Like I said, please don't take them out." Kyoya sighed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tamaki put his hands on Kyoya's shoulders. "Kyoya! I need a special favor from you!" he told Kyoya seriously the next day at school. "You see, I want to go to Kyoto. I had forgotten about it over my joy of the kotatsu, but I made up my mind to go to Kyoto first when I got to Japan! The great Buddha at Nara, Goryoraku Park, some Shisa, the Namahage--I want to see them ALL!" His eyes sparkled.

Kyoya's face was blank. "None of those are in Kyoto."

After he said that, Tamaki gasped and immediately took a step back, his eyes widened.

"He's a bigger fool than I thought...," Kyoya whispered to himself. Then, he faced Tamaki. "Alright. Well, shall we see them in turns? First off, we'll go to Kyoto this weekend, and the next extended holiday we get, we'll go to Okinawa."

Tamaki immediately jumped up and engulfed Kyoya into a hug. "Thank you, Kyoya!!! You are a god!!! The great Buddha!!! Bravo!!!" he detached himself from Kyoya before he jumped up and down excitedly. "Kyoya! Mon ami! Mon ami! Mon ami! Yahoo!"

Again with the "mon ami"..., Kyoya thought. The second day after I met him and I'm elevated to a deity?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's like I can't get a grasp on this guy somehow..., Kyoya thought, irritated. Before I knew it, he was fitting in with the class.

"My, my, my, Kyoya-san, I thought you were up this late studying! But, what's this? Sightseeing guides?" Fuyumi said as she looked over Kyoya's shoulder. "Oh, you're going to Hokkaido next? That's nice. But if you need a guide, I'm sure if you ask the driver..."

Kyoya glared. "That won't do. Not for that Tamaki Suoh guy. When we went to Kyoto, he said he wanted to see the Daimonji bonfire, even though it's spring. And, as we were eating Okinawa soba noodles, he suddenly said he wanted to compare it to Shinsu soba. Then he said he wanted to have a dream co-starring a Shisa and a Namahage. And then, after all that..."

"I'm sorry for asking you to indulge my capriciousness. You're right. It's no use asking you, Kyoya. Sorry. I've overestimated your abilities." Tamaki had said, sitting on the beach, looking out into the sunset and the waves.

Kyoya slammed his textbooks down on his table. "But I will be fully prepared for him this time!" he said. "I will respond to his every whim when we are in Hokkaido!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tamaki sat at his desk, looking up at Kyoya, confused. Kyoya held an assortment of magazines in his arms, smiling as much as he could muster.

"Huh? Hokkaido? I understand that you want to enjoy yourself to the fullest, but this is the time when we should be studying for tests, right? Once the tests are over, I'll go with you, but you should study a little too." Tamaki said as he worked.

Kyoya just stood there, his eye twitching as he squeezed the magazines tightly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"My, my, my, Kyoya-san, what on earth is the matter?" Fuyumi asked her brother.

"That bastard!" Kyoya shouted angrily before he threw a magazine across the room. "I knew the guy was a fool, but I had no idea he was a complete idiot! Have I ever felt this much like hitting someone like this before? No, definitely not!!!"

Then, his eyes widened and he took a deep breath. "Woah, calm down. Despite everything, he is the heir to the Suoh family. What good will it do to get emotional about it? What father is testing me on is my ability to cope," His nostrils flared. "Still, you bastard, I won't forget this! Tamaki Suoh, you expect me to get a kotatsu ready for you?!"

I was going to tell him that if he can't stand him, he didn't have to force himself to hang around him, but I've never seen Kyoya-san enjoy himself so much. Fuyumi thought happily as she watched Kyoya punch a couch cushion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunday. Kyoya was walking home.

It's been awhile since I've had a day off without having him around... he thought as he approached his house.

Fuyumi was waiting outside for him. "Kyoya! Come in, your friend has come to see you." she said.

Kyoya looked at her. "My friend?"

Fuyumi led him inside to the room where his two brothers sat, listening to Tamaki Suoh playing the piano beautifully.

When Kyoya entered the room and saw what was happening, his eyes widened before he dropped his bag to the floor.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Fuyumi whispered as she wiped her eyes. "It's bringing me to tears."

