A/N: Hi, this is the first fanfiction I've written on in over 3 years, much anime fanfiction. I fell in love with Ouran High School Host Club when one of my college friends introduced the show to me and I can't stop watching it no matter how much time goes by. I especially fell in love with the devilish Hitachiin Twins, and Tamaki Suoh's character. I hope you guys like this story and I hope not to give up on this story like I have with a lot of my other fanfics on this site. Please give me as much feedback as possible, because it's been a while since I've written anything. Words Boldly Italicized are going to be the lyrics to any songs my oc will be listening to.
Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran High School Host Club or any of the characters except for my OC's. I might include some songs throughout this story and I don't own them either.
Amaya's P.O.V.
"Okay, here goes nothing," I sighed, squeezing the golden doorknob apprehensively as I stood outside Music Room 3 debating whether or not I'll enter. After getting through my first day at Ouran Academy for high school, I was able to get directions to the Host Club led by a dear friend of mine. It has been two years since we last saw each other face to face, and he has no idea that I came back to Japan for good, which is why I'm so nervous to see him now. I know for a fact that he'll make a spectacle out of our reunion, which I honestly don't expect anything less from him, but it doesn't change the fact that I'm a chameleon in the world of the rich and beautiful. I'm the kind of girl who tends to blend in with her surroundings and go unnoticed by everyone else.
I turn the handle and quietly push open the towering double doors, and I gasped softly as a tropical breeze hits my sun-tanned face carrying a handful of rose petals with it. The delicate fragrance helps to calm my nerves a bit and I walk into the room, looking for my friend.
"Hello, Ms. Everheart. It has been a while," A familiar voice said casually from behind me and I nearly got a heart attack from right. I turned around to see a tall, pale boy with short black hair wearing glasses and I calmed down upon realizing that it was Kyoya Ootori. We met briefly in middle school when my friend introduced us to each other.
"Yes, it most certainly has," I replied, rubbing the back of my neck sheepishly. "I see the host club is doing...well for itself? I mean, is it always like this around here?" I asked curiously, motioning with my hand towards the tropical paradise in front of us. "Do you always wear stuff like that?" I pointed at the lack of a shirt, the dark tropical pants and gold bracelets.
"Of course not," Kyoya chuckled and I mentally sighed in relief. "We normally wear our Ouran uniforms, but we do occasionally cosplay." He explained amusedly and I nodded in understanding. "I assume you're here to see Tamaki?"
"Pretty much, but it is good to see you as well, Kyoya-senpai," I admitted sincerely, smiling as his brown eyes softened.
"Amaya?" The next thing I knew, the ground was suddenly farther away than it was several moments ago and my head is tucked inside the crook of someone's pale neck. "Oh my goodness, it's so good to see you again! It's been so long since we've seen each other face to face! I've missed you so very, very, VERY much! And you look so CUTE in the high school uniform for girls!" Tamaki exclaimed joyfully, spinning us around and around until I can't tell which way is up or down from the dizziness.
"I've missed you, too, Tamaki," I said, blushing furiously as I realized he wasn't wearing a proper shirt as he set me down with his arms still wrapped around my waist. His smile is so bright and contagious I couldn't help returning it with a smile just as radiant as his.
"Hey, Boss, what's with all the commotion?" Two identical ginger haired boys with amber colored eyes appeared out of nowhere wearing the same blue and white checkered pants, blue headbands, and gold jewelry on each other. The Hitachiin brothers. They were followed by a short, blonde boy with brown eyes on his sweet face wearing yellow pants (Honey-senpai), and a really tall boy, with messy black hair and dark eyes wearing maroon pants, (Mori-senpai). Another boy with short brown hair and large brown eyes wearing the boy school uniform stood beside Kyoya-senpai.
"Gentlemen, this is Amaya Everheart," Tamaki said, gently turning me around to face his friends, resting his hands on my shoulders. "She is a dear friend of mine and I expect you to treat her with the same respect as you would any other lovely girl here at our school."
"Hi," I waved awkwardly, smiling thinly as everyone in the room stared at me with curious expressions. Feeling the familiar hands of shyness taking hold, I scramble for something to fill the awkward silence with. "Uh, I just came to drop in and say hi...which I did...so, yeah, good to meet y'all, and yeah...bye!" I run towards the door with the intention of running all the way home to hide only for Tamaki to frustrate my escapade.
