Just when Tamaki and Kaoru had reached the front doors (to begin their own rescue mission), they opened and their missing comrades exited, Haruhi in the lead. Even before she had taken two steps out of the house, Kaoru and Tamaki pounced on her as if they had not seen her in ages.
The seniors were the last ones out, escorted by Kirimi, and Hani promised her that whenever she felt like dropping by Ouran with a good manga (preferably A Faraway Dream vol. 8), he and Mori would read to her.
"He let you go! Alive!" the president cried happily to his daughter.
"You know, Tamaki-sempai, you're being much more dramatic than usual. All of you are," said Haruhi as she tried to squirm out of his and Kaoru's sandwich hug. To her surprise, it was Hikaru who helped her free and distanced his brother from her so another double attack could not be attempted.
"Well, we're worried about you," Tamaki nearly whined. The seniors were now leading the way to the limo and Tamaki was following Haruhi.
"Actually, sempai, I think you're just procrastinating," she said, to which he gave an inquisitive gurgle. "Your irresponsible promise for a spectacular dance is too difficult to carry out, so you're just avoiding it altogether by focusing more on me."
"Well, I was never really working on the ball," admitted Tamaki a bit timidly. "Kyouya usually handles the specifics, so I figured he'd take care of everything."
Haruhi sighed exasperatedly and walked faster.
When the limo was in sight, Haruhi was closest to it (Hani had been distracted by a butterfly), and when she reached it, Kyouya (who had been leaning against it the whole time) opened the door for her.
Right when she was about to climb in he said, "I assume you've met Nekozawa's parents."
Haruhi nodded.
"What do you think of them?"
"They're really nice, and they seemed involved and interested in their children's lives. It's not what I was expecting from a family like this," she answered, a small smile growing. When Kyouya did not comment, Haruhi asked why he wanted to know.
He contemplated the question before replying, "Because you usually have rather interesting views." He motioned for her to get in as the others arrived and all seven squeezed in just fine.
On the drive home, Tamaki's one-track mind was on the ball and he dedicated himself to helping Kyouya for the next whole week plan and organize the event. He even suggested living at the Ootori mansion.
"To be honest," Kyouya sighed, "your proposal is out of the blue and even frightening considering its suddenness, but I will accept your help." He sounded far from thankful. "But don't show up at my house."
Tamaki gave a cry of delight and looked ready to hop over to Kyouya's side of the vehicle.
"And don't you dare hug me."
The conversation soon veered to Haruhi, and her "rescuers" began asking her to describe the horrific details of the Nekozawa mansion and her stay there.
"You were all there for one night awhile ago," she told them firmly, now tired of their game. "Don't you remember your own experiences?" From across the limo, Haruhi could have sworn Kyouya tensed somewhat, but the reaction was gone in an instant.
"I remember a scary board game," Hani moaned and clung to Mori's arm. A string of memories came from most of the guys then and lasted until the car pulled up to Haruhi's complex.
The girl reached for the door when Hikaru and Kaoru drawled, "We'll see you tomorrow." Haruhi stepped out of the car and stuck her face back in.
"Guys, this spying thing has got to stop," she said with an almost motherly authority. "You may not like Nekozawa-sempai, but stop using him as a distraction from dealing with next week's event." With that, the door was closed. A silence passed over the hosts for a moment.
"We're not using it as a distraction."
"Me either."
"Uhn."
"Where did she get that idea?"
"I dunno. I thought she'd be able to tell our intentions," mused Tamaki, to which the others nodded in agreement. They had never talked openly about it, but they were all there for the same reason and they knew it.
-----
"I'm home!" Haruhi called, closing the front door.
"Welcome home, honey!" replied her father and he met her with a hug. "Something came for you today— it looks important." Ranka produced an envelope that looked aged, had her name and address written beautifully on the front, and was closed with a wax seal bearing the Host Club insignia. (Since when have we had a coat of arms?)
"Open it, open it!" Ranka prompted, bouncing and giggling. Bracing herself for the worst, Haruhi complied. She pulled out a piece of parchment that looked similarly old and read the message written in the same, beautiful, humanly impossibly characters:
Miss
Haruhi Fujioka, you are hereby invited to the first annual (oh,
brother) Ouran High
School school-wide dance.
Come for a night of dancing, costumes, and
fun with the Host Club and your fellow students.
Saturday
the 18th, 8 pm.-1 a.m. (They
can't be serious)
O-machi shite orimasu!
Ranka sighed and thought it was simply beautiful, giving Haruhi his full permission to attend. The girl's shoulders dropped and she trudged off toward her room.
"Where are you going, Haruhi?"
"To find a wastebasket."
"You can't throw away that piece of art! Give it to daddy! I'll put it up on the fridge!" Her protests and general scoffing came to naught and the letter ended up proudly displayed on the refrigerator.
-----
Tamaki and Kyouya were the last ones in the limo because after the president's begging and pleading and pestering, the Shadow King begrudgingly consented and allowed him to visit the mansion. For once, Tamaki had stayed to a single subject the whole ride there.
