Disclaimer: Ouran is not mine.
Fujioka Haruhi groaned as she dropped her head into her hands. Why? Why her of all people on this planet? It was another bright and glorious day in her "beloved" office in one of the most prominent and well-known buildings in the city. While many people would sell their own mothers for her job, position and salary, right now, all she wanted was to be some invisible creature asking: "Would you like fries with that?" at the most world forgotten fast food restaurant on the planet. Anything just to be able to avoid the next few minutes.
The phone was ringing. If she didn't pick it up soon she knew that there was a 200 hundred percent that within half an hour, her office would be occupied by a worried, mindless idiot that was her friend and client. The first and last time she tried not picking up the phone because she thought that it could wait a little bit ended up in a nationwide search, television dramas and most of her clients sniggering for months after that. Suoh Tamaki was trying to get hold of her and if she knew him, which she did very well, this would only end in another disaster. She extended one arm and pushed the right button, allowing her to talk to him without having to hold the phone.
"Yes Tamaki-senpai?" she said warily.
"HARUHI! My darling daughter! How are you doing? Are you alright?"
"Of course I am alright. Why shouldn't I be? Do you need something senpai? I still have work to do."
"My darling daughter, I had the most brilliant idea!" the receiver answered to her question and Haruhi automatically tuned his voice out. Now, he would use the next five minutes to explain when and how he got this "brilliant idea." All his brilliant ideas usually ended up being ways to waste her time. That meant that she already knew this routine and that gave her few glorious minutes of contemplating her situation. Now, why was she in this situation again? Oh yes. She was friends with the blond idiot that was spouting some deranged monologue through her phone.
Even years after her Ouran, she was the host club's "dog." When the drama of being a high school student in Ouran finally ended and she entered Law university on a generous scholarship, she found herself again in the almost constant company of the former Host club members. Yes, all of them attended different specializations or even schools, but somehow the six male friends had managed to find a way how to constantly make sure she was under their watchful gaze. Why? She didn't know. What she knew however was that in those few years of university, she became the single most important woman in their lives. She was something like their mother, friend, babysitter, nanny, entertainer and tutor all at once.
Whenever anyone of them had a problem they went to her. Girl trouble? Call Haruhi. In need of a company for some gala, official dinner, or business party? Call Haruhi. Ran out of coffee? Call Haruhi. Need a shoulder to cry on? Call Haruhi. Just bored? Haruhi is sure to have a solution even to that. Even Kyoya, who was the most independent of them all, came to her in some of these situations and then some. Not only did this not help her reputation with her school mates, but some of the newspaper articles made sure to speculate over preposterous notions of affairs and who knows what else. But that was dealt with very quickly. She just had to wave around her status as their lawyer few times, sue some of the more obnoxious publications and let the storm pass.
Haruhi quickly got out of her reminiscence as she heard Tamaki's voice pattern change which symbolized that he was finally asking her some sort of a question. When he finally fell silent Haruhi was quickly prepared with a well trained answer.
"And have you talked to Kyoya-senpai about it?"
"Huh, oh dear! I totally forgot to ask Mother!" Tamaki exclaimed in a very worried voice. "I will call you when I ask him. Bye!" He closed the connection and Haruhi just dumped her head against her desk, groaning in annoyance.
"Great. Just great." The woman muttered to herself calculating the amount of time it would take Tamaki to talk to Kyoya and make another of his plans reality. It wasn't enough that she saw most of the hosts almost every week and they had practically nonstop access to her apartment, no, she had to participate in all of their crazy scheming, outings, ideas, plans, balls and who knows what else.
While she did love them all dearly and wouldn't be able to imagine her present life without them (although this little bit of information wouldn't not be uttered even under the most horrible torture they could come up with), she still most of the time got very annoyed by their attitudes. All of her serious relationships have failed mainly because of them. Every time she would actually find the time, will and interest to date a man they would over swarm her, pulling her here and there stalking her on dates and making their usually unannounced visits at her apartment.
Almost all of her boyfriends would break up with her not being able to stand the amount of attention she paid to the other men. After her last really bad break up, she refused to speak to any of the boys for several weeks. It was actually Hunny-senpai that managed to appease her. He sat down with her and apologized, if their behaviour was a little bit over the top, but they all valued her very much and they just wanted to make sure that the guy she was dating was actually worthy of her, as she was one of the most important people of their little circle of friends. If those men couldn't stand by her because she had a heart big enough to care for her friends and accept that there were other people that depended on her, then they didn't deserve her.
That did help her smile a little and forgive them. After that, she actually took good notice of the way "her" boys would actually take care of her in all of their little subtle, annoying and intrusive ways. However, no matter how dear her friends were to her, she still had to deal with all of their personalities and faults.
If there was one major fault the Shadow king possessed, it was the inability to say no to Tamaki-senpai. During their years of friendship, (those that were blissfully debtless) she had gained the privilege of speaking her mind and actually being heard by most of the host club, hence her status as the ultimate problem solver. Therefore, she had addressed this little problem of his. And while in the end he did admit to it, and at some points have learned how to deflect an enthusiastic Tamaki in some matters, he still had a long way to go.
