Greetings, and many thanks for reading! Seeing the view counter go up and getting emails about new follows and favorites has been amazing. I really hope you all enjoy this chapter too!
This one is a bit shorter, but there are interesting plot twists! (At least in my opinion.)
~I forgot to mention last time, but time period: there was never a set time in the books/anime, but for some reason I always envisioned it to be 2008. For the sake of my sanity, and pop culture references, the year is 2016. The only difference will be technology, and a few modern references :)
Again, many thanks to my beta,
Madin456!

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The Host Club was only having a meeting that day, and it was a good thing too, as Tamaki was currently sulking in a corner.

Haruhi Fujioka was watching him from the table, as were the rest of the members of the club, except Kyoya, who was typing away on his laptop. "What's gotten into him?" she asked.

"No idea," the twins, Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin, replied in unison.

"He's been like that this whole time," Mitsukuni Haninozuka, mainly known as Honey, inserted. His companion, Takashi Morinozuka, mainly known as Mori, stayed silent, but nodded in agreement.

"I believe it has something to do with the new girl in our class," Kyoya said without looking up. "She said some rather harsh things to our dear president."

"What do you mean by harsh things, Kyoya-senpai?" Haruhi asked.

"I believe the phrase she used was 'half-baked compliments'," Kyoya replied. "Among other things."

The twins barked out a laugh. "So Tono is heartbroken because a girl didn't like the compliment he gave her?"

"It would appear so." Kyoya furrowed his brows at what he was reading on his computer screen.

"What is it, Kyo-chan?" Honey asked.

"The girl," he replied. "Her father was Haruki Kuroki."

"Kuroki?" Haruhi repeated. "I've heard that name before."

"The Kuroki's own the largest natural mineral business in Japan, part of that being jewelry. They operate a chain of stores that sell jewelry: Kuroki's Jewels."

"Wasn't that the guy that was killed in a robbery gone wrong several years ago?" Kaoru asked.

"Yes, although there was suspicion that it was an inside job, do to the fact that the man got so far into the mansion without detection."

"So her mom has been running the company since then?" Haruhi inquired.

"No, her mother died from an illness about 3 years prior to her husband's death. The company is run by Kuroki's second wife, and her second husband."

What Kyoya didn't tell them was that the girl had been in a mental institution in Canada for the last 8 years. It would explain her bitterness and sharp tongue. But the reason why was sealed by the family. It must have been something quite serious if she had been kept there for so long. The question was: why bring her out now?

Eventually, Tamaki perked up (Haruhi gave him a slice of cake. "You do love your daddy!"). The meeting went on as usual, and soon everyone went home for the day.


Kyoya was walking out to meet his car when he heard the sound of a horse's hooves on pavement nearby. He looked towards the sound and saw Titania Kuroki not too far off atop a black horse with the lower part of its legs feathered white. It was a rather large horse, seeming to dwarf her.

Strange, Kyoya thought. Why ride a horse when someone else could easily drive you anywhere you wish to go?

She leaned forward to rub the neck of the beast, and whispered something in its ear. She pulled on the reins, and was then headed in his direction. She stopped the horse about a yard off when she finally noticed Kyoya in her way.

"Great, it's you," she remarked dryly. She narrowed her eyes. "You a spy?"

Kyoya raised an eyebrow. A spy? For whom? And why would such a question even come to her mind?

"Guess that's a no," she sighed. She hopped off of the horse, and Kyoya then noticed that she had changed into a faded blue shirt, jeans, and riding boots, all worn from use. She was also nearly a foot shorter than her horse, making her seem small, though with the horse 6 inches taller than him, it also made him feel quite small. Titania strode over to him, and despite being 5 inches shorter, somehow looked down at him. "I would like to apologize for how I spoke to you and your friend earlier. I was…" she paused, seeming to consider her words. "...upset…" she finally settled on, "about being moved to a new school, and I took it out on you. And for that, I am sorry. And for the spy thing. One can never be too careful about enemies, can they?" She extended a hand out to him.

That ghost of a smile played on Kyoya's lips again. She really was quite the interesting person. "Yes, of course," he replied, taking her hand.

She narrowed her eyes at him, but then shrugged and and walked back to her horse. She grabbed the edges of the saddle and placed her foot into the stirrup, which put her knee up to her chest. "Need a hand?" Kyoya called, knowing full well that she would not accept.

She snorted before pushing off of the ground with her other foot, switched her handhold to the horn of the saddle, and used the momentum to swing into place. "Thanks, but I got it," she said, grabbing the reins. She clicked her tongue, and tapped the horse with her heels. "Come on Oberon. Ha!" The horse, Oberon, reared. Kyoya took a couple steps back from the horse. Titania managed to stay on the horse, and laughed when the beast landed. "I know, you like to show off! But home's got food! Let's go!" Oberon then took off at a canter towards the school gate, Titania laughing the whole while.

Kyoya watched in silence as they disappeared from sight, then let out a bark of laughter. The horse was named Oberon? The irony of their names was quite hysterical, and they made a striking duo. This was going to be an intriguing semester.

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So there you have it! Interesting, no? I hope you enjoyed!
Constructive criticism and love is, of course, appreciated!