notes: Thanks for all the reviews guys! I super-appreciate all the love! I'm really glad you all enjoyed the first chapter, so I'm here with the next!
The voting has begun and it looks like, so far, Hikaru is in the lead for Sakura's heart with Mori and Nekozawa right behind him :) And it appears Tamaki might be with Haruhi! I'm also adding Hikaru/Sakura/Kaoru (which is currently tied with MoriSaku and NekoSaku) as a pairing because a few of you have requested it or are torn between choosing.
So, any love-triangles are open to vote on!
And remember, just because Sakura is going to end up with only one of the boys (or two, depending on the votes...) doesn't mean she won't get some loving from the others :) It'll be quite a while before Sakura 'ends up' with anyone.
Oh, and a bit of a heads up. Quite a bit of fluffy-adorableness ahead. I hope I don't give anyone any cavities...
On with chapter two! Enjoy!
::
Just A Little Bit...
Of New Job Jitters
::
Take just a little bit of time
Just to make you feel right
::
After Tamaki overcame his initial shock of learning that Sakura had no idea who any of them were, he immediately introduced the other hosts, gesturing excessively. Sakura mentally filed away their names and awkwardly waited to find out just what she'd be doing as a host. She was against all of this, but when Haruno Sakura made a promise, she kept that promise. And with the promise of being a host at Ouran Academy, well, she was going to be the best darned host she could be.
At least until they all got sick of her and kicked her out of the club.
"Now," Tamaki said suddenly, sitting down on a couch. He nodded to the second couch on the other side of a large coffee table and Sakura made her way towards it, inwardly grimacing. He grinned and tapped a finger to his chin, Kyouya moved to stand at one end of the couch while a disgruntled Kaoru leaned against the other. The two watched her and waited for their 'king' to continue.
"What type are you, Haruno-kun?"
Sakura straightened in her seat, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "What do you mean, Tamaki-san?"
"Please, please! Call me Senpai! You are in the same year as Hikaru, Kaoru, and Haruhi, correct?" Before she could answer, he laughed to himself and waved offhandedly, "Yes, yes, of course you are. So, you shall address me as Senpai, Saki-kun! We have no need to be so formal here in the Host Club!"
Sakura smiled weakly to herself and nodded slowly. "A-alright, Tamaki-senpai," the blonde grinned and clapped in approval, "But, still, what do you mean by 'type'?"
He hummed and Honey and Mori suddenly sat down beside him, the former holding a pink stuffed rabbit. At the back of her mind, Sakura was still trying to make sense of the fact that the child-like Honey was almost eighteen – two years older than herself.
"We each have a certain role that we fulfill here in the Host Club," Tamaki explained, "A type that our lovely customers have come to identify us as and thusly request depending on what they prefer!"
He gestured to Kyouya, who, once again, was writing something down in this ever-present book. "Whether it's the Cool Type," he waved to Honey and Mori next, "The Loli-Shota Type," Honey giggled and hugged his bunny closer, "The Wild Type," Mori blinked and Sakura began to wonder whether he ever spoke. Tamaki motioned to Kaoru, "The Little Devil Types," he paused, turning thoughtful, "Though I suppose it will be difficult for Kaoru to take on the role of both Little Devils."
Kyouya snorted to himself, mumbling something along the lines of "That's what I said earlier, King." under his breath. Tamaki didn't seem to notice and continued, gesturing to himself, "Or myself, the Prince Charming Type." He smiled happily suddenly, "Haruhi is our Natural Rookie. His regular customers were most distraught when they learned he was sick, but he should be back soon. Right Kyouya?" Tamaki's attention snapped over to Kyouya, expression hopeful.
"Of course." He answered simply, smirking knowingly to himself.
Sakura frowned as she remembered that Fujioka had been the accidental cause of her new 'job'. She didn't blame him, but she did find it hard to imagine the quiet and somewhat shy boy as a host. 'Fujioka really participates in this? What did he do to earn this sort of punishment?'
