Chapter One.

"Hey?" I opened the door of Music Room Three. "Anyone...Oh my god!" I squealed as a blond haired boy offered me a rose.
"Greetings, princess. I am honoured to welcome you to the Ouran Host Club." He winked.
"I must have the wrong room." I started backing out of the door. "He couldn't have meant here."
"And who's this he?" A tall, dark haired boy asked, watching me over the top of his glasses.
"You wouldn't know him." I shook my head. How the hell did I end up here? I was looking for the boy who had asked to meet me, not these two.
"As members of the Ouran Host Club we know quite a few students at this school." The blond one spoke again. "My name is Tamaki Suou; it's a pleasure to meet you."
" A-Akane Hara." He was making me uncomfortable, the way he was so social, unnaturally social.
"Alright then Miss. Hara. We will help you find the man you are searching for!" He clenched his fist in front on his chest.
"I'll be alright; I'll just ask him tomorrow."
"Boss what are you..." A boy appeared behind Tamaki. "It's you."
I nodded, completely bemused. What was Kaoru doing here? "Kaoru?"
"Yeah. Hey Hikaru!" He called. "She came."
"She can tell which one's which?"
"Pretty amazing, isn't it?"
Hikaru appeared and shoved Tamaki out of the way and stood in front of me. "Thank you." He smiled. "You can come in. I'm sorry about the Boss."
"Why did you want to see me?" I asked as we sat down opposite each other at a small table. Hikaru shadowed by his twin.
"Tell her Hikaru." Kaoru urged. "We've practised this."
"But Kaoru..." He sighed and looked at me. "Akane, I'd really like it if..."
"Isn't this cute!" Tamaki appeared beside us. "Hikaru's in love!" Tears started streaming down his face.
"Get lost Boss!" Hikaru snapped before looking at me desperately. "I'm really sorry about that." I noticed a pale pink tinge rise in his cheeks.
"You'd really like it if what?"
He looked up at his brother. "He wants to say he'd really like it if you came to visit him at the Host Club. He..."
"I want to spend more time you." He said, looking out from underneath his orange hair.
"I...I don't..."
"I understand." He stood up. "You don't like me. You think I'm a jerk." He walked off.
"Hikaru wait!" I jumped up and grabbed his arm. "I didn't say that! I just don't know what to say. I guess... I do too."
He stared at me, his amber eyes wide and his cheeks a light shade of red. "Will you come to the party tonight then?"
"You're a host, shouldn't you be entertaining guests?" I felt my own cheeks start to burn.
"Kyoya said you can come free of charge. I just need to keep being a host." He looked away. "If that's alright with you."
I looked from Hikaru to Kaoru. He had basically asked me on a date and I barely knew him. "I'd love to." I smiled. I didn't have anything to lose and this was a way to get to know Hikaru better.
"You will! Oh, that's just great!" Tamaki grabbed both my hands and pulled me into an embrace. "Daddy's got another little girl."
"Boss, you're and idiot." The twins spoke in perfect unison.
"So Aka-Chan's coming to the party?" A young boy asked.
"Yes Mitsukuni." A tall dark haired boy, much like the one with glasses, answered.
"Isn't it just delightful?" Tamaki grinned widely, still not letting go of me. "Imagine, Hikaru in love and Haruhi will get in touch with her feminine side!"
"Sempai, I don't think she can breathe." Haruhi, one of the students in my class, walked past. "And HIkaru, it might be a good idea to tell her the theme for tonight."
"The theme for tonight is classic Japanese. That means you should come in a kimono." The dark haired boy with glasses from before spoke.
"Kyoya, Akane's my neighbour."
"That shouldn't be a..."
"She's a commoner!" Tamaki hugged me tighter. "Just like my little Haruhi!"
"C-commoner?" I managed to pull away and took a few steps back.
"Ouran is only for-"
"Children of important or rich families." Kaoru finished Hikaru's sentence.
"That makes both of us 'commoners'." Haruhi said. "Getting into Ouran on a scholarship instead of family wealth."
"I-I see. Maybe I should be going." I turned and exited the room. This was weirding me out, how they referred to me and Haruhi as commoners and how excitable Tamaki was.
