Ouran High School Host Club Fan Fiction ❯ Curse of the 'Flu ❯ Hurricane in Brazil ( Chapter 13 )

CHAPTER XIII: “Hurricane in Brazil”

 

In the end, Kaoru decided to be late and did some window-shopping to pass away the time. However, when not enough was passing, he entered the shops themselves and forced the sales clerks to find him products in the most long-winded fashion - only to leave the shop empty-handed, much to their fury. Disappointed, Kaoru glanced at his watch. All that running around had taken a mere twenty minutes? He still wasn't late enough! Maybe he should visit a bookstore and read some textbooks in English? He wasn't good at English, so he could probably spend an hour translating one page… His mobile rang; he picked it up.

`Hello?'

`You're late.'

Kaoru cringed. `I'm sorry, Kyouya. The traffic here is-'

`I've been watching you. If you look up, you may see me waving from the window of a very expensive café.' Cautiously, Kaoru surveyed the upper floors of the department store and cringed again - so he was. `The longer you take,' said Kyouya, `the more coffee I drink; and the more coffee I drink, the more it'll cost you…'

Kaoru panicked. Never owe Kyouya money! He went straight up, and by the time he found the café, a sixth mug was joining its brothers and sisters.

Kyouya smiled at Kaoru's astonishment; he offered to buy the next mug.

`No, no,' said Kaoru, slipping wearily into a chair. `I'll get it.' He studied the menu. `What do you want, then?'

`Espresso.'

Kaoru lowered the menu. `…you've been drinking that in mugs?'

`All night,' said Kyouya.

`Why,' said Kaoru, slyly, `what you been doing?'

Kyouya stared. `Tamaki has discovered “pool”,' he said, `the commoner's version of snooker. He made me play it 'til 3AM.'

Kaoru seriously doubted that. He ordered their drinks. While they waited, one watched the other from the corner of his eye. The drinks arrived; they drank in silence.

`I want to talk about something.'

`Good. I was starting to get bored.'

`Why did you kiss me?'

`Kiss you?' said Kyouya.

`Yes, the other day in the city,' said Kaoru, `outside that seafood restaurant with a Halloween karaoke bar.'

`What a precise memory you have.'

`You kissed me: I want to know why.'

`Well, you're asking the wrong person.'

`But you-'

`Refill, sir?'

Kaoru bit his mug.

`Hello Kaoru! Hello Kyouya!' She was dressed as a Victorian serving maid, complete with coffee pot and feather duster. `Refill?' she beamed.

`Hello Renge,' said Kyouya, accepting.

Kaoru declined; he didn't want her to be here - go away, go away!

`Don't give them our coffee, Renge; we paid for that,' sighed Haruhi, who stood just behind her carrying a tray with clean cups and saucers; they were looking for a table.

Renge pitched the coffee pot with a bang. `We'll sit here!' she proclaimed, and sat beside Kaoru, whilst Haruhi sighed again and sat beside Kyouya. `What do you think? Isn't it great!? I bought this costume today! It fits me so well and only cost-' Renge whispered the price into Kaoru's ear; he seemed impressed. `A bargain, don't you think? If you have time, you should come with me and we'll buy the matching outfit! I always thought you looked great as a “waiter”, you know!'

Haruhi smiled. Without knowing it, Kaoru had succumbed to the will of Tamaki and his crazy imagination. `Bless him,' she said. `He hasn't a clue.'

`Indeed,' agreed Kyouya.

`Do you mind her being with Kaoru?'

`She can do what she wants; there's no stopping her.'

An ear-splitting shriek.

The café stood still.

All eyes were on Renge.

Whose eyes were on Kaoru.

`I - I spilt coffee on Kaoru!' she stammered. And she had, where spillage was typically hated. `Kaoru, I'm sorry!' He stood and started leaving. `Wait, Kaoru!' she pleaded. `Wait!'

A teaspoon tinkled.

The café started talking.

Kyouya finished his coffee. `I'm going home.'

`Me too,' sighed Haruhi. `It's been quite a day.'

At the till, Kyouya paid for everyone's coffee; deaf to Haruhi's protests. `The guilt you feel,' he said kindly, `will be paid for by Kaoru.'

Haruhi cringed. `You should tell him,' she said.

`I will,' he assured her.

`No Kyouya,' smiled Haruhi, `I mean you should tell him.'

 

 

They parted, and a few footsteps later, Kyouya found himself thinking of Kaoru and where he had gone with Renge - though what they were up to was none of his business; he had never cared before, so why should he care now? Yet the more he tried not to think of them, the less certain he felt of not wanting to know. He just had to find out, for some reason, if Kaoru had felt something, if that kiss had been significant or was just meaningless to him, a nonsensical tease.

Kyouya remembered the kiss well, despite his earlier claims. He had intended to tease Kaoru, to distract him from helping Hikaru beat Tamaki, but all it had done was distract Kyouya instead. Being clever did not explain being stupid. And Kyouya was being stupid. For starters, he was wasting time thinking of Kaoru…

Images angered him. Had Kaoru said “yes”? Was he now Renge's boyfriend? They had been absent for some time - anything could have happened. So maybe they were at the cosplay store, buying that matching costume together…

Speak of the devil.

Kyouya hid: the couple were in front of a vending machine. He could see Renge fussing over Kaoru, dabbing her handkerchief at the wet patch on his trousers and saying over and over that she didn't mean it and how it had all been an accident, not some ploy to get him alone with her and hog his attention - oops, did she say that aloud?

Kaoru spoke nothing and smiled; Kyouya clenched his fist. `Why not blow him while you're down there?' he thought viciously, and instantly regretted it. Where had that outburst come from? He didn't care for what these children did!

He moved to turn away - to walk away - to run away - but his feet were firm and refused to uproot. So he had to stand there and listen to Kaoru; see Renge find hope and draw closer; remember the first time that she'd kissed him; and glare as she was going to kiss him again, except-

Kaoru was kissing her.

Kyouya closed his eyes. He slid down the wall. He should have answered that question. But it was too late now. Because it was obvious now:

Kaoru loves Renge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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