"What type shall Saki-kun be?" Tamaki questioned aloud. "No one knows much of his personality since he is so new here! All we know is that he likes to punch people...Tsundere?"
Sakura frowned and crossed her arms. 'I'm not that cold or mean to others. I just have a short temper! And will he stop talking as if I'm not here?' But, before Sakura could interject, the sound of a whirring machine filled the air. The boys all seemed perplexed when a high-pitched laugh began, covering up the sound of the rumbling.
"Ohohohohoho!"
The pinkette watched in shock as the floor opened up – splitting to allow a small platform to rise up from underneath the room. A girl, the source of the laugh, wearing the female Ouran uniform stood atop the platform, spinning in slow circles. When the whirring finally stopped and platform stopped moving she planted her fists on her hips and smiled at the occupants of the room.
"Ohoho! Isn't it obvious? Saki-kun shall be our Tragic Type!" Sakura blinked in surprise, inwardly wondering who this girl was. The brunette pranced down the steps of the platform, darting towards Sakura. She stopped in front of the pinkette, taking her hands in her own.
"A Tragic Type! How romantic! I can see it now! All the girls will try to get close and become friends with Saki-kun to learn about his tragic past! To learn why he appears so cold on the outside and strive to one day warm his heart!"
"T-tragic, Renge?" Tamaki asked, still trying to get over her sudden appearance. The girl laughed and danced away from Sakura.
"Can't you see it? With Saki-kun's abnormal pink hair, big doe-like eyes, small frame, and girl-like face, he must have been picked on and bullied when he was little! What other things haunt him? What is he hiding behind that tough façade?" Renge put a hand to her head, sighing dreamily. "Imagine the kind and happy soul that lies beneath that cold and rough exterior! Even I feel the desire to befriend Saki-kun!"
Sakura pouted, crossing her arms.
"Do I really come off as that cold?"
"It doesn't have to be true, Saki-chan. You can just pretend!" It was then that Sakura realized that Honey was sitting next to her, a large piece of cake on a plate in his hand. Honey smiled and kicked his legs childishly. "Sure, we all have our types, but we usually push it to the extreme to entertain the customers!"
Sakura nodded slowly, leaning back in her seat as she turned thoughtful. 'Tragic? Can I pull that off? Hmm...'
"Alright," All eyes turned to her. She smiled, head tilting to the side as her eyes closed. "I'll give it a shot."
Suddenly she was enveloped in a monstrous bear hug and Tamaki spun her around. "So cute! You'll do wonderfully, Saki-kun!"
She yelped and quickly tried to push him away. He was surprisingly strong but she managed to escape him and fell back into her seat, clothes rumpled and beanie falling off her head. She sighed and pulled her cap off, running her fingers though her bangs.
"Ah, that reminds me," Kyouya stood in front of her, holding out a small pile of clothing. "All Host members wear the school's uniform. You can change in the back room." He nodded towards a door in the back and dropped the clothes into her lap.
Sakura blinked and slowly stood, heading for the mentioned door. 'When did he find the time to get me a uniform?' She fingered the cloth, glancing at the tag. 'And how does he know my size?' Sakura inwardly freaked out and kept walking, shoulders stiff.
She caught the dark look in Kaoru's eyes and instantly guessed what she was thinking. This is supposed to be a punishment, but he's enjoying this! That little bastard. I'll make him regret hurting Hikaru!
She sighed and finally reaching the door. She could feel their eyes on her, watching her, judging her.
"Oh, and Haruno-kun?"
Her hand was on the doorknob and she stopped, glancing over her shoulder at Kyouya.
"For further reference, would you rather be called 'Saki' or 'Sakura'?"
Eyes widened from around the room and Sakura stiffened, fingers twitching. He was smiling at her, that sly bastard. Well, two could play at that game.
"Saki, please. After all, it was an old nickname of mine. And Tamaki-senpai did say that there was no need to be so formal." She smiled that closed-eye smile from before and quickly slipped into the extra room. She turned the deadbolt, effectively locking out any unwanted visitors.
