TITLE: Dark Secrets Behind the Door of Music Room 3
SUMMARY: The Ouran Host Club is where the school's handsomest boys, & cutest girls use their looks, skills, and influence to gain the favor & learn the secrets of some of the richest men and women in the world. Their abusive parents use their children to advance their own wealth and businesses. The first rule of the Host Club. Don't talk about what goes on behind the doors of Music Room 3!
STORY PAIRINGS: Honey+Mori, Haruhi + Tamaki, Renge+Kyoya, Hikaru + Kaoru
PLEASE NOTE: This story is rated M. According to the FF site, that means it has to be appropriate for ages 16+ WITHOUT explicit content, which includes adult language, themes, and suggestions. This story meets those requirements.
CHAPTER 1
Welcome to the Host Club
Haruhi was excited to attend her first day of school. It was a rich kid's school. But their academic program was amazing. She couldn't wait to start. To do her homework, to work hard. She was going to be like her Mother. A strong and intelligent woman. She had checked out her acceptance letter one last time before heading out. Her tuition was to be taken care of through a scholarship, and additional expenses such as her uniform, books, and food would be covered by joining an after school club. That shouldn't be too bad, she thought. Wondering which club she would pick, she put on her shoes and headed out the door.
"Kyoya, the first day of a new semester is starting," his Father said to him over breakfast that evening. "You will also have a new club member at your disposal starting today."
Kyoya looked up at that. Once again, his father had not bothered to fill him in on this bit of information. "Who is it?" he asked.
"A commoner, a girl," he said not looking up from his paper. "It will be good to have someone like her in the club. She can do the dirtier tasks, so that those in the club with standing won't have to soil their hands as much. Keep that in mind this year..."
Kyoya looked back down at his breakfast, "Yes father..."
"Let me have a look at you," the Host Club president said as he looked at his schools newest and poorest member, Haruhi Fujioka.
Haruhi stood still but the President shook his head. "No, I mean spin around."
"Oh," she said and turned in a circle rather ungracefully.
"Did your uniform not arrive?" he asked her frowning.
"Um, no Sir," she explained. "I didn't realize it would be sent to me."
"I see… My apologies to you. One of our staff members was supposed to ensure you receive one. No matter, I'll make sure you get one soon. Let's see, you were accepted to Ouran on the basis of mandatory club participation which would then cover the additional fees for your schooling here... so your uniform price should be covered by that as well."
"Is there a list of clubs I can choose from?" Haruhi asked (fully expecting their to be).
"Oh no. You'll be taking part in a very specific club. Have you ever heard of a Host Club?" Suoh-san asked walking back around his desk he took a seat. "It's the most popular club here. It has at least one student member from some of the most influential families in our country. Thus, you could build a lot of connections for yourself, Miss Fujioka. I've been informed you'd like to be a lawyer, and with the families associated with this club, I could see that happening very easily."
"Oh…" Haruhi said feeling somewhat nervous. "But I'm sure I can accomplish this on my own."
"Well, you might find the world a rather difficult place to maneuver if you don't have the right people backing you," he explained, getting to his feet he walked over to a vase by the his office window and took from it one rose. He walked over and put it in her hair. "Keep that in mind, it's how everyone gets ahead in the world."
"Uh..." she couldn't help but think of how awkward what he just did was, but she decided not to say anything.
Suoh-san grabbed some papers from his desk, "We just need your signature on these files, and then I can introduce you to your club members."
She sat down, signed them, and then hurried off after the President who had already started to leave on her. She followed in his wake until he reached a door with a sign reading: MUSIC ROOM 3. When she opened the door. There was, the Ouran High School Host Club. Though it wasn't much as of right then. Furniture was being moved currently, and there was a boy in glasses directing the men who was moving it. He turned at the sound of the door opening and closed his notebook smiling.
"Mr. President," said the rather refined looking young man. "We were just about to begin. Did you have a task for us?"
"No nothing like that, well… kind of," he said placing a hand on Haruhi's shoulder he lightly pulled her forward. "This is Fujioka Haruhi, the exemplary student. In order to attend school here, she is to work for this Host Club. We were thinking about adding a girl after all..."
"My father informed me about it this morning, thank you Sir," he said.
"Yeah but THIS girl?" whispered voices in unison. The two boys who had been sitting at a sofa not too far away had gotten up. They were identical other than the direction in which they parted their hair. "She doesn't really look like much does she?"
"How rude!" snapped another boy. A light brown haired boy stepped forward. "It's so nice to meet the poor exemplary student. I am the King of this Host Club! Suoh Tamaki!"
"Uh, nice to meet you," Haruhi answered.
"First things first, if we're going to have her be a host club member we're going to have to fix… this…" he said indicating her entire body.
"Well, I leave all of that to you," the President said. "Take care of her, don't let me down."
"Of course Sir," the refined man said bowing slightly as he departed. Then he turned to Haruhi with an expression far colder than the one he had shown the President. "Alright, first things first, she'll need a uniform."
"And contacts," the twins chimed together.
"And someone get my hairstylist on the phone!" Tamaki snapped.
What happened next happened very fast. Haruhi was thrown into a chair and people (from who knows where) came out and began to cut, style and straighten her hair. Then she was shoved behind a curtain and told to put on the outfit she was handed. It was a bright yellow uniform dress like the other girls were wearing. She sighed, and put the dress on. She looked like a totally different person when she looked at herself in the mirror. The last step, she removed her glasses and put on the contacts she was given. Yeah, she really looked different. More girly than she was used to being.
She walked out, everyone was waiting for her.
"Ah, you're so cute!" Tamaki said cheerfully.
"Not bad at all," the twins nodded in agreement.
"It'll do," the refined and kinda scary one said dully.
"So, what is the point of this club anyway? And what will I be doing?" Haruhi asked.
"Well you're new, so for now you can just observe. See how we run things here," the refined one explained.
"Like the President said," one of the twins stepped forward to make his point to her. "We're looking to attract more men to the club, and not just gay ones so a girl will be invaluable."
"Gay ones? Wait I'm confused," Haruhi frowned, still not quite sure what this club even was. The twins were grinning in a mocking way, and she felt a bit insulted by their expressions.
"I'm sorry, first, could you all introduce yourselves properly so I can get to know your names?" Haruhi asked.
"Kaoru," Kaoru said raising his hand.
"Hikaru," Hikaru said raising his hand as well.
"We're the Hitachiin twins," they added together.
"And you?" Haruhi said turning to the scary/refined man.
"They call me Ootori Kyoya," he said. "We have two other members but they have prior engagements today, so they won't be here until later."
"So, what do you all do, exactly?"
"We," Tamaki said. "Are entertainers. We keep our guests happy and comfortable in this lovely space we're in by letting them live out and experience their fantasies."
"…" Haruhi sighed trying for a second to imagine what he had described. "That... sounds like a huge waste of time..."
"Well, the way Tamaki described it isn't the full extend of what we do," Kyoya explained. "This club was created by President Suoh and is run by the Ootori family. Here we use our looks, our skills, and our knowledge to learn secrets of some of the wealthiest families in the country, and some outside it. We acquire this information for our parents to use as they see fit and to further their expenditures."
"So you're… You're basically… like… spies?!" Haruhi said looking a little worried.
