|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 8:12 am
Rain. A warm drizzle spattered the windows of the music room, where the various hosts and hostesses wandered about, serving their guests in crisp maid-and-butler uniforms, as the annual spring cleaning of the music room had just finished. Kyouya had been quietly taking notes most of the afternoon, keeping track of which of their guests seemed to enjoy it, and which found it somewhat cliche. They'd change it up soon, for something more exotic, but for today, it would be classical European entertainment with the usual Japanese twist. He was mildly surprised to see a face he hadn't seen in a while, and after closing the notebook and tucking it under his arm, he came over to see how she was enjoying herself. "Good afternoon, Mey-Rin-san. It's been quite a while. Have you been busy with schoolwork, or out of town?" he wondered.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 3:10 pm
Kyouya's approach caught her off-guard. It shouldn't have; he was silent, as always, but Mey-Rin made a habit of being keenly aware of her surroundings. She jolted, dropping the beret in the puddle. It absorbed most of the moisture, but more likely than not, he'd already seen the mess. "O-Ootori-san!" She scrambled to her feet, bumping her knee in the process. A blush spread across her face, deepening as her lack of grace became more and more apparent. She crossed one ankle behind the other, and offered a wobbly curtsy before smoothing her hands down the front of her skirt and taking a deep breath. "M-My grandmother fell ill, so the family visited her in Cardiff. She's fine now, so you don't have to worry." She crossed her arms in front of her stomach, and shifted her weight. "Sorry I didn't let you know before leaving. I thought you'd learn from the school board..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 11:58 am
If Kyouya noticed her awkwardness, he said nothing, but extended a hand for the beret. "Let me hang that up for you?" he offered, seemingly unfazed by the dampness. "Ah, I see. Actually, I haven't been in front of the school board since last semester, when I had to discuss some matters with them regarding Miss Juni and one of her professors," he explained. "I'm glad to hear that your grandmother is feeling better, though I'm sorry that she fell ill at all. And you yourself?" he asked. "I'm sure it must have been stressful. How have you been keeping yourself occupied?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 1:34 pm
Mey-Rin shrugged. She didn’t mean to dismiss his concern- in fact she really, truly appreciated it- but she didn’t much feel like discussing her feelings. At her grandmother’s house she’d learned to love tea, and sweets. She’d learned to sew, to sing, and to dance, though a scarce few witnessed- or were privy at all- to the latter two. Her grandmother made her the girl, nay, young woman she was today. She loved her dearly; the possibility of her sudden departure didn’t even occur to Mey-Rin until it was upon her, and at the time, it had been years since their last visit. If her grandmother hadn’t pulled through, she’d have never had the chance to tell her how much she loved her, or how much she missed her.
Fortunately, that hadn’t been the case, but she was all-too-aware of the threat. One day, she’d truly be without her grandmother.
Her arms coiled more tightly around her stomach, but she blinked, and smiled, and returned her gaze to Kyouya. Whatever emotion had been there before, some combination of fear, regret, and sadness, vanished completely. She tipped her head in the direction of the beret he’d indicated earlier, swept her jacket off the back of her chair, and answered at least one question.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 1:19 pm
Kyouya watched the expressions flit across her face -- but when they disappeared, he simply matched her smile with his own calm, collected one. It surely had been a difficult time, he decided, if she wanted to avoid speaking about it that badly. "Glad to be of service, then," he said lightly, and went to hang her coat and beret, inquiring over his shoulder, as he went, "Tea? Cake, perhaps? Or just company today?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 1:36 pm
She stopped, placed a hand atop her breast, and feigned a look of horror. “Why Ootori-san, have I been gone too long?” There was no visit to the host club, without tea and cake. “Vanilla bean cake, and London fog please.” Besides carrot cake, and chai, nothing was better- at least until summer arrived. She loved lemonade too; besides quenching her thirst, it curbed her craving for ‘sweet’, and thus helped her maintain a swim-suit friendly figure.
