CHAPTER ONE(A)

Starting Today, You are an Intern!

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From: Fujioka Haruhi [haruhi_tanuki (a) ouranhostclub . com]
To: Hitachiin Twins [doubletrouble (a) ouranhostclub . com]
Subject: Stop spamming me!
Date: Sat, 4 Sep 2010

Why is everyone sending me emails about every little thing in their lives? Didn't school start last week? Why are all of you so free?

I am trying to settle in. The past two weeks have been very busy. School is officially starting this Friday, but new students are expected to arrive at the school this Wednesday.

Ouran has arranged for me to stay with a guardian family before I head off to board. This family has 3 children also enrolled in my school. I think the parents might be quite important people, but I'm not sure.

I have toured around the massive school grounds! I thought that Ouran would have prepared me for big schools, but because this school is away from the city, so maybe that's why they have so much more land. I've never been in a boarding house before. I'm getting a lot of practice with my English. It's really different and much more difficult being in an environment where you have to use English all the time, but I'm improving so much.

Kaoru, Hikaru, thank you very much for helping me to prepare my luggage. The dress code leaves so much room for guessing. Actually, I thought it was really annoying that Mei-chan and you both wouldn't stop messing with my clothes, but I'm really grateful to all three of you for putting in a lot of suitable clothing, even though at least half of them are really questionable.

When I move into the school, I'll see if I have some time to take the photographs you requested. Kaoru, please remind Tamaki-senpai that I'm not taking photographs of myself for him, but to let my father know that I am doing well. If Kyouya-senpai asks you to put them on the website, do you mind refusing?

Haruhi

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They lack the elasticity to revert to the way they once were. The protective shield enveloping their little host club world had been irrevocably distended by the addition of Haruhi, and no one seems to remember how a six-person club is supposed to operate. Now there is sagging around the space she formerly occupied, like excess cloth rippling over a wasted body, secrets and new silences hidden in the collapsed drapes of an unforseen and all too sudden atrophy.

It seems to Kaoru that Hikaru is withering under emotions beyond his ability to name or express. A curious lethargy now grips Hikaru as he occupies his days with naps, computer games and the mechanical routine of daily homework. Haruhi has been gone for two weeks – during that time the host club has not met up at all. Arguably, it is because it was the term holidays, but that ignores the fact that the host club generally spends the entire holidays together.

The second trimester has begun, but with the senpais either in university or in a different level and class, the club members have barely seen each other. Nothing has been said about their club; all the other clubs have recommenced activities. Kaoru is starting to feel a paralysing fear that Hikaru and he would be forced to face the stark prospect of abandonment to their prior insular lives. What was once so comforting feels sharply threatening now.

To Hikaru's unnatural stillness, Kaoru generates an equal and opposite restlessness, quivering with an inexplicable need to unleash his agitation. This reversal of emotional states, he thinks, is a direct consequence of the departure of the person who first drew the dividing line between the twins. They have become the other person in terms of their emotions – after only a few months of individuality, Kaoru is Hikaru once more.

Perhaps it is his unrelenting worry for the state his brother has fallen into. They are stricken by inertia – Kaoru had moved on from Haruhi, and now cannot stop moving. Hikaru had halted at Haruhi, and now cannot start up again.

At this moment, his beloved Hikaru is probably napping in their bedroom or fiddling listlessly with their new game. It is heartbreaking for Kaoru to watch his brother be this way, and in his oppressive sorrow he had fled to the family study room to calm down.

He spends a good hour bouncing around the room tetchily before deciding to check his email. Originally he had not wanted to, because he has been checking every day for a reply from his best friend only to be disappointed.

As such, he stares blankly at the screen in stupefaction. She replied!

