They say Ouran Academy is famous for the rich snobby kids that take what they have for granted. At least that what it's like where I live. Don't get me wrong, my family has lots of money as well and I don't have it nearly as hard as other kids. But I work for what I get. I got into Ouran Academy with a scholarship, academic wise.
Ive also heard rumors about this thing called a host club. I laughed at the idea and waved it off. I didn't believe it until I saw it. But I never saw what it really was, until I believed it.
My names Ichigo Fable, strange last name I know but, let's just say my family history goes out of japan. This year I planned to study and keep in touch with my old friends back in my old town. But, well let's say things didn't go to plan.
:::
I walked in carrying my school supplies and wearing the long yellow dress they gave as a uniform. I watched as people chatted with the ones next to them and lazily drifted from place to place. I sighed and pulled out he small map they gave me.
"Now wheres my classroom?" I mutter and tap my toe. I searched through the school and finally found the room I was supposed to be in. "Bingo."
After a few minutes of getting my bearings I was finally on the path to the classroom. I walked fast down the hall compared to the drifters that were wasting their time. I shouldered my bag and tightened the ribbon in my hair.
"Ah!" I exclaimed surprised as I ran into some person carrying a big brown bag. The contents of it spilled out as my books crashed onto the floor. We both created a gap in the hallway where people walked around. Thanks classmates I can count on.
"Sorry!" The person said and started cleaning up. together we sorted out what was mine and what was theirs. When we finished I looked up at them. They were wearing a boys uniform but...that voice sounded feminine.
"I'm sorry too, I should've looked where I was going." I said slowly and cautiously. Why would someone be carrying instant coffee anyway?
"it's okay." They said and I stood up, letting them take my hand to get up. They were about to leave when I suddenly felt the instinct to say something.
"I'll help carry some of that if you need, where are you going?" I said and they smiled. I widened my eyes and looked at them closely. This was definitely a girl, so why did they have on a boys uniform?
"Thanks, I'm going to music room 3 the host club." She said dividing the coffee between us. wait did she just say host club? "After that I'll be heading to class."
"My names Ichigo by the way, and what's the host club? I'm new." I say and she widens her eyes.
"I'm Haruhi Fugioka. The host club is...well you'll find out. I got dragged into in a complicated manner but I'm starting to enjoy it." Haruhi said and I smiled.
We chatted down the hall and turns out we have the same classes as each other. Also she broke one the expensive vases they have here and at first they made her do all the chores, then they decided that she should be a host. I'm still confused on what that means but..
"Here we are." She says and opens the door. Rose petals fly out and the very bright light blinds me for a second. When the rose petals die down before me stands six guys.
"Who'd you bring back with you haruhi?" A orange haired guy asked. Wait are they're row of them. Oh they're twins, pretty identical too huh?
"Hikaru this is one of our new class mates." Haruhi said and walked in. I followed her and sat down my half of the coffee next to hers on a table. I turn to look at the other guys. As I do the blonde guy flips his hair and struts up to me.
"Well well Hikaru that's no way to treat a new guest! Whats your pretty name for a pretty girl?" He ask. I hold back a laugh and pull a strand of hair out from my face.
My hair is a bright red, that's why I'm named Ichigo. instead of my usual pony tail my father insisted I look my best today. So I wore the dumb uniform and curled my hair. I had mascara and lip gloss on just for show. My eyes are ice blue and there's a ribbon of the same color tied at the back of my head.
"My names Ichigo," I say and look at haruhi then back at the boy. I shouldered my bag and galnced at a clock. We don't have much time left before class starts."Yours?"
"Why thank you for asking! My names Tamaki Suo-" whatever he was going to say after that was interrupted by the two twins nearly jumping on his back. I tilted my head as he struggled underneath him.
"If you don't mind us asking, how did a girl like you get involved with haruhi?" One of them asked. I took a step back and surveyed them as they were pushed off by tamaki.
"We ran into each other in the hallway. Kaoru quit that." She said and I smiled amused at their silliness.
