-Following the festival-
Two major events had occurred during the Ouran High School Festival. Not only did Tamaki suddenly announce his intended engagement to the French heiress Éclair Tonnerre but, simultaneously announced his decision to the immediate disbanding of the host club itself. Then, in true Tamaki fashion had, within 24 hours, completely revoked both statements and resumed life as normal. Clients were steadily arriving at Music Room 3 distraught and confused as to whether the club was still functioning as normal. The members of the host club were sitting around the largest oak table within the room. Karou was running his hand back and forth over the dark purple cushioned seats as he spoke aloud to the group. "The population of the school needs to be informed that the host club is running as per normal" Karou shared.
"Tamaki was the one to announce the end of the host club, it is ultimately his responsibility as president to notify the entire school of our reestablishment" Kyoya interjected without looking up from his large appointment book.
"But Kyoya, I generally believed I wouldn't be staying here and my grandmother threatened…." Tamaki wailed
"No one blames you Tamaki" Kyoya interrupted neutrally but clearly did blame Tamaki for the lack of business.
Mock horror crossed his face, and slumped to the floor. A single spotlight came on from nowhere lighting up the space surrounding Tamaki.
"What am I going to do? My poor princesses whom I solemnly swore to bring nothing but happiness in their lives, now I have generated chaos instead. They are probably wondering around aimlessly being trapped by boys who have no respect for etiquette or chivalry." Tamaki cried dramatically.
"Wah, those poor girls" Honey sobbed. The twins nodded in unison.
"I'm sure they doing other things now, going to club activities, having tea with their friends…." Haruhi began.
The doors swung open and a second year girl entered, a regular of Tamaki's. She weakly slumped over the mammoth door handles then looking up toward them her eyes widened, gasped and began to faint toward the floor. Tamaki caught her just before she hit the floor and on one knee gently cradled her in his arms.
"What has happened, my darling?" Tamaki asked concerned.
"Tamaki-kun, people have been saying that the host club was to be closed and that you were to leave Ouran." Tears filled her eyes. "The thought of not seeing Tamaki-kun was…was…" her voice was becoming huskier by each passing word.
"Do not fret my love, the thought of leaving you and neglecting myself of seeing your beautiful face was more than I could bear. I broke off my engagement and returned…to you" he expertly replied.
"Oh Tamaki-kun"
Kyoya had crossed over to assist setting the girl on her feet.
"Please inform your friends and other ladies, that we are open for business and waiting for their return" he gracefully spoke to her while still holding one of her hands.
Eyes widening with adoration "Yes of course" and dug out her phone quickly typing (texting, social media updates Haruhi had no idea) and practically skipped away contradicting her earlier behavior.
"Kyoya-senpai I think she might request you next time she comes" Haruhi joked knowing this would upset Tamaki.
Tamaki's face broke out into one of shock.
"I'll accommodate our guests to the best of my ability" Kyoya retorted seriously, acknowledging in the joke of how this would affect Tamaki. And of course Tamaki retreated to his corner depressed.
One corner of Kyoya lips lifted for only Haruhi to see to share in their joke. She grinned and giggled, it was rare for them to share something together.
By the end the week, everything was back to normal.
Well… normal for the host club.
A week later Kyoya called Haruhi over, after their afternoon club activities was finished for the day. Today's theme was Ancient Egypt.
Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai were appropriately dressed as Egyptian warriors. Mori-senpai was shirtless but had been dressed in a traditional Egyptian garb known as a Shendyt. It was knee length kilt made of fine gold cloth. The length of the cloth was also covered in very small sand coloured beading and made a soft swishing sound when he walked. A detailed thick gold belt wrapped around Mori's waist too, it was engraved with warriors fighting in traditional Egyptian imagery and using a variety of weapons. It was beautifully made and came together at the small of his back, tying off securely with two black straps. A Khopesh, a traditional sickle shaped sword hung by his right side.
Honey-senpai essentially wore the same costume unsurprisingly. However, he had also been given a very dark gold vest that buttoned at his belly button, exposing a deep V-shaped outline of his chest and partnered this with matching wrist cuffs.
