Chapter One
Oops!
I am so dead. Dead, dead, dead. Doornail dead.
Taratami flew down the corridor as fast as her short legs could take her, her mind still slightly sleep induced and only just beginning to enter full panic mode. It was deathly silent at this time in the morning what with all the students of Ouran Academy busily working or carelessly day-dreaming in class. Exactly where Taratami should be right now, exactly where she was hurrying to right now. Only once before had she ever been late and it wasn't exactly a joyous experience - not with Mr Tsu as a maths teacher. He has a deep dislike for Taratami and her family, them being the main reason for ruining his family's business and leaving the current Mr Tsu with no other option but to opt out and work at Ouran Academy, a place he had once went to, as a teacher of maths. Taratami did not understand why the hostility was directed at her but nevertheless dealt with it without complaint. Much.
Of course that didn't stop her from hating his guts with a fiery passion unexpected of such a small person.
"Ah, Ms Lipsei. How nice of you to join us. Once again late and without an apology? Well, I guess it's only to be expected from such a family as yours."
The nerve...
"Sorry sir, it won't happen again." She said between gritted teeth, her head low and her cheeks burning.
"See that it doesn't please, or else. Now, as I was saying..."
Tara drifted out as soon as Mr Tsu's rather montonous voice, that he always used when sarcasm was no longer needed, began it's daily duty of boring everyone to death. Tara, one of the lucky ones, had a window seat so she at least had something to gaze at to pass the time. Others, the majority, like the Hitachiin Twins lay slumped over their desks while some, the minority, like Haruhi Fujioka sat with rapt attention, listening to Mr Tsu's every word. Tara wondered idly what it must be like to have your life balanced on your education only. She, like everyone else who attended Ouran, had both wealth and connections behind her to ensure she lived both a comfortable and fabulous life. Haruhi had none of that. Only his brains. She didn't know why but Tara respected that more than she thought possible. After all Haruhi was free whilst she was not. No matter how much money you had, one thing you can never buy is freedom.
The class passed slowly (as to be expected) and when the bell sounded, a harmonious sigh left the lips of the pupils held within, Mr Tsu included. He, although working in a school, never liked children all that much and found the day most pressing on his nerves. Especially with pupils like that damn Taratami Lipsei reminding every day of his family's misfortune.
With a lightness of foot that could be seen within all the pupils leaving Mr Tsu's class, Tara left the classroom happily, joined quickly by her friends Satsamu Hieru and Lipsana Tutsama. Linking arms on either side of Taratami, they gushed happily about nonsensical matters all the way to their second class and then through it. Taratami liked their constant chatter as all quiet people do - it means that they themselves do not have to provide any impute or start another conversation after the previous one had gone dead, they just have to sit back and provide monosyllable answers every now and again. Some days she would listen to their chatter, perhaps contribute more than one-word-answers but today she wasn't feeling very into it - just happy to soak it all up and enjoy the feeling of companionship.
That was until the subject of the Host Club suddenly popped up.
"I mean how can they all be so gorgeous?" Satsamu said forcefully, "And yet none of them take on any girlfriends. It's so unfair!"
"Tell me about it. Sure, getting an appointment with them and having their attention on you for a little while is great and all but sometimes you just want to jump them there and then, you know what I mean?"
"Lipsana!" the other two girls said together but truthfully not surprised by her bluntness. She was known throughout for it.
"Well I would! And so would you Satsa, although you would never admit it."
"That is because I am a lady of good breeding." Satsamu lifted her head high to emphasise her point.
"Huh, yeah right." Lipsana mumbled making Tara laugh and Satsamu frown.
"I don't know what you're laughing about Tara, you don't even go to the club."
"Yeah, what is with that? How can it not appeal to you?" Lipsana stared down at her, plain uncomprehending in her blue eyes. The Tutsama's, high-end air travel owners among other things, both excelled in beauty and business and Lipsana was no exception. Logical to the core, she was an apt business woman. Topped off with dark, brown hair that stayed ram-rod straight and piercing blue eyes, a strikingly tall figure and elegant stance, she was one of the lucky ones. Only her attitude and sometimes hostile forwardness prevented her from moving any higher in the ranks of popularity but those who knew her well, few that they were, would only add this trait to the list that made her a very desirable friend.