She instantly heard the sound of rapid conversation and she slumped against the door. She snorted and smirked to herself. From what she'd gathered, Ootori was very observant and knew almost everything about everyone. Of course he would have known her real name.
As Sakura unfolded the uniform and looked it over, her smirk widened. She undressed, mind full of orderly thoughts.
Her file would say she was a boy.
Her secret was still safe.
The all-knowing Ootori knew a lot less than he thought he did.
::
Just enough to ease the bite
::
Sakura stood in front of the mirror, looking at herself at all angles. She had to admit, she looked good. 'I would so have a crush on me if I was a real boy.' Sakura paused, trying to make sense of her sudden strange thought. She shrugged and straightened her tie. She messed with her hair, parting it off to the right to allow a few of her bangs to hang just over her eyebrows. There was nothing she could do with fringe of the super short hair at the back of her head and she knew she really shouldn't wear her beanie.
Sighing she readjusted her jacket and turned from the mirror. At least the blue of the uniform didn't clash too terribly with her hair. And, she had to hand it to that glasses wearing bastard, the uniform fit perfectly. She turned the lock on the door and stepped out, nervously glancing around.
All eyes turned to her and she suddenly felt self-conscious. She rubbed the back of her head and smiled weakly.
"It, uh, fits." She coughed and walked forward. Almost instantly, Honey was clinging to her, limbs once again wrapped around her torso.
"Saki-chan looks so cute!"
She grimaced but left him, realizing that he'd let go when he wanted to. She heard a snicker and glanced to her left. Kaoru sent her a cheeky grin.
"So, Sakura?"
She snorted, standing still while Honey slipped off of her and to the ground. She really wasn't much taller than the blonde but he still seemed much smaller than her. She turned her attention to Kaoru, crossing her arms.
"My mom wanted a daughter and my dad wasn't very imaginative when it came to names." she answered simply. It was true, but the fact that her mother had gotten the daughter she wanted was her little secret. But the jerk didn't need to be so rude about it. She blamed Kyouya.
Sakura looked over at Tamaki who was regarding her new appearance thoughtfully. "So, what is it I'll be doing as a host, exactly?"
Tamaki smiled, standing and approaching her. "You'll be entertaining our lovely ladies, of course!"
She frowned. That wasn't much of an answer. It was about then that she noticed Renge had disappeared and Kyouya and Mori were making their ways towards the double doors of the room.
"Personally, I would like to see how you do without any sort of guidance or instruction, Saki-kun." Sakura looked over at the grinning Tamaki in surprise. "So, I'll allow you to 'wing it', for today!"
'He isn't serious, is he?' But it appeared Tamaki really was serious and Sakura soon found herself being led to the middle of the room, left to stand on the king's right. Kaoru took the blonde's left and Honey ran forward and jumped onto Mori's back, giggling happily.
Suddenly, Mori and Kyouya opened the doors, bowing and smiling at the group of girl gathered in the hallway.
"Welcome princesses!" Tamaki exclaimed, stepping forward to bow regally. "Today, I would like you to welcome our newest, Tragic, host, Haruno Sakura!" the girls all murmured amongst themselves and Sakura inwardly frowned. She'd expected Tamaki to refer to her as 'Saki'. The blonde reached back and pulled her forward.
"With both Haruhi and Hikaru indisposed of for now, Haruno-kun has offered us his services until further notice! Please, welcome him graciously, princesses!"
And now, Sakura's big moment. They were all staring at her and she felt a little overwhelmed. But, with a steadying breath she bowed and smiled at them with her closed-eye smile, the ends of her eyebrows turned down to give, what she hoped was, a sad and "Awww!"-worthy look.
"Hello. Please, call me Saki. It is a pleasure to meet all of you lovely ladies." She bowed once more, smile still in place, "Please, take care of me."
There was a moment of silence and Sakura's fingers twitched as nervousness set in.
Suddenly, the room was filled with squeals and yells. Sakura jumped in surprise, eardrums ringing.
"He's so cute!"
"What a pretty face!"
"That sad smile! I want to hug him!"
