"Haruhi! Come on, school's going to start!" I banged and yelled at the youngest Fujioka through the door, hoping she'd get the hint to move faster. It was eight already and we still had to walk over. Hurried footsteps made their way to the doorway, the door opening to what looked like a little hobo.
Big glasses covering her pretty face.
The messy mop of hair.
Baggy clothes on her small figure.
Silence was all that could be heard till I spoke. "... Haruhi. What. The. Hell! When I left, you were perfectly fine. Now you have these glasses and crap on you? I told you I'd be glad to buy your uniform, but when you rejected the offer I thought you had nice clothes in mind, but... WHAT IS THIS?" The fast-paced screeching was heard in the entire complex and Haruhi quickly dragged me away from there before I made bigger fools out of both of us.
When she deemed us a good distance from her house, she finally let go of my wrist. Not stopping, she explained the predicament she was in.
"You already saw my hair yesterday and all the time before that, Chiyo, so I don't understand you freaking out. The only other thing that changed was that I lost my contacts in the morning. My dad gave me my grandfather's old pair."
I scoffed. "Okay, sure, but your hair found it possible to get worse over the course of ten or so hours – that's a talent."
Haruhi acted as if nothing was wrong with her appearance and it kind of frustrated me, even though I know how she feels about gender differences and appearances in general. I know it's useless to argue with her when she's so apathetic, but it's annoying to have her show up looking like she stepped out of a trash heap when she didn't. She has such a nice face and body, I wish she'd embrace it more. I huffed behind her and threw my bag over a shoulder and ambled on to school, knowing full well she would ignore my pouting.
The pink castle - like structure was within our view now and I started to get more anxious. Haruhi would have a tough time if she let the dumb insults get to her about being an honor student and commoner. I knew she wouldn't, still, no one can blame me for worrying. Despite the distance and differences, she had me. I may be in Class B and in my second year, but that wasn't going to stop me from kicking a few prissy asses.
I took her all the way to her class after we got her schedule. I knew she'd be fine in 1-A at least; I had acquaintances in there, like Kurakano-san, and I knew she'd be nice to Haru. I'd be hard pressed to find someone she wasn't nice to.
Then again, I think I forgot about a few people when I passed into the classroom. There they were: the Twinscest Act of the Host Club, Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin. Knowing the two devils, they might just make Haru's life miserable if they chose to be self-proclaimed fashion police. Haruhi already has me if we're talking fashion, I get on her back about her wardrobe daily enough to be called a fashion police, too.
That was when I heard the chiming of the bell and decided it was time leave Haruhi's side for now.
"Hey, Haru, I got to head to class. I'll see you after school, alright?" I didn't wait for her answer as I started down the stairs, taking two at a time. It wasn't exactly easy because I didn't have the longest legs nor the composure to do it without falling repeatedly, but I managed to get to class in one piece.
Now, 2-B isn't an extravagant bunch, yet the majority was still stuck up. Almost every conversation going on revolved around what their parents all told them to do and who to hang out with nowadays. It was obnoxious and disgusting. I get why, although it doesn't make up for the fact that forcing 'friendships' on someone was wrong. The rest of them saw nothing wrong with the interactions and students knowingly went around agreeing to trips or outings to better relations with families, or even worse, better their own status.
Regardless, the bell had rung, I was in my seat, and I was doodling absentmindedly. I was way too dazed to hear my teacher's stern voice bringing me out of the pensive state.
"Miss Naotosuta! Please refrain from daydreaming in my class if you could. I'm sure that trait isn't admirable for the heir of a successful company," he scolded.
Well, that was a low blow. As if he knew what it took; he's teaching seventeen-year old kids English. That's not exactly life changing.
"Sorry, Teach. It won't happen again." As soon as he turned back to the board, I muttered, "Sorry I don't have a stick up my ass like you, I mean."
The rest of the day carried on that way, Teach waking me up and me having to apologize. Same old routine as always. It would be better if he didn't teach English in a monotonous tone, I was bad enough at it.
