Phase 2: Operation Initiation

Mei Yasamura stared at the situation unfolding. She understands that habits are difficult to remove, but this was too much for her. It didn't feel right that Julia was going around the convenience store buying dinner.

"Mizushima-sama, I don't think you have to think too hard with what discount item you're buying." Mei emphasized the new powerful name that her friend now carried.

She felt her eye twitch as she watched Julia get the microwavable meals that were on sale because they were going to expire the next day. This woman was such a penny pincher.

Julia ignored the snide comments that went her way. She rummaged through the premium sushi that was 30% off now. Her mood lightened up as she saw the signature curry meal was 70% off. "Ah, this looks good."

"Ju-chan! You didn't get this much microwavable meals before." Mei looked at the amount of food Julia placed in the basket.

Everyone knew that the meals were still good even a few days after its expiration date, but this was too much.

"You're a rich person already." Mei was at a loss with what was happening. "Why are you buying food like a regular employee?"

"You think I'm rich?" Julia snorted. "I thought I would be too, but I'm technically an employee of the Mizushima Corporation. I get a monthly salary like everyone else. I was given a certain percentage of stocks, but I couldn't even spend that."

"That sucks." Mei actually felt bad for Julia now. At least with her old job, she had a lot of freedom and it was something she liked to do. "Well, at least you can't get fired by your own company."

"Not really. I'm on probation now." Julia laughed nervously. "If I don't perform, they'll have to change me, and I'll be placed in a different position."

Julia started pointing at the bodyguards around the convenience store. "The car, apartment, and all the other things you see are just perks of being the chairwoman. If I quit, all of these go away."

Julia paused as she thanked the cashier. She took her discounted items and walked through the automatic doors.

"My family is rich and there is more than enough money circulating to fund the entire thing." Julia was slowly learning to adapt to the security protocols she had to follow. "My salary is quite generous, but it's not going to make me a billionaire anytime soon."

Mei however failed at ignoring the number of men in suits lurking around as they walked around Roponggi. Apparently, the Mizushima Corporation also owned several properties in the area. This includes multiple high-rise condominiums, and an overpriced low-rise condominium that catered to the needs of the extremely rich, but who wish for tighter security and less people in their living space.

Not everyone could own a property there. It was exclusive even amongst the Class A families. Julia's new neighbors included the sister of the country's prime minister, prominent members of the diet, Yuuichi Ootori and his family, and the German Ambassador.

"Then what about all those designer clothes?" Mei was still skeptic. Julia now had a walk-in closet for clothes, shoes, and jewelry.

"Those were all gifts." Julia replied. She pointed at herself. "You think I would spend more than 18,000 yen on a coat?"

"No, that doesn't seem like you." Mei followed Julia into the apartment complex. The place was huge enough to house an entire family, but Julia's aunt had the place fixed to suit the needs of a chairwoman.

There was a study, an area where she could meet guests and hold meetings, a tea ceremony room, and an indoor onsen. This was far from the essentials Julia asked. All she wanted was a regular one-bedroom apartment.

"I still don't get why you buy discounted food from the convenience store." Mei opened the door for Julia.

"I don't have time to cook or do groceries." Julia took the deluxe sushi meal and sighed. She didn't want to eat another instant meal. A part of her died inside since she thought she would be eating nice food. That was the only thing she wanted as chairwoman and she couldn't even get that. "You said you were hungry. Did you want the curry or the gyudon?"

"No thanks. I was thinking you had a personal chef or something that's why I stopped by." Mei imagined Julia's situation to be slightly different.

In anyone's imagination, Julia would have a personal chef, maid, and stylist. Though, reality wasn't always at par with their expectations. Sometimes, all it took was a tiny box to make her feel better.

"Mizushima-sama, was dropped off for you." One of the bodyguards handed her a bento box.

Julia opened the mystery box and wondered where it came from. She opened it to see bunny apples, octopus shaped sausages, fried rice, a side of vegetables, and a cupcake. The way the entire thing was made it felt like a high school student made it.

"Did you find a high schooler to make you lunch?" Mei criticized. "That person has obviously never sliced apples before."

Mei was about to reach for one of the apples, but Julia took the lunchbox away and took several photos of it.

"You're blushing." Mei was confused. Julia doesn't turn into a pile of mush ever. "Who made that?"

"He's too cute." Julia took one of the apples and offered some food to her guest. Like any lovesick person, she lay down flat on the floor and hugged herself as she rolled on the ground. No one can be immune to that kind of gesture.

"Oh wow! Where did this come from?" Mei examined the cupcake before taking a bite. It was so good she started look for any signs of the brand.

Then the image of Julia acting all giddy, the homemade lunch, and the midnight blue Hermes scarf that was used to wrap the bento sank in.

"Kyoya made this?!" Mei couldn't believe the bastard used 70,000-yen scarf to wrap a bento, but what surprised her more was the fact that he cooked.

Phase 2: Operation Crumbs

Julia was interviewed by one of the noontime hosts since her story of being chairwoman all of the sudden was interesting to most people in the country. The noontime host got an "insider tip" from that the bracelet Julia wore that day was of immense value.

"Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experiences, Mizushima-sama." The host bowed.

She and the audience clapped along, and Julia politely bowed and waved her hand briefly. The luster of the diamonds from the bracelet were enough to catch anyone's eye.

"Mizushima-sama, is it alright if I see your bracelet?" The host asked.

Julia nodded and extended her arm. "Yes, of course."

"It looks really expensive." The host was shocked. It was a work of art. She held Julia's arm carefully and signaled to the cameraman to zoom in. "Was this custom made?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure. It was just a gift to me."

"It must be. I've never seen anything like it." The host was awed with unbelievably expensive piece of jewelry. "I'm no jeweler but this is really…. wow. I'm certain this was custom made. Look at all these charms. There's even a diamond studded penguin."

Julia bowed and laughed politely. Acting the perfect part of someone embarrassed and was trying to hide something.

"If I may, Mizushima-sama. I'm sure everyone in this room is dying to know as well." The host paused for a dramatic effect. "Did someone special give it to you?"

Julia laughed and covered her mouth with her hand. She tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear. "No comment."

The no comment reaction was all it took for rumors to start flying.

