Dear Diary,

It hurts when you feel like you've lived your life looking average. You're not the perfectly beautiful girl or the super pretty girl, just the average girl with the "okay" looks. What is even worse is when you come from a rich family that has a history of finding their children fiancées in the teen years of life. Fourteen is the age in my family and I shouldn't feel so horrified since my big brother went through it before I did and he and his fiancée are excited to get married two years from now when they're both twenty. My brother had no trouble finding a fiancée. Guys never have a problem. Well…most anyway. It is a little unfair that my brother got all the looks in the family though. He even got the family dojo. Yeah, you heard me. The dojo. The Sasaki family dojo that has been passed down through my family to the eldest child of each generation. I don't mind him owning the dojo, but that just means all I get from my family is amazing fighting skills and book smarts. I'm a nerd who can kick your ass. Yay. So, tonight is the night. I am halfway through my fourteenth year of life, which means that tonight is the ball hosted by my family in order for me to find a fiancée. My parents set up a huge line-up of guys who get to express their interest and then it goes to elimination round. I find it ridiculous and for me, I know it is just going to be horrible. The dancing and music will stop. I'll be placed in the center of the room and all the guys will gather around the edge of the circle and stare at me as my father announces that any boy interested in tying their family to ours should step forward. Of those who step forward…within two days, I'll make a choice. But I already see it coming. No one will step forward. I'll stand there in the middle of the dance floor as whatever self-confidence I may have had crumbles to dust. I don't know what my family will do from there, but…well…I'll be quite the laughing stock at school on Monday. Oh, no, mother is coming! I'll write later and relay the horror detail by detail.

Saki Sasaki

Saki slammed her diary shut and stuffed it into her nightstand as her mom came into the room carrying a small dress in her arms.

"Saki! Here's your dress, dear. Oh, I've waited for this day for so long."

Chou Sasaki dropped her daughters dress on the bed. She pulled her daughter into a huge hug.

"You'll have a fiancée by the end of the week and your father and I will feel so relieved to know that our children will be set for life!"

"Mama! Do I have to do this? Can't I just wait a few years?"

"Now, Saki, we've talked about this. Now go slip into this dress. Isn't it lovely? I knew lilac was your color."

The young girl unenthusiastically picked up the lilac dress. It was the first sleeveless dress she'd ever wear. It was pretty and went down to her knees with a satin sash around the middle that tied into a bow at the front. She went into the bathroom and after putting it on, came out and moved over to her mother. The woman smiled at her daughter with tears in her eyes.

"Lovely. Now let's do your make-up and hair."

An hour later, Saki was standing at the top of the stairs to the ballroom her parents had booked for the night. Her shoulder length hair was in the best high ponytail her mother could force it into. Soft strands of hair gently rested against her neck to add a little style to the hair. Little lilac rosebuds had been placed in her hair and a diamond necklace had been placed around her neck. Saki had fought with her mother over the make-up and had gotten out with very light make-up that looked somewhat natural, but gave her an extra glow. She had on lilac ballet flats that her mother insisted were just perfect. She was rather tall for her age, afterall, and needed the guys to feel comfortable enough to dance with her.

As she walked down the stairs to the floor, she blushed, feeling the hundreds of eyes upon her. She scanned the room for her best friend and sighed with relief as she spotted her small best friend, Yui Ito, waving at her beside her fiancée. Picking up her speed as to get to her best friend faster, she relaxed as she felt the eyes drift away. She scuttled through the crowd to meet her best friend.

"Yui!" the young girl cried, hugging her best friend.

Yui understood and pat the girl as best she could on the back. It was difficult due to the height difference.

"Now, now, Saki, it's going to be okay! Just mingle around for a couple hours and then the choices start. No big deal."

"Said the one who had thirty guys interested."

Saki pouted as Yui glared at her.

"Don't give me that attitude! You are beautiful. Right, Mitsukuni?"

"Huh?"

Mitsukuni Haninozuka, Yui's fiancée, looked up at Saki. His cheeks were puffed out like a chipmunk's as he chewed on a bite of cake from the dessert table. Yui smiled at him.

"Isn't she beautiful?"

He swallowed and gave Saki a big smile that made her feel a little better.

