Title: Two Sides or There Are Always Two Ways In Everything

Author: catharticdeficit

Rating: K+ but pushing it to T

Genre: Romance/Drama/Humor/UST (Is it a genre? Well, it should be!)

Pairing: Kyoya x Haruhi

Summary: Kyoya's son wants Haruhi as his new mother and Kyoya is at a loss. But Haruhi has come back to Japan for one purpose, and it isn't to play mommy with the Ootori heir.

For: Kalachuchi, whose comments in my other works sparked this little ficlet (More Kyoya and his wet pants later, I promise!). And all of those lovely people out there who read, review, and give encouragement to my work. Thank you all so much. This one is for all of you. : )

1/? Suppositions

He supposed that it wasn't something that he could stop, really. Something that he could ultimately avoid. No, even with all of his power as a great Ootori heir and prodigy, nothing could have stopped this, this inevitable meeting between two people so grossly unrelated yet perversely linked.

He knew it was his fault, he accepted that but upon reflection, it could have been easily eluded. He had two options after all, and one of them quite drastic. He had hoped to never use them but it seemed that it was wise after all to have done it.

It was real strange, not knowing what to do for the first time in your life. All throughout his existence, Kyoya Ootori knew how to act. It was natural; it was simply how the way things worked. Give him a dilemma, and he'll think of three hundred possible scenarios for that and prepare himself and those around him on each and every single one of them. He liked to prepare; his motto was 'Preparation is the key to success' after 'Take advantage of everything and everyone'.

So this was a great conundrum, one that he was only at the hundredth probable outcome at. But time was wasting, he needed to get out of it fast.

He sighed. He knew it was time to bite the bullet as it were. After all, in the back of his mind, this had to happen sometime.

The meeting of his son, Toya, and Haruhi Fujioka, that is.

"Are you my mother?" asked Toya softly, though with the air of a proud Ootori. Kyoya can't help but feel the surge of pride within him while he looked at his son, and also the inward cringe at this uncomfortable yet expected inquiry.

Haruhi, for her part, only look confused, her heart-shaped face screwed in confusion.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that you're quite mistaken," she took to answer instead, bending down to his height, though it wasn't much of a squat as to just lowering her head. Toya Ootori at five years old was quite tall.

"That's not right," replied the boy, now turning to look at his father.

Kyoya tried not to lower his eyes at his son, for fear that one glance of that small face, so like his own, would make him spit out the dreaded truth. He took to talking to Haruhi instead.

"Haruhi, it's been a while since we've last seen each other," he said stiffly. "How have you been?"

Haruhi smiled. "Kyoya-senpai, it's nice to see you again as well. I'm pretty much the same, though older and I hope quite wiser."

After they all finally graduated from the Ouran Institute, they incredibly led different lives though they still managed to keep in touch. The twins went off to design school in Milan, while Mori-senpai and Honey-senpai toured the world, sharpening their skills in the martial arts. Tamaki went on to business school in England and Kyoya went there with him. Tamaki kicked up a fuss at first about leaving Haruhi alone in Japan, but a little chat with the whole club, and they knew that it was all for the best. They were preparing for their future, and a parting of ways one day was deemed inescapable. Besides, they all promised that after they had done their thing abroad, they were coming back and never leaving her alone again.

Which meant to Haruhi several years of absolute (relative) quiet and a chance to focus more on her studies. A part of her missed them while they were away, but she enjoyed having her holidays back to herself without worrying about anyone barging in her door at six a.m. to drag her to a grocery store to find out about commoner freebies.

The increase in concentration to her studies landed her a coveted position for a scholarship in a leading university, Harvard Law School. After much tears and begging her to stay from her father, Haruhi packed her bags and went off to finish her studies in Boston.

The boys managed to visit her every now and then, Tamaki especially given that he only needed to cross the Atlantic to get to her, but Kyoya's visits were rare and far between, only when Tamaki either forced, drugged or beat him to submission to see his 'daughter.'

