Indeed: ~Kyoya's Unwitting Irritation!~
➼ pairing: kyoya ootori x reader
➼ summary: kasanoda is your first customer as an unofficial host, and you can't wait to show off what you've learned by merely observing. kyoya isn't a fan of that, but he isn't keen on letting it show
➼ word count: 6.6k
➼ what to expect: "Now that you've seen her naked, are you in love?"
➼ warnings: very very slight angst, harsh language
➼ chapter navigation
➼ talk to my characters!
➼ betas. gotta love em. 💜
"l/n? I'm sorry about the-" Kasanoda appears in the doorway and that's the last person you wanted to walk in at this moment... well, maybe except the twins. Or Honey.
In your shock, the clasp becomes loose and falls, but you're quick to clutch the bra to your chest and nothing is exposed but your back. You squeak, "F-Fuck! Get out!" You cave in on yourself.
"M-m-MA!"
Kyoya's Unwitting Irritation!
Neither you nor Kasanoda gather your wits enough to move away from each other's sight. You're entirely far too conscious about the open bra clasp behind you, pressing your bunched-up shirt to your chest as a last resort.
"Why are you still here?!" You squeak finally.
"Uh. My bad." Kasanoda bursts out of the door behind him, slamming himself onto the surface, shaking breaths heaving through his chest, head leaned against the door with eyes shut.
The moment he opens his eyes, Hikaru and Kaoru are towering over him with glowing, fury-filled eyes, "PEEPING TOM~!"
Kasanoda screams, bent legs trembling with fearful tremors.
"You saw her-"
"- didn't you, Bossa Nova?"
Kasanoda is quick to deny, "No! I didn't see! I mean, I caught a glance, yeah, but it was all so fast that I didn't- It was just an accident! I swear to you that I am not a pervert!"
You groan to yourself from inside of the prep room, quickly clipping your bra back into place and quickly locating your spare change of clothes. God, you can only imagine the furious look on the club's faces right now. If one thing's for sure, it's that the club can be silly and entirely moronic... but when it comes to either you or Haruhi, things get a little more intense.
You fumble with your button down, quickly slipping each button into its respective slot and stringing a new tie around your neck and hurrying to loop it into a knot.
Meanwhile, Honey's expression is unrecognizable in Kasanoda's eyes, "Of course you would say that. Sure sign of a guilty conscience." He says, shifting his stance to instill terror.
Kasanoda's voice trembles in terror and a knock comes to the door, "Senpai? Are you in there? Do you need help?"
You're relieved to hear Haruhi's sweet voice ringing in your ears, "Yes, Haruhi, come in, but be quick about it!" You urge, groaning as you incorrectly tie your tie for at least the third time.
She opens the door a crack and slips in, slamming it behind her, "Let me help." She rushes to your open bag and pulls out your blazer, unfolding it.
"S-So…Um, what're all the bruises on l/n's back about?"
"Oh shit." Your heart sinks, hands flying up to grasp aimlessly at your back and you spin around helplessly. Haruhi quickly steadies you.
"Whoa, whoa, Senpai, hold on." She pulls your shirt down over your back and grimaces, "Do they hurt?"
"Not so much anymore." You whine, shrugging your button down back onto your shoulders and finally looping your tie through the intended opening and tightening it around your collar.
"Red alert. He's sticking his nose where it shouldn't be stuck." Kaoru folds his arms behind his back, mirroring his brother, "That's not good."
"If he thinks Honey-Senpai is scary," You allow Haruhi to slip your blazer onto your shoulders, "he should wait until Kyoya gets a chance to talk."
Haruhi snickers, "Oh, boy, that'll be something."
"So, let's hear it." Hikaru demands.
"How much of her maidenliness did you actually see?" Kaoru inquires.
"Oh, God, we have to get out here." You button your blazer and adjust your sleeves.
"Well... she was changing so I saw her underwear... although her bra was kind of falling off-?"
"Don't say that." You hiss in a whisper, dusting off your lap.
"YOU SAW Y/N'S UNDERWEAR?!!!"
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" You whimper, pulling your hair out of your blazer and fluffing it along your shoulders.
"So what do we do?!" Kaoru growls.
"There's only one thing to do: we have to induce amnesia."
Kaoru leaps behind Kasanoda and holds him steady as Hikaru pulls out a concealed bat, "Hold him." Hikaru swirls his bat, one leg hiked and ready to swing.
Kyoya raises a calm hand, "That's enough, you two. Leave assault and battery to the professionals."
Kaoru groans, "What are you, made of ice?! How can you be so calm about this?!" He implies certain committed relationship circumstances.
Tamaki leans close to Kyoya's ear, whispering for only him to hear, "Kyoya! He practically saw your girlfriend nude, aren't you even a little bit upset?"
Although the notion irks Kyoya, he knows that by no means should he blame you for the incident. He takes a subtle breath in and out, mentally shrugging off the rush of different, angry emotions flooding his system.
"Well, now that certain events have transpired... let's talk." Kyoya adjusts his glasses with his index and middle finger, eyes becoming hooded in an intimidating narrowed glare.
Kasanoda gulps.
