"Morinozuka!" I exclaimed in surprise as I ran into the tall, silent host club member. I got on one knee and apologized quickly for running into him. He held out his hand and helped me up.
"You needn't apologize Miss ____." Hearing his voice was rare and I contained my excitment just barely. I was such a fangirl. If I opened my mouth I'd squeal. I just smiled and nodded then kept walking. I found my small fangirl group of Rebeka and Natalie and we all squealed and fangirled together. We drew him and as they imagined his voice, having never heard it, I daydreamed about him with a tail and cat ears. I drew the image, it was perfect. We added it to our collection of pictures and drawings of him.
"If he ever found this, he'd think we were stalkers." Rebeka said.
"We'd blame it all on you." Natalie said to me.
"Me? Why?"
"Because you're actually in love with him."
"Yeah, you're so lucky you get classes with him."
"Guys, stop." I was blushing madly. "He's just my lab partner and he's my tutor in math. That's it."
"You get to have him over at your house every Wednesday and Thursday from 9-11 and that just happens to be the days your parents never come home."
"Yeah, what do you two do for two hours?"
"We study."
Rebeka began to whisper to Natalie, "When they finish early Mori-senpai stays at her house til 11."
"So what? We just talk."
"At least you get to hear his sweet voice. I bet he tries to sweet talk you."
"No, Morinozuka is not like that. He's actually quite shy and doesn't know how to deal with girls. I've been having lessons with him for three months and he still is nervous around me." Our school bells rings, indicating it was time for us to go home.
"Well, today is Wednesday. Tell me how your magical and dreamy night goes."
"It won't be magical or dreamy. I'll just be too entranced by his voice to learn anything as usual."
"Oooh, she's totally in love."
"Am not." I slung my bag over my back. "I gotta go, else I'll be late."
"Late for your date." They teased.
"He doesn't come over til nine." I said as I walked out the door.
"Well today I'll be coming over at four," I heard that familiar voice as I ran into Morinozuka once more. All my fangirls squealed and ran in circles while Morinozuka blushed and put his arm over my shoulders so I wouldn't fall back from running into him. He spoke up again to finish his sentence, "if that's okay with you."
"Mori-Morinozuka," My breath was stolen from me. His arm was so warm, and it was around me!
"Please, only call me Mori. All my friends do."
"Y-yes Mori-senpai." He chuckled.
"You don't need to add the 'senpai' either." He removed his arm. My body was electric. I stammered out a sentence.
"Is there a-a reason you're coming over s-so early?"
"Unfortunately my ride cannot take me today. I was wondering if I could go with you."
"I-I take a motorcycle."
"You're fine with me holding on to you, right?" He raised his eyebrow. I blushed severely.
"O-of course." I led him outside to my motorcycle and he got on behind me and put his arms around my waist. I blushed a deeper red than roses. The whole way home. As we arrived at my house I realized that this way I had no time to prepare snacks for him. Or clean. I unlocked the door and let him inside. I began to clean as immediately as I began to start boiling water for tea.
"So Mori-senpai, what would you like to do?" I knew he didn't talk unless needed so I always used questions that needed an answer.
"May I take my shirt off? It is quite hot in here." My eyes widened for a second at the bold question. But it must be something he's used to doing at home.
"S-sure." I blushed at the image. As he took it off I had to refrain from gawking too obviously. He was stunning.
The tea kettle screamed. I brought it to the living room and served him some.
"Miss ____, would you mind if I just called you ______?"
"No, not at all. That's fine."
"Good, now _____, I've been seeing you for quite some time now."
"Yes."
"Well, I feel I know you well enough that I could ask you to go on the next vacation for the host club or come down and see us and what we do."
"I really mustn't. I don't have enough money."
"It wouldn't cost you anything, unless you break something and Kyoya finds out."
"I-I never hear you talk so much in school." He sighed and leaned back.
"Because girls craze over me."
"Uhh, Mori-senpai,"
"Yes?" I almost told him I was a fangirl.
"I'd love to come and see you guys in the host club." I blurted. He smiled, I almost fainted. He was just so dazzling before me. Was this even happening?? I could be dreaming.
"That's good. It will be nice to have someone there that I know." I smiled too.
"Yeah. No fangirls will murder me will they?"
"I won't let them touch you."
"Mori, you didn't bring Honey today. Is there a reason why?"
He moved closer to me. "Is wanting to be alone with you for seven hours a good reason?" My heart began pounding and my mind went blank. His strong body leaning over me as he seductively asked that question. Somehow I found words.
"W-why would you want to be a-alone with m-me?" He suddenly blushed a deep red and pulled away from me. I was surprised, his demeanor completely changed. He then leaned back on the couch.
"I don't know." After a long silence I stated I'd make some snacks. I prepared them slowly and watched Mori-senpai think.
"______," he called to me.
"Yes?" I went into the living room.
"Sit here." He patted the area quite close to him so I sat a bit aways. "Are you not comfortable with sitting close to me?"
"No, I just thought, I didn't realize you meant,-"
"Come sit next to me." I did as he asked. "Would you mind sitting this close to me at the host club? I don't want the girls all on me."
"S-sure."
"Honey always sits on my other side."
"O-okay."
"Are you sure you're fine with it?"
"Yes, I-I just get really nervous around you that's all."
"Why would you be nervous?"
"Because you're so popular and all the girls love you and they're all pretty and popular and I'm just a poor girl that got put into a good school."
"You don't have to be popular to please me," He leaned over and put his hand on my chin. "And you're very pretty to me." I blushed deeply and pulled away from him.
"Th-thank you."
"Why do you feel embarrassed?"
"B-because no one ever compliments me."
"Well I don't see why."
"I'm no beautiful, popular woman who everybody knows. I'm just an okay looking girl at our school who started a fanclub."