Lunch rolled around soon enough and I had promised Haruhi I'd meet up with her in her classroom to show her my favorite spot to eat at. Past annoyance faded at the prospects of having lunch with my best friend and hearing all the comments I knew she'd have about the uptight elitist society people she was surrounded by in 1-A. I nearly flew back up the stairs, tripping over my own feet just like in the morning, apologizing to people as I shuffled between them. I threw back waves at friends as I passed them in the hallway, but had just one thought in mind: letting loose with Haru.
"Hey, Haruhi, still here?" I peeked my head into the mostly empty classroom, smiling at friendly faces. As expected, I saw the messy mop of hair in her desk. I shut the door behind me and walked over to her. Special lunch spot could wait, she seemed too comfortable to move around. Dropping my lunch on her desk, I made myself comfortable, tying my hair into a knot at the of my head away from my face to laze the next hour away. Haruhi finally looked up and gave me one of her rare public smiles – I knew despite the stress she would be under with her scholarship these next few years she'd be fine.
"Staying here?"
"Yeah." And I smiled, genuinely smiled because my best friend was here with me and I felt it in my bones that school was going to be a new level of chaotic and amazing this year.
We ate in silence, recounting funny encounters she had in class today and talking about my first day. I told her my infamous story of how I unknowingly had spoiled milk in my rushed morning and wound up throwing up all over my teacher's shoes last year. She snorted so hard her tea came out of her nose. I was laughing so hard the students hanging out in the classroom had concerned looks on their faces, wondering if they should come over.
Once the students came streaming in I took it as my cue to leave for class. The next few hours couldn't pass by faster. My eyes drooped within half an hour of being back in class and Japanese History just didn't register in my brain at that moment. The bell finally chimed one last time and that was my signal to get the hell out of here. I couldn't wait to flee propriety and meet up again with Haru. I couldn't stand being in the stuffy room any longer speaking meekly and softly or having yellow poofs in my line of vision gossiping about the boys in their classes. I couldn't stomach the formalities I had to use and the uptight posture I had to remember to keep.
Strolling into the hallway where Music Room 3 was, I noticed none other than Kurakano already standing. The Host Club wouldn't start for a while, but some girls gather round before to get into their little cliques to discuss the hosts even before their appointments. I waved at her, but all I received in return was a confused expression.
"Naotosuta-san? Where's your friend, Fujioka-san?"
"Haruhi? What about her?"
It was her turn to look confused as she tilted her head to the side, hair falling over her shoulder. "I thought you told her you'd go see her after school. I'm sorry, senpai. Did I hear wrong?"
See? This was one of those moments when having the ability to say what I think comes in handy.
"OH, CRAP!"
No wave and no goodbye this time around. I ditched the hallway and sprinted across and down stairs to see if I could catch even a glimpse of Haruhi. Nothing.
I panted once I reached her classroom and held the wall for support feeling blisters form at the back of my feet from all the running in flats today. "Maybe the library?" I thought aloud, then pushed the thought aside. "No way. Those libraries are always noisy. Let's see. I know she'd look around for an empty space, so where could she have gone?" I placed my hand under my chin while I thought about every possible place Haruhi could have gone to.
That's when it hit me. And, in that moment, I felt sorry for Haru and whatever she was facing right now in the supposedly empty Music Room 3.
The Host Club.
"That's not going to end well..." I groaned, thinking not only of having to run back, but also the embarrassment that would surely ensue this afternoon.
My feet hitting the floor was all that could be heard as it echoed through the empty hallways. A handful of turns and up a staircase later, I stood in front of the "empty" music room's door doubled over, grasping at my knees. Noticing the silence of the hallway, I guessed that the girls had migrated to the garden downstairs in the meantime.
"Haruhi had better be here, because if I find out that I wasted this much effort for nothing, then she's dead," I grumbled. Taking just a little longer to compose myself, I reached out to turn the doorknob, only to be assaulted by the typical flurry of red rose petals. The six voices that usually gave a greeting were nonexistent. Instead, I was greeted by the voice of my dearest neighbor telling off the six handsome hosts.