"What you've seen here today is not to be verbally shared or under any circumstances discussed with anyone outside of this group for y/n's own safety and privacy. While we can't physically force you to cooperate exactly, there is something I would like for you to bear in mind. Coming from the sort of family you do, I'm certain you hear all sorts of juicy little rumors. Enough to know what is true and what is not. Take the Ootori Family's private police force, the Black Onion Squad. It is said that they can be mobilized against our enemies in the blink of an eye."
Kyoya's intimidating glare relents, his head tilting upward to relinquish the glare making his glasses shine and his malicious smirk is replaced with a polite smile, "You have heard of them, right?"
You're quick to throw open the door as soon as you can, catching an almost visible glance of Kyoya's glowing aura of evil exuding from his person.
"Be reasonable, stop scaring Kasanoda. I'm sorry about them." You adjust your tie one last time as Haruhi follows you carefully.
"Hey, l/n..." Kasanoda's voice trembles.
"While I would appreciate your confidentiality... you don't have to listen to any of them." You throw a pointed glare in Kyoya's direction, whose gaze flips a switch from enraged to confused in a matter of seconds.
For whatever reason, a faint flush floods Kasanoda's cheeks and the bridge of his nose, painting his face a gentle red.
"Well, well, Bossa Nova." Hikaru all but growls with malicious intent.
"Now that you've seen her naked, are you in love?"
That possibility never made it into Kyoya's churning mind until it comes out of Kaoru's mouth. He can tell he's going to have a rough upcoming day.
♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡
The Host Club is now open for business
The next day, contrary to popular belief, has been entirely uneventful thus far. When it comes to activities pertaining to the Host Club, no extravagant theme has been prepared for today. It feels as though you've been bombarding the guests with far too many things to become invested in lately that you feel that you and the club should give them a break. Taking things back to the basics for at least a few days per week as always been part of the routine.
Amid the gentle chatter, you swing back and forth between tables, fulfilling beverage requests and offering refills to those who haven't made any requests.
When most of the guests' heads begin to glance upward, soft gasps of shock falling between parted lips, it prompts your own head to crane toward the door to see what all the fuss is about.
An all too familiar figure stands in the doorway, hands shoved in his pockets in an intimidating fashion.
"It's Kasanoda, from class D." A guest observes aloud.
"I heard he made himself Mori's apprentice."
"I wonder if that means he's training to be a host, too."
Kasanoda pays them no mind and wanders over to an empty sofa. He sits directly in the middle, hands propped on his spread knees and eyes cast to the floor.
"I'd... like to request l/n."
Most girls spring from their seats with shocked squeals and a number of questioning gasps.
"What is this?"
"Is he for real? She's not even a host!"
It would be an understatement to say that you're utterly confused. Is this another one of your dreams? If that's the case, your mind has gotten much more skilled in projecting realistic images.
The ground trembles under the sheer force of the powerful motor that raises Renge on her iconic platform, her shrill laugh reaching all ears.
"The genuine article. At long last!"
"Renge, is it true? Is he really-?"
"Could he really be-?"
You quickly spin on your heel, scurrying back to where the hosts reside and all but slamming your tray of teacups onto a nearby table. You dust off your uniform, adjusting your hair in the reflection of a teapot.
"What are you doing?" Kyoya appears behind you, arms crossed. You spin around to face him with a wide smile.
"I have my first guest! I have to look presentable." You ready a fresh tea set, dipping a new tea bag into boiling water and setting it aside to diffuse while you place new teacups onto a tray, along with a porcelain container of sugar.
"First guest?" Kyoya turns over his shoulder and spots Kasanoda, sitting on an empty sofa and patient awaiting the service of his girlfriend.
"Well, not guest... but he wants me! He wants me to go over there and act like a host!" You giggle gleefully, finally facing him head on with a giddy expression.
"But you're not a host, he can't just-" Kyoya gestures indignantly at Kasanoda.
"Please, Kyoya? Just this once? He just wants to talk, you don't have to charge him as an actual guest! Just let me do this... please?"
Your expression seems so hopeful that it actually wrecks Kyoya inside to turn you down. His shoulders slouch and he exhales heavily through his nose.
Kasanoda... isn't a real guest, Kyoya tells himself. You won't have to dote on him the way Tamaki would dote on one of his guests. He's just a visiting friend that has requested your company.
So why does Kyoya feel dread eating away at his soul?
"Fine. Go ahead." Despite his internal conflict... Kyoya revels in the squeal you let out when you scoop the tray into your arms and practically skip in Kasanoda's direction.
Tamaki is quick to approach Kyoya when you're out of earshot, "Are you really going to let her do this? Bossa Nova has no idea she's taken." He cautions as gently as he can.
Kyoya purses his lips, "I don't own her."
Tamaki nods. Kyoya makes an excellent point. You don't belong to Kyoya as a person, and if a guest requests you... it would be exceedingly rude to deny said guest in front of the remaining guests.
The notion of your debt briefly enters Kyoya's thoughts. But, you're not leaving the Host Club, so he has absolutely no right to hold that over you in this context. He simply has to sit idly by and watch you try and woo another man.
"Welcome, Kasanoda." You approach him with a cheerful smile, posture straight. You do your best to ignore the onlookers' watchful gazes as you take your seat beside him.
"So you're our guest today?" You inquire curiously, setting the tea tray onto the coffee table, arranging the teacups and their respective saucers.
Kasanoda does his best to keep a respectful distance, "Uh, that's right."
He observes you carefully, eyes trained on your side profile as you work quickly to prepare him and yourself a beverage.
