Just Look into It

33. Dramatics

They didn't talk about what happened that last night at the beach. 

Ryo thought about it often. 

But they didn't talk about it. 

Not that they would have had the chance to do so, as Ryo was far too busy with the various schools and groups coming to the campus. After greeting Tamaki and Kyouya that morning, she had been all over the school, responding to alerts and showing people around. 

Classes ended halfway through the day and that alone required a portion of her time to fix. She was too busy dealing with lost people and deliveries to deal with alerts about students leaving campus early. Her latest alert was a cracked lens in the Music Room, something she knew needed to be fixed since the host club often caused the most trouble. 

Her phone began to go off once more as she approached the room, suddenly getting alerts about weapons. 

She shoved the door open, glaring when she saw the hosts dressed up in armor and swords. Ones she was certain were real. Tamaki grinned upon seeing her, hopping forward to get her opinion on their outfits. 

"Charming right!" he chirped. "Nothing is more romantic than a knight in shining armor!"

She stared blankly at him. "Weapons are not permitted on school grounds unless the individual or organization applies for the rights to have such items on their person at exclusive points in time."

The twins stared. "Did she just recite something from the student handbook word for word?"

Ryo sighed, moving over to where the hidden camera was. With a swift movement, she pulled the camera from the fake roses, hearing a shriek behind her. 

"There was a camera in there?!" the twins and Tamaki shouted. 

"Yes. There are cameras all over the school," she replied, opening up her bag to find the proper tools. The hosts slowly returned to what they were doing, likely preparing themselves to meet any guests visiting the campus. 

Sure enough, she heard the door open as she carefully removed the cracked lens and held it up to the light. Tamaki began talking, and she started to tune out the conversation until familiar voices reached her ears. 

The lens slipped from her grip and shattered on the floor. 

She sighed, moving to grab a broom, only to find that Mori already had it covered. "Thanks."

She could feel eyes on her back as she quickly but angrily fixed the camera, shoving it back in the roses and pulling up her system to make sure it was still operating. When she turned around, she refused to look at the two girls in the doorway, easily recognizing the white and red uniforms. 

Seeing Tamaki and the others freaking out over whatever had been said, she sighed. 

"Stop acting so dramatic," she muttered, drawing closer. "They hate all men, it's nothing personal."

"Ah, so it really is you Hisakawa."

"I can barely believe it."

"Kyouya," she called, blatantly ignoring them. "I'm assuming you have the proper paperwork for today's theme."

"I do." He gave her a look as he passed the papers over. She idly flipped through the pages. "I apologize for not getting them turned in sooner."

"Wouldn't have mattered either way," she responded. "I've been all over the campus today."

Chizuru stepped forward. "They really must be working you like a dog here Hisakawa."

"They really don't understand what luck they have since you're here," Hinako added. 

"It's exhausting. There are so many alerts. I'll have to see if there was a glitch in the system somewhere. Tamaki?" She tucked the paperwork in her bag and turned to the blonde. "Where is Haruhi?"

The twins stepped up. "Getting more instant coffee."

She sighed. 

"You really don't know how to treat women," Chizuru sighed. "It's deplorable."

"Then," Tamaki stepped forward, eager as ever to learn, "what would a lady like to hear?"

Ryo glared at the figure that appeared in the doorway, automatically tuning out whatever flowery lines were being said.

"-and if I die, I will stay by your side until the end."

Benio Amakusa walked into the room, practically all over Haruhi. The hosts immediately got distracted by her arrival, the twins going through the bag she had brought. 

To Ryo's annoyance, Benio turned her way. 

"Hisakawa, is that really you?" she mused, gliding over.

"Amakusa."

"Come now, Ryouka," the other girl sighed. "Don't treat me so coldly."

Ryo glared harder. "Please do not refer to me as such. Besides, I've never treated you as anything but."

Benio spun her into a dip, one hand on her chin. Instantly, Ryo adjusted her legs and knocked the other girl's out from under her. Forced to let go, she stumbled forward and adjusted her blazer. 

"I believe I have told you on numerous occasions to refrain from touching me like that," she stated, turning to look back at her. "I have no interest in being courted."

"That sounds an awful lot like what you always tell Tamaki," Hikaru chimed in, throwing an arm around her shoulders. 

"How do you let them touch you so carelessly?" Benio demanded, staring at her in confusion. Ryo rolled her eyes. She was pulled from his side and twirled into another embrace. "You men don't understand what a rare gem you have in your midst."

"Amakusa, if you do not let me go, I will retaliate."

Growing more annoyed by the second, Ryo barely stopped herself from full out growling at the girls as she found herself and Haruhi practically being assaulted while they insulted the host club. 

"Benio Amakusa, I will not hesitate to slander your name and leak documents you don't want leaked," she finally snapped, speaking in a low tone as she found herself in yet another "lovers embrace" with the girl. 

The girl merely grinned. "Ah, what melodic sound to hear your voice call my name. Do whatever harm to me you must, but do not stop my name from falling from your lips."

Seeing that the hosts were all distracted by Haruhi, leaving her alone with Benio, she sighed. 

"Oh dearest, I can't dare speak your name once again in fear that my heart will shatter into shards," she whispered, screaming and breaking a thousand plates in her head. "Understand, my spirit is far too weak and we are so far apart, destined to never touch aside from this one meeting. I can't meet your eyes, lest I be sucked away into their depths and never wish to come back for air."

"Ryouka..."

"I cannot look at you, I cannot call for you, I dare not touch you. For every second I spend in your presence, I feel myself wither away. Your love is a poison I fear that I will enjoy as it melts me from the inside." She wanted to go home. "Now please, my dearest, release me from your arms so that I may hold you forever in my thoughts."

"See that, Host Club," Chizuru piped up. "Benibara has already thawed Hisakawa's frozen heart."

Ryo let out a breath as Benio finally released her, instantly walking away from the girl. "You're wrong, I was lying. I only said that to get Amakusa to let go just like every other time."

"Haruhi, please do consider transferring to Lobelia," Hinako pleaded. "Clearly you will be treated much better than the errand dog they have lowered you to."

"We'll be back for you maidens tomorrow," Benio mused, the three twirling their way from the room with far more dramatics than the host club could ever hope for.

While Haruhi stormed out, Ryo merely decided to give up and laid face down on the floor.