Italic words are either thoughts, flashbacks or spoken in Spanish
"You'll have to excuse me for my earlier blunder," Picking up the cup of tea that Agustin had brought into the meeting room, Elena smiled sweetly at the hosts that all gathered around the table. "You see, Miki, as you know her, her birth name is Mira Luz Fernández. However, if Miki is the name she prefers to be called, I'll do my best to change this habit."
"You said you've been watching Miki-senpai before she was sent away..." Hikaru muttered.
"...why is that?" Kaoru asked.
"What do you mean why?" Elena blinked as she took a small sip of her herbal tea. "I'm her aunt, and I care for her, it's that simple." She smiled.
"Then why would you want to send her off to be married?" Hikaru accused. "That's just cruel!"
"Hikaru!" Haruhi hushed, trying to ease her friend who was clearly riled up.
Hearing the boy's accusation, Elena's eyes turned solemn. "I never wanted to." She confessed quietly as she stared into her orange drink. "I never agreed to this plan to establish our financial stability." She spoke a little louder this time as she placed her cup down. "When Mir-Miki was born, my sister, Elisa, under the orders of my parents, was never once allowed to touch or even see her. " Letting out a sigh, she leaned back as her hazel eyes darted up to the ceiling. "And Miki, she cried very often, to the point where even the maids couldn't handle her tantrums. Of course, she would be distressed though; a newborn needed a mother's love more than anything after all." Eyes turning soft, Elena continued. "The child hasn't done anything wrong, yet she had to repent for the mistakes her parents have committed. So in place of, I visited her occasionally, to at least provide some family warmth." Realizing something, her eyes lit up for a moment before darting her eyes up. "Please do not think ill of Elisa," She desperately corrected. "She's had a... rough time. Being the elder one, she was forced into an arranged marriage with Yuzuru-san." Letting out a sigh, she looked down once again as she recalled the day Elisa got married. "They were joined together only due to political reasons, lacking in chemistry and passion. It was an unfaithful relationship, Elisa had a string of lovers while Yuzuru-san had his own. However, both sides of the family pressured for an heir. The Suoh family wanted to ensure the survival of their name and bloodline while my parents... well..." Elena averted her eyes as she pressed a hand against her chest. "They... They wanted an heir in order to trap the Suohs' into a union with us for years to come." She admitted sorrowfully with furrowed brows. Letting out another sigh, she leaned back in her chair. "Though in the end, they couldn't even use Miki to fulfill that purpose due to the divorce and being born later than the mistress's son. This lead to her being branded as a complete failure by my father and sent away to Japan."
Tamaki's eyes widened.
"A month ago, our house went bankrupt due to the crash in the international trade market." Closing her darkened eyes, the woman's shoulders slumped, and her voice took a serious turn. "My father and mother worried for days and nights on what to do..."
The host club listened intently as the woman continued to speak. "I protested, of course." Elena mustered a dry laugh. "After the way we have treated her, it would be inappropriate for us to send her off into an arranged marriage for our family's benefit. However..." Biting her bottom lip, Elena's brows knitted together. "My parents arranged her off to the House of Santiago without warning my sister or I, and dragged her here two days before the wedding."
"Elena-san..." Tamaki muttered, vision hazing as his mother flashed across his mind.
"You are Tamaki, correct?" Elena smiled at the blond who nodded immediately. "I was the one who added Yuzuru-san to the guest list. I never expected Arden to add the rest of you all onto the list as well though." She revealed, giggling into her hands. "That boy really was the best companion for Miki, huh?"
"Of course," Agustin lifted his glasses. "He's the successor I've chosen."
"So why were you looking for her, Elena-san?" Haruhi asked, watching as the woman turn around curiously. "Well, you came in here looking for Miki-senpai, right? Did you want to speak with her?"
"Ah, yes. I suppose I should also extend this message to you all as well," Recomposing her body, Elena cleared her throat. "Please hold out for these two days; I'll try and work something out with my parents. And once she has been freed from this arranged marriage, please take her and go back to Japan." She requested.
"Elena-san, you do understand what that means for you, correct?" Narrowing his eyes, Kyoya crossed his arms. "Your family is already facing bankruptcy; this union has the potential to save your family wealth and fortune. If you do not take this opportunity, you could end up having to go into hiding."
"Kyoya-senpai, what are you saying?" Hikaru whipped his head around in disbelief.
"Are you suggesting that Miki-senpai should accept this arrange marriage?" Kaoru added on.
Brushing off the twins accusation, Kyoya kept his gaze focused on Elena. "I'm merely pointing out the truth," He stated indifferently.
"As I have said, the children have done nothing wrong." Elena's eyes flickered down to the tea. "It's not fair for a child to repent for their parent's mistake. I don't mind if I must go into hiding, it wouldn't be correct."
"Elena-san," Tamaki offered flashed a soft smile at the woman. "We will wait here and watch her from afar, however, I have already told Miki. This is her choice, and what happens from here on out will be decided by her. And no matter what happens, I will support her."