"Sa-chan, you look great! There will definitely be interested guys. You know, my cousin is here, too. I bet he'd dance with you."

Saki's eye twitched.

"Right, as if the ever stoic and handsome Morinozuka would go for me. He's never even spoken to me at school. And we've all hung out together! He's a wall. It's not even funny."

Mitsukuni looked alarmed at the effect his statement had had on Saki.

"I didn't mean to make you sad, Sa-chan! Honest!"

Yui sighed and turned her friend around.

"Go out and dance. And try and put a smile on that face. A smile does wonders!"

Saki did her best to look like she was having a good time as she danced with many of the boys in attendance. There were a few she figured would be decent fiancées but many of them didn't understand what she was saying or they were only interested in themselves. It was almost time for the choices and Saki was exhausted. She caught her breath over by Yui and Mitsukuni.

"So, Mitsukuni, how come your cousin hasn't been spending much time over here with us?" Yui asked, spotting the tall boy a little ways away.

He appeared to be watching them out of the corner of his eye. This didn't surprise any of them as they all knew the history behind the Morinozuka and Haninozuka families.

"Oh, Takashi is giving the two of us some time alone. Hey, Sa-chan, he's coming over."

"So?"

Takashi Morinozuka reached the group of three. Saki almost died as he bowed to her and held his hand out.

"It would be an honor if you would dance with me, Miss Sasaki."

Saki couldn't help but blink rapidly at him. He'd obviously hit puberty, as his voice was rather deep, yet it had a soft quality to it that felt nice. Yui was surprised as well, as he'd never spoken in her presence either. After Saki stood there with her mouth hanging slightly open in shock, Yui took it upon herself to clear her throat super loudly.

"*cough* You'd love to. *cough*"

Saki glanced at Yui before putting her hand in his.

"S-Sure."

She let Takashi lead her onto the dance floor. Unlike many of the guys she'd danced with previously, Takashi was a comfortable height for a dance partner. His hand on her waist was light, betraying a hint that he wasn't comfortable dancing with her. In contrast, his other hand was holding her's rather tight.

"You don't dance often, do you?" Saki asked, quietly.

Takashi shook his head. The action was surprisingly vigorous and contradicted the image she'd had of him. She giggled softly.

"I'm guessing your father put you up to being a choice."

Takashi didn't respond to her statement as they swayed. Saki stared over his shoulder.

"It's okay if it's true. I know that is how most of the guy's here are putting up with this. I wouldn't want to be here if I were a guy."

"Why?"

Saki glanced up at Takashi and sighed.

"Let's just say I'm not very optimistic about myself."

They danced in silence for the rest of the song. After it was over, Saki cringed as she heard her father, Jiro Sasaki, take the microphone.

"Saki, will you please move to the middle of the dance floor at this time?"

Saki sighed as the people around her parted a way to the exact spot her father wanted her to go to. Her heart fluttering like a butterfly, she walked as steadily as she could with so many eyes on her. With a deep breath, she turned to face the crowd. They were all feet from her now as everyone had backed off the dance floor. With a gulp, she stood and waited for the nightmare to be over with quickly.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, it is the time for those young men who are interested in being my darling only daughter's suitor to please step forward."

As he went silent, it felt to Saki as if everyone was holding their breath as they waited for someone to step forward. Or maybe it was just her. She could feel her heartbeat through her chest. She clenched her fists behind her back, trying to keep calm as she scanned the crowd. A small squeak escaped her lips as one boy stepped forward. He was the son of a prestigious CEO to a company in a foreign country. Slowly, nine more boys stepped out of the crowd. Ten. Ten guys. It was enough to overwhelm Saki. She could already hear her mother sobbing from relief. She knew her dad was nodding and scratching down the names of all ten boys as quickly as he could. Looking over the group, Saki was instantly able to pick out those she'd be turning down. There were about three who were decent choices. And she could not believe that one of the three standing there was Takashi Morinozuka.

Author's Note and Disclaimer: Of course I don't own Ouran High School Host Club or any of its characters, but I do own Yui, Saki, and Saki's family. Anyway, this is the first story request I received out of the choice listed on my profile. It probably won't be lengthy and the next chapter will jump to when they're 18. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter and hang around to see what happens next.