"Well, we don't break into banks or offices or anything, but… Yes… that's a good way to think of it…"
"What are you talking about Kyoya, didn't we have Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai bust into Kurokosoh-san's head firm just last week?" The twins asked together.
"…and with that said, I'm going to need you to sign this confidentiality agreement stating that you will not repeat anything you hear or see from our members or clients to outside people," Kyoya said holding out a clipboard which had the agreement on the top.
Haruhi sighed, and signed it. This seemed like it was going to be a whole lot more trouble than it would be worth.
She was then shuffled off to gather supplies from the nearest store. Their list was extensive, but at least they gave her some money instead of making her pay for it herself. When she got back, this club thing had already started...
"Ah Haruhi," Tamaki said grinning. "You have returned!"
"Everyone, this is Fujioka Haruhi, our newest Host club member. She's in training so please be kind to her!"
"A girl?" exclaimed a group of female students off to the side.
"Why yes, we're looking to expand the Host Club to be more Male-student friendly. Please invite your male friends and brothers to the Host Club if they wish to spend some time with a nice girl. If you have any questions for her she'll be around serving everyone tea," Tamaki informed them. He turned to Haruhi and urged her on, "Go on…"
Sighing she went over to where the teacups were set up and started to pour it out to serve.
"Hi Haru-chan!"
She turned at the sound of the voice to find a young boy staring at her. "Oh, are you lost?" she asked.
He smiled, "No of course not. I'm a member of the Host Club, like you."
"Oh…" she said. "Are you really a student here?" she asked. He wasn't much shorter than her, but she would have easily mistaken him for a tall first year elementary student especially since he seemed to be holding a pink stuffed bunny.
"Sure I am, I'm wearing our uniform after all," he said smiling.
"Yeah, sorry," she said smiling back. It was hard not to smile around someone who looked so happy.
"Honey!" called one of the girls seated not too far away.
"I'll talk to you later okay," he said cheerfully running back over to the girls and a rather tall boy seated with them.
That must be the other one, she found herself thinking. He was the only other boy here; she went around passing out the tea to those who asked. She still didn't really understand the point of this club.
"Yes our Mother made them," said one of the twins as he indicated his outfit. "It really is quite a beautiful color. If you like it I could show you my mother's private collection and let you take your pick."
Haruhi had sat down a cup of tea for him and then kept walking among them, over to where Honey was seated. "Oh I don't know…" he said frowning slightly and pulling his stuffed bunny to him. "Deciding would be so cruel don't you think? Then the other flavors would feel less loved."
"I'm sorry Honey," one of the girl exclaimed. "You don't have to choose a favorite!"
"Kuriko-chan," Honey said bright-eyed up at her. "What is your favorite flavor?"
"I don't really have one, but I simply can't eat anything with peanuts I'm allergic…"
She had sat some tea down for Mori and a cup of warm hot chocolate for Honey, and then she headed over to Tamaki.
"No my darling, I pale in comparison to the face before me… Why, why when I see you does my heart simply melt…"
Haruhi sat down some tea for him and then sat her tray back down at the table where she had started at. The boys just seemed to be flirting with the guests, and she didn't understand how this accomplished anything.
Apparently, Kyoya noticed this.
"Haruhi, will you come here for a moment?" he asked motioning to her.
She sat down the tray she was carrying and walked over to him, "Yes?"
"Follow me," he instructed walking behind the main guest area to a back room. When she entered there were all kinds of screens and equipment back there. There seemed to be at least one screen that focused on each member of the host club as well.
"Sit," he told her. "I'm going to show you our real purpose."
She did and he put a headset over her ears and tilted the attached microphone up. He too put on a head set but tilted the microphone down in front of his mouth. He flipped a switch, a light lit up near the screen focused on Tamaki.
"Princess Ayanokoji's father will be visiting the night club tonight. Try to get us some information on him."
"So," Tamaki said and she could hear his voice in the headphones as he spoke to her. "Tell me about your family, Princess."
Kyoya covered his microphone, "If you're ever out on the floor keep in mind that you shouldn't address us here. The guests don't know that our members wear ear plugs and microphones while with them. It's imperative that they never know this."
She nodded looking back to the screen where Tamaki put his arm around her staring at her with a smile.
"Oh my family is boring, talk about me Tamaki."
"Get her talking," Kyoya said into the microphone again.
"Sorry, that was rude of me," Tamaki said suddenly looking sad. "I haven't seen my Mother in so long, and my father is so busy, we never get a chance to talk. I guess, when I hear that people have families as big as yours is. I get a little jealous and greedily want to soak up any stories they have about them, I like to pretend sometimes, that they are my own…"
The two girls sitting across from him suddenly looked very tearful.
"Well," Ayanokoji said setting down her teacup. "My mother is busy in China. She a diplomat for Japan. My father is a descendant of royalty (as I'm sure you know), so he doesn't do much but live off his family's riches. I don't have too many stories."
"That's sad. Your father and you don't do anything together as a family?"
"No, father often spends his free time gambling. He sure does love wasting money," she joked. "But then again my family has money to waste on indulgences."
"Got it, thank you Tamaki," Kyoya said into the microphone turning off the switch. He took out his notebook writing down Ayanokoji's name and putting next to it the word: Gambling.
Haruhi pulled off her headphones. "I don't understand, what does knowing that accomplish?"
"The Ouran Host Club is where we gather intel from the children of major clients. Things they like, things they don't, secrets if we can get them. Then once a week we entertain their parents. It is important that they are entertained. Our family often talks up the fun they can have there and we have to live to the expectation. So anything we can learn, we want to learn it. Sometimes it can take weeks of information gathering to gain one bit of useful intel."
"What will you do with the gambling knowledge?" Haruhi asked.
"If I see Lord Ayanokoji getting bored with his time there I will see to setting up some events that can be gambled on, ensuring of course that he wins his bets. The happier he is when he leaves the more likely he'll do something needed for us in the future. My father is currently looking at some property he owns which he would like to turn into a hospital. However, in order to get it we either have to get on his good side or, (worst case scenario) we raise the stakes so he bets the property we want. Then we just make sure he loses."
Haruhi blinked, "You're all con-artists…"
"Kinda of," Kyoya said shrugging.
He put the headphones back on and switched it over to the twins.
"Kaoru, the girl at your right is Sakurazuka Kimiko, her parents own a botanical park, which ships the flowers your Grandmother loves to use in her artworks, it's rumored that their family is working on a flower cross-breed. See what information you can get on it…"
He changed the channel immediately over to Honey-senpai.
"Uh… weren't you going to listen?" Haruhi asked.
"It's all being recorded, I can review it later at my leisure," he explained. "Now, who do they have sitting with them today…"
One scan over the group and Kyoya sighed. "No one too overly important. I'll still review their recordings later however… Alright, we can head back now…"
Haruhi took off her head set and followed Kyoya out of the room.
When all the student clients had left the Host club reconvened in the middle of the room where a sofa set was placed, and they all started reviewing information.
"Who are the most important clients for tonight," Tamaki asked.
"Lord Ayanokoji is to be our primary focus this evening. The objective, keep him happy," Kyoya explained.
"Got it," Tamaki said. "Who would be best fit to entertain him?"