The excitement that shines through in her words reminds Kaoru of their interaction at the airport. He remembers his surprise and relief when she said she would miss them – irrefutable proof that they had managed to move Haruhi's heart. The old Haruhi would have jumped at the exchange program, but they have become so integral to her life that she, Fujioka Haruhi, all-round hardworking scholarship student, had hesitated to accept the opportunity offered to her. It was almost as though not going had actually been some sort of acceptable option, but ultimately her decision to go was motivated mostly by a new desire to improve herself as a person and not just as a student. All these radical changes, he understands now, are inspired by a Tamaki-flavoured perspective. Her thoughts bear the hallmarks of someone who keeps Tamaki at the forefront of her mind, who remains profoundly affected by the idiot, who has decided to do something (in part) for him.

Hopefully Hikaru has not made that particular connection. There really is no need to rub salt on wounds, even if Hikaru claims to have accepted his honourable defeat.

Something needs to happen now. Somebody needs to make something happen.

Kaoru admits to thinking that Kyouya would be that person – the person to reassemble the club, the person to teach them how to adapt, the person who would recall them to their host club home. This realisation startles Kaoru slightly – does he really think of Kyouya as their unofficial mother? Why else would he saddle Kyouya with all these responsibilities? Or is it that he has also come to believe in Kyouya's invincibility?

Aside from Kyouya, the only other person with such strength is Tamaki, but Tamaki is surely useless now. If Hikaru's unfinished romantic entanglement with Haruhi is causing him that much suffering, Kaoru can barely imagine how their precious Tono must be coping. He wonders whether Tamaki is bothering Kyouya with lamentations on his interrupted relationship and how long Kyouya will tolerate it before expelling Tamaki from the Ootori premises.

The question that Kaoru must answer now is: just how much temerity does a Hitachiin have?

The room blushes in the soft hues of twilight before plunging into darkness; its sole occupant has not moved from the computer in five hours.

The printer whirrs and heats up, spitting out scores of beautifully designed posters heralding the new immersive host club experience.

HOST CLUB RELAUNCH THIS FRIDAY!
Theme: American preparatory school
Our dear customers are invited to join us in wearing an American prep school-style uniform with creative embellishments to honour our Natural Type Host. The princess who showcases the most beautiful personal touches to her uniform will be rewarded with the first look at photographs of our Haruhi in his new school.
The Ouran Host Club will be waiting for you!

Kaoru will have to wake up extra early tomorrow to sneak to school to put up the posters.

Hikaru has been waking up as late as he can these days, and he takes longer than usual to come downstairs for breakfast. In the past few days it has caused Kaoru no end of grief trying to get them to school on time, but it is exactly what he needs for tomorrow.

He stuffs the posters in his schoolbag hastily and trudges off to bed without dinner.

The night crawls by in a chain of fitful dreams and interrupted sleep.

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Kaoru knows that the reason Kyouya always arrives at school at the exact same time every day is because Team Kyouya operates like supernatural clockwork. They speed up and slow down time by quickening and slowing their actions to coordinate with his pace. Kyouya himself is completely heedless of his alarm clocks and wakes up at whatever time he deems fit (or whatever time Tachibana deems fit, really, since Tachibana is the one who has to steel his nerves to wake his uncooperative young master on days that all three alarm clocks are unsuccessful).

From Kaoru's calculations, this day will proceed as in one of 3 most likely scenarios:

1) Shadow King makes his customary one-minute walk from the designated student drop-off zone to the main courtyard where he gives the notice board his customary once-over. Unauthorised poster spotted.
Expected time of call: 8:06 am.
Prospects of survival: fair.

2) Today is a three-clock day. Aforementioned Shadow King will be grouchier than usual and walk at a dawdling pace, which prolongs the customary walk to two minutes. Notice board is squinted at. Unauthorised poster spotted.
Expected time of call: 8:07 am.
Prospects of survival: exponentially decreased.

3) Yesterday was a no-sleep night. Said Shadow King will take so long to cross the courtyard that he will be ambushed by the excited queries of fangirls. His sluggish morning mind will struggle to process their questions. It will also hate itself for being confused. Murderous intent will swell palpably.
Expected time of call: 8:12 – 8:15 am, depending on how long it takes to fend off the fangirls in order to make the call in private.
Prospects of survival: non-existent.