Hearing his response, Elena's eyes widened before crinkling with relief. "I see..." She glanced down and studied her reflection in the tea. "You must have been a good brother; I'm sure she was more than apperciative to have you with her." Her voice trailed off as the doors to the meeting room opened slowly, cutting their conversation short.
"Excuse me," Blinking, Miki poked her head in curiously. "Arden told me you all were still in here..." She fell silent as she observed the room, spotting another woman who looked just like the one in her memories. Her eyes rounded as her arms fell limp by her side. Who was this woman?
"Miki!" Elena exclaimed as she rushed forth to envelop her in a hug, tears of joy from seeing the girl brimmed her eyes. "Miki, it's so great to see you again."
"Um... I apologize." Staring awkwardly at the stranger who was embracing her, Miki cocked her head. "But who are you?" She asked bluntly.
"Huh? You don't recognize me?" Pulling away, Elena gasped before letting out a small sigh. "Well, I suppose it's been so long..."
"This is your aunt, Miki." Crossing his arms, Kyoya stepped forward to explain the situation. "She is most likely the woman who in your memories, patted your head when you were ill." He informed her.
Hearing this, Miki's eye line snapped to Elena who blinked quizzically. Staying still, she shivered slightly as the woman approached her with an extended hand. Her warm touch brushing against her cheek that were chilled by the air conditioning in the previous meeting room. "You are sixteen now, right? You've grown into such a beautiful young lady." She whispered in adoration as the light caught the tears in the corner of her eyes.
A bright beam spread across Miki's face as she placed a hand over Elena's. "Nice to meet you," Tilting her head in the direction she let out a soft sigh. Her gentle touch, her loving eyes... they were warm and safe. Much like the one she remembered. "Aunt Elena." She twinkled.
"It's nice to meet you too," Elena replied.
Their moment, however, didn't last long as the twins began to sneeze into the handkerchieves that appeared out of nowhere. "Such a touching reunion!" They sobbed dramatically.
Haruhi sweatdropped before approaching the strawberry blonde who chuckled at the twins' display. "How did that meeting go, senpai?" She peered up.
"Oh, it went great." Lips curling, she beamed. "I finally got to meet my mother and my grandparents; it was super exciting!"
Haruhi flinched as she stared at Miki's expression.
"And what were the results of the meeting?" Lifting his glasses, Kyoya pursued.
Miki froze at his question. She felt a slight sense of heat creep upon her cheeks; her heart rate spiked as she averted her eyes from Kyoya's gaze. Faintly, she could feel her chest tighten in wrenching pain.
"Well?" Her thought process was quickly disturbed by the boy as he narrowed his eyes at her. "We're waiting." He tilted his head back.
Swallowing hard, Miki tilted her head as her cheeks shimmered. "I accepted the marriage arrangement." She announced in an overly cheerful manner. "The wedding will be on Sunday, though because-."
"WHAT?!" Everyone, par Kyoya and Mori, let out a screech in disbelief.
"Why, Miki-chan?" Honey was the first to ask. "Didn't you say you didn't want to accept the engagement?"
"You've got to be kidding!" Hikaru immediately spat, grabbing Miki by the shoulders. "Did they threaten you? Why would you accept something like that?"
"Hikaru, calm down!" Kaoru eased his brother, though his own hands were trembling.
Haruhi approached her friend, trying to read her expression, only to find nothing but a smile. "Miki-senpai, what happened?" She asked gingerly.
Tilting her head, Miki beamed. "Don't worry," Her voice was as airheaded and optimistic as always. As clear as a bell, she spoke. "They didn't threaten me; I simply accepted their engagement. Would you all support me?" She requested.
The host club and Elena fell silent at her words. She didn't look scared, or under pressure and it didn't seem like she was lying either. Tamaki approached her. And with his eyes hidden under the shadow of his bangs, he asked sternly. "Is this what you want?"
With a sound 'mhm,' Miki nodded.
"I see, then I will support you."
"Miguel Juan Santiago, First Son of the Santiago House, who works alongside the Fernández house in the international trade department. He is currently a third-year at Complutense University of Madrid, studying to take over as the next Duke." Closing his notebook, Kyoya finished up his analysis as he glanced over at the hosts. "So, what are you doing?"
Despite being at the dinner table and presented with an assortment of food, Tamaki kept his focus behind, narrowing his ocean eyes at the newly engaged couple who sat across the hotel restaurant. Haruhi, on the other hand, was gorging on the delicious gourmet food with sparkling eyes.
"Even after he said all of that, he is still so worried about Miki-senpai." Hikaru shrugged, taking a bit of the beef.
"Though he really looks like he's about to snap," Kaoru added nonchalantly.
Sure enough, the blond looked like he was on the verge of crumbling the extravagant dinner chair he sat on by his clenching hands alone. He gritted his teeth, almost clawing at his the backboard of his chair with a mixture of anger, worry and sadness.
"Tama-chan..." Honey furrowed his brows.