Kyoya rolls his eyes; the nervous expression on Kasanoda's face is unmistakable. He's visibly struggling to keep his composure, jaw tight and teeth clenched. If Kyoya looks closely enough, he can see Kasanoda's legs trembling with earthquake like intensity.
"Care for tea? Do you take sugar?" You wait patiently for a response before moving to pour the tea.
Kyoya grimaces at your sweet, angelic voice that could enrapture the strongest-willed men and bring them to their knees at your will.
"Here, uh, let me help." Kasanoda reaches for the teapot. You pull away just in time, "Now, what kind of unofficial host would I be if I let you pour your own tea?" You tip the pot over and let the steaming tea fill the cup.
"So... l/n... you're looking pretty today."
Keeping your own composure, you feign a smile of pure innocence, "That's so cheesy! You're funny, Kasanoda." Might not be the best way to dodge flirting... but it is certainly a way.
Kasanoda's heart pulses, legs continuing to tremble under the shelter of the low table and away from your line of sight.
The twins glare a searing hole through Kyoya as he sits (seemingly) unbothered at an empty table, typing away at his laptop, "Hey, don't just sit there, Kyoya-Senpai. Get him out of here!" Kaoru pleads angrily, turning away from watching you interact sweetly with Kasanoda.
"If he's getting along with his goons so well now, why does he need to be here in the first place?" Hikaru bitterly shoves his hands in his pockets.
Heaving a sigh, Kyoya does not spare them a glance from his laptop monitor, "He's just like any other guest. He doesn't seem to be showing any outward signs of misbehavior, so I see no reason to eject him."
"He saw your girlfriend naked, for crying out loud!" Hikaru reminds.
"He's probably sitting there imagining it." Kaoru directs Kyoya's attention to Kasanoda's well-trained gaze on your figure as you pour him another cup of tea.
Kasanoda does seem incredibly tense, eyes not able to linger on you for too long and his muscles seem like they're under heavy restraint.
"Would you idiots mind your own business?" Kyoya sneers grumpily, fingers becoming much more violent when tapping his keyboard.
"But the other guests are afraid!" The twins resort to. A blatant lie.
"Oh, no, I think not."
One would have to be clinically deaf to not overhear the incessant conversation transpiring among the guests.
The twins turn over their shoulders to where Kyoya points; their guests are infatuated with the scene before them, unable to tear their prying eyes away from the pair, much to everyone's dismay.
"The look on his face is just priceless."
"I've never seen someone so in love before!"
Renge squeals, "Hello, Sumire? Forget about your stupid violin lesson and hightail it to the Host Club! I'm telling you, this is a one-in-a-million chance to witness something truly amazing!"
"Hello, Kurakano? You've got to get to the Host Club right now! If all goes well, we might have Kyoya's attention fully on the Host Club!"
The guests' intentions make themselves fully clear to Hikaru, Kaoru, and Kyoya. It's painfully obvious that you and Kyoya seem to harbor some sort of... feelings for each other, whether they know of your relationship or not. Clearly, the guests want Kyoya's attention back on them... and that means you need to be taken off the market. They hope to the listening stars above that Kasanoda manages to capture your attention.
Little do they know that you're already enraptured with a certain raven haired host... but they needn't know that.
"See? We're just fine." The twins would be fools to not be able to detect the strain in Kyoya's words.
"You money-grubbing enabler!" They curse, shaking their fists.
"Need a refill? Let me get on that!" You beam.
"Uh... thank you." Kasanoda's voice is considerably quiet and stiff.
"Oh, no. She's giving him the adorable smile-" Hikaru's voice trembles in fear.
"- the one which no man can resist!"
Kyoya knows exactly what Kaoru is referring to. There isn't a host that can ignore your infamous pleading simper. It's the same smile that convinced him to let you do what you're doing now- which he wholeheartedly regrets.
Honey giggles, "Wow. Usually you guys wouldn't waste any time interrupting the two of them." He observes expertly.
Hikaru sighs, "Yeah, but our hands are tied."
"y/n-Senpai would never forgive us if we screwed up her first attempt at hosting..." It's not secret how badly you want to be a member of the Host Club... not just work for the Host Club.
"Hey, Kyoya-Senpai, are you done pretending this isn't bothering you yet?"
"Yeah, we could really use your shadow king intimidation right now." Kaoru grumbles bitterly.
"I don't know what you're talking about. She's entertaining a guest, isn't that what we do here?" Kyoya shrugs. Though it comes difficultly with the heavy weight of dread on his shoulders.
"You're always the one telling her she can't be a host, Kyo-chan." Honey reminds with wide, innocent irises. Kyoya purses his lips.
"That's because-"
"Because you can't stand to see her with another man like that?"
Kyoya's voice of reason doesn't often come from the mouth of his blonde haired moron of a best friend. From where he's seated, Tamaki towers over him, head tilted in question.
Kyoya lets out an airy groan as he stands, shutting his laptop and tucking it under his arm, "I need y/n's input on this."
It's unclear as to what 'this' refers to, but none of the hosts have any time to inquire as Kyoya swiftly moves on, striding over to you and Kasanoda.
He approaches quietly, poorly hiding his irritated expression with the glare of light against his glasses, hand shoved in his pocket and brows slightly creased.
