A/N: A little tip for you guys who don't know the reason behind the use of "I like you" in manga/anime confessions. In Japanese, the use of "ashiteru," the direct translation of "I love you," in a confession would be super strong. Asiteru (あしてる）is rarely used in the Japanese language. So, where we may say, "I love rice," in Japan, you'd say, "gohan wo daisuki desu / ごはんをだすきです." You don't use ashiteru, the direct translation of "love." Rather, you're saying "rice is my favorite." It's the same for saying that you like something. So, where in English we tend to use "love" when referring to strong romantic, or otherwise, feelings for an individual, the most that would translate to using Japanese words is "I like/really like you."

A confession itself is actually considered mandatory for a relationship most of the time, funny enough! While I was in Japan, a few studyabroad friends of mine (meaning they, too, weren't from Japan) dated a few Japanese boys, and they went through the experience as well. It's aparently very nerve racking to confess to a guy, since it's an actual thing. But, again, ashiteru wasn't used, although later on, the word "love" was used in English.

Anyways, here ends my mini explanation for the concept of like/really like/love in Japanese culture. I felt the need to explain this... hope I didn't break the tension, lol.

Emi

'I like you.'

It was funny, in a completely not-funny way.

See, I know I'm hot. I've got a body I've worked for, that some girls would die for, and I inherited my biological father's looks, with my mother's curves. I got my fair share of confessions growing up, and have dated my fair share of guys. But I'd be damned if those words out of any of their mouths had ever made my heart race the way they did from Kaoru.

It sounded as if it'd jumped out of my chest and right up to my ears, pounding to the time of the words as they circled through my mind. "I like you. I like you. I like you."

"Come again?"

Perhaps not the time for jokes, but I had to hear it one more time.

As if reading my mind, Kaoru's hesitance was replaced by a wicked grin. He leaned in once again, grasping my face with both hands. I could feel myself going hot once again, electricity lacing my skin beneath his featherlight touch, as he brought his lips within an extremely kissable distance. Then, he paused.

"I..."

My entire body tensed. His eyes met mine, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Like..."

I couldn't help it, I leaned towards him, my breath mixing with his.

"Hm... what came after that?"

"Asshole."

I tangled my hands in his hair, dragging his face in the last few inches. Once again, our lips were pressed together. Unlike before, the kiss wasn't sweet. It was the sort of kiss that heated you from head to toe, and made you thankful you were alone in the middle of a maze. It made you want to thank the gods that no one with a sane head on their shoulders would dart out in the middle of the storm as you had done-- because it left you alone to drag closer a boy that you'd suddenly realized, you very much liked.

That was, until someone cleared their throats and Kaoru jumped back as if stung. My hands dropped away, face setting aflame as I turned my gaze towards the maze. My embarrassment only grew, accompanied by a flood of irritation, when I found the entirety of the host club gathered a short distance away, umbrellas in hand, the majority of them clearly in shock.

Okay, exaggeration. One of them in shock. Kyoya's expression was a bit smug, as if he was pleased to have seen a guess of his proven right, Honey looked excited, again as if he'd known this would happen, and Hikaru looked to be a mixture of amused and irritated, but not surprised. Mori, as always, had a rather dull expression on his face. I should have expected that, though, given that he basically never showed what he was thinking.

Tamaki, however, was full on red-faced with his mouth hanging open.

"M-Mommy," he stammered. "M-Mommy... my... my daughter..."

"Kaoru, Emi," Kyoya began, adjusting his glasses. "I would like to remind you that such activities aren't exactly appropriate on school grounds."

I'd be damned if he wasn't enjoying every single word he was saying. His words were reprimanding, but his expression still that hella smug smirk of his.

"M-Mommy..."

"Yay! Emi-chan and Kao-chan kissed!"

"Not like it's the first time," Hikaru told them, his previous expression disappearing, to be replaced with a mischievous grin.

"Dumbass!"

"He isn't wrong..." Kaoru mused.