"So should we bring dates, like our most dedicated clients? Or the highest payer?" The latter suggestion made Kyouya arch an eyebrow, considering.
"That would defeat the point of our hosting this if we were stuck with one girl the entire night."
"But Haruhi and I would be the perfect couple!" Tamaki announced, eyes glossed over. Kyouya at once knew the king was a willing prisoner to his thoughts and nothing the vice president could do would bring him back to reality. So for the time being, he just enjoyed the silence.
-----
By noon on Sunday they were all at the Ootori mansion, seniors twins and Tamaki… the culprit who had invited them all over. Kyouya was returning from his early lunch and found them all huddled around a low table, conspiring. As long as they were all willing to help plan this, Kyouya would not kick them out.
For about a half hour, the intruders were helpful with suggestions for decorations, food, and money-saving tips. However, after that their interest fluxed elsewhere.
"What do you think Haru-chan in doing right now?" Hani wondered aloud from his spot on the floor. This new subject caught on like wildfire.
"Probably having to defend herself from Nekozawa's advances every ten seconds," muttered Tamaki with narrowing eyes.
Kaoru almost laughed. "No, Tono, you're thinking of yourself."
"Maybe we should check up on her," the president murmured. Kyouya intervened before action could be taken.
"I'm sure she wouldn't appreciate being spied upon again. What's one more week?" The twins jumped at that.
"But he's falling for her!" protested Kaoru. "In one more week they could be married!"
"And we won't let her be anyone else's wife!" Hikaru added fervently.
This new turn their conversation had taken was making Tamaki more and more depressed by the second. But Kyouya, completely unbothered, pushed his glasses back in place.
"He may like her, but if he were going to try anything— especially marriage— he would need her consent. And I can safely say Haruhi is the least romantic out of all of us." The other hosts breathed a sigh of relief then— except for Tamaki of course who immediately jumped to his feet, nearly upsetting everyone's teacups when he bumped into the coffee table.
"That's it then!" he shouted determinedly. "For our next step of making Haruhi more feminine, we shall make her more romantic for the dance!" The twins and seniors applauded; Kyouya pinched the bridge of his nose.
-----
Late in the afternoon Haruhi returned home, having received a ride from Nekozawa's (exterminated) limo. Just as she opened to door, sounds of her dad laughing reached her. No, not laughing… giggling. Curious, she traipsed into the living room to see her dad sitting at the low table with all the hosts.
"Oh, you're back, Haruhi!" Ranka greeted her with the largest smile she had seen him wear in a long time. "Your friends dropped by an hour ago or so and we've been catching up!"
"Shitsure shimasu," sighed Haruhi, turning on her heel and trudging off to her room. However, on her father's orders, the twins caught her and escorted her back.
"Honey, they're here for a (very good) reason, now hear them out!"
With a cough of superiority, Tamaki stood and his arms began to flail in a lordly way as he spoke. "Haruhi Fujioka! You have spent far too much time cross-dressing, and it pains your fathers!" The president acknowledged Ranka then, who was nodding solemnly. "So we want you to start acting your gender! From now until Friday we will be giving you lessons if necessary on becoming feminine so at the ball you can show the whole school once and for all you are a—"
"Not possible," Kyouya quickly cut in. "She has a considerable amount of debt still, so she'll have to wait before shouting it to the world. However, as long as she wears a mask there, she can dress as feminine as she wants."
Haruhi, though slightly annoyed that they were all talking about her as if she was not there, found the idea humorous that a group of men would teach her how to be more feminine.
"Okay then!" Tamaki's voice ripped Haruhi out of her thoughts. "On to your wardrobe!" (A sinking feeling kicked it.) "Thanks to the twins, we have several outfits for you to try on. They're hanging in your room."
"They're absolutely fabulous, Haruhi!" "giggled her father. "Go try them on!"
Only because she had nowhere to hide in the house and she would not get far running (being possibly the slowest in the entire school), Haruhi consented and slumped off to her room. There, in their own little showcases, were three ball gowns complete with accessories and masks. This was not going to be fun.
The first, a horrific peacock dress (made completely of real peacock feathers, including an outrageous collar of tail feathers) got applause from all, "peacock blue" was voted Haruhi's official color, and pictures were taken by Ranka.
The second was white, sparkly, and could have been mistaken for a wedding dress. For these pictures, Tamaki, the twins, and Hani posed separately with her, looking as groomish as possible. Haruhi, however, had an expressionless face, looking as if she were trying her hardest to tolerate everything.
The third was a cross between the two: white feathers, white long gloves and swan mask. More pictures by her father and more approval by the hosts.
"So, Haruhi," Tamaki announced at last, "which one would you like to wear to the ball?"
"None of them," she replied with a quickness that stung him. "They're nice, but way too flamboyant for me. How did you know my size, anyway?"
Sly grins snuck across the twins' faces. "Wild guess."
Haruhi did not want to know.
Upon noticing a questioning glance from her father, Hikaru and Kaoru donned innocent expressions and quickly took interest on a spot on the table.
"But you've got to wear something pretty to the ball, Haru-chan!" Hani called from Mori's shoulders. "And all those dresses looked great on you!"