The other shouts were lost in the squeals and Sakura smiled weakly. 'I guess this isn't that bad.'
"Now," Tamaki began, pleased with how everything was going so far, "Saki-kun shall be taking care of those of you who have requested Haruhi. So, please, enjoy your afternoon!"
A feeling of dread overcame Sakura all of a sudden.
::
Hit the lights
::
"So, Saki-kun, tell us about yourself!"
"What made you decide to join the Host Club?"
"What's your favorite color?"
"Is your hair really naturally pink?"
Sakura's head buzzed with the many questions the three girls assaulted her with. She thought to herself for a moment, leaning forward to rest her arms on the small table. They sat and watched her intently, teacups held delicately in their hands. 'I suppose I can mix in a little truth with the lies.'
"Well," She began, smiling softly. "I was having trouble making friends and getting to know my classmates, so, when I overheard a few girls chatting about the Host Club, I sought Tamaki-senpai and Kyouya-senpai out. I figured it would be a fun and easy way to get to know some of my classmates."
They were silent for a moment.
"Aw, I want to be your friend Saki-kun!"
"Yes, yes! We'll all be your friends!"
"Best friends, Saki-kun!"
Sakura smiled and laughed lightly to herself. "Please, please! Don't feel the need to befriend me just because of what I said!" She turned thoughtful, hand rising to grip her chin. "I'd rather get to know people first and actually develop a friendship with them," She smiled (what she would soon refer to as her 'sad smile') at the three and dropped her hand to the table, lacing her fingers together. "I really appreciate the kind gestures though."
She was slightly shocked when they suddenly started squealing, cheeks flushed with pink.
"So adorable!"
"I really do want to be your friend though, Saki-kun!"
"You're so sweet!"
Sakura inwardly shook her head fondly and smiled outwardly. This wasn't all that bad. In fact, it kind of reminded her of something...
"Well, if we're going to be the best of friends, I think it would be best if I learned your names." She rubbed the back of her head nervously, laughing weakly. "I realize now that I neglected to ask for your names earlier." She smiled apologetically and the three giggled, waving offhandedly. The blonde was the first to speak, ponytail bouncing as she straightened. She had a slightly larger-than-normal nose, but a lovely smile and warm brown eyes.
"I'm Nioi Shōga; it's a pleasure to meet you Saki-kun." She extended her hand and Sakura accepted the gesture, shaking hands in greeting. The other two girls giggled and were quick to follow Shōga's example.
"I'm Kirei Katami! Please take care of me Saki-kun!" Katami's long brown curls framed her round face pleasantly and her bright blue eyes sparkled happily at Sakura. She took the pinkette hands in her own and smiled widely. Sakura smiled back and squeezed the brunette's hands gently, silently passing her a Hello.
The last girl had straight black hair pulled into two low pigtails and was about the same height as the pinkette, maybe only a hair taller. She had happy hazel eyes and a delicate blush at her cheeks.
"U-uchiki Fushi. Might I call you 'Sakura-kun'?" She asked shyly, cheeks turning a brighter shade of pink.
Sakura blinked in surprise but then nodded slowly, a curious smile at her lips. "O-of course, Fushi-chan. Whatever you please. But, might I ask why?"
Fushi sighed dreamily, hands rising to cup her cheeks. "Sakura is such a lovely name, even for a young man. And it really suits you! Calling you 'Sakura-kun' makes me feel as if we're great companions already."
Sakura chuckled, smiling warmly. She was sure that the three were going to be wonderful friends to her, even if they all thought she was a boy.
They watched her expectantly and Sakura turned thoughtful, finger at her chin. "I believe you asked what my favorite color was, Shōga-chan. Correct?"
The blonde grinned, nodding enthusiastically.
Sakura glanced around the room, as if in thought. She realized that many girls were watching her, some listening intently to her conversation. Most of the hosts had paused and were watching her as well, apparently trying to gauge what she would do next.
'Suoh said to entertain them. Hmm, let's see what I can do...' She turned her attention back to the three girls as she leaned forward, absentmindedly playing with her fingers as she spoke.