Honestly, when I first heard him play the piano, I was astonished. Not because my brothers were in tears, but because unwittingly... unwittingly, for some reason, my eyes filled with tears, and I started weeping too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Sorry for just coming by out of the blue, like this." Tamaki said as he and Kyoya sat together on the couch.

"If that's how you feel, go home," Kyoya said. "What happened to studying for your tests? You sure you're okay?"

Tamaki didn't answer his questions. "I have to say, your house is huge, Kyoya. I wonder which is bigger, this, or my house back in France..."

Oh, snide remarks now, huh? Kyoya thought.

"Well, I don't know about your mansion in France, but, clearly, the Suoh estate is bigger, isn't it?" Kyoya said.

"Actually, I don't know, since I've never entered the main estate. The second estate is much smaller," Tamaki explained. "So, Kyoya, are you going to take over the Ootori family later in?"

Kyoya's eyebrow twitched. Is this guy TRYING to pick a fight?! he thought angrily to himself.

"There's no way I will, you saw that I have two older brothers, right? I will end up working under my brothers." Kyoya said.

"Huh, well that's a surprise."

Kyoya's eyes widened before he just looked at Tamaki.

"I thought you were someone who wanted more than that. I mean, your eyes say that you're completely unsatisfied with your situation. I'm surprised you're giving up so easily." Tamaki said.

Kyoya gritted his teeth. "It's not a question of whether I'm giving up or not..."

Tamaki looked confused. "Huh?"

Kyoya squeezed his leg with his hand, his nails stabbing into his skin through his pants. "It's just the way it is," he said, trying his hardest not to explode. "Someone like you who is going to succeed their family as a matter of course, wouldn't understand."

Tamaki stared at him.

Kyoya's eyes widened as he realized what he said. Whoops...

"It isn't certain that I will succeed the Suoh family," Tamaki said. "My grandmother doesn't like me. So, if it keeps going like this, they say I won't be the heir, or anything. Call it a probationary period, I guess. Didn't I ever tell you? Still, think about it, it's not like I'm interested in my father's work, but I've got these looks. Those around me can't leave me alone. And, more than anything, I'd love to create an animal kingdom in the lands up north!"

Kyoya felt he couldn't hold it in any longer. He felt as though his temper was about to snap.

And then, it did.

Kyoya suddenly stood and flipped the table, that was in front of them, over. "COME OFF IT!" he shouted.

The next second, he had Tamaki pinned to the ground. Kyoya glared at him. "What kind of bull crap is that? How can you talk like you've given up so easily?! You aren't like me! You have a chance to go as high as you want to, if you just try! So why don't you try harder?! Why don't you use the position you've been blessed with?!" he said as he gripped Tamaki's shirt. "You're just... you're just... Who the hell are you?!"

Yes, I'm sure my brothers' aptitudes are no better than mine, but...

But I will always feel the frustration of not being allowed to exceed my frame, just because...

... I am the third son.

"Hold on, you're the one who isn't trying, right?"

Kyoya looked down at Tamaki. "What?"

"If you want to surpass your brothers, then go ahead. The one who isn't doing anything and has given up here...," Tamaki said, looking straight into Kyoya's eyes. "... is you."

Kyoya's eyes widened even wider as he gasped.

Tamaki gave him a smile. "Oh, Kyoya, by the way, where is your kotatsu? The truth is, I thought you would've already gotten it ready for me by now, which is why I came over."

Silence.

Kyoya sat up. Then he smiled. Then he snorted. Then he chuckled. Then he broke into a laugh.

He laughed and laughed. He grabbed his sides to keep from laughing any harder than he already was, in fear he'd fall over. He laughed until he thought he couldn't laugh anymore.

Tamaki just looked up at him, utterly confused as to why he was laughing. "Uh... what's so funny?" he asked. Then, he smiled. "Now, did you get the kotatsu ready for me and are just hiding it?"

That caused Kyoya to stop laughing.

In one swift movement, he smacked Tamaki on the head.

"Ow!"

"Don't get carried away; kotatsu are only used in the winter," Kyoya said before he got up. "If you want to sit under one, wait until winter," He smiled down at him. "You complete idiot."

"Oh, that's an evil-looking face... Is that what you really look like?" Tamaki smiled.