"That they did," agreed her father. "Oh won't you wear a dress to the dance?"
"But the clients there will expect me to come dressed as a boy," Haruhi grabbed a handful of gown feathers and shook it, swaying the whole skirt. "Not this."
"You can wear two costumes," the twins suggested quickly, finally looking up. Tamaki seemed to think she was the luckiest host in the world.
"Yes! You can dress as a girl for us and dress as a guy for your designators!"
"Do you want me to die of exhaustion?" Haruhi croaked, eyebrow twitching. "Half the time I'll be dancing, the other half changing my clothes."
"I know," smiled Tamaki. "Won't it be great?" Haruhi visibly twitched.
"Well then, how about if your debt reduces by twenty percent because of your participation and wardrobe changes?" Kyouya suggested.
Haruhi was dressed in some freakish swan ball gown for the hosts and all the vision-impaired jerk offered was twenty? Puffing herself up, the girl cried, "Thirty!"
The room quieted and Kyouya arched an eyebrow. Changes in debt had never, ever been haggled. But a ghost of a smirk swept across the Shadow King's face.
"Twenty-five… quite generous."
"Twenty-nine."
Kyouya leaned back on his hands, his head titled thoughtfully. "Twenty-five and a decent costume to wear to the ball— for when you're both a guy and a girl." Before the twins could take offense (their mom had designed all three dresses), Haruhi brought one fist down into her other open hand.
"Done! And I want to see this debt reduction on paper, mind you."
As she returned to her room to change into normal clothes, Ranka clapped and giggled. "Oh, my Haruhi is so clever! But you were clever too, Kyouya-kun!" He swished his hand at the vice president, who had not moved at all since the girl had left them and appeared to be lost in his own thoughts; his eyes seemed to be staring at something far beyond his glasses.
When Haruhi returned, she was wearing a flowery shirt, short skirt and fashionable stockings. Somehow she looked more feminine than in those three ball dresses. More compliments flowed.
"Where is my wardrobe?!" she shouted at Tamaki. The host scrunched up defensively.
"That one wasn't my idea… completely!" he replied quickly.
"We just want you to look more like a girl, Haru-chan," Hani spoke up in a pacifying tone, "so we switched your clothes for prettier (and more fashionable) ones!" If it had been any of the other hosts saying that, Haruhi would have been offended— if not angered— by their bluntness, though her cheeks still flustered at the little senior's lack of tact.
"Taka-chan came up with the idea in the first place," Hani added with a smile. Mori made no move to either nod or shake his head and Haruhi found herself awkwardly scratching the back of her neck.
"Oh, um… okay. They're nice clothes, after all… (though mine were just as 'feminine')"
"What?!" shrieked Tamaki. "You shout at me when you thought I did it, but Mori did it and it's fine?!"
"Yes."
The president gave a cry of outrage and sat down to sulk… just as the rest of the hosts stood up.
"Thank you for having us over, Ranka-san," Kyouya said with a polite bob of his head.
"It was fun!" added Hani, smiling, the twins and Mori nodding in agreement. The older man giggled and batted his hand at them again.
"No problem. You boys come back anytime… you don't even have to ask." One of Haruhi's eyebrows twitched. (So he's the culprit!)
"We'll be taking our underappreciated ball gowns back, then," sighed the twins as they passed her by.
"You were really pretty in those dresses, Haru-chan," Hani told her as he and Mori were exited the room. The taller senior gave a brief "Uhn" before Hani whirled around to face Haruhi.
"You'll dance with me at the ball, won't you, Haru-chan?" His helpless expression made her smile.
"Of course I will—"
"And not just one of the little ones. I mean a major dance." The girl's face went blank as she tried to figure out what he meant.
Tamaki knew this was his cue to bestow his bountiful knowledge on his poor daughter and he jumped up without any traces of his previous bad mood.
"At our school balls," he began grandly, "there are major and minor dances. The minors are played all during the ball and it doesn't matter who you dance with, but the majors!" Rose vision encircled him as he continued. "Major, beautiful orchestral songs are played only once every hour and it matters who your partner is. The songs are longer, grander, and you just must be seen with the right people! It's especially an honor to be seen dancing with a host." Of course Tamaki's explanation dragged on, but Haruhi turned her attention back to Hani.
"I'd love to dance a major song with you, sempai." Hani gave a happy cry and ran toward the front door, arms out like he was flying. Mori followed dragging the still-talking Tamaki by the arm. Haruhi then noticed Kyouya in the kitchen staring at the refrigerator.
"Dad put that up," she sighed, looking at the prestigious invitation.
"Yes, I was planning to ask you what you thought of it. It's only a prototype."
"I'm sure your clients would love it; it's beautiful."
Kyouya gave a nod. "Well then, I'll have the rest of the invitations printed right away. Thank you for your help." He waved to the giggling Ranka and left before the twins (still looking offended) led some workers in to remove the three showcases of gowns.
-----
I need YOU, readers, to suggest masquerade costumes for anyone and everyone, random people, hosts, Renge, Ranka, Bereznoff, everyone!! It would be of much help. :)