Finally, the boys finally went back to Japan to lead the paths they were groomed for all their lives and Haruhi decided to stay in America as an Associate in a respectable Civil Law Firm for a few years before going back to continue her practice in Japan. It saddened them, but they realized that they were adults now, and Haruhi was more than capable to make her own decisions (though their acquiescence with her planning to stay involved a highly sloshed Tamaki and the twins and causing a high-end bar in Boston to be thrashed mercilessly).

As for himself, after graduation and a year of training in the business under his father, Kyoya was married to some politician's daughter for political gain for both families. Nine months later, Toya was born and Kyoya continued his ascent in the corporate ladder without looking back.

And now, after six years of not seeing each other, Kyoya was face-to-face again with the girl who managed to change six young men's lives with a stupid mistake and a smile.

"Please let me introduce my son, Toya Ootori," said Kyoya, pushing his son a little bit towards her. The boy shuffled shyly forward, making his father frown. Toya wasn't like this; usually, he held himself high, greeting people as if they were on the same level and never allowed anyone to patronize him, even his own father. "This is an old schoolmate and a dear friend of mine, Haruhi Fujioka."

"H-Hi," said Toya, blushing as he stared up at the pretty lady's face. "I'm Toya. I'm five. It's nice to meet you."

Haruhi's smile grew warmer and bigger as she gave the younger Ootori a small bow. "It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Master Toya…may I call you that?"

If possible, the poor boy blushed even further. "Toya is fine."

Now Kyoya was really puzzled. Toya wanted everyone to call him Master Toya or Master Ootori. The only ones privileged to call him without any honorifics were immediate family members, i.e. his father, grandfather, aunts, uncles and cousins. In fact, his cousins call him Toya-san, such was how the boy brought himself. His father's loud friends embarrassingly called him Toya-chan, Toya-kun or Toya-snuggle bunny.

Inwardly, Toya thought that it wouldn't be so bad to be called Toya-kun by this particular lady.

Haruhi grinned this time, and placed a tentative hand on Toya's head and made him fidget about nervously but relaxed when she ruffled his hair affectionately, not minding that it made him feel like a dog.

"The last time I've seen you, you were just a baby," remarked Haruhi. It was a few months after Toya was born that Haruhi took her leave from the university to visit her father and friends. It was then that she first saw the first baby to be born from the club and she was instantly smitten by the adorable baby that Toya was.

He looks like his father, thought Haruhi amusedly, and I suppose some of his charm as well. He's going to be another heartbreaker.

"You've grown so much in such a short time. By the time you're ten I bet you're taller than me."

"I don't think that's possible," said Toya, frowning.

"When you're twelve then or when you've reached puberty and that sudden growth spurt. I know you'll be taller than me."

"Do you really think so?" Toya never fished for compliments like this, except for a few times with Kyoya--people just naturally gave it to him without him saying anything.

"I'm positive."

Kyoya coughed, clearly irritated at being left out of the conversation.

"So what are you doing back in Japan?" he asked, trying to keep down the interest in his voice.

"Oh, I'm here for a conference in this hotel. Then it's back to America I'm afraid," said Haruhi, straightening up and smoothing her skirt.

And it just so happens that Kyoya was meeting a huge client for lunch in this same hotel, bringing Toya along because said client told him that his daughter has taken quite a fancy to the young Ootori and would like it if both of them could meet and play while the fathers talked business. Coincidence or pre-destined?

The older Ootori looked down at his son, who was obviously engrossed with staring at Haruhi. He took pity on the boy and said, "Haruhi, do you have a few minutes to spare? It's been so long since we talked and I think that it would be nice. Besides, Toya here seems to be quite interested in you."

Toya resisted the urge to kick his father's shin. Childish reactions like that are unbecoming of an Ootori.

Haruhi glanced down again at Toya before another smile lit up her features.