Not that she cared.
Satsamu was the complete opposite however. Also tall, this was where the similarity's ended. Satsamu was curved in all the right places and walked with a confident stride and a beaming white-teethed smile that would make anyone fall head-over-heels, desperate to be her friend. Blonde wavy hair and bright green eyes that missed nothing completed the picture and a kind, friendly manner put most people in her favour and she knew it. She was not afraid to admit that she strived, although not much, to make people like her and this, some could say, was the reason she had more of an obsession with the occupants of the Host Club than one would think.
No matter how hard she tried, they just weren't interested.
Lastly, there was Taratami. Small, thin but not flat, she was similar to a child and often gave people an unexpected urge to protect her from the horrors of the outside world. Shy yet sweet, nervous yet enthusiastic, she was some what a mystery to those who met her, never speaking more than she needed to yet always having something interesting to say when she did. Her short ringleted hair and big brown eyes added to the child effect as did her innocent, almost naive, manner. No one really knew, although her friends were beginning to see, that she had a core of steel and partial logical mind that, although it did not quite rival Lipsana's, certainly excelled Satsamu's. Prone to bouts of childish mischief and hour-long day-dreams, she did not excel in school but was rather hanging on, tutoring from both Lipsana and Satsamu keeping her from getting chucked altogether.
"It doesn't not appeal to me, I just don't have the time. I'm lagging behind in History already and we're not even two weeks into the second term."
"Yeah, but everyone's entitled to at least one evening off. It won't kill you." Satsamu pointed out. Suddenly her eyes brightened. "I know! You'll come tonight!"
"Wha-?"
"I've got it all figured out! We shall request a presence with Tamaki Suoh and then you'll see how fun it is! Oh this is brilliant!"
"Calm down Satsamu, I haven't said yes yet."
"You don't have to! I can see it in your eyes. Oh, I need to go, there's my class. You are coming Taratami, even if I have to drag you. Oh this is going to be so great!"
Satsamu was also a victim of sudden and forceful bouts of over-enthusiasm.
"Oh dear." Tara sighed.
Lipsana chuckled. "Don't worry kido, it's not going to be that bad."
"One man's Hell is another man's Heaven."
"I don't think that's the-"
"Yes I know." With that Tara veered sharply and disappeared round the corner. To say she was completely not looking forward to the little event would be a lie.
A small one but nevertheless.
She was, truthfully, a little bit thrilled and excited by the sudden change in the evening activities and felt comparatively less guilty about missing an evening of studying than normal. It wasn't as if she needed to stay at Ouran but she wanted to. Her friend's were here and she didn't exactly enjoy the thought of transferring to another school once again. With a sigh she slipped into a familiar day-dream, which consisted of good grades and parents approval, that consequently lead to disaster.
"Watch out!" Tara gasped and raised her head sharply but too late. Something solid slammed into her body, knocking the breath out of her and sending her crashing to the floor, her books flying everywhere. She momentarily blacked out by the impact of her head thumping against the hard, wooden floor but she came back with a start when she realised just who had careened into her.
Hikaru Hitachiin looked down vaguely at the slight figure beneath him and wondered what was going on. Oh yeah! He had been running from his brother when all of a sudden a girl had walked round the corner and it had been to late to stop the inevitable crash that sent them both reeling. Looking down now he wondered who he was possibly on top off as he couldn't recognise her at all. Surely she must have been at the Host Club at some time? But when? Did he and his brother entertain her? Or was it somebody else? Honey perhaps, she looked like the cutesy child type. In fact, she was rather cute if you were into that sort of thing. Hmmm, who was she though?
Tara, unaware of the boys current mind assessment, tried unsuccessfully to wriggle out beneath him.
"Ex-excuse me?" She said quietly, still recovering what breath she could with this rather heavy male on top of her. "Hey, can you... can you please move? I can't... can't really breath."
"Huh? Did you say something?"
Tara sighed and decided to take a leaf out of Lipsana's book. "Move... please." She couldn't help adding the please.