Mey-Rin hung her coat next to her beret, and let Kyouya escort her to the table before disappearing into the kitchen.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 1:50 pm
becoming otaku She stopped, placed a hand atop her breast, and feigned a look of horror. “Why Ootori-san, have I been gone too long?” There was no visit to the host club, without tea and cake. “Vanilla bean cake, and London fog please.” Besides carrot cake, and chai, nothing was better- at least until summer arrived. She loved lemonade too; besides quenching her thirst, it curbed her craving for ‘sweet’, and thus helped her maintain a swim-suit friendly figure.
Mey-Rin hung her coat next to her beret, and let Kyouya escort her to the table before disappearing into the kitchen. Kyouya quirked her one of those sly smiles, in counter-response to her mock-horror. "That's difficult to say. The last time I saw you, we'd had so little time to talk, and you'd been deep in discussion with Miss Shiny. I hope that went well, by the way." He offered her a polite, yet somehow just-slightly teasing, bow before venturing into the kitchen, returning a few minutes later with a creamy-white slice of cake flecked with vanilla, and an equally creamy cup of Earl Grey, also laced with vanilla, and a touch of lavender. He set them in front of her carefully, then took a seat to her right. "Please, enjoy."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 1:59 pm
“Oh-“ She parted her lips to say ‘everything went fine’ but he’d already left. It was a polite, habitual response anyway; not entirely true. They’d made plans to meet in the club-room, but Mey-Rin had to leave so soon… they never managed to make a single meeting. Shiny; still the picture of elegance and grace Mey-Rin aspired to be, but could never quite reach… no matter how she tried.
“Oh, it looks delicious.” She nearly melted in her seat, at the sight of so elaborate a desert. It took a moment of admiration, but eventually she managed to lift a hand. Instead of straightening up, and taking her fork, she took a dollop of icing on her finger, and stuck it in her mouth. Still slouched in her seat, she closed her eyes and hummed in appreciation. Satisfied, she opened her eyes again. “It doesn’t matter where I go, the desert here is always the best. I wonder if it’s just in my head…”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 2:27 pm
becoming otaku “Oh-“ She parted her lips to say ‘everything went fine’ but he’d already left. It was a polite, habitual response anyway; not entirely true. They’d made plans to meet in the club-room, but Mey-Rin had to leave so soon… they never managed to make a single meeting. Shiny; still the picture of elegance and grace Mey-Rin aspired to be, but could never quite reach… no matter how she tried.
“Oh, it looks delicious.” She nearly melted in her seat, at the sight of so elaborate a desert. It took a moment of admiration, but eventually she managed to lift a hand. Instead of straightening up, and taking her fork, she took a dollop of icing on her finger, and stuck it in her mouth. Still slouched in her seat, she closed her eyes and hummed in appreciation. Satisfied, she opened her eyes again. “It doesn’t matter where I go, the desert here is always the best. I wonder if it’s just in my head…” Kyouya hadn't missed that soft beat before she'd answered, even as he disappeared into the kitchen -- and it was telling. So, she never did meet up with her after all. It explained quite a bit about that late December afternoon ... still, there was nothing he could do about it at this moment. He filed it away. "I take it you approve, then." An understatement, accompanied by that calm, collected smile -- apparently he was coolly pleased to see her appreciation. "I'm glad to hear it. I really couldn't say if it were all in your head, but we do our best to exceed expectation."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 2:43 pm
“Oh yes. Certainly do.” Suddenly, Mey-Rin sat tall. Leaning forward she lift her fork, dug it into the cake, and glanced at Kyouya. He looked calm and collected, as usual, but there was nothing forced about the smile on his face. At least not as far as she could tell. That she- as such a simple girl- had succeeded in putting it there… she felt gratified. Of course, the illusion of equality faded when she realized “I- I’m staring, sorry!”. Even the tips of her ears burned. Hurriedly, she diverted her gaze and took a bite of cake.