"From my records," Kyoya said opening his notebook. "The twins would be a good pair to keep him happy as last time he was here he seemed to have a similar personality, however, he might also enjoy Haruhi's company. It's my personal belief that he would make a good first and trial client for Haruhi."
"Alright then," Tamaki said. "Haruhi, your objective is to stay at Lord Ayanokoji's side. Keep him entertained and focused."
"Uh, how do I do that exactly?" she asked frowning.
"It's simple, you talk to him, play off the things he says and say what he wants to hear. It's not difficult. You'll catch on quick."
"We discovered he enjoys gambling so I might ask you two to put on a show," he said turning to Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai.
"We'll be ready," Honey said cheerfully.
"Alright then," Tamaki said getting to his feet. "That means we are officially done for today. Please be back by eight thirty p.m. Our doors will open to our guests at nine."
"So we have to come back?" Haruhi frowned.
"We have the Host club during the day for students, and once a week we hold an event for clients and the parents of students," Hikaru explained.
"This is the time you should focus on homework and studying, our night events don't end until Midnight, and then we sometimes entertain other guests even later," Kaoru told her as the two headed for the door.
"I guess I'll just take a nap until then," Haruhi said getting to her feet.
"Haru-chan! We have beds here if you don't wanna walk all the way home," Honey said smiling at her.
"That's alright, I don't live that far away," she said heading out the door after the twins.
"Well what do you think of her?" Tamaki said turning to Kyoya.
"She's not anything special, and I think she'll be more of a hindrance than a help to our goals. But your father seemed to really want her here. We'll just have to put up with her," Kyoya explained.
Smiling nervously Tamaki sighed, "Harsh as always."
"Takashi and I will make sure to bring our dojo uniforms when we come back!" Honey said smiling before he and Mori also left.
Tamaki and Kyoya remained the only ones in the club room now.
"Is this really okay?" Tamaki asked walking over to the window where he saw Haruhi running to catch her train back home.
"Are you worried about her?" Kyoya teased.
"This… this really isn't a safe place for anyone, but especially a girl," Tamaki explained frowning.
"Well your father realizes that noble society is made up of more than just gay men and brazen women, we can gather more information with a girl, because frankly, she would be able to get information that the rest of us simply can't," Kyoya explained as he gathered up his notes.
"But that's what we had Honey-senpai for!" Tamaki snapped and then his thoughts wandered to the sort of clientele that Honey-senpai usually attracted… He went into panic mode, "Haruhi can't be exposed to those kinds of people!"
"Calm down," Kyoya said in a rather bored voice and he turned to look back at him, "We'll all keep an eye on her, especially since it'll be her first day. She'll be fine…"
Tamaki was staring at the place she disappeared with a hurt expression.
"Tamaki," he said in a serious tone. "Have I ever allowed any of our Host Club members to be harmed by our Clients?"
"No," Tamaki admitted.
"Then what makes you think I'm going to start now?" he pointed out before disappearing to the back room so he could review the audio from today's Host Club meeting.
Tamaki smiled. "Yeah, we'll protect her. She's our clubs new Princess after all…"
When Haruhi arrived back at the club-room (early because she didn't want to be rude). It looked completely different. It was set up with more lights and darker furniture. It almost had the illusion of a bar.
"There you are," Kyoya said walking over to her. He was dressed like a very fancy waiter from a well-to-do restaurant. "Here is your costume for today. Please change behind the curtain..."
She didn't argue but changed rather quickly. When she stood back and looked at herself in the mirror she felt an even bigger sense of foreboding. She wasn't used to this kind of stuff. Her outfit was very similar to Kyoya's only it had a skirt instead of slacks and it came with an apron and it had a ribbon around her ankles and wrists.
She walked out frowning, "Is this really necessary?"
Tamaki who was standing next to Kyoya when she game out looked up at her and smiled. "Look at that waitress outfit, you look adorable!"
"Are costumes important?" she asked.
"Of course," Tamaki explained. "We have a different theme each week, and costumes help keep the feel of the theme."
"Alright," Kyoya said looking at his watch. "We start taking guests in five minutes. Haruhi, here is your earpiece. Remember that we can hear everything, but don't talk directly to us. Lord Ayanokoji should be an easy client. Just talk to him, be nice, offer him food. Things like that. Now, if you don't mind, go ahead and get the trays over there set up with six drinks each tray. Alright?"
"Okay," Haruhi said taking the earpiece which she put in her ear, and she walked over to the table.
Kyoya turned to the rest of the Host Club gathered around him, "It's her first day, everyone keep an eye on her."
They all saluted like soldiers, and the doors of Music Room 3 opened...
Kyoya began greeting some of the richest people Haruhi had ever seen in her life. They seemed to have worn their best for the occasion. Many of the women wearing gorgeous dinner party gowns, and the men in nice pressed suits and ties.
They all sat in groups at various tables (which were arranged to make this place look like a restaurant).
"Uh, do we have food to give these people?"
"Of course," Hikaru said with an expression that told her he found her question stupid. "It's restaurant themed. Why wouldn't we have food?"
"Then… who is doing the cooking exactly?" she asked fearing for a second that was one of her expected tasks. It wasn't that she was a bad cook, but she couldn't imagine cooking for all the people that were piling in.
"We have professional chefs here," Koaru said in an answer to her question.
"Oh good," she said exhaling.
"Get to taking orders Haruhi," Kyoya said appearing behind her from out of nowhere. "We can't visit with our guest if we spend the whole time taking orders now can we?"
"Uh no," Haruhi answered frowning.
So she got to work, many people asked who she was because they had never seen her before. So she had to introduce herself at almost every table.
"Well aren't you cute," said a man at one table when she walked up to it.
"Uh, Hello. My name is Fujioka Haruhi, I'll be taking your order today," she said smiling.
"Yes, let me see…" he said looking at the menu. "I'd like a 5'1" cute little brown sparrow."
Haruhi who had had her pen read to write looked up. "Sparrow?" she said questioning. "I really don't think they put Sparrow on the menu…"
She leaned close to him to look over his shoulder to read it. Sparrow must have been a meal for the rich, but they were such cute birds, she couldn't imagine anyone wanting to eat one…
Kyoya who was by the door greeting customers asked a servant to take over as he pretended to look in more detail at the guest list. He brought his hand up to his face to rest it while he looked, but unknown to onlookers, Kyoya could speak to the rest of the Host Club's earpieces by talking into his wrist watch.
"Haruhi, you're the Sparrow, he's flirting with you," Kyoya pointed out. "Just smile and take their order."
Haruhi blinked realizing how close she was to the man's face and she jumped back. "Uh, Sparrow doesn't seem to be on the menu. Is there anything else you'd like?"
The men at the table started laughing, and they placed real orders after. Haruhi brought her orders to the servant at the door whose job was to run back and forth between there and the kitchen. On her way to another table she spotted Hikaru, talking with a group of guys.
"No seriously," he said grinning. "I'm currently helping my mother in manufacturing a female wardrobe that's male-friendly."
"What exactly does that mean?" one of the guys asked before puffing on his cigar.
"It's a collection of clothes that men can take off easily," here let me demonstrate. "Here, I got my dummy brother to put one one on today. I'll show you… Kaoru!"