"Kyoya?" You tilt your head as he approaches. Kasanoda follows your line of sight, looking entirely unamused at the new presence, "Hm?"
"I was going over our next cosplay plans and realized that I lack your input, y/n." Kyoya pretends to flip through the empty pages of his notebook while glaring down at you, begging and pleading with his eyes that you'll take a hint.
"... can it wait? I'm in the middle of something." You cock a brow in genuine confusion.
Tamaki rests his forehead in his palm, watching from afar alongside the rest of the club, "Just say it, Kyoya..." He groans to himself.
Kyoya nearly huffs, "Considering there's much work to be done, I wouldn't say that it can." He musters up the most casual voice that he can.
You shrug, "Fine, then you can sit here and go over it. Anyways, as I was saying-"
Kyoya's heart drops to his stomach when he realizes that you're completely (unintentionally) overlooking his worries. He was hoping to speak with you alone and voice his discomfort but... he hadn't expected that response.
That's possibly worse than you insisting that he wait until later. The last thing Kyoya wants to do is literally sit idly by as you entertain a man who has seen the back of your bare upper body. Of course, Kyoya has been with you much more intimately. You've never... kissed Kasanoda or... you know, sat perched in his lap, tangling your fingers through his hair as you moved your lips so passionately against his-
Kyoya physically shakes his head, cheeks tinting slightly, but not noticeably. Nonetheless, Kyoya has never seen that much of your bare body, and he doesn't feel the need to ask you to show him... but it irks him that someone else has, accidentally or not.
Kyoya is shaken from his trance at the sound of your laugh, waving Kasanoda off as he's just said the funniest thing in the world. Kasanoda's blush deepens and Kyoya can practically read his thoughts by staring unwaveringly at his forehead. He's absolutely head over heels for you. That feeling is quite familiar to Kyoya.
"Good grief... why is he just sitting there doing nothing?" Hikaru crosses his arms, eyes trained on Kyoya's figure that writes in his notebook.
"I know he thinks he's smart and all... but he's kind of an idiot." Kaoru grumbles disappointingly.
"You've got that right." Tamaki assumes a similar position, leaning his weight against a nearby column as he watches Kyoya flounder internally.
"I didn't take Kyoya-Senpai for the jealous type." Haruhi appears at Tamaki's side, hands folded behind her back and peering up at Tamaki with curious eyes.
"I didn't take Kyoya for the dating type." Tamaki chuckles.
Haruhi nods slowly, processing the notion in her own way.
"I can't watch this much longer-"
"- it's getting painful." The twins nearly whine, peeking from their eavesdropping spot behind a separate column.
"And it's not helping that y/n-Senpai is so oblivious to his discomfort..." Haruhi grimaces.
"So, y/n..." Kasanoda's voice reaches your ears and you turn cheerily, adorning a smile and humming in acknowledgement.
"What's that scent you're wearing? It smells... nice." His voice trembles.
You grin widely, "Oh, thank you! I think it's Good Girl by Caroline Herrera... I really like it, it's very sweet but kind of spicy."
Kyoya nearly chokes. Where is the y/n that wouldn't tolerate a comment like that from the twins or Tamaki? His irritation is getting increasingly out of hand every time Kasanoda opens his mouth.
If this is Host y/n, his opinion toward letting you become one deteriorates all the more. He doesn't think he can handle Host y/n.
Kyoya thought that establishing a relationship with you would have prevented anything like the Karuizawa incident from happening. He can't let himself repeat that scene... he remembers the look on your face every time he would leave you stranded and he doesn't want to be the cause of that expression again.
"I wanna ask you something." Kasanoda interjects into Kyoya's thoughts indirectly. Although he's directing his inquiry to you, Kyoya's ears perk as he listens.
"Ask away." You encourage.
"Are... you into guys like me?"
You quirk a brow, "Huh?"
"Uh, oh..." Kaoru hisses, hidden mostly from sight.
"Kyoya-Senpai can't ignore that..." Hikaru purses his lips.
As if on cue, Kyoya's notebook shuts between his fingers with a loud snap! that gains both your and Kasanoda's attention. He stands to tower over the pair of you, glasses shining frighteningly as he adjusts them, notebook tucked under his arm.
"I'm not sure you understand what it means to be a guest here at the Host Club, Kasanoda."
"Oh, boy." You occupy yourself with pushing the teacups around on the tray pointlessly, lip tucked nervously between your teeth as Kyoya addresses Kasanoda coldly.
"What?" Kasanoda stands to meet Kyoya's height, although non-threateningly.
"Since y/n is too naive to tell you herself, I will." Kyoya opens his notebook with a professional tone.
"Finally, he's doing something about it."
"It states here in our rules that courting a host is strictly prohibited. Any attempts by a guest to court a host will be shut down immediately and said guest will be asked to leave, unable to return until further notice by the club's directive." With snap!, Kyoya closes his notebook again and tucks it under his arm, suppressing a smug smile.
"Go get 'em, Senpai!" Hikaru cheers from the sideline.
"Wait... what?" Kasanoda quirks a brow upward.
"I didn't think l/n was a host. Isn't she your manager?"
Silence. Kyoya internally falters, "She is our active manager, yes." He can only respond with the truth.
"That means she's not a host... right?" Kasanoda pushes further.
"No, I'm afraid not." Kyoya reluctantly admits.