Kaoru is sitting in classroom 2-A counting down the seconds.

"Kaoru! Kaoru!" Hikaru shouts frantically as he charges in. "There you are! You came to school without me? The driver said you left at seven! You – why are you sweating so much? You look so pale! Are you sick?"

His brother must have been really worried about him not to have caught sight of any of the rather conspicuous posters along the way. Seeing him so animated makes Kaoru's world right again.

"Kaoru?" Hikaru jolts him rather harshly. "You're shaking and your skin feels cold! Did something happen? Answer me!" He is scaring his twin badly. Yes, Kaoru should say something. What he wants to say is: if I open my mouth I will throw up on you.

So he brandishes a copy of the poster at his twin as explanation, and watches while the colour drains out of his face.

"You didn't," Hikaru gasps painfully. "You already did?"

Mute nod.

"We need to remove them now! Kill all the people who've already seen them! How many did you put up? How much time do we have? We can do this, we – "

They turn their heads simultaneously to glance at the clock – 8:04:03 am.

Kaoru knows his fate is sealed. Oh, the courage of fools. His only saving grace is the way he has made the design unmistakeably his and his alone, in order not to implicate his brother in this act of treason. Such little value he has attached to his own life! What will happen to his family after his execution by order of the Shadow King? He rues his thoughtlessness about their welfare.

"Hikaru! I love you so much," he wails hysterically at last. "Promise me that we'll still be twins in our next life!"

8:04:15 am. A phone lies innocently on a table. The brothers clutch desperately at each other and stare fearfully at it.

Kaoru feels an incredible affinity with Kyouya's enemies at this moment in time. If he lives to see poor Kuze-senpai another day, he will treat him with the utmost compassion.

But – and here Kaoru nearly faints – even the stupidest of Kyouya's enemies would never dare to call the shots on matters and funds under Kyouya's control! This is something that King Tamaki himself wouldn't be able to get away with. It is unchartered territory Kaoru finds himself in.

8:05 am.

8:06:00 am. Kaoru is just begging his phone to ring.

8:06:01 am. Please.

8:06:02 am. It rings! Kaoru's senses are so numb with tension and dead with relief that he does not realise it is the wrong ringtone.

"Hello?" he croaks, hoarse with dread.

Tamaki is hyperventilating at the other end of the line.

Kaoru hangs up immediately. When the Shadow King wants to contact you, you damn well make sure you're contactable.

8:07:29 am. A blond-haired idiot appears in their classroom, rushing at Kaoru as though bidding his final farewell.

This is what he had expected to hear: "Kaoru! Don't be afraid! I will protect you from Okaasan!"

This is what he had expected to feel: imbecility so overpowering that it smothers him.

This is what he actually hears: "Kaoru, don't be afraid. I think Kyouya will feel quite gratified that you made the effort. Truthfully, I think we've all wanted to resume going to club."

This is what he actually feels: warm arms wrapped around him bracingly and a soft voice murmuring in his ear.

Kaoru is flabbergasted. Who is this impostor?

How odd that this person has such a comforting presence when he was yelling incoherently into the phone earlier. What had he been prattling on about anyway? Something something Kyouya, going to something, something Hikaru involved, coming to save you.

Why would Tono need to come here? Wouldn't a better rescue plan be to intercept Kyouya-senpai before he makes the fateful call? Doesn't the Shadow King usually contact his subjects and minions by phone?

8:08:00 am. BANG.

The seething dark presence in front of him is wearing a truly terrifying smile.

Swift and unforgiving questions are fired at him instantly. Kaoru has anticipated this. The club must not be perceived as being poorly organised. It is Kyouya's reputation at stake, after all.

"Did you obtain administrative approval for the students to dress in non-school-issue uniform?" Kyouya asks pleasantly.

"Y – Yes, only for the customers that will be coming to club on Friday. The Headmaster says they can change for the activity after the last lesson."

"Will Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai be able to attend?"