Kaoru who had been talking to a small group of women looked up. "One moment ladies…"
He walked over, "Hikaru, we still have work to do before we visit, you should be—."
Hikaru grabbed his arm pulling him in front of the table. "Here watch this," he said. He licked his finger as though preparing to turn the page of a crisp new book and flicked it across the top button on Kaoru's shirt. However, all the buttons fell off and his whole shirt fell open exposing his chest. His face lit but beet red and he immediately closed it.
The girls at the table Kaoru had just left looked rather upset.
"Hikaru!" Kaoru snapped looking thoroughly embarrassed.
"And that boys is how it's done. Now imagine if that had been a girl at your office with double D's. I'm thinking of making a Bra that opens just as easily too," Hikaru said grinning with them.
"Well when you do make it, you send me some. I think my female coworkers are going to get a free outfit day," the man with the cigar said grinning.
Kaoru stormed away looking tearful. One of the women at the table from before half rose from her chair.
"Kaoru-kun, are you alright?" she asked.
At the sound of his brother's name Hikaru looked around, and his expression became slightly panicked as he saw Kaoru's wounded expression.
"Kaoru!" he said hurrying over. "Hey, it was just a joke, don't be like—"
"You're supposed to be my brother, why would you embarrass me like that…" he said fiddling hopelessly with his shirt trying to get it to close without the buttons.
"I... I didn't mean…" he said frowning. "Ah, Damn it…"
Hikaru immediately started unbuttoning his shirt and then pulled it off. The girls at the table all blushed as Hikaru held it out to his brother his face slightly red with either shame or embarrassment. It was hard to tell. "Here, wear mine…"
"Hikaru?" Kaoru said frowning.
"Don't argue," Hikaru snapped ripping Kaoru's shirt off he let it fall to the floor and then pulled his own shirt onto him. "I'm sorry…"
Kaoru smiled and leaned forward kissing Hikaru on the lips. Haruhi who had been watching the scene from the corner of her eye nearly dropped the tray she was carrying out of surprise. Then Kaoru turned back to his table sitting down. "So, Miss… you were telling me about your trip to—"
Hikaru covered his mouth with the back of his hand blushing like mad, and the girls at the table were thoroughly flustered as Hikaru stormed away.
"Health code," Kyoya said when he walked by him. "Go find another shirt…"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it!" Hikaru snapped.
Haruhi blinked. Did he really just kiss his brother?
"Haru-chan!" Honey called from where he was seated. "How much longer on our dessert?"
"Uh…" Haruhi looked at the table number he was at and checked to see the number on the tray she was carrying. "Oh… this is yours…"
"The strawberry one is for Shachou-sama," Honey said looking up with a smile. "I remembered!" he cheered.
Haruhi handed it to him and Honey grabbed his piece after, he was about to take a bit of his own piece when the Company President turned to him. "Let's play a game Honey."
"A game?"
"Yes, here," he said grabbing under his chin he grabbed the strawberry from his cake. "Hold this in your mouth but don't bit into it until I say, and you can eat your piece. If you fail then you don't get your cake…"
He didn't wait for Honey to agree or disagree, but had him bite it lightly. Laughing slightly at how ridiculous he looked he turned back to the people across from him and started talking business to them. Honey did look rather embarrassed, the President's hand ran absentmindedly through Honey's hair and down his neck as he spoke with the people across from him.
"Hey wait a—" Haruhi began only she suddenly felt an arm around her shoulders steering her away. When she looked up she saw it was Tamaki.
"Haruhi let me introduce you to Ayanokoji-sama," he said walking her over to a man who had come in a formal male kimono. He had long red hair, and clearly was not Japanese.
"Hi," she said forcing a smile before glancing back at Honey (who she had not forgotten about). Only Tamaki blocked her line of sight. "Now now, Haruhi. Don't be rude."
"Haruhi is in the same grade as your daughter," Tamaki explained happily. "She's an exemplary commoner student."
"A commoner? Really," he said sounding quite interested as she led her over to a sitting area. "Is it difficult for commoners to get into this school?"
"I'm not sure, I didn't find it too difficult, but I did work and study very hard to be accepted," she pointed out. "As long as someone puts in the effort I don't think it's too—"
"Phew!" Tamaki said smiling and turning to Kyoya with the air of a man who had just skillfully diverted a crisis. Kyoya however wasn't too impressed. He would often put out 100 crises' a day. So, Tamaki's feat was hardly impressive.
"Are you and my daughter friends?" he asked.
"Uh, I just started today, and I didn't even get my schedule yet. So…"
"Well I'll tell my daughter to keep an eye out for you. I'm sure the two of you will be good friends," he said politely.
She had only had a brief glimpse of the girl and from the little she knew of her (and even though Haruhi didn't like to judge) she didn't see their becoming friends as very likely.
The conversation sorta went down hill from there Ayanokoji quickly became bored with Haruhi's talk and she wasn't very skilled at playing off his words to find something he would prefer to talk about. "Alright everyone," Kyoya called to the room at large. "We're going to have a friendly bout between our very own Morinozuka Takashi and Haninozuka Mitsukuni. Please take the next five minutes and place your bets."
Everyone began talking excitedly and Ayanokoji's expression perked up immediately. "A bet? Really?" he said happily.
"Haruhi, who would you bet on between the two of them?" he asked.
"Uh…" Haruhi didn't know them well enough to be able to say. She had never seen either of them fight. "I don't know…"
"Hhmm…" Ayanokoji looked from Honey to Mori from across the room. "I'm gonna have to choose the safe bet. The tall guy has to be the better fighter don't you think?"
"Uh… yeah…." Haruhi shrugged.
If she was betting… she had to admit that she would bet on Mori too.
"Well I guess you're gonna lose that piece of cake Honey," the company president said teasingly. "I wasn't going to say when until today's eveninh was over."
Honey looked sadly at the piece of cake he wasn't going to get to eat after all…
"I'll tell you what, I'll at least show you I have confidence in you. I'll put 400,000 yen on you to win," he said nodding to the man across from him who wrote out his bet on a piece of paper for him. He ran his fingers up Honey's neck into his hairline making him shiver a little. "Don't let me down okay, I could really use the money."
When the final bell was called stating that Honey and Mori should get ready for the fight. Honey got to his feet biting into the strawberry, mostly because he knew he could fight while carrying it.
"Aw, you lost," the President teased.
"Guess so," Honey said flicking the top half of the strawberry at him, and it landed on his pure white suit making a stain instantly upon contact.
"Why you—" he began but Honey had already hopped over the back of the sofa and hurried over to the changing area so he could put on his judo uniform.
"You okay," Mori asked him when it was just the two of them.
"I didn't get my cake…" he said frowning. "It looked really yummy too…"
Mori smiled, "You can have cake later."
The dance floor was immediately turned into a martial arts fighting mat. Honey and Mori walked out before all the people, bowed and then took their stances.
"Last minute call, anymore bets?" Kyoya asked. When no one answered he raised his arm and called, "Begin!"
Immediately Mori and Honey started a fierce battle with kicks and jumps and flips. Haruhi was a bit taken aback by them. She had not expected them to be that good.
