Business (Kyoya Ootori)

Chapter 3

My entertainment was cut short, however, when I'd noticed that all the students had finally disappeared, leaving the road clear for me to drive on. I drove on slowly, allowing my wonder to get the better of me, and stared in awe at each of the houses.

Up ahead was a side street and, at a closer look, I could read the name on the street sign. I think this is where I'm supposed to go, I thought to myself, recalling the address Kyoya gave me. When I turned the corner, I noticed a few out of place cars lined up along the otherwise empty street, one I recognised to be an abnormally large limo with the Ootori crest boldly painted on the sides.

Identical stone walls stood proud and threateningly tall, separated only by a large, spiked gate situated between two matching stone pillars, the white-grey colour complementing the actual walls themselves, which were a light pink colour. They sorely reminded me of Ouran Academy, leading me to conclude that the massive mansion beyond, as I saw through the bars of the gate, belonged to the Suoh family – they had quite the attachment to the vibrancy of peach pink.

I dragged my hand down a few of the bricks, able to feel how expensive they would have been, especially compared to the sloppy, cheap-as-can-be shack I called a home. I couldn't help but feel minuscule as I consciously toyed with the holes in my gear, each one just as obvious as the last despite the suit being the least ragged item of my wardrobe, and the longer I stood there, the more I wanted to run away.

"How much longer are you going to stand there, Isabella?" asked Kyoya mechanically and I jumped on the spot, my eyes automatically drawn to the source of the crackly sound – he was speaking through a radio attached to a shining, silver keypad.

"Not long?" I said, uncertain as I stood high on the balls of my feet, having approached the radio and started speaking directly into it, unaware of how awkward it must have looked until Kyoya scoffed, bluntly making me aware of how unnecessary the action was. My face flushed, Kyoya always, without any hesitation or doubt in hs confidence, pointed out things others were oblivious to, and he seemed particularly fond of reminding them of their lack of knowledge, often pestering people with his cold, blackmail-like jokes. "Can you let me in now, Kyoya?"

He did so, though not without a prolonged, heavy sigh, and I followed the wide gravel path to the front porch of the building, eyeing the beautifully trimmed trees, hedges, and expensive roses of every colour. Not a single spot was out of place in the scenery, not even the towering tropical palm trees that fell in with the season, a small clearing parting the order to make room for a crystal white fountain.

"Wow," I said in awe, hesitantly roaming across the recently mowed grass to press my palm to the marble, running my fingers along the smooth structure, feeling not a single crevice or scratch. Three statues stood proudly in the centre of the large fountain, carved perfectly to the stray hairs of the youngest's head, who looked affectionately up at the other two beside him.

"That's the young Master Tamaki, Miss Ayakushi," called a voice from behind me, one belonging to an elderly man. I jumped, quickly withdrawing my hand from touching the marble. "It's quite alright, Miss. You're not the first to be drawn to the Suoh fountain." His face wrinkled (even more than it already was, I dared not to think) when his lips pulled into a wide smile.

"The l-little boy is Suoh-Senpai?"

He nodded, striding forth to stand beside me at the foot of the fountain. "His father's quite enthusiastic to have a new fountain built, as is the Lady of the House, but Master Tamaki will always be insistent on keeping this one."

"Come," he said after a moment's silence. "The young Master has been awaiting your presence for the past half hour." I followed him into the house, finding myself glancing back just a few times at the magnificent fountain. The large door was opened for the both of us, and my attention focused on the glittering, palace-like room beyond. There were multiple chandeliers secured to the high roof above, and I swear that I could see diamonds encrusted in them as well as in the designs on the walls; the marble fountain outside had nothing on this.