Kyoya used social media to his advantage as well. The application Hikaru bought from Korea was a huge success. They expected it to go viral in the country, but what surprised them was how quickly it gained popularity in Asia. The spike in the number of users was beyond their expectations.

All he had to do was leave crumbs just as Julia instructed. He recently posted a photo with one from Noel's pub. It was their new menu and all it took was a bracelet.

"Can I take this off now?" Haruhi asked. She was terrified of wearing something so expensive. The last time she broke something expensive, it changed her life completely. She didn't want any more debt with the Shadow King himself. "I don't want to be part of your schemes, Kyoya-senpai."

"Of course, thank your help." Kyoya had a light smile and his eyes were almost non-existent with the light glinting from his glasses.

Haruhi wasn't sure if she suddenly had to leave the mansion with the two kids because they were doing routine pesticide cleaning or if Kyoya had something to do with the whole thing. How convenient it was that Kyoya presented to take the three of them to Noel's Pub. There were certain things she left uncovered. She glanced at Kyoya who would look up to check on her children every few minutes. Uno and Chiyo were now walking all over the place and luckily, Kyoya's ex-bodyguards were more than willing to watch over the two.

"I never thought you would use social media so well." Haruhi watched Kyoya use the filters as instructed by Hikaru.

"It's not my style, but it's helpful for advertisements." Kyoya explained. "I don't need to hire anyone and it's easy to talk to the market directly."

"Yeah, but you even started that…" Haruhi placed her finger on her chin. "What's the name of the app?"

"BikBok." Kyoya clarified. He sipped his coffee and watched the twins run beside him. He watched the little version of Tamaki fall on the floor right beside him.

"Uno-kun, are you okay?"

The little boy nodded. He was about to cry, but luckily his Uncle Kyoya was a calm source of energy. Kyoya picked up the little boy and dusted off his pants.

"Then, there's no need to cry." Kyoya placed him down gently. "Your sister is waiting for you over there."

"You're quite good with handling children." Haruhi tried to control her laughter.

Heaven forbid that this news be leaked to the world. The terrifying ruthless Kyoya Ootori was good with handling children.

"All my siblings have children of their own. I've learned how to cope with family gatherings." Kyoya sighed. "The worst thing you can do with a child about to cry is fuss over them. Those things just explode."

"Hikaru was panicking the other day. I think he has me on speed dial." Haruhi shook her head as she laughed. "He fusses over everything."

Haruhi gained an air of maturity around her. It was something Kyoya's never seen before. Haruhi's calm aura was because she didn't pay attention to things before, but now it was more of an inner peace with her surroundings.

"I could never tell Tamaki this, but the best part with having kids is that I actually have more free time now." Haruhi took a deep breath. "All of Tamaki's energy is directed towards the twins so I can spend my time peacefully."

With impeccable timing, Tamaki showed up at Noel's Pub. The ever-doting father has entered the room. The Host King briefly greeted Kyoya and gave Haruhi a light peck on the cheek and left them alone.

"Peace and quiet." Haruhi said contentedly.

Boy's Night Out

Mori took a deep breath and closed his eyes. The steam hit his face with just the perfect temperature. The sound of the crickets and the smell of the forest was more than enough to relax him. A spontaneous trip to the hot springs in Hokkaido was what he needed. The six men decided to spend one of their rare few weekends relaxing now. The water the outdoor onsen used came directly from the mountain.

"Hn." Mori opened his eyes and took another deep breath. The water's temperature was perfect.

Hikaru stretched in his seat. "Going to the hot springs was a good idea."

Kaoru gave Tamaki a thumbs up. His damp towel cooled his head as he leaned against the wall. This was by far the only outing Tamaki suggested that wasn't a disaster.

"It's because all of you underestimate my skills." Tamaki gloated as he felt his muscles relax. "I am one of the best in the service industry. I know a thing or two about relaxation."

Honey and Kyoya were also taking their time off resting. The two were talking about cake ingredients as they drank their iced sencha green tea with the blissful warmth that embraced them. Their topic moved from cakes to bath salts and Tamaki joined in their conversation.

"Who would have thought we'd hang out like old men?" Hikaru joked as sank lower into the water.

"We are getting older, Hika-chan." Honey replied light heartedly. "None of us are in our 20s."

Kaoru cleared his throat. "Let's not go there yet, Honey-senpai."

"The other day I found a grey hair." Tamaki's resigned tone filled the air. "Am I starting to show my wisdom?"

"That's because you were painting with the twins." Kyoya rationally explained as he accidentally pushed the non-existent glasses that rested on his face.

"Pffft." Kaoru laughed at the Shadow King. "You're really not used to wearing contacts, Kyoya-senpai? Even Mori-senpai prefers using contacts over glasses."

Mori nodded. It was true that he was near-sighted, but he wore his glasses at home when he had no training or when he didn't have to go outside. He envied Kyoya in a sense that he didn't look as appealing with spectacles.

"It's not comfortable and there's too much maintenance." Kyoya closed his eyes and almost fell asleep.

"Just a few years ago, we were out partying until the wee hours of the morning, right Kaoru?" Hikaru reminisced.

"It was just the three of you though. The bad boy trio practically lived in the Tokyo nightlife scene." Tamaki pointed out. "Mori-senpai, Honey-senpai, and I had better things to do."

"I never spent that much time in clubs." Kyoya defended.

"Yeah, Kyoya-senpai wasn't a club person." Hikaru pursed his lips and shook his head. "He's more of a bar or wine cellar kind of person."

Kaoru decided to defend his senpai. "It's true. Kyoya left clubs as quickly as he entered once he found someone he liked."

Kyoya cleared his throat. "Now, now, children. We don't need to bring up the past."

There was this laughter that erupted. It was the kind of sentimental laughter between longtime friends. They rarely had a pure boy's night out since Haruhi was always with them. Unintentionally, everyone was slightly more well behaved when she was there. They were in a state of peaceful bliss. Honey noticed Mori's expression as he looked like he was contemplating on something of extreme importance. He assumed his cousin must be thinking about the wedding plans with Hinako. It's stressful to plan weddings nowadays.

"Takashi, are you okay?" Honey sensed the distress of his cousin.

Hikaru looked at his stoic senpai and there was definitely something wrong. "Oi, Mori-senpai. Are you really okay?"

Mori nodded. He wasn't sure how to voice out his concern, but it was something that's been bothering him.