I smacked his chest and pushed him away with my foot in the same second. Instead of finding anything wrong with the situation, he laughed and stepped a few paces back.

"M-Mommy.."

"Yes?" Kyoya sighed.

"They..."

"Yes."

"And..."

"Yes."

Big, overly dramatic tears filled Tamaki's eyes and he suddenly flung himself forward, arms out as if to hug me. Much to my annoyance, jumping to my feet wasn't really an option, so I found myself being flung around in a circle as he bawled.

"My daughter's grown up!" he declared, then suddenly stopped, eyes wide. "Those devil twins didn't trick you into this, did they?"

I glowered. "If they had, you'd have found Kaoru doubled over in pain, not..."

He returned to his twirling.

None of those assholes even tried to save me.

Dammit.

___________________________________________________________

Eri

Most of the morning was a haze. I couldn't remember waking up, nor could I remember what followed after, but I knew I'd been awake for some of it. I had just the faintest recollection of Emi heading off for class to back the idea up. I could also remember a nurse coming in at one point and messing with the machines, and medical stand. After that, my mind began to clear a little. My best guess was that something must have happened during the night, and they'd had to deal with it, resulting in my missing time. The evidence to back up this assumption came in the form of an oxygen mask.

I hated wearing it, but the relief it gave was heavenly. Still, it irked me that wearing the mask was further proof of my state. Even now, I remembered reading about how nasal cannula, little tubes that were placed in your nose, were for low-flow oxygen needs. The fact they'd skipped over that and chosen the mask meant I needed a lot of oxygen.

I couldn't help but wonder-- were these types of things easier if you hadn't research them? If I hadn't obsessed over text books during my previous hospital stays, would I be blissfully unaware of what this meant? I groaned, hitting my head on my pillow. Being alone in a hospital bed left you with far too much time on your hands. Getting all "deep-dark-thoughts" wasn't to my benefit, but until Hiroshi returned with a few of my things from home, it was all I had to do.

As if summoned by my thoughts, the door swung open. The person in question appeared seconds after, holding up a bag for my viewing.

"I've brought food for the bookworm."

I laughed, wincing as my pain echoed the noise with a sharp pain. Hiroshi, either not noticing, or deciding not to show he had, continued to wear his grin as he stepped around the bed and dropped the bag into my waiting arms. I instantly set to digging through, pleased when I discovered that Hiroshi had somehow managed to get a combination of my favorite titles, as well as what I was currently reading.

"You know, if you paid as much attention to Emi as you did to me, she wouldn't hate you as much," I commented.

Hiroshi rolled his eyes. "As much. What's the point? She'd still hate me."

I decided not to comment on the fact he hadn't argued against the fact he'd been paying attention to me. Instead, I picked through the novels, settling the two I wanted next to me on the bed, and placing the rest back into the bag to hand back to Hiroshi. He took it, settled it on the table on the other end of the room, then dragged a chair over to the bed. As he pulled his phone out and began swipping his thumbs over the screen, I grabbed one of the books and opened it. I'd just began to read when Hiroshi suddenly cleared his throat. I looked up to find him studying me with an uncharacteristically hesitant expression.

"What is it?" I asked, wariness flooding my system.

"Two things," he replied in turn. "Okaasan and Otousan want to talk to you... on the phone."

I bit my lip. "No."

"Fair enough," he replied.

"You said two things," I pointed out when he didn't continue.

"Yeah... Kit wants to talk."

From the tone of his voice, it wouldn't be the simple conversations we'd held since his return. Ever since he'd convinced Hiroshi to not push us together at every turn, Kitaru had been playing a background role in the house. Well, a background roll as long as you didn't count his paying me full attention every time we somehow found ourselves in the same room. So... background for him. Memories flashed through mind unbidden at the thought of what conversation he most likely wanted to hold, and I shook my head, ignoring how it dragged the tube to the oxygen mask across my chest.

"No."