"I really like dark-greens. They remind me of the forest and the earth; calm but full of life. But," her gaze traveled skyward, imagining pictures in the elegant ceiling. "I must admit, my favorite color is a bright sky blue," she dropped her gaze to land on Katami and a fond smile crossed her lips as she tucked a few pink strands behind her ear. "Much like your eyes, actually, Katami-chan." She gave her closed eye smile, but not quite adding the 'sad' element yet as her head tilted to the side. "They're quite lovely."
The brunette gasped, eyelids fluttering rapidly as she looked away from Sakura, giggling adorably.
Sakura straightened and smiled her now signature sad smile, eyes dropping to the top of the table. "In fact, two of my very best friends from when I was younger had eyes just like yours, Katami-chan." She looked up at the three girls who were watching her intently.
"I really do appreciate your friendships, princesses." her head tilted to the side once more. "It means so much to me."
A pause, and...
The squeals that followed didn't belong to just Shōga, Katami, and Fushi.
Suddenly, Sakura found herself surrounded by many squealing and blushing girls, a few wiping away tears. It was hard to hear what they were saying, but she realized they were all exclaiming relatively the same thing.
"We want to be Saki-kun's friends too!"
Emerald eyes darted from face to face in pure shock, her mouth slightly agape. They all seemed to be reaching out to her and she soon found her three girls crowded around her as well. She had no idea what to do, she was so completely overwhelmed. They all pressed closer, still proclaiming lifelong friendships.
Suddenly, Sakura grinned, a giggle bubbling inside her. The giggle grew louder and Sakura was soon laughing. She was slightly surprised to find teardrops collecting at the corner of her eyes and she smiled appreciatively to all of the girls.
"Thanks you so much, princesses! I'm sure we're all going to be the best of friends!"
They all squealed, slightly louder this time, and crowded closer. It was about then that Honey soared through the air and landed on Sakura, clinging to her once more. At the back of her mind, the pinkette contemplated the small blonde's remarkable aim.
"Saki-chan's so cute! I want to be his friend too!" He held up his bunny and grinned at her. "So does Usa-chan!"
All the young ladies crowded around Sakura "Aww!"-ed and squealed again, blushes dusting nearly all faces.
A few minutes later, the girls had reluctantly dispersed and Sakura was once again sitting alone with Shōga, Katami, and Fushi. They chatted for a bit more and Sakura learned more about them.
Shōga's family ran a large spice and seasoning company with connections in India, China, and other countries known for their spices. The pinkette smiled; she knew, for sure, that most of the seasonings in the cabinets back home had the Nioi's label.
Katami was the heiress to a big photography franchise which specialized in family portraits, wedding shoots, and other large photo sessions. Sakura recognized the company name – most of the photos and mementos of her family had been commissioned from the Kirei family company. But she hadn't realized that was Katami's family until now.
Fushi, along with her younger brother, was to one day take over her families gardening and landscaping business. Their flowers and trees were imported from all over the world but they only used naturally grown plants, and they took the utmost care of their flora. Sakura could remember a certain garden (one she'd often wandered through and lost track of time in) being built, grown, and taken care of by employees of the Uchiki's company.
"We provide the Host Club with exotic flowers often." Fushi said. She sighed dreamily and put a hand to her cheek. "It's so lovely to come here and see the Hosts surrounded by beautiful flowers. It's like they're nymphs or forest spirits."
Katami nodded in agreement and fanned herself with her hand, giggling under her breath. "I can just imagine Saki-kun surrounded by his namesake! The sun shining on his face as he smiles that adorably gloomy smile of his."
"Cherry blossoms falling all around," Shōga added, her hand hovering over her mouth to contain her laugh of delight, "Some of the petals falling in his pretty hair!"
"A lily in his hand and a lotus behind his ear!" Fushi gushed, cheeks pink.
"Wearing a traditional yakuta!"
"And a katana strapped to his belt!"
"He's sounds like a warrior!"
"Protecting the earth and pretty damsels!"