"I'm not a hero, I'm an honor student. And who are you calling 'Haru-chan?!'" Yup, that's definitely something Haru would say.
Suoh took that as a chance to jump into the conversation. "I never would have imagined the famous scholar would be so openly gay," he remarked, actually amazed by his discovery. I swear, I tried so hard to not snort at hearing that; they hadn't looked my way yet and I wanted to keep it like that. The others seemed to believe this, though. Well, most of them. The only one that I could tell, and I knew, would be able to tell Haruhi was a girl underneath of the raggedy clothes was the ever brilliant, Kyoya Ootori. That sneaky bastard would be the one to figure it out without a doubt. Still, the blond's "discovery" freaked Haruhi out enough to make her jump back a bit, only to lean back more when she was questioned on her type.
The Strong and Silent type, Takashi 'Mori' Morinozuka.
The Boy Lolita type, Mitsukuni 'Hunny' Haninozuka.
The Mischievous type, Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin.
The Cool type, Kyoya Ootori.
"I-It's not like that. I was just looking for a-a quiet place to study," she countered, furiously shaking her hands in front of her face.
Ha! I knew she would look for a place to study. I know her too well.
Looking back over at the lot, I saw that Suoh now held Haruhi's face in his hand. "Or maybe you're into a guy like me. What do you say?"
What came next was something I don't think any of us expected to happen.
Really.
I don't think any of us thought Haruhi would knock down an 8 million yen vase.
"Haruhi!" I left my place in front of the door - somehow they really didn't notice, probably too focused on seducing guys to see me - to lend a hand to the distraught girl. She was frozen, leaning over the stand where the vase once sat, grasping at the air above where the shards now laid.
"Chi-chan? When did you come in?" Thanks, Haninozuka-senpai, totally appreciate being invisible.
"I've been here for a while now." I let him know of my very much apparent existence while trying to get Haru to snap out of it. "I didn't mean to be nosy, but I sort of have to pick up Haruhi here."
"But you can't," One Hitachiin - Kaoru, maybe - said, instantly shooting me down.
Hikaru, I think, finished off his brother's statement. "We were going to feature that at the school auction."
"Now you've done it, commoner. The bidding on that vase was supposed to start at 8 million yen."
That's when the two of us both stopped what we were doing?
"Eight million yen?!"
"How many zeros is that?!"
The shock wasn't as great to me as it was to my friend, yet that was still a lot. It was insane for a vase.
"I'm going to have to pay you back."
My head whipped around and I frowned at the prospect of Haruhi slaving away instead of studying. "No way. Let me pay for it." I set my arm around her and ruffled her hair. "Just let me take care of it, please?" Said girl just shrugged me off and repeated that she'd pay for it, my cue to frown at the rejection of affection.
The twins hooked arms and asked with what money she was going to pay for it. "You can't even afford the school uniform." The pair with the judging eyes gave her a once over, more than likely disgusted by her choice of clothes and accessories. "What's with that grubby outfit you've got on anyway?" Jeez, thanks, Kaoru. Or was it Hikaru? A Hitachiin.
Ootori spoke for the first time in this whole mess. "Well, what are we going to do, Tamaki?"
The King of the Host Club proceeded to sit down on his throne while saying, "There's a famous saying you may have heard, Fujioka. When in Rome, you should do as the Romans do. Since you have no money, you can pay with your body. That means, starting today, you are the host club's dog!" He shouted out his declaration, legs crossed, arm raised to the air, finger pointing directly at Haruhi.
Then she kind of, maybe, fainted.
"You as well, Naotosuta-san!"
Excuse me?
"Yay! Chi-chan's with us!"
"Hm."
"At least she's better dressed than him."
"That's true."
"Glad to have you here," Kyoya said, smiling with tight lips and his eyes closed, leering right down at me.
I blinked once. Twice. Thrice. And fell back against the display's wall. "What just happened here?" I groaned and slapped a hand to my forehead, already envisioning the elaborate, disastrous events sure to ensue.