"Of course. The conference doesn't start in another hour and I'm hungry. I only had coffee for breakfast and the jet lag is killing me." She held out a hand to Toya who stared at it before timidly slipping his small hand to her soft one. "I've only been in this hotel for a night and I will assume that you know it better than I do, so I'm trusting you to lead the way to the restaurant where they serve the best lunch."

She looked over her shoulder to Kyoya who was watching the both of them with some form of quiet amusement.

"And of course, your father is paying, right Kyoya-senpai?"

--

Toya had led her to the hotel's ground floor restaurant where they presumably had the best seafood platter anywhere in the greater Tokyo area. They took the table in the corner, as privacy was highly prized by the businessman.

Of course, Haruhi ordered the house special, and the two men copied her. While they sat in wait for their food, they talked and sipped their drinks.

"When are you coming back to Japan for good?" asked Kyoya, stirring his juice. He never drank alcohol in front of his son, except in parties and even then limited it to just one glass for appearance's sake.

"Well, after this conference, I have about nine more months with the firm before my contract expires," explained Haruhi. "Then I come back here to stay, I hope. Father's been missing me terribly. He calls every other day, asking me when I'll return. In fact, he met me at the airport last night, wailing that I should never go back." She laughed though it was hollow. "But I have some unfinished business there that I cannot leave."

There was something in her tone that told Kyoya she wasn't telling the whole truth yet he kept his mouth shut.

"So what's happening with you?" said Haruhi. "Tamaki and the others are bombarding me with e-mails and calls everyday but I'm lucky if I could get an e-mail from you once a month."

Kyoya's lips quirked. True, with the business hanging over his head, he had no time to even drop a quick line to a dear friend. He suddenly felt horrible but brushed it off just as quickly to give her a lopsided smile that melted women's hearts.

But not Haruhi. She just raised an eyebrow. "I know that smile and you know that it won't work on me. But it's fine; it's not like I'm a clingy, needy girlfriend or anything."

"So true," replied Kyoya. "For starters, I've been heading the Japan headquarters of the company while my brothers are abroad for the American and European branches. I've been busy but it's the same, I guess."

"What about you, Toya?"

"I just passed my tests and I'm going to Ouran Elementary this spring," piped up Toya proudly. He was also the top of his class but he didn't feel the need to boast about it, as it was a basic tactic when meeting new people. Let them think that you're incompetent, and when they're least expecting it, show that you have something on your shoulders except for a pretty face. Then watch as their respect for you notches up higher than the sky.

"Congratulations! Now that news deserves a toast!" She raised her glass of lemon water in the air though not too high so Toya could reach. "To Toya and his passing!"

Kyoya smiled. She never really changed, did she? He also raised his glass and the three of them clinked glasses, cheering just as the waiter came with their food.

--

"Well, that was a really enjoyable lunch," said Haruhi, smiling at father and son. They were outside the restaurant by then and it was time for the lawyer to get back to her conference. Hikaru and Kaoru were on their way over and she wanted to escape them for the safety of the closed doors of the symposium. But knowing the two, they would just crash their way in, causing mayhem.

Maybe it was time for her to consider changing her name so she could be untraceable.

"It's been lovely seeing you two again, but it's time for me to head back," she continued, squeezing Toya's hand which seemed to be always finding its way to hers. Not that she minded. She thought it cute that he would seek so much attention from her. And it wasn't unfounded. There were only a few older women in his life, and, maybe except for Fuyumi, none who could give him much attention except for a smile or a greeting here and there. Haruhi was taken to the child and resolved to pay much more attention to him in future. After all, he would surely crave the companion of some much more sane adult after being exposed to the inanities of his father and their five annoying male friends.

"It was particularly nice to see you again, Toya," she said, kneeling down at him. "Do you think it too much for me to ask for a hug before I go?"

