Let's Not Change the World
Chapter One
Disclaimer:I do not own Ouran High School Host Club or any of the dorkishly hilarious and adorable characters and plots. That pleasure goes to Hatori Bisco, who has an amazing name. If I were the proud owner of those Ouran boys (and girls ;D) they would be forever locked in my basement and never released into the outside world. Be thankful it was never me who came up with such a genious idea.
Also, let it be noted that I do not own the Fujifilm Company. Rights to that go to the REAL Komori family, who's first names and backgrounds I have changed. Karitei's family is completely made up and does not at all reflect the realistic Komori family's lives.
Ouran Private Academy is defined by...
...One, prestigious families, and
...Two, wealth.
And prosperous people have much time on their hands. Therefore, the Ouran Host Club is about these handsome guys that have time giving hospitality to these lovely ladies who also have time...and profit off them. It's an elegant game unique to this super-rich school.
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"Komori-san, this is our new special scholarship student, Fujioka Haruhi-chan. Fujioka-san, please meet the junior class advisor, Komori Mikazuki-Karitei-chan. She will be in charge of guiding you for your first day."
I gave this Fujioka Haruhi my best forced smile, inwardly wanting to shred this person's cloths, break those atrocious lenses in half and run a comb through their hair. Couldn't they have at least attempted to clean up a bit? Were commoners really so grungy?
"I trust you, Komori-san, to keep Fujioka-san in good hands. You are dismissed."
With that final word from the chairman I bowed, not daring to cast a glance to the side at the special student to see if she had done the same. Surely this person knew their manners when showing respect? If not, then having the intellect to be enrolled into this school (given her social status and appearance, that brain of hers had to have been the only reason she reached Ouran's standards) must give her enough sense to follow my lead. Eyes closed, I made my way out the door into the hall, standing aside politely as Haruhi sauntered to my side. The headmaster's door snapped shut behind her back.
Blinking, I took in the scene before me more thoroughly. Suou-sama had addressed this person as a girl, but could that really be true? There was not an ounce of femininity before me. Baggy black slacks, over sized, white collared shirt, worn-out and stretched deep plum sweater: not even close to an attempt at the Ouran High official uniform, male or female. It was a certain guarantee that there was absolutely no hope at all of her fitting in with the crowd. The thick black glasses obscuring this poor girl's features hid the possible potential her face could have been granted. And that hair, where should I begin? The masculine cut could have worked with her facial structure had it been styled successfully. The "just out of bed" look only worked, however, when product and effort was involved. There was no such thing as effortless, ungroomed bed-head. Even that required some type of mousse or gel sculpting. How could this girl possibly miss all of these basic beauty criteria?
She regarded me dully as I studied her, slumped over in her stance and seeming to be a foot under my head. What horrible posture. I wasn't sure if I actually wanted to see her walk. Cavemen were sure to have more of a backbone than this girl. We would most certainly need to work on that.
She coughed pointedly, the motion prolonged and drawled in a way no other student of Ouran Academy would have ever dared. How rude of her, this common girl. I realized my scrutiny had made her uncomfortable but a simply clearing of the throat would have sufficed just fine. The sound that had come from her mouth gave me the fear that she was hacking up some type of hairball.
I straightened my stance, tearing my eyes from their in-depth scan and bringing a polite, welcoming grin onto my face. Her golden orbs stared up at me owlishly, not quite sure how to regard my actions. Her eyes really were quite pretty - so large and an extraordinary color.
"On behalf of the junior class, welcome to Ouran Academy, special scholarship student Fujioka Haruhi," I addressed, voice trained into velvety perfection. I inclined my head politely, not quite finding it in me to go for a full bow. She didn't seem to mind in the least, thankfully, only sweat dropping for some reason unfathomable to me. Did commoners not have such a greeting in their life systems? Was there something I said that she didn't understand?
"Ah..." she gurgled. I raised a well-plucked brow, awaiting her words. "Ko...mori-san?"
I nodded curtly, hoping she would continue quickly.
"You said 'on behalf of the junior class', am I correct?"
I repeated the previous motion, wondering about her inquiry. Was she not proficient in Japanese? They hadn't mentioned anything about her being foreign.
"But...you do know that I'm a freshman student, don't you? Why wasn't one of the freshman advisors assigned to be my tour guide?"
