Three | Mother's Replacement
Mei lay flat on her face. Melodramatic Tamaki had swung her and Haruhi onto the club's sofas. Except she didn't land on one.
"Tamaki-senpai!" scolded Haruhi, "Be careful!"
"B-but…" sniffled Tamaki, giving Haruhi a puppy-eyed look. "My daughters... purity!"
"Hah?" Haruhi sighed, and directed her attention to Mei. "Sorry Honami-san, are you okay?"
Mei accepted her hand, and lifted herself up. Brushing down her skirt, she flicked her hair behind her shoulder and took a real look at her surroundings. She was in a beautifully designed room. Victorian furnishes, marble pillars, luxurious curtains, piano, and… a pack of gorgeous, but very weird boys.
"It's fine. Well, thank you for before Fujioka-kun." She emphasized on 'kun', showing she has no intent on revealing their secret, and made her way to the door before anyone could stop her.
"Um, Honami-san…" called Haruhi.
For a millisecond the stoic Kyouya paused typing away on the laptop. He looked up, then resumed.
"Honami?" Tamaki's face lit up, and he snapped his fingers, "Hikaru! Kaoru!"
"Yes sir!" they rushed to the door before Mei got to it, gave a devilish grin, and frog-marched her to the sofa seat.
"So, Honami, is it!" said Tamaki, his voice loud and powerful, a complete change in behaviour, "You!" he swiftly pointed at Mei, "shall be mother's replacement!"
"Hah…" sweat dropped Haruhi, again not quite sure what was going on in the host club.
"Really? Really?" squealed Hunny, "Is that right, Takashi?" he looked from Mori's shoulder.
Mori just nodded, then looked over and Kyouya, who had not looked away from the monitor.
"Ah, I see," chirped the twins.
"So," started Hikaru,
"This is Mei Honami from the" said Kaoru,
"the Honami group." Finished Hikaru,
"So she must be very"
"good with dealing with profits and schedules,"
"Riiiggghhhttt?" they said in unison, as they twisted their bodies, laced their hands and nodded at Kyouya in synchronised fashion.
They waited for Kyouya's reply. His closed the laptop and pushed back his glasses to the brim which reflected off the setting sunlight. He looked up, giving Mei a scrutinising look. She couldn't help but feel malice in his gaze.
She gave him a stern look back, then stood up. "What is this? I'm sorry but I'll have to decline."
She tried to get away but Hikaru and Kaoru stood behind the sofa on each side of her, and quickly pushed down her shoulders and back onto the seat.
Kyouya took out a file from his clipboard, prepared as always and ahead by three steps. "Mei Honami…" he scanned the file thoroughly, and then returned his attention to her, "We, of the Ouran High host Club have a proposition for you."
The corner of her lips lifted, and Mei gave an almost sly smile. "Proposition?"
Kyouya smirked. That was the smile of a businessman. He handed her a different file, "Inside is the details of the deal. You will receive club management training from me in the month, and take care of the club during my absence. Of course, you will be paid-" the hosts gasped at the idea of Kyouya giving money, "an un-negotiable amount," he added, "and if I ever should take a leave again, you have the opportunity to take over again. That is the basics of it. Inside is a summary of what our club strives for."
Warily, Mei looked over the proposal. Crazy as this whole thing was, she thought she'd give it a go. She was desperate for money anyway. "Giving hospitality to these lovely ladies…" read Mei. She turned to Tamaki, "You made this club and policy?"
"Yes!" he exclaimed proudly, swinging his arm forward in a dramatic poise, he repeated the host club code. "How did you know?"
Her smile was cunning, "Just a guess."
Kyouya lifted an eyebrow. This girl seemed promising.
"So," Mei snapped shut the file, "About the un-negotiable pay…"
Kyouya snapped shut his file too, the shadow king aura began to creep in. "Remains un-negotiable."
"Really?" replied Mei, her smile now dazzlingly scary. She opened the file again; pointing at a certain spot she smiled a smile which had a certain smugness, "There is a loop hole in your proposal."
Shadow King Kyouya was released, and as he glared menacingly at Mei who wore an animus smile, the host club couldn't help but feel their lives were being threatened. It was like watching the dragon and tiger bare their fangs at each other.
Haruhi sweat dropped. "Will this be alright?"
"Who knows." Shrugged the twins bluntly.
Hope you like this :)
