Inside, they found the rest of the hosts making final preparations before the guests had arrived.

Kyoya was in a tuxedo matching Tamaki's and holding a clipboard, pointing and talking to some of the workers, who carried tables and chairs to an adjoining room. Honey was sitting at one of the tables already with Mori standing close by, both in black and silver tuxedoes. The small blonde was clutching his bunny and eating a random piece of cake. Haruhi was examining the buffet, occasionally pointing to something and asking a question to a worker behind the bar. She had on a strapless, silvery and sparkling floor-length gown, with one side brushing the ground while the other was pulled up near her hip, exposing one of her legs. Her silver heels with the tall straps sparkled in the bright lighting and the dying rays of the setting sun.

Tamaki smiled at them. "You two missed out on a good time today," he said with a sigh. "You should have been here."

"We had a pretty good day ourselves," Hikaru and Kaoru muttered under their breaths.

"What was that?" Tamaki questioned.

"Oh…Nothing."

"When people start arriving," he said, all business, "we're going to take shifts as to who will be greeting. You two will take charge for the first hour." He smiled at their thunder-struck look. "Don't worry, it'll fly by."

Fly by, my ass!

"Welcome, Mrs. Nokawa," Kaoru said, taking her hand gently in his. "May I say you are looking fine this evening? Please, enjoy yourself."

"Thank you, Mr. Hitachiin," she said with a smile back, passing into the room. Kaoru risked a glance at the silver, ruby-studded watch on his wrist. An hour had almost passed. Their shift was almost over. He heard Hikaru greeting people on the other side of the wide ballroom doors.

"Aren't you going to greet me?"

Kaoru snapped his head up.

Megan Stallion stood there, smiling. A blue silk scarf was draped gently over her shoulders, and some of her slim fingers bore diamond-studded rings. She wore a night blue dress that flared at the bottom with a single strap across her right shoulder. Sparkles coated the chest down to her waist, where the crimped skirt rippled around her legs. A pair of silver flats with straps weaving up her shins and locking around her calf caught the ever-changing lighting of the ballroom elegantly. On her right wrist, she wore three green bangles and two silver ones, and two red and blue ones on her left. Her hair fell in gentle curls around her face and down her back, with her bangs pinned back in a braid woven with a single strand of navy blue string.

Kaoru took her left hand in his right one and brought it to his lips, brushing a feather-light kiss against the skin. "How are you this evening, Miss Stallion?" he said, sparkling as he put on that Host Club charm. "You're looking beautiful. I like what you've done with your hair."

"Thank you…"

"Hitachiin," he said. "Kaoru Hitachiin."

"Thank you, Kaoru."

He was thrown for a moment. He had not expected her to call him Kaoru—normally, he was referred to as Mr. Hitachiin. But he liked the way she said his name, with the slightest accent on the 'r'.

"My pleasure entirely," he said, gesturing her in with a sweep of one arm. Hikaru shot him a glance as he greeted another guest inside.

With a smile and a small laugh, Megan winked at Kaoru and slipped into the ballroom.

~*~*~
Once they had been relieved by Tamaki and Kyoya, Hikaru pulled Kaoru aside and looked at him with eyes sparkling with laughter.

"I didn't miss the way you looked her over, Kaoru," he said.

"Hmm? Looked who over?" Kaoru asked innocently.

"You know exactly who I'm talking about," Hikaru taunted.

"Do not," Kaoru insisted indignantly, turning on his heel and heading for the buffet. "Are you coming to get some food or will I have to eat alone, Hikaru?"

Kaoru looked at his watch and glanced at his brother. Hikaru was dancing—in Kaoru's mind, a bit too close—with Megan. He stared at them for a moment before he suddenly got a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. He shook his head and watched them break apart as the song ended.

He heard a footstep behind him just after he turned away.

"Kaoru?" Hikaru asked. Strong arms wrapped around his stomach, pulling him back against a lean figure. His twin's breath stirred his hair as Kaoru felt his brother lean in, lips brushing his ear. "You okay?"

Kaoru felt the feeling in his stomach twist and grow stronger. It was as if a dragon in his chest was snarling fury at his brother. Feeling suddenly furious, Kaoru pulled away.

"I'm fine," he said, harsher than he had intended. "I'll be right back."

Spinning away from his brother, Kaoru pounded toward the bathroom. His stomach began churning nastily the closer he got. Pushing between Tamaki and a young girl talking, Kaoru put on a burst of speed and burst into the restroom. Thankfully, it was empty except for himself.