I cringed just slightly at her word choice. Tour guide? Nonetheless, I pulled the corners of my lips up, gazing down at the ruffled being warmly.
"It seems as if the tenth grade representatives were booked up for today and unavailable to be of assistance to you at this time. I was asked to provide in their place. I hope that won't be a problem, Fujioka-san?"
She slowly shook her head, hair barely following the movement. I held my lips in place with a purse, preventing them from curling. It was as if she hadn't had a proper wash in days. Was this just the natural texture of commoner hair? Was it always so wiry, flat and unflamboyant?
A heaved sigh came from her mouth, directing my attention back to the girl's melancholy face. If only I could give her a good bath; take her out shopping. It really was a shame to the name of Ouran to have this creature educated within her ivory walls.
"Anou, Komori-sempai? Shouldn't you start showing me around now? Classes will start soon."
For the final time I blinked back into reality, giving up on my mental makeover and releasing a dainty sigh of my own. As desperately as she needed it, a drastic physical alteration was not on the agenda for the moment.
I plastered another smile onto my face, making an agreeable sound and walking forward. The heavy, dragging footfalls in my wake made it blatantly obvious of Haruhi's stalking. With my back to her, I allowed a frown to etch itself onto my cheeks. Was there really no hope to this girl at all? For such a gifted, studious commoner, could she really not put a fraction of the effort she applied to education into her looks and presentation? Even with the greatest mind in all of Japan, with a silhouette and mannerisms like that she would never succeed in the prosperous world of business. Appearance and esteem was half of it, skill only counting for the other.
"Ne, don't you need to know where it is you need to lead me, Komori-senpai? We can't just wander around the halls aimlessly. Do you need to know my class number and schedule?"
"Class 1-A. I've already been informed, Fujioka-san. I plan on pointing out the vital locations as we come to them. Please be patient and pay attention to your surroundings, as to prevent future misdirection. Take this time to memorize the landscape of the school, if it's not too much trouble."
I could hear the air catching in her throat at my instantaneous response but she quieted, no doubt following my direction and gazing around. My lips twitched in approval, face projecting a state of calm at the turn of events. At least the girl wasn't difficult - I'd give her that much. She seemed to know when to speak and when not to. Nothing like the twittering chatter-boxes that plagued nearly all of the female population of the school. In that sense, I found this Haruhi's personality to be far more tolerable than other females I'd encountered.
On the negative side, the slapping of her duck-like steps seemed to echo off the antique walls, each footfall undoubtedly backed with nearly all of her body weight. I tried not to imagine the hunched form of her curved spine, shoulders pushed up parallel to her ears as she leaned forward for propulsion. Whoever taught her how to walk deserved to be burned at the stake with the witches of Salem. This gait was simply unacceptable for an Ouran student. It would most certainly need to be altered.
I pulled my shoulders back, reaching out my neck to create an exemplary 180 degree body posture, hooking my arms behind my back with casual nonchalance and walking on the balls of my feet. Hopefully the girl would notice the racket she was making and follow my silent and elegant example.
Apparently she was far too absorbed in her mapping of the school to acknowledge my efforts.
I came close to groaning at her obliviousness, settling for a light exhale when I remembered that it was under my direction that she had been looking at all else but me.
The journey was near silent conversation wise, only broken with speech of an important location in the building she would need to note. Upon entering the south hallway, it became apparent to me that the final place worth mention was, in fact, the class 1-A homeroom itself. Curiosity getting the better of me, I couldn't hold myself back from speaking out.
"Fujioka-san?" I gained her attention instantly, her neck snapping in my direction as I looked over my shoulder coyly. I paused, wondering the best wording for such a rude question.
"Forgive me, but Suou-sama addressed you as 'Fujioka Haruhi-chan'. Saa..." I found it impossible to continue, cheeks reddening at my own audacity in opening my mouth for such a thing. I quickly averted my attention, bringing my head forward once more, my silken locks waving in the air behind me at the motion.
"Anou, Komori-sempai, you want to know whether or not I'm really a girl, ne?"
The sheer bluntness of her tone caught me completely off guard, freezing my steps in a millisecond and draining my face of color. Only once my widened eyes began to dry out did I blink, body coming back to life as I wheeled around to gawk open-mouthed at this commoner. How entirely...! I couldn't even come up with such an adjective! This girl...was this the average commoner woman? Were they all so...disregarding? Were they even human...?