"What do you mean by a girl like me?" I ask and the one I think named hikaru turned back to me. He looked embarrassed as if he didn't expect me to ask that.
"Nothing, you just seem to come from a...wealthier family." he said and I instantly get it. They must think I'm the girl to spend all my time on makeup and girly things like that. Haruhi mentioned something about not being from the wealthiest of families.
"Hikaru look at her. She obviously doesn't do her makeup that often. I mean look at her. She's got mistakes all over her face. Just think about the pressure she must have. She's another girl who got in by scholarship-" kaoru started but stopped when he looked at me. My cheeks were flaming and I was tensed.
"Well while your standing her judging people on how they look why don't pay attention to something more obvious. I don't know about you but I think it's rude to make a girl carry all of that coffee by herself. We ran into each half because she couldn't see over that bag!" I say and turn around sharply. I march out of the room and slam the door behind me. Watch them be late to class.
As I hurried down the hallways I dug in my bag for my book. I stopped abruptly and looked through it furiously. No! That book was a gift, where could it be? Back at the host club maybe. Did it fall out? I glanced at the clock again and started moving.
Since I was little I have practiced the art of swordsmanship. I brought the book here after receiving it for an early birthday present, I wanted to read it at lunch.
I sighed and entered the class room. Not many people were in there yet so I walked up to the teacher to get instructions. I sit in the back, next to...oh no. I breathed deeply and sat down in my chair. Beside me was haruhi, on the other side was hikaru. In front of hikaru was kaoru...just great.
I kept my head in one of the other several books I brought and paid them no attention. At the end of class Kaoru looked like he wanted to say something but I shot him a glance and he backed off.
Instead of eating in the cafeteria I ate in the classroom. When I opened the door I saw haruhi already there.
"Yo." I say and sit down next to her. She looks up at me surprised as I pull out a book.
"your not going to eat in the cafeteria?" She ask after a few seconds and I shrug.
She looked my up and down and I took a bite out of a samwhich before replying. "I don't really know anyone here except for you and the Other few." I say awkwardly. "There's no real point to sitting down there where it's so noisy." I say and glance at her. Her eyes looked intelligent and I was struck with the feminine feeling.
"I understand, I don't like to eat down there either." she says and I set my book to the side of the desk.
"hey, I know it's not my place to ask, but are you...a girl?" I ask as the curiosity burns through me. She widens her eyes at my suggestion and waves her hand dismissing it.
"Where in the world would you get that idea?" She ask nervously and I decide to give it straight.
"Well the frame work of your face is one thing. Lots of girl have short hair, just doing it like a guy won't hide your facial features. Also you seem genuine feminine. Half way kinda, like your trying to be a boy but the girl in you can't be pushed down." I say and she looks down at her lunch as if deciding what to say.
"Listen, I don't mind you knowing, but can you keep it a secret? The situation is pretty complicated." She says and I smile.
"Of course I can. Like I said it wasn't really my position to ask so I don't see why I would have any right to say anything." I continue eating my lunch but instead of reading I talk with haruhi.
By the end of lunch I was feeling much better. I hadnt really forgiven the boy yet but I wasn't fumed up by it anymore. I made it through the rest of the day normally and when it was time to go home I started looking for my book.
I was running through one of the hallways I had been in when I ran into a tall man. I fell to the ground and winced. I stood up and met the boys eyes. I was hit with a waved of sophistication, this was someone from the host club. I think I saw him standing in the back.
"I'm sorry! I'm looking for this one book you see. I lost it." I say and walk around him start running again. I glance over my shoulder and he watches me carefully. I go red and and turn around. Focus on finding the book.
Eventually I make my way to the hallway where the host club is. Yet again I run into someone else. this I stand up and barely give them a glance, I don't have much time till I have to get home.
"Sorry! Im running into-" my voice is cut off by a gasp escaping me. The boy I had run into this time grabbed my wrist and pulled me back off my run. "Ow!" I say and he pulls my arm up. I let out a moan and look into his eyes.
"show some respect girl!" He says and I Cringe in pain.
"I said sorry." I say and a boy next to him knees me in the stomach.
