Chapter Three.
"This is awesome!" I grinned as we walked down a slightly crowded shopping strip.
"Isn't it?" Haruhi smiled as we walked beside each other.
"Daddy's little girls are so happy!" I heard Tamaki behind us.
"Yeah, whatever you say Boss." Hikaru said. He didn't seem as happy as he usually did.
"Excuse me for a sec." I left Haruhi and walked back to Hikaru. "Are you feeling okay?" I fell in step beside him. I hoped he wasn't like this because I had come along.
Kaoru looked around his twin and smiled at me. "Hey Akane."
"Hey." I smiled back. "Hikaru, do you feel alright?"
"Of course." He snapped. "Hey! Ow." He rubbed his arm; Kaoru had punched him.
"Don't talk to her like that than."
"I'm sorry." He bowed his head. "I wasn't expecting you to come along."
"Haruhi only asked me last night."
"It's not that." He ran his fingers through his orange hair, messing it up. "Everyone kept it from...huh?"
I laughed and readjusted his hair the way it should have sat. "You looked silly with your hair like that."
"Thanks..."He blushed and ran his fingers through his hair again, making sure that it sat properly when he was done.
"No problem." I laughed. "So, what were you saying before?"
"Oh, right." He looked straight ahead again. "I'm just annoyed that everyone kept your coming along a secret from me."
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault!" He said quickly. "I don't blame you or anything!"
"Calm down!" I laughed. "Hikaru, you need to relax."
"I...uh...what?"
"You need to relax." I repeated.
He looked at me, confused.
"Hika-chan and Aka-chan are so cute together!" Haninozuka-sempai said.
"Aren't they just!" Tamaki cooed. "Imagine, Hikaru, never really spoken to a girl except Haruhi before and now..."
"Shut up Boss." The twins spoke together.
"It's nice here, isn't it?" I said, ignoring both Tamaki and Haninozuka-sempai.
Hikaru nodded.
"So, Akane, did you enjoy last night?" Kaoru brought the conversation back to life.
"Yeah." I grinned. "It was really fun."
"And what was the best part?" It was clear what he wanted me to say and, seeing as Hikaru was between us, he couldn't escape. Besides, I was probably going to say it anyway.
"I guess...it would've been...sitting with Hikaru." I said, looking away, not wanting either of them to see me blush.
"What?" Hikaru exclaimed. "It was only for a few minutes you spent more time with Haruhi you..."
"Hey, relax." I laughed. "Hikaru, please calm down. Oh yeah, I was wondering, Kaoru, what did you tell him in the car?"
Kaoru grinned. "That's our little secret."
"Aw, c'mon! You can tell me!"
"Uh uh uh." He waved his finger in the air, as if he was scolding me. "Some things stay between brothers." He ruffled my hair. "Points for trying though."
"Fine." I ran back up to Haruhi. "They're difficult, aren't they?"
"Sure are." She nodded. "But that's their way."
"And how are daddy's little girls?" Tamaki appeared behind us, and put a hand on both my and Haruhi's shoulder.
"Just fine Sempai." Haruhi pinched the back of his hand, causing Tamaki to let go of both us us.
"Haruhi, you're so mean to your daddy!" He whimpered. "So how's daddy's new girl?"
"I, uh, yeah, alright." I smiled uncertainly, taken off guard by his sudden personality changes.
"That's great!" He grabbed my hands. "Your first outing as a member of the Ouran Host Club!"
"She's not part of the Host Club." Haruhi said flatly. "She's a girl."
"So are you!"
"In case you haven't noticed Sempai." She continued her flat tone. "I'm pretending to be a boy to pay back for the broken vase."
"So you don't care about us?" He sobbed. "You're so mean!"
"Sempai, you know it's not like that." She sighed. "But that is the difference between me and Akane. And the fact that you didn't think she was a boy."
"She has a point there." Kyoya appeared beside Tamaki. "And it would cause quite a stir if a girl was found to be hosting, even if she was hosting men."
"Well then Akane, how would you like to join the Host Club as an assistant?"
"A-assistant?" I stammered.
"You know, helping us hosts serve our guests tea and snacks." He explained. "Not hosting. I'm sure everyone's alright with it? Right Kyoya?"
Kyoya pushed his glassed up the bridge of his nose again. "I see no problem with it. Mori-sempai, Hani-sempai, what do you think?"
"I think it's great!" Hani-sempai grinned widely. "I'll get to eat cake with Aka-chan!"
"It's fine." Mori-sempai nodded.
"Hikaru, Kaoru. What do you think of Akane joining the Host Club?"
"I'm fine with it if you guys are." Kaoru shrugged. "It'll be nice having a feminine touch around."
"What are you suggesting?" Haruhi glared at him.
"Nothing...nuh..."
"She can't host!" Hikaru exclaimed, cutting his twin off. "I won't let her!"
"She won't be hosting." Kyoya sighed. "You weren't listening, were you?"
Hikaru shook his head, grinning.
"As I was saying, how would you feel if Akane helped out around the Host Club? Like a sort of assistant?"
"I guess it'll be alright." He shrugged. "As long as she doesn't start hosting!"
"Alright then." Kyoya ignored him and turned back to me. "Starting Monday you're going to be part of the Host Club."
"Isn't that great!" Tamaki hugged. "You're officially my little girl now!"
"That's...great." I gasped; he was hugging me way too tightly. "Can you let go?"
"I'm sorry." He stood back, regaining his princely demeanour. "Now, this is your first outing as a member of the Ouran High School Host Club!"