"Oh. Yeah sure. Of course. Well this is not what I expected to be doing today." He climbed off her and instantly she wanted to pull him back. Startled by this sudden notion, Tara blamed it on the fall. "Sorry about that, I wasn't really looking where I was going."
"It's all right. I wasn't looking where I was going either." She brushed her dress down and looked Hikaru in the face.
And regretted it.
Feeling a blush blossom, she quickly looked away. He was gorgeous, she couldn't help but think. Medium height with yellowish-brown eyes and bright orange hair, he sent unfamiliar chills down her spine and into the pit of her stomach.
"Nah I shouldn't have been running anyway. Hey, you sure you're okay?" He genuinely looked concerned which surprised both of them. Hikaru because of the extent of his consternation and Tara because she had heard all about the mischievous Hitachiin brothers.
"Yeah, I'm fine rea-" Tara gasped suddenly when she put pressure of her left ankle.
"Oh dear. That doesn't sound good."
"No really, I'm fine. Honest. Ah!" Okay maybe trying to walk wasn't the best of ideas. Yet Tara wanted to leave as soon as possible, she didn't like the fluttering going on in her stomach one bit.
"Hey Hikaru, why'dya stop? Who's this?" Kaoru skidded to a halt beside his twin and if it wasn't for the differently parted hair, Tara would have forgotten which one was which. The fact that she found Hikaru gorgeous and evidently felt uncomfortable to be in his presence doubled now that his twin appeared, adding another bout of butterflies to her stomach and shivers up her spine.
"I don't know. Never seen her before have you?"
"Hmm, don't think so. Wait! She sits next to you in maths, you know, by the window?"
"Oh yeah. What's her name again? Saratami? Ranasami? Quoatami?"
"Taratami." Tara said, her ankle starting to throb. I need to get to the infirmary, she thought, looking down at her swelling ankle with dismay. I need to convince them I'm fine and get them to leave. Quickly. She didn't think she could handle it if they offered to help her – she had no doubt that she would do something incredibly embarrassing.
"Taratami? Pretty." They said simultaneously, both noticing the rising blush and enjoying it immensely. Doing as they had done many times both in and out the Host Club, the twins slipped into the familiar role of Hosts and quickly set to work.
"Let's have a look at that ankle shall we?" Kaoru said, crouching down and picking up her foot delicately causing Tara, who was not one for balance, to once again fall backwards towards the relenting floor. This time, however, she was caught by a warm, solid body that could only be Hikaru. His hands landed her waist sending fire coursing through her body and goosebumps rising along her arms, which Hikaru noticed gleefully.
"Are you cold?" He whispered seductively in her ear.
Kaoru removed her shoe and sock, paying no heed to Taratami's objections, and tutted. "It's as I thought. Well, Hikaru you have certainly caused some damage." He probed gently with his long fingers causing Tara to gasp at both the contact and the pain. Hikaru pulled her closer against his chest all the while grinning hugely although Tara couldn't see it.
"Well now Kaoru, we just can't leave her here with that ankle. We shall have to escort her to the nurse."
"I agree, brother. Wouldn't be very gentlemanly of us if we did leave her."
"No! No really I'm fine. Seriously! I can get there myself, I swear." Tara wriggled her way free of Hikaru's arms and tried desperately to show them by walking confidently but as soon as she took a step her ankle gave way and she once again fell towards the floor this time to be caught by Kaoru and his warm, hard body. I'm not getting anywhere! Tara thought piteously.
"Fine huh?" Said the elder twin.
"I don't think so." Finished the younger twin. "You're coming with us."
And with that, the ground left her as Kaoru swept her up bridal-style, laughing when his captive let out a very unladylike strangled squawk. After struggling for a bit Taratami finally gave up and slumped in defeat.
Oh dear.
Hello! Well this is my first chapter of my first story about Ouran High School Host Club and I have this overwhelming paranoia that I am not sticking to the characters correctly so please, please, please tell me if there is anyway in which to improve them!
Reviews would be amazing and would make me feel all warm and cuddly so please send me one! Thanks xxx