"That's not enough! What do you take us for?" He ask and the boy pulls my other arm up behind my back. He yanks it hard and slaps me. Despite myself I feel the world around me start going hazy as they keep inflicting pain. I suddenly realize who they must be.
"Now say your sorry politely miss or-" the big one starts to say but someone interrupts him.
"Or what you punk?!" He says and TamakI suddenly kicks him in the stomach. he drops me and I fall into someone's arms.
"She said sorry the first time you jerk!" says the one holding me and I look to see Kaoru. I widen my eye and the biggest one out of the group, haruhi called Mori, Stepped up threateningly to the second one.
"I suggest you leave this instant, and my father might resist from causing your family too much trouble." The boy I ran into earlier says. I close my eyes and sink into Kaoru's arms.
"Is she alright?" Haruhi's voice pierces through and I open my eyes. I wasnt in Kaoru's arms anymore. I was lying in the school infirmary with an ice pack on my stomach and head.
"Those were a couple of martial arts masters, not as good as honey or Mori but pretty good. She might be out for a while." Tamaki a voice say and I open my eyes to see the entire host club sitting around my bed.
"Oh look! She's awake." A little boy says and I blink at him. I puta hand on my head and groan.
"Well good morning!" Tamaki says and stands up brightly, a new energy burst runs through him. Haruhi smiles and the one of the twins, Kaoru, breaths a sigh or relief.
"So." the intelligent one said and it urn my attention to him. "Are you feeling any better Miss Fable?" He ask, when did I ever tell him my last name? I roll both my shoulders, poke a few spots on my face, and then poke my stomach in various places.
"It still hurts but I'll manage." I say and slip off the bed. The little boy moves so I can stand up and I turn to the others.
"There's a car being brought up to take you home incase." He says and I nod.
"thank you, all of you, for helping me back there." I say shyly. I was starting to feel inclosed. Like I was trapped in a ditch, and the only way to get up was to follow the underground tunnel to the side of it.
"The thing that I'm confused about." He starts and looks at me with piercing eyes. "Is why they were so violent. They aren't the particular kind for bullying. Do they have any grudges against you, any reason they might take a casual mistake more seriously like that?" He ask and a heartbeat later I shake my head.
I don't know why I decide to lie to them, but I guess I felt a defensiveness. Maybe I wanted to protect myself or maybe I didn't want them to be hurt. Either way I pretended I didn't know them that day. I went home in the car that day and arrived at my home late. I made up an excuse and went to bed early.
The next few days whet by smoothly. When I got to school Id head straight for my classroom and during lunch I'd talk to haruhi. After class I'd look for my lost book and when I for home I studied and practiced Iaijutsu or Kenjutsu.
I should've guessed it though, it wouldn't be the last time I encountered the host club. Whether it was being friends with haruhi, or being in the same class, or just destiny, they drew me near them. I wanted to have something to do with them.
Five days later I sat down against the wall and put my head on my knees, curled up in a ball. I guess it's time to face the facts I won't get that book back. I sighed and silently groaned at the thought of telling father I lost it.
"Uh, Ichigo?" Someone asked and I looked up. If I didn't expect to see the twins there, I wasn't expecting seeing only one twin there. Kaoru stood before looking awkward. His hand was behind his head and he was holding something out to me.
"What's this?" I ask and look at what was in his hand. A book. My book! I grabbed it and widened my eyes happily as I flipped the cover to see my name scratched in. "You found it! I've been looking everywhere for it! Thank you so much!" I say adj look up to see him staring at me surprised. I'd forgotten all about his rude remark.
"Right." he says and glances away for a second before looking back at me. "Do you, fight with swords?" He asked and I tilt my head thinking about how to respond.
"It's called Iaido. Or kenjutsu." I say imitate drawing a sword and slicing someone. "I also do Iaijutsu."
He nods and then gives me a weak smile. What was with this guy. It's like he wants to talk but can't, that or someone told him to ask that and wasn't really interested. "Well, I gotta go." He says and walks off. I stare after him for a second before turning around and slipping the book happily into my bag.