oOoOoOo
School was over. It was time for fun.
The estate was fantastic. There was a small house that was very close to the beach. It was fully furnished and ready for them. There were at least three bedrooms, one big sitting room, a meditation room, a kitchen, two bathrooms and a dining room. It was small for their standards but it would fit them all in.
They arrived late in the morning. It was a beautiful day with clear blue skies and fluffy white clouds. They were serenaded by the sound of the sea as they got out of the limousine.
On their journey, Hikaru slept with his head on Haruhi's lap while Kaoru dozed on with his head on her shoulder. Tamaki was noticeably quiet. Haruhi thought that maybe it was because he didn't want to disturb the twins.
Honey and Mori exchanged knowing smiles.
"Ah, we're here!" Hikaru yawned.
"It's good," said Kaoru. He nodded approvingly.
"We spent lots of summers here. It was great. Didn't you know that Takashi and I grew up together?" Honey said to Haruhi. He was beside himself with delight. Mori nodded in silent agreement.
"Does it suit you?" Kyouya asked quietly. He knew that Tamaki badly needed their company right now. He didn't know what happened on the night of Tamaki's talk with his grandmother. The Shadow King didn't like being kept in the dark.
"Yes, it does," Tamaki nodded. "Let's go in everybody!"
The whole Host Club entered the house enthusiastically. It had a cool and relaxing atmosphere inside. They went upstairs to put down their bags and suitcases. They found out that the bedrooms were also wide and spacious.
"Hmm, let's see," said Kyouya "I'm going to give out room assignments…"
"Let's all sleep together!" said Honey cheerfully.
"Good suggestion," Tamaki agreed.
Kyouya cleared his throat. They shut up. He adjusted his glasses. "Mori-senpai and Honey-senpai will stay together in the master bedroom. Hikaru and Kaoru will sleep beside each other. Tamaki and I will stay on the last bedroom."
The six boys realized that Haruhi had nowhere to stay.
They looked at each other then at Haruhi. She stared back. Of course, how could she forget that they'd all want her around!
"Where do you want to stay, Haru-chan?" Honey asked solicitously. He gave her a sweet smile. "You can sleep on the second bed in our bedroom…"
"Or you can sleep with us!" suggested Kaoru enthusiastically "Hikaru can sleep beside me. We always sleep together anyway. Sleep on the second bed…"
"Sleep with Father! I'd be more than happy to chase away your nightmares! Isn't it natural for a little girl to want to stay beside her Father?" Tamaki said loudly. He was delighted at the thought. "What do you say?"
Haruhi bit her lip. It was a tough choice. She couldn't blame them all for wanting to have her around. They all needed her in different ways. She stayed silent while they broke out in a heated conversation.
"Haruhi had already slept in the same room with Hikaru! They did that on a school trip," said Tamaki. He looked simply envious. "I want my little girl!"
"We don't want to expose Haruhi to nasty old perverts," said the Hitachiin brothers with an evil gleam on their eyes.
"Haru-chan will like it if I lend her Usa-chan," Honey said thoughtfully "if she gets a nightmare. Maybe I can kiss her good night too…"
They gaped at Honey. He smiled innocently. They wondered what was going on inside his mind. Was it true? Was it calculation?
She had to smile. No way would she share a bedroom with Honey-senpai. He always gets mad when he was woken up prematurely. Mori-senpai was the only one who could calm him down. She didn't want to stay in the same bedroom with Tamaki or Kyouya for other reasons.
"I don't really care where you put me," Haruhi said simply.
"Stay with us!" chorused the Hitachiin brothers as they placed their arms around her shoulders. "We'll be delighted to have you!"
Tamaki broke down in tears.
The twin boys carried her bags to the bedroom. She followed them upstairs while enjoying the beautiful view of the sea from the windows. The middle room was theirs. It had two queen-size beds, a table set and an armoire. There was also a small closet that was half-hidden behind a large and ornate mirror.
Hikaru jumped into the bed and rolled around. Kaoru jumped in. They laughed as they started to tickle each other. She smiled because she knew that there were still boys inside the handsome men.