"Hinako and I went on a trip last week to Karuizawa." Mori recalled. His manner of speaking was well-paced, and his voice was deep. Even with the distress he felt, his voice was still calm and soothing.

Kaoru moved closer and hugged his knees. "Just the two of you?"

"Hn."

Hikaru was starting to get impatient. He fidgeted in his seat and looked at Honey. The loli-shota shrugged his shoulders. He knew just as much as everyone did.

"We went strawberry picking, took a short hiking trail, and we went to a Soba Noodle making class." Mori's brows furrowed.

He then told the story of how the events unfolded in all the wrong ways. The two just finished their soba making class and they decided to stay at the Morinozuka vacation home for the night. How they both had this mini surprise gifts for each other. That night, they were both curled beside each other and Hinako snuggled against his chest. He told them how his hands were cold, and Hinako rubbed her hands together to warm his.

Tamaki squirmed in his seat. Hikaru slapped Kyoya's arm several times. Even Honey was feeling a certain sense of bliss.

Kaoru buried his face in his hands. "Ah these younglings. Such innocent love."

Hikaru nodded several times. This was not the dilemma he was thinking about. His poisoned mind was working showing. "I'm sorry I misjudged your situation, Mori-senpai."

"It's too much to handle." Tamaki found himself moved to tears. "I don't know what it is I'm feeling, but I'm definitely feeling something right now."

"We all feel it." Kaoru reassured Mori.

"It sounds like it went well, Takashi." Honey smiled. He was relieved since it didn't seem too serious.

"Why are you so worried if nothing went wrong?" Hikaru grunted. His question hit Mori directly since he was going around in circles with the silence.

"The soba making…" Mori's voice trailed off as he took a deep breath.

A small smile found its way to Kyoya's face. He had an inkling where this was going. "The art of soba making is with the technique. You need to be careful when kneading the dough. From what I heard; it's how you use the stick that makes the noodles reach the perfect consistency."

"You really cover a lot of knowledge." Tamaki said with a short laugh. "I don't understand the problem though, Mori-senpai. It's fine if the noodles you made weren't that tasty."

Kaoru understood Kyoya's implication at this point. "Did Hinako ask Mori-senpai to use his soba making stick?"

Poor Hikaru was drinking his tea when his brother made that comment. He got into a coughing fit and tried to catch his breath. Mori's face said it all. The main difference when Haruhi was with the Host Club was certain innuendos never pushed through. The last thing the boys wanted was to defile their precious princess. But when it was just them, all hell broke loose.

"You two are being inappropriate again!" Tamaki scolded the twins and looked at Kyoya hoping he would do something.

Hikaru ignored Tamaki and straightened his posture. "Did Hinako ask you to use your soba making stick?"

Mori stiffened. "I'm not certain." He wasn't lying. Hinako's hand did accidentally brush against his soba making stick.

"Was your soba making stick al dente?" Kyoya asked. He couldn't even hide his amusement at this point.

Before Mori could even answer, Hikaru and Kaoru already laughing without any inhibition. Kyoya still had some control left. However, he had no choice but to bury his face in his hands as he laughed. His shoulders shook uncontrollably. The less innocent side of the Host Club has unleashed itself. Tamaki looked at the three with disbelief and shook his head. Honey continued to pat Mori's head to offer some comfort.

Hikaru's mischievous expression dominated and he smirked. "Mori-senpai should have brought her hand directly over his groin."

Kaoru cleared his throat to make his voice deeper like Mori's. "See what you're doing to me?" Kaoru bit his lip as if pretending to be seductive. "That's my soba making stick."

"Maybe Hinako was already getting ready to make soba." Kyoya mused.

Kaoru pretended to sift some non-existent flour in the air. "She was already getting ready to knead."

"Oh, look it's making soba already!" Hikaru looked at the general direction of his groin.

"Stop that already!" Tamaki covered his ears. His pure mind was being polluted by these fiends.

When Hikaru and Kaoru calmed themselves down, they entered this state of awkward silence. Mori was still at a loss and was shocked with how forward his three kohai could get.

Kyoya kept his composure. His tone was very careful so as not to invalidate Mori's feelings. "But in all honesty, Mori-senpai it's okay. If a woman makes the first move, no matter how slight it is, the soba-making stick becomes obvious."

Hikaru and Kaoru weren't able to hold back anymore. They didn't have the same self-control that Kyoya possessed. There was no way they could say all of that with a straight face.

Honey smiled sheepishly at Mori. "It's fine if you made soba noodles with Hinako. There's nothing wrong with it."

Mori took a deep breath. He found his answer. He was lucky enough to have friends who understood him without him needing to elaborate further.

Agenda: Phase 3

All the shareholders of the Mizushima Corporation gathered at an important event. It was the end of Julia's probationary period as chairwoman. She performed better than what the board was expecting. Today, everyone would be casting their vote if she were to continue her position or not.

Yoshio looked at his handiwork and felt a certain sense of pride swell. He was sure that Julia would continue as chairwoman. He could meet the Mizushima family in the afterlife without any shame.

The room was filled with plenty of affluent families. All the families of the Host Club were there. Plenty of people from St. Lobelia were also present.

Yuzuru Suoh sat beside Yoshio Ootori. He greeted his old rival with a cheeky smile. "Yuuichi-kun may resemble you physically, but Kyoya-kun is almost a replica of your personality. Is that why you let him do as he pleased?"

"My youngest is the most driven out of all my children. I also know that he is the most capable one among them." Yoshio pushed his glasses up. "It would bring the Ootori Group little merit to keep him chained at this point."

"K.I. is proving itself to be a promising company." Yuzuru said as he smiled at the other shareholders. Greeting old friends as they passed by.

"I'm just glad Tamaki is a good friend of his or else I might have to defend our family business from getting taken." He continued.

"That's because a lot of them don't have any capable heirs to run their business." Yoshio rebutted.

"All the old timers are making a run for it. They saw what you did with the Ootori Group and it seems like Kyoya-kun can make history repeat itself." Yuzuru had such a light way of speaking.

Kyoya entered the room as one of the major shareholders. He had 8% of stocks which wasn't much but it was enough for him to cast a vote. The two men watched the youngest Ootori mingle with the other guests. His business was doing well that he has almost reached the minimum requirements to be considered in the roster of the chairwoman's future husband.