Karou and Hikaru were also shitless and wore matching white shendyts', however, they modeled different jewelry. Karou wore a necklace made of chunky gold and turquoise beading extending from their neck to the tip of his shoulders. Hikaru wore a simpler copper ankh, the symbol of eternal life. Accompanying this was a winged solar disk painted spanning his chest. The sun was a bright yellow, centred just above his sternum. The wings were a layer of colours, ranging from light brown to blue and finally emerald. As the feathers became larger, the colours become brighter. The boys had a thinner sash of the same gold and turquoise surrounded the top of their kilt complementing their accessories. Golden bangles bound their wrists and glittered in the sun soaked room. Haruhi had overheard their performance earlier that afternoon. Karou began "What if we are to separated?" pretending to cower into sorrow eyes watering. Hikaru grabbed his lower jaw gently pulling his face close to look into his eyes "I would give up this ankh as long as it meant I could spend eternity with you" Hikaru replied lovingly. A choir of girls screamed in unison around them.
Haruhi was the only one dressed as a woman, the image of Cleopatra herself. She wore a shoulder length black wig. A golden crown topped her head with the head of an angry cobra, it's stretched mouth open in warning with large fangs protruding out to attack. Its eyes, two beautiful green gems shone making the snake appear alive. She wore a long white pleated robe, reaching the floor and covered her shoulder and upper arms. Her necklace was a mix of ruby and emerald beads. Each wrist contained a single plain gold bracelet.
Kyoya and Tamaki were both dressed as elaborate pharaohs.
Kyoya wore a full white tunic, edged with gold trim. All his jewelry was meticulously matched; golden cuffs with large blue gems ran down the middle seizing both wrists. A giant ring of a giant scarab its shell made of bright lapis lazuli covered his ring finger on his left hand. A wide necklace lined his upper chest; first row illustrated a line an azure stones followed by a thicker line of silver and a thinner line of gold. He wore the traditional hat of a pharaoh, a tall rectangular hat filled with azure gems and the fake beard, elongating his already angular features. It surprisingly suited him.
Tamaki wore a similar eggshell tunic, however, his hands and wrist were dripping in rings and bracelet of varying thickness and elaborate design. Dozens of rings held stones of various colours and sizes including bright blue sapphires, glossy green emeralds and polished purple amethysts. He wore the iconic Nemes of Tutankhamun, a striped headdress of dark blue and gold that hung downwards alongside the ears on the front side of the shoulders. Heads of a vulture and cobra (known as a Uraeus) stood in the middle of Tamaki's forehead.
All members of the host club dawned thickened black eyeliner elongating and exaggerating the almond shape of their eyes.
"Haruhi, are you be available this Saturday evening?" he had actually stopped working in his ledger to look her directly in the eye. A very brief pause in surprise had her stop to think for a response.
"Hmm" she thought looking toward the ceiling, one hand resting on her chin. She began mentally running through her list of chores for Saturday afternoon all the while ignoring the jovial background noise. Hikaru had covered himself head to toe in toilet paper and was chasing Honey - senpai around the room with his arms out stretched like a mummy.
"You asking Haruhi on a date Kyoya-senpai?" Karou asked, sliding up behind Kyoya with his hands stuck in his pockets. His mouth was in an upright smirk as he glanced toward Haruhi.
"Kyoya! No fair, no fair! Why do you get to go on a date with my cute Haruhi?"
Tamaki whimpered.
Haruhi simply continued to let the chaos fall around the room, her mind was still happily occupied by her mental checklist.
"I am sure I can finish everything I need to do before Saturday evening" Haruhi finally replied. She paused awaiting his explanation; Kyoya's actions were always deduced from one purpose or another. Spontaneity, Haruhi believed, was not a word that Kyoya-senpai kept in his large vocabulary.
"My father is hosting a charity ball, to raise money for research in stroke and other cerebrovascular accidents. Approximately, 1 in 5 men and women of middle age will experience stroke in their lifetime and is one of the leading causes of death in Japan. New research could provide new treatment options and develop prevention strategies. It is to show our other patrons, how advanced medical research is within the Otori Hospital Group compared to other hospitals in Japan. As strokes poses a major threats especially to a majority of the age group attending this evening they would be more willing to make a donation"
This sounded like a speech Kyoya had recited multiple times. Haruhi still looked at Kyoya, waiting for an explanation.
"Gee, Kyoya-senpai can't you find your own date? I'm sure your family has hundreds of friends with daughters who would be more than happy to pay your father for you to accompany them to this event" Hikaru although playful, sounded protective.
It was common knowledge that Kyoya's father was a great businessman but used his family as chess pieces in any way for financial gain and treated most his children (Kyoya and his daughter particularly) appallingly. Hell, everyone at the festival witnessed Kyoya being slapped by him.
