pairing- Kyoya Ootori x Reader
In which a rational head hides a generous heart, but you have always known how to see past his walls and help him bloom into the gorgeous rose he is.
Enjoy a slow burn between an honor student and our beloved glasses character!
-> summary: Kyoya gives you a once over. You’re going to be the death of him.
Starting Today, You are a Host! pt. 1
A (h/c) haired girl walks quickly through the halls of Ouran Academy. You check the time, and your uniform sways with your movements as you increase your pace down the pristine halls of your high school.
Not unusually, you were late.
You had characteristically overslept this morning, earning you an urgent call from one of your best friends, Kyoya Ootori. Kyoya was also not a morning person, but on school mornings he had a set routine, and making sure you woke up on time to get to school had begrudgingly become a part of it. Because you were both a part of the same club, Kyoya had to make sure you would show up on time. If a member was late, the entire operation was unbalanced until they started their shift. Also, Kyoya had a short patience for lateness.
You were particularly grateful for his call this morning. As nice as it was to hear the voice of someone so special to you, you had completely forgotten your arrangement with Chairman Suoh, which required you to be at school earlier than normal.
You had rushed around your room, respectfully declining the maids and butlers attempting to assist you with your daily routine, knowing that it would be done faster if you did it yourself. You threw your hair together, then your makeup. It was minimal, but considering you usually didn’t put much on anyway, it was easy and quick for you to finish. Kyoya’s voice could still be heard in the background of your bathroom, where you had left him on speaker.
“I cannot believe you forgot (Y/n). Especially after Suoh-sensei sought you out himself.” You could practically feel the smirk after a disapproving sigh escaped him.
“Not helping.” You said as you reached for your bag and rushed out of the bedroom, only to return quickly to get your phone.
“I am very helpful. Without me, you definitely would’ve slept through every alarm you set.”
“Uh huh, I owe my life to you Kyo, thank you.” Rolling your eyes, you got in your car, needing to say goodbye so that you can drive.
Kyoya felt the eye-roll and heard the door to your car shut, signaling your need to leave.
“A favor will do just fine.” You cursed him in the back of your mind. That’s what I get for being friends with the Shadow King. Kyoya’s voice came back through the phone, “I assume you need to go?”
“Yes,” you sighed, setting your bag down into the passenger seat of your (d/c), “I have to drive away now if I’m ever going to have a chance at being on time. Thank you for looking out for me and waking me up, Kyo. It means a lot.”
On the other end, Kyoya fixed his glasses. “Of course, (Y/n), drive safe. Goodbye.”
“I will, see ya.” You hung up the phone and sped down the interstate.
Now, as you glance at the clock once more down the hallway, you’re nearly jogging when you stop to find a brown-haired student sitting outside of the Chairman’s office. When they look up, an imaginary light bulb sparks on when you see the eyes of the person you’ve been looking for.
“Are you Fujioka-san?” You ask, recognizing her from her profile the Chairman showed you, although her hair looks shorter than it did on the photo.
“Yes, I am! Are you (L/n)-senpai?” She stands up from her chair, adjusting the bag on her shoulder.
“Yes! You can call me (Y/n), Fujioka-san, no need for honorifics. I’m from (C/n) so it’s still rather unfamiliar when people call me that.” You sheepishly laugh, a light blush on your face.
“Oh, wow! Your Japanese is really good, (Y/n). In that case, you can call me Haruhi.” She sticks out her hand for you to shake. “Isn’t this how most (n) people greet each other?”
You reach out and take it, smiling at the inclusion of your culture. “That’s perfect!” You let go of the handshake, turning to walk down the hallway.
“Thank you for showing me around the school, (Y/n). It’s so big here, it is completely different from the high school my old friends are attending. It’s such a relief to have a tour by a fellow honor student.”
You giggle at her as she nearly trips over her own feet from being distracted by the large chandeliers that hang above you. “Haha, yes, well that was the Chairman’s exact thought process when he asked me to lead you to your first class. Just to ensure that you would be comfortable! If you have any questions, you can definitely let me know.”
“Um, well there was this one question I was thinking about…”
“Sure thing! What is it?”
“I was just wondering how you were able to apply as an honor student to Ouran Academy? Aren’t you the heir to (L/n) Tech?”
You chuckled again, smiling at her. “I can see how that could be confusing.” You take a moment to collect your story, even though you’ve had to explain yourself many times before.
“I am the heir to my mother’s company, yes. But when my father told me that we were moving to Japan in order to expand our market, he reminded me that people may not respect me because of where I came from, in school, work, or otherwise.” Haruhi frowned at this. “I wanted to enter this new chapter in my life with a new confidence and a strong reputation. I knew that I was smarter than most– I’m sure you know what that’s like– and decided that if I was going to go to one of the best high schools in the academic world, I was going to earn it.”
“Did it work?” Haruhi asked, seemingly impressed with your determination. She noticed how beautiful you were when you talked passionately. Surely, I’m not the first to notice, Haruhi thought.
