Just Look into It

46. Soft Spot

"Yuu, stop darting away."

"But Ryo-"

"I know, there's a lot to see. You'll get lost if you don't stick with me though."

"Fine."

Ryo sighed, pushing her hair over her shoulder. The mall was busier than normal due to the expo going on, enough so that it was starting to get on her nerves. She had promised her brother they would attend for the last day of their vacation, so she was going to suck it up. 

Most of the things for sale seemed to be either underpriced or overpriced, making her question the quality of what she would be buying. She had brought extra money with her just to be safe, but she didn't think she would be spending all that much. 

"Ryo! Ryo!" 

She glanced away from a stand to see her brother rushing up, further away than she would have liked. 

"Yuu, I thought I asked you to stop going off on your own," she sighed, facing him. 

"I found Kyouya!" he blurted, pulling on her hand. "He's asleep on a bench!" 

Instantly, she paused, letting him drag her away. The expo didn't seem like something Kyouya would have been interested in. Unless of course, the host club had dragged him out against his will. 

The fact that he was asleep in such a public place seemed off to her. 

Sure enough, Yuu dragged her over to a small bench tucked away on one of the side walls. He didn't appear to be asleep at first glance, looking simply like a teenage boy who didn't want to be there. 

"Kyouya?" she called out instinctually upon seeing him. There was no response. Yuu let go as she approached him, gently shaking his shoulder. "Kyouya, you might want to wake up."

His eyes opened into a dark glare, to which she simply gave him an unimpressed look, quite familiar with his snappish nature when low on sleep. A bit disorientated, he glanced around as she took a step back. 

"Tamaki's a dead man," he all but growled. 

"Good morning, shadow king," she stated. "I'm assuming you were up late and he dragged you out here?"

"5 am," he sighed. "I'm calling a car."

She nodded, glancing to Yuu. He was waving to someone. 

"Ryo? Kyouya?" Haruhi blurted as she approached. 

"Hello," she replied. Kyouya suddenly sat down again, raising his glasses to rub at his eyes. "He didn't grab any of your things, did he?" 

"No, he did not."

"What's going on?" her cousin asked. 

"Tamaki and the hosts dragged him out here against his will," she explained, adjusting her purse strap. She turned back to him. "Do you want to use my phone to call someone? I'll pay for a taxi if you'd want."

"Did you bring extra money?" he asked. 

She nodded. "Plenty."

"Since I'm here I might as well try to enjoy it," he sighed. Yuu looked excited at the prospect of Kyouya joining. 

"Alright. Let's get you something to eat first, I suppose," Ryo decided. "Haruhi, did you want to join us?"

"Uh, sure. I've got some extra cash as well," her cousin decided, grabbing Yuu's other hand. 

Kyouya sighed as he stood. "I assure you, Tamaki will pay you back- tenfold."

Ryo smirked, rather amused at the more expressive side to him, and shook her head. "Where did you want to eat?"