"That's not all. There's another player in the game." Yoshio sipped his tea. "A wolf hid herself too well under sheep's clothing."

The Mizushima Chairwoman entered with her aunt. They politely greeted those around them. The chairwoman spotted the two men speaking in the corner and waved towards their direction. Her personality was perfect for the job. Her pleasant smile always light up any room she entered.

"She's something, isn't she?" Yuzuru commented. "Kyoya-kun's method is quite typical of any Ootori, but the chairwoman's technique is something else."

Julia makes people think she has no walls and she's able to manipulate them subtly without anyone noticing. She used her weakness as an armor. It was unfortunate that people assumed she was not as capable because she was beautiful. People were conditioned to think that beauty compromised her abilities and she let them do so. She presented herself with enough intelligence that it didn't cause any discomfort with the men around her.

"She breaks one wall after another by making people talk about something they valued." Shizue Suoh added. She joined the two men lurking in the corner. "I believe she used the same technique on your youngest son. Poor man is absolutely smitten."

"She's Sadanobu Mizushima's granddaughter." Yoshio added. "That kind of act runs in the family."

The three veterans watched Julia being surrounded by plenty of men who were vying for her attention. It was natural for any man to approach her considering her position. All sorts of men went her way and were treated with the same polite reserved attitude.

"Oh my, someone's moving in for the kill." Shizue smirked. Her eyes followed the returning player to the game. "It's fun to watch the younger ones play."

Kyoya made his way slowly to Julia's side and greeted her with a very subtle sense of familiarity. Nothing too obvious or physical they had to follow a certain set of social constructs now. Julia made sure to smile brighter than usual as she directed her attention to the youngest Ootori.

Phase 3 of Plan Rapunzel was finally beginning.

Plan Rapunzel

Julia crossed her arms as she looked at Kyoya who was typing something away in his laptop. She was going to miss spending time in Kyoya's house. She weighed her options and she knew that this was the best way to go about their predicament. Her first option was convincing the board herself to let her date Kyoya, but the Ootori pride got into her way. She had a feeling this would happen. Kyoya never accepted anything that easily.

"Tomorrow's the big day." Julia broke the silence.

"Yes, my magical appearance back to the real world." Kyoya briefly looked at Julia with an amused expression.

"For someone who acts like they hate drama, you love it so much." Julia rolled her eyes. She sat beside Kyoya and looked at the masterplan he setup for the K.I. merger.

Kyoya ignored the comment and the sound of typing filled the room. He constructed the perfect plan that would sustain his company for the next year. All that was left were the minor changes that came along with unseen variables, but that was for a different time. He knew that the moment he goes back into society, meeting up with Julia would be difficult. Maintaining their relationship would be bothersome considering their position.

"We both know that the moment you take over tomorrow, it's not going to be a walk in the park for us." Julia leaned close and gently closed Kyoya's laptop. She needed his full attention. "I have a proposition."

"Let's hear it." Kyoya crossed his arms and leaned back against his chair. He gestured for her to continue. It seemed like she had something interesting in mind.

"I've observed the major shareholders of the Mizushima Corporation. They're very traditional and they like stability. I heard they were preparing a list of suitors for me."

"It looks like a bleak future for you." Kyoya teased.

"Which is why I thought of a way that would get us what we both wanted with maximum benefits for multiple parties." Julia opened one of Kyoya's blank notebooks and a few things down. "This plan is going to take some time to accomplish, but I think that it's better than shocking everyone. Your plan was to just suddenly make the cut and swiftly get rid of competition, right?"

Kyoya nodded.

"I think doing so would make the board even more uncomfortable with you. I can't work well with such a terrible environment. If you're willing to do things my way, it will be subtle, and they won't even see it coming." Julia reasoned.

"So what happens once they've realized that I'm already in the picture?"

"They have no choice but to comply." Julia had a certain smile. It was something Kyoya hasn't seen in ages. "Plan Rapunzel."

Kyoya almost snorted. It was a terrible naming sense for a plan. "Is this some kind of princess rescue mission?"

Julia nodded. "It plays a lot of my part, but this plan would require something that you've never done before. I need to make sure you're willing to do so."

"What would I have to do?" Kyoya raised a brow.

"Expose yourself." Julia cupped her face with both hands. Kyoya wasn't the kind of person who had social media accounts. He despised letting people into his personal bubble. "We're going to create a story. In summary, you're going to rescue a princess trapped in a tower but we're going to do it in a way that everyone's watching."

"What would be the benefit besides your intended goal?"

"Profit." Julia smiled innocently. "Are you in?"

One word was all she needed for Kyoya's compliance.

Julia explained the plan. The moment he shows up tomorrow, Julia was almost certain that security measures around her would tighten, not because she was in any danger, but because the board was watching her every move.

"Phase 1 starts tomorrow. I'll continue on with my work and you'll go along with yours. Nothing out of the ordinary. We won't be seeing each other though so we'll have to keep things a secret for a few months."

"What for?"

"We're setting the mood. I'll let the people around me to continue doing what they fancy and you'll let them." Julia stood up in front of Kyoya. "We'll need a nice stage to play in."

"What's phase 2?"

"We'll be using this app to make people think we're seeing each other even if we aren't. Julia showed him the app Hikaru developed. It's where people took pictures of themselves and what they did.

"How do we do this?" Kyoya took a sip of his water and browsed through the app Julia was talking about.

"Articles of clothing, jewelry, souvenirs, anything that can be used to link the two of us. We need to leave crumbs for people to follow. They'll connect the dots themselves." Julia's scheming expression was refreshing.

"What makes you think they're going to link us?" Kyoya wasn't familiar with this kind of dynamic. If there was one thing the Ootori Family stayed clear of, it was unnecessary publicity.

"This was my bread and butter for years, Kyoya. You think my idols had scandals just because? I made those scandals come to light and people will accept whatever it is we fed the media." Julia took a sip of Kyoya's water and sighed.

"How long will we do this?" Kyoya's eyes now had a certain glint to it.

"A few months or so. At most, one year." Julia paused and tapped the pencil on the table. "Your work requires you to travel, right?"

Kyoya raised a brow and nodded.

"I want souvenirs I can photograph." Julia paced around the room. "It can be anything really. Like products or services that our companies provide."

"Then I'm assuming I start contact at phase 3?"

