Later in the afternoon the host club was open for business, in class Haruhi and the twins ignored the whispers and strange looks from their classmates and the only time they did speak was when their teacher would call on them to ask a question about the current lessons. At the minute everyone was sat at their individual sofas in the room, they wore their usual clothes rather than doing any cosplay. The twins were simply not in the mood.

"Welcome ladies," Tamaki greeted as the ladies of the Academy walked into the room. "I am certain our host club will provide you with the most magical evening you will ever experience. Please, come in, don't be too shy... My princesses." The girls shrieked with excitement and flattery as Kyoya started to show the guests to their scheduled places.

Two ladies went to sit with Tamaki; four went to sit with Mitsukuni and Takashi, three was to be with Kyoya, five with Haruhi and three with Hikaru and Kaoru. Things seemed to be going perfectly normal so far.

Mitsukuni was gobbling his cake so fast that Haruhi was questioning whether or not the third year could taste the sweetness before it was already devoured. Takashi pulled out a tissue and placed his hand on his cousin's shoulder, Honey bolted upright at the touch and his eyes widened. Takashi proceeded to wipe the smaller boys face, tenderly.

"Mitsukuni, you've made a mess." He said in that same cool tone he always used. Honey grinned brightly before laughing.

"Thanks, Takashi!" The girls squealed in delight at the loving relationship between the cousins. Of course all of this was an act as usual and had been done several times before but it didn't seem to bother the girls in the slightest.

Meanwhile, Tamaki was up to his usual tricks with his two ladies, both of whom demanded his full and undivided attention. Three paintings were set up by Tamaki's sofa today and the two ladies were examining them with great and mounting interest.

"Oh, these are beautiful!" Exclaimed a brown haired girl, whose hair was braided down one side. "Yes, which do you like best, Tamaki?" Asked the second girl, who reached out to brush her finger along the canvas- only to have it taken into warm and soft hands. She looked up and Tamaki stared her in the eye.

"Oh, my dear, it matters not as mere paint and colour could never compete with the beauty I see in your radiant eyes. Forgive my weakness for you, it is a curse." He pretended to pout but the girl just squealed again.

"He's so affectionate!" They called out in unison and held onto each other's hands as though supporting each other before the other would faint from the positive energy coming from the Host club's king.

Where do they dream this stuff up? Thought Haruhi as she looked away from Tamaki and at Kyoya with the three ladies that had requested him, though when she did look over he had already finished and so the trio of girls rushed over to Takashi and Mitsukuni to observe their little charade. I wonder how the twins are doing... Haruhi wondered as she glanced away from her leaving guest and towards the Hitachiin brothers, both of whom seemed to be performing their act again. It was like nothing had happened, then again maybe they were better actors that Haruhi thought.

"...Yeah and then he tripped over his laces and landed in a giant mud puddle!" Hikaru laughed and Haruhi was reminded very faintly of the first time she ever saw their act and how this seemed to be so very similar. Kaoru did just what Haruhi expected. His eyes went wide and he leaned across the table to whisper to Hikaru, though loud enough for their guests to hear.

"Hikaru!" He stressed as Hikaru stopped smiling and looked at his brother, offering him a small 'hmm?' as a reply. "That wasn't funny," Kaoru turned away and forced out fake tears, this time without the use of eye drops. "I don't see why you think it's funny, why are you so mean to me?" The three girls huddled together and watched the scene, silently, from their seats.

Hikaru placed his hand behind his brother's neck and pulled him close, rising to his feet to appear taller than Kaoru as he did so. Kaoru closed his eyes to force the last fake tears through and then opened them again, resting his head against Hikaru's chest.

"I-I'm so sorry, Kaoru, please forgive me?"

"Hikaru..." Kaoru muttered and the girls went hysterical again. Something, however, caught Haruhi's attention. While the girls squealed Hikaru seemed to whisper so quietly in Kaoru's ear that she nor did any others hear the words exchanged. Just then Kyoya walked over to where the twins were with their guests and smiled at them all.

"Thank you ladies, I'm sorry to tell you but Hikaru and Kaoru have other appointments and it would be a shame to leave them in suspense." The girls looked disappointed but never the less go up to leave. As they left the twins sat back down in their seats and let out a heavy breath simultaneously, they looked so tired. Kyoya brought the next two girls over and left to tend to the other guests.

"Hello Hikaru and Kaoru," The first girl smiled. "How are you today?" Hikaru and Kaoru looked less than pleased but forced a smile for the sake of the ladies.

"We're fine and what about you, ladies?" Smiled Hikaru as he leaned forward. The girls exchanged uneasy glances and the second girl spoke.

"Not that it is any of our business," She began. "But we heard about the old maid of the Hitachiin's family." The twins faces fell immediately and they glanced at each other out of the corner of their eyes.

"We can't imagine how you must be feeling; then again, you must know that it is not your fault... Right?" At this Kaoru jumped from his seat, his face flushed almost as though he had been caught out for something embarrassing. Hikaru looked up at his brother and then he too stood, Haruhi watched in shock as she observed their faces.

"Kyoya- senpai," Hikaru called out. Kyoya turned and offered a small 'hmm?' in response as he was surprised to be addressed by the twins during the guests visits. "Can we have a quick break?" He asked as he ignored the confused glances coming from the ladies. Kyoya stared for a moment and pushed his glasses higher up his nose.