The three squealed in glee and Sakura laughed nervously, a weak smile at her lips. 'Their imagination...it's almost overwhelming.' The girls blushed and looked over at Sakura, giggling to themselves.
"I-I want to be Sakura-kun's princess!"
"Me too!"
"And I!"
Sakura laughed and sat back in her chair, a wide grin splitting her face. 'I didn't realize that by pretending to be a boy, I might become someone's prince.'
After they'd settled down and began talking more calmly, something sort of strange happened. Shōga was asking Sakura about her favorite foods, ("I love sweets, especially syrup-coated anko dumplings and anmitsu. But I also like some sour foods like umeboshi." "Really? I love sweets too, Saki-kun!" "Me too! I absolutely adore wagashi!") and reached for the teapot in the center of the table. "Would you like more tea, Saki-kun?"
Suddenly, Sakura wasn't in Ouran Academy's 3rd music room. She was in a clean, pristine, white room with a strip of teddy bear wallpaper running around the middle of the walls. The smell of antiseptic and sterilizer drifted through the air, but the scent of freshly baked cookies and tea covered most of it up. The sound of glasses clinking and children giggling filled the air.
Sakura sat at a small table, a purple tiara perched on her head and a green feather boa around her neck. Four little girls and one boy sat with her at the table, each wearing some sort of hat or necklace. Other children played around them, but they all seemed to flock to the pinkette.
"Would you like more tea, Sakura-oneechan?" a little brown-haired girl asked, holding a teapot up. Sakura smiled and took the pot from the girl's hands.
"Please, allow me my princess!" she poured some tea into the brunette's teacup, nose wrinkling appreciatively as the smell of Nestea tea-with-lemon reached her. The girl giggled taking a delicate sip of the cold tea.
"Me too Sakura-oneechan! I want some more tea!"
"I want a cookie!"
"Sakura-oneechan! Teddy got tea on his face!"
"Can we play house later, Sakura-oneechan?"
"You're a really pretty princess Sakura-oneechan! Do you have a castle?"
"Sakura-oneechan!"
"Sakura-oneechan!"
"Sakura-oneechan!"
She laughed, reveling in the attention and affection the children showered her with.
Sakura snapped back to the present and smiled at Shōga, taking the teapot from her hands just as she had before with the little girl.
"Please," she smiled softly, "Allow me, my princess." She poured the tea, completely unaware of Shōga's face reddening. Katami and Fushi squealed to each other, gushing and cooing behind their hands.
"M-may I have some more tea too, Sakura-kun?"
The pinkette smiled at Fushi and nodded, refilling her cup.
"Me too, Saki-kun!"
Sakura grinned, laughing once more. She couldn't help it; it just bubbled inside of her and burst out. This was kind of fun, she realized. Maybe being a host wasn't going to be so bad.
::
You've got pressure dripping off your shoulders
::
"Hmm," Tamaki hummed thoughtfully, watching Haruno as he talked with his three guests. It was quiet in the room, as if everyone was trying to listen to the newest host's conversation. When the group of girls suddenly swarmed around the boy, his eyes widened slightly.
He chuckled, and Kyouya raised an eyebrow at him. Tamaki looked over his shoulder, grinning to himself. "Saki-kun's better than I thought. I think we made an excellent choice in recruiting him!"
Kyouya smirked. He was still browsing Haruno's file, leisurely taking his time to review what the school knew of the boy.
"Huh." Tamaki said, sitting up as he watched Sakura.
"What is it, Tamaki."
"He has such great manners. And seems to be chivalrous. I wasn't expecting that." Tamaki grinned sheepishly to himself. "Actually, I was expecting him to be somewhat like Haruhi. I guess it never occurred to me that he's actually from a prestigious family, rather than being a commoner."
"Indeed." Kyouya murmured. He frowned, there was very little information on Haruno personal life. It spoke mostly his interest in medicine, an aunt, and parents that were...
"Oh my."
"Hmm? What is it Kyouya?"
He adjusted his glasses and glanced across the room at the smiling boy, expression thoughtful.