Julia nodded. "Precisely, but nothing romantic. Enough to let people have bigger chunks to connect now. We'll let them write about us and we'll continue to feed their need to know more about our relationship while keeping it platonic while also leaving crumbs."

Julia took the newspaper from the kitchen counter. "You saw the article about Isamu Saito and his second wife?"

"Yes, it's gaining popularity. It worked well for both their businesses too." Kyoya took the newspaper and read the story again. "So, we're going to do simple product placements in our photos, advertise what we do, but we're making people focus on the two of us?"

"It doesn't have to be just our businesses. We can use businesses of our friends as well." Julia added. "It's going to be like 'Oh, Julia-san met with someone at Noel's pub'. One viewer looks at it and she goes 'I want to go here too. It looks nice.'"

"Ah, the influencer trend." Kyoya crossed his legs. This was a new advertising scheme that was working in the west.

"By the time we reach phase 4, we're going to make you look like an underdog or knight in shining armor trying to save the princess." Julia tried to compose her thoughts. "This is where it would be difficult for us. Phase 4 is most likely going to be the height of the press coming for the two of us."

Kyoya smirked. "I think I can arrange to make that simpler on our end. I have enough connections to handle that part."

Kyoya understood now Julia's plan. By the time their relationship went public, their audience would have already rooted for him. If there was one thing that influenced traditional board members, it was the public opinion. It would be like a forbidden love between them and they're painting the Mizushima board to be the villains.

"How do I start being this underdog?" Kyoya asked.

"We're going to have to change your look into something less formal." Julia explained. "Luckily you've started already, but we need to show that you're a changed person and more approachable to the younger generation."

"You talk as if I'm forty years old."

"You act as if you're in your late 30's." Julia crossed her arms. "Don't worry. This kind of transformation was what made me successful as an idol trainer."

"I'm under your care then, Mizushima-sama." Kyoya bowed.

Phase 3: Operation Sushi Meet up

It was Day 29 of Phase 3. Both concerned parties had separate meetings at a well-known restaurant. It was pure coincidence that their lunch meeting that day had to occur at the same place with their private rooms right beside each other.

"Kyoya-senpai!" Julia beamed. "It's nice to bump into you here."

Kyoya bowed politely. "I don't see why you're calling me senpai at this point. You're doing well on your own already, Julia-san."

Kyoya greeted his father and Haruka Mizushima.

"What brings you here?" Julia asked.

"One of my foreign clients wanted an authentic experience. This was one of the best places to bring them." Kyoya replied civilly.

Julia called one of the suitors the board was pushing her way. Kyoya never met the man, but he knew who he was. Daisuke Shimono was from Kyoto who was running multiple department store chains.

"Shimono-san, this is Ootori, Kyoya." Julia introduced them.

The two exchanged the usual greetings and exchanged business cards.

"It seems like the two of you are pretty close." Daisuke said. There was something different between the two, but he couldn't point it out

Kyoya nodded lightly. "I guess you can say that. Where did we first meet?"

"The art auction!" Julia recalled. "Can you believe that was almost three years ago?"

The three-year head start reveal that Kyoya had was enough to break Daisuke Shimono. He watched the two exchange pleasantries in less than five minutes, but that was enough for him to doubt himself now. He's been seeing the chairwoman almost every day, but she never smiled at him like that.

"I apologize, but I have to cut our meeting short." Kyoya bowed once again. He already left the area but went back shortly since he forgot to ask something.

"Ah, Julia-san. Is Hinako-san still selling traditional watercolor paintings?" Kyoya asked from the end of the hall.

Julia nodded. "Yes, she is. In fact, they're commissioning new artist now."

"Thank you." Kyoya bowed. "I believe my client is interested in procuring a few traditional art pieces before they leave the country."

Julia waved. "I'll tell Hinako-chan then."

Daisuke Shimono now saw his competition. The Mizushima Chairwoman never introduced her friends to him or any of the known candidates. He thought he broke through the walls of the chairwoman, but it looks like he's barely scratched the surface.

The Ploy

Not a lot of people knew the real reason why Julia decided to take on male roles in the Zuka Club. As a teenager, she was constantly praised for her looks. Even for a hafu, Julia managed to turn the heads of people wherever she went.

"It's a good thing you're beautiful or else I won't be able to tolerate this mistake."

This was the first insult to her entire being. At a young age of twelve, her teacher told her these words. It got her thinking if her looks were the only thing people saw. Wasn't she good enough as is? This caused her to resent her looks at some point. It was frustrating to be seen as just that.

Early on, she was already aware of the privilege she had. Her looks worked for her, but it was also used against her. So, the day she decided to go all out as "Jun-kun" she was able to find a part of herself that she never had. Finally, people saw her abilities. They didn't say that she got the role because she was good looking. People now say she got the role because she had the talent for it.

When Julia entered the entertainment industry, she knew she had to use her looks to her advantage. At that time, she didn't have connections like her competitors. She had no family to lean on. Even if it was against her principles, she had to use her weapon once more. It worked though. The higher ups always remembered her, but it wasn't always for the right reasons.

"Smile! Women like you should keep smiling to brighten up our moods."

The memory of her smiling politely at her boss back then angered her. She wasn't there to brighten their moods. She was there to work but she couldn't let her mask slip.

Now, she found herself at the top of a major corporation, but still it wasn't enough. Up until here, she had to deal with the fragile masculinity of men. She can't be too "smart" that she intimidates the veterans, but not too dumb that she's considered a nuisance.

"The chairwoman is extremely beautiful." One of the board members said. "She's not too sharp so manipulating her would be easy."

"The other heirs who qualified left since she was being so picky." Another replied. His displeasure was evident.

"She seems to be found of Seiichiro-kun."

Julia has heard enough and plastered the smile that she has perfected over the years. She knocked on the conference door and played her part. Seiichiro Nagao was the top one suitor the board was hoping she'd pick. First born son of a family involved with the airline business.

"Did any of you eat yet?" Julia's light tone suddenly changed the atmosphere. "I was hoping we could have a meal together."

No one could resist such an invitation. She added a little extra charm to her tone.

A nice girl doesn't make people feel uncomfortable with her opinions. She just smiles and waves. What people didn't know was she wasn't very nice.

"Mizushima-sama, where should we have lunch?"

Julia pouted. "Seiichiro-kun, why do you have to be so formal?"