Both father and son were taken aback. Toya especially and could only nod dumbly when Haruhi grinned and drew him into her arms for a gentle yet firm hug. The boy allowed himself to close his eyes, enjoying the sensation. She was warm, and smelled nice. He thought it wonderful to be always embraced by her. Auntie Fuyumi always hugged him but she would just glomp all over him without warning and to tell the truth, it was quite painful, not to mention embarrassing with the way she would rain kisses all over his face in the end. It was nice, to be held like this once in a while, like a parent would.

All too soon, it was over, and Haruhi straightened up, smiling at them both.

"Thank you again, Kyoya-senpai, Toya-kun," said Haruhi, the smile never leaving her face. Kyoya could only nod in reply. His poor, poor child. "Let's meet again."

Kyoya wanted to say yes and no at the same time. Toya, on the other hand, gave a loud "Yes!"

And when she turned away from them, Kyoya couldn't help but feel as if his life was going to spiral out of control very soon.

Kyoya looked at his watch. There were fifteen minutes before his client arrived. Toya was looking sleepy, as he was found to do after eating such a hearty meal. He mentally smiled. Toya never dug into his food like that. He was eating quite voraciously, after seeing Haruhi tuck into hers without further ado once it was placed in front of her.

Maybe Haruhi was going to be a good influence on her son. He always thought that the way he was being brought up was too…archaic. Yoshio always commandeered something in the boy to act like someone ten times his age and he couldn't help but pity his son. It was the way he was brought up as well though he knew that it was just protective parental instinct to wish something else for his son--to be able to live in the way he wanted to, to be able to act like his age, to laugh uproariously, to smile as widely as he could…not being groomed to be the next Ootori zaibatsu heir.

Kyoya sighed. It was all wishful thinking. The family always came first. It was his duty to take on the Ootori name in the future, and it was his duty to see that his son carries on that destiny. It was the same for his forefathers, and damn it if he would fail what they tried so hard to build.

At the same time, he couldn't help but think if someone like Haruhi would come into their lives.

A small hand on his jolted him from his musings. His small son was looking at him worriedly, apparently concerned that his father was silent and looking so far away. Kyoya squeezed his hand in reassurance.

"It was nothing," he said softly, leading them back to the restaurant. "I just thought of something irrelevant."

Toya nodded, used at his father's impromptu contemplations. It just unnerved him to see his father look so…wistful. Kyoya Ootori was a lot of things but wistful wasn't one of them. It just didn't suit him somehow.

Toya thought over some things, his analytic skills far surpassing his age. Then he came at a possible reason for his father's change in disposition.

He really liked that Haruhi Fujioka.

In truth, he really liked her as well, and maybe it was time that his dad had a girl of his own - he seemed lonely at times and he knew that there were a lot of other ladies trying to get his attention but he never held on to any one of them to proceed to the second date. It was always a different lady every time. Toya hated them all: they pretended to shower him with attention when in fact they were only doing it to get closer to his father. But Haruhi was real in her affection, he could sense that.

Toya Ootori, at five years old, told his father a sentence that would make the business world's one of the most feared man gape and flounder on in shock for the first time in his life.

"I like Haruhi. Why don't you marry her, father, so you can have a wife and I can have a new mommy?"

--

Kyoya quickly snapped out of his trance, feeling self-conscious at letting his son see him with his jaws wide open in surprise. He haughtily drew himself up again, unconsciously squeezing his son's hand tighter.

"That's a ridiculous notion," he said shortly, taking their old table in the restaurant. The staff was surprised to see him there again but didn't ask any questions as they waited on him.

Kyoya shifted in his seat, uncomfortable at the stares his own flesh and blood was giving him.

"Why do you think that I need to marry someone like her?" he said finally, giving up trying to ignore the child. "It's an absolutely unheard of idea. I thought I taught you to think better than that."

Toya huffed, indignant at being treated like a five-year-old, which sadly, he was. "It's not ridiculous! She's pretty, and nice, and funny, and sweet, and it's obvious you like her as well!"

"Please watch your grammar," said the father, opening his menu but only using it at some form of barrier. "And no, I don't like her that way. She's a dear friend of mine, that's all."