She sat down on the other bed. "Is it really okay for me to take this one?"
They stopped and looked at her. Then they broke out in identical smiles. "Yes! It's a shame we can't give you a room of your own."
"That's fine." Haruhi grinned back. "Just tell me if I snore or something."
"You got it," Hikaru said with thumbs up sign. "Anyway, I'm hungry."
"Go downstairs and see if we have anything to eat," suggested Kaoru. His twin nodded and got up. Hikaru gave them one last look before closing the door behind him. "Now that he's out of the way…"
Haruhi looked at him strangely.
"Did you bring any swimsuits?" said the younger twin. He grinned as Haruhi blushed. She was so cute when she was embarrassed! "We don't have any customers so it's okay. I asked Kyouya-senpai. I brought you some of my mother's designs…"
She didn't say anything when he got up and opened his suitcase. He whistled as he searched among the contents. It was really very thoughtful of him. Kaoru was always doing sweet things like that.
"I hope you like them," Kaoru said cheerfully. "I know what looks good on you so trust my choices, okay?"
Haruhi looked at the bright and colorful array of swimsuits on her lap. She smiled up at him. He blushed slightly. With a questioning look, she held up the skimpy bright red two-piece swimsuit. She also found a yellow bandeau bikini, hot pink halter bikini, a safe white one-piece suit with a belt and a deep purple string bikini.
"They're really beautiful," she said. She knew that they were from his mother's latest collection. Mei-chan kept her update with things like that. "Thank you very much, Kaoru."
"It's no problem," he smiled "I know you don't wear those things but I think you should. I also brought accessories."
Haruhi realized that was the real reason why Kaoru toted too many suitcases. She was touched by his efforts.
He handed her a few pairs of sunglasses, two flip-flops, a hat and a belt bag. Then sunscreen, a sheer blouse for covering up and a lightweight shawl followed. She felt overwhelmed by his efforts. He'd gone shopping for her.
"T-Thank you again," she said softly. She was a girl but she didn't know about those things. Her mother died when she was little; her father was not equipped with the kind of knowledge that was useful. It actually surprised her that Kaoru knew about those things.
"It's nothing. Just let me take pictures, okay? Mom would like it," Kaoru said as he ruffled her hair. "Now why don't you try them on? I'll go down and see what kind of mess they've gotten into…"
He was about to leave when she stood up. "Kaoru!" she called.
"Yes Haruhi?" he said.
"I'll cook for you guys," she said cheerfully. "Ask them what kind of dishes they want for dinner. I'd love to do it."
His face broke out into a huge smile. He gave her thumbs up before closing the door behind him. That was enough payment in his opinion.
Haruhi didn't think about locking the door. She thought that she ought to be excited. She was wearing original Hitachiin creations. Without thinking twice, she removed her blue shirt, shorts and sandals. She decided to try the string biking first.
She was tying the strings of the bikini bottoms when the door opened.
Hikaru blushed to the roots of his hair as he realized what she was doing. He quickly turned around to give her privacy. "I'm sorry!" he yelled.
"It's fine," she said calmly. Haruhi knew that they ought to put down some rules. She would always get dressed in the fantastic bathroom from now on. It wouldn't do if they barged in again. "You can look now."
Hikaru turned around and felt his breath catch. She looked so beautiful. The high-cut bikini bottoms made her legs look longer while the bikini top gave the illusion of a fuller bust. He recognized it as a Hitachiin original.
She felt slightly embarrassed but pleased with his reaction. "Kaoru brought some things for me. It's from your mother's latest spring collection, I think."
That explained it. He smiled. It was so Kaoru. "I'm sorry if I didn't bring a swimsuit for you. I brought a few dresses instead."
Haruhi looked surprised. She watched as he opened his suitcase. He took out a few sleeveless, lightweight dresses in sweet pastel colors. They were cut simply and she knew that they would fit her.
Was fashion in their genes? She wondered. He handed them to her carefully.
"I helped Mom make one of them," he said quietly. "I hope you like them."
"I can't thank you enough," Haruhi said softly. "You're both very good to me."
"Cook one of those nice dishes for us," he teased. "We want to taste your cooking!"
