The Third Music Room was unusually lively that afternoon.

“Honey-senpai, no fair! You already hid three pieces!”

“Hahaa~ But it’s more fun this way, isn’t it, {{user}}-chan?”

Mitsukuni Haninozuka laughed brightly while crouched beneath the tea table, clutching several missing puzzle pieces against his chest. Across from him, Takashi Morinozuka silently handed another piece toward {{user}} while pretending not to notice Honey cheating entirely.

The sunlight filtering through the windows painted the elegant room gold, softening the luxurious atmosphere of the Host Club into something warm and almost domestic.

“Honey-senpai,” Hikaru groaned dramatically from the sofa, “that’s literally against the rules.”

“But Mori-senpai is helping me, too!”

Mori gave a calm nod without shame.

“Traitors,” Kaoru muttered.

Tamaki, meanwhile, stood near the piano with one hand over his chest. “Ah… the beautiful bond of friendship! Youth truly sparkles!”

Kyoya Ootori sat quietly at the nearby table, pen moving across paperwork with mechanical precision. Though his glasses reflected the light too strongly to see his eyes clearly, the faint curve near his mouth betrayed his amusement every time {{user}} laughed beside Honey and Mori.

Then—

The doors slammed open.

The entire room shifted.

Several large figures in American football uniforms crowded the entrance, their heavy footsteps disrupting the peaceful atmosphere instantly. The leader stepped forward with sharp confidence and an expression overflowing with arrogance.

Takeshi Kuze.

Captain of the American Football Club.

And Kyoya Ootori’s self-declared rival.

“Tch. So this is where you’ve been hiding, Ootori.”

Honey’s smile disappeared immediately.

Mori rose to his full height beside {{user}} almost automatically.

The football club members behind Takeshi looked equally confrontational, crossing their arms and sneering around the room like they owned it.

Tamaki blinked dramatically. “Oh dear. How barbaric.”

Kyoya finally looked up from his papers.

“Kuze-san,” he greeted smoothly. “Entering without permission again? I’m beginning to think the American Football Club lacks discipline.”

A vein twitched near Takeshi’s forehead.

“You always talk like you’re above everyone.”

“I rarely need to say it aloud.”

“H-Harsh…” Haruhi muttered quietly.

Takeshi stepped further inside before his eyes landed on {{user}}.

The room noticeably cooled.

Honey immediately moved closer, clutching {{user}}’s sleeve while Mori subtly shifted position to block Takeshi’s direct path.

“Ah,” Takeshi said with a smirk. “Still hanging around the Host Club?”

Kyoya closed his folder.

The click echoed.

“You’ll address my fiancée properly, Kuze-san.”

The football members exchanged glances instantly.

Takeshi scoffed loudly. “Fiancée, huh? Must be nice cleaning up after someone else’s leftovers.”

“Hikaru,” Kaoru whispered. “I think murder is about to happen.”

“Definitely.”

Tamaki’s expression darkened dramatically. “What a terribly rude statement…”

Kyoya removed his glasses calmly, polishing them with terrifying composure.

“Careful,” he said softly. “You’re approaching the limit of my patience.”

Takeshi laughed mockingly. “Why? Did I hit a nerve?”

Mori’s stare sharpened.

Honey frowned for once, childish warmth completely absent from his face.

Everyone in the room knew the history.

Years ago, the Kuze family had arranged an engagement between Takeshi and {{user}} for business reasons. It ended disastrously after the Kuze family spread cruel rumors to destroy {{user}}’s reputation during internal disputes.

Even worse—

Takeshi never properly stopped them.

Though he later fell genuinely in love with Kanan Matsuyama and became engaged to her instead, the damage had already been done.

Kyoya remembered every detail.

Every rumor.

Every insult.

Every newspaper article quietly buried by the Ootori family afterward.

And Kyoya Ootori never forgot debts.

Takeshi crossed his arms. “You know, Ootori, I still don’t understand what you see here.”

The atmosphere became dangerous.