The man laughed. "It's only proper that I address you as such."

He paused midway as he opened the door for Julia. "Where did you want to have lunch?"

Julia smiled brightly enough to melt the men's hearts. It was a trick that never worked on Kyoya. He saw right through her actions.

"There's a lot of food stalls nearby. I heard they served good food there."

The thought of exposing the pampered heirs to street food brought a different sense of fulfillment. The fact that they couldn't refuse her request was even more entertaining.

Agenda: Phase 3 Operation Blue

Kyoya crawled back slowly into Julia's circle. The animosity towards him was at an all time high. He always kept a healthy physical distance from Julia which wasn't beyond the usual. Even before, they never invaded each other's personal space. He never engaged in anything like public displays of affection even during his "darker" days.

Julia's remaining suitors that wished to win her heart patiently waiting for her to finish her meetings before taking her out to dinner. Seiichiro Nagao was the heir to their family's airline business. Daisuke Shimono was the heir to a department store chain, and Tadahiko Ishizuki was heir to a pharmacy with hundreds of branches around the country.

Kyoya knew one of them personally since Seiichiro Nagao was Akito's classmate in Ouran. He also knew that these three men were what women called Triple A men. He sat on the other end of the room and made very little eye contact.

"I wonder what it's like to get close to her." Seiichiro absentmindedly commented. "Have any of you heard about her previous relationships?"

"None." Daisuke Shimono replied.

"The other day, the skirt she wore was quite short." Tadahiko Ishizuki said. He traced a pair of non-existent legs in the air. "Her legs went on and on."

"Oi, you're already seeing someone, right?" Daisuke shook his head in disbelief.

"I'm just looking. Besides, if she chooses me, I'll drop Keiko right away." Tadahiko spoke as if it was common sense.

Seiichiro leaned against the black leather couch and stretched. "Yeah, if I'm going to have a trophy wife I might as well have a chairwoman who was easy on the eyes."

"Ootori, Kyoya-kun, right?" Seiichiro asked. He placed an emphasis on 'kun'.

"Good evening, Nagao-san." Kyoya greeted back.

Short pleasantries were exchanged. The usual 'how are your brothers' conversation sort of thing. The three men didn't see him as a threat. They knew he didn't qualify to even be part of the selection.

"What brings you here, Kyoya-kun?" Seiichiro crossed his arms.

"I'm just dropping a proposal. I have to personally explain it to Mizushima-san since it's going to involve the usage of loans with their bank." Kyoya briefly held up the envelope he carried. "And you?"

"We're waiting for her to finish her meetings. Then we're having dinner together with the other executives." Tadahiko's tone was almost mocking. "You can come if you want."

"I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem to invite you. I think your father's going to be there anyways." Daisuke added.

Kyoya smiled once again. "I'm sorry. I would have to reject your invitation. I'm afraid I still have a lot of work to attend to."

Julia's secretary went to the waiting room and signaled for Kyoya to enter. She already had the tea ready by the time Kyoya entered the room. When the secretary left, Julia finally relaxed. They sat beside each other on the couch.

"Have you read the proposal?" Kyoya tapped the envelope on Julia's head.

"I already did. I sent revisions just now." Julia sighed and handed him a cup of tea. Her leg pressed against his as she moved closer.

Kyoya checked his email and moved away. "So, you did." He had to keep his distance or else he would act out of hormones and a growing impetus. The faux long-distance relationship was taking its toll on him.

He looked at his email and looked through the revisions Julia sent. She was a fast learner and was very strict with her standards. There was nothing to discuss, but Julia wasn't calling her secretary to let him out yet.

"How long are you planning on making them wait?" Kyoya asked as he watched Julia have some snacks.

"Long enough for them to die of starvation." Julia clenched her fists and crushed the biscuit she was holding. "Men like them drive me insane."

"Then get them out of their comfort zone again. A complete commoner experience should bring out the worst in those decorated peacocks." Kyoya replied lightly.

"Ah, the rich man speaks." Julia rolled her eyes and moved towards him.

"I know my kind well enough to break them." Kyoya moved away and felt the edge of the couch pressing against his back. His muscles tensed as he tried to keep whatever distance was left.

Julia smiled and tugged Kyoya's tie and positioned herself on his lap. "I think I'm going to get them out of their comfort zone already."

She was a fast learner and Kyoya demonstrated to her numerous times how to trap one's prey. Besides, if she was going to get those men on edge, she might as well enjoy from it. Kyoya was surprised by her suddenness since they never did anything at work, but who was he to refuse the advances of the Mizushima Chairwoman?

The tea they were drinking ended up cold, but the room felt much warmer.

"You're meeting went longer than expected." Seiichiro commented.

"Yes, I had to explain the concept several times." Kyoya shook his head. Faking this sense of frustration.

The three men snorted and rolled their eyes. They did think that Julia wasn't the sharpest person out there.

Kyoya said his goodbyes and angled his head as he walked away from them. Enough for them to see the small bruise on his neck and how his shirt was a bit more wrinkled than when he entered. Then right on cue, Julia came out of her office with her skin was slightly more flushed than the usual.

It only then when the three men realized that Kyoya Ootori was a threat.

Phase 4: The Wedding

Phase 4 was the most hectic of all. Wherever Kyoya went, there were reporters asking about his relationship. Especially since they "accidentally" got exposed on a date. A picture of them with their pinky fingers linked broke the internet.

If this was the kind of attention people from the entertainment business got, it was terrible. Luckily, no one from the press decided to drop by Mori's wedding. The guards and military personnel trained under the family were patrolling the area.

"Congratulations, Mori-senpai." Kyoya bowed. "Hinako, congratulations."

Julia hugged the couple. Finally, it happened. It was a simple wedding with only close friends and family members. An intimate gathering at its finest.

They left the newly weds to greet the other guests and made their way to their table.

Benibara held Julia's hand. "Can you believe that until now, I'm worried about Chizuru? Milady is going through an unexpected crisis."

It wasn't known to most, but Chizuru had health problems. She had irregular menstrual periods. She gave up plans of having children because she was told that she had a slim chance of pregnancy early on in life. She and Kaoru were planning on living their hassle-free lives without any children and without getting married. Something about their world view of being free spirits of sorts.

Unfortunately, a miracle happened, and she found out a few months ago she was already 5 months pregnant.

