The "Lovable" Type| OHSHC x OC

A Rose Unfolds

Amei was in a predicament.

As she watched Mori patiently guiding Kasanoda—who fumbled through attempts to emulate his idol these past few weeks—a revelation struck her like a bolt of lightning.

I like him!

Her heart raced, and she froze mid-pipe, the pale gold buttercream trembling at the tip of the bag.

The realization left her breathless, like a wave sweeping her under.

But as quickly as it came, doubt crept in.

There was still an ache, a sense that something was missing.

Was it the weight of her revelation, or something more?

The door creaked open behind her.

"Planning ahead again, are we?"

Amei turned, startled but quickly smoothing her expression.

A familiar voice carried a teasing lilt, and she found herself quelling a grin as she met Kyoya's sharp, knowing gaze.

"Nosy again, aren't we, Ootori-kun?"

His lips curved in that trademark soft, calculated smile. "I like to appreciate good art."

Amei shook her head but allowed a quirk of her lips. Since their talk on the beach, she'd grown closer to him in ways she couldn't quite explain. And Kyoya, ever the enigma, had started showing her something rare: kindness, subtle but undeniable.

"You've been praising me so much lately," she teased lightly, "I'm starting to think you're up to something."

He shrugged, stepping closer, his eyes briefly scanning the table laden with her completed desserts. "Having plans makes life simpler to navigate."

"You always have plans," she noted, returning her attention to the undecorated cake in front of her. Carefully, she started to use the gold piping bag, her motions precise but unhurried. "I admire that about you, actually."

Kyoya's gaze swept over the workspace in front of her, taking in the neat rows of already finished cupcakes and the pristine cake she was about to decorate. "I wouldn't necessarily call you spontaneous either," he noted, gesturing toward the array. "You're meticulous. Intricate."

She smiled faintly, shaking her head. "I don't mean like this. I mean with your life. You're meticulous, Ootori-kun." Amei's hands faltered for a moment before she steadied them again. "You take this club seriously. You work so hard to maintain it. You plan meticulously. You have goals in mind for the future..." She trailed off, finishing the last petal.

He studied her, waiting for her to continue. She switched to a darker piping bag for the vines but hesitated, gripping it tightly.

"I... I don't want to do this," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I haven't told anyone—not even myself fully—but..."

Kyoya's sharp gaze softened, sensing the weight of her words. He prompted her gently, "You don't want to continue with the Host Club?"

Amei shook her head. "No, it's not that. I love making desserts. I really do. But I don't want a career in it. What I really love is painting. Creating art in a different way." She met his eyes, her own filled with a mix of sadness and longing. "But my family doesn't want that. They've always looked down on me. No matter how hard I try, I'm always... last. I thought if I worked hard enough, maybe they'd finally see me as something more than worthless."

Kyoya's expression remained calm, but there was a flicker of something uncharacteristically empathetic in his gaze. "You have more worth than they give you credit for, Hinode-senpai," he said, his tone firm.