Across the luxury restaurant, Miki sat next to Miguel, the man she was set to marry in a mere two days. He had bleached blonde hair slicked back, as well as dark brown eyes. She dug her fork into the piece of beef and brought it to her lips in a daze, absently staring at the host club's table out of the corner of her eye, only to drop it back onto the plate due to her lack of focus. She blinked at the piece of meat that splatted back, scattering juice everywhere.
"Are you alright? You seem to be staring at those people over there." Miguel noticed the clumsiness and asked her in a hushed voice as to not alert their families who sat with them at a rounded table. His Japanese wasn't perfect, and he spoke with a bit of an accent, but it was understandable enough. "Do you know them?"
"Huh? Oh, I'm fine." Shooting a soft smile at the young man, Miki waved a hand. "Just a little tired from everything."
Miguel's eyes widened, a little taken aback by that sparkling expression of hers. "I suppose it's quite a bit to take in," He chuckled, eating a piece of his food. "Meeting your fiancee for the first time, it's a bit nerve-wracking, isn't it?"
Fiancee...
"Yeah, it was." Giggling, Miki picked up the food again. "Miguel-san, what about you? Were you anxious when you first met me?" She questioned curiously as she stuffed the piece into her mouth.
Miguel's brown eyes wandered off as he hummed. "Well, I was quite shocked if I am being frank." He muttered.
"Why is that?" Tilting her head, Miki pursued curiously with her fork still lingering in her mouth.
Smirking, Miguel lifted his free hand and pressed it against Miki's cheek. With his thumb, he gently glazed away a bit of juice from the steak. "I was taken off guard by how beautiful you were, Mira." He whispered.
Miki felt her body stiffen under the touch. It didn't set off red alarms like before when other men touched her, but it just felt... cold. She remembered a different touch, and her body was subconsciously reacting to it as her limbs stiffened. She peered up blankly at Miguel's gentle expression as he continued to speak. "I know these circumstances are not ideal for us to meet," He murmured. "But let us make the best of the situation."
"Best of the situation?" Miki repeated his words with a puzzled voice.
"Meaning, let's get along, shall we?" Slightly perplexed yet intrigued by her clueless nature, Miguel clarified as he removed his hand.
After half a beat, Miki broke into a bright smile. "Alright." She complied.
"Aghh, she's flashing that sweet smile of hers again..." Hikaru reported under his breath. "Look at that, that Miguel guy is totally falling for her."
"Why does she have to be so cheerful all the time?" Kaoru complained, glancing over this shoulder. "Milord, are you sure we aren't going to do anything..?" His voice trailed off, seeing the blond scowl like a puppy seeing its owner getting along with another.
"It's fine..." He mumbled, though his hands that trembled as he clenched onto the chair begged to differ. The gloomy aura around him seemed to have sprouted mushrooms on the back of his head. "I promised her that I would support her decision all the way, as long as that's what she wants."
"Saying that doesn't really help prove your case, senpai," Haruhi commented at the dramatic tears in the blonde's eyes as she turned to look at Miki, who was getting up from her seat. She then noticed Elisa avert her eyes towards her and the host club, gazing at them for a moment as Miki exchanged a few words with her grandparents and Miguel's parents. She felt a shiver run down her spine. The brunette still couldn't believe that unfeeling woman was Miki's mother, they looked so... different. Even throughout the dinner, she noticed the mother and daughter rarely interacted. She couldn't help but remember her own mother, and how she was. The way she'd smile and say she'd do her best, the way she'd look when she was tackling a problematic case, it all brought a sense of warmth to her heart. Yet...
Elisa, under the orders of my parents, was never once allowed to even touch or see her.
No matter what, how can a mother do that to her own daughter? Haruhi wondered with her brows knitted slightly. However, her train of thought was quickly broken when Kyoya, who sat across from her, stood up from his seat.
"Kyo-chan?" Honey blinked, watching as he tucked his hands into his pockets.
"I'm heading back to my room." Stating simply, he turned and headed towards the exit of the restaurant.
"Ah..." Groaning, Hikaru sunk into his chair with his hands behind his head. "So I guess this is affecting Kyoya-senpai, after all."
"Huh?"
"Of course it will," Kaoru sighed as he rested an elbow on the table. "Not just Kyoya-senpai, milord will be affected as well." He hushed, casting a side glance at Tamaki who watched Miki speaking intently.
"Both Tama-chan and Kyo-chan care so much about Miki-chan, She is precious to both of them in different ways," Honey stated with a wry smile as he stared down at his food. "I'm just worried about what we'll do if she actually leaves."
"Yeah." Mori nodded.
Honey's caramel eyes darted up at Mori's notion, observing the silent giant. He blinked a few times before calling out to him. "What about you, Takashi?" He questioned with an inconspicuous beam. "How do you feel about this?"
Mori peered down at his cousin, unmoving.
"Nothing." He averted his eyes back to Miki's compliant smile.
Miki walked down eerily darkened empty halls in a carefree manner. Her hazel eyes were constantly flickering to the woman named Selene, who was her mother's attendant, walked by her side. She had excused herself from the dinner table to get some sleep in, when her grandparents suggested for Selene to take her back to her room, despite Arden's protests. "Selene-san," She called out, earning a silent glance in reply. "You are my mother's attendant, right?"