Four months later

It was snowing outside the Ootori estate.

"Kyoya! Kyoya! I just had an incredible idea!" Tamaki said as Kyoya stood above him. "Let's form a club! We can start as soon as we get into high school! We'll make use of our good looks and call it the Host Club!"

Kyoya kicked Tamaki. "Go to sleep before you start dreaming." he said.

Tamaki laughed. "I've thought about who our other members would be!" he said before Kyoya sat down across from him. "Haninozuka-senpai and Morinozuka-senpai, from high school. And the twins from second year!"

"Hm, while we're at it, why not get a girl too?" Kyoya said as he sipped his tea.

Tamaki looked at him like he was crazy. "A girl? Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves, Kyoya. We better just stick with guys." he said.

Kyoya nodded. "Alright. You're the King after all."

Tamaki smiled at that and kept talking and talking.

The more I listened, the more nonsensical his plans were.

But, I got the feeling that if I share his world, I would see something different from anything I had seen before.

And that's not just because we were sitting under a kotatsu together, planning for the one and only Ouran High School Host Club.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"... And that's how Tamaki and I first met and started planning the Host Club. So, to answer your question, that's why I decided to dive into something as crazy as the Host Club." Kyoya finished.

Arabella smiled. "Well, it makes perfect sense to me." she said.

Haruhi smiled too. "It makes sense to me too."

Soon, club hours ended and all their customers left.

Arabella slung her bag over her shoulder and started for the door. "Come on, Haruhi, let's go home." she said.

Haruhi stopped her. "Uh, aren't you forgetting to tell certain people a certain something." she said.

Arabella stopped and sighed.

Then, she turned back around. "Uh, guys...?" she mumbled.

They didn't hear her.

"Guys...?"

They still didn't hear her.

Haruhi stepped up and cleared her throat loudly.

That got their attention.

"Guys, Arabella has something she needs to tell you." Haruhi said before she nudged Arabella forward.

Arabella stood nervously at the front of the room.

The rest of the Host Club awaited for what she needed to tell them.

Arabella swallowed. "Uh... Haruhi's right, I have something I need to tell you all that I should have told you sooner. About two weeks ago, I was informed by my mother that she got a job promotion. She accepted the promotion, of course... U-Unfortunately, the new job she now has isn't here in Japan..."

They all looked up at her, confused looks on their faces.

"I-It's in... America... So, that means, in order for my mother to keep her promotion, we can no longer live in Japan; we must move back to America. And... and that's what we're going to do--my family and I are moving back to America."

The room fell silent.

Honey was the first to speak. "Ara-chan... you're... you're leaving us...?" he mumbled.

Arabella swallowed a gulp. "Y-Yes." she replied.

More silence.

Until: "When?"

Arabella turned to look at Kaoru.

"When?" Kaoru repeated. "When are you leaving?"

Everyone looked to Arabella again.

She looked down. "I will be leaving for America in a week."

Tamaki gasped. "A week? My little girl is leaving us in a week??? N-No! This can't be happening! Daddy will not accept it...!" he said.

"I'm sorry, Senpai, but it is happening..." Arabella said.

Hikaru snorted. "You're joking! Right? Tell us you're joking...!" he said.

Arabella shook her head. "Hikaru, I wouldn't joke about something like this."

"So, it's true then? You're really leaving?" Kyoya asked.

"Yes." Arabella said.

"I can't believe this..." Mori said.

"I don't want to believe this... But I have to, because it's happening." Arabella said.

It was silent for several seconds before Honey said, "Will we... ever be able to see each other...?"

Arabella's mouth opened to answer, but no words came out.

"I guess that answers your question, Honey-senpai..." Kaoru mumbled.

Arabella stood there for about five more seconds before she reached down, grabbed her bag, slung it over her shoulder again, and said, "I've gotta go. See you guys tomorrow." Then she and Haruhi started for the door, opened it, left, and closed it behind them.

The Host Club was left to stand there in silence, staring at the same spot Arabella had been in less than a minute ago.

Arabella Hashimoto is leaving Japan. She's leaving Ouran Academy. She's leaving the Host Club. She's leaving her friends.

Actually, in a sense, she's already gone.