"Yes, I checked their timetables. They are free on Friday afternoons." Kyouya's eyes narrow dangerously – of course he would pick up on the implication that Kaoru has not actually asked the senpais for permission for their time. Well, it's not like I didn't want to, he protests in his mind, there wasn't enough time!

"Did you think about the decorations? What about what the host club is going to wear?" Kyouya's voice is becoming more saccharine with each question that he puts out. A prickly sensation washes over Kaoru's skin, warning him of a trap about to be sprung.

"I have pictures of the interior and exterior of some of these American high schools – we can draw inspiration from them and I'll modify it for the music room. It's quite easy to get suitable uniforms. I know all of your preferred styles so I'll take responsibility for altering them."

Kaoru does not at all like the way Kyouya had perked up at the word "responsibility". Of course he knows how stupid it is to give Kyouya weapons, but he is so intent on emphasising Hikaru's innocence in the hopes that his twin will be spared from retribution.

"How are you going to obtain the photographs from Haruhi?"

"Er, well, I sent her an email asking for photographs." This is an enormous 'if'. Kaoru is prepared to abase himself at Haruhi's feet. Failing which, he will bribe one of his mother's assistants to hunt her down.

"Hmm?" A taunt cloaked in politeness. "Did you think about whether Haruhi is attending her new school as a boy or a girl? Didn't you and Ranka-san mostly pack girl's clothing for her?"

Oh, shit. "Um…"

This is the denouement of Kyouya's plot. He is no longer waiting for answers as he advances on Kaoru. "Did you calculate the costs of such an event? Do you have sufficient knowledge of the club accounts such as to allow you to make such judgements? Did it occur to you that perhaps I may have been using the past two weeks to reconfigure the infrastructure of our club to compensate for Haruhi's absence? Did it occur to you that your interference would be extremely unwelcome?" A pause, and for an instant Kyouya's eyes flash with a ferocious coldness. "Does it occur to you now that you may have completely ruined the plans I had in place?"

Yes, it has indeed occurred to him just now. Kaoru stumbles back, aghast at the enormity of his error.

His mind collapses upon itself in grovelling remorse. He wants to say something – anything – to Kyouya to convey how much he had wanted to help and how dear the host club is to him and his twin.

Knowing that Kyouya would be incensed and seeing it in the flesh are two vastly different things. Kyouya has never seemed more inhuman than at this present moment; he is a flawless replica of his father.

There is nothing left to say. In trying to save that which is precious to him, Kaoru has unwittingly destroyed it.

He flees the classroom amidst concerned shouts of his name.

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His feet have carried him out of the Academy entirely. He does not remember the route he has taken, nor does he know where he is going.

It transpires that even his feet are smarter than his brain, because they already know where his heart wants to be. He steps through the automatic door and drops into a seat heavily as a buzzing sound signals that the train is leaving the station. He feels absurdly thankful for Tamaki's past insistence that Mei-chan teach them how to use the commoner train system. Using the family car is out of the question because Kaoru's parents would be alerted that he is cutting class, but the distance to his destination is too far.

His phone records 24 missed calls in the 7 minutes it had taken for him to run to the nearest Tokyo Metro station. Guilt and shame are just piling on mercilessly today. Kaoru is very rarely so inconsiderate of his brother's feelings, and he is sure that Hikaru must be going out of his mind with worry. He sends a reply message asking Hikaru not to be upset and to stay in school.

He swiftly becomes aware of the disapproving stares of the commuters sitting across him. The esteemed Ouran uniform is drawing too much attention and he has no resources at his disposal to disguise himself. Thankfully, in no time at all, the train begins to slow as it approaches his intended stop. Kaoru thinks that the commoners really should be given some credit for their efficiency with time. He hurries off the train and disappears into the crowd before someone decides to call up the Academy to report him.

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Kaoru rips through the Ouran University campus located on the opposite side of the city, his lungs burning with the hope that sheer dumb luck will guide him in his search for a certain blond technology student.

He has been looking for what seems like forever. The buildings in the Faculty of Science and Technology offer no guarantee as the students have their own individual timetables and can move wherever they like, meeting with old friends in common areas and working in laboratories and studying in libraries and chatting in spare classrooms and eating on the lawns under the sun and –

Kaoru is going mad.