Ayanokoji was getting rather excited about the match. He along with a number of other people were screaming joyfully. He had wrapped his arm around Haruhi as he yelled and in the process was swinging her rather roughly around.
The twins had spotted this. Hikaru pushed between her and Ayanokoji cheering just as loud as he was, and Kaoru had appeared at his other side looking awestruck. "Wow Sir! Did you see that!"
He seemed to have forgotten about Haruhi in the commotion and Tamaki took that opportunity to lead her away to the back groom. Kyoya was seated at a table flipping quickly through the bets.
"Hurry and find Ayanokoji-san's name. We have to see who he voted for.
"I was there when he wrote it," Haruhi said. "He voted for Mori-senpai."
Kyoya looked up at her, "You're one hundred percent sure?"
"Yes."
Kyoya clicked some buttons on his watch and then brought it to his mouth, "Mori-senpai, you're to win this match. Honey-senpai, take a dive."
The three of them hurried back out just in time to see Mori slam Honey into the mat pinning him down far enough to the side that his arm was out of bounds.
"Isn't this more like wrestling rather than judo?" she asked frowning.
"Yeah, kinda," Tamaki said smiling.
No one seemed to care, just as long as a victor was determined. The winners were talking excitedly and the losers looked rather grumpy. Then Shachou in the white suit was storming towards the exit rather grumpily.
"I'll be billing you for this suit," he said to Kyoya in a rather annoyed tone as he indicated the stain honey had made on it.
"My apologies," Kyoya said. "If you leave your jacket with me I'll get it dry cleaned myself, and as a courtesy your debt from what you gambled on is waived."
"Well good," he said taking his jacket off and handing it to him. "And I want that brat to bring it back to me personally."
"As you wish Sir," Kyoya said with a polite nod before the man left.
One by one their guests piled out and when the last one was politely steered away Kyoya closed the door behind them sighing. "Finally," he said.
"You did good for your first day," Tamaki said smiling to her as he undid his tie.
"Thanks," Haruhi said frowning.
Honey and Mori were still in their Kendo uniforms and they were sitting on one of the sofa seats talking.
"Honey," Kyoya said frowning at him. "We have to talk about this…"
He held up the man's jacket.
Honey didn't even look up from his bunny toy, "He deserved it."
"Yes, well regardless, I have to pay for the cleaning and the money he lost during his bet…"
"I'll pay that," Honey said frowning.
"Not to mention I said you would bring it back to him personally once it was cleaned," Kyoya told him.
Honey looked up at that. "No way!"
"Honey-senpai," Kyoya said frowning. "You can't let your anger get the better of you in those situations. This is your punishment. Have it cleaned, bring it to him personally and apologize. You know Shachou Haroh-san is the President of one of my Father's partnering Research Facilities."
He handed Honey the coat and added, "We cannot be on his bad side…"
Honey nodded curtly but didn't say anything.
"Alright, everyone. Good job," Kyoya said to the room. "Go ahead and go home."
So Haruhi went and changed and walked out of the school in darkness.
It was odd to be on a school campus this late at night. When she got to the entrance she turned left and started walking to the train station.
When Kyoya arrived home is father called to him through the office door that Kyoya had intended to just pass by. He took a deep breath and turned back walking into the room. "Yes father?"
"How did it go today with Ayanokoji-sama? He asked not looking up from his files.
Kyoya opened up his own file glancing down it, "He seemed entertained. I expect him to come back soon, and we are keeping his daughter quite happy while she's at the club. It seems she still has feelings for Tamaki even after the summer break, so I have put him in charge of looking after her when she's in the clubroom and on field trips."
"How soon can you get me his property?"
"If all goes well, one month," Kyoya answered.
"That's too far away."
"My apologies, when do you want it by?"
"The second you can get it. I need it quickly; I have already started building on it…"
Kyoya who had been preparing to write down a date looked up at that. "You've already started building? Father... you don't own his property yet…"
"That is why I said quickly," he explained. "Besides it his furthest one out in the country-side. He won't likely visit it any time soon. Make this happen Kyoya."
"As you wish," Kyoya said writing the characters for Top Priority on Ayanokoji's file and he instantly began racking his brain for how he could get this done quickly.
"Now, tell me about the new girl…"
"Fujioka Haruhi. The Ayanokoji family supply the money that pays for the charity funds allowing her to attend. She's plain, in many cases rather oblivious. She's good for carrying trays and greeting customers, but I don't think she's gonna have much Host Club potential. She doesn't seem to have much of an appeal. I had assigned her to Ayanokoji-sama thinking she might be best being female and all. However, she had a hard time socializing."
"Understandable, she should get better with practice. Now," he frowned glaring at Kyoya with strict seriousness. "I heard there was a bit of a row between Haninozuka and Haroh-san… Is it fixable?"
"Yes, I have already begun to repair the situation."
"Haroh-san is a very dear and old family friend. If you have to, remind Haninozuka of his place. His family swore to obey the SHO Oukoku no matter what it cost them."
SHO Oukoku, that was the code-name for his Father's vision. What Japan would be called once he took it over.
"I understand Father," he answered.
"Well then. Keep me updated. I'm off to bed…" he said clapping his son on the shoulder as he walked out.
Though he stopped at the door. "Oh, I should let you know that I have chosen a fiancé for you. I would like you to meet her tomorrow. Keep seven o'clock open and wear your best outfit."
Kyoya exhaled deeply, "Yes Father…"
With that he heard his Father head down the hall, and Kyoya sighed taking off his glasses. Did that man really think he could do anything and he would just magically be there to make sure it all worked out? Now he had a fiancé to deal with…
He took a deep breath and then headed upstairs to get to work.
Mori walked home that night heading to the small old fashioned cabin out in the woods. When he got there he slid the door open and found his brother playing video games at their kotatsu, which as the moment was just a table. It wasn't quite cold enough for the blanket yet.
"Did you finish your homework?" he asked him.
"Yup!" he declared happily.
"Then it's bed time," Mori told him closing the door behind him.
"Ah… Taka-ni, I only have three more levels!"
"It will be there in the morning," Mori said taking the controller from him he saved it and turned off the game.
"Fine…" Satoshi said heading towards his room he stopped at the door. "Oh, Taka-ni… I got a mission tomorrow. So I'll be home late."
Mori nodded, and with a wave Satoshi disappeared into his room.
Mori walked over looking at the file that his brother had left so carelessly on the counter. It had all the information of the house he was breaking into, what he would have to steal once he got in there. His brother was supposed to memorize these things and burn them once he had.
Mori walked into Satoshi's room and turned on the light.
Satoshi blinked at the sudden intrusion and sat up. "What's wrong?"
Mori held out the file to him. "Did you memorize this?"
"Not yet…" Satoshi admitted.
"Then do so, burn it as soon as you're done," Mori ordered before going to his room. He sat down interlacing his fingers in thought.
"Take this one," his Master demanded handing Mitsukuni a small tea glass filled with liquid. Taking a deep breath, he swallowed it in one shot. "This one paralyzes you, but you have to stay focused through it. Now on your feet. We'll have a bout to see how long you can fight it."
His teacher set had set a stop watch the moment Honey had drank the liquid, and the two of them got in position for a fight.