The boredom in her eyes wasn't attempted to be hidden, gazing glumly back as if this was an annoyingly over-played scene for her. "Hai. I'm a girl, if you were wondering."
And that was it. She continued, stepping to the side to avoid my stationary form. I remained in that same position, not finding enough dignity at the moment to pull myself together. Never before had I lost my composure like this. That girl - why did she have to be so utterly unpredictable? No woman of wealth would ever even consider such a shameless display! As if her appearance didn't ostracize her already, that horrid temperament would sure to stick out like a sore thumb. By the end of the day, all would know the name of this new special scholarship student, Fujioka Haruhi.
"Komori-senpai, this is my class, ne? It says 1-A, so I'm guessing it must be. I suppose I can make it from here. Thank you for the tour. You really helped out a lot."
My jaw closed, eye lids gradually lowering to their rightful place. Looking back, I watched Haruhi grip the handle, about to enter the room before a sudden thought seemed to strike her. She started back, her golden gaze finding mine without hesitation.
"By the way, Komori-sempai, does this school have any reading rooms? I'd like to read during breaks so I can keep my grades up."
I nodded numbly, mind still not gathered.
"Ah, hai. There are...about four, at least. They'll be easy enough to find. Many students gather there at breaks as well. All the same, I'll try to meet you outside of your class here for lunch to lead you there, if you'd like."
Her head bobbed up and down in understanding. I took that to be a nod.
"Arigatou gozaimasu, Komori-sempai. Ja matta."
She disappeared into the classroom not a moment later. I permitted emotion to play across my face only then, no longer finding a reason to hold back. That girl was nothing I had ever come across before. Her shameless, uncaring confidence was almost barbaric. How could a person possibly care so little for how people perceived her? Was she always so unruffled, even when others questioned her gender, of all things? Could there have been a worse insult to a person's identity? Was that the commoner way? Did they all disregard the social hierarchy? Was there no echelon among the people? What a strange way of life those commoners had.
I shook my head lightly, pushing crimson hair out of my face and regaining my composure once more. I found myself smiling unconsciously, almost looking forward to the afternoon break. Maybe that Haruhi wasn't quite as aberrant as she first seemed. Still true that she could never hope to fit into the ways of Ouran Academy, but there might just be some use for her yet.
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"So much for showing her to the library..." I muttered, turning in a circle for the final time. The hall was desolate, the classroom just as much so. Every student had all ready cleared the area for whatever recreational activity they chose to take part in. It seemed Haruhi had forgotten about our plans, however. Either that or she couldn't be bothered to wait. My classroom wasn't in such proximity as her patience seemed to handle. Added to the fact that I was fighting against the current of students only made the task more time consuming. Perhaps she had ditched me? The nerve of that commoner girl.
I left it at that, giving up the hunt and wandering off. I wasn't hungry in the least and didn't feel up to socializing. I settled for walking the empty hallways, admiring the fine craftsmanship and maybe finding Haruhi along the way. Now that I thought about it, there was no way she would be able to settle in one of the reading rooms. While I had mentioned that many students gathered there for break, I had neglected the point that they weren't there to study as she was. There would be far too much noise and clutter for her to concentrate properly. Students with their looks and names didn't need to rely a fraction as much on their talent as she (as an unattractive commoner) must. They had their futures laid out before them already and had no need to study and work hard quite yet. Myself included. Not that that was a cause for me to slack off, of course.
I, Komori Mikazuki-Karitei, contently held the position of number four in the junior class. Not so phenomenal as the first place champion or runner-up, but respectable all it's own. That was an achievement deemed as acceptable to myself and my family. While they took pride in their daughter, I saw it as my duty to provide something for them to brag about. Just because we had the wealth and the Komori name didn't mean that would always be enough. We needed to hold onto that power by continuing to grow. There was no room for slack.
Number one in the class was, of course, Ootori Kyouya - heir to the Ootori medical and police companies. Well, heir was the incorrect term. More like younger brother of the two heirs: third in line. I suppose the only thing capable of him accomplishing was the number one position in ranks. After all, he would continue to be the underling of the family business throughout his life. It was only to be accepted that he work to his full potential, if only just to exceed expectation. He really had no logical reason to strive; nothing to work towards, live up to or look forward to. The rest of his life was already planned out for him as a trapped dog, working at the whim of his elder brothers. His cool attitude reflected his bitterness. I doubted even the fluffiest, cuddliest of kittens could get the teen to crack a true smile. How pathetic.