"Oh, it's nothing."
Tamaki raised an eyebrow at him but shrugged, turning to watch Haruno. The boy was full of surprises, as Tamaki had learned. He did appear standoffish and somewhat cold to others, but he seemed so kind and gallant to the young ladies that seemed to be flocking to him. What else lay behind those emerald eyes and all too convincing sad smile?
Tamaki had a feeling that there was much to learn about their new host.
And, maybe, this wasn't so much a punishment as Tamaki had formerly thought.
::
Let me be the one to relieve it.
::
Kaoru frowned.
That Haruno was turning out to be much different than he thought.
He was still pissed as hell at the guy for punching and hurting Hikaru but Pinky was...
Kaoru watched the girls suddenly crowd around the surprised boy. Haruno seemed genuinely shocked. But, as he watched, he started laughing, smiling at all the girls with that smile of his. Kaoru had to admit, he had a nice laugh.
When he'd found Hikaru on the floor, holding a bloody nose, he'd been so worried and upset. It had taken a lot of persuasion but his brother had finally (albeit reluctantly) told him what happened. Kaoru had trouble believing some pink-haired kid had managed to hurt Hikaru. But, he did remember the newly transferred boy in their class that had been hanging around Haruhi. They'd both agreed a few days prior that that was unacceptable.
Luckily, Hikaru's nose wasn't broken, but he was told to spend a day or two resting and not do anything to pop it out of place again. Kaoru had immediately contacted the other hosts (except for Haruhi who had bluntly told them that they were by no means welcomed at her house while she was sick) and retold what had happened to his twin.
He'd skipped classes that day to stay with Hikaru until after classes ended.
And then Mori and Honey had brought in Haruno.
Kaoru still had trouble believing that the boy had managed to land a punch to Hikaru but, the more the boy talked with that bite to his words, the more he began to believe.
Pinky's punishment wasn't so much a punishment anymore, but Kaoru couldn't make himself care all that much. Sure, he was going to make the kid's life a living hell (as would Hikaru, the moment he returned to school) but he kept thinking back to what his brother had said.
"I...I don't blame Pinky. I could tell he was in a bad mood. But...I just couldn't keep my mouth shut. I suppose I deserved to get punched, after what I'd said."
"What exactly did you say, Hikaru?"
"Well, I told him to stay away from Haruhi."
"So? He has no business being around her."
"I kind of thought that too, but, earlier, I realized that Haruhi was just being accommodating and helpful. I guess I wouldn't have really minded being helped out by Haruhi if I was new."
"Still, he punched you."
"Yeah." He laughed, "I guess I'll just have to make his life hell then!"
"Kaoru-kun?"
Kaoru snapped out of his reverie and turned his attention to the girl peering curiously at him. She'd just returned from the group that had been surrounding Haruno. She was blushing and wiped and stray tear from her cheek. She smiled at Kaoru and tilted her head to the side.
"Where is Hikaru-kun? He wasn't at class today..."
Kaoru grinned mischievously and tapped the side of his nose.
"I believe Hikaru will want to tell you that story himself."
She giggled and nodded, sipping her tea. He could see her eyes travel back to Haruno, as well as the other girl at the table. Kaoru watched the boy as well, smirking when the brunette at the table whispered something in his ear that made him blush furiously. The blonde said something as well, tapping the brunette's hand lightly and Haruno laughed.
He really did have a nice laugh.
He watched him for the rest of the afternoon, until the Host Club closed its doors and everyone returned home.
Kaoru still didn't like him, but he was...
Entertaining.
Maybe he wasn't that bad of a guy.
::
Let's get unprofessional
::
It was nearing six o'clock when Kyouya passed her by, letting her know that the Host Club ended its sessions at 6:00 PM and began at 4:30 PM, every afternoon after school, and ran from three to four on most Saturdays.
Sakura had raised an eyebrow at him but nodded to herself. 'Guess this is a daily thing. I suppose I had been interfering with Fujioka's schedule.'
