"Alright." The doctor looked to me, taking off his gloves, "You know you have a serious case here. Correct?"
"Yes." I lowered my eyes.
"Due to protocol, I have to inform you anyway."
"Yes."
"Antoinette, simply put, you are dying. One more illness and, honey, you're not going to make it that long."
"But isn't there a cure?"
"Unless you know of one."
"What about Tamaki Suou's mother?"
"Her illness wasn't as severe are yours. I'm afraid that..." the doctor trailed.
"I understand. I've heard this before."
"Does anyone know of this... condition?"
I shook my head, "My father does. An on-call medical team in Japan is aware. But other than that, no. I don't need them worrying," I motioned behind me, as I assumed Kyoya was waiting for me patiently. Judging by the soft tap of a very specific black leather show handcrafted in Italy, I'd say my assumption was correct. What was scarier was that he was getting impatient, and that meant he was beginning to suspect something was awry.
The doctor nodded, as she moved away from me, "We are sworn to secrecy," As if sensing my apprehension she added, "Even from your handsome young suitor out there. You may leave now."
The doctor turned from me, writing something on paper, and entering it into her computer. I shrugged off the idea, "He's not my... Nevermind." I huffed, hopping off the table and wandering over to the curtain.
After pulling my dress on, and fixing my hair, I walked out. The host club had dispersed, except for Haruhi and Kyoya.
"Antoinette-Senpai, I have a question for you," Haruhi asked. I glanced at Kyoya, who made his way to my side. "That bruise. On your cheek..." She pointed to the tentative purple and blue cheek that I had.
"Oh." I gently reached for it but hesitated. "It's nothing. I tripped on my way to class, is all." I shrugged.
Haruhi raised an eyebrow, "Does it hurt?"
"No," I replied to her curtly. Too quickly to be the truth. Kyoya scoffed. He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him so that my face was closer to his. He pressed into my body, making me flush at the sudden contact, "K-Kyoya!"
Then swiftly took his other hand and gently slide his two middle fingers down my cheek. I winced in pain and bit my lip, looking away. I watched as he hesitated. It had still hurt from him smacking me, on top of what had really happened.
"Liar," Kyoya narrowed his eyes, but he didn't push me back as I expected to be cast aside at the trouble I had made. I pushed myself away with two hands, to avoid his penetrating gaze I straightened and looked away, "There was no way this could've been from falling. Where are the marks on your hands, arms or knees?"
"Um..."
"What really happened?"
I sighed, "Kyoya, please don't. Don't start looking into things."
"Tell me." His order shook through me. It wasn't a threat, but instead, his usual calm and collected manner drifted, his voice shook in desperation. You'll only get hurt.
"I was hit," I confessed loosely, "A girl didn't like my relationship with the Host Club. She punched me."
"You're a martial artist." Kyoya shook his head, "Why did you-"
"Kyoya. She didn't hit me that hard-"
"Doesn't mean she had to hit you! You should've protected yourself against her. You would if it were anyone else. Why not her?" Kyoya stopped, the gleam of his glasses making me unable to read his eyes. "... It was because of me, that you were hit, wasn't it?"
My eyes widened, "N-No. No, Kyoya. I'm fine. Really. You don't have to look after me-"
"It's my job to look after you." Kyoya's tone could cut through glass, but never through me. His anger was directed somewhere else, and suddenly I feared what would happen to the girl who had hurt me. "Antoinette... If anything happened to you..." He trailed. I was taken back.
He was ordered by my father to look after me. He was ordered by his father, too, no doubt.
If Kyoya was to go against these wishes, if I did get seriously injured on his watch, everything that he has worked for, until now, would have been for nothing. I looked up to Kyoya, who was a couple of inches taller than me.
"I'm sorry. You're right." I lowered my eyes.
"Haruhi, take her to get her makeup fixed, please," Kyoya ordered. Haruhi nodded. "A, I'll be waiting in the limo for you. Take your time."
And with that, Kyoya walked out of the room.
-
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Haruhi had helped cover my left cheek with enough blush and foundation that even a model could be jealous, but we had both checked over the work and decided that my bruise would heal in a matter of days and that our makeup skills could rival an SFX Artist if required.
"Are you sure about this?" Haruhi asked.
"About what?"
"Hiding your wounds?"
"Haruhi. If my father ever found out I was hurt because of Kyoya and Tamaki; I would never see my best friends again. Ever."
She laughed but quickly determined that I was in no mood to joke. Especially about my complicated relationship with my father. Or my boys. "That seems a little dramatic." She swallowed thickly, snapping the container of makeup closed.