He is struggling to hold back his tears so as not to make a scene. It is bad enough that a high school student is wandering around in university grounds.

People are turning to gawk as he flies past them. He does not know what it is they see in his face – some of them are yelling at him to stop, some of them are trying to grab him in his frenzied run, a lot of them are asking if he is all right...

In the end, instead of finding the person, the person finds him.

"Kao-chan?" a sweet, unmistakeable voice calls out.

Kaoru whips his head around with dizzying speed. He is unable to breathe. He gasps again and again at the air; light-headedness sets in and he sways on the spot.

Honey is coming towards him with outstretched arms, a horrified expression on his face. Kaoru throws himself at his senpai and clutches at him in anguish as his knees crumple and his head falls uselessly against Honey's chest.

The students congregated in the grassy plaza are held in a state of stunned silence as Mori shields Kaoru from view and carries him away from the curious onlookers.

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Kaoru keeps his eyes clenched shut and face pressed against Mori's cardigan. Mori's embrace feels exceptionally gentle and safe; this is the sanctuary offered by the Morinozukas and Kaoru is experiencing the peace that the Haninozukas usually derive from it. While the senpais' form of attachment varies distinctly from the bond that he shares with Hikaru, there exist undeniable similarities that he recognises instinctively – that depth of feeling, that transcendent love.

He is set down on a surface, but Mori surprisingly does not pull away. In normal circumstances Kaoru would feel abashed, but after the torturous night he spent on tenterhooks, he is so fatigued that if he is no longer supported he will surely keel over.

It takes him a moment before he realises that Honey has been holding his hands tenderly for an indeterminate period of time.

Kaoru's heart glows in the presence of their friendship. His senpais are so unequivocal in their generosity, so truly beyond compare. He is intensely touched and afraid all at once and choking on his sobs before he knows it.

This is what he cannot lose. This is what he was trying to save. Having had his world expanded to include such amazing people, how can he ever bear to let them leave? For the first time he senses deeply that he will not survive a disintegration of the host club.

He is seventeen and head over heels in love with his pumpkin story.

Maybe the rest of them will all have the strength to move on. Kaoru doesn't think that he can be that hard-hearted. He sees a higher probability of him becoming a half-being that lives through Hikaru. Eventually, he would be nothing more than a parasitic burden that must either sap the life out of his brother or choose to end his dependency, which would kill him in the process.

Kaoru is just not good at being alone.

It is a long time before the feelings subside enough for him to speak.

"H-Honey-senpai," he hiccups, "I did something really, really stupid."

Honey nods encouragingly at him to continue.

"Since Haruhi left, the club hasn't opened at all. I – I thought Kyouya-senpai was – I wanted – I made a really rash decision and announced the relaunch of the host club without Kyouya-senpai's permission."

He feels rather than sees Mori and Honey share a look.

"Oh, Kao-chan," Honey sighs. "Was Kyou-chan livid?"

Kaoru laughs brokenly in reply. "I only wanted to help. I wanted the club to start up again!"

"Hnn," says Mori seriously, "You didn't just want to help. If all you wanted to do was help, you should have asked Kyouya. What's the real reason you bypassed Kyouya's authority?"

Kaoru nearly falls off the – table, that's what he's sitting on – in his incredulity. "You think I set out to antagonise Kyouya-senpai?"

"Kaoru." This is the voice that Satoshi uses to discipline Yasuchika. "Answer the question."

Kaoru is beginning to think that this is the second big mistake of the day. Something of his intention to escape must have shown in his eyes, because Mori grasps his hips in such a way as to fasten him by his side.

Staying silent is a ludicrous strategy against Mori, but all things considered, a waiting game does not seem a bad idea as he gathers his thoughts.

The metronome beats of the clock on the wall are obscenely loud.

After a while, Honey quips, "Takashi has infinitely more patience than you do, Kao-chan."