"No, wait, Amaya! Don't leave!" Tamaki tackles me to the ground, wrapping his long arms around my arms and pinning them to my waist as he struggles to wrestle me back into the spotlight. I wriggle and squirm, flushing with the exertion of separating myself from him intent in successfully escaping.
"Should we help Tama-chan?" Honey-senpai asked anxiously, voicing the question on everyone's mind. Kyoya chuckled, shaking his head in response before explaining, "This is quite normal for them."
"Tamaki! Let me go!" I shouted, bucking my hips in an attempt at loosening his hold on me.
"Not until we determine your type!" He responded distractedly, yelping in pain as I bit his arm and his grip on me loosens enough for me to kick him in the stomach and render him momentarily immobile. Free at last, I make a mad dash for the door. "I don't have a type!" I retorted over my shoulder. Unbeknownst to her, Tamaki made a quick recovery and dashed after Amaya determinedly.
"Everybody has a type!" He stated, grabbing her around the waist much to her dismay. He lifted her up into the air and onto his shoulder, kicking and screaming much to Tamaki's chagrin. Both Hitachiin brothers watched with interest as their boss struggled under the brutal onslaught of the petite girl on his shoulder. "Stop fighting me!"
"Let me go!"
"No!"
"Kyoya, help!" I desperately cried out, reaching for him as Tamaki carried me over to a table with a few guests. He simply smiled without making a move to help me. I gawked in disbelief before begging the other members of Tamaki's host club to help me only to be meant with equally sympathetic, but unhelpful expressions.
I yelped as Tamaki plopped me down onto a chair and I stiffened as he ran his hands gently through the tangled mess of curls caramel brown hair. After a few awkward moments, he uses my head as a resting place for his arms before leaning his head on top of mine affectionately. A pink blush blossoms across my sun-kissed cheeks as everyone coos at us and I cross my arms with a pout.
"Awe, you guys are so cute, Tamaki!" One of the girls sitting across from me squeals.
"Why, thank you my dears. Princess Amaya-"
"I'm not a princess!" I protested, shrugging Tamaki's arms off my head.
"-is a dear friend of mine. Despite being a little rough around the edges due to her eccentric upbringing, she is very sweet and kind," Tamaki explained fondly, pinching my cheek affectionately. I retaliate by pretending to bite his hand. "I've already established that you don't care much for the princely type such as myself, and the last time you were at Ouran Academy you weren't entranced by Kyoya's cool type persona," He said to himself, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he stared at me uncomfortably close to my face. "What do you think of Mori-senpai's strong silent type?" he continued, gesturing towards Mori as if he were an item on display.
"He seems like a nice guy, probably a great listener if I wanted someone to talk to, but still not my type," I replied, twirling my long hair in between my fingers with a deadpanned expression. "And as much as I love Honey-senpai's infinitely innocent cuteness, I'll have to pass on him, too."
"Then, perhaps you prefer a more natural type, such as Haru-" Tamaki began only for him to slip on a stray banana peel that seemed to mysteriously materialize out of thin air. I leaned forward worriedly to see if he was alright only to squeak as two orange haired twins appeared out of nowhere on either side of me with matching mischievous expressions on their faces.
"...or maybe you're into the devilish types..." Hikaru inquired, trailing his two fingers up my neck softly, lifting my chin up ever so slightly and I suppressed a shudder at the intimate gesture. Kaoru leaned in close to the other side of my face, rubbing his nose gently against my cheek before pulling back and lingering beside my ear, "...like us?" Kaoru finished slyly, his lips ghosting near the sensitive skin below my earlobe and I couldn't help blushing redder than the Balinese flowers hanging around Honey's neck.
"Get away from my little sister, you shady twins!" Tamaki growled, yanking me out of their grasps and chasing them around the room. I took this as my chance to escape, while Tamaki was distracted, bidding the more sane members of the host club as hasty good-bye before dashing out of the room, down the empty halls of Ouran Academy, off the campus and onto the busy streets of Tokyo.
A Few Days Later...