Haruhi nodded. She picked up a white dress that was loose and flowing. Then she slipped it on. It felt so good to wear clothes that moved with you. It fit so well she had a suspicion that they knew her measurements.
"Let's go!" Hikaru said abruptly.
"What about the clothes? Shouldn't we put them in the closet first?" she said hesitantly. They made quite a mess on the bed. He gave her a grin.
"Later!" Hikaru said as he took her hand. She felt her face flush.
He took her downstairs where everybody lounged around the dining room. There were huge floor-length sliding doors that had a beautiful view of the sea. Filmy white curtains fluttered in front of the glass. The dining set was of the finest quality.
"Wow, Haru-chan is so cute!" Honey said because he was the first to see her. "You look so pretty!"
The other men nodded approvingly. Tamaki reached out to hug her but she sidestepped him. She could see the wheels turning on Kyouya's head. He could be thinking of ways to make more profit.
"Pretty," Mori said for her ears only.
"You brought swimsuits," said Hikaru.
"You brought dresses," answered Kaoru.
They smiled at each other. They tried to keep it a secret but it turned out that they had the same idea. It worked out after all. Their mother surely had a hand in it too. They exchanged high fives.
Haruhi was a pretty girl even if she didn't know it. She had short dark hair, clear brown eyes and very fair skin. The girl was socialized to think nothing of gender differences. Her father worked in a gay bar and was a cross-dresser. She was fine with dressing up as a boy. The Host Club thought she ought to dress up as a girl but that meant they would lose her. So they kept it to themselves.
"The refrigerator is empty," Honey said sadly. "We don't have food!"
"Huh?" Haruhi thought that it was strange. She thought that the refrigerator would be stocked because the young master was coming. It was also weird that there weren't any servants around. "Shouldn't we go shopping so we won't starve?"
"That's a good idea!" chorused the Hitachiin brothers. They had conspired with the Host Club to hide the food so Haruhi would have no choice but to cook. They also wanted to visit the supermarket with her again. It was interesting to see her calculate costs and decide what she wanted. She looked like an adorable housewife.
"Can we go, please? Please?" Tamaki begged with big brown puppy-dog eyes. She sighed. She wished that they wouldn't do that. But she played along. They said they'd pay for it anyway.
"We'll go shopping." Haruhi said with an air of finality.
"Let's go to the commer's supermarket! Let's go!" the Host Club's members sang and cheered. "We're shopping! We're shopping!"
She smiled; they were so easy to please. Maybe she can ask them to roll over while they're at it.
oOoOoOo
"Can we buy this?" Tamaki asked eagerly as he held up lettuce. "We need lots and lots of vegetables because we need to stay healthy!"
She wondered why Kyouya made Tamaki go with her. He was a nuisance, really. They were supposed to buy fruits, vegetables, condiments and other things. Tamaki tagged along like an eager little boy who was in a candy shop.
Then she caught a glimpse of Mori and Honey on the candy stand. That suited Hani. He was the boy inside the candy shop. Tamaki was just too eager for his own good. She sighed a little.
"Get some carrots," she ordered.
"Yes ma'am!" he said as he hurried towards the other end of the section. She shook her head, smiling. He would definitely return with a few more things. She already had an idea on how his head worked.
She checked her mental check list. Hikaru and Kaoru were assigned on getting snacks and drinks. Kyouya was having a great conversation with the store manager. Mori and Honey volunteered to buy desserts.
Tamaki returned with his arms full of cabbages, carrots, string beans and even potatoes. He dropped them onto the cart and smiled winningly. She sighed and removed the string beans. He looked crestfallen.
"Let's stick to buying ingredients for traditional Japanese cuisine," she said brusquely. "Don't buy anything that we don't need."
He pouted.
She said the same thing when he took lots of ramen noodles and bread. He was having fun, she could tell. It was nice to walk around the supermarket with Tamaki. He tried not to be a nuisance and let her work but he always got excited. She enjoyed teaching him small tricks of the trade and giving him lots of tips.
The Suoh heir had maids and servants to do grocery shopping for him. But he ought to know these things, she thought. It was great education for him. He should know how other people lived and worked.