Dammit, shouldn't have eaten so much seafood at the buffet, was his only thought as Kaoru hit his knees, bent double over a toilet, and was sick.

He heard the door open and footsteps hurried to his side. A slim hand stroked his back and a soft voice whispered soothingly to him. Thinking it was Hikaru, Kaoru tried weakly to hit him away after the contents of his stomach had made a vulgar reappearance.

"Quit that, Kaoru," Tamaki said, catching his hand. His violet eyes wavered with concern. "Where's Hikaru?"

"How should I know?" Kaoru yelled, feeling tears fill his eyes. Tamaki urged him to his feet and half-supported him to the chairs across the bathroom, gently making him sit. Kaoru wiped a bit of saliva off of his chin with a badly shaking hand.

Tamaki went to the sink and filled a small cup with cold water, bringing it back to the youngest twin, who was trembling, and not just with the sour taste in his throat. He held out the cup. "Here. Try to drink this."

Kaoru took a tentative sip as Tamaki sat beside him. A single tear fell down his cheek. The pianist brushed it away with feather-light fingers.

"What's wrong, Kaoru?" he asked.

"I don't know," he whispered. "I don't...even know anymore. One minute I was watching Hikaru and the Stallion girl, Megan, dance and then, when Hikaru tried to talk to me, I just got really mad at him and took off."

At the recollection, the dragon in Kaoru's chest snarled rage.

His fingers clenched tight around the paper cup. Water splashed onto the elegant tile floor. Tamaki sighed softly.

"I think I just ate too much shrimp or something tonight," Kaoru said, trying to be optimistic. He really could not think of another reason he would be so furious at his brother for absolutely no reason.

Then he recalled a time, back during their summer break, when they had stayed at Pension Misuzu in Karuizawa with Haruhi.

(Kaoru's Flashback to Episode 17)

"She's got plenty of friends," Hikaru sneered at taken-aback Arai, "so she doesn't need you around, gettit?"

Haruhi's palm cracked across his cheek with an audible smack. Kaoru gasped. Hikaru froze, eyes huge.

"That's not something for you to decide, Hikaru!" Haruhi shouted, "I'm not going to tolerate you insulting my friends anymore, you got that?!"

Hikaru was silent for a moment before he lowered his head. Kaoru was the only one who could tell he was seething and on the brink of tears from fury.

"But why?" he said, voice trembling. "Why should anyone else even matter to you?" Hikaru rocketed to his feet, advancing a single step on Haruhi. One hand slammed hard against the countertop. "I thought we were your friends! Are we or aren't we?!"

Haruhi couldn't speak, couldn't move.

Slowly, Kaoru stood. He could see the angry flush on Hikaru's cheeks, the way he was just barely fighting back tears.

A sound like a strangled sob escaped from Hikaru's chest an instant before he turned and bolted away, shoving past Tamaki.

"Hikaru, wait for me!" Kaoru shouted, taking off after him.

(End Kaoru's Flashback)

Kaoru wiped at one eye. "Tamaki," he said very quietly, "what's wrong with me?"

"That's easy, Kaoru." The violet-eyed blonde smiled. "You're in love with her and you're mad at Hikaru for trying to get to her first."

Kaoru bit the inside of his cheek. "But why was I so furious at Hikaru? I never get mad at him."

"Kaoru, you're so innocent," Tamaki laughed quietly. "You're jealous that Hikaru got his hands on her first and not you."

These words had just escaped Tamaki when the door burst open and Hikaru's worried voice said, "Kaoru! I've been looking everywhere for you! Are you okay?"

"Just be honest with him," Tamaki breathed an instant before Hikaru rushed to his twin's side and knelt in front of him, one hand cupping his cheek, the other around his back.

"You're so pale," he whispered. "Do you feel okay?"

"He got sick a few minutes ago," Tamaki said. "He said he felt like he ate too much." Tamaki stood. "I'd better go. I left a lovely young lady wondering where I must have gotten off to." He winked at them both and departed.

Hikaru sat up on the chair beside Kaoru and pulled him close against his chest. "Kaoru?" he whispered. "Are you okay?"

"I hate you, Hikaru," Kaoru whispered into his shoulder, putting his arms around his twin's neck and holding him tight. "I hate you so, so much."

"Kaoru?"

Kaoru tightened his grip on his twin, feeling his eyes burn. What if she's already fallen for Hikaru? What if they're in love and...I'm left on my own? Without her or my brother?

He buried his face in Hikaru's neck and began to cry.