Two moves into their bout and Honey already felt it working. His limbs were growing numb. Similar to the feeling of when you fall asleep on your arm, only it was over his entire body. Another lunge and his Master knocked his fighting stick from his hand, Honey fell to his knees.
"Really?" his Master said. "This dose was only slightly stronger than the last one… You should be able to fight this…"
Honey was trying, but as his Master had pointed out many times. His small stature would often mean that regular doses of poison and drugs would affect him twice as much so developing a tolerance to them was essential.
Honey reached for his weapon only his Master kicked it from his reach, and with his foot he shoved Honey to the ground on his back.
"You look upset," his Master said taking the tip of his wooden sword pushing it into Honey's stomach to the point it was evidently painful. "And now your dead. Do you see where your weakness has landed you?"
He pulled the wooden sword back kneeling next to him. "Your Mother now sits crying over your grave, your Father endures the shame of what a failure his first born is, and all the people you were supposed to protect on your mission have now met horrible and gruesome ends."
Honey closed his eyes imagining it, and an overwhelming sense of shame settled in his chest. Failing to protect someone he was in charge of, it was probably his worst fear… He was trying hard to move but his limbs felt heavy and hallow. Similar to the sensation you get when you accidentally fall asleep on your arm, though without the prickliness.
"It was such a low dose that it should wear off in a half hour," his Master said removing from his pocket a small knife. "But you need to endure the indignity of your failure. Or else how will you ever learn?"
He placed the blade on the side of Honey's face, "Your father told me to avoid your face (at all costs) during training. So where else should I start?"
"Ma, we're home!" the twins called when they entered their house.
"Hello Masters," said one of their servants. "I'm sorry, but your Mother is out."
"Is Dad here?" Kaoru asked.
"He is seeing to matters in Hokkaido at the moment."
Kaoru and Hikaru looked at each other, both of them were thinking the same thing…
"Are you hungry? I can request the cooks to make you something."
"Nah, that's alright, we'll be upstairs…"
They went up the stairs and down the hall into the room they shared, Hikaru closed the door after they entered. Their room was large, and they had a King sized bed that they both slept on. Everything was encased in darkness until the lights came on with the flick of the switch.
"Ma and Dad haven't been home in Months…" Hikaru snapped throwing his thing in a corner.
"She said she was coming home today…" Kaoru sighed. "I really thought we were going to get to see her."
"Eh, who cares!" Hikaru snapped. "We only need the two of us anyway…"
Kaoru collapsed on their bed. Yeah, they only needed the two of them. But it would still be nice to see their parents now and again. The last time one of them had been home, they only stayed for a few hours, and they had been gone a few months prior. If he had to add it all up, Kaoru wouldn't have been surprised if the total amount of time they had spent with their parents amounted to one month of their entire memorable lives.
"I'm home!" Tamaki said walking into the second mansion belonging to the Suoh family. Due to certain circumstances, he was not allowed in the main house.
All the servants greeted him with a smile.
"Tamaki-san, did you have a good day at the Host Club!" shouted one of his most energetic servants.
"Fairly good," he said smiling. "We have a new member in our club, and our event today went off without much incident."
"Wonderful," another servant said taking his jacket.
"Master," came the voice of Shima-san the head servant of the second Suoh family mansion. "You should get to bed immediately. Your father wishes to have you sit in on a business meeting at six in the morning."
"Six?" Tamaki looked at his watch. It was already two-thrity. "WHA! I better get to bed then. Goodnight everyone!"
Tamaki was unnaturally close to his servants. In the Suoh family, they treated servants as being a part of the house. Not really people. Tamaki however had become dear friends with them all, and thus they treated him a bit more informally than servants normally did. It was a little like a family rather than a number of servants caring for the young Master of a rich family.
Having only had one day of class their first week, this day started her first full week of classes, and they were more difficult than she thought for two reasons. One, the professors clearly expected a lot. Two, many of the students didn't seem to be taking the class seriously. Haruhi had the suspicion that they were either really smart (and therefore found the work easy). Or they simply didn't care about their grades. She later found out that a lot of them probably got their grades through bribery. For as she was leaving her history class one of the girls (who had been paying the least amount of attention) had gone up to the teacher after class saying, "You're coming to my Father's yacht party still, aren't you Sensei?"
The twins from the Host club were in most of her classes, but even though she said hi, they only vaguely acknowledged her.
"Haruhi," said the voice of the Ayanokoji girl from the other day. Haruhi had been on her way to her next class when she called to her.
"Yes?" Haurhi said.
"I was wondering if you might sit with me at lunch today," she said smiling.
"Uh, that's alright. I like to eat by myself—"
Suddenly an arm was thrown around her shoulders and one of the twins laughingly pulled her close. "Nonsense Haruhi!" he said. Turning to Seika. "She would love to join you."
"Wonderful," she said. "Until then…"
With that Seika and the four girls who seemed to shadow her everywhere departed.
"What are you doing?" Haruhi asked frowning up at him.
"The question is, what are you doing?" Hikaru asked putting his hands in his pocket and staring at her with a disapproving look.
"What?"
"Just because you're not currently in the Host Club room, it doesn't mean you get to act as you please. You still have to be nice to our customers. If they ask you to sit with them, then do it."
"Ugh, even on my time off!" she groaned.
"You don't have a choice," he said turning away shrugging. "None of us do."
Haruhi blinked at that last remark, that she was sure he hadn't realized she heard…
"So you're a commoner," Seika said grinning as Haruhi sat with her and her other friends during their lunch break. "And now a Host Club member? I thought all the Host Club members were supposed to be boys, and yet you got in somehow…"
"Uh… yeah. I'm working there. It helps pay my tuition."
"Surely not all of it," Seika said. "They would have to be paying you an awful lot. Someone else must be footing the rest of your bill."
"Uh… I guess so," Haruhi said. That would make sense. She supposed the school's president was paying for what her service in the Host Club didn't cover.
"My father actually created quite a few charities, one of them being the funds that pays for underprivileged students like yourself to attend institutions such as Ouran," she explained.
"…" Haruhi didn't understand what she was getting at.
"I mean it would be a shame for funding like that to disappear suddenly. You wouldn't be able to afford to go to school here."
Haruhi thought she understood what she was trying to say, and she didn't like it.
"Are you trying to blackmail me?" Haruhi asked bluntly.
"No of course not. Nothing so ominous," she said laughing slightly. "I just thought. Since it is thanks to my family that you're here, it would be nice if you… ingratiate yourself to me a bit. You may start by carrying my bag to my next class."
Haruhi frowned.
"Well," she said. "I'm off then…"
She got up and obstinately didn't even bother to touch her bag as she left.
Is she really expecting me to carry it? Haruhi thought. And after she got a ways away Seika turned back. "Are you coming or not?"
Haruhi glanced down at the bag and her bento box which had had hardly gotten a chance to touch. She sighed. "Yeah…"
She grabbed Seika's bag and hurried after her.
The twins who had been watching from a distance glanced at each other but said nothing. They couldn't hear the conversation from where they were sitting but were already speculating about what had occurred.
At the clubroom, the Princess was certainly taking advantage of the situation. Constantly asking Haruhi to do this and that (in addition to the things expected of her in the Host Club).
"Haruhi, it's good to see you have become such good friends with her Highness," Tamaki said smiling. When Haruhi handed her a cupcake.
