Write Me a Love Story (OHSHC)

XVIII: The Dance

January 21

"Honey, where did you get this dress from?" My mother called from the living room. I walked into the room to see her lift a gorgeous blue dress out of fancy packaging.

"Oh, she was serious?" I asked myself, sitting next to my mom. She gave me a questioning look, so I explained.

"Mrs. Hitachiin- the twins' mother- said that she wanted to give me something to wear and, quote, 'model while you're twirling'." My mother shook her head, smiling as she handed me the dress.

"You truly did make the right decision, going to Ouran." She looked over at me fondly, waving me in the direction of my room. "Go try it on, and hurry, so we can do your hair and makeup!" I laughed at how excited she was as I walked back to my room.

Hurrying as she had requested, I slipped the silky dress over my head and put my long arms to use to zip up the back. After adjusting the straps properly, I turned to my mirror to assess the dress. It was beautiful, and I knew it would shine under the chandeliers in the ballroom. Mrs. Hitachiin did a phenomenal job, and I'd have to thank her 70 more times.

My mother knocked and entered as soon as I granted her permission, holding her makeup bag and a few hair tools. She gasped as soon as she walked in, smiling brightly and clasping her hands together. My mom stopped in front of me, her brown eyes shimmering under the soft sunlight coming from the bedroom window.

"You look divine, Kaiyoka..." She seemed at a happy loss for words, lifting her arm to curl a lock of my hair around her fingers. "My beautiful daughter is growing up." I smiled, pulling her into a hug.

"I can't get all sentimental now, mom, the tears might pucker the fabric!" I joked, and we laughed together as she sat me down and began doing my makeup. We talked about school and work and Kasoiya, and many other things we could think of while she worked. I knew what she was going to say as soon as she said,

"So." I rolled my eyes playfully as I finished her thought for her.

"Kyouya?" I saw her smile in the mirror, and she nodded.

"Kyouya. You're not dating yet, are you?" My eyes widened at the thought.

"No, not at all... Wait, what do you mean, 'yet'?" I asked, backtracking her words. She smiled a knowing smile, a trademark expression of hers.

"Oh nothing. Although Kyouya is quite the interesting personality. He must think that I don't know his intentions already.... Ah, young men. Such naive people." I had a lot of questions, but my mother had become unresponsive and was dazed off in the musings of her mind. I just shook my own head slightly, directing my thoughts instead to the car that should be arriving at my house in exactly 30 minutes. Kyouya-senpai insisted on chauffeur-ing me to the dance, and he stuck me as a person who was punctual to the second. Not that I minded.

My mother's voice shook my out of my own thought bubble, saying,

"It's all done." I looked in the mirror for the first time in a while and my face promptly broke into a wide smile. She knew I didn't like wearing much makeup, so she left my face looking natural but almost more regal. She had curled my hair, putting it in a half-up half-down style with the trailing ends of my hair pulled into loose waves. In short, I looked beautiful.

It was a whirlwind after that. Kyouya rang the doorbell at exactly the time he said he would, as I anticipated. My mother harassed us both, taking too many pictures before finally letting us go. The car ride was a quieter blur, both Kyouya and I surrounded in our own thoughts. It wasn't until we were out of the car and Kyouya offered his arm to me did either of us open our mouths.