"So what's wrong with trying to court her?"
Silence, once again. Kyoya bites his tongue behind his lips, teeth grinding and jaw working.
He adjusts his glasses, "Even so, I cannot allow you to pursue her in this way."
"Aren't the two of you just friends? Why do you care?"
"Oh, no." Hikaru sighs, frowning.
"He's painted him into a corner..." Kaoru whines.
If Kyoya admits that he's already taken you off the market by him in particular, the eavesdropping guests would be absolutely furious and would most likely plunge them into the depths of bankruptcy. You know that. Kyoya knows that. The entire Host Club knows that.
"Please excuse me."
As Kyoya turns on his heel to return to the remaining hosts, you feel the immense weight of guilt drop onto your shoulders and you frown, wanting so badly to call after him but you can't draw any more attention or suspicion to anything going on between the two of you.
"Senpai, that was rough-"
"- are you okay?" The twins are the first to cautiously approach Kyoya as he returns, soundly beaten.
Kyoya pinches the bridge of his nose, "I'm fine. He's right. To everyone else, we're simply friends, therefore I should outwardly have no problem with someone else pursuing her." He all but stumbles into an empty seat and props open his laptop, despite the club crowded around him.
Tamaki frowns, "I could tell y/n to ask him to leave..." He suggests, pity lacing his voice. Kyoya waves him off.
"No need, he's a paying guest after all." Kyoya opens a spreadsheet and begins diligent work.
Meanwhile, both you and Kasanoda peek over the back of the sofa, watching as the club gathers around Kyoya in his laptop corner as he pretends to work.
"You think everything's alright over there? I mean, I didn't say anything to set him off, did I?" Kasanoda worries, nervous sweat beading at his brow.
You chuckle apprehensively, "I don't think so." A blatant lie.
As the both of you return to your previous positions, Kasanoda speaks up yet again.
"l/n. Um." He leans toward you hopefully, "Do you think that we could maybe do this more often?"
You purse your lips at the question yet to come, tensing with dread.
"Because, I was just thinking, since you work for this club all day long it might kind of give you a break from all that. You know, if I came around."
Your eyes dart to the left, heart pulsing with sympathy at his concern for your well-being. You really think of Kasanoda as a sweet, considerate guy with good intentions... it's going to be difficult to reject his offer when the time comes.
"I mean if- if you want that, that is." He casts his eyes to the floor, occasionally sneaking glances at you from his peripheral vision.
You pull another innocent smile, eyes closing, "Sure thing! That way we could get to know each other better." You struggle with the acceptance, knowing that he isn't asking for anything too rash.
"Here it comes!" Renge shrieks, pupils shaped like hearts as she and the other guests wait patiently for Kasanoda's next words.
The Host Club waits on the edge of their seats as well, all uncharacteristically silent as they watch Kasanoda shake and fumble.
He leans closer to you still, "l/n, I-" Kasanoda stops mid sentence, heart beating strongly in his chest, lips unable to form words as he stares deep into your soul.
You squirm uncomfortably, gnawing on your lip and impatiently awaiting his next proclamation. The air encircling you both is tense, the atmosphere is sufficiently awkward.
Kasanoda grips the fabric of his pant leg with trembling fingers, deep in thought. He swallows hard as if preparing for the most frightening moment of his life, "I, uh, have something to say."
With every moment that he doesn't just spit out what he wants to say, another five or so years is taken off your life. You nod gently, encouraging him to just tell you whatever the hell he wants to tell you... and you have an intuitive thought as to what it is.
Watching intensely from the sidelines, Kyoya anticipates your response. Although he knows it's going to be along the lines of 'I don't have feelings for you,' he's still anxious as to how you're going to say it.
"I just wanted to tell you..." Kasanoda wonders if you can hear the intense beating of his heart through his chest. The tension grows thicker with the notion that everyone present in the room is watching carefully.
"I just wanted to tell you. That I'm-"
Oh, God, he's actually going to say it right here in front of everyone. Your mouth rushes to say something before your brain can catch up, squeaking out a semi-coherent interjection, "T-that you're glad to finally have someone to talk to!"
Trying your best to ignore the multitude of appalled faces that stem from your hurried response, you rise to your feet and slide a hand over the back of your neck, "I don't get many opportunities to practice being a host like this. We're going to be great friends."
You know the word sends a dagger straight through Kasanoda's fragile heart if his unmoving reaction is anything to go by.
"Uh, oh. Hung out to try." Renge grumbles, brows furrowed.
"He totally just got shot down!"
"He didn't even get a chance to profess his love!"
"Oh. The friends thing. That really stings!"
"I bet that rejection haunts him for the rest of his life."
"Aw, the poor guy."
"It's so tragic!"
Blow after blow on Kasanoda's pride and your guilty conscience in turn.
He turns from you, "Of course the two of us are going to be friends! Best of friends! Forever!" His voice strains considerably, as do his fingers on his knees.
You hum with a nod, allowing a relieved smile to tug at your lips with your hands folded behind your back.
Kyoya can't help the fond smirk that befalls his features, his shoulders slouching at the lack of tension in them, head tilting almost smugly.
"Bossa Nova!" Hikaru, Kaoru, and Honey burst into tears.
"Kasanoda!" The guests react similarly.
"Casanova!" Renge sniffles, whimpering, "How lovely! How absolutely beautiful!"
