Ohtori Kyouya, the possible heir to the Ohtori Corporation, glanced at his watch seeing he was behind schedule with the Host Club's earnings. Being driven in a limousine, he gazed outside watching commoners pass by. Fujioka Haruhi came to mind as she was the only commoner he ever had the desire to talk to. The signature smirk he carried was forming when he recalled the time he spent the day with Haruhi.
He got abducted by the club, who wanted to explore the commoner's mall and accidentally abandoned him without his wallet or a cell phone. His little savior came to be Haruhi unexpectedly.
"Kyouya-senpai?" Haruhi was surprised to see such a man of high status in a place low in society, but then again his idiotic best friend probably dragged him along.
"Ah, Haruhi." Kyouya said indolently.
"What brings you here, senpai?"
"Apparently, I was taken here by that buffoon." He growled, picturing Tamaki.
Figures. She thought.
He recalled the time they ate at the fast-food place where she started interrogating him with a profusion of questions.
"You know Kyouya-senpai, you're not as different from Tamaki-senpai as you think." Haruhi deemed.
"Is that so?" Kyouya asked, seeming amused by her assumption.
Haruhi nodded, and began to support her notion, "Well for starters, you both are genuinely kind, in your own way of course."
He rested his head on top of his hands, looking a bit more interested in her theory.
"Go on."
"When he's being kind he shows it but when you're being kind you do it secretly without anyone seeing your true self."
She just smiled her "natural rookie" smiles, which indicated she was finished with her speculation.
The thought of Haruhi was still drifting in Kyouya's mind until the limousine stopped and snapped him out of his reverie.
He walked down the familiar hall way and into Third Music Room envisioning the massive disarray he was about to enter.
Surprisingly, everyone was already in their positions and was working with their customers.
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Kyouya-senpai." The brunette greeted.
"Arigato, Haruhi." He grinned.
"Kyou-chan!"
"…"
"Mommy look what your devilish sons are doing to our daughter!"
"Eh? Tono, we're just simply giving Haruhi a massage." Hikaru insisted, sharing a mischievous grin with his other half.
Never mind, the territory he entered every weekday was always disarray.
Kyouya ignored the sudden disorder and went to his desk to type away in his laptop. That's how he always worked in the host club, in the shadows, which got him the nickname Shadow King. Girls rarely designated him because he was way too intimidating for them to handle. But once in a while he would get a customer or two, who he would dazzle away with his brilliance and etiquette, giving them those fake smiles he hid away from.
He looked up from his laptop to see Haruhi handle her customers. She clearly lived up to the "natural" type because opposite him, her smiles were genuine and sincere. Any female or male would easily fall for that beautiful honest smile of hers, including Kyouya, the Shadow King himself.
"Haru-kun, I think Kyouya-san is looking at you." One of her customers spotted.
"Ah, excuse me for a moment."
She walked towards him looking very graceful, leaving her customers dumbstruck.
"Kyouya-senpai, do you need me for anything?"
"Your debt has just been lowered." He notified.
"Thank you, senpai." She gave a small bow, expressing her gratitude and returned to her customers.
Fujioka Haruhi, more than your average commoner, he snickered to himself.
The day was finally over and the Host Club had once again come to a close until the next day.
A loud yawn came from Hunny, who was clearly tired, and was being piggybacked by Mori.
"What say the theme for tomorrow?" Tamaki asked, stretching his arms in sign of exhaustion.
"Cinderella!" Hunny cheerfully answered, regaining his energy back.
"Fantastic idea, Hunny!" Tamaki merrily agreed with the Loli-shota.
"Haru-chan will be Cinderella!" Hunny declared with enthusiasm.
"But of course!" Tamaki consented.
Haruhi shot Tamaki a death glare that sent him to the corner tearfully murmuring to himself what sounded like "Daughter hates daddy."
"Eh, Haruhi we'll give you all the ootoro you want." Kaoru bribed.
Haruhi shook her head, "if I dress as a girl everyone will know my true gender."
"Nonsense Haruhi, Kaoru and I will be your wicked step sisters." Hikaru informed, placing his hand over her shoulders.
"It's a great idea, eh, Kyouya?"
"It will help lower your debt, Haruhi." Kyouya confirmed, pushing up his glasses.
"If it means having Tamaki-senpai as 'Prince Charming' than no, but if not than I'll agree to the terms." She considered.
"Kyou-chan can be 'Prince Charming' and Tamaki will be your 'Fairy Godmother'!" Hunny joyfully said, clapping his hands.