This time, Hiroshi seemed to hesitate for a second, before sighing. "Eri--"

"If you're going to say that I should make up to him while I still have the chance, save your breath, Oniisan."

Irritation sprung across his expression. I bit back the guilt that followed, knowing that I was being a little unfair. The feelings I held against Kitaru... they weren't completely his fault. I knew it was transference, that the only real error he'd made that night was being irresponsible, but I couldn't help it. If he hadn't gotten drunk, I never would have ended up left alone with the other models. Hell, if he hadn't dragged me to a party where the majority of the participants were five to ten years older, none of it would have been an issue in the first place.

"You don't have to completely let it go," Hiroshi retorted. "Hell, he probably wouldn't let you. Kami knows he's beat himself up over it ever since. Do you know how we got kicked out of Uni?"

I hesitated. Did I want to know? Seeming to take my hesitance as an indicator he should continue, Hiroshi plunged into the matter.

"He beat the shit out of another student."

I could only stare at him. Kitaru, who couldn't even handle gory movies, had hit someone?

"You heard right," Hiroshi continued. "He beat the shit out of a guy. We were having a few drinks in the dorm-- pretty easy if you know the right people-- and one dude got drunk enough he started bragging about some girl he'd partied with. Not gonna get the details, but you can probably guess. Next thing I know, Kit's got the guy pinned and the rest of us drunks are trying to pull ourselves together long enough to drag him off. Kid was the only sober one there, so he didn't have an excuse when it went to the Dean. Bastard said there was no case since the girl herself wasn't pressing charges, and instead turned it back on Kit, who only got out of it when both sides decided to just bury it all."

I swallowed thickly. Neither Emi or I had considered something like that having possibly been the reason behind their return. We'd always imagined the boys had done something... and I'd admittedly used my less than wonderful opinion of Kitaru as a reason for it. As I thought back on their return, I realized something-- I no longer panicked when I heard his name. Despite my immediate refusal to talk things over with Kitaru... had some part of me already decided to forgive him for something that'd never really been his fault?

"So, can you give the guy a chance? I hate to lay this all on you... given everything..." Hiroshi trailed off, swearing under his breath. "I probably shouldn't... just more evidence to me being a shitty big bro, huh?"

I offered him a hesitant smile. "I never said you were a horrible brother..."

"Didn't have to," Hiroshi replied with a snort. "Being frightened of me is enough, right?"

I wanted to tell him that I'd never been scared... but I didn't want to lie. Still... when I thought back on that night, as much as I tried to avoid ever doing so, one of the main things I remembered was Hiroshi barging into that dark room and slugging some drunk in the face. Then there was him dragging the dead-drunk, passed-out Kitaru off a couch by his shirt and all the yelling that'd followed. Hiroshi had been my hero that evening... and just like Kitaru, I'd ostracized him for it.

I offered Hiroshi a hesitant smile, then dropped my eyes down to my book.

"... I might not be against him dropping by."

My brother exhaled a heavy sigh of relief, then leaned forward to ruffle my hair. I squeaked, dodging his hand. He, in turn, laughed.

"Thanks, Eri."

I just nodded, then gave a heavy cough. After that, I tried to focus on my book, but found myself coughing again. A fit soon followed, Hiroshi helping me drag off the mask so I could find something to cough into as that sickening copper flavor flooded my mouth.

My sole thought as I sat there, basically coughing up my lungs, was that I could only hope nothing like this happened when anyone else was here. Hiroshi could handle it... sorta. I'd seen the beginnings of his shredded nerves in the way he almost always seemed to be glancing at his phone, as if our parents would suddenly change their minds about not caring. In how he'd stepped into the hall, then started yelling into his phone when Emi and I's biological dad called to tell him that he had to return to work or lose his job. Hiroshi was ever the grumpy protector, it would seem.

It had to be hard being the head of household at a time like this.

'If only there was a way to keep from hurting all of them...'

Unfortunately, that seemed impossible.