We Are the Sons and Daughters - Kyoya x OC

Chapter 15

     After calling Haruhi non-stop for her to come and let her out of the storage room, Reiko's cellphone battery ran out. With no other way to contact people, she decided to wait patiently until someone else came into the room. She browsed the shelves for a few minutes, trying to find something to occupy her time. AN old magazine that had been left behind caught her attention, and she took a seat on the couch to flip through it. "The worst case scenario," she figured, "the custodian cleans the floor at 5 so I'll still make it to the dinner if I rush home."

     Ten minutes later, the door opened. Rieko quickly turned around and found herself face-to-face with Kyoya Ootori. Tamaki had led him to the club's storage room by claiming there were some important documents they needed to get. Before the silver-haired teen could call out to him, the blonde had slammed the door shut again, and the familiar click of the lock informed both of them that they had been trapped inside.

     Kyoya turned towards the door and glared at the blonde from the window. "Tamaki, let us out this instant."

     "This is for your own good you two! Neither one of you is going anywhere until you accept each other's differences!" Tamaki announced from the other side of the door.

     "I don't have time for these childish games," he growled.

     "You can come out when you and Reiko have made up!" he told him and promptly left after Haruhi made sure the door was properly locked.

     Reiko tilted her head at Tamaki's words. "Make up?" she wondered.

     The raven-haired male turned to her and bowed slightly. "I must apologize for the behavior of my fellow club members. If you take a seat, I'm sure they will let us out shortly."

     The teen nodded and returned to her rather comfortable position on the used couch.

     Ten minutes passed.

     Then twenty.

     "Kyoya," she stared once they had been in there for a half hour. "Tamaki and the others probably forget we were here. Would you care to call them?"

     "I would if I'd brought my phone with me," he sighed. "Do you have your phone with you by any chance?"

     Reiko held up her device- the screen remained black no matter how many times she tried to turn it on. "It died not long after the twins brought me in here... do you know why we're here to begin with?"

     "The others have seen us become distant and believe we are in some sort of disagreement," he explained vaguely.

     The silver-haired girl furrowed her brows. "I don't see what the cause for concern is. You and I were never close to begin with."

     She was absolutely right, of course. Reiko and Kyoya's relationship had revolved entirely around their academic rivalry, and the change between them the previous week was minimal. Nevertheless, her words stung. Kyoya would never admit it, but he'd enjoyed studying with her that day in the library. Part of him hoped it wouldn't be the last time.

     "Not a cause for concern no... though I myself am curious as to why you made this decision as well."

     The silver-haired girl looked up at him and sighed. "You can never let these things go, can you, Kyoya?"

     The male smirked as he moved to sit with her on the couch. "I have been told I am diligent in my work."

     Reiko chuckled humorlessly. "I would think that relentless describes you better."

     Kyoya hummed in response. "Is that right?"

     "How else would you describe someone who continuously tries to gather information despite various protests?"

     He shrugged. "I thought you would be flattered."

     Reiko crossed his arms. "Maybe if the situation were different, but as it stands, my affairs are none of your business."

     "If the situation were different?" he echoed.

     Reiko rolled her eyes. "Does he have to pick apart everything I say?" she wondered. "Yes."

     Kyoya sat back, his dark eyes boring into hers as they met. "You really are quite the mystery Reiko."

     "And you, Kyoya, are quite the nuisance."

     Kyoya couldn't help the minuscule smile that curved his lips. It had been days since he'd been able to talk to her, and it was refreshing to do so again. The thought that, as soon as they exited this storeroom, they would return to the empty silence of before, however, was disappointing. "Is there no other way?" he asked himself.

     There was a long silence while the raven-haired male tried to come up with a solution, something that would allow them to keep interacting like this.

     "What would it take for your situation to change?" he asked.

     Reiko leaned her head on the back of the couch. "The direction of my life is entirely determined by the whims of my father; really, all it takes is a single word from him. I'm sure you understand."

     Kyoya nodded. "Will something like that happen?"

     "Yes."

"When?"

     The silver-haired teen frowned. "Stop asking questions, Kyoya. That's the whole reason we're in this situation right now, if you recall."

     "Would you prefer it if I stopped?" he questioned.

     Reiko looked at him. "Stopped... investigating my private life?" she clarified. "Yes, I would prefer it."

     Kyoya sighed in resignation. "Very well. As you wish then."

     The silver-haired teen flinched at the concession, and she stared at him with wide eyes.

     When Kyoya glanced back at her, he fought the urge to smirk. "So she can make an expression like that, too." "That is- until your circumstances change."

     Her stiff posture relaxed slightly, and the ever-present storminess in her grey irises lightened like clouds parting after a rainstorm. "Thank you," she laughed.

     Having said everything they needed to, the pair sat in comfortable silence for another few minutes until a jingle at the door caught both of their attention.

     A custodian entered the room and flinched at the sight of two teenagers together in a small room.

     "What are you kids doing here?"

     "We were accidentally locked inside," Reiko answered quickly.

     Kyoya nodded in agreement. "Thank you for unlocking the door for us," he said. He then turned to the silver-haired female beside him. "May I escort you out?" he asked.

     Reiko smiled slightly. "Yes, you may."