"Wait Akane!" Hikaru grabbed my wrist. "Please come tonight."
"I-I can't." I said.
"I can see it now." He looked into my eyes, his full of hurt. "You don't really care at all!"
"Hikaru!" Kaoru stopped as his twin ran past him.
"I'm sorry." I said to Kaoru, although I knew I should've apologized to Hikaru.
"Akane, I understand that you don't have a kimono but Hikaru really wants you there." He said. "He's no good at showing his emotions so it took him ages to get you to come up here."
"Oh. I wish I could..."
"So, what if I got my family to supply you a kimono for the night?" He asked. "Would you come then?"
"Yeah." I nodded. "I guess I have to tell Hikaru I'm coming then."
"Wait, don't." He grabbed my arm. "Let's keep it as a bit of a secret, it'll be even better for him that way."
"O-okay." I stammered as he led me back to Music Room Three.
"In here!" He pushed me quickly past the rest of the Host Club and into a preparation room. "Just wait a sec, alright?"
I nodded as he shut the door. He really wanted to make his brother happy.
"Put this on." He came back, minutes later with a red kimono in his arms. "It should be your size."
"Thanks." I said as he handed it to me. "I'll have to make it up to you somehow."
"As long as you make Hikaru happy it'll be fine." He said as he left. "Now get changed." He clicked the door shut.
I sighed and undressed. I was wearing the male school uniform because I hated the dress but no one mistook me for a guy, unlike Haruhi. My hair was around my shoulders, much longer than hers. I knew she was a girl because we were neighbours and already spent a lot of time together.
I put the kimono on. I fumbled with the large gold bow a few times but eventually I managed to have everything done perfectly.
"Kaoru?" I said as I shyly stepped out from behind the door.
"Oh isn't she just so cute!" Tamaki embraced me again. "Hikaru is going to be in l..."
"Sempai, if you don't shut up HIkaru will hear." Haruhi smiled at me. "But he's right, you do look nice."
"Thanks..." I felt my cheeks burn.
"Doesn't she look adorable Mori?" The same young boy from before asked.
"Yeah." Mori answered.
Kaoru walked over and ushered me back into the preparation room. "If Hikaru sees you the surprise'll be ruined. Besides, there's only half an hour till it starts. I'll come and get you when it's time."
"Alright." I nodded as he left. Being alone in the prep room was going to be a very long half hour.

I sat on the windowsill and watched all the Host Club's guests arrive. They were all wearing their yellow school dresses...hadn't Kyoya said that it was going to be a theme party? Had he done that just to embarrass me? But Kyoya didn't seem to be that kind of person and none of the other Host Club members had spoken against him and I knew that Haruhi would have said something.
"Akane, ready for your entrance?" Kaoru stuck his head in the door.
"Yeah...alright." I said nervously. "Oh! You're dressed up too!" I exclaimed as I got closer.
"All the hosts are." He smiled. "Thought you'd enjoy it too."
"It is nice." I said as I stood beside him.
"You ready?" He took hold of my wrist and dragged me out the door. "Oh! Hikaru! We have a stowaway!"
"Ka...Akane?"
I stumbled as Kaoru stopped. Here I was, suddenly with so many pairs of eyes on me. My cheeks burnt and I looked at my feet.
"She's just adorable! Isn't she?" Tamaki appeared behind Hikaru and put his hands on his shoulders.
Hikaru's cheeks turned light pink. "Uh...yeah...I guess... Kaoru, what were you thinking?"
"I just wanted to make you happy." He said suavely. "I wanted to see you smile again Hikaru!"
"Isn't that adorable! Brotherly love!" A girl squealed.
"Akane...will...uh...will you sit with us?" Hikaru stammered. I had never seen him like this before.
"I'd love to." I smiled.
"Isn't it cute? Daddy's other little girl is adorable!"
"Sempai, shut up, you're making both of them nervous." Haruhi hit Tamaki upside the head. "Besides, you have clients, remember?"
"So does Hikaru." Tamaki said, slightly annoyed. "Fine, Hikaru, I want you to entertain this fine young lady." He regained his royal demeanour.