"Fanclub? About who or what?" I became tongue tied and I held up my finger to gesture that I needed a minute. I got my sketchbook full of drawings of Mori smiling, laughing, sitting all handsome like, dressed as a prince and several others. I sat down next to him and handed it to him.
"I'll get the snacks." As I left to the kitchen he began to open it. I took my time in the kitchen, afraid to know what he thought. I finally came back. He was silent for a bit.
"You're a great artist you know." I blushed as I admitted my feelings.
"The first time I saw you," He stared into my eyes so I kept looking away. "I felt instantly entranced...you were so handsome a-and so I started the club with some of my friends and when I figured out that you were gonna be my math tutor I was excited and embarrassed for you to see my home. Then later I realized you were my lab partner and it was just one happy surprise after the other until school ended. And I saw all the girls surrounding you and I thought to myself, of course, he'd never notice someone like me."
"Someone like you? They're all the same to me. Girls for my looks. You, you're different. You actually know me. You don't craze over me. I didn't realize you liked me, you don't show it very much."
"Well why would I reveal my feelings to you? You're popular and you don't like me." He paused at that. It was his turn to stutter.
"I-I don't like to lie, Miss ____."
"That's okay. I don't expect you to lie to me and say you like me. I knew you wouldn't like me." He began to blush. "What's that red on your face for? This isn't like the first time you were over here. That was almost hysterical. You're so nervous around girls."
"I am. Especially around you."
"Why? I'm just a student."
"For now."
"For...now?" I nervously met his eyes.
"Perhaps we could be best of friends." I laughed a bit at that.
"I thought you meant something else." His smile was sad.
"Takashi, what is it?"
"I-I do like you." His face was getting redder by the second. He scooted closer to me. "And I want to be more than friends if that's okay with you."
"You're not kidding? This isn't some cruel joke?"
"No," he takes a moment to compose himself, "I've liked you from the moment I laid eyes on you in Chemistry. You're smart, beautiful, and funny." He looked over my disbelieving face and let it all pour out. "I like how you're so considerate and like to always help. I love the way you get so nervous around me and it's really cute when you blush and I like how you really know me and took time to get to know me before just outright declaring love for me." The more he talked the more I convinced myself that I was in love with him.
"Mori," He looked at me. "Would you like to go out with me?" He looked a bit scared as he nodded his head. I blushed and squealed inwardly in delight.
"Yes, I'd be delighted to."
Three months later...
"Mori, I'm tired of keeping our relationship a secret." He turned to me at that. We were at my house once again.
"But all those fangirls will hate you."
"Who cares? I wanna be with you, I hate seeing those girls crawl all over you while I just watch."
"It's my job."
"It's your job. Great excuse. What if I was a prostitute huh? Whose 'job' would it be then?"
"If you were a prostitute, the guy would pay the money and then I'd destroy them." He said then took my hands in his. I smiled at his touch but didn't let it distract me.
"Please Mori. Come on, I like you very much. I-I," I struggled to say the word.
"You what?"
"I don't wanna hide from them anymore." I said instead.
"And I don't want them to hurt you." He pulled me into his arms. "Please understand. With you at my side I'll never give way to another." It felt so right to be against him.
"Takashi,"
"Yes?"
"Will you promise me something?"
"Anything."
"Promise me that we're really together."
"I promise that I'm dating you. And that you're the only one my heart desires. The only one that I..." he paused and looked down at me. I stared into his eyes. Easing his mind so he could finish what he was saying. "The only one that I, ______, you're the only one that I love." The words were stolen from my lips. Mori always managed to take my breath away. An excitement bubbling in me was quelled only by fear. It could be all talk...
"Do, do you mean that?" I asked him.
"Yes, yes I give my word. They don't hold a candle to your shine. _____, you're the one that I love." A smile was plastered on my face as I laughed out in excitement.
"Takashi," I kissed him quickly and stayed close. His strong arms held me tight as he smiled at me. "Takashi, I love you as well!"
"Hontoni?!" Really?! He asked ecstatically.
"Mochiron!" Of course! I assured him. Our lips met with enthusiasm and he spun me around. I could not break the smile off my face as he set me down. He was beaming at me.
"Aye, Takashi, why didn't you tell me before? I've wanted to tell you I love you since we started actually dating."
"Why didn't you?"
"I was afraid you wouldn't feel the same."
"I have a little secret."
"What is it?"
"I've never felt this way before, so I couldn't tell you until I figured it out myself." I grabbed his hands and looked up at his face.
"Well Takashi, we'll figure things out together from now on."
"Like how we're going to not be late to the ball?" I glanced over at the clock. A small shriek escaped from me.
"Mori!" I ran to see if my eyes were deceiving me. We had barely the time to drive there and arrive on time. "I didn't fix my face or my hair, now I'm going to be the most plain person there!"
"Plain?" He smiled at my worried face. "You're the crown jewel, you'll be the most noteworthy woman there. And you'll be all mine."
"You-, you're going to tell them?"
"Of course, I love you. I won't hide it."
I blushed and kicked imaginary dust on the ground.
"You don't have to do that."
"I want to, I want the whole world to know that _____ is my woman." I attempted to hold back a grin.
"Let's get to the ball and show them us, together." He put his arm around me and lead me outside.
"Kyoya's going to kill me." I laughed at that.
"He can try." His arms came around my waist on the motorcycle. "We're really going to do this?"
"I love you, not them. I'll announce it over the school intercom if I need to." I smiled as I really registered that he meant these words. The bike rumbled beneath us.
"Takashi, I'm really happy that I'm with you. Let's stay together always."
"And forever." I laughed but there was something in his eyes that was true. I nodded at him and put the bike into gear. He leaned closer to me and I grinned at the thought of him with me.
Always and forever.