To think that less than a second ago Kaoru had been so appreciative of how brilliant his senpais can be. "Hikaru has been so lifeless these past few weeks. I thought if I publicised the return of the host club then Kyouya-senpai would have no choice but to reopen and Hikaru would have something to do again."

Honey and Mori both give him a rather stern look. "I believe that you wanted to give Kyou-chan no choice, but you're still lying about everything else. You didn't do it for Hika-chan."

Kaoru is ashamed to tell them of his speculation, but they are clearly refusing to accept anything less than the truth. "I thought we haven't had club for so long because – I thought it meant that Kyouya-senpai was really affected by Haruhi's going away," he confesses.

"Aa." Mori's tone sounds a little too knowing.

Saying it aloud makes the illogicality of his thought process so very obvious. Kyouya, overcome to the point of inaction? Kaoru sees now the insult implied in his actions. It is not so much that he had disrespected Kyouya's jurisdiction over club matters than because he had insinuated that Kyouya had become incapable of dealing with the facts of life. Was that why Kyouya had been that furious?

"Why would you think that about Kyou-chan?" Honey asks.

He cannot meet their eyes. "Remember when Tono first moved into the main house? That day I was with Kyouya-senpai, and he said some things that made me realise that he had been expecting the host club to end once Tono discovers his feelings for Haruhi. But nothing happened the way he imagined, and Kyouya-senpai said he decided to stop thinking that we would end soon! He was starting to have faith in us, and then Haruhi leaves a big hole in the club! I don't want Kyouya-senpai to always be waiting for us to end!"

What Kaoru also means is: I don't ever want us to end.

But that unspoken prayer is so inextricably tangled up with his vulnerability that it cuts him to the quick, and he doesn't want them to know anything of it. So he promptly says, "I didn't even ask Mori-senpai and Honey-senpai if you have time for club this Friday! I'm so sorry!"

Kaoru really is contrite about not showing them this basic courtesy. More than anyone else in the club, the two senpais provide wisdom and a sense of perspective. Likely they would have foreseen the repercussions of this course of action and advised Kaoru against taking it. A fresh wave of tears cascades down Kaoru's cheeks as he bows in apology and regret.

Small hands cradle his head gently as they dab a tissue across the tear streaks. "Kao-chan, is Kyou-chan the only reason?"

Ugh. They are persistently defeating his attempts to change the topic. The way Honey is watching him tells him that Honey already knows the answer. Kaoru fidgets and averts his gaze, discomfited at his senpai's insistence on discussing Kaoru's agenda.

"There's – there's no other reason! I missed the fun we always have in the club. I was thinking only of myself," Kaoru says meekly. "Hikaru and I have been really bored lately without Haruhi, and I wanted a distraction." This is not wholly false – classes have become intolerably dull – but the half-truth assaults his conscience.

His senpais exchange another loaded glance.

It crosses his mind that he should leave since he is holding back from confiding in them honestly. He has already exhibited completely preposterous behaviour, having run all the way here to impose on them and in the process causing a lot of people to worry. He should not harass them any longer.

Springing to his feet, he mumbles vague excuses as he brushes his clothes down carelessly. At least the club will have to open this Friday because Kyouya will not permit a retraction. Kaoru has accomplished a tiny part of what he had set out to do. From now on, he will just have to find a way to salvage his relationship with Kyouya. His mind made up, he scrambles towards the door with his gaze glued to the ground.

"It's okay to admit you're scared of losing us," Mori says before Kaoru can so much as make it halfway to the exit. "Don't hide behind the cover of selfishness. That's not what motivated you."

Honey and Mori's eyes strip Kaoru of all pretence; his fear and loneliness are laid bare before them.

"You thought that we were drifting apart, and you wanted to force all of us to stay together until Haru-chan comes back, ne, Kao-chan?"

Kaoru almost laughs – in all likelihood, they had figured everything out before this conversation even began. I was afraid that we were coming to an end, he thinks, pleads. Please don't leave me behind.

