"Kasumi. Good afternoon."

I found the weird order of her brisk and oh-so-fake greeting to be almost as irritating as her smug smile. Elanor was Touya's mother and the biggest bitch I've ever had the displeasure of knowing. How she was related to me I had no idea, but after meeting her for the first time I could see where Touya got his asshole tendencies from. Elanor was a manipulating, backhanded bitch and I didn't say that just because I found out she blackmailed my mother. I pegged her as being such after the first time I met her all those years ago. She was in her fifties and she looked as old as she was; her dark black-grey hair was tugged into an uptight bun and she wore dresses that reminded me of fashion in Victorian-era London or something. But it totally fit her.

Touya had driven me to the hotel in silence, both of us refusing to say anything. After the sudden commotion we caused at Ouran I felt embarrassed and decided to apologize tomorrow, but I had to focus on the matter at hand. I was meeting Elanor again, the woman who caused this mess and the woman who could probably give my the answers I'm looking for.

Why. The. Fuck. Am. I. So. Important?

I'm not very bright, I'm sort of a bitch, I have no friends, and I have no talents other than computer hacking—but that's not a very good career choice. Other than my name I was nothing special. But that was the thing. My name. It seemed that my grandparents were really important and everybody wanted me just so they could take my name and marry into my family. But I had no idea why. Why was I so 'important'?

Elanor, as much as I hated her, loved giving me bad news. So I didn't doubt she'd reveal everything to me. Even more so if it meant there were any chance I would marry her son.

"Yeah, wassup," was my grunted reply. Her smile wavered for a moment but then she recovered with ease, pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she nodded at Touya, who stood firmly by my side.

"Son, I would like to speak with Kasumi alone, if you'd please…" Touya hesitated but then bowed and left the hotel room, which kind of made me more nervous but I choked my anxiety down. Elanor turned to face me, smiling coldly again. You could tell she was half European because she had the eyes of a ruthless European dictator, Isweartoggawd. "Kasumi, I wanted to speak to you about retuning home with my son."

"I told him no," I said instantly. "I'm still only seventeen. I'm young and I'm not marrying someone I don't love." Or like. Or have even a shred of respect for.

"I don't see why you're so adamant about rejecting my son," Elanor said in amusement, resting against her hand with a bemused smile. "He's handsome, wealthy, and he'd treat you well."

"I won't marry him."

"It's not as if you have a boyfriend or any future," Elanor pointed out calmly. "If you stayed here you'd merely continue to mooch off your kind-hearted uncle and fail college like you're failing high school." I bristled, biting my tongue to keep from spitting some vulgar insults. "With Touya you'd have all the money you want and spend it as you want. You'd be financially supported and you wouldn't have to work a day in your life. I'd say that's a good deal."

I hissed. This woman—fuckkkk. "Listen, I'm not marrying Touya! And I don't care what my mom told you in the past, I have absolutely no obligation to do it." I relished in her stunned look—she didn't expect me to know about that, ha—and took advantage of her silence. "Now tell me why you're so desperate for Touya to marry me."

She recovered rather quickly and smiled calmly. "Why should I tell you? You're an immature loud-mouthed brat with an anger problem. You've no intention of marrying my son so I have no obligation to tell you anything."

I bristled again, biting my tongue until it stung.

"If you were to marry someone of higher status than Touya maybe I'd feel like telling you may be helpful. More so because it might ruin that relationship," she said with a sneer. "Until the day someone like you finds someone better than my son, I don't intend to say a thing."

Fine. She wants to play hardball, I'll play hardball.

"Actually I am dating someone," I said with a sneer matching hers. "He's the son of a very wealthy hospital chain owner and is supposed to take it over someday. He's better than Touya in every way. You can't ask me to marry someone when I'm dating someone that can challenge his prestige, right? Now tell me what's so special about my family."

Elanor laughed. "Not so fast! Why should I believe you?"

I gulped. Right, so maybe I jumped the gun a bit with that one. I still couldn't believe Kyoya was the first person to come into my mind when she mentioned dating someone better than Touya. That was fucked up right there. But still, I had to stay strong and figure out what the heck was going on here.

"What's your boyfriend's name?" she asked with a smile.

I opened my mouth but found it was impossible to spit out the last of my lie. The idea of even faking being HIS girlfriend sickened me and the name just wouldn't come out. Elanor cackled at my stammering flustered attempt at speech and waved her hand at me, which only made me angrier.

"See? You thought you could lie your way out, how cute. Now listen here, I saved your life. You cannot escape this engagement, Kasumi, so stop trying. I might feel like telling you what you want to know at the altar on your wedding day. Until then I've no intention of revealing a thing."

I bit back my anger and frustration, refusing to speak again in fear I might cry. Kasumi Yoshina never cries, goddammit!