"I am serious." I insisted, picking up the travel makeup bag, "After what has happened to the three of us... We are all we have left."
"Oh come on. It's obvious that Kyoya-Senpai has feelings for you."
"Maybe as obvious as you dressing as a boy," I laughed, "I'm sorry I misgendered you."
"I don't care either way," Haruhi shrugged, "But thank you for accepting me."
"Of course." I clasped her hands, "Kyoya trusts you, so I will too."
"See? Kyoya-Senpai again." She smiled.
"It's his job. If he wasn't instructed to be nice to me, he wouldn't. Kyoya only does things for gain." I shook my head. "Besides. Even if we did like each other... My father picks my suitor. I don't have a say on who I marry. Or even date, for that matter."
"Whoa. Rich people have it tough."
"What about Tamaki and you? Huh?" I wiggled my eyebrows, attempting to change the subject.
"Not you too, Senpai!" Haruhi groaned. We both chuckled. "Speaking of Senpai, you said something about your past..."
"Haruhi, if you have a question. Ask it. I'm a very busy person, ya know." I jokingly nudged her arm.
"Right." Haruhi sighed, "You said... That you were from France. That you came with Tamaki-Senpai."
"That's true, to a point... I followed a few years after Tamaki, and we spent a lot of time together after of few months of adjusting to Japan and our new lifestyles," I nodded, "Tamaki and I have been together since birth - Quite literally. Our Mothers were best friends."
"Wow! Really? I've haven't heard a lot about Tamaki's family... And now that I think about it, I haven't heard about Kyoya-Senpai's family or yours, either." She glumly - and bluntly, said out loud.
"It's a long kind of story. But... I guess you can say that Tamaki and I both came from France. I came to live with the correct side of my family." I explained, "Although it is not my place to tell you Tamaki's story. He should tell it to you."
Correct side? Hah. If there was a correct side; I'm not on it. I thought to myself.
"The correct side?" Haruhi raised an eyebrow.
"Ya." I managed, throwing a shrug in. "My father... Loves me. The Kage Family wanted me more." I formed my words carefully. She doesn't need to know about my past. I barely knew this girl; Why would tell her about my past? As much as Kyoya trusted her, I wasn't ready to tell her everything. Maybe no one would ever know outside the three in Japan who did. Having Tamaki know was bad enough. But that's different. I trust him.
Haruhi nodded to me, as if accepting my answer, and did not press the topic anymore. I guess she was being honest - She didn't want to pry in my life. She was just making conversation, she was just interested in me, not the Kage Group.
I handed my makeup bag to Haruhi, "I want you to keep it. You never know when you'll need to look beautiful." She hesitantly smiled but accepted the gift. I nodded to her in thanks, and we walked out the door to meet Kyoya.
"I'll see you guys tomorrow. Kyoya-Senpai. Antoinette-Senpai." Haruhi bowed when I made it to the limo, stepping into the open door that Kyoya had opened for me. I nodded to Haruhi one last time, as my window automatically drew itself up.
I stared from the tinted windows, wondering what she could gain from being my friend.
Money. Yes, that's one thing. But Haruhi doesn't seem that interested in money.
Fame. She's more of a background kind of person, anyway.
What else? Discounts? Maybe. She is a commoner, after all. I'd have to get her some coupons.
I stared from the limo, as we pulled away.
"Kyoya," I called, breaking the silence that had filled the car. I couldn't tell if he was mad at me, or simply not talking because he didn't feel like it.
"Yes?"
"Haruhi Fujioka. What's she like?"
"She's a commoner. Her family included her father and a deceased mother." Kyoya rhymed off as if he was waiting to be asked about Haruhi.
I blinked, "Is she really trustworthy?"
"Yes. Not holding-my-books worthy, but, keeping-secrets-to-herself worthy. That, and she really has no friends outside of the host club. Who would she tell it too?"
"Tell it or sell it." I offered. That was the media's perspective of our lives these days.
"I suppose. But then again..." Kyoya shrugged as I waited patiently for a continuation, "You aren't thinking of your family; You're scared that she might betray your trust. Just like-"
"That's not true." I cut him off. "He was a mistake I'd like to forget."
"If you insist." Kyoya rolled his eyes, pushing up his facades, as he wrote feverishly in his black notebook.
"Kyoya," I started. I looked to him, then out my door's window.
"What is it now?"
"Well... Is it possible... For you... To...." I trailed.
"To..."
"To... help me with the budget for my party? Three days left and lots of preparation." I chuckled. I felt like an idiot. How could I ask Kyoya if he liked, no, loved me? It was stupid. I was only setting myself up for disappointment.
