Day 0: The Host's Reward
Haruhi was an honor student who, despite her modest means, had fought her way into the exclusive private school, Ouran Academy, as an Honor student. Upon accidently breaking a ridiculously expensive vase at the begging of the term, she ended up in a massive amount of debt, which she owed to the host club. Having cut her long brown hair just the start of the school term, she could quite easily pass for a boy despite her small frame and short, stature relative to her male schoolmates. This had allowed her to act as a host so that hopefully she could repay her debt by the time she graduated.
It was the last day of final exams but the members of the host club had all, already finished theirs and had gathered in the abandoned music room that served as their club space in order to discuss this year's annual winter break activities.
"We're going to Ikebukuro for the winter break?" Haruhi asked. By now she was used to the Host Club's propensity for spur of the moment trips, but for some reason she found this just a little more out of the blue than usual. Maybe that was because Ikebukuro wasn't exactly the kind of place she expected them to go.
"But of course, Ikebukuro is a particular burrow, or section if you will, within the greater Tokyo metropolitan area and is known for its excitement as well as a hub of anime and manga culture. It seemed the natural reward for our hardworking hosts after a long and term of balancing classes and exams with club duties. You should come too Haruhi, you've earned it just as much, if not more than the rest of us." Tamaki explained.
Tamaki was the club's leader, a tall, blonde-haired, blue-eyed, second year who treated his underlings as his family. He was ridiculously handsome by the classic definition of the word and combined his good looks with his impeccable etiquette and talent for classical piano to impress, entertain, and make every woman he came across, happy. That seemed to be his main mission in life
"When we get there I'm gonna go find some new friends for Usa-chan" added Honey Sempai.
Honey was just a nickname, the boy's real name was Mitsukuni Haninozuka; and while he appeared and acted as though he were a small child he was actually a third year and a powerful martial arts master. He had the height and body type of an elementary school student and had a thick mop of blonde hair and large, round brown eyes. To the untrained eye he looked completely harmless, even vulnerable. However, since joining the host club, Haruhi and seen Honey Sempai take down trained, armed grown men, even when he was vastly outnumbered on more than one occasion.
"And I'm going where Honey goes…" Mori Sempai seconded.
Mori Sempai was Honey Senpai's cousin and best friend, decades ago, before the two families intermarried and became one, Mori's family served Honey's as Samurai and even though it had been a couple of generations since that was actually the case, the sense of loyalty and duty ran thick in his blood and heart so Mori Sempai still acted like it.
"That's not all!" Hikaru began.
"Apparently there's tons to do in Ikebukuro so maybe for once we won't get bored so easily." Hikaru and his twin brother Kaoru said in unison. Hikaru and Koaru were twins, often more commonly known as the Itachin brothers. They were tall and handsome with short, soft red hair and gold eyes. Very few people could tell them apart and most people didn't even actually try to. They were always together, it was so rare that they would be seen apart that it almost appeared as though they were a single entity.
"Well alright then… I suppose it could be fun…"
"That's the Spirit Haruhi!" Tamaki exclaimed loudly in his typical, elated, almost-regal tone. This was something he only used with the host club or their guests. Then he turned to his friend and second in command, Kyoya. "Kyoya, have the arrangements been made?"
Kyoya was the incredibly brilliant financial manager. Tall with black hair, narrow eyes and glasses, while sometimes he could come off as cold and calculating, once in a while he was liable to show some evidence that he cared on the inside.
"It's all been handled, we leave tomorrow morning by limo and shall arrive in Ikebukuro by lunchtime, and we shall sample the local cuisine before heading to the hotel." Kyoya told them.
Tamaki clapped his hands together to gain his friends' attention. "Let me make two things clear gentlemen. First of all, this is a vacation first and foremost, therefore barring meals which are to be family affairs you will all be given free reign of the area within reason. Secondly, Ikebukuro is nothing like our peaceful suburban paradise and there have been many reports of rough characters operating within the city. We can't be certain just what we're walking into. For that reason I do have one additional rule and that rule is we're going to impose a buddy system. No one is to leave the hotel or the larger group without at least one other club member to accompany them for their own safety. Do I make myself clear?" he asked.
"We understand." The hosts replied.
"Good, now everyone go home and start packing men. Dismissed!" Tamaki ordered.