He keeps his back against them and lets his bangs fall over his eyes as he takes several deep breaths. "I... I assumed that Kyouya-senpai didn't restart the club because Haruhi's leaving disturbed him too. All of us haven't talked to each other in nearly 2 weeks! I was afraid no one cared about the host club anymore. But Kyouya-senpai certainly has no compunctions about moving on with his life with his brilliant plans," he finishes bitterly.

He had been so frightened by the idea of a Kyouya who could become stymied by common human emotions that he had failed to imagine how indescribably worse it would feel to discover a Kyouya who is totally unaffected and indifferent.

"Kao-chan, come back here," Honey sighs, patting the vacant space beside Mori. Stalking out of the room in defiance seems childish, but when Kaoru walks back and plops himself on the table, his entire attitude resembles that of a sullen child anyway.

"You misunderstand Kyouya," Mori says in a slightly reproachful tone. "If the club really is that important to him, then he will make sure it never falls apart."

"Yes, I should have known that. I should have known that Kyouya-senpai would protect the club, and now I've gone and messed with his plans," Kaoru mumbles.

At this, Mori turns to look at Honey. Mori's expression is as stoic as usual, but Kaoru cannot shake the feeling that there had been a question posed and answered, and that Mori is feeling distinctly amused.

"Senpais, what do I do now? How can I make it up to Kyouya-senpai?" Kaoru cries.

"First, do you understand why Kyouya was upset?" Mori asks him solemnly.

"Because... by doing what I did, I was implying that I think that Kyouya-senpai is not as infallible as he imagines? It annoyed Kyouya-senpai because he actually is that infallible. He was making arrangements for a new host club when I was a total wreck! Wow, he must really have a huge ego to be so offended by my misinterpretation."

Mori makes an odd 'hnn' sound that would resemble stifled laughter to Kaoru's mind if there had been anything remotely funny about what Kaoru had said.

"Kao-chan," Honey says, his voice also curiously infused with mirth, "Kyou-chan wasn't offended by your misinterpretation."

"Then – why was he upset?" Kaoru shudders to think of what other transgressions he could have obliviously committed against Kyouya.

"He was very offended by your interpretation," Mori replies, and Honey starts giggling.

Kaoru is utterly confused now, and his senpais appear to be enjoying themselves far more than the situation warrants.

"That doesn't explain anything at all!" Kaoru exclaims.

"It does, Kao-chan." Honey smiles, his eyes glittering. "Like I said to Hika-chan, I still think that Kyou-chan is the one who treasures the host club most of all. So Kyou-chan thinks that he should be the one to keep it safe. Kyou-chan needs to protect the people and things that he loves."

What is that supposed to mean? Is he angry that I tried to protect the club instead of letting him do it?

"Ohhh, I see! Kyouya-senpai is angry because I usurped his position as chief protector of our group?"

"Not entirely because of that," Honey comments, "but close enough. Eheheh."

Kaoru has done something unnecessary, then. There never was any ill-will in his actions; he never intended to replace or challenge Kyouya. He sees now that he really should have kept to himself and let Kyouya do his job. It was not his place to interfere and he knew it.

Any way he looks at it, he owes Kyouya a big fat apology.

"I understand, senpais!" he announces. "I will go and beg Kyouya-senpai for forgiveness!"

"Yes!" Honey agrees. "Kao-chan, do you want to have a late lunch with me? Then you can go over to Kyou-chan's house."

Kaoru starts in surprise. He glances at his watch; it is almost 2:30 pm! Well, even if the school day is not already nearing its end, it would not make sense for him to return because Hikaru most probably told the teachers that he is unwell. His stomach rumbles; an awful hunger smacks into him in retaliation for the missed dinner yesterday and the missed breakfast today. Honey's first idea sounds marvellous, but Kaoru is not so sure about the second idea.

"Mm." Mori stands up and gathers his books. "Mitsukuni, remember to listen to the audio lecture this evening or you'll fall behind."

Wait – that means that... "Honey-senpai, you skipped class for me? I'm so sorry! Mori-senpai, did you skip class too?"