“For the most part, yeah!” You looked ahead, reminding yourself how proud you are to be where you are today, “People saw that I wasn’t just another rich person going to school to have a good time and live off of Mommy’s money. I was here to become successful and happy with the life that I was able to build myself. And, also, to have a good time.”
The two of you laugh together, after rounding a corner. Since you were able to share your story, you asked Haruhi about her own life. You were sad to hear that her mother died 10 years ago, but touched to hear that she wanted to become a lawyer just like her. You gasped at the comparisons she made between her old middle school and here, because even if you were independent, you were still a higher-class citizen, and thankfully never experienced the middle-school bathroom horrors she was retelling. You walked her down the hall to her first class, satisfied with your job of making her comfortable on her first day here.
“Thank you so much for showing me around, (Y/n)-senp-, uh, I mean, (Y/n).” Haruhi smiled at you again to show her gratitude.
“Of course! Here is my number if you ever need anything else. Sorry I have to leave you here so early before class starts because of my club, but maybe we could meet up for lunch? If you’re not already too popular by then.” You joke as you hand her one of your business cards your mom had made. You then wave at her and turn to leave, hurriedly preparing yourself to face the wrath of your friends for being late as you make your way to a certain music room.
Haruhi was beginning to get frustrated as she looked at her watch, only having a certain amount of time to find a study room that was quiet enough to finish her Japanese literature essay. It had been a couple weeks since her first day, but she was still not at all familiar with the layout of this school. You had walked her everyday to her classes for the first week, but you had told that everywhere outside of your usual class schedule was an adventure in itself, and she would help you find them another time. Haruhi knew she didn’t wanna bother you during club hours, so she settled on trying to find a room herself.
She walked towards the last music room she would be searching for, because if this place was busy too, she would just give up and finish the essay at home, which made her even more stressed considering the work she had to get done.
Haruhi opened the doors, and was immediately swarmed with rose petals, confusing her on how the defied the laws of physics.
Willing her eyes to get used to the blinding light that emitted from the room, she took a step inside to see seven figures grouped in the center. Two ravenettes stood to the left, one with his back turned and the other with a black notebook in his hand. Two gingered twins stood to the right, hanging on one another with a mischievous smile on their faces that unsettled Haruhi to her core. A smaller blonde stood in front of them, with big gleaming brown eyes and a pink stuffed rabbit hanging from one of his arms. Then sitting in the center was a prince-like blonde, who was already looking at her in surprise. She was the one to gape when she saw you, standing even more to the left, near the one with the glasses.
“Haruhi?” You asked, but just as you took a step forward, the twins sauntered up to Haruhi before you got the chance. Oh god.
“Huh? No, act-” As you were about to correct them, Kyoya put a hand on your shoulder to stop you.
“What?” You said turning to him.
“Don’t say anything. I want to see how this plays out.”
You deadpan, “You’re kidding me.”
“Oh (Y/n), I’ve never been one for humor.”
Poor Haruhi, you think, but keep your mouth shut, secretly wondering the outcome as well.
“Hikaru. Kaoru. I believe this man is in the same class as you?” Kyoya turns back to your friends, pushing his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose.
“Yeah but he doesn’t talk much-” Hikaru started.
“- we don’t really know much about him.” Kaoru finished.
“Well, that wasn't very polite. Welcome to the Ouran Host Club, Mr. Honor Student.” Kyoya says, taking a step forward and writing something down in his notebook.
Tamaki takes another step forward, but seemingly something clicks in his head. “What? You must be Haruhi Fujioka! You're the exceptional honor student we've heard about.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to say this whole time.” You mutter under your breath, Kyoya smirking next to you.
“How did you know my name?” Haruhi asks, nervously taking a step back, clearly wanting to leave.
“You’re famous, Haruhi!” You say, finally speaking loud enough to where the others can hear you, “It’s not everyday a commoner like you gets into a school like this. You've shown the world that even a poor person can excel at an elite private academy.”
“It must be hard for you to constantly be looked down upon by others.” Tamaki pouts.
Haruhi frowns. “I think you're taking this poor thing too far.”
Tamaki rushes to Haruhi’s side, taking her hand, dramatic sympathy in his eyes. “Spurned! Neglected! But that doesn't matter now. We welcome you, poor man, to our world of beauty!”
Haruhi has become even more bewildered than when she walked in, trying to exit with a respectful, “I’m outta here.”
Just as she is trying to leave, the small blonde boy rushes over to her, stopping her slightly in front of a vase that you had always admired. He grabs her hand, and looks up at her with a beaming smile that melts the coldest of hearts.
“Hey! Come back here, Haru-chan! You must be like a superhero or something. That's so cool!” Honey-senpai smiles at her even more, dazzling at his new found discovery.
“I'm not a hero, I'm an honor student. And who are you calling Haru-chan?!”
Tamaki puts a finger to his chin, “I never would have imagined the famous scholar would be so openly gay.”
You put your head in your hands, “Oh my god.”