"Yes," Selene replied simply.
"You are both so quiet," Tilting her head to the side, Miki commented. "Even though she is my mother, she hasn't said a single word to me this entire time." She gave a wistful smile.
"I see."
Figuring she must not be the type to make conversation, Miki pressed her lips into a line as she began to brainstorm topic ideas to speak with the woman about when...
"Aunt Selene." Arden's voice rang behind them as the two turned around, finding him standing at the entrance of the restaurant. "May we speak for a moment?" Tilting his head, he questioned.
"Very well." Nodding hesitantly, Selene bowed to Miki. "If you will excuse me, Lady Mira. I will return shortly. Please do not move from this spot."
"Sure." Miki nodded obediently. She watched with a slight beam as Selene floated gracefully over to Arden, disappearing into the light of the restaurant and leaving her alone.
Leaning her back against the walls of the corridor, Miki let out a small sigh as her eyes stayed fixed on the moonlight that inked into the ground. She tilted her head, studying the designs on the carpeted ground with the dim light when she heard a familiar voice speak.
"So this is what he meant," Darting her eyes up, she gasped in joy when she saw Kyoya approaching her from the direction of the restaurant. He watched her with a stern expression, and his hands shoved into his shirt pockets casually.
"Kyoya-kun," Miki whispered in a hushed voice. "What are you doing here?" Despite the confusion in her voice, there was a delighted smile plastered onto her cheeks. She felt a rock land it's ground in her chest as a wave of relief washed over her.
"I was going back to my room when Arden pulled me aside and told me to wait," Shrugging, that naturally smug smirk curled on his lips when he saw her sparkling eyes. It was a welcomed sight. "I'm guessing this was what he meant by, creating opportunities."
Miki's eyes darted towards the light in the restaurant. They couldn't be seen being friendly in there; it is only cloaked in the darkness could they speak like this. She felt her chest tighten a little before breaking into a beam. "Arden must agree with me too then," She giggled.
"Hm?" Kyoya shot her a weird look.
Tilting her head with a closed-eye twinkle, Miki hid her hands behind her back. "Kyoya-kun, you really are a nice person." She stated with her usual radiant smile.
"What a simple-minded woman." Seeing such a cheerful look on her, Kyoya couldn't help but let out a sigh. "You are engaged to someone," He reminded. "You shouldn't be saying that about other men."
"Huh? Why not?" Eyes rounding, Miki pouted. "I can say what I want about people, no matter what marital status I have." She reasoned.
"You clearly don't deserve that title 'Aphrodite.'" Eyebrow twitching at her response, Kyoya grumbled. He reached a hand forward, about to ruffle her hair only to pause for a few moments. For the first time, Miki noticed the tension that loomed between them. She watched as he retracted his hand, spinning on his heel and turned to walk away.
"Kyoya-kun, where are you going?" Cocking her head to the side, Miki questioned.
"Back to my room, it'd be bad if that maid came back and saw us interacting, wouldn't it?" He replied indifferently before stopping in his tracks for a moment. "Miki," He called out to her. "What's your room number?" He asked, glancing over his shoulders.
Tapping her chin, her lips formed a line as she tried to remember. "I think it was on the top floor, 3512 I believe." She informed him, raising an all-knowing finger.
"I see, good night." And with that, he was off.
Miki stared at the direction where Kyoya disappeared, replaying their brief rendezvous in her mind. A hand gently pressed against her cheek where Miguel had touched earlier that evening as she remembered Kyoya's reluctance as he was about to thread a hand through her hair as he usually did. She felt her heart rate begin to pick up. She furrowed her brows as she allowed her own finger to mimic his usual actions. She couldn't understand why, but...
She felt disappointed.
Once Selene returned with her unchanging face, Miki was brought to her room immediately. Selene opened the door with the keycard and pushed down on the handle. "Your stuff has already been brought over by us." The maid explained as Miki stepped in, in slight awe at her first time being in a hotel room. Her eyes twinkled in amazement, and her mouth gaped open. As Selene had said, all her stuff, dresses, sketch references, books, DVDs from the Second Suoh Estate had been transferred over to this hotel room.
"Someone will be by early to take you to meet your wedding guests, so please head to bed early. Good Night, Lady Mira." Then with that, the door slammed closed, startling Miki who snapped her head around. The wonder in her eyes turned to panic as she heard the sound of a mechanic locking on the doors. She gasped.
"Selene?" Hurrying back the entrance of the room, Miki attempted to twist the doorknob, with no avail. She sucked in a harsh breath and tried again. "Selene?" She knocked on the door lightly as the hair on her back stood up. "Selene, are you there? The door locked for some reason."
No answer.
"Selene" As the realization set into, Miki felt a strange feeling began to crawl on her skin. Her hands began to tremble lightly as they were brought to her lips, a wave of panic crashing over her.
She was locked in.
