Spoilers Follow: This story takes place after the last volume of the manga, while the host club is studying abroad in America. I mention a couple of details that happen in the last few chapters, so read at your own risk!

WIND IN THE MOUNTAINS

1. KAORU

"Pencils down!" Hikaru and I shout in unison. We reach over Haruhi's shoulders to slam her notebook shut.

"Hey!" The brown-haired girl drops her pencil, jerking her hand away. "I still have work to do. And you smashed my pinky, Hikaru."

I don't know how she can tell which one is Hikaru without turning around, but Haruhi has always had a knack for differentiating between us. It's one of the reasons we like her so much.

"Sorry," Hikaru stammers, blushing. He acts so stupid whenever he flubs things up with Haruhi. To save him the embarrassment, I take the lead and lift Haruhi's hand to my chin.

"Want us to kiss it better?" I coo in my most seductive hosting voice. I wink to Hikaru, who joins in the game. "Double the romance for double the relief," he purrs.

Just as Haruhi prepares to conk our heads together in disgust, the door to her apartment flies open and Tamaki bursts inside. "You devilish twins! How dare you molest my innocent daughter!"

I smirk. No telling how long he was standing behind that door, waiting for the perfect moment to barge in on us. Milord sure loves to make a scene. Almost as much as we do.

My brother rolls his eyes. "I can't believe you still address Haruhi by those stupid pet names, Highness. Now that you guys are dating, it just sounds perverted."

"What?" Tamaki's princely face shrivels up in anguish. "We're still a family, aren't we? Can't a father be a lover as well?"

Hikaru makes a face. "Not in the way you're suggesting."

"Not lawfully, anyway," I add.

We both collapse in fits of laughter.

"That's not what I meant!" Tamaki wails.

Haruhi grimaces. "Don't dig your grave any deeper than it already is, Senpai."

The door swings open a second time, and the remaining three members of the host club stroll into the room. "Must you tease our president so?" Kyoya sighs as Tamaki runs into his arms. He glares at us over the rims of his glasses. "For two brothers whose selling point is 'twincest,' you're hardly in a place to criticize."

"Kaoru! Hikaru!" Before our battle of wits can escalate, we're interrupted by Hunny's cheerful voice. "Haru-chan!" The bunny-toting university student skips over to us, followed closely by a watchful Mori. Hunny springs into Haruhi's lap and squeezes her tightly. "We couldn't wait to see you today! Could we, Takashi?"

"Mm," Mori agrees.

"Now that the meeting has convened, we can get started," Kyoya notes, opening his ledger.

Haruhi wrestles free of Hunny's grip. "Meeting?" she splutters. "Wait a minute. My room is not a public forum. And I don't remember inviting any of you here." She shoots an angry look at Hikaru and me. "Before you jerks broke into my apartment, I was working on a research project."

"Homework can wait!" I stick out my tongue. "It's winter vacation! Time to plan our annual host club outing."

"But we just took a trip last month," Haruhi points out. "Remember? When we all went to Barcelona with Kyoya-senpai."

"That was more of a business trip." Hikaru shrugs. "Spain may be our favorite place ever, but following Kyoya around doesn't count as a real vacation."

"Oh, really?" The shadow king smiles at us. "I'll keep that in mind when I make your hotel reservations."

"I wanna go to the North Pole!" Hunny interjects. "We can have Christmas at Santa's house!"

"Reindeer..." Mori nods cryptically.

"Nah, let's go someplace warm," Hikaru says. "It's summer in Australia right now. Have you ever seen a kangaroo, Haruhi?"

"You haven't lived until you've gone scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef," I agree.

"I've always thought of the Swiss Alps as the superior winter destination," Kyoya suggests. "My family owns a chain of cottages tucked away in the mountains."

"You've all got it wrong!" Tamaki barks, seizing his girlfriend's hand. "Haruhi and I will be spending the vacation in our own private getaway, a tropical island paradise for two! You freeloaders will have to find somewhere else to stay."

Haruhi shakes her hand loose and stands up. "Look, I never agreed to any of this. You guys can do whatever you want with your vacation, but I intend to stay home. I have three projects due on the first day of the spring semester, and no time to waste. Besides, I'm sick of being dragged to a lot of exotic locations just so we can goof around. Can't we ever go someplace practical and affordable, like Canada?"

This takes all of us by surprise. Hikaru and I look at each other. "Actually, we've never been to Canada."

"I went there once," Kyoya muses, "but I forgot what it looks like."

Tamaki rummages through Haruhi's bookcase and pulls out an atlas. "Canada? Is that on the map?"

"The people there eat pancakes every day," Hunny beams.

"Reindeer," Mori repeats.

Kyoya folds his arms, nodding. "Then it's settled. Everyone be sure to dress warmly for the trip, and bring your snowshoes."

Haruhi waves her hands frantically. "Hold up. That wasn't a suggestion. I just meant-"

"Yukon, ho!" Hunny cheers. "Mush, Takashi!"

And that's how the host club went to Canada.

Author's Note: Sorry about all the awful stereotypes. I know it isn't true about the pancakes. And as far as I can make out, "Yukon, ho" is from Calvin & Hobbes. Next chapter will be from Haruhi's point of view.