"Really though, the Hitachiin twins need to plan their life more clearly." Haruhi shook her head. They watch Kaoru fuss over his wife.

"Did they both have to go through a rushed an unplanned pregnancy to get married?" Julia commented.

"They try to do things similarly. They're twins." Honey said after finishing his second serving of cake. Today was a special day so Mori let him have more cake than usual.

"It's a good thing the baby was healthy." Haruhi added.

For legal reasons between their families, they had to make things official and an emergency wedding was done. Chizuru's mother was a strict woman. The first impression Kaoru made wasn't the best one, but he had more than enough time to prove them wrong.

"Hey! If we didn't plan anything, there's one couple here that planned everything." Hikaru pointed out.

"I'm not surprised that you two would sell yourselves like that." Megumi was shocked with the scheme the two placed together.

"In my defense, it was Julia's idea." Kyoya retaliated.

"Now you're blaming me?" Julia looked at him with disbelief. "You're racking in so much benefits and…forget it."

The laughter in their table went on for few seconds. Everyone felt the financial benefit with their scheme. It was rare for everyone to be relaxed together like this.

"Oi, I'm going live in a few seconds." Hikaru warned. He held his phone out and featured the wedding. He waited for everyone to get ready then he panned the camera and showed everyone on their table.

Kyoya sighed deeply when Hikaru finished. This kind of attention was something the Hitachiins were used to, but he would never adjust to this. The distant voice of Tamaki running after his children was heard.

"So, are you two allowed to be official now?" Haruhi asked the question everyone was too shy to ask.

Everyone else in the table looked at the remaining unmarried couple. Kyoya and Julia felt all eyes on them.

Julia nodded. "The lawyers are getting ready with the whole thing. The other members of the board aren't comfortable with Kyoya gaining that much leverage."

"There were rumors that I was just using Julia to gain the company." Kyoya sighed once more. He can't believe that people thought he was that ruthless.

Julia laughed she couldn't believe the things people were saying about them. "Yeah, there were rumors that Kyoya was hypnotizing me or something. The things people think about."

The rest of their companions decided not to comment. Some parts of Kyoya's personality were better left unsaid. He was capable of doing that much.

Phase 4: Operation Approval

Kyoya stood in front of Haruka Mizushima, Kazuyoshi Miyura, his own father, and Misuzucchi. He was basically sitting defenseless in seiza-style in front of a firing squad. All the people who were Julia's official guardians and mentors stared at him.

Yoshio Ootori was a neutral party. He wanted his son to marry Julia, but he respected the wishes of the dead. Julia's father required an intense interview for any formal relationship before it went public.

Megumi's father, Kazuyoshi Miyura, was on their side. He kept telling the board that Kyoya was a good and capable man. He treated Julia like his own daughter, and he saw the sacrifices Kyoya made.

Julia's aunt, Haruka Mizushima, and Misuzucchi acted like he was the spawn of satan himself. He cannot blame them. He did make a mistake of breaking Julia's heart before. They were only protecting Julia at this point.

It wasn't the first time he was faced with an intimidating set of people. However, he would be lying if he didn't feel a tiny amount of fear.

"State your intentions." Haruka Mizushima looked at him sternly.

Kyoya bowed to his waist. "I wish to formally date with your niece."

"You already did." Misuzu rolled his eyes. "You left her crying for weeks."

Kazuyoshi Miyura bowed several times and calmed the okama. "You know he had his reasons back then. No other suitor went through all the same things he did." Kazuyoshi looked at Yoshio briefly as if signaling him to defend his own son.

"I believe my son has proved his worth." Yoshio stated. There was no point with letting this conversation continue since he was sure that the two hostile beings would agree to the union either way.

"Of course, you'll be fine with this. You'll finally be related with us through marriage." Haruka's sharp tone loud enough to be heard by the people outside the room.

Haruka's sharp gaze bore holes through Kyoya's body. "You are dating with the intention of marriage, right?"

Misuzu stared at him again. "People joked that you weren't scared of anything except commitment."

Kazuyoshi massaged his temples. "This poor boy was stuck in a hospital for a year just to protect Ju-chan. I didn't see any of the other men offering themselves as a human shield. You already loved her even before she became chairwoman, right?"

Kyoya nodded.

"If I approve of this union, she will have to quit being the chairwoman." Haruka stated. "How will you take responsibility?"

Kyoya bowed until his head touched the floor. It was an action that surprised everyone in the room.

"I'm willing to take care of her, regardless of her position. If you ask me to let go of my company and to work for the Mizushima Corporation, I would. But I cannot ask her to quit her job. Not for my sake." Kyoya said without lifting his head from the ground.

Haruka smiled. She knew Kyoya was sincere, but she just wanted some revenge for getting her niece and granddaughter scrambled into his schemes. She wanted to hear him say it. The greatest sacrifice an Ootori could make was letting go of their pride.

"Go." Haruka said.

Kyoya lifted his head and bowed again.

"Get out of this room before I change my mind." Haruka gestured for him to leave the room.

When the guards told them that Kyoya finally left, Misuzu held himself and pinched his cheeks. Haruka went to her special stash of tea and asked the maids to prepare them some hot water.

"I can have three bowls of rice today." Misuzu tugged his apron with so much excitement. "Who knew a flustered Kyoya was so refreshing?"

"He looked so charming and desperate when he bowed so low." Haruka laughed.

Kazuyoshi and Yoshio looked at each other in frustration. Kazuyoshi knew that his own mother was a difficult person to read, but this was too much.

Phase 5

It's been a year since Julia and Kyoya started seeing each other formally. Now, they went to events together without the hassle. The excessive attention from the press died down. The two just left the charity ball held in St. Lobelia. It was a special alumnae association event that was held each year. One of the rare events where Julia didn't mind spending a fortune since it was for charity.

"It went better than I expected." Julia stretched her arms. She felt her bones crack as she sat on the bench.

"Benibara was the main sponsor for this year's event, right?" Kyoya clarified.

Julia nodded. She walked through the gardens she was very much familiar with. "Did you drink your allergy medicine?"

Kyoya nodded. "I took it before the event."

He looked at the landscaping of the school. It was quite an impressive setup. Ouran's gardens were breathtaking but was nothing compared to this. There was a reason why the school grounds were always reserved for all sorts of events. St. Lobelia Chapel was always fully booked for weddings.

