Way back, several years ago, I started working on this story before it ended up abandoned. I recently reread it and decided I really want to finish it. With half of it already written, I plan on fixing the typos and posting the chapters I have done a few times a week. Hopefully by then, I'll have the last chapter that I never finished ready to go. I really loved working on this one and always felt bad about letting it go. So here's to hopes for the future!

Disclaimer: Nothing from Ouran High School Host Club belongs to me. My only original creation is Mina and the personal storyline related to her. Feel free to review at the end of the chapter.

Have you ever come across one of those moments that just sent up a red flag in your mind? This was one of those moments for Mina. It's not that there was anything particularly threatening in the room. In fact, it was quite the opposite really, which is probably why she was so uncomfortable. It was a common feeling anymore, even after a year. Generally speaking, Mina felt like she should have expected as much. She had been at Ouran a week now and there was nothing particularly normal about it when compared to her old school. Mina's eyes swept over each of the seven individuals in front of her. They could all take their smiles and "hosting" and take it somewhere else. This is what she got for trying to find club information in a school full of lunatics.

Mina smiled nervously as she took a step back towards the door. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt your… club," she said, fumbling to find a word she could get away with saying out loud.

"Fear not, princess," The taller blonde stated as he stepped forward, grabbing her hand despite her attempt to pull away. "It is impossible to be interrupted by a beauty such as yourself. You need not deny that your heart has drawn you here for a reason."

Mina's eyes widened as she quickly stole her hand back, holding it close to her chest for protection. "No, you really don't understand. I'm not interested in whatever this is. So… I'll just let myself out, thanks."

She didn't get very far though as she was suddenly pulled down and staring into big brown eyes. Mina blinked in confusion as she looked over the short blonde in front of her now with a pout on his face. "You mean you don't want to have cake and tea with us? You could sit with Usa-chan if you'd like!" He finished saying as he held up a stuffed pink bunny. Mina pursed her lips as she stared at the bunny. How could she possibly say no to that? Silence was definitely best.

"Let her be, guys. I thought we weren't even open yet anyway," a voice said from further back, though Mina didn't give much attention to it considering she was more concerned with keeping what was left of her personal space between the two blondes in front of her.

"While that may be true, it never hurts to get another customer. She may even turn out to be of some help to you, Haruhi." Mina shifted her eyes over towards the guy who spoke as he wrote in a notebook. It was then that he looked at her and smiled. "Welcome to the Host Club. I apologize on behalf of the others."

Mina let out a breath as she closed her eyes, trying to keep from getting upset. Apologies or not, as she thought over everything she heard on top of what was running through her own mind, she had to admit that the mere idea of it all was starting to bother her. Some clubs shouldn't exist. "Don't worry about it. I don't want to be one of your customers. I don't need to waste my time and money on this."

"Hey, don't dis it," one of the twins said as he leaned on her left should. "Until you try it," the other twin finished as he planked her other side and both leaned towards her face.

"Brilliant idea!" the taller blonde suddenly shouted as he ran forward again and shoved the other boys out of the way. "You must try it! As king of the host club, I demand that you spend the afternoon here and try out the host club. Once you do, you'll see what you're missing!"

"You can't just hold everyone hostage, senpai." A brunette walked up and pushed the blonde out of the way before bowing to Mina. "I'm sorry about them. They mean well…" he dragged off, almost as if doubting his own words before looking at Mina again. "My name is Haruhi, and feel free to ignore Tamaki-senpai. If I were you, I'd want to leave too but the host club really isn't all that bad once you get to know them." Haruhi offered a smile as he gestured towards the other hosts behind him. Mina listened to his words but was slightly distracted as she stared at him now. There was something familiar about him, though she couldn't say why.

"I doubt you have other plans so you might as well stay," two voices said in unison. Mina blinked as she stared at the twins yet again in front of her, though luckily they decided to stand by Haruhi this time instead of her. "Any girl would love to take your place," one twin started. "It's not every day you get a preview like this," the other one finished.

Yet again, Mina didn't have to worry about responding to anything. The short blonde was holding her hand again and as he looked up with pleading eyes. "Please stay? You can have some strawberry cake with Takashi and me! It'll be fun!"

Mina sighed in defeat as she dropped her head. "Sure, I guess I can stay for a little bit." She smiled before she was dragged over to one of the couch and tables.

"You can call me Honey! And that's Takashi," the boy said before pointing towards the tall guy sitting across from him. Takashi said a quick hello before falling silent yet again. Mina had seen him when she walked in but it wasn't until now that she realized he was the only one she hadn't heard speak until now.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you both. I'm Kawahara Mina. Um," Mina paused for a moment as she looked between the two in front of her. They were a bit of an odd combination, but then again, she didn't even understand how Honey was even a host when he seemed so young.