"Of course." Kyoya nodded. "Ah, driver? Head to the Kage Main Household." He ordered.
-
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"Welcome home." The maid smiled at me, as the grand doors opened to my household.
The entryway was blocked with a white marble exterior that fell into the blocks on the floor, merging with the black marble tiles of the main floor.
With a closed meeting room to the left and open doored seating room to the right. The stairs opened to the second floor, as luxurious as the exterior of the house. As to be expected, as my father had a team of top architects work together to create the elaborate cathedral-rivalling main household. If I hadn't grown up here, I'd gawk at the ceilings, truly artpeices I was surprised my father allowed in the first place.
The floating staircase was equal in beauty, but I was always afraid that someone had polished them too well, and I'd slip. If that's my biggest worry, I should not complain.
"You're father is in a meeting right now. He will be stopping for dinner, then resuming afterwards." Someone had said in my daze.
"Thank you." I nodded, snapping back to reality. "The decor?"
"Arrived an hour ago, Mistress." She answered, "They're in the backyard, until further notice." I opened my mouth to ask another question, but she was quick to rhyme off, "But don't worry, we have security around, and we have the live music stage set up."
"The musicians?"
"In good health. They have two rehearsals scheduled before the night of."
"The lighting?"
"That is being tested as we speak."
"I see. Designers?" I listed off a few other questions and received the full report. Kyoya seemed impressed that I had everyone and everything on schedule and organized. I could feel his eyes linger down my back, and I had started to feel self-conscious.
He took a step forward, grazing my shoulder with his arm as he went. He mumbled an apology as I listened to the maid, but my thoughts had drifted away. My arm was on fire like he had ignited something in me. I felt his eyes again, as if he was trailing his own hands down my spine until he-
"... And your dress arrived just a few hours ago."
"My dress?" I questioned, snapping out of my daydream, "I never ordered a dress. Not yet, anyway. I was going to have the Hitachiin Family for one. Seeing as their family is best known for their designs."
"I'm sorry Miss. But the company has arrived with your dress. Claiming that you asked already for help with it." I raised an eyebrow. "They're in your room, Milady." I exchanged looks with Kyoya, before thanking the maid. We made our way up the stairs, and down the hall to my room.
I sighed, opening it door, shaking my head, "Kaoru and Hika-" I predicted, but I stopped, "Tamaki!" I gasped, as he held up a dress bag for me.
"My Princess requested that we attend the ball in a few days... I," Kyoya cleared his throat before Tamaki continued, "We thought a gift might be in order."
"You two bought me a dress?" I clapped, looking to Kyoya in disbelief.
"This idiot spent the Host Club money on it." Kyoya frowned, "But we will manage, after all with the money we made from the picture book you suggested, so we've doubled our usual income."
"That's more believable." I nodded, "More in character." I ran over and Hugged Tamaki. "This dress-"
"IT'S BEAUTIFUL, GO TRY IT ON!" Tamaki insisted, shoving the dress to my chest and pushing me behind the room divider to change.
"You two are too good for me." I tsked, peeling off the banana coloured uniform.
"We know." I stuck out my tongue at his comment. I took the dress and pulled it on. "I can't get the zipper, will someone-"
"Sit down, idiot." I heard Kyoya say. There was a thud, followed by footsteps. "May I?"
I took a step out, nodding to Kyoya. I turned my back to him, and pulled my hair up, so that I would not get caught in the zipper.
Kyoya leaned forward, gently grabbing the zipper and pulling it to the top of the dress. I felt my face burn red, as his body was inches from my own. His calm breath practically breathing down my neck. He took an antagonizing long time and had Tamaki not been in the room, it could have been too much for me to tolerate.
Although Kyoya had done up my shoes and zippers of coats when we were little, until I learned how to do them myself, I had never felt... This way before. It wasn't uncomfortable. But at the same time... it was. It made me shift on feet, finding the carpet extremely interesting rather than meeting his gaze again.
When he was done, I took a step forwards and smiled, spinning on my heels. "So?" I asked, "Look. I know I'm always stunning, but how do I look?"
"You look stunning." Kyoya looked away. Tamaki was in awe. I shook my head with a chuckle, before looking to myself. I pulled my red hair from my face. I smiled, twirling.
"Do you like it?" Tamaki asked.
"Like it? I love it!" I smiled, taking Kyoya and Tamaki into a group hug, losing them in the ways of flowing fabric. "Thank you."
That night, I dreamt of the day I would wear that dress.
How I would look. What I would feel. Sharing a dance with Kyoya... We would find a way to sneak out of sight for a few moments afterwards, and I could tell him. Perhaps... just maybe... I would tell him about my secret.