Summary: Kyoya had just been ordered by his father to court Haruhi, will he act upon it or not? With him acknowledging that Haruhi is attractive and in his taste, will he do it with the risk of losing his friendship with Tamaki? Meanwhile, Tetsu Sakaya was being abused by her stepfather when coincidentally she bumped into Haruhi, her childhood friend, while working in a restaurant. Haruhi offered refuge. Tetsu reluctantly accepted. Kyoya just had to take over the responsibiliy to impress Haruhi.

Notes: Slight Tamaki/Haruhi, brief Kyoya/Haruhi but mostly Kyoya/oc

Notes: Post-series

Disclaimer: I do not own ouran host club.

Chapter 1

Kyoya Ohtori sipped the tea, his eyes averted towards the reddish brown liquid but his attention was on the quiet conversation between his father and his older brother.

"I'd consider your choice of wife," his father decided looking at the 24-year-old man. "Her family history is clean enough but the --- scandal had yet to be cleared up." His brother nodded and continued with his tea, content that the argument he had with his father was not futile after all.

Their father, like most wealthy families in Japan, was businesslike in all issues. It was all profits and gains and nothing more. Marriage must be profitable, a good dowry must be acquired, the woman had to be capable to earn profit for the family or just be intelligent, respectable, dignified individual worthy to carry the family name.

Kyoya and his brothers, like all descendants of those principles, never bothered to look for the right partners to meet those needs and demands; their parents would do the chore themselves, as tradition. Kyoya secretly thought that the tradition was periods past and need not be practiced but it did not really matter. His female peers rarely enticed his taste; they often left him wondering the cause of their dullness and superficiality. Whatever he was offered that would benefit the company funds and the family's prestige, it would be alright, his feelings or lack thereof for that fateful individual did not matter. Besides, he was only seventeen, still too young to get married, and his brothers had to be married off first (he was oft amused by that thought). And as of the present, his eldest brother's fiancée had yet to be decided.

"Kyoya."

"Yes, Otosan?"

"Have you considered befriending Haruhu Fujioka?"

"I am already an acquaintance of her," he replied, his puzzlement over this turn of topic veiled by his usual emotionless face.

"Already an acquaintance of her is favorable but it will not be suffice. I want you to be more intimately associated with her," his father said in his usual brusque manner, reaching for the freshly baked French bread.

"More intimately, sir?," he repeated. He looked at his father entirely. After a pause, "Do you mean her to be my future fiancée, father?"

"Not for the future, but for the present," his father corrected, staring ahead, his hand unconsciously brushing his chin. "Suoh plans to have her hand for his son. I cannot allow that. She is too precious and brilliant for the Suoh clan. Our clan is known for our excellence and this is obviously her right place. You need to court her immediately.

"Court her?," Hideyoshi, his second eldest brother stated, clearly astonished. "Can't a proper and traditional marriage suffice?"

"Her father doesn't believe in arranged marriage as she inconveniently belongs to a middle, working class family," his father replied, his brows a bit furrowed, displeased by the interruption.

"I do not believe I can change her mind," Kyoya said suddenly, "She prefers Tamaki with or without his assets," he added to point his meaning, he did not want any misconceptions about Haruhi.

"I cannot let this good chance pass," his father said with finality.

"As you wish, sir," he replied accordingly though his mind was of resignation. But by the end of the meal, he was already the probable gains and losses in pursuing Haruhi, as well as the obstacles and the pleasures…

CLCLCL

It was inevitable, he supposed. He's father was bound to notice Haruhi's extraordinaire qualities. He stared at his laptop's monitor, his profits, costs, etc. from all business ventures neatly arranged in a VIP organizing software developed by the family's newly acquired undertaking. Besides being attractive, intelligent and calm, she had confidence and independence which Kyoya secretly admired in a woman. Really, it was inevitable to be attracted to his friend's unannounced girlfriend.