"You've moved us to tears!"
You can't say that you quite understand their reactions- perhaps it was simply mistaken by an act of bravery on Kasanoda's part. Nonetheless, you keep your distance from the swarming crowd of guests and hosts alike that begins to form around Kasanoda.
"We'll be your friends!"
"That was breathtaking!"
"Do it again!"
The twins shove their faces closely to Kasanoda's, "We want to be friends with you, too, Bossa Nova!" Hikaru sobs.
"Let's play kick the can!" Kaoru produces an empty can from God knows where.
"I know I'm your senpai, but I'll still be your friend! You can even hold Usa-chan!" Honey shoves Usa-chan against Kasanoda's cheek.
Renge's platform lowers back into the floor as she dabs her flowing tears, "Adieu, brave one!"
Meanwhile, Kyoya can't help but let out a laugh, returning haphazardly to his notebook with the shake of his head.
"What's so funny, Kyoya?" Tamaki teases, leaning his weight on Kyoya's shoulder with a knowing smile.
"Oh, nothing. Just thinking about how lucky I am." Kyoya offers him a small simper.
"How so?" Tamaki prys further.
"I could have easily suffered the same fate as Kasanoda when I was telling y/n how I felt." Kyoya shrugs.
Tamaki chuckles, "Ah, not so easily, my friend. I wholeheartedly believe that in any parallel universe, the two of you would have ended up together one way or another."
"You think so?" Kyoya's gaze falls onto you standing in the midst of the crowd around Kasanoda, looking so utterly confused that he has to smile for your sake.
"I wonder if something really big is gonna happen before we graduate."
"You never know."
♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡
Another painfully long day at the Host Club results in Kyoya resting as well as he can in the comfort of his own room, legs propped up along the length of his pristinely white sofa with a book perched in one hand, his temple resting in the other with the help of the back of the sofa.
The calming silence despite the occasional gust of wind outside lulls him into a relaxed state of mind, his eyes hooded tiredly as he can barely keep up with each word he reads over.
Just as he's going to pick up his bookmark, "Special delivery." A quiet knock comes from the entryway.
Kyoya hums, shocked to find you standing in his doorway with your knuckles against the wall, your other arm supporting a decently sized and neatly wrapped box.
"Are you still mad... about the host thing?" You bite your lip anxiously.
Kyoya quirks a brow, "Mad?" He maintains his iconic monotone, turning from you almost bitterly, intrigued into how you believe he's mad will play out in the moment.
Mad would be a grand overstatement, as he's not upset with you in the slightest. But if there's one thing Kyoya enjoys, it's teasing you.
"I know I'm not a host and I shouldn't have acted like one... or blatantly overlooked your displeasure with Kasanoda being my guest."
Kyoya does not reply, eyes trained on one page in his book, no longer skimming over the words. He patiently awaits your next move.
"So I brought you a gift of sorts... as an apology." You gently place the box at the end of his sofa, heart leaping into your chest when he peers over his open book at it.
Kyoya sighs, bookmarking his page and swinging his legs onto the floor, reaching for the box, when, "Careful... it's fragile." You warn cautiously, wincing in anticipation.
Even more confused, Kyoya notices several minuscule holes poked into the top of the box. The weight inside shifts across his lap without Kyoya even touching it. Something is moving.
"What the hell did you put in the box?" Is his first response.
"Just open it." You sigh irritatedly, propping an impatient hand on your hip and shifting your weight.
Kyoya pulls the ribbon, watching it unravel before lifting the lid from the box, peering cautiously inside.
He nearly recoils when something blinks back up at him, green orbs with narrow black slits gazing into his soul as a short, stubby black tail wraps itself around the length of a huddled, darkly colored body.
Kyoya recalls this creature with a bow tied carefully around its neck as the kitten you placed in his arms before all hell broke loose for two days. Without much of a thought, Kyoya reaches into the box and takes the quiet kitten by its scruff, supporting its bottom with his remaining hand and inspecting it as if he were a veterinarian himself, brows furrowed in utter confusion.
Meanwhile, you're going to gnaw your bottom lip off at this rate, "She needs a home and my father is allergic to anything with fur so... my next thought was to give her to you."
As you speak, Kyoya cradles the delicate feline in his arms and she takes to him immediately, her body rumbling with a comfortable purr as she nuzzles into the crook of his elbow.
"You strike me as a cat person. N-Not like a cat person with dozens upon dozens of cats but... you know, just one."
Kyoya hums appreciatively, "Does she have a name?" He notices the lack of a collar around her neck.
"No, I've just been calling her little one. Seeing as she's the runt, and all."
When the little one gazes up at him with her widely innocent eyes, Kyoya can only see his own reflection in her irises, heart thumping dully but noticeably.
"So now you have another girl in your life for me to be jealous of."
Kyoya lifts his head, meeting your gaze for the first time since you appeared in his doorway with a box containing a live animal. He snickers-- an unexpected response.
"Is this your way of evening the score?" His tone is filled with amusement, resulting in a scoff from you.
"Well... sort of." You grumble, crossing your arms defensively, watching him pet the little one over her back as she turns upside down in his arms, letting out a squeak.
"Well, she certainly is adorable." Kyoya lifts her at arms length, holding her just under her arms, seemingly in thought.