"We had a wonderful chat at lunch," Seika said taking the plate from her. "We have decided to be good friends."
"I'm glad to hear it. Haruhi has just started at this school so please take care of her Princess," Tamaki said casting one of his famous smiles.
"Weren't we supposed to get more boys in the club room with Haru-chan here?" Honey asked Kyoya as he watched the scene from afar.
"It's only been a day," Kyoya said. "You can't expect news to travel that fast."
"Yeah, you're right…"
"By the way, did you get the jacket cleaned yet?" Kyoya asked not looking up from his clipboard.
Honey frowned, "Yes, it's clean…"
"So I can trust that you'll deliver it after your club activities then…"
"…"
"Senpai?" Kyoya said more sternly.
"Yeah, fine…"
Smiling Kyoya headed over to another area to check on some of their guests.
Honey was frowning but still eating the cake in front of him. The members of the Host Club sometimes joked, that the day something tragic enough occurred to make Honey stop eating cake. That would be the day the world ended.
"What's wrong Honey? What don't you want to deliver?" asked the girls around him and Takashi.
"It's nothing," he said smiling for them. "I'm fine."
"I'll go with you," Takashi whispered to him softly when there was a point in the conversation with the girls that they were distracted enough to likely not hear him.
Honey looked up at him and smiled. "You're the best Takashi!"
The girls glanced back at that and their eyes sparkled seeing the way Honey smiled up at him.
Haruhi was removing some wilted flowers from one of the club room's vases (as Kyoya had asked her to). Tamaki came over to her smiling. "Is this the new bouquet then?"
Haruhi had set the replacement flowers on the table beside it for the time being. "Yeah."
Tamaki pulled one out and turned to her sliding it behind her ear, "There you go, now even the honey bees will know how sweet you are."
A bunch of girl who were closest to them suddenly fawned with resounding "Awwwwww!"
Haruhi looked up at him strangely, "I don't think honey bees are attracted to this type of flower…"
Tamaki's face fell. Kyoya was right, Haruhi didn't seem to understand flirting at all. He had talked to Tamaki about it that morning over the phone, and he had been instructed to try and make Haruhi more receptive to it. It seemed it was going to be harder than he thought.
"Haruhi!" Seika called suddenly sounding a bit upset.
Haruhi hurried over to her. "Yes?"
"There seems to be a scuff on my shoe… Clean it for me won't you?" she demanded.
Looking kind of annoyed Haruhi sighed, "Let me just go get some polish…"
She hurried off to the storage closet.
"My you're being a tad harsh aren't you?" Tamaki asked eyeing her.
"I believe you are supposed to service me today," she snapped glaring up at him with a half ass smile. "So sit and talk to me…"
Tamaki stared at her for a second as though considering something about her, and then he smiled. "But of course my lady."
Honey stood outside the manor belonging to Shachou Haroh-san. Frowning he held the man's stupid jacket in his hand and stood at the street entrance.
"C'mon," Takashi said urging him forward.
"Takashi you do it!" Honey said pushing the jacket into his arms. "I'll wait here."
"C'mon," Takashi said again. "The sooner you do it; the sooner it'll be over."
Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the jacket and turned back. They walked up to his house and rang the doorbell.
A servant answered.
"Yes?"
"May we see Shachou Haroh-san?" Honey asked dully.
"Oh I'm sorry, the Master is currently out at the moment. He had an emergency business trip to attend."
Honey blinked and suddenly grinned. "That's great! Could you please give this to him and tell him Haninozuka Mistsukuni says he's sorry…"
"Certainly," she said happily taking the jacket from him.
"Thank you! Bye bye!" Honey happily jumped down the steps heading back to the road and Mori followed him.
"Heh heh!" Honey smiled turning around he walked backwards for a minute so he could talk to Mori. "How lucky am I?"
Takashi smiled at how happy he looked. Honey meant a great deal to him, even if he couldn't often show it…
A few Host Club events had gone by now, Haruhi continued to serve the "Princess," but it wasn't bad. She had noticed that Seika became extra commanding whenever Tamaki would speak to her, which she didn't know why. Seika clearly liked Tamaki and for some reason saw her as a threat.
The Host Club was really nice to her while in-club. But outside it, they rarely acknowledged her with anything more than a "hi." She wasn't complaining, but… Everyone in the Host Club had at least one other Host Club member they spoke to regularly outside of the Club. Honey and Takashi, the Twins, Kyoya and Tamaki. She wasn't too upset about it. She liked having the freedom and choice to keep club life separate from school life. Though Seika was making that hard for her.
During one of the days in which she was toting around Seika's stuff she got a glimpse of the Host Club together outside of the club. They were all huddled in a group and seemed to be whispering.
They all had serious looks on their faces, even Honey who most of the time was smiling and cheerful.
"Uh…" Haruhi started heading in their direction to ask them what had happened when Seika's hand stopped her.
"Where are you going Haruhi?" she looked in the direction she was headed, and when she saw the group her eyes narrowed and she smiled.
She started walking towards them, "Oh Tamaki!"
Tamaki looked up and smiled.
The files they were looking at were closed immediately as they came towards them. Kyoya tucked the papers under his arm, Honey leaned back clutching to his bunny and smiling up at Takashi. The twin wrapped an arm around each other and moved to block what Kyoya had stowed away.
"Hello my Princess," Tamaki said smiling.
"What are you all doing, huddled together all secretively…" she asked smiling.
"Planning our next Host Club event," he said. "We want all the ladies to be surprised."
"Host Club event?" Haruhi said under her breath. If that's the case shouldn't she be a part of it? She was a member of the Host Club after all... right?
"What are we doing?" she asked Tamaki.
"Oh uh… we're doing…" he paused. They clearly had not been discussing that subject.
Kyoya took a step forward. "We're holding a Samurai era event."
"Oh, my. Well I can't miss that. I'd love to see you in a Samurai uniform," Seika said smiling. "Will that be tonight?"
"Unfortunately no," Kyoya said. "It'll take some time to order the uniforms. But I will inform you personally which day we will host that event."
"Wonderful," she said grinning, she placed a hand on Tamaki's cheek. "I'll see you tonight."
She turned heading out.
"What were you guys—" Haruhi began but stopped abruptly when Seika called to her.
"Haruhi! I'm leaving!" she snapped.
"Yeah sorry," Haruhi sighed. If the Host Club didn't want to involve her then what did it matter… It's not like she cared that much…
"Haruhi," Tamaki whispered.
She turned back and Tamaki leaned close to her, "Put up with her for just a little while more…"
With that he waved and loudly declared, "See you at the club Haruhi."
Him and the rest of the Host club headed off in different directions.
What did he mean a little while more…
It was Friday again, just before the Samurai Themed Host Club event was to meet with their guests Kyoya called a meeting with everyone so they all sat together waiting to hear what this was all about.
"Haruhi, you can go ahead and start getting ready," Tamaki said smiling. "I'm sure we'll just discuss some boring matters…"
Haruhi frowned. Left out again… Whatever, she didn't really care too much. Knowing by now where her locker room changing area was she shrugged and started heading in that direction. "Alright then, see you soon."