He stood and walked by the full-lenght bulletproof window and stared at the sky, his eyes never noticing the soaring bird, a complete contrast to the sky with its brown feathers and animated movement. But, he knew that Haruhi was slowly and unconsciously, he guessed, falling for Temaki. And the latter was obviously long besotted (as he had always pronounce under the guise of being Haruhi's "papa" in the club). It was a mutual attraction now. Kyoya just had to be there to ruin it all.

He smiled wryly at his reflection, there were already two members, Kaoru and Temaki, pursuing the hand of the only princess albeit cross-dresser (due to circumstances) in the club, should he join? He frowned suddenly. Temaki was his...best friend, although he never admitted that to anyone. Would he really risk his friendship for this girl, or for his father's approval. Would it be worth it? He knew that Haruhi has certain qualities she looking for a man, even if she can't identify it yet. (Although he believed that those who can't identify the category -the cool type, the lolishota type, the naughty type-of all the men they encounter are those susceptible into truly falling in love.) Temaki, he concluded, was most suitable for Haruhi's taste, if opposites do really attract. Calm, hyper. Independent, Clingy. Serious, Silly. Why, even their physical appearance are opposite, brown, blond. blue, red, blue. Japanese, combination of western and Japanese.

He sighed, he wouldn't even have a chance even if he would join now. Definitely, Haruhi would be choosing Temaki (Kaoru would be too immature for her taste). So, his decision was made then, he thought, a bit surprised and irritated, sometimes his logical mind was pacing too fast even for him to catch up, if that even made sense. He walked back to the laptop, thinking that this unpadded territory was making him scatterbrained. Business would be the only solution to this temporary ailment.

But he did have to plan a solution to placate his father of this loss...

His cellular phone suddenly rung, the current famous J-pop song. He had to talk about Temaki about his meddling of other people's belongings.

"Hello."

"Mama, did you miss me?," an exaggerated voice greeted.

"Good afternoon Tamaki, how was your business trip to New York," Kyoya inquired politely. "I assume you behaved professionally," he addded, with the slightest hint of amusement.

"Of course," Tamaki replied. "But there were times when I couldn't resist. The ladies were quite demanding in their request. But I don't entirely fault them. My half-French, half-Japanese looks were too much for them."

"Of course," Touya glanced at his wrist watch. "Have you anything to say? Or is this the only reason for your calling?"

"Kyoya, I am offended by your brusqueness!"

"I'm hanging up now."

"Matte yo Kyoya!...It's about Haruhi."

Kyoya stared at the setting sun, "What about her?"

"She agreed to go out in a date. A DATE!," Tamaki hollered, causing Kyoya to put a feet and a half distance between the phone and his ear.

"Hmmm," Kyoya replied, feeling both relief and sadness, "And what does this personal business of yours have anything to do with me?"

"I want you to come with us," Tamaki answered sheepishly. "If that's alright with you," Temaki said with a hint of plead.

Kyoya walked backed to the sofa, sat in front of his laptop and looked for his profits in the the shoe company he invested in, "I thought you'd been wanting to have Haruhi all for yourself. Why the strange request?"

"I don't think I can progress to this stage yet," Tamaki whined. "I can't even think straight right now."

"Hmph, why did you ask her if you feel this way," Kyoya said in a voice that was clearly exasperated.

"Come on Kyoya! How about just a double date?"

"I'm not interested in anyone right now to risk sending the wrong massage."

"How about if I arrange if for you?," Tamaki offered.

"I'm quite busy right now. The club's latest collection items are to be released by the beginning of the school year."

"Kaoru and Hikaru could help you with those details. So, I'll see you tomorrow then. I'll pick you up! Bye!," Tamaki immediately hanged up the phone.

Kyoya sighed silently at Tamaki's insistent nature, he even forgot to tell the time of the date. He continued to make his plans for the collections, the theme of the whole collection. The topic about Haruhi forgotten but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was going happen tomorrow, if it was pleasant or unpleasant, he couldn't identify. He would sort out his signal later. Kyoya's first priority was business after all.