"Hm, please forgive me if I'm making a questionable assumption but that's the first time I've heard you refer to anyone as a 'dear friend', father. Usually, it's only just 'friend' or 'acquaintance' of varying degrees. No one is mentioned as a 'dear friend.'" Toya innocently sipped at his sugar-free apple juice.

Kyoya stared at his son. When did he turn to be such a brat? He taught him too well, it appears.

Kyoya took to clearing his throat, placing the menu down in defeat. Might as well indulge him while he still can and possibly steer him from such dangerous thoughts.

"In truth, Haruhi is really someone who couldn't measure up to anyone," Kyoya began carefully, choosing his words. It wasn't time for the five-year-old to know what he didn't need to. "I value her as a friend, and frankly, she's the few people I've known who hasn't tried to drive me up the wall. She quite special."

Toya just looked at his father thoughtfully. "Maybe she's much more special than you allow yourself to believe," he commented, showing wisdom far beyond his years.

Yes, Kyoya really had taught him well. He was so proud of his son yet he couldn't shake the feeling that here finally was someone who understood him as fully as he understood himself. But his son didn't need to be aware of that fact. He could use it against him.

Toya Ootori was too much like him, he decided.

His business associate, Shinichiro Yamamoto, a big wig who owned a good three quarters of the biggest publishing company in Japan, came to their table, talking loudly. He was quite large, and must be in his late forties. His face was always the color of puce, from drinking or the sheer effort of walking with that bulk of his, Kyoya didn't want to know.

"Ootori-san!" he boomed and Kyoya stood up, ready to shake his hand in greeting. Yamamoto pumped his hand eagerly, smiling widely. "Such a pleasure that you could come to lunch for today!"

Kyoya smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "It was my pleasure." His eyes strayed to the little girl clutching his father's jacket tightly. "You must be Kimiko-hime," he said, turning on the charm, bowing low with a hand on his heart. "It's truly an honor to see you again." He straightened, beckoning his son over. "You have already met my son, Toya, no?" Toya stepped in front of his father, as was rehearsed and Kyoya placed his hands on the small shoulders.

"Ah! Master Toya!" cut in Yamamoto, trying to push his daughter forward but she wouldn't budge and scuttled away further. "Kimiko, please do not be rude to our company! The Ootoris only want to say hi."

Kimiko looked like she was about to cry but a sharp look from her father made her gulp and she shuffled forward shyly, bowing low.

"It's nice to see you again Mr. Ootori, Master Ootori," she managed without stuttering. She didn't want her new doll house taken away from her.

Toya had to bite back a sigh. He was never interested in this girl. She was too shy, too withdrawn. He had only met her once before and talking to her was a chore. It was obvious that from the first time they were introduced, she had taken to him, and if possible turned even shyer when he was around. She was kind of pretty, if you squint a little. If Hikaru-jisan or Kaoru-jisan were here, they would not so subtly suggest that she needed a new haircut to emphasize her eyes or whatever and that she needed a dress that would suit her skin tone. Toya never really understood girls, and quite frankly didn't care or want to.

He returned the bow instead. "It would always be a pleasure to meet with you, Mr. Yamamoto and Kimiko-hime." He smiled a little, winning father and daughter over with his shy, boyish demeanor.

Kyoya wanted to smirk; his boy was as good as him already.

The waiters pulled out the chairs on the table as the four sat down. The adults discussed business in between talks of the new summer house in the Caribbean and a planned vacation in Switzerland. The two Ootori ordered very light meals as they were still full from their lunch with Haruhi. Kimiko kept shyly glancing at the young boy, hoping that he would start up a conversation she was too scared to begin herself. She had always liked him, from the moment she first laid eyes on him, and was delighted when her father suggested that if things worked out well, she might be even be able to marry him. Hence, she went about to improve herself, choosing a different hairstyle (that pointed out the chubby roundness of her face) and new dresses (mostly in bright, neon colors that horribly clashed with her complexion; she wanted clothes that would make her stand out).