"Absolutely not." I said, glaring at Tamaki in annoyance as he broke down crying at my response. The last bell of the day rang twenty minutes ago and as I was making my way down the hall to leave the school for the weekend, relieved to be done with school and for having avoided the host club and Tamaki for a couple of days. Being a social outcast and really observant has it's perks. That is, until Hikaru and Kaoru ambushed me, each of them grabbing a hold of both my arms and kidnapping me. They dragged me to the host club against my will and tried to make me sit down, but when that didn't work they tied me to the chair. "I have better things to do with my time than go to stupid parties." I grumbled, squirming uncomfortably in the seat.
"That's not what your mother said," Kyoya stated calmly, writing something down on his clipboard and fixing a triumphant smile at me. "She said that as long as Tamaki is there, then we have permission to keep you prisoner for as long as we want with the promise that we don't partake in any illegal activities." I internally cursed his quick thinking and my mother's blind faith in Tamaki.
"Therefore, you have no reason not to attend our party..." Hikaru trailed deviously, stroking my long hair slowly and I lean away from him only for Kaoru to appear on the other side of my face with an evil glint in his amber eyes. "...and be our doll for the evening." he finished with a smirk, trailing his finger down the side of my face and I blush furiously.
"And you know what they say, every doll needs a makeover and pretty dresses, wouldn't you agree, Tamaki?" Kaoru inquired mischievously and a light bulb seemed to go off in Tamaki's head as he rubbed his chin in thought.
"I think you guys might be onto something." Tamaki agreed as everyone surrounded my chair and studied me with strange smiles.
"Why are you all staring at me like that?"
Later That Night...
"As always ladies, the host club is here for your entertainment, so we invite you to dance to your hearts' contents. Based on her dancing skills, one lucky young lady will be chosen as tonight's queen. The queen's reward will be a passionate kiss on the cheek from our king." Kyoya announced, smiling charismatically from where he and the host club stood in their places on the grand staircase.
"Good luck to you, my darlings." Tamaki said charmingly, playing the role of a prince very well dressed in his white tuxedo. The host club went all out with the preparations for the party, hiring an orchestra to play fancy music adding to the lovely and romantic atmosphere.
"I loathe all of you profoundly." I growled, glaring at each of the boys lividly.
"But you look so cute Ama-chan!" Honey complimented, grinning adorably and I gave him a deadpanned stare that made him chuckle sheepishly before hiding behind Mori. Tamaki had the Hitachiin brothers make me try on over twenty different formal dresses like a doll, before finally settling on a light blue, off the shoulder short-sleeved lace dress for me to wear for the evening. Then, they had me try on a pair of silver heels only for them to discover that I couldn't walk in them to save my life and they forced me to learn until my feet ached to the point of falling out.
"You could even say she looks as cute as a doll, wouldn't you agree Kaoru?" Hikaru commented, sharing an impish grin with his twin brother. Kaoru hummed in agreement, embracing me from behind and wrapping his long arms around my waist to place a lingering kiss on my jawline. I flushed uncomfortably, wiggling away from him and he moved to cover my right side as Hikaru hugs my left side. They both rest their heads in the crook of my neck, nuzzling me and making me blush a bright red as a bunch of girls squeal at us from below. I glared at them vehemently, clutching the cream colored clutch they gave me for my phone tightly as I refrained from punching them in public.
"Knock it off guys, you've tortured her enough for today," Haruhi, who I learned is a girl working off a debt to the host club, scolded, shoving them off me. I breathed easier standing next to her, knowing that I could count on her to at least sympathize with my pain and I pitied her as the twins turned rounded on her for not being enthusiastic enough about the party. Stupid rich kids, I thought bitterly. Walking down the red carpeted steps, I clutch the railing like it's my lifeline. I don't want to stay on the steps all night long and I really don't want either of the twins to scoop me up for a dance. Creeps.
I shuffle through the crowds of elegantly dressed girls hoping to score a dance with one of the guys. I roll my emerald eyes at them, stumbling in my heels as I make my way down the hall to go outside to clear my head. The cool night air feels refreshing against the bare skin of my arms and legs as the wind blows through my dress and the smell of the cherry blossom trees calm my frazzled nerves. Ever since I moved back to Japan things have been so hectic at home and at school that I barely have a moment to myself to reflect. "If only you were here, Grandma. You'd know what to do." I murmured wistfully, closing my eyes tiredly and I sighed heavily under the weight of the thoughts swirling around my mind. My heart twinges painfully with longing for the past. Not wanting to deal with my dark thoughts, I pull out my phone from my clutch and turned on my Spotify playlist to listen to some music. The soft sound of a piano begins to play and I relax as one of my favorite songs begins to play, preparing to sing a long with the singer.