Tamaki was still a little down that he wasn't going to be Prince Charming, and sulked at the idea of playing the fairy godmother who clearly has no romantic ties to Cinderella. Everyone happily left Third Music Room excluding Tamaki and left Kyouya alone with Haruhi.
How cliché.
He watched her from the corner of his eye trying to grasp what Tamaki and the others saw in her. Sure she was cute but there were definitely more beautiful young women out there, who were certainly beyond her class. Fujioka Haruhi was stubborn, dense (in male and female relationships), and poor (well, looking down from his rank she was) but beyond that she was honest, thoughtful, and simple. She didn't have materialistic needs nor did she have any desires a normal girl would have other than her love for strawberries and such. The way she dressed surely matched her personality. The way she threw anything she had on hand just provoked the twins, especially Tamaki nonetheless, to give her more girly clothing.
Kyouya examined her features, starting with her boyish haircut that seemed to suit her because it didn't require much effort to manage.
She looks more attractive with longer hair. He silently thought to himself. From what the pictures Ranka-san gave me she looked much more appealing to the eye.
He scanned down to her big brown eyes that made everyone seem to melt other than himself (for now.) Those big brown orbs that were filled with perceptiveness. Then his eyes slowly ran down to her lips and quickly shook off the idea any teenage boy would have when looking intently at a young woman's lips.
What am I thinking? Surely Tamaki rubbed off on me but presumably not this much. He immediately brushed off the things that were growing through his mind.
He tried to drift his eyes away from the boyish looking brunette, wanting no more to do with this problem he was having.
I better be on my way. I should be getting home to make dinner for otou-san. Haruhi thought, while cleaning the room, which was one of her jobs to be able to lower her debt slightly.
"Kyouya-senpai, I'll be going now." She said, heading towards the door.
"Till tomorrow then, I'll be waiting, Cinderella." He managed a small smile, seeing her off.
She gave him a bright smile and left the room, walking in awe. The line undoubtedly sounded like something the Host Club Idiot ahem King would say and it certainly wouldn't whisk her off her feet. Normally she would think a line like that would be cheesy, but the way he said it was so earnest and prince like, leaving her in a trance.
Did Kyouya-senpai just say that? Her mind was mentally going through the same line over and over again.
In Third Music Room…
Did I just say that? He shook his head in disbelief at his foolish romantic gesture. The raven-haired boy never in his right mind imagined he could say something like that, let alone to someone below his class.
Haruhi reached her apartment, walking in a leisurely pace. Her father was already asleep when she got home. Poor otou-san, probably tired from working 12 hours a day.
She went into her room where lay a medium-sized package.
To Princess Haruhi
Love, Hikaru & Kaoru
She opened the present and gaped at the lovely blue dress for tomorrow's event. The dress consisted of sparkly crystals that reflected any trace of light, and the material was made entirely of silk. She looked inside the box just to find a pair of real glass slippers that shimmered brilliantly.
I guess this is what I'm wearing tomorrow. The regularly boyish looking girl wasn't at all stirred with the extravagant costume they had sent her, courtesy of their mother's evening gown line.
…Next Morning (Third Music Room)…
"WHERE'S MY DARLING DAUGHTER?" The foolish blonde demanded.
"Tono, she's just running late as always, besides don't forget that she will be dressed in the costume we sent her." Kaoru informed.
"Tsk, tsk, it's a shame though, milord, you aren't in fact going to be her Prince Charming." Hikaru teased.
Tamaki gave Hikaru a fierce look before walking up to Kyouya, who looked quite stunning in his Prince Charming costume compared to Tamaki, who looked more of a drag queen than Cinderella's Fairy Godmother (or father, in his case.)
"Mommy please trade costumes with me!" Tamaki begged, with his tearful puppy dog eyes.
"Tamaki, if you want Haruhi to be dressed in proper female attire then you have to abide to her likings."
Right on cue, Haruhi came in, looking absolutely breathtaking. She strode elegantly towards them.
"Haru-chan you look cute!" The little Loli-shota ran up, with Mori following behind.
"You look adorable Haruhi!" The twins chorused, who placed their hands on either side of her shoulders.
"That's an understatement Haruhi, you look extraordinary." Tamaki bowed.
"Arigato senpai." She beamed, sending Tamaki to hide behind Kyouya, blushing.
Kyouya, who was jotting down notes for the Host Club's profits, couldn't take his eyes off Haruhi.
Remembering he hadn't greeted her yet, "Ah, Cinderella, may I have this dance?" In a prince like manner, Kyouya held out his hand for her to take.
"Eh?" Haruhi was beyond confused, but seeing the customers were coming in she knew it would surely bring down her debt.
She took hold of his hands and violinists popped out of nowhere, playing an unfamiliar tune.