Summary: "Do you really not recognize me, Fujioka-san?" she asked in a voice barely above a whisper. Haruhi focused her eyes on the girl before her with the familiar sounding voice. "Honda-kun?"

Disclaimer: I do not own, so you do not sue. Are we clear?

A/N: I don't speak french. At all. If I make any mistakes and you catch them, please let me know Okay? Thank You!

Trick of the Trade

By

L.A.S.

1. Juste un autre jour? (Just another day?)

Prologue

Fujioka Haruhi sat, surrounded by beautiful, love struck girls, and listened politely as one of them continued to speak about her day. Having become used to this kind of thing, Haruhi smiled sheepishly, and nodded at every fifth word.

"Papa so does not agree with my choice of a date for the dance, but what can he do, Qui?" Asked one Marie LaFayette, transfer student. Grade ten. Haruhi smiled.

"Yes, what can he do?" she repeated. Another girl, Tanaka Momoko, grade eleven, local resident, began speaking where Marie left off.

"Otousan says that he shall approve of my choice of an escort, so long as his father doesn't make more money that he does." She said, and then sighed. "I really do not understand that man sometimes. How am I to know who makes more money than he does? I don't pay attention to that sort of thing." Momoko pouted. Haruhi uncrossed, and then crossed her legs again.

"Well, I guess now you have a reason to do so now." Haruhi answered. She gave them her most natural looking fake smile, and they all fell into fits of giggles and squeals.

"Oh, Haru-kun is so effeminate! So smart and polite! It's adorable!" One of the girls cried. Haruhi closed her eyes and let them fawn over her as much as they wanted. She was used to this Lifestyle of the Ouran High School Host Club.

Wandering smokey cocoa eyes landed on Haruhi from across the room. The Shadow King , with his folder on Haruhi forever in his hands, opened said folder, and wrote something down.

"Kyouya-sempai!" a small voice called out to him. He closed the folder and tucked it safely under his arm. Turning to smile at his customer he said, "Sorry to keep you waiting. What was it you were saying?"

At the end of the day, when all business with the Host Club were done and through, Haruhi was reaching for her bag, wondering about the next day. As she situated the strap on her shoulder, she her a voice call out to her.

"Haruhi, could you come here for a moment?"

It was a voice she knew oh so well, and it said the phrase that she knew could only mean something bad.

Making her way over to the long oak table where Ootori Kyouya was occupying the head, she stood at the other end of the table, and waited.

"It has come to my attention, Haruhi, that you don't seem to be enjoying your sessions with the customers." He spoke slowly. Haruhi cocked her head to the side and replied in a robotic manner, "What does it matter so long as they don't know the difference?"

"Yes, speaking of which, you are quite good at hiding things like that."

"Small things?"

"Small things, but if you continue to do so, then you will eventually slip up. I cannot have a Host who will jeopardize the well being of the Host Club."

Haruhi actually smirked at him. Kyouya blinked a few times, and then refocused his eyes. Yes. It was there.

"Do you actually believe that I am one who would be so naïve to actually let that happen. I know what would happen were it to actually happen itself. You would deduct it from the money I have made so far, and then I would be forced to work even harder to pay back the money for that vase." She said. "Yes Kyouya-sempai. The little pattern that you have laid out has been discovered, and I intend to not mess up. Had I not discovered it already, I would have actually messed up and would have fallen back into that crevice known as Debt." Her chocolate brown eyes bore into his somewhat surprised amber ones. "Do not take me so lightly, Shadow King."

Shocked enough to let it seep through to the surface, slightly, Kyouya was at a loss for words. Knowing that she had said what was needed to be said, and had one the oncoming "you have more debt added" argument, Haruhi turned on heel and walked over to the door. She reached for the handle and pulled the huge doors open. She turned around just as the doors were closing off her view of the room and said, "My debt will be paid sooner then you know."