"I'm not lying."

"I doubt you're dating someone like that," Elanor retorted. "You couldn't even say his name."

"B-because I was embarrassed! We…uh, we recently went steady so I'm still all giddy about it! He-llo I'm a teenage girl." Holy fucking shit I want to shoot myself. "I'm not lying, Elanor. We're totally in love and you can't do shit about it."

She sighed. "Then tell me his name. Let me witness your so-called love, then maybe I'll accept it."

I gulped again. Shitfuckshit.

"O…Oo…" I tried, clamming up. Then I thought about marrying Touya and making a bunch of ugly babies with him and the name slid out like vomit; "Ootori Kyoya!"

AAAAAAAGH.

"Ootori?" she echoed with a blank look on her face. Well, that was a first.

"Y…Fuck yeah!"

"I don't believe you. Somebody of that status would never fall for you," she laughed. "Stop playing games and just accept that your future is with my son."

"I—!" I began before the door swung open to reveal Touya. And he wasn't alone.

"Mother, I apologize but they insisted to see you," Touya said softly. With him were—you guessed it—the Host Club. Why they followed me or how I have no idea, but judging from their faces I didn't doubt Tamaki was the one who insisted they give chase. He probably thought I was about to get raped or something. I almost smiled but decided against it, and instead jumped into action, hoping my dagger eyes hinted that what I was about to do should not be taken seriously.

I clung to Kyoya's arm and dragged him into the room. "OH, KYO-CHAN!" I said in an exaggerated manner, resisting the urge to swoon for effect. "You followed me all the way here to stop me from marrying Touya! How romaaaaantic!"

He gave me his signature blank stare.

Elanor looked intrigued.

Before the Host Club could speak (they looked ready to be all "DAFAQ" but I couldn't let them ruin this for me) I slammed the door in their faces, Touya included, and ignored Tamaki's banging and wails. "That's right. I wasn't lying. This is Ootori Kyoya, my boyfriend. Now you can see why I can't marry Touya."

Her nose wrinkled and Kyoya was quiet as always, a mixture of bewilderment and intense amusement in his eyes. Douchebag. He was probably relishing my humiliating, shameful actions and like that drunken kiss he'd hold this over me for the rest of my miserable life.

THAT MONSTER! D:

"That's cute. But even if you were dating him, why should I let up on your marriage to my son?" she asked, her fake cheerfulness replaced with cold bitchiness. "Do you honestly think I'd let up just because someone of his status is with you?"

"We're dating!" was my childish retort. "And you know how it would look if you tried to break someone with that much power up just so you can marry off your son. Aren't you obsessed with public image?" She scowled and I continued. "Right, so you can't do jack shit unless you want to be ruined."

"I can wait." Her eyes flickered to Kyoya. "This childish romance won't last long. Until it ends, I'll stay in Japan. You will marry Touya and you will return with us. Now leave."

I opened the closed my mouth, flushing with rage. "First tell me what I want to know."

She smiled. "Perhaps I will when you agree to my terms."

With that she motioned at the door and I scowled again, flinging it open and releasing Kyoya's arm as I stormed off. Touya called my name but I ignored him and the club as they followed me. I didn't even have the strength to kick Honey off when he hugged my from behind and clung to me like a koala bear.

I finally turned to them once we were in the lobby.

"We were so scared you were getting raped!" Tamaki cried out. I would have laughed at how right I was but I was way too pissed. "Thank goodness you're alright!"

"You're engaged?" the twins echoed curiously. "To that jerk?"

"No. I mean…yes, but no," I said with a shaky voice I wanted to get rid of. Fuck this was harder than I thought it would be. "It's a long story and it's none of your business."

"Is it your boyfriend's?" Kyoya asked with a smirk. I blushed.

"Shut up! You should know I was just using you to avoid the marriage! Just play along and don't complain," I demanded.

"Why should I?"

"Eh?"

"You're indebted to me, not the other way around," he deadpanned.

"I—I mean, yeah but—I just…" I was stupid to think we were actually starting to kind of get along. The ass was willing to let me flail like a fish out of water. To marry Touya, of all people. "Fine, don't! I'll marry Touya and leave forever and he'll pay off my debt! Fuck you!"

Wow. Even I was shocked at the outburst. But I couldn't stop. All the anger and stress from the past week just came pouring out. I was like a bitch train that couldn't be stopped.

"I thought maybe just a little, you guys cared about me! I know I'm short-tempered and stupid and I don't think before I act and I'm a bitch, whatever, fine! But I'm still a fuckin' teenage girl! I don't want to marry someone I don't love. I want to be liked and I want to be happy! I really thought I found that with you morons, but you know, I was probably stupid to think that you felt the same way! I can't intrude in your little bubble, can I? Fine! FUCK THAT! I don't need you guys to be happy! I'll find my own happiness, I'll fight this by myself!" I panted, beads of sweat forming on my forehead as my throat dried from my shrieking. "I'm dropping out of school and I'm moving in with Sayomi! I'm going to figure out what's so special about my family and I'm going to pretend you idiots never intruded in my life! I'll never look at your faces again!"

