"Fine. Then this will be a different sort of battle. This will be a fight for Haruhi's heart!"

Haruhi turned once more in her bed; the unanticipated events of the day were occupying her thoughts and not allowing her to fall asleep. Ironically, she had gone to bed early to avoid answering the questions that her roommates were undoubtedly eager to ask.

I really don't understand those two-- saying those things after arriving so suddenly. Just what are they planning?

Kyouya had flashed the knowing smile that was almost a smirk after hearing Tamaki's words and said, "Oh? I suppose that's one way of looking at it, but a challenge is a challenge. I accept, Tamaki-kun."

I'm especially worried about Kyouya. He's so crafty…

She sighed loudly before twisting her body around again. Laying on her front side, she buried her face in the pillow.

Meanwhile, Tamaki was having his own fit of agitation just down the hall from Haruhi's apartment. He had been trying, with no sign of success for the past twenty minutes, to have Kyouya give him a room in the temporary apartment.

"Oh Kyouya, you cruel slum lord! Under different circumstances I wouldn't ask this of you, but you're not playing fair!" He whipped out a map of New York City and held it in the other man's face, "See, these two dots are you and Haruhi-- they're touching! And this would be me if I were put up in a hotel—a thumb away and NOT TOUCHING HARUHI!"

Throughout his friend's little outburst, Kyouya had remained standing still at one spot with his arms folded. Now, he calmly pushed up his slipping glasses an index finger and said, "You were the one who said it's a fight, so I might as well use every advantage I have. My driver will take you to the hotel of your choice."

Finally seeing that Kyouya would not budged, Tamaki put the map away with a dejected huff. As he turned to the door, he looked back and said, "I'll just go on my own, thank you. I won't be asking for any more of your help from here on. But, just know that you can't convince Haruhi to go along with such a ridiculous plan. She never wanted to be a host in the first place."

Completely unfazed, Kyouya shrugged nonchalantly. "Haruhi will succumb to me for sure when I attack what I know to be her weak point. I have a plan that's simple but brilliant."

"How can you say that? Now that Haruhi's in college she's clearly more developed as a young woman. How can you think of passing her off as a man?"

"Heh." Kyouya's glasses flashed in the light before he answered. "Technology can seem so miraculous these days."

Tamaki gasped and thought of the worst thing possible. "Y-you're not thinking of making Haruhi go through surgery to—"

"Why not?"

"Oh, you monster!"

Kyouya smiled innocently.

"I can't believe you! Good night!" Tamaki slammed out of Kyouya's living room to storm off into the night. Later, in the bed of his hotel room, nightmares of anatomically male Haruhis wrecked his sleep.

"Maybe I had gone too far this time..." Kyouya mused to himself. A convincing body suit and a device that would mask her feminine voice should be enough to do the trick, but he couldn't resist teasing Tamaki.