Her pulse rate began to increase as all she could hear was how loud her heart was pounding in her chest. She was trapped, locked in, unable to escape. Grabbing onto her wrist, she bent her body forward as her eyes widened. Never had she felt so afraid in her life. Sweat began to gather at her forehead from the panic she felt internally. I need to escape. She thought. I don't want to stay trapped here; it's scary — someone help.
It's a hex. It's specially designed to countering the fear of being trapped.
Remembering Reiko'a talisman, her eyes darting around desperately, she hurried to find her school bag, the last place she left the charm in. Spotting it, lying near the desk in the room, she scrambled to grab it with shaking hands as her knees gave out and she collapsed to the ground. Throwing her notebooks and tablet to the ground as she fished out the carefully folded aged paper to her chest. Holding it close to her chest with two hands, she prayed.
Talisman, help me...
As she whispered for help while holding the hex, the room phone suddenly began to ring, startling Miki. She gasped and whipped her head in the direction of the sound, staring at it as the ringing filled the room. Her heavy breathing was calming down momentarily. Clutching the talisman with one hand, she crawled over to the phone and picked it up.
"Hello?" She answered, her lips still quaking.
"Good evening." Kyoya's voice poured in through the speaker as the knot in her heart loosened.
Letting out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding, Miki felt her shoulders slump. "Kyoya...kun?" She muttered.
There was a slight pause on his end before he spoke again. "Is everything alright? You sound like you are under distress." He pointed out.
"Well..." Miki's voice trailed off as it wandered to the firmly shut door in her room.
"If everything is alright," Sitting on the bed of his hotel room, Kyoya smirked smugly as he glanced out the night skyline of Madrid. "Should I hang up?"
"No!" Quickly snapping, Miki pled, taking Kyoya by surprise. "Please don't go!" She cried, turning away from the firmly shut door as to not remind herself of the current predicament she was in.
There was another pause, then Kyoya let out a small sigh. "Do you have cleithrophobia?" He questioned with a brow raise.
"Cleaveland-Phobia?" Miki repeated, tilting her head. "What is that?" She blinked curiously.
Feeling his eye twitch, Kyoya repositioned the room phone on his ear as he leaned back on his bed. How could this girl not know the phrase for her own phobia? "Not 'Cleaveland-Phobia,' cleithrophobia." He corrected her. "It's when you have a fear of being trapped."
"Oh," Tapping her chin and thinking about it, Miki giggled. "Then I guess I do have Cleaveland-Phobia." She stated with a smile returning to her lips. "It's a little strange, isn't it? Having a fear of being trapped after being trapped for so long." Her heart was feeling much lighter now that someone was figuratively by her side, she felt as if she could finally breathe.
"Cleithrophobia." Kyoya reminded with a sigh in irritation as he averted his eyes. Though he wouldn't be surprised if she had the phobia, it would most likely be classified as a post-traumatic side effect.
"Say Kyoya-kun," Completely ignoring his corrections, Miki laid down on her bed with a hum. "How do you like Madrid so far?" She chirped curiously. "Have you been to any of the beaches yet?"
Standing up from his bed, Kyoya moved to the sizeable body-length window that stared out into the glowing city. "Madrid doesn't have any beaches, Miki." He told her.
"Ehh?!" Covering her lips with her fingers, Miki let out a shriek as she jolted up from the bed.
"You were born in this city." He pointed out flatly.
"But I've never been outside before." Miki justified as her mouth remained gaped. "There are no beaches here?" She repeated, still in shock.
"If you want to go to a beach, go to Barcelona." Shrugging, Kyoya sat down at his chair that looked out into the city. "They have quite a few there."
"I hope I could in the near future." Miki giggled as she sighed dreamily. "I had so much fun last time at the beach in Okinawa; I would love to go to another one!"
Kyoya didn't reply. Instead, he leaned an arm on the armrest of his velvet chair, watching as the cars drove by on the streets beneath them. "Miki," His voice turned to his usual serious one.
"Hm?"
"Why did you accept engagement?" He asked, eyes flickering down to the people bustling by on the streets. They were so small, so little, like ants crawling below.
"Well..." Miki hummed as she rolled onto her side, placing the talisman onto her bedside table for safekeeping. "I took your advice and considered things from a point that would benefit me." She explained as she stared at her fluffy strawberry blonde hair that scattered all over the white sheets of the bed, smoothing it out with her free hand as the hotel phone was clipped between her ear and the mattress. "Grandmother explained that if I were to accept this engagement, I would live my life under a new alias. I'd be known as Mira Luz Fernández Santiago, and I'd be able to go anywhere, anytime." She informed him. "Of course, I feel bad for using Miguel-san like this. But it's what I've always dreamed of." Swallowing the lump that formed in her throat, Miki mustered a soft smile. "My freedom." As she continued to thread her fingers through her locks, she noticed her hands were trembling.
Why are they shaking? Her brows knitted together.
