The door that stood in the shadiest area of the Third Music Room was cracked open. It often was, though few noticed it, most of the time - after all, who would want to look at such darkness, when there was that joyous light to be surrounded by?

Very few understood the true beauty that came with the dark, and sometimes, Umehito Nekozawa felt that this was a shame, but he was equally regretful that he was unable to appreciate the light.

Not only because of his separation from Kirimi, but because sometimes, secretly and quietly, in his heart he longed to be with them. To be able to stand alongside those Hosts - those princes - and to smile, and to enjoy that radiance. Instead, he stood there, hiding behind his door, barely poking his head round and already reduced to shaking from the light, despite the wig and cloak, and the hand-puppet he clutched so desperately to.

Nekozawa took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

He needed to bear through this, if only for a little bit longer.

Suo Tamaki strode down the halls of Ouran High, searching for his 'beloved' Haruhi. He entered the music room with caution, in fear that the Hitachiin twins would jump out. He notices the cracked door, and walked over to shut it.

Suoh-kun was directly approaching him; Nekozawa twitched in surprise, jumping backwards by about a foot and inadvertently knocking into his door, which swung smoothly open, dousing him in that foul, shining light.
It was only intensified by the 'Prince' of the Hosts' closeness, not to mention the fact that Nekozawa's hood fell off; leaving his face, if not his entire head, exposed.

Tamaki gaped. "Nekozawa-sensei...?" Tamaki was surprised, considering the fact that he kept to himself, and wore a hood that covered his entire head. All the "prince" had ever seen was a few strands of his greenish-black hair and a glimpse of his sapphire eyes.

Nekozawa attempted a friendly smile, though his entire body was trembling uncontrollably.
."A-ah, g-good-good- hello," he stammered out eventually. "It's...um, it's good to see you, Suo-kun." This was terrible; he couldn't regain his composure, though he was trying so hard.

Usually he was perfectly capable of greeting Suo, but the shock of sudden direct sunlight had reduced him to almost nothing.
He attempted to get to his feet, but immediately stumbled, having to cling to the door frame for support.
"Ah, I'm...sorry about this, Suo-kun. The sunlight, you see..." He trailed off uselessly.

Tamaki smiled that aloof smile. "are you okay, sempai?" Tamaki was now, well, worried, about Nekowawa and completely forgot about Haruhi, " Should I take you to the nurse's office...?"

Nekozawa shook his head, waving his hand in a dismissive fashion. "No...no, I should be-" At this point, he was only holding himself up with one arm, and promptly slid to his knees.
This was really quite humiliating. Blood rushed to his cheeks, staining them pink.
"Actually, Suo-kun, if you wouldn't mind...helping me back into the darkness, I would greatly appreciate it."

Tamaki grinned. " Sure!" He promptly lifted Nekozawa up and caried him back into the shade, into the cracked door, and after putting him down, put his hood and cape back on him- where it belonged. "is that better?"

Nekozawa gave out a very un-manly and extremely embarrassing squeak as Suo whisked him up into the air, but was unable to do or say anything about it, save for a string of stammered consonants.
He found himself bright red once Suoh had put him down, and barely managed to say anything for a while.
"Tha-tha-I-um..." He took a deep breath. "Yes, that's much better." He replied quietly.

Tamaki grinned. " ..." Tamaki stared at beelzeneff "is the curse real? The back thing?"

Nekozawa nodded cheerily.
Well, as close to 'cheerily' as one can get whilst engulfed in shadows.
."Of course; but naturally selling powerful curses to students is not a good idea, so their power is very much diluted."
Wait a minute.
Suo-kun was choosing to speak to him?
Nekozawa blinked rapidly in confusion, as if the blonde young man were some kind of mirage.

Tamaki frowned. " Are you sure you're okay?" Now it was obvious that the "prince" was trying to befriend the young man.

Nekozawa nodded weakly.
"Yes, I just..." He lapsed into silence, as he decided how best to phrase what he wanted to say. "I'm finding it hard to understand why it is that you are talking voluntarily to me. I understand that you are normally afraid of me - although I would certainly not wish to dissuade you from our conversation."
Ah, that's where his vocabulary had gone.