"It's all right, Kao-chan. My lecturer tapes her lectures and they are all available on the university website. Takashi has no classes until, well, two thirty."

The realisation hits him like a ton of bricks. They had unreservedly spent the entire morning with him because he needed them, even though it means that Mori will have to forego lunch.

Kaoru's breath catches in his throat again – he feels so much adoration for them that he cannot stop the tears from spilling over.

"Kao-chan!" Honey squeaks with dismay as he envelops Kaoru in a hug. "Didn't I say it's all right?"

Mori ruffles his hair with his large, warm hand and gives him a rare smile.

At this rate, Kaoru is never going to be able to stop crying.

He does not know how they manage it, but eventually his tears are wiped and his clothes straightened. Mori had given him his bright yellow cardigan to wear over his Ouran summer shirt before leaving for the lecture.

Honey is holding his hand and leading him to the campus cafeteria.

"You know," Honey begins, "Takashi thinks that Kyou-chan himself doesn't exactly know why he is so irked by your actions."

More and more Kaoru is getting the feeling that his senpais' minds are telepathically connected, and that they are omniscient.

"So when you go to apologise to Kyou-chan, you must be very careful with what you say, ne? Try to choose your words exactly so that they convey what you actually mean. Takashi doesn't want the both of you to become hurt over pointless misunderstandings."

Mori is always so responsible. While Kaoru knows that some girls like the silent types, he had not previously understood why people would designate a host who essentially sits there without engaging them. Since Kaoru and Hikaru were born to entertain, they are naturally biased in favour of showy, theatrical antics.

Kaoru knows better now. Never before has he been so acutely aware of Mori's charm. It has nothing to do with a 'lovely item' and everything to do with his aura – Mori emanates otherworldly devotion and chivalry. His character is altogether unimpeachable, and his honourable actions rather than his expressions attest to the person he truly is.

"Thereafter, just let Kyou-chan come up with his plans without any meddling, okay?"

Ouch. "Yes, Honey-senpai," he says resignedly. Eh? Wait, huh? "Come up with plans?"

"Oh, did I say 'come up'? I meant to say 'carry out'," Honey corrects himself airily.

"Honey-kun!" several girls call out. "Why weren't you at the lecture today? Is everything all right?"

Kaoru's senpais are still as popular as ever in university. Everyone crowds around Honey attentively, helpfully offering to lend their notes to Honey and proposing group study sessions. Kaoru finds himself smiling fondly at this typical sight played out by a mix of old schoolmates and strange new people.

It takes a while to extricate themselves, as usual. They continue to be accosted by various people on what had been alleged to be a short walk. Kaoru doesn't mind though – his head clears as he is confronted by the unceasing kindness and exuberance of Honey's associates.

When they finally sit down for lunch, at least 20 people have promised to keep an eye out for him if he comes to this university, and at least 40 people have offered to bring some food to Mori.

"See, Kao-chan? Takashi will get to eat something after all. Stop feeling bad about it."

Kaoru can only laugh helplessly. He thinks that Mori will end up with way too much food. His spirits are so much lighter now; Honey's joy is so irresistibly infectious.

"Takashi does this sometimes. He knows that he must take care of himself in order to care for other people, but occasionally he forgets about himself." There is an undercurrent of an unidentifiable emotion behind this statement, so he sends a puzzled glance towards Honey.

"People like Takashi need to protect other people," Honey declares.

Kaoru nods, intrigued. "I know that, Honey-senpai."

"And the way we protect these protectors is to give them something or someone to protect, Kao-chan." If it was any other person sporting the expression currently on Honey's face, Kaoru would have called it guile.

Before Kaoru can ask for further elaboration, a swarm of Honey's friends decides to join them at their table, effectively preventing them from addressing these personal topics. Try as he might, he cannot banish the insidious suspicion that even without their intrusion, Honey would not have offered any clarification anyway. There is something that Mori and Honey are not telling him, either because he should not know about it, or – more likely than not – because they want him to find out for himself.

.


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Continued in Part B