"I see," Hearing her answer, Kyoya's eyes flickered up towards the velvety night sky, littered with little stars. "Mira Luz Fernández, huh...?" He muttered. After learning of that name from Elena, the second-year immediately took to the Ootori Database to search for a record of her. As expected, none came up. The Fernández family really did a number to make sure she remained hidden, though it probably wasn't difficult. Having ties to the Spanish Royal Family was definitely an advantage one couldn't scoff at.
"Yes, that's supposedly my birth name and the alias I'm under right now." Flipping onto her stomach, Miki giggled as she brushed away the tension in her chest. "What about you, Kyoya-kun?" Her voice turned bubbly as she kicked her legs like a child reading a book. "Is Ootori Kyoya your full name?" She asked curiously.
As the night continued and the two respectively got ready for bed, the conversation between them ensued. Though admittedly it was more Miki asking dumb questions or sprouting strange things while Kyoya either debunked or confirmed them, more former than the latter.
Letting out a small yawn, Miki curled up in her blanket as she leaned against the phone next to her ear. "Kyoya-kun, what are you doing right now?" She rubbed her eyes, feeling them grow heavier and heavier due to the darkness of the room. Though with the faint sound of a keyboard typing on the other end of the phone, she felt somewhat relaxed.
"Some club budgeting for the new month," He replied indifferently, setting the phone down next to his laptop.
"Your panda eyes are going to get worse, you know?" Miki commented playfully.
"The School Festival is this month, and once you leave the budget will be tight again." He shrugged.
Miki's eyes widened slightly as the hazy realization sunk in. Once she marries Miguel, she would remain Spain while the Host Club returns to Japan. She'd be separated from her father, the host club, Tamaki, Kyoya and all her friends she made at Ouran Academy. Her chest tightened again at the thought of that until the sound of keyboard tapping tuned into her mind, drawing her anxiety away.
"You're such a nice person, Kyoya-kun..." Rubbing her eyes, Miki let out a sigh as her eyelids began to weigh down.
Raising an eyebrow, the boy peered at the phone. "Where is this coming from?" He questioned as his fingers continued to type away, unintentionally lulling Miki further into her drowsy state.
"Because..." Taking a deep breath, Miki snuggled further into her pillow. "You got my room number, just to call me and make sure I was alright." She chuckled tiredly as her eyes fluttered closed. "It makes me a bit sad, knowing... I may not see you guys again... I wish... even after this... I can stay in contact... with youall..." She managed. "Not as Mira... but as... Miki..."
Kyoya's typing stopped once he heard that. He was about to respond only to notice the soft, rhythmic breathing coming from the speaker. Did she seriously fall asleep in the middle of talking? His eyebrow twitched irritably at that thought, only to relax when he remembered what she said before dozing off.
With a small, wry smile, he picked up the phone and stared at the dial pad. Opening he mouth, he spoke softly into the speaker.
"Good Night... Miki."
Then, he hung up.
Saturday afternoon, Miki was extremely busy as she accompanied Miguel as they welcomed guests to the wedding in one of the ballrooms of the hotel lobby. She wore a butter yellow ball gown with white flower designers and a silver headband in her hair. She smiled gracefully as she bowed her head at all the greetings and compliments she has received as the guests entered the hotel. Arden stood by her side, announcing the status and identity of each guest as they came. Supposedly, according to her grandparents, they were going to have a small-scale wedding as not to make a big deal of this union. However, Miki felt as if she had greeted more people than the host club did in a week.
"Gracias por asistir a nuestra boda. Thank you for attending our wedding." Giving her hand to the gentleman of the couple that came to greet her, Miki routinely expressed her gratitude.
"¡Por supuesto! Of course, we would!" The young man kissed her gloved hand.
"Such a pretty young lady, Miguel." The woman of the couple complimented. "You two would make a fabulous couple."
"Oh, stop. Mrs. Rodríguez," Miguel laughed. "You're embarrassing her."
"But it's true. She's a stunning bride. I bet she'll make a wonderful wife as well."
"Gracias señorita." Miki lowered her head in thanks as the couple walked away. Letting out a small sigh, her shoulders slumped in exhaustion.
"Holding up alright?" Miguel grinned as his eyes softened. "You are doing great right now." He reassured her.
"Yes, I'm fine. I'm just thinking about when I can change out of this ballgown into my chiffon dress." Bringing her fingers to her lips, Miki chuckled.
"Chiffon dresses?" Raising an eyebrow, Miguel laughed. "Don't girls usually want to change out of dresses to wear pants? Why would you want to wear another dress?"
"I like chiffon dresses." Miki reasoned, looking a little puzzled. "They are comfortable, easy to get into and don't restrict your movement." Lifting an all-knowing finger, she explained.
"I see," Humming, Miguel peered down at the strawberry blonde. "You are a strange girl; you know that?"
Across the ballroom, the host club watched the couple. They were dressed up in suits and ties while Haruhi wore a flowy pink dress as the twins claimed that 'no one would know her here.' Though the only thing it did so far, was it made Tamaki even more insufferable as he immediately began doting on how cute the dress looked on her.
"Miki-chan said that?" Honey's eyes were filled with worry as he clung to Mori's back.