The number two position was kept by Suou Tamaki, son of the chairman. The Suous are regarded as one of the wealthiest families in Japan and therefore it was only to be expected that the heir remained at the top of the class. Although, no one would ever guess from the outside that the boy was eminent. He placed a great deal of pride and emphasis on his handsome features and I had yet to figure out where the European bloodline lineage had come from. However, the curiosity always seemed to be forgotten as soon as he opened his mouth. While other girls swooned and fainted at the sight of their "prince" I found the entire act quite silly. The boy was too over-dramatic and quixotic for my tastes. All the same, I couldn't quite find it in me to hate him. Annoying, yes, but still a rare kind and empathetic being to find in this type of competitive environment. He was more than happy to lend a hand in any situation and put all of himself into the task. Strangely enough, he and his polar opposite Kyouya were best friends.
The only other junior of higher ranking than me was a girl by the name of Jounouchi Ayame, junior class vice-chairman. While she displays an offense towards Tamaki's abrupt bump into her previous position as number two upon his entrance into the academy, her admiration for the boy is even clearer. It seemed that not even she was immune to the man's debonair flirting.
I turned the corner, still trapped in a reverie. As the hall came into my recognition I halted abruptly, though, body tensing. Of all the amazing architectural antiquity, this particular corridor was the bane of my educational workplace. I avoided this path at all costs unless there was absolutely no alternative route. Luckily none of my classes required me to journey this far north. I was rather astonished that it was emptied at the moment. Perhaps the hours were not open? Why had my unconsciousness forced me here? What could have possibly caused this misleading?
To my direct left was the first music room. I was no musician, so I had no reason to have ever entered. Farther up, the next door led to the second music room. Again, there was no fathomable purpose for me to have ever entered. It seemed like a logical enough explanation for me to have never wandered this northern corridor, but there was far more to it. Because after the second music room there was one other. There was a third.
The very last thing that room, the third music room of Ouran, could have been used for was music. Unless a certain cosplay act required it, of course. While a majority of the female population found this room to be their cloud nine, it seemed to give off a baleful glow in my eyes, the rotten stench of brain-devouring gases oozing out from under the door in a foul-colored smoke. I feared my intelligence quotient would drop simply from being so close. I couldn't imagine ever actually going into the room.
But I wonder...
Could Haruhi possibly be in there right at this moment? She was still a female, after all. Was she somehow enraptured in the so-acclaimed glory of those inhabitants? But still, surely she was smart enough not to become caught up in that type of nonsense. I mean, just look at her! If she cares so minutely about her appearance it could only be assumed that boys scored even lower on her scale of importance. There was no way she would allow herself to be side-tracked by something as meaningless and useless as the matters of the third music room. She was here to study and nothing more. There was no rational possibility that she could be in there.
But even still, what if?
If my assumptions had been correct, she would have found the reading rooms and noticed the wholesome lack of order; she wouldn't have settled there. She would have wandered more, looking for some place quiet and preferably barren to do her studying. As I had stated, this hall was completely devoid of students and noise. I knew for a fact that the first and second music rooms were locked at this time, so the only logical choice would be to try the third.
A sudden sense of panic struck me. When thought about, it was actually alarmingly likely that the commoner could be behind those doors. Suou-sama had placed Haruhi under my charge for the day and instructed me to keep her under my wing. He had entrusted me to take responsibility of her, make sure she stayed on the right track and didn't fall into wrong hands.
That room was most certainly the wrong hands.
Was it worth it? Was sacrificing both my self-respect and possible existence worth rescuing Haruhi? I knew I could never return to the same way of life if I were to succumb to the infamousy of the north corridor's third music room. I was sure to be scarred in some way. But when an elder entrusts you with something, isn't it necessary to go through with it at all costs? What would happen if I weren't to rescue Haruhi?
That would be perfectly acceptable, of course. The fact of the matter was, the chairman's own son was the president and founder of those going-ons. If Suou-sama found something inappropriate or dangerous about them he would certainly shut it down. I'm sure he would never know that Haruhi came across this path on this particular day in the time she was in my charge. It wouldn't matter to him one bit.