Rather than chewing the soft, moist cake, she pressed it against the roof of her mouth over, and over until it resembled play-doh. At least texturally. When she finally swallowed the bite, she glanced at Kyouya again. He hadn't said anything yet, and she couldn't read his expression. Instead of easing her, his lack of response made her even more nervous, and desperate to understand what he might be thinking she blurted; "It's not because I find you attractive or anything. I was just looking at your smile" no! No you'll make it worse! Her blush deepened, but she continued "J-just because I don't get to see it often. I mean, it's not that you don't smile often. I'm sure you smile plenty. You just don't smile at me." Wrong again, idiot "I mean-! You don't smile so close to me, so I don't get to look at it so closely and-" and what? "could you maybe look at something else for a moment?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 4:32 pm
Kyouya chuckled softly. "Staring is not uncommon around here," he noted lightly. "I'm more or less used to it, though I get far less of it than Tamaki or the twins." But he obligingly turned his head, reaching for his notebook as if it were simply a matter of habit, and opened it to what was apparently a fresh page. "I wasn't aware you made a habit of studying peoples' smiles, though." A soft deflection away from his in particular, as he began to let that steel-blue pen track across the paper. "Is this better?" That gentle curve of a smile hadn't dissipated, though it had turned just-slightly sly, as the mild teasing note crept into his voice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 4:57 pm
Ootori_K Kyouya chuckled softly. "Staring is not uncommon around here," he noted lightly. "I'm more or less used to it, though I get far less of it than Tamaki or the twins." But he obligingly turned his head, reaching for his notebook as if it were simply a matter of habit, and opened it to what was apparently a fresh page. "I wasn't aware you made a habit of studying peoples' smiles, though." A soft deflection away from his in particular, as he began to let that steel-blue pen track across the paper. "Is this better?" That gentle curve of a smile hadn't dissipated, though it had turned just-slightly sly, as the mild teasing note crept into his voice.
Her hands fell into her lap, and she sighed, feeling far more exhausted than she’d anticipated she would at this time of day. Any response she made to his deflection would be incriminating; she didn’t study peoples’ smiles in general. Truly, she spent most of her time looking pointedly at anything but their faces. Instead she ignored it, sipping her tea and looking at the notebook.
“As long as you’re not writing about me, then yeah. Much better.” More natural, too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 9:01 am
becoming otaku Damn these butterflies! She clutched her stomach as though nauseated, and furrowed her brows. Her narrow, chinadoll-esque mouth curved into a frown, but she lift the teacup to her lips in order to hide it. She resembled a very small, very fluffy cat, trying it’s very, very best to be intimidating and failing very, very badly at it. But of course she was failing, Kyouya didn’t even look at her. She’d be annoyed, if she hadn’t requested it herself.
Her hands fell into her lap, and she sighed, feeling far more exhausted than she’d anticipated she would at this time of day. Any response she made to his deflection would be incriminating; she didn’t study peoples’ smiles in general. Truly, she spent most of her time looking pointedly at anything but their faces. Instead she ignored it, sipping her tea and looking at the notebook.
“As long as you’re not writing about me, then yeah. Much better.” More natural, too. It might not be precisely true that Kyouya didn't look at her. He did take occasional pauses in his writing at which his gaze flicked away from the paper momentarily, before the pen continued its journey again. But for the most part, he complied with her request, somehow still retaining an air of paying close attention to her without actually looking at her. At her comment, the pen stopped, and he gave her a small, sideways glance under lowered lashes. "And if I were?" he inquired dispassionately, lifting one eyebrow. "Why would you object?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 1:52 pm
Why? “Because it’s-“ She wrinkled her nose, pursed her lips, and paused. A moment passed; she sat cross-legged in the ornate dining chair. A second moment passed; she propped her elbow on the table, and perched her chin upon the heel of her palm. A third moment passed; she opened her mouth as though she were about to make some intelligible response, but all she could manage was “It’s uncomfortable.”.
Her gaze shift from Kyouya back to the cake. Using the fork’s prongs, she drew a grid in the icing. Why did he sound disappointed? “It’s not interesting, I’m sure. You’d grow bored of it soon, anyway.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 11:14 pm
That sideways glance hadn't slipped from her face, as Kyouya awaited her answer. "Uncomfortable?" The question was nearly not a question at all, delivered with a carefully neutral inflection. "I suppose that's reason enough; it would be a poor host who made his guests uncomfortable. Though I expect that not all people would feel that way ... some prefer to be immemorialized." The pen did not drop from the page, merely stayed put where it was. There might have been just a slight narrowing of his eyes at her next statement, though they crinkled up afterwards in mild amusement. "My writing is uninteresting? I beg to differ; I enjoy it. If you wish to argue that yourself as subject matter is uninteresting, I'm curious to know why you think so."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