Kyoya had just got done telling them about her confession last night, regarding why she accepted the engagement. He looked rather calm and collected as he leaned up against the walls of the ballroom. "Yes, she mentioned that her freedom has always been something she wanted."
"So in the end, she was threatened!" Hikaru was on the verge of snapping, looking like he was about to stomp over and punch the lights out of the Fernández family. "Milord, we have to do something!"
"Hikaru, stop." Tamaki, on the other hand, seemed quite calm as well. His hands were in his pockets while his eyes were hidden in the shadow of his bangs. "I already said, if it's what she wants. We as the host club will support her, every step of the way."
"Tama-chan, Kyo-chan, are you both alright with that?" Honey furrowed his brows as his lips pressed into a pout.
"Why wouldn't be we be?" Pushing up his glasses, Kyoya stood up straighter.
"It's our job to make the woman we meet happy, after all." Tamaki flashed a charming smile. Despite his words and calm facade, however, Haruhi noticed his arms that were stiffly shoved into his pant pockets were quaking ever so slightly.
"Senpai..." She muttered, wondering how the blond could be feeling.
"But Milord, we can't just let Miki-senpai follow them into this." Kaoru reasoned, rubbing his twin's back. "I don't think she'll be happy like this"
Haruhi's brown eyes flickered over to Miki as she observed her expression as she spoke to a new guest that entered the ballroom. Her eyes widened when she noticed who the freshly arrived man was. "Senpai!" She tapped Tamaki on the shoulder, eagerly pointing in that direction.
"Master Suoh Yuzuru, from the Suoh Cooperation in Japan," Arden announced without a hint of recognition in his voice.
"Ah, Suoh-san, it's a pleasure to see you again." Miguel offered a reserved smile as he shook hands with the man.
Yuzuru nodded in return, firmly grasping the young man's hand. "It's wonderful to see you too Miguel. When was the last time we met? When you were twelve?" He made small talk as he approached Miki who was beaming tenderly at him.
"I believe so sir." Miguel nodded curtly as he introduced Miki. "This is my bride-to-be, Mira. Mira, this is Suoh Yuzuru of the Suoh Cooperation."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Twinking brightly, Miki chirped as she curtsied. Peering up, she flashed him the most sincere of smiles she could offer.
"My goodness, aren't you adorable?" Dotingly, Yuzuru chuckled as he poked at Miki's cheek. Then, his eyes crinkled into a benevolent smile. "You look absolutely beautiful." Despite his compliment, the tone of his voice seemed a little dry.
"Thank you very much," Miki bowed her head deeply.
"Miguel, you found a good woman. Take good care of her." Patting the young man on the shoulder, Yuzuru excused himself as he paced in the direction of Tamaki and the rest of the host club.
Noticing that Miki hadn't raised her head yet, Miguel knelt. "Hey, are you alright?" He asked caringly. Lifting her face by the chin, he cupped her cheeks."I know Yuzuru-san can be a bit much to handle, but-"
"No, no, not at all." Snapping out of her daze, Miki shook her head as she backed away from his grip around her face. "Yuzuru-san seems like a very nice man." Tilting her head, she smiled.
"Father."
"Chairman."
"Oh, hello everyone." Grinning, Yuzuru greeted the host club as he raised a champagne class he pucked off a server's tray along the way. "Wonderful party, huh?"
"It's a surprise to see you here, Chairman," Kyoya commented. "Weren't you on a business trip around Europe?"
"Nothing wrong with stopping over in Spain for a wedding I was invited for." Shrugging with closed eyes, Yuzuru then addressed everyone else present. "So have you all decided on what to give as a wedding gift?" He asked.
Even the chairman doesn't look worried. Averting her eyes away, Haruhi stared down at the orange juice in her hands. "Oh, that's right." Snapping up, she asked. "What time is it right now?"
"Hm? It should be about 2:30 right now." Honey replied, sliding down from Mori's back. "Is something wrong Haru-chan?"
"I promised Dad I would call him before he heads to bed," Panicking, Haruhi shuffled towards the door. "Excuse me; I'll be right back."
"Have a safe trip," The twins waved, calling after her in unison.
"Yes Dad, I'll call you tomorrow." With a deadpan, Haruhi grumbled as her father went on about safety in a foreign country for the tenth time in thirty minutes. She stood on the bridge in the garden of the luxury hotel, still a little confused why a hotel needed a central garden. "Well then, I'm hanging up."
"Hold on Haruhi." Ranka's voice took to a more serious tone as he called out to his daughter. "Is it something that talking to your dad won't help?"
Hearing her father's words, Haruhi froze up for a moment before chuckling awkwardly. "What are you talking about, dad? Everything is fine."
Ranka fell silent on the other end. "Listen, Haruhi," He said after a moment. "There are certainly a lot of things in this world that you can't do anything about, try though you might. That is why you can't hesitate when it's time to stick things out." With a wise voice, he comforted his daughter. "Be safe; I love you."