"Actually Tamaki, this meeting concerns her as well. She can stay," Kyoya explained as he came in the room, so she took a seat with everyone else feeling horribly uncomfortable in the poofy dress that was the girl's school uniform, she hated putting it on every day.
"Haruhi, do you understand yet what we're doing here?" Kyoya asked.
"Uh, not… really," she admitted. "I mean you guys are like spies I guess. You get information for your families…"
"And do you understand why we do that?"
"Um… so they can be richer?" she asked.
Hikaru snickered at her simple answer.
"Alright," Kyoya said. "Let me try asking you this… What are the things every civilization needs?"
"As far as…" she urged not quite sure what he was getting at.
"Necessities, if you were building a country from scratch what are the first issues you would address?"
"Let's see…" Haruhi said contemplating the question. Everyone was looking at her waiting for her answer and she felt a bit put on the spot. "Food and water, Shelter, Health, Safety and… Clothing."
"The bare essentials," Kyoya said fixing his glasses. "Now think of the members of our Host Club. Do you know what our families do?"
"Uh… not in details," Haruhi admitted.
"The Suoh family has a number of hotels, restaurants and construction companies. Which covers the first two on that list. My family specializes in health and medicine. We own the largest portion of hospitals and research facilities in Japan. The Haninozuka family has been responsible for the safety of the Japanese citizens for countless generations and have trained almost every Japanese army in history dating back to the days of the Samurai (though many believe it stems back even further). The Hittachins are directly and indirectly responsible for over 70% of the clothing manufactured here as well."
Haruhi looked around at everyone. What did this mean exactly…?
"Our parents are seeking to control every aspect of this country from its food it's clothes. This would put just a handful of families in control of our entire country. That is what our parents are seeking, and that is what we are trying to give them…" Kyoya explained. "By knocking out or buying out any competitors they may have; we are slowly getting closer to this goal."
She looked around at them all, and for the first time the full weight of just how powerful their families were seemed to hit her.
"Now, can you think of anything that would be useful to civilizations that aren't necessarily a necessity?"
"Uh…" Haruhi had to think a minute on that one. "Education, technology, weaponry, transportation…"
She hesitated on the last one looking up at him, and he responded with one of his cold smiles. "As you may or may not be aware, the members of the Host Club in addition to being diligently versed in our families' respected fields. We are also the top students in our grades. Each of us coming in as first or second in our respective years. Thus Education-wise we are at the top. Each of us has a specialization in technology as well. For example, I am well versed in coding and hacking, and Honey-senpai is studying to be an engineer, etc. Tamaki's family even runs this school. Now, as far as transportation and weaponry are concerned. We don't have a Host Club member with a focus on those fields. Which brings me to what I called you all here for. Our newest Host Club member comes from a family that specializes in those fields…"
"Wha!" Honey blinked. "We have another new host club member!?"
"Yes," Kyoya said fixing his glasses once again. "And today is her first day. So everyone keep an eye on her."
"HER!?" they all gasped together.
The door to the club room opened and in stepped a girl with long dark blonde hair and brown eyes. "Oh, I guess this is the right place after all!"
"Yes, Renge please come in," Kyoya said, and he turned to the rest of the Host Club smiling one of his cold smiles. "This is Houshakuji Renge. She is… my fiancé."
Everyone looked floored.
"It's nice to meet you all, I will be running this club with my beloved Kyoya from today on…"
"Running?" the twins said together.
"Well, we don't have time to discuss that," Kyoya said. "The guests will be arriving soon."
"Did he plan us running out of time to talk about this development?" Tamaki asked frowning.
"Yeah, he planned it…" the twins said sighing.
"Well at least then Haruhi isn't our little newbie anymore…" Tamaki said patting her head as he walked by her. "C'mon everyone, let's get dressed… It's show time…"
Haruhi went to her changing area and found a pile of clothes. "Am I really supposed to wear all of this?"
Renge walked in behind her. "You sure are," she said grinning.
"I'll help you change if you want," she said walking over picking up one of the many fabrics. "The Edo era Japanese Princess gowns can be difficult to put on…"
"Japanese Princess?" Haruhi sighed. "Why do I have to be a Japanese Princess?"
"Well what do you want to be, a Japanese Edo era commoner?" she snapped frowning. "I picked these characters because they have a romanticized appeal. No one has fantasies about commoners. They have fantasies about nobel worriers, rich people, and royalty! Now take off your clothes so we can get moving."
"Are you really Kyoya-senpai's fiancé?" Haruhi asked after taking off her dress.
"Sure am," she said as she helped Haruhi pull the massive garments around her. "His Father choose me a few days ago, so I was flown here from France to get to know him."
"So, your family deals with transportation and weaponry?" Haruhi asked.
"Well my parents have a number of car factories and airline manufacturing companies, and we do have a few factories that make weapons like guns, bombs, etc. I am expert at disarming and constructing bombs," she finished her sentence just as she tied the last robe on the dress. "There we go… You look beautiful!"
"What are you dressing up as?" Haruhi asked her.
"I am the noble wife of a Samurai," she said hurrying to put her outfit on. "Unlike what most people think, a number of samurai wives were almost (if not just) as fierce as their husbands. They were trained in the art of fighting as well to often defend their homes and children from intruders."
She spun around when she had put all of it on. "Don't I look like a fierce Samurai's wife?"
"You look like a foreigner in Japanese clothes…" she said.
Renge looked a little hurt by that so she added, "But you know Tamaki-senpai and Honey-senpai probably will too…"
When they came back into the club room the boys were already finished, Mori was helping Honey-senpai fix his bandana.
"Oh you all look great! Mori, be constantly fixing Honey's clothes and helping him with various things, that's the mark of a good nenja after all…" Renge said grinning.
"Do you mean ninja?" Haruhi asked.
"No, nenja," she corrected immediately. "The nenja was the adult Samurai who would take on a young boy as their apprentice, they teach them the art of the Samurai not to mention acts of love until the younger of the two came of age. It was much like a marriage, with a loyal bond until one of the pair met an untimely death. They were forbidden from having other same-sex partners, but women for either of them was fine. So both parties could still be married, even though a bond between the two would never die! Isn't it romantic!"
"I wouldn't call it that…" Haruhi said frowning.
Tamaki who had been talking with Kyoya turned then and his face lit up when he saw Haruhi in her Japanese Princess gown.
"Uh…"
Haruhi turned to him blinking… "Yes?"
"Nothing…" he said turning away. "You look nice Haruhi… I mean… Oujou-sama."
Haruhi sighed at the title. "Alright, let's get this over with… This outfit is heavy…"
"Get used to it," Kyoya said. "It's Friday remember, so you'll be wearing that tonight too."
"Oh yeah," Haruhi frowned.
She really wished she could just quit this stupid Host Club...
The doors opened and the Host Club student guests came piling in.
Yet another one I'm debating on keeping or not. This will probably be my darkest OHSHC story. So, if you prefer more lighthearted stories, my other Host Club stories might be for you. Those other ones will have dark moments occasionally (as I feel every good story has a dark moment here and there). However this one will have many, and I know some people don't like that, especially with the actual show being more often than not upbeat.
Thus, if you want it continued review so I know there is interest. If there is no interest it won't likely be updated. I have a lot of stories and I prefer to focus on stories people want to read.