Ouran College Host Club: New Duty
The new term had finally started and the grounds were abuzz with excitement of a fresh start. We enter a typical college ground on a brisk fall day; in the quad there is sight of an activities fair in full swing. Lined on both sides were tables elegantly decorated, members holding out clipboards asking for emails, flyers being shoved into hands, and the echo of "take one, it's free". Freshman and upperclassmen alike filled the quad to feast upon the buffet of clubs. Greek life had been scouting for pledges while the student government was handing out ballots to run. The theater club was at the far end of the fair putting on their own, modern adaptation of Romeo and Juliet (music was thanks to the independent music study club), while the Intramural Soccer team sat there and chuckled. At the opposite end, the Cultures club was handing out food and the recreation center was advertising their new sport: water quidditch.
In the center of the fair sat around a small table was the clubs committee. This committee comprised of five students, each responsible for the integrity of all the clubs on campus. Two of the men at the table sat there greeting people as they walked by, the third handed out a flyer that listed all of the clubs on campus. In the middle, sat two girls, side by side. The first was reclined in her chair, sketching in a orange, unmarked book. Her long black hair flowed down past her shoulders bleached at the ends, reminiscent of a lion's mane. She had kicked her feet up on the table, placing the sketch book on her lap. This was Cassey (pronounced like Casey), and she was responsible for making sure that all of the artwork and flyers the clubs used were within committee guidelines. As she sat there sketching, which is what you'd find her doing almost always, she'd occasionally glance to her left to smirk over at her best friend who had to deal with all the ludicrous questions that were brought to the table.
Allie was responsible for club actions. She made sure no clubs participated in hazing, and that they too fell into all committee guidelines. At the fair, numerous students had come up asking which clubs to join or even how they could start their own. Exasperated, her light brown hair (which has been loosely braided) now had stray strands sticking out. The golden highlights were visible as she bent over the table, talking, exposing her head to the direct sunlight.
"I'm sorry but the rules clearly state that you cannot force any member in your club to perform an entrance ritual, it's called hazing," Allie said leaning across the table. As that student left she fell back into her chair blowing a loose hair away from her face. She was thankful she hadn't worn her hooded "Committee" jacket today (she opted for the tank top instead) like Cassey had. Her blood was boiling and it reflected in her body temperature. She assumed it must simply be her though, because her best friend looked completely comfortable in her oversized hoody.
"Aren't you warm in that?" Allie asked as she leaned over to see what her friend was sketching.
"I'm always warm, aren't you cold in that?"Cassey peered up, smirking. Both girls were in jeans and Allie sighed.
"No, all this ignorance is setting me on edge," she answered and rested her chin upon the heel of her hands.
"It'll be over soon," just as Cassey spoke those words both girls had their attention directed to the sound of raising voices. The other three men on the committee were dealing with a group of students, and the girls tried to catch the conversation.
"I'm sorry but that is absolutely ridiculous," Cameron, the eldest on the Committee stated.
"It just doesn't exist here in America, we don't do things like that. Isn't it like...prostitution? In some way-" another member said.
"It is nothing like that," yelled the tall blonde student, who was clearly offended. He wasn't alone either. Behind him, holding a notebook was a tall man with glasses and a smug expression. To his right were what appeared to be twins, holding hands; and behind them was a tall, dark haired man with no expression, who had a small child on his shoulders. They were beautiful, to say the least, but odd. The group they were seeing from a distance was unlike any other they had witnessed.
"What's going on there?" Cassey leaned close to Allie asking.
"No idea-" she whispered back. While the girls leaned together listening to the rest of the conversation the men all looked in their direction at once.
"Princesses! Look at these flowers in a mess of unruly mongrels. Surely these women have more sense than those monstrosities you call committee members," the blonde held out a rose to Cassey and the one with the glasses did the same to Allie. The girls looked at each other perplexed but flattered.
"How can we help you gentlemen?"Allie asked as she accepted the rose, holding it gently in one hand.
"We want to start a club, and those meanies over there just won't let us do it!" he complained.
"And what kind of club is that?" Cassey asked, tapping the stem of the rose she was holding.
"We call it a host club. We, as in myself and the gentlemen you see behind me, will conduct ourselves in a respectable manor, and we swear it to be our duty to make every girl who walks through our doors happy," the blonde said with pride in his voice.
The one with the glasses stepped forward and spoke next.
"If I may say Princesses, we have had an undeniably great success rate when we were back in high school, as you can see these numbers don't lie," he says pulling out a data sheet. Allie stared at the sheet running her eyes over the charts and looked up at the man in front of her.
"Your revenue far proceeds your expenses, it is daunting," Allie said and handed the sheet to Cassey.
"Yes, and we believe bringing a club like this to America, we will only see an even higher incline," he responded, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.
"It's just an odd concept here in America," Cassey chimed in. Allie looked at her best friend and sighed, she had no choice but to agree.
"I don't think it is necessarily a bad thing though," Cassey finished her thought and shot her friend a mischievous grin. The two of them looked over to their other committee members.
"Let's just take a chance on them. We let water quitich become a sport," Cassey said staring at the men on the other end of the table.
"Plus, it'll be up to the two of us to make sure they fall within regulation- so it would really not affect you at all," Allie taunted at them. The three members stared at their two female teammates. The eldest was the first to speak up.
"They have one month to generate the funds and abide by all club policies. No exceptions, and I want weekly updates. That means you two are in there every day taking notes, reporting back, and making sure all goes smoothly. I will not have the reputation of this school tarnished because of some male-brothel!" Cameron expelled all in one breath.
"Understood," Allie and Cassey answered together.
"Oh thank you! You will not regret this!" The blonde one swooned in the committee's direction.
"Music room, third floor, University Hall. That's your room. For now at least," Cameron said pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I think we can make that work," the blonde smirked and looked at his comrades with a knowing look.
"We'll see you ladies tomorrow then? Ah, but we do not even know your names. Unless you would rather us just call you princess."
"I'm Allie and this is my best friend Cassey."
"Tamaki Suoh, the pleasure is all mine," he bowed taking a hand from both of them. He kissed each of their wrists and stood to take his leave. As he walked away the rest of the boys followed him. Just as they were almost out of sight the two ginger twins turned around simultaneously. They stood for a moment and smiled at the two girls, best friends, who were each still holding a rose. The twins smiled together and waved, before turning around to walk away.
"Did you see-" before Cassey could finish her question Allie was already nodding.
"I've always thought orange hair was...interesting," was all Allie could say. They smiled and watched as the boys disappeared into the horizon.
"So we really can't have any sort of initiation? Like a ritual of some kind?" a female voice broke Allie's thoughts. She took a deep breath and turned around.
"I already told you- that is hazing. So no."
Cassey laughed and thought to herself: It is going to be some hell of a semester.