Haruhi's eyes flickered down to the pond beneath the bridge, gazing at her reflection, thinking over her father's words. "Yeah, I love you too dad." Hanging up the phone, she watched the figure that stared back with reprimanding eyes. Her brows knitted closer together as she thought over everything. Sighing, she turned around and walked down the bridge as she headed for the exit, pausing when she saw a familiar figure standing among the yellow roses.
"Elisa-san?" She muttered under her breath, seeing the dirty blonde woman holding a watering can, standing over the yellow rose bushes with her emotionless face. Despite standing in the midst of beauty, her expression showed no appreciation for it. Her shoulder length dirty blonde hair was a lot less wavy than her daughter's, and her eyes were a darker shade. Her hands moved fluidly as it swept across the flowers, making sure every one of them received enough care. Noticing the brunette gawking, her dark hazel eyes flickered up to meet her brown ones. "Oh, I'm sorry." Realizing that she was caught staring, Haruhi made a swift bow. "I'll leave now." She spun on her heel, about to leave when she heard the woman speak.
"Leave my daughter alone," Elisa spoke without a tone.
"Huh?" Haruhi slowly turned her head, wide-eyed.
This was the first time she heard the woman speak. Her voice was similar to Miki's; there was no question that she was her mother. It was as clear as a bell and as fluid as the wind, yet unlike her daughter, her voice didn't hold any hint of any joy or enthusiasm.
"She will be living in Spain with Miguel from now on, and she will be happy with time." Holding the watering can straight, Elise didn't bat an eye at the brunette. "Continuously spending time with her will only result in more heartbreak once you leave."
"Why do you say that?" Turning her body to face the woman fully, Haruhi retorted. She watched as the woman floated through the roses elegantly as if she were a ghost.
Reaching down, Elisa's fingers swept across the yellow roses as her thumb brushed away the water droplets her watering can have left. "I am her mother." She replied, standing up straight, alloing a shoulder to brush past Haruhi's. "It's as simple as that."
Hearing the woman say that, Haruhi's eyes widened. Spinning around on her the ball of her foot, she spoke. "Have you ever seen Miki-senpai's smile?" She questioned bluntly, causing the woman to stop in her steps. Haruhi couldn't see her face. However, that didn't hold her back from saying her piece. "Miki-senpai's smile is radiant, cheerful and warm. It brings light and positivity to a dark room, and it's stunning. If you don't even know something as simple as that about her," Pausing, Haruhi swallowed hard as he hands balled into fists. "Then I don't believe you meet the qualifications to call yourself her mother." With a straight face, Haruhi declared her message loud and clear to Elisa.
Lingering for a moment, Elisa's voided eyes were glued ahead towards the greenery hazily. Then without saying a word, she walked across the bridge and disappeared further into the garden.
"So this is it?" That evening, Hikaru protested as the host club, par Tamaki, Kyoya and Miki, gathered in Honey and Mori's room. "The wedding is tomorrow, and Miki-senpai is leaving us for good?"
"Hikaru..." Haruhi's gaze softened as she watched his shoulders dart up from the stress.
"Hika-chan, we all understand how you feel." Honey attempted to justify. "But that was Miki-chan's decision, and Tama-chan promised to respect it. We don't have any say in this, because we are simply guests."
"The only person who can object tomorrow, " Mori spoke sternly. "Is Miki."
The ginger clenched his fists. "But how can we let her just go through with it? This is a big mistake! Milord won't even leave his room, and Kyoya-senpai just upped and left during dinner again!"
Casting a worried glance at his twin who was practically trembling in anger, Kaoru muttered his name under his breath. He agreed wholeheartedly that this was a terrible idea, for both Tamaki and Miki. They were just starting to get close and develop true sibling bonds, ones that they missed out on for years due to their unfortunate circumstances. However, due to those very circumstances, all of that time spent together was about to be torn apart once again.
"Why don't we start thinking about what we can give to Miki-chan as a wedding gift?" Honey suggested with a wry smile. "Maybe we can try and talk to her when we present it tomorrow, right?" Lifting an all-knowing finger, he giggled.
Clicking his tongue, Hikaru could do nothing but avert his eyes in pent-up frustration.
"Well, what should we give her?" Honey tapped his chin. "Cake?"
"No, she'll have plenty of that tomorrow." Haruhi pointed out with a sweatdrop.
"How about more drawing supplies?" Kaoru proposed with a wistful smile.
"She uses a tablet," Mori stated in a deep voice.
As everyone continued to sprout ideas on what they should be giving to the strawberry blonde for her wedding, Haruhi stood on the side, lost in thought. Suddenly, something Miki said in the past crossed her mind as her eyes widened.
"I know what to give her." Brown eyes darting up, she announced.
Haruhi: To be honest, when I first met Miki-senpai, I found her a little bothersome. She was a doe-eyed child trapped in a sixteen-year-old body with an endless amount of questions and enthusiasm. But when I think about her warmth and smile being permanently gone from the Host Club...
Next time, "The Final Wedding Bells, Miki's Decision!"
We will be waiting for you!