*Hi! Sorry I haven't updated in such a long time. I've been really busy. It is summer vacation, after all. Did you all like the cliffhanger? Hehe. I hate when stories that I am reading do that, but it definitely makes the reader want more. Thank you bloodyflower for reviewing- it totally made my day. It also reminded me that I needed to work on this story, so here goes!*

*HARUHI'S POV*

I swear I didn't mean to break it. I was intimidated by these weirdos. Who wouldn't be? I just bumped into it. I know it must be expensive because everything at Ouran is. I probably can't pay for it right now, but maybe if I get a summer job I'll be able to pay it off by next year.

"That was a one-of-a-kind porcelain and jade vase from the fourteenth century," the cool guy with the glasses says calmly, "and from my calculations, we were supposed to make 8 million yen (*that is 83,152 U.S. dollars*) off of it at the school auction this weekend."

I choke. "EIGHT MILLION? How many thousand is that? Ten hundreds is equivalent to one thousand..." I start to calculate mentally. I thought it had some worth, but not nearly that much. Eight million...what am I going to do?

"Well you obviously cannot afford to pay for it." The blond "prince" said. I roll my eyes, but I know that he's right. There is no way on heaven or earth that I can pay for that Goddamned vase. "Which means that there's only one thing to do." The blonde guy says, sitting in a chair. "As I like to say, 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do'. Fujioka, you will become the Host Club's dog until you can pay off your debt." Dog...as in a canine? An animal? A domestic pet? I plop down onto the floor in shock.

"W-what?" I hear myself ask.

"Come on now, get up." The twins say sternly.

"To give our guests a more personalized experience, everyone addresses each other by their first name. I'm Ootori Kyoya, but you may call me Kyoya," the black-haired guy with glasses says, as if this is the greatest honor he has ever bestowed.

"I am Mitsukuni Haninozuka, but you can call me Honey!" exclaims the little blond boy. He gestures to the silent tall guy who is carrying him. "This is Takashi Morinozuka, but people like to call him Mori!" Mori nods at me discreetly. What is his problem? Is he embarrassed to meet me?

"We are the Hitachiin twins," the two redheads say.

"I am Hikaru," one says.

"And I am Kaoru," the other says. I can instantly tell that there are several significant differences between them, but I can't quite put my finger on it yet. Hopefully I won't work for these guys long enough to figure that out.

The blond guy bows, like the gentleman he has been taught to be, then looks up at me. "I am Suoh Tamaki. It is a pleasure to meet you, Haruhi. Shall I tell you what our club is all about?" Before I can answer, he begins his detailed and lengthy explanation. "The Ouran High school Host Club is a wonderful opportunity for young ladies to be entertained by us, the hosts. Like us, they have much time on their hands. What better way to spend that time than admiring each others' beauty? The elegance of socializing in an aesthetic atmosphere is a delight to any girl." Yeesh. I wonder how long it took him to prepare this speech.

"Our hosts are trained in the art of conversation," he continues, "and each has a different character trait. Once a young woman has decided which host is their favorite, they can designate that host for future events. We have parties, festivals, cosplaying, and various themes each week. Maybe I can give you a tip or two on getting the ladies to notice you," he says with a wink.

"Now get us coffee," the twins command simultaneously. It is an order, not a request. Why coffee? Why now? I open my mouth to complain, but then I realize what's at stake here. Coming from a one-parent household, money has always been tight. I worked my ass off to get the one scholarship this school offers to a normal person like me. I think that they created the scholarship out of pity, or maybe even to spice up Ouran's gossip. Who knows.

Anyway, because I got the scholarship, the school's entire tuition is paid for me. I try my best to stay at the top of the class, which usually isn't too difficult if I focus on getting my homework done before completing all my chores. Since my dad is completely incapable of cooking, I have to do that too. Not that I mind or anything. Cooking reminds me of my mom, and those memories are always sweet, like candy.

Everything I've worked for could be thrown away by these idiots. I am not going to let that happen. They won't get any sort of trouble from me, no sir.

"Anything else?" I ask. Hikaru and Kaoru look a little surprised that I didn't even bat an eye about their errand. The whole club looks slightly shocked, actually. I feel a smirk crawl onto my face.

"N-No, that will be all," Kaoru said. I turn away from them and stride towards the door.

"I'll be off then," I say over my shoulder.

*Thanks for reading- I will try to update as soon as I can!*