"That is true, Hikaru" Kyoya replied briefly glancing toward him.
"However, my father has specifically requested Haruhi to attend this event" returning his look to Haruhi.
"Why does he want me at this event?" Haruhi spoke, not understanding her need to attend an event that would probably require her to sell her house…and her neighbour's house just to buy a plate for the evening.
"He has taken an interest….since meeting you at the Ouran school festival" Kyoya answered vaguely.
Kyoya did not want to alarm anyone, as he had not determined a clear motive for his father's request. He would find out soon, nonetheless, he did not enjoy being one step behind his father.
Karou watched Kyoya closely as he spoke to Haruhi, catching on immediately that things were not as clear as they seemed. He casually sauntered up to Haruhi with a plan of his own.
"In that case Hikaru and I should go to accompany Haruhi. She does not know the proper etiquette at these sorts of parties" linking her arm through his as he spoke and held his other hand over her hand at his elbow.
"Did you think I would leave her alone in my own home? As my own guest?" Kyoya asked mildly agitated.
"Well now you won't have to. You can attend to all your family duties, while we play with Haruhi" Hikaru had caught on, flanked Haruhi's other side linked his hand with her free hand and brought it up to kiss it lightly.
Haruhi secretly enjoyed the warmth of affection from her two closest friends yet acknowledged it with a bored glance.
"Wait a minute! I'm the president of this club, I should be the one to escort Haruhi to the ball" Tamaki wailed.
Tamaki and the twins instantly started bickering and began pulling Haruhi back and forth between them.
"All your families have been invited and have accepted" Kyoya explained losing patience pushing his glasses up to the bridge of his nose.
"I was ordered by my father to invite Haruhi verbally and persuade her to attend."
Kyoya handed her a written invitation.
It was bone white, black script highlighted the right side while the left the outline the shape of golden flower, a few petals scattered to the bottom of the page.
Haruhi Fujioka
You are cordially invited to attend the fundraising for the treatment and prevention of strokes and other cerebrovascular accidents program for J** Hospital.
Location: Otori residence ***
Dress: Black tie
"I do not own a formal dress or anything remotely black tie" was Haruhi's only response once she had read the invitation through twice.
"We can help you there" the twins said together. "You can get ready at our place, Mum would be more than happy to lend you one of her dresses from her summer collection she showed in Paris" Karou added.
"Then we can arrive at the party together" Hikaru grinned.
"I should be there too" Tamaki exclaimed. "To protect my precious Haruhi from you two perverts"
"Will there be cake at the party?" Honey-senpai chimed in, wiggling excitedly.
"It is not a party, it is a charity function" Kyoya clarified.
Everyone was ignoring Tamaki and he drifted off into his own fantasy world. He was imagining Haruhi trying on different cute dresses for him…. "How do I look senpai?" she would ask bashfully and immediately forgot the rest of his argument.
"That will be unnecessary" Kyoya stopping the twins.
"Huh why?" Hikaru asked.
"My father insisted that Haruhi be picked up and dropped home by a member of the Otori family" This is was not actually a requirement but something Kyoya personally felt was the chivalrous thing to do.
"I can only imagine that your family would personally take Haruhi to and from this function" Hikaru added sarcastically seeing through his ploy.
Kyoya ignored him. "Fine. A car can be sent to the Hitachiin's once you are dressed and will also escort you safely home at a reasonable hour" speaking only to Haruhi.
Had anyone noticed she actually hadn't accepted the invitation?
"Well…" she began.
"There will unlimited appetizer's circulating throughout the party that all guests are encouraged to taste" he attempted to sweeten the deal.
"Don't worry, will we all be there Haru-chan" Honey said holding her hand attempting to ease her anxiety.
"Yes." agreed Mori strolling up silently behind her. Looking at the boys back and forth meeting each of their eager eyes yet when she reached Kyoya a small furrow was beginning crease his brow. A worried expression was seeping through his usual cool demeanor forcing her to respond with a quiet "Ok."
Everyone (excluding Kyoya and Mori-senpai) let out a loud hoot of triumph, she really couldn't think of any reason not to go. Through all the excitement Tamaki's hand had come to rest on Haruhi's shoulder, her annoyed look made him imagine the cobra coming to life and hissing at him. He jumped away in panic. Haruhi noticed Kyoya's shoulder relaxed ever so subtly.