I gasped at the last words and rubbed my eyes before I ran off, ignoring the stunned stares. I bet Kyoya was smirking like always, happy I was out of his hair. I knew I was being reckless but at this point I just…couldn't deal with it anymore. Not that school, the club, Kyoya, Touya, Elanor—fuck them all. I'd handle this myself. I could do it on my own. I've always been stronger on my own; I never needed anybody's help. Not then not now.

Still struggling to catch my breath I called Sayomi. I almost burst into tears when I heard her voice. "Sayomi? Hey, it's me. Can you come pick me up?"

Sayomi didn't ask me any questions; she just drove me back to her apartment and made me some hot tea. She leaned against me on the couch as I sipped my tea in silence and we watched bad movies. Her warmth against my arm and the smell of her new shampoo soothed me and I eventually nodded off. When I woke up it was dark out and I had a blanket draped over me and pillows propped under my head, the TV turned off and the lights off as well. I turned and fell back into a fitful sleep, the words I said hours again replaying in my head. Did I really mean that? I said it in the heat of the moment but I didn't mean most of it. I never intended to quit school.

But…at this rate, what else could I do? If I didn't do something I'd have to quit anyway and move away with Touya. Either way I lost, didn't I? My head hurt, even in my sleep.

When morning came Sayomi lent me an old white dress of hers once I showered and washed my uniform. We ate poptarts and I finally told her what happened. She comforted me then told me I was free to stay with her as long as it took.

"Thanks," I mumbled.

"But do you really intend to quit school? I…don't think that's a good idea, Kasu-Kasu," she murmured.

"I don't know. I didn't mean it, I was just mad and stressed, but…" I trailed off, biting my lip nervously. "I mean if I stay and continue as I am now, Elanor will eventually win. I'd rather try to do something and beat her. I can't do that the way I am now."

Sayomi ran her fingers through her hair and sighed. "I'll support you no matter what you decide to do, okay?" she said with a smile. I returned it and thanked her. I helped her gather her things when she told me she had to leave for work and saw her off, giving her a long hug before I locked the door behind her. I sat on the couch and texted Kane to tell uncle I was staying with Sayomi for a while, not expecting a reply any time soon.

I curled on the couch and stared at my phone, mulling over what my next step should be. For what seemed like hours I did this until finally my phone rang. I expected it to be Kane but the number was unknown so I hesitated, fearing it was Elanor or Touya or god knows who. Eventually I just threw caution to the wind and answered it with a calm "Hello?"

Silence, then an unfamiliar male voice; "Is this Yoshina Kasumi?"

"This is she." He sounded young and—oh why not yeah I'll say it—cute. "Who is this?"

"My name is Endo Arata," he said slowly. "I, um…wanted to speak to you about my friend Touya."

My grip on the phone tightened. "Listen, I don't know who you are or why you called me but I refuse to marry him, that's that!"

"No, uh," he stammered, sounding caught off guard at my shouting. "I was calling because uh, well…I mean…" I felt bad for him and regretted yelling; he seemed timid and nervous and not good with words. I waited patiently as he continued babbling unintelligently before he cleared his throat, took a breath, and collected himself. "I called for the opposite reason, actually. Ahh….I…found this number in Touya's address book in his room. I know it's strange to call you but I really need to talk to you."

"About what? How do you know Touya, anyway?"

He hesitated again. "I…well…about…I wanted to talk about your engagement to him."

"Why would his friend care?" I asked, less hostile. I decided to go easy on him since he seemed pretty jittery.

"I'm, uhm, not really his…friend."

"Then who the hell are you?"

Another long pause and some shaky breathy on his end. I was about fed up with this cute guy and nearly hung up before I heard him clear his throat again, take a shaky breath, and drop a bomshell. "I'm his lover."

A/N: DUN DUN DUNNNN. lol didn't see that coming did ya? /trollface
yeah i knew Touya was a homo the second i introduced him. hehehehe. THIS WAS ALL PLANNED.
Anyway so sorry for the unannounced hiatus! things got insane for me. i'm really sorry. but hey guess what? my first semester of college, i got straight As! BOOYAH! i am a genius. :U lolllll not.
anyway yeah sorry this was rushed and blahh. i haven't had time to write at all lately but decided i needed to get this shit out asap, so here we are. :D i was half-asleep when writing this so hopefully my grammar and spelling isn't TOO bad. XD i also hope nobody is confused.

ahem anyway, thanks for your support guys! D': see you next chapter!