Haruhi decided that they had enough for today. She was about to push the cart when Tamaki covered her hand with his. They blushed but she let go.
"Let me do that," he offered. She nodded silently.
They walked towards the check-out counter together. She was very aware of the comments that they elicited from other people.
"What a cute couple," said an elderly woman.
"He's a handsome boy," another woman said "with a very cute girlfriend."
Haruhi was not sure if she should be glad or not. She liked Tamaki very much. He was respectable, optimistic and very kind. Although he was a bit of an idiot, he was lovable. More often than not, he displayed a naïve and charming person to the world. She was also pretty sure that all his romantic nonsense was inherited from his mother's side.
When she realized that she had a bit of a crush on him, she immediately quashed it. Tamaki looked like he was not ready for that kind of complication. It would definitely destroy the delicate and intricate balance of the Host Club. She was content to be his "little girl" while he called himself "Father".
Still, she wished that she knew what he thought of her.
Tamaki wondered what was going on Haruhi's mind. She was awfully quiet. They were rarely alone because of the Host Club so he savored the precious moments. He wished that he could do more for her.
He saw chocolates as they passed through the sweets aisle. His eyes gleamed.
Haruhi snapped into attention when she felt a soft tug at her sleeve. Tamaki shyly pointed to the chocolates arranged in rows. He was smiling as if he was remembering a secret memory.
"Can we get dark chocolates at least?" he asked quietly.
She stared at him.
"I used to go shopping with my mother too," he continued on "She'd always buy dark chocolate for me as a treat. When I see them, I think about the days when she felt good. I think about how happy we were to eat them before going home…"
Haruhi's eyes softened.
She approached the chocolates. Without another word, she picked up her favorite brand and placed it on his hand. "That's what Father usually bought for me whenever I passed my exams. I like their taste."
He stared at it, speechless. It was cheap and common but he received it as if it were the most expensive chocolates in the world. "T-Thank you, Haruhi."
They arrived at the check-out counter. The twins were waiting with a cart-load of snacks and bottles of cold drinks. Mori and Hani waited with Kyouya. She saw the boxes of cakes and tubs of ice cream. Everyone was staring and whispering about them.
"Milord, we brought beer! They don't have any champagne or expensive wines!" reported Hikaru. "We've never tried them before so we bought lots of them."
Tamaki nodded absently. He was still thinking about the dark chocolates that Haruhi gave him.
"Should we allow the twins to buy alcoholic drinks?" Haruhi asked Kyouya.
"Let them do what they want." Kyouya said with a shrug.
"Haru-chan! We brought chocolate cake, black forest cake and even strawberry! Tell me what you like best," sang a very happy Honey.
She paid with Tamaki's platinum credit card. It felt weird to spend his money. He reassured her that it was fine. Kyouya told her secretly that everyone was going to pay him back anyway.
Everybody carried a shopping bag. She carried none. They kicked up a fuss to carry her load for her. She was very amused. They were all gentlemen through and through.
She sat with Mori and Honey in the limousine. Tamaki was squashed beside the Hitachiin brothers while Kyouya took the seat beside the window. They got her to sing one of the nursery rhymes all the way back to the house.
They headed towards the kitchen to unload the groceries. It was understood that the kitchen was her domain. They let her order them around without any complaints. The boys actually liked it.
With so many pairs of hands to help, Haruhi organized the kitchen. She realized that they didn't have any servants at all. She would have to manage the household because she couldn't trust any of them to know how.
She waited for everybody to go out to the beach before talking to Kyouya.
"Why aren't there any servants?" she asked casually.
"It's because Tamaki thought that it was time for us to experience living alone," he answered in the same casual tone. "We have you anyway. We'll manage."
She was quite surprised with his candid answer. So they were really playing house. Kyouya had confessed that he was an egoist and wouldn't work if there's nothing for him. She wondered what kind of profit he would make out of this.
"Oh," she said quietly. "Well, can we make arrangements for chores? I think we need it."
Kyouya adjusted his glasses. "Leave it to me."
oOoOoOo
Tsuzuku…
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