But she still had hope that this little scheme was going to be thwarted in the beginning. Of course, the reality always ended up very disappointing but there was always hope. She had been friends and worked for these six people for the past 10 or so years and, in some ways, she knew them like the back of her hand, but she still could hope that a surprise will emerge. The telephone rang, yet again interrupting her thoughts.
"Yes," she dully said, not bothering with formalities.
"Haruhi, care to explain to me, why I just got a call from that blond idiot claiming, that you have agreed with another of his crazy ideas?" said the sharp voice of Ootori Kyoya, one of the most successful businessmen of present Japan.
"What did he come up with now?" she simply asked.
"You ignored him again and just told him to call me, haven't you?" answered Kyoya with a hint of annoyance.
"Yes, Kyoya-senpai. Up to this date, this has been the only most successful strategy, which results with the least annoyance levels achieved. If I were to try to persuade Tamaki-senpai, that it is impossible or undoable or, if I were to say to simply drop it, he would pout, end the connection and call you immediately. So even if I were to say anything to him he would still call you demanding his "brilliant" ideas being realised. Now, by the tone of your voice, I assume that you have yet again succumbed to his wishes, and I am to find myself, yet again, in another silly costume. So, what will it be this time?" said Haruhi in a tired a matter of fact voice that she knew would make the point with the black-haired male.
"Rollerblades-mediaeval ice-cream tasting, with all of the flavours that exist in this world," came the dull reply.
Haruhi groaned and dropped her forehead to her table.
"Let me guess - I will be the peasant-turned-princess"
"Actually no. It's a peasant turned knight this time around."
Haruhi groaned even louder.
"Kyoya-senpai! How the hell could you say yes? I thought letting him down over the telephone was easier, as you can't see that pathetic look on his face!" Haruhi all but whined.
"It was a video call," came in short form the other side of the line. Haruhi just grumbled something under her breath that could have contained the words 'rich' and 'bastards'.
"And when should this monstrosity take place?"
"The "King" wanted it for tomorrow actually but I managed to convince him to hold it in two weeks as then all of our schedules will be clear, and it will give me enough time to comfortably arrange all the necessities and successfully advertise the event. "
"I can't. In two weeks, I have a sitting in court. And what does advertise mean? You're making it public? Are you blowing it into one of those charity events, that you so like to develop?" Haruhi was getting desperate. Ever since the former members of the Host Club had found themselves in a position to start a career, some of Tamaki's more outrageous ideas have been turned into charity that not only advertised most of the businesses of the main organizer's but also supplied enough publicity for them as well. That wouldn't be as bad, if she didn't almost every time end up in the centre off all these events. Kami forbid the daughter to be missing or in the side lines.
"Haruhi, you are sensible enough to know that ice cream tasting of all these flavours is too big an event for 7 people and this will provide an excellent opportunity to both entertain the and satisfy public opinion by donating some of the earnings to where it is so needed. Besides, I am sure that your schedule is clear in two weeks as I have checked it myself." Ah yes, the ever so present trait of Kyoya. His perfect knowledge of all their schedules (hers supplied by her own secretary).
"Actually this sitting was scheduled not even two hours ago, so there is no way how Amari-san could have told you yet." This was her last hope.
"It will be a Saturday," came the sleek reply. Oh, she could see him smirking victoriously. And she just gave up
"Shall I prepare the contracts for tomorrow?"
"The day after tomorrow will do. I still need to figure which companies to hire. I will send you the names by the end of the evening. Oh and perhaps, if you could get a hold of Renge-kun? I'm sure she will enjoy this opportunity," Haruhi quickly calculated what needed to be done and then continued with the present matter.
"Kyoya-senpai, when will you learn to finally say no?" She knew him well enough to know that even though he did this for Tamaki (and maybe even secretly enjoyed it) he did get tired from all this planning from time to time. After all, he did have his own business to run.
"I do know how to say no Haruhi," Kyoya said with a matter of fact voice clearly indicating he knew where this conversation was taking turn to.
"No you don't. You are entirely unable, to say no to Tamaki," Haruhi argued and then sighed.
"One day senpai," she began. "One day this inability of yours will not end well for you. If you don't learn to refuse Tamaki-senpai's crazy ideas and withstand his puppy dog eyes you will find yourself married to him."
"Haruhi you are getting ridiculous. There are no laws that would permit such marriage in Japan. Not to mention that neither I, nor Tamaki are homosexual," Kyoya sounded slightly annoyed, but Haruhi had to give it to him straight.
"That doesn't matter senpai. Homosexual or not, unless you learn how to refuse his demands, if he were to ask you, not only will you marry him, but you will organize the whole thing and even make sure it is perfectly legal."
AN: Special thanks to The Sky Is Not Always Red.
