Out of My Head

Chapter 5 Unintentional Rivalry

        Since Kamina had been fine on her own with Haruhi, we continued our visits separately. My time with Haruhi was pleasant, if rather uneventful. (I did have to remind myself not to say anything to reveal I knew her secret, which was considerably harder than I had expected.) Finally, I was on to the final Host: the Shadow King himself.

        "Hello, Miss Grenalt. Please, have a seat." His voice was a restrained tone of pleasantness, his false smile matching it perfectly. I nodded and sat, slightly adjusting my glasses.

        "Hello. I must say, this club runs remarkably smoothly. I can see all the work put into it." Kyoya almost seemed flattered for a moment, before shaking it off and returning to his usual forced smile.

        "Yes, well, that much is to be expected..." He looked at me intently, as if trying to pick apart every feature and flaw present. I shifted in my seat, my cheeks going slightly red at his staring.

        "Is... there something on my face?" The cliche left my lips, making me internally cringe. Kyoya simply leaned forward slightly, close enough so no one else would hear his next words.

        "I don't know what you and your family are playing at, but it won't work. The Grenalts will not outgrow the Ootori Company with their newfound stroke of luck." I blinked, shocked.

        "We are not "playing at" anything. Our goal is simply do to all we are able to in order to help those around us. And luck has a large role in all success." He chuckled quietly, sending a shiver along my spine.

        "How quaint... And well rehearsed. But it's not just your company I have suspicions of. I find you... Intriguingly infuriating as well." He crossed his arms, leaning back in his seat. I blinked, uncomfortable and confused. He took out a notebook and began to flip through it.

        " I have information on every member of every family I come in contact with. Tamaki, Haruhi, members of the newspaper club, even Thomas and Analice Grenalt... But not you." His eyes moved to focus on me, showing me a page. It simply held my name, age, my "family relations", blood type, class, and entrance exam score. I blinked, trying not to show my panic.

        "As you know, I was in a hospital in America most of my childhood. Because I was sick, my parents kept me out of the public eye as much as possible. You surely understand how that would have looked to the public: the only child of the head of a growing medical company sick? There would have been riots." I adjusted my glasses once again, forcing my shoulders to remain relaxed. Kyoya pursed his lips slightly, writing in his notebook. I sat for what seemed like an hour, nearly sweating in fear. Of all the people to find out about my secret, Kyoya Ootori was the worst possible option. Unfortunately, he was also the most likely. He finally snapped his notebook closed, looking back at me through glaring glasses.

        "You are a quick thinker, I'll give you that. But there will come a time that you will slip up. And I can promise you, I will know about it." With that chilling comment, he stood to announce the end of hosting hours, much to the disappointment of the other girls, who sulked out the door.  I stood to leave, but was immediately greeted by a cheerful blond about two inches from my face. I jumped in shock, letting out a quiet squeak of shock.

        "Well, how did you enjoy your first day? Have you made a decision?" Tamaki's "princely" persona was thrown out the window by his puppy-like excitement. Kamina came over cautiously, staying close to my side.

        "I-I'd like to see Haruhi, if I could," she stuttered. Tamaki smiled and nodded to Kyoya, who wrote in his notebook. Tamaki then looked at me curiously, and I took a breath.

        "...Maybe... Honey-senpai and Miro-senpai?" My questioning tone made Tamaki's smile widen, his features simplifying as he reached out to hug me tightly.

        "You are so cute!" My eyes went wide, my face going pink in embarrassment as Tamaki proceeded to spin me around. I finally started to panic slightly when my feet left the floor. The moment my body tensed, I felt someone pull me gently but firmly away, placing my feet back on the ground. I blinked, regaining my balance before looking at the figure supporting me. Mori looked at me almost blankly, Honey popping up over his shoulder.

        "You okay, Chrissy-chan? You looked like you were gonna cry!" The short blond looked at me in concern. I put on a small smile.

        "I'm fine. I'm just not the most fond of being picked up. Thank you, though." I looked at both of the boys in front of me. Honey smiled, and Mori nodded to me. Tamaki's eyes widened, watering as he leaned towards me, his hands near his face.

        "I... I'm so sorry! My poor daughter!" The entire club seemed shocked by his apparent adoption of me. I frowned.

        "It's fine! You really didn't know! But I would prefer it if you didn't refer to yourself as my father. It's just a bit awkward." Tamaki froze for a moment before turning, clearly intending to go to his corner and sulk. I cleared my throat.

        "I think it would be easier to see you as a friend or something." He looked over his shoulder at me, his puppydog eyes as large and shining as ever.

        "L-like a big brother?" I blinked in thought before a smile managed to sneak onto my face and I nodded.

        "Sure... I've never had a sibling before. This should be interesting!" The male instantly cheered up, almost charging at me. Mori was clearly prepared to step in, muscles tensed for movement. Before he could, though, the twins stepped over into Tamaki's path.

        "Hey Boss," "why are you-" "So obsessed with Christine?" The twins traded off, then finished speaking together, staring down their leader, Hikaru leaning on Kaoru's shoulder. Tamaki proceeded to go on another dramatic speech about a "poor sickly maiden" overcoming her illness, and a supposed "kinship" (as my adoptive parents are partly French). The others simply watched, seemingly unimpressed. To be honest, I was touched. Tamaki, with his optimistic personality and open heart had accepted me into his patchwork family faster than anyone but Thomas and Analice. As the twins continued to tease Tamaki with their usual jabs of "pervert", my phone buzzed with a text from ym driver. I turned to Kamina, Haruhi and  Kyoya: the only ones not involved in the comedy sketch currently going on.

        "I'm afraid I'll have to excuse myself. My parents are expecting me." I bowed slightly, smiling to each of them, before turning to leave, failing to notice a set of amber eyes following me as I left.