But there was still an overwhelming sense of guilt as I took a step back. Could I really just leave her to fend? She was naive to the entire situation; who knows what trouble she could getting into under those influences. It was foolish of me to worry about her falling into the trap that so many other of the female population were imprisoned. The only trouble Haruhi would face was the same as me - a permanent mar on the back of her mind that served as an unignorable distraction from matters that actually had some type of purpose in life. She was different than the other students: she didn't care in the slightest that I couldn't tell her sex. I'm sure I wasn't the only one to notice the masculinity. Her classmates had probably all assumed she was a male. She didn't care about appearances, handsome men or anything that didn't involve studying and education. We were so much alike in that aspect. None of the other girls found half as much interest in their studies as their beauty and the beauty of others. She was a rarity. Could I really leave someone with so much potential to their undeniable destruction?
I bit my lip, hesitating for a long moment before my leg stretched forward. Five steps in and I was still internally debating if this was the right choice. Before I could come to any conclusion, I was already standing before the third music room. I released a small squeak, brows furrowing in worry. Would this be the last sight before my death? Was this the image I would have to replay over in my head throughout nirvana? I hoped it wouldn't come to something so drastic.
Furthering the discomforting anxiety in the pit of my stomach, faint voices could be heard from the other side of the door. I consoled myself with the thought that I could listen in and find out what exactly was going on in there before simply barging in. Nodding decidedly, I leaned forward and pressed an ear against the door.
"Even if you are the top student, you are also the poorest in this school," the luxuriant voice of Tamaki Suou called out. A rather large sweat drop ran down the side of my face; there was no doubting that Haruhi was inside. "People will call you a weed and you will be despised as a lower person!! But have no fear, I praise the poorest! What is important to the hero is reckless spirit! All hail poverty!!"
I could imagine him prancing around the room, flourishing his arms like a royal. What was all that talk of a hero? That poor, unsuspecting commoner girl...
"No, I'm not as bad as you make it sound...!" Haruhi dismissed frantically. Just as I had thought, she was in no way wanting to remain in that chamber. I had to go in and save her from the possible trauma. If only I could convince my body to make those movements...
"Nonsense! Welcome to our wonderful world, pauper!!"
A moment of silence went by and I waited on baited breath.
"Shitsuree-shimasu," I heard the female grumble. My eyes widened. Was she excusing herself? Perhaps I wouldn't have to brave the jungles of hell after all.
"Ne, ne! Haru-chan!" a toddler-like voice cheered. A slightly deeper squawk and the sound of a dragging body followed. I slumped in despair. She wouldn't be coming out freely anytime soon if those boys had anything to say about it.
"Haru-chan, Haru-chan! Are you a hero? Sugoi na! I want to hear about the time you saved the queen!"
"A special student, not a hero," Haruhi cleared up awkwardly. Unexpectedly, her voice took on a ferocious yell. "Wait, who are you calling Haru-chan!?!"
"But I never expected the famous bookworm to be gay..."
I tensed in my spot. That had been Tamaki speaking again. It was predictable that they would make assumptions like that. While it was slightly humorous, I could only think about the trouble it would cause Haruhi. If only it had been any one else but this club. Couldn't she have simply socialized during this time instead of focusing on grades, just this once for the first day? I could have explained to her the horrors of this group! Damn that commoner. She had no idea the conundrum she had just put herself - and me, by extension - into. I couldn't wait it out any longer, I realized. It was now or never at this point.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door to the Ouran High School Host Club.
(A/N) Be warned: my OC is not one of those rich girls who inexplicably sympathizes with 'commoners'. Karitei is a total a snob, basically. My reasoning in doing that is simple - it's what Ouran students are like (on some scale). I've never actually read a fanfiction where the main OC was an Ouran student both inside and out, in persnality and standing. There will be little mercy towards Haruhi in the beginning of this and I know a lot of people (particularly those who didn't bother to read this message) won't like or understand how I'm starting things off with this story. I promise, both Karitei's unlikeable personality and the overly-proper writing style will get better in time ;]
Anyway, I hope you liked it. But go easy on me - I'm new to and totally not used to this formatting system :P Please review! :D