"She looks like a Noel to me." He tilts his head ever so slightly, earning a similar response from the newly named feline.
"Noel it is then." You voice beside him. Noel squirms, resulting in Kyoya setting her on her feet on the sofa beside him and watching her wander about before she curls up into a ball of nothing but jet black fluff and settling in for a nap.
"So... do you like her? Do you forgive me?" You meet his gaze cautiously.
At your pleading question, Kyoya's irritated facade comes crumbling down and he stands, dipping down just slightly to steal your lips in a firm kiss and settling his arms gently around your waist.
"Indeed." He nudges your nose with his own, relishing in your glazed-over eyes as you register your surroundings.
"You had me worried there." You secure your arms behind his neck and bury your face into the junction where his shoulder meets his neck, standing on the tips of your toes to reach it.
"What kind of couple would be we be if we didn't worry each other?" Kyoya teases.
"A healthy, less stressed couple." You grumble, slightly muffled.
Kyoya rolls his eyes, bending at his knees as he scoops your off your feet, hauling you over his back and smirking at your squeal.
"Put me down!" You kick your feet, gripping onto the black of his blazer for dear life.
"Come on, we've got to look at pet supplies."
"You mean you have to look at pet supplies." You correct quickly, giving up in your endeavors to escape and dangling limply over his back as Kyoya carries you around the sofa and toward the stairs leading to his bed.
"Ah, I see what your intentions were now- you're dumping her off on me." He teases
"No! She was an…apology." Your voice grows weaker as more blood rushes to your head, your eyes growing significantly hooded, "I think I'm going to pass out." You warn.
Kyoya quickly maneuvers you from draping over his back like a rag doll to lying gracefully in his arms bridal style.
"Better?" He raises a playful brow.
Dizzily, you uncross your eyes, "Much."
🎵I run and run a thousand miles, and I am barely breathing. Only the fuel of a passionate heart keeps this body strong and moving forward.
Could it be I found a place to rest? How far until I’m OK?
Trees of the town reveal the time has come once again to shift our shade and colors. 🎵
🎵The world always changes around us but weakness will always remain;
Through all the pain, believe in who we are right here and now! 🎵
🎵Raise one hand to the sky; raise them both lift them high!!
And you’ll cut through the darkness make it go!
The time to start is now! And I can show you how.
Start with me, and the world will be even bigger than ever before. 🎵
♡Next time, on Indeed...♡
And so we learn just how y/n l/n ended up working for the infamous Host Club, with the addition of how you and Kyoya definitely could have worked things out differently. But, you know Kyoya. When are things ever going to be easy?
♡We'll see you then!! ♡
want to read more? here's my ouran masterlist 🌹
and here's my bts blog💜
want me to write something you want to see? request something💌
have any questions? talk to my characters!🙏🏻
Adieu~ 🌹🌹🌹
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P5X Plot Summary
(updated 1/25/24)
Once again, since there’s no official translation, I’m leaning on what happens visually, along with the pieces of context I can understand from the Japanese voice acting (in scenes that have it), and taking into consideration the rough translations I’ve seen floating around/from Google Translate.
Contrary to this blog’s name, this post is going to have as little speculation as possible, and stick to confirmed facts.
Disclaimer: Though the third beta added new cutscenes in, there are still some that are explained only with placeholder text. Because of this, there’s some context that’s still limited, and that’ll be reflected here too.
The third beta goes partway through the second Palace- up to just past the fourth teammate’s awakening, only two scenes further than the second beta.
The third beta starts out somewhere extremely familiar: the exact same place P5 and P5R start, Joker's escape from Sae's casino Palace after the Phantom Thieves have fought her Shadow.
You can see a video of the beginning here, though I'll summarize what's shown in the video below:
Just before gameplay begins, Joker briefly glitches into the P5X protagonist, before glitching back into Joker. Joker then begins to escape and encounters a shadow which the player has to defeat, just like in P5/P5R.
However, after defeating the shadow, someone else attacks Joker, who looks just like the P5X protagonist except with a white mask. Joker and the protagonist fight, but the protagonist wins, and smiles at Joker before firing his gun.
In a bedroom, we then see the protagonist shoot awake as if from a nightmare, to the sound of an alarm on his phone going off.
The protagonist then heads to school. We see a train station, then an owl seeming to realize something, and flying off.
It then transitions to a shot of Kokatsu Academy, the protagonist sitting in his homeroom class, with a form about what he wants to do after high school. He taps his pencil on the blank form, and looks out the window. His teacher, Kumi Katayama, instructs the students to fill it out with their names (and then the player is prompted to name the protagonist).
After writing his name, the protagonist feels sleepy, and drifts off. He then wakes up in the Velvet Room for the first time.
Igor welcomes the protagonist to the Velvet Room, and introduces him to himself and Merope. He’s only there briefly before he’s woken up by the girl sitting in front of him in class.
Katayama comes over and reprimands them, then collects the forms.
After getting out of class, the protagonist steps out into the hallway, but Katayama calls him over to talk about his empty form, and asks if he knows what he wants for the future. She seems troubled that he doesn’t seem to know.
After, he runs into some girls gossiping and blocking the stairs. They mention something about "Magatsukami" and a “phantom”. The protagonist has the option (presented like a dialogue option) to try to ask them to move out of the way, I believe? But if the player chooses yes, it’s like something stops him from doing it anyway.