Kyoya watched Julia walk on the ledge of the renaissance style marble fountain. He offered his hand to make sure no untoward incidents happen. A psychological feeling of him itching was bothering him. The number of flowers in the area was almost unbelievable. Roses of all colors in variants were all here.

"I used to sleep here a lot in high school." Julia reminisced.

"On the fountain?"

Julia shook her head and pointed to the maple tree a few feet away. "There. I usually woke up because I would hear girls kissing each other."

Julia went down the ledge without letting go of Kyoya's hand. They walked side by side and she told him all sorts of stories.

They reached the end of the path and turned around. There were lights that were draped in the trees and it resembled the stars in the sky. It was complemented with the faint glow of the moonlight that bounced off the small pond.

"You have swans in here?" Kyoya was surprised to see all sorts of animals roaming freely in their school.

Julia nodded. "There are also plenty of cats here."

They started walking back to the main hall or else Benibara would start losing her mind.

"I'm glad that all the press coming after us is done." Julia rested her head on Kyoya's shoulder as they walked back. "It was tiring to pretend and keep an image."

Kyoya found himself laughing. "The expression of your suitors changed when you showed your true colors."

Julia felt Kyoya's hand let go of hers as he walked a few steps in front of her. He looked at the stained glass on the church and how the light from inside made it look like a kaleidoscope.

"I would like to add something to the Plan Rapunzel." Kyoya said without looking at her. "Phase 5."

"Hey, you're getting too greedy." Julia lightly scolded. It was terrible. They literally milked profits from their "love story".

"I'm a greedy man." Kyoya said without any hesitation. It was a trait he finally accepted.

"What's phase 5 then?" Julia sighed. Nothing made Kyoya's heart swell like profit and merit.

"It's going to take more time than the four phases. To be honest, I haven't fully planned it." Kyoya continued to speak without looking at her direction.

"Yet you're already selling it to me." Julia crossed her arms.

"That's because I need your answer before we can start."

Julia was genuinely confused. Kyoya was asking her to agree to a plan before knowing what happened next. Was it that complicated? Was the next phase going to be so intricate? Was he planning on ruling the country now?

Kyoya placed a small box in Julia's hand. "Phase 5 is going to require a lot more from you. I need to make you're fine with this arrangement."

Julia looked at the velvet box she held, and she looked at Kyoya. She's never seen him so nervous. Not when he was facing the Mizushima Board. Not when he was injured. Not even during her trial. Not when he faced her aunt and Misuzu.

"If you're willing to change your last name to Ootori, that means we can go to phase 5." Kyoya took a deep breath.

His muscles stiffened at this point. He was fortunate that his right hand had a slight tremor because of the accident. No one could see that his left hand was shaking as well. It was too much for his pride to hold his heart out on a silver platter.

Somehow the silence was too long for Kyoya. Silence was an answer he feared. He looked up and saw Julia nodding her head multiple times as she cried.

"Is it that bad to be with me for the rest of your life?" Kyoya asked with suspicion.

"I'm so happy." Julia wiped her face sloppily. When she cried naturally, she looked terrible. It was different from her acting tears. This one had more tears and snot.

Kyoya shook his head in amusement. A relief washed over his entire being. He took his handkerchief and wiped Julia's face.

"I haven't had an answer yet."

"It's yes." Julia could barely see with her eyes swollen.

Kyoya took the ring from the box he gave her and placed it on her hand. "Then that means I can explain how Phase 5 starts."

Julia started laughing. "It should be better than the first four. You have a reputation to live up to."

"I was thinking something outside the box." Kyoya held Julia's hand. "A grand proclamation of love from an Ootori would be the talk of the town for months."

"You'll be fine with that?" Julia squeezed Kyoya's hands. "It's going to ruin your image."

"I don't think so." Kyoya pushed his glasses. "I'd be seen as no different from any man who was madly in love. You'll have to act out your happiness though. We can't have them see how you look when you cry real tears." Kyoya teased.

Oh wow. This omake went longer than I expected, but I didn't want to limit myself. Not a lot of people know this, but this was the exact day when I conceptualized this story. There's a lot of reminiscing for me as well.

I've done it thanks to your help and encouragement. I'm not sure if I'd be able to write something like this. I'm not sure if this is going to be the final omake. I want to end it here, but we'll see where it goes. If you guys request it, I'll follow through and make another as you please.

ADDITIONAL: I just started a new story called The Lily of the Valley. I'd appreciate if you guys check it out as well. I'm changing my writing style a bit. The criticisms I got for this story was being too wordy so I'm taking a different approach.

1. Phase 2: Operation Initiation: 70,000 yen is 654 USD based on the latest exchange rate. I just wanted people to see Julia's new living conditions and how it isn't as ideal as what we were all thinking.

2. Phase 2: Operation Crumbs: Yes, that was the same bracelet Kyoya gave many chapters back. If you got this wow, you really paid attention to the details. It's based on a real bracelet from tiffany and co. I started going through their catalogue and it's probably 1,200 USD-1,400 USD depending on the tax.

3. Boy's Night Out: My favorite part was the soba noodles portion. I was already laughing while writing it down. This scene's dialogue was inspired by a reality tv show. I've always noted the hosts to be just a bit more rowdy when haruhi wasn't with them based on the manga. i'm not sure if anyone noticed that since they're a pretty chaotic bunch to be with.

4. Agenda: Phase 3: I wanted to experiment with using other characters to narrate the situation. It's going to be monotonous if it was all purely kyoya and julia moments.

5. Phase 3: Operation Sushi Meet up and Agenda: Phase 3 Operation Blue: Julia likes playing games too much. Poor Kyoya is already dragged into her schemes. How the tables have turned.

6. The Ploy: This is for all you beautiful people! This is dedicated to a close friend of mine who is so gorgeous and it's a frustration she's been having.

7. Phase 4 and Phase 5: Yes. My heart was moved as well. Also, I want to know how the engagement made you feel. I tried to bring as much Kyoya as I could to the table. I ever re-read the manga just for this.

I really want to know all your thoughts now. Message me or leave a review. In all seriousness, if you guys have no more requests (since I get a few from my private messages), I'm officially closing this story. A lot of the omake scenes I made were all requests actually. I'm just glad I'm making you guys happy.