Toya mostly ignored her, concentration more on chewing his asparagus as he thought of ways to get his father and Haruhi together.

--

The huge sigh escaped Kyoya's lips as he closed the door to his bedroom to try and take at least three hours of sleep before his next appointment. He glanced at the clock: it was already four a.m. and he had a meeting with some contractors about the new project they were starting in Osaka at seven a.m.

So it seems I only have two hours then, he calculated, pulling on his tie and heading to the bathroom for a quick shower and then precious minutes on the bed. Well, he could catch some quick Zs on the car so that might help.

As he turned on the shower, he thought of the time when he was first married that he had buried long ago in his memory but was quickly evoked by a chance meeting with Haruhi.

When his father first laid down that he was to marry Naoko six years ago, he first reaction was a slightly raised eyebrow in question. Yoshio proceeded to list the advantages this particular marriage would bring to the family and in half an hour, it was agreed that Kyoya was to walk down the aisle with a woman he had never met before. It was the same with all his siblings, so he wasn't surprised that it would happen sooner or later.

That same night, he researched on Naoko and found out that she was the daughter of a prominent member of the Diet and had graduated two years behind him. She was smart, third in her class and quite pretty in a girlish way.

Next day, they met for the first time, had a few laughs and a serious talk, and were engaged formally. Three months later, they were married and had a dream honeymoon trip around the world and Toya was conceived then.

He never loved her in the way married people were supposed to, but he liked her in his own way. Though she didn't mature much physically, there was a quiet air of maturity about her that he respected. He tried to be the attentive husband, especially when she became pregnant but in just a year after Toya was born, she left the family mansion with her old university boyfriend for the States, stating in the divorce papers she sent him later that she couldn't bear it anymore, married to someone she didn't love.

Kyoya pretended that it didn't hurt him personally, maintaining that he was more infuriated at the shame she brought the family. But the nights were lonely, and only the alcohol was there to keep him warm.

During that time, he focused more on the business, becoming more ruthless than ever, to the point that he had driven away his friends and everyone else he cared about.

It wasn't until Toya, who had become three years old with no recollection of loving parents, only an affectionate aunt and some of his father's friends who were always around with mountains of presents for him, came around to his study one night, carrying a picture he drew himself and his kindergarten report.

Kyoya was immediately incensed at the interruption and was about to yell at his own son, when Toya lifted up his drawing, saying softly, "This is a picture our teacher made us draw today. She asked us to draw our family. I drew you and me."

The illustration was what you would expect from a regular three-year-old, mere squiggles of colors yet the obvious caricature of him, holding hands with his son while they stood in front of their large house was not missed.

At that point, Kyoya wanted to kneel to cry and apologize to his son but his body wouldn't obey. Instead, for the first time that Toya could remember, his father lifted him up to his lap, embracing him tightly with his face buried in the small mop of hair.

"It's a very beautiful picture," Kyoya said quietly, though his voice was dripping with emotion. "Thank you very much."

Toya closed his eyes, enjoying his father's warmth. He felt nice, and strong. He was going to be like him someday.

"You're welcome. Do you want to see my class report?"

Kyoya looked down as he fumbled with another piece of paper, shoving it in the older man's face.

"It says that you are always well-behaved, intelligent and what's this? A true gentleman? My, you really have inherited my traits." He tried to keep his voice from breaking but the pride was evident in his face and voice.

"Yes, I would always let someone else borrow my pencils or my crayons when theirs broke or got lost and I make sure that the girls get their stuffed toys because some of the boys were hiding them. The boys said that girls were icky but Fuyumi-baasan said that boys should always be nice to girls." Toya looked thoughtful for a second. "Father what does 'scoring points' mean?"