When I look at my life,
Wanna see my life shine on the dancefloor,
But I won't get it right until I stop asking why,
And just let it go,
Sometimes I take a look at my life,
I take a look at my life and say oh, oh,
Wanna get it yeah, gotta get it,
Don't need a pot of gold,
Looking for the rainbow,
To break the storm inside of me,
The rainbow to take the clouds that are hiding me,
All I want is someone to heal the heart of me,
The rainbow, it could be the start of me,
Yeah, I'm down on my luck but I'm still looking up,
Got a way to go, gotta follow my gut,
Can't get stuck in a rut, I've been there before,
Right now there's a road up ahead,
And it's dangerous oh, oh,
Fear's gone, it's my marathon maybe I'm getting close,
Looking for the rainbow,
To break the storm inside of me,
The rainbow to take the clouds that are hiding me,
All I want is someone to heal the heart of me,
The rainbow, it could be the start of me,
Looking for the rainbow, everywhere that I go,
Even in the shadows, I'm looking for the rainbow,
When I'm at the end of my rope,
There's a destiny though it's meant for me,
If I let it be...
Looking for the rainbow,
To break the storm inside of me,
The rainbow to take the clouds that are hiding me,
All I want is someone to heal the heart of me,
The rainbow, it could be the start of me,
It could be the start of me,
It could be the start of me.
"Wow..." I stiffened, turning around to see Kaoru with a dazed look of wonder on his face. He was leaning against the side of the doorway with his arms crossed as if he'd been there for awhile, and I paused my phone before it could start playing something else. "That was really good," he complimented me, his amber eyes studying me like I'm the most interesting thing he's seen all day. He frowns, stepping towards me with concern, "...are you okay, Amaya?"
I tilt my head confusedly. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Because you're crying."
I blink confusedly and lift my hand to touch my face, confirming Kaoru's observation at the feeling of wetness on my cheeks. Geez, I didn't even realize I was crying up until now. Guess I'm more messed up than I originally thought. Grandma always did say that I needed to better hide my emotions, but then she said that it was one of my better qualities. Being able to wear my heart on my sleeve.
"Guess I am," I freeze and inhale sharply as he shortens the distance between us. He hesitantly, almost shyly, raises his hand and wipes away my tears. "Thanks." I whispered shyly, my heart pounding at our closeness and I shiver as a chilly wind breezes past us. Kaoru reaches forward and I flinch as he wraps his arms around mine, rubbing them together to heat up my arms a bit and I slowly relax against his gentle hold. For a moment, I almost forgot that not long ago I wanted to strangle him.
"...do you want to talk about it?" Kaoru asked me gently and I sighed heavily, leaning into his warm touch. As much as I don't like him, when am I ever going to get another chance to be held in the strong arms of a handsome boy like this again? Because despite how insufferable he is, Kaoru Hitachiin is one of the handsomest boys I've ever laid eyes on in my life.
"No offense, but I don't know you well enough to share my secrets with you, Kaoru. But thanks for the offer." He nodded in understanding, resting his head on top of mine.
"If you need anything, I'm here for you." He reassured me, lightly rubbing soothing circles against my bare back and I chuckled wryly.
"I thought I was just your pretty little doll?"
"Well, dolls need to be taken care of, too." I could practically hear the smirk in his voice and I snorted. "But seriously, if you need anything at all don't be afraid to ask. I'm here for you, if you'll let me." I bit my lip to keep from grinning.
"You sound just like Tamaki." I teased.
"That's just mean." I couldn't help giggling. "How did you know I'm Kaoru and not Hikaru?" he asked seriously, and I ignore him and pull away to walk towards the door. I stop when Kaoru's hand reached out and grabbed mine keeping me in place. "Amaya, can you tell us apart?"
I glance over my shoulder, locking eyes with him before answering honestly, "I've been able to tell you two apart since middle school." With that being said, Kaoru releases my hand and stare at me in astonishment and I take that as my cue to head back inside.