Another student comes over to interrupt them, and says something to them that makes them bow in apology to both her and the protagonist before running off, calling her “Tanemura-senpai”. She tells them not to run in the hallway.
Tanemura comments that students are acting more "selfishly" these days, and also mentions Wonder could've just communicated with them himself, before leaving.
As the protagonist goes to exit the school, he walks by the owl, who’s landed atop the shoe lockers. It mutters something to itself, but is gone when the protagonist looks in its direction.
As the protagonist steps through the front gate of the school, a woman in a red dress walks by quickly.
The owl follows the protagonist to the train station. As he walks there, some more students gossip about “phantoms”.
At the station, he sees a woman trip (or otherwise fall), and the player’s prompted with the option to help her (again like a dialogue choice), but something vague once again seems to stop him if the player does choose to help. The train leaves.
And then, the woman in the red dress from slightly earlier reappears, now on the roof of a building across from the train station, and throws herself off of it. The protagonist is the only one in the station to really react to this, and that convinces the owl that the protagonist is the one he's looking for.
The next part is a series of cutscenes close together. You can watch it in gameplay (24:54 - 37:07) since it works better visually, but I’ll summarize it, too:
At the station, the protagonist boards a train, noticing the girl from class also sitting on this train, and spots a strange app on his phone. He tries to delete it, but it comes back. The owl sits across from him, and says something about fate or destiny. It’s cut off by screams, as a person on a bike rides into the train car. The person rushes the protagonist, causing him to accidentally tap and open the strange app.
When he opens his eyes, he’s in Mementos, and the strange owl is there too. He introduces himself as Ruferu. He says he can show the protagonist the exit, but as they head there they’re ambushed by shadows, leading to the protagonist awakening to his Persona, Janosik.
Ruferu teaches the protagonist the basics of combat, but then they run into one last big shadow right by the escalators.
Ruferu reveals his own Persona, Rob Roy, and they take the shadow down together.
They pass by a strange woman on their way out of Mementos, but after Ruferu determines she’s not a threat, they don’t bother to stop to talk to her.
When he leaves, the protagonist is shocked to find himself in Shibuya, with his clothes back to normal and ruferu back to being a "normal" owl.
He and Ruferu part ways, with the protagonist heading home. He doesn’t notice the blonde girl who sits in front of him in class standing nearby, who is puzzled to see him here in Shibuya.
When he goes to sleep, he wakes up in the Velvet Room again, and Merope and Igor tell him about “ruin”. He’s woken up by Ruferu pecking at his head.
Ruferu refers to the protagonist as his “business partner”, and says they’ll talk more during the protagonist’s lunch break at school later. Ruferu’s Confidant is established. As the protagonist leaves for school, his mom texts him; something about how she and the protagonist’s dad are traveling in another country.
(The protagonist’s outfit is changeable by the player from this point on, so in scenes outside of school and Mementos, it may not always be consistent in my screenshots, haha.)
When he leaves the house, he runs into a woman who introduces herself as Kayo Tomiyama. She apparently knew him when he was younger and comments that he’s grown up into a handsome man, in that tone of a family friend or relative being surprised at how big you’ve gotten since they last saw you. She also talks about how her “Darling”, likely her husband, went to Kokatsu as well.
After she leaves and the protagonist continues on to school, he runs into Merope in Shibuya, staring at one of the Rise posters. It gives her an idea, and she opens a Velvet Room door next to it and heads through, seeming to have barely noticed the protagonist in the first place.
As the protagonist waits for his train, a man stepping off the train bumps into him, then smiles kind of smugly and waves it off when the protagonist looks at him.
The protagonist gets on the train and leaves, but the camera continues to follow the man for a bit. He spots a woman in the station, and something seems to overcome him. He follows after her.
On the train with the protagonist, there are some Kokatsu girls gossiping about a hot guy, which the protagonist figures out is about another student on the train, whom the girls refer to as “Ikenami-kun” from Kiga High School.
When the train arrives, another Kokatsu girl bumps into him on her way out, and the protagonist catches her before she falls back.
She apologizes and hurries off the train, but the protagonist notices she dropped her bus pass.
He finds her in the station, and returns it to her, which she thanks him for profusely. After she runs off again, Wonder seems to take note of the fact that he was actually able to help her (presumably, as opposed to the choices the game wouldn't let the player make earlier).
The protagonist then heads on to school, and the view briefly cuts back to the man from earlier for another short cutscene.
He forces his way through the crowd to reach the woman he's following, and slams into her, knocking her to the ground. She looks up at him and, clearly scared, runs off.
The man smirks to himself, then moves on.
Returning to the protagonist, we see him in Katayama's class. At the start of their lunch break, the blonde girl catches his attention, and says she was surprised yesterday, bringing up the incident with person on the bike on the train.
The protagonist doesn’t really answer, so she speculates that the bike person was a “phantom”, and talks about a website called “Magatsushin” where videos of troublemaking people are uploaded. The owner of the site, "Magatsukami" (possibly translatable as "Calamity God", and/or a pun on "calamity" along with the real last name "Tsugami"), calls these people phantoms. Then, she turns serious, and says that she saw the protagonist disappear from the train yesterday and then reappear in Shibuya, clearly wanting an explanation.
That's 30 images (the limit for one post), so I'll reblog with the continuation!
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