"I don't think that would be very prudent of you, after all we have our guests to please." Hikaru and Kaoru breathed out deeply and their hands gripped the top and edge of the table tightly, as though it was a lifeline. Haruhi knew them being questioned on the maid was difficult for them, she was about to step forward but someone else beat her to it.

"Come now, Kyoya, I'm sure we can spare them a few minutes," He moved to the girls that the twins were supposed to be entertaining. "After all I'm sure we can keep these fabulous ladies interested, am I right?" The squealed again and nodded frantically.

"If you say so," Shrugged Kyoya. "Off you go then, boys." The twins nodded and walked to the door but Haruhi noticed how once they reached the door they yanked it open rather quickly and tore out of the room as quick as a whip. Haruhi stood wondering why the twins excused themselves so quickly when their guests were trying to consol them. That's when it hit her.

"We can't imagine how you must be feeling; then again, you must know that it is not your fault... Right?" At this Kaoru jumped from his seat, his face flushed almost as though he had been caught out for something embarrassing.

"This is all our fault. We told her where the combination for the safe was, we should never have done that."

Haruhi knew that she should show her support for the twins, they were friends after all, but before she had the chance to even move from her seat she heard clapping nearby that demanded attention. It was Tamaki.

"Attention everyone," He announced from the sofa and table where the twins were previously sat. "The current events regarding the Hitachiin's maid, Miyu Suzuki, has upset the twins greatly. We would be grateful if you would all refrain from speaking of the maid within their presence and to not bring in any newspapers covering the news. We all need to support Hikaru and Kaoru until this all blows over." Everyone nodded and some looked to the door and then away as though the twins would come back any minute. Haruhi decided she should slip out of the room and see if they were alright, however, someone stopped her. Tamaki. "Haruhi, where are you going?"

"Senpai, I need to talk to them," Tamaki thought about it for a minute and was looking doubtful, but Haruhi added. "Please, Senpai." She offered him a small smile that he could not resist and in that moment Tamaki entered his own world.

(Theatre of Tamaki's mind)

Haruhi was looking more radiant than usual as a small blush blessed her cheeks, a gentle smile gracing her pale lips. "Please, Senpai."

"I think it would be better if you stayed." He spoke to her softly and her blush deepened drastically. She gave a small little smile.

"Oh, Senpai, I would stay with you forever. I love you!" She threw herself at him and he spun her around, laughing along with her.

(End of Tamaki's imagination)

Haruhi noticed that Tamaki seemed to be in his own strange little world again so she just left before things got stranger. She had noticed that the twins always went to two different places when they were troubled, she had already checked the science room so now she was heading to their foreign language class.

She peeked in to see both twins sat at their desks, sitting closer than the desks usually are. Hikaru had buried his face in his hands and Kaoru just stared at his desk, almost as though it would provide him some comfort if he kept his unblinking gaze upon it.

"Hikaru, Kaoru." Haruhi said, casually, as she approached. The twins raised their heads but lowered them again with a sigh. They were not pleased to see her. She grabbed a chair from underneath a nearby desk and sat beside Hikaru, rubbing his arm in a friendly way. "Do you want to talk?" She asked them both, quietly.

"There's nothing to talk about," Said Kaoru, offhandedly. Hikaru took his head out of his hands and glanced at his brother, placing a reassuring hand on his brother's arm. "Miyu was right. No-one will be able to tell us apart so what's the point in trying to make friends?" Hikaru and Haruhi gave him sceptical looks.

"Kaoru... That's not true at all-" Haruhi started to explain but was cut off by the twin who had just spoken.

"No!" He barked; she expected such behaviour from Hikaru so to see this side of Kaoru was quite a surprise. "No-one in the host club can tell us apart really, that just shows they don't care enough to try, she warned us about this. We should have carried on like before!"

"Y-You're right," Muttered Hikaru. "We shouldn't have listened to Tamaki in the first place."

"But that would have got you nowhere. You'd still be alone without anyone but each other, is that what you want?" She could see the twin's hands forming into tight fists on the desk.

"It would have been better," Hikaru started. "Than being disappointed all over again."

"What you said earlier, about not being able to be told apart... It's a lie," The twin's eyes widened as they looked up at Haruhi. "Because I can tell you apart." They contemplated this for a moment and decided they didn't know what to say, so they continued. "Just because the others haven't been able to tell the difference doesn't mean they don't care... You know when you left, Tamaki-Senpai told everyone they needed to be supportive and he told Kyoya- Senpai to let you go because he knew you were hurting and he didn't want you to be there and uncomfortable. They all care and so do I."

Both of them looked up at her and smiled, no-one knew how to respond and no-one truly wanted to leave as their current position and location was perfect for now.

"Are you going to be alright?" She whispered.

"We'll cope," Said Hikaru with a very small genuine smile as he nudged his brother. "Right?" Kaoru offered the same smile and nodded. Haruhi stayed with the twins long enough until eventually the foreign language class came in and the twins took their proper seats- as did Haruhi- and waited for their teacher.

Coming up: Things are tense at the Hitachiin manor, Kyoya- his brothers, sister and father- are invited to the Hitachiin home to attempt to assist in the finding of the maid. Slowly but surely the twins appear to be coping a bit better.