Benefits || Kyoya Ootori x Reader

Chapter 5: One Truth, Many Lies

The Host Club activities are completed for the day and the hosts are getting ready to go home, except you're planning to stay for a little while longer. As per usual, the janitors come into the music room to clean with Kyoya tipping them before they leave since the mess is always exceptionally large.

"Haruhi," you say, getting her attention. "Will you be okay getting home? I want to stay back and finish my calculus homework."

"Yeah, don't worry. I'll see you later," she assures.

You wave to the guys as they exit out the door and walk over to a small, empty table, but then you realize something.

"Why are you still here?" you ask Kyoya who has his bag over his shoulder.

"I have the keys to the room and I can't leave if someone is still in it," he answers.

"Just leave the keys. I'll lock it when I'm finished," you reply, taking out your textbook.

"I'm not allowed to leave them lying around. Why are you staying anyway?" he questions.

"Haruhi's father is a bit eccentric and I need a lot of silence and concentration for calculus." You set your worksheet down and take out a pen. "Look, if you have to stay, just do your calculus homework, too."

Kyoya sighs and waltzes over to sit across from you. You ignore him as he takes out his own textbook and homework to work on while you start on the first equation. The silence is dull as it stings the atmosphere, but you're too focused on your work to care.

"Who are you?"

Your head springs up to stare at Kyoya and a confused laugh erupts from your throat.

"What does that mean?" you ask.

Kyoya leans back in his chair. "Well, I'm sure you're aware I've run a background check on you and Haruhi. Your data and files only go back to four years ago and the rest isn't anywhere to be found. Care to explain?"

"Why didn't you bring this up last year?"

Kyoya shrugs. "This seemed like the perfect time."

You lean an arm on the table and flick your pen between your fingers as you choose your next words carefully.

"I'm me, but when I was in an orphanage for a month while Haruhi's dad filed the paperwork to adopt me, all my previous history was wiped away," you explain.

"I knew you were there, but why? What happened to your parents?" he pushes.

"Prying much? You don't speak of your family, so why should I?" you challenge.

"There's nothing you need to know about my family."

"I told you that I know you, Kyoya. I know about your father's expectations and your older brothers--"

"How?" Kyoya demands, apparently becoming angry. This is the real Kyoya Ootori.

You twirl your hand in a circular motion. "Watching, observing. I know how the rich are and their standards, I've told you. You're not as invisible as you think."

"What could you possibly know about the pressure I'm under?" he mutters, averting his eyes to the windows to watch the leaves falling from trees.

"I see the bags under your eyes and the amount of work you put into everything. You try harder than anyone I have ever met, yet you have this aura of disappointment and sadness. You're not even close to being the heir to your family's business, but you still go for it," you blurt out.

"Correct, but you don't know as much as you think you do."

"Then tell me, Kyoya, because I would love to understand." You cross your arms and lean back in your seat, matching his posture.

"My older brothers have already succeeded in high grades and social standings, so I must do something even greater to impress my father. If I don't do that and never become the heir, my future will be nothing."

"Kyoya," you groan in annoyance, "you're so damn smart, way smarter than your brothers I bet, and you can do whatever the hell you want. Your father's blessing doesn't mean your life is over."

"It does to me!" Kyoya shouts suddenly, making your eyes go wide.

"Fine, whatever. All I'm saying is that you're worth more than you think. Life isn't always about facts and figures, it's about living and doing what you want to do. Everyone at this school is so worried about their statuses and clothing that they're infinitely oblivious to the wondrous opportunities they're overlooking."

"It's easy to put into words and dictate, but you have no idea what our parents put us through. We must be the best in every aspect and never fail," Kyoya snaps.

"Except Tamaki," you say knowingly.

Kyoya pushes his glasses up to rub the corners of his eyes with his fingers because his mental perception of what he thought you knew is being completely distorted. He hasn't given you the credit for your deduction skills.

"He has his own problems I hadn't known about at first," Kyoya admits. "I was jealous, I'll say that, but it doesn't concern me any longer."

"He's your best friend, it will always concern you."

"Weren't we talking about you?" he interjects with a fist clenched on top of his thigh.

"We were actually doing calculus."

Kyoya closes his eyes with his teeth grinding together. You shake your head with a smile before packing away your school supplies, slinging your bag over your shoulder, and proceeding to the door.

"Where are you going?" Kyoya asks.

"Home," you answer without looking about.

"What about your calculus?"

You swing open the door. "I'll do it there instead. I guess I'll just have to listen to my iPod to drown out Ryoji's singing. It's no big deal."

"Let me give you a ride," Kyoya insists and you now realize he's a few feet behind you.

"Back to the nice-guy act," you mumble, reaching into your pocket and producing a set of keys over your shoulder for him to see. "I borrowed Ryoji's car."

You leave at that moment because sticking around doesn't benefit you in any way, it only gives Kyoya the opportunity to question you further about your personal life--something in which you would rather avoid completely. Life before living with the Fujiokas and Ouran Academy is something you don't care to reminisce about.

It takes fifteen minutes total for you to get to the car and drive home. You and Haruhi usually walk to and from school, but it was raining this morning. You park on the street before getting out to climb the stairs and walk over to the door of the apartment. You enter and immediately hear Ryoji's loud vocals from his room.

"You're back early," Haruhi observes from the living room, now wearing her regular clothing instead of a uniform.

You slip off your shoes and drop the car keys onto the kitchen counter. "Yeah, Kyoya just had to stay and he was being an asshole."

"Have you guys always competed or is that new?" she questions.

"We don't compete exactly, we just happen to have the same thoughts and ideas then attempt to voice them before each other," you explain.

"Yes, that's competing, (Y/N)," Haruhi replies. "I don't understand how you and Kyoya don't get along. He's really nice and smart, like you."

"No, not like me," you retort. "Kyoya isn't as he seems. I can't explain it right now, but once you're in the club long enough, you'll understand what I mean."

"Why can't you just tell me now?"
You sigh. "I want you to go through things, gradually learning and absorbing the experience along the way. It's much more satisfying."

Haruhi rolls her eyes and you take that a sign that you can peacefully reside in your own bedroom for the evening to get your work done. If only you know what tomorrow has in store.