"What is it, Mina-Chan?"

Mina tilted her head a she thought over her words. "Nothing, it's just… Never mind. How are you in the host club? I can understand Takashi-senpai but aren't you?" She trailed off again. If she wanted to insult someone, she was sure she was probably getting a good start to that.

"Oh, cause I'm a 3rd year!" Honey said with a smile as he held up three fingers. "Tama-Chan invited us to join right when he started the club. So did you want some cake, Mina-Chan? Strawberry's my favorite so that's what I'm gonna get but you don't have to. We have other flavors too! They're all really yummy. You should try them all!"

After seeing how excited Honey was over it all, Mina laughed a little and shook her head. It was hard to believe that he was older than her. But to each their own. "I'll pass on having them all, but I guess I could go for some chocolate."

The three didn't have to wait long before Haruhi came over with tea and cake. "Yay! Haru-Chan, Mina-Chan wants chocolate cake. And can I have strawberry?"

"Sure, Honey-Senpai." Haruhi smiled as the plates were set on the table. "So your name is Mina? I'm kind of surprised you stayed."

Mina shrugged as she took her piece of cake. "Maybe I'm a sucker for cake. I'm surprised as well. It's not bad now that I'm not surrounded, though I'm not sure this is better." If Haruhi hadn't grabbed her attention from Honey and Takashi, she probably wouldn't have noticed several pair of eyes staring her down from the other side of the room. Maybe she could luck out and run away before she had to talk to anyone else. "You know, I feel like I've met you before, Haruhi. I know we're not in the same class so it's certainly not that. I just can't figure it out." The more she spoke to Haruhi, the surer she was that she knew him somehow. It wasn't likely though as far as she knew. After spending the last year out of the country and not going to Ouran before that, it wouldn't make sense.

Haruhi shrugged. "Sorry, I can't say I know you."

Mina was just about to dismiss the idea all together and focus back on her cake when she remembered. Startled by the information, she looked back up trying to figure out if he really was one of her old classmates. "Wait, are you Fujioka Haruhi?"

Haruhi's confirmation was all she needed to connect all the pieces. "Oh, we went to elementary school together. I'm Kawahara Mina." Before either could say another word, they both had a much larger audience and Mina was staring into blue eyes. It seemed this other blonde really didn't know personal space.

"How do you know my Haruhi?" he all but shouted as he grabbed her shoulders.

"Like I just said, I went to school with he-him, sorry." Mina quickly stumbled over her last words as she looked past him to Haruhi as she apologized.

"Haruhi and Kawahara Mina both went to school together, however it would appear that they never really spoke when they were younger," the guy with glasses stated as he walked forward and shut his notebook. "Kawahara-San moved in middle school due to their family business. I figured if she didn't say anything to Haruhi from the beginning, then it was unlikely that they would really remember each other. If you hadn't invited her to stay as well, then it also wouldn't have been an issue, Tamaki."

"Who gave you permission to but into my life? I don't know who you think you are but you certainly don't have permission to go stalking me." If Mina hadn't been annoyed by them earlier, she certainly was now.

"You did. Kyoya pretty much looks up everyone that walks through that door," the twins said with a shrug as they watched what was unfolding.

Mina pushed Tamaki's arms away from her as she held her hands up, trying to calm down. "I didn't even mean to be here. What didn't you guys understand?"

"But what about Haruhi? She knows," Tamaki cried out as he pointed to Mina, trying to get everyone to focus back on his issue. "What if she tells?"

"Look, I don't know what you're so worried about but I'm really not concerned about anything that is going on in here. Your business is your own, like mine should be." Mina snapped the last bit as she shot a glare at who she assumed was Kyoya.

Before the boys could continue and cause more of an argument, Haruhi stepped forward to address them. "Look guys, just let it go. There's really not much you can do about it. She probably would have realized sooner or later even if she didn't come to the club. It's not like the girls don't gossip about everyone in the club."

"Then it's settled," Tamaki said seriously as he sat down, looking thoughtful.

"What's settled," the twins echoed as they looked at him.

"We'll obviously need to keep an eye on her to make sure she keeps her secret. So from today on, you'll have to come to the host club."

"Not happening," Mina deadpanned as she stared at Tamaki. "Some of us actually want to find real clubs for after school. I'm out of here." And not bothering to listen to another word, Mina left despite all the words of protest that followed. What she thought might have been an end to the discussion was just the beginning of a pain that might never go away for her, something she would understand very soon.

Shadowmoon: Short chapter a mostly an introduction for Mina. I look forward to getting the next chapter up soon. Hope you enjoyed it!