Kyoya laughed. It was a deep, rumbling laugh that hasn't been heard for two years. "It means that being nice to the girls will give you merit that you could use in the future. But it doesn't matter. I'll teach you all about it when the time comes. Enough about that." Kyoya stood up, carrying the boy in his arms. Toya grinned, entwining his small arms around his father's neck. The older Ootori relished the feeling as he walked them outside and into the kitchen. "Have you eaten dinner? I'm quite hungry."

"I already had my after-school snack and Yuri-neesan said that I could have supper in an hour. But yes, I am hungry, too."

"Good. What do you say we go and have dinner outside? I want some sushi."

"I want ramen!"

"Eh? We have to go to Kyoto for that!"

And Toya's drawing was forever mounted on his wall in a frame.

--

"Father, is this lady my mother?" asked Toya one day, holding up a picture that he found in his father's study. Kyoya was taking some time off to help with his son's homework and was about to teach him how to spell his name in cursive English when Toya came back from his trip to the toilet, clutching a photo frame.

Kyoya started, confused. When Naoko left, he had given most of her things away or burned them. Her pictures were in storage boxes deep in the Ootori mansion basement. The only picture he had left of her was the one taken during Toya's birth, a sweaty but grinning Naoko holding her son for the first time while Kyoya sat down on the bed beside her also grinning happily. It was now kept in a photo album somewhere, wedged in between books at his spacious library.

As such, Toya hadn't seen a picture of his mother and everyone else was banned from showing him one.

However, the photo he was holding up was not of his mother, but it was Haruhi, a snap taken when she first held baby Toya in her arms, looking at him with such wonder and adoration many people would think she had given birth to him herself. Kyoya was the one who took it, touched at the expression on Haruhi's face and had it framed, along with photos of everyone else in the club.

Kyoya shook his head sadly at Toya, who frowned.

"No, I'm afraid that she isn't your mother. She is an old school friend of mine, her name's Haruhi. She's in America right now," he explained.

Toya looked disappointed and put it down gently on the table.

Kyoya's heart broke. It was time for him to know a grain of the truth.

Later on, Toya saw the face of his mother, and was told of a part of what had transpired between his parents. Toya asked if it was his fault, but Kyoya denied it, saying that it was his fault that she left.

"So why didn't she take me with her if she loved me?" asked Toya in a small voice.

Kyoya knew the answer to that: it was because he looked so much like him and she didn't need a reminder of her past mistake to be staring at her every time she looked at her son. In a way, he was grateful that she did leave him Toya and would have fought tooth and nail for his custody if she did.

Because Toya was his life, he realized that by now. It wasn't his anymore. His whole existence was overtaken by such a small defenseless human and it was incredible. More astonishing was the fact that he didn't mind it, as long as it was his son who held it all in his chubby little hands.

Kyoya drew Toya in his arms. "It's because she was too dumb and didn't think what a great wonder it is to be with you."

Toya was slightly mollified at the explanation but as he stared at the face of his real mother and thought of the lady in the other photo, he deliberated that he liked the other lady better.

Because her eyes held more love for him than his mother ever did.

--

Kyoya turned off the taps, and walked out of the shower, slightly steaming and gloriously naked. He dried himself off, brushed his teeth, and pulled on a pair of black silk pajama bottoms, not bothering to wear the top since it was a warm night.

As he climbed on the bed, his last exhausted thought was that he needed to see Haruhi again.

And maybe convince her to be Toya's new mother.

To Be Continued

A/N: A new story has begun! It was supposed to be another long one-shot like the other one, but somebody suggested that it would be better if I divide it into smaller chapters instead and they have a point. But don't expect this to go on. It's only going to be like five or six chapters or so. I know that many of you are more interested in an update of TSOHF, but I'm already in my fourth draft of the next chapter and I'm still not happy about it. So please be patient, and enjoy this new fic as reparation for my lateness. I'm posting up new stories a lot in the past few weeks, aren't I?

Disclaimer: I don't own Kyoya. He's trapped in a dungeon with Haruhi and she had claimed him as hers. I do own Toya, though.