Shōga, Katami, and Fushi bid her adieu, saying that they'd be requesting her again sometime soon. Apparently, the hosts usually had multiple appointments during a Host session, switching ladies about three times. The girls giggled and said they were delighted that they'd been "Saki-kun's practice customers and had received an extra, extra long time with him."
All the girls left, some stealing glances at the pinkette on their way out, and Sakura stayed behind to help clean up.
Which, apparently, was unnecessary. Honey informed her that the school's cleaning staff usually took care of the tea sets and tables after the Host Club was done. She trailed out of the school after the other boys, smiling in thanks at Mori who held the door open for her. He flashed her what she guessed to be one of his rare smiles and Sakura suddenly found herself blushing.
That had probably been the most attention she'd received from him that entire afternoon, not including when he'd practically dragged her to the music room. (Of course, she was unaware that he, as well as Honey, had been watching her progress intently. Smirking and chuckling to himself occasionally)
Tamaki announced that she'd done well for her first day and that tomorrow they'd arrive back at the 3rd music room at two o'clock to run through a few instructions and give her his thorough review of her first day.
They all slipped into their chauffeured vehicles (limos and fancy, sleek cars) and left the school. Honey rolled his window down at the last minute and called out to her.
"See you tomorrow Saki-chan!"
Sakura replied with a simple wave and smile, blushing once more when she caught Mori's eye and saw him smile at her again.
Soon, she was left alone in the Ouran Academy courtyard. Sakura sighed and began to make her way home, mind buzzing as she walked down the street. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, glad she'd remembered to grab her messenger bag, and quickly checked it for any missed calls or new texts. Seeing none, she sent a quick message out.
"I'll stop by Sunday, Sensei. Busy on Saturday."
She was about to return her phone to her pocket when she froze, realization hitting her.
Tomorrow was Saturday.
Today was Friday.
Today was Friday.
Today was freaking Friday.
"SHIT!"
She cursed to the trees and birds and gripped her head, guilt pinching her tightly in her chest.
"I can't believe I forgot! I haven't forgotten in two years." She frowned sadly, and resumed walking. "It's too late now."
She groaned, putting her phone to her ear to make a call.
"They're going to be so upset."
The happy faces of the children from earlier, the ones from the tea party, flashed through her mind. Their expressions turned to ones of sadness and a few started crying.
Sighing in defeat, Sakura slipped her phone into her pocket when no one picked up, and raced home.
Breathing steady and limbs pumping to move faster, Sakura frowned and mumbled under her breath.
"Being a host is going to be much more difficult than I thought."
::
Don't you know it's gonna' feel much better with...
::
notes: That was pleasantly longer than the last chapter, don't you think so? Much of this was planned out a while ago and I've been looking forward to writing it!
Things are getting interesting. And complicated. And fluffy. And fun.
But mostly fun.
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I loved writing it and will probably get started on the next soon!
Here's how the pairing votes are faring so far.
Kyouya 2
Mori 3
Hikaru 4
Kaoru 2
Honey 1
Tamaki 0
Haruhi 0
Nekozawa 3
Kasanoda 0
Hikaru/Sakura/Kaoru 3
There are 8 votes for Tamaki/Haruhi and 1 vote for Hikaru/Haruhi. Those of you who have requested HikaSaku might have to wait a bit. But, I promise, HikaSaku fluff is on its way! As well as the NekoSaku! (Though that wait might be longer...)
I imagine some of you are having trouble believing everyone thinks Sakura's a guy what with her appearance. Let's just say that most people believe what they're told, not wanting to question things and make everything difficult. Besides, I know a few male anime characters that have pink hair.
I'm really starting to love this story. Anyone fancy drawing me some fanart? :3 I'd greatly appreciate it and happily take a few requests for the story from you! (Yeah, I'm totally bribing all you young artists out there~) You can find me on DeviantART under 'Thirrin73' (I also have a link to my page on my FF profile)
Thanks again and see you next chapter!
Remember...
Reviews = Love = Happiness = Inspiration = Faster Updates = More Smiles
Create some smiles people
::Thirrin73::