"Oh, I'm very sorry Haruhi-kun… I didn't know…" Hitomi looked at her hands placed in her lap. "No, it's fine. May I ask about you, Hayashi-hime?"

Haruhi had just told Hitomi about her family; how she is living with her father in an apartment complex and her mother died when she was only five. Hitomi couldn't compete with that, not that she wanted to. She was only athletically competitive.

"Well," she cleared her throat. "I live with siblings." Haruhi's eyes asked for more.

"Only your siblings?" Hitomi nodded. "Our parents died when I was twelve and, the rest of my family...I have no clue where they are."

Across the table Haruhi "Ah"d. Hitomi snapped her head up. "Gomen, I didn't mean it like that, I just would've never known. I mean, you look so happy on TV."

Hitomi laughed, she banged the table with the palm of her hand, causing Tamaki and Kyoya to look over.

"No, no. Never would I've guessed someone to say that. It's true, I am happy. I have my siblings and Amy." Haruhi saw a genuine smile on the girl's face. She had answered her own question, it's not an act.

"Amy." Smiling, said girl turned around from her small sempai. Kyoya had called her and he was beckoning her over. She got up after excusing herself and walked over.

"Yes?"

"How are you enjoying the private session so far?"

"It's very good actually." She looked around amazed at how quiet it was.

"In return," She knew where this was going. Amy knew, never deal with Kyoya Ootori unless you're 100% prepared to do something in return. She urged him on.

"You come to the Host club ball, with Hayashi-san of course." She raised a brow.

"Just come, the rest I'll tell you when you get there." Then he stalked off, going somewhere Amy had no sense knowing about.


~Christmas Eve~

Amy smeared the lip gloss on her lips.

"Nee, are we really going to do this?" I checked my hair in the mirror.

"Yeah, Kyoya-kun said we have to, in return of the favor he gave us." I sighed and quit messing with my hair.

"Why?" I groaned and fell back on the bed. I heard Amy sigh.

"Stop whining and let's go." Without another word she walked out the door. I soon followed, locking the main door in my trail.

"Stop pulling your dress, it looks fine."

"No it…doesn't feel right."

"That's because all you wear are pants." Hitomi scoffed, her thighs rubbed against the black leather.

"Are we there yet?"

"Not yet, why are you so impatient?" I glared at the person next to me; she avoided it by looking out the window.

"Here we are." The chauffeur opened the door after a few silent minutes.

Hitomi marveled at the chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Although they've seen better Amy wasn't impressed.

"Ah! There they are, you two are late!"

"What? No we're not!" Amy yelled back at a fuming Tamaki.

"You look pretty, Hito-chan! You too, Amy-chan." Honey bounced up and down Hitomi patted his head.

"Thank you, Honey-sempai, you look very cute."

"You look very cute tonight, Hitomi~" two voices chirped.

"I don't really like balls or dresses so can we get this over with?" Hitomi asked, annoyed, purposefully ignoring the twins. They pouted.

"Right this way princesses." Tamaki led them both to the central room where decors of the fanciest flaunted the room. People down below dressed to the nines in their designated holiday fashions walking, conversing, some even already dancing and playing games in the tables that came with the theme of this annual party.

"As per usual you went all out, Tamaki-kun." The blonde boy taking all the appreciation struck a pose.

"Why yes, this is sponsored by the one and only Host club."

Said gentleman had snuck away to their previous engagement which was ushering guests in. Haruhi had done the same; returning back to her business as assistant on.


"So Haruhi, what do you do on Christmas?" Amy asked her kohai after she was available. The small girl placed her finger on her chin in thought "Let's see….I think I watched Katoh's Family's Dinner Table Christmas Special."

"Ah, peasants' knowledge program for peasants, huh?" Tamaki remarked along with the twins, "No relation whatsoever for us though."

"Yes, I knew that'd be the response." Haruhi said, more to herself.

"Why!...! Why are you so plain?! Your lovely Katoh family is being made a fool of!" Tamaki yelled, cupping his kohai's deadpanned face. "How can I love it that much?"

"So a gorgeous party doesn't mean anything to you, huh Haruhi?"

"Why don't you just eat something then?" Kyoya suggested, hoping to move this along. "There're high class foods here." The short brunette cocked her head. "High class foods? Like…fatty tuna?" In an instant all the boys around her started panicking, calling for fancy tuna and such. The twins expressed their sympathy by hugging the small brunette. The two girls beside the group sighed.

But no one noticed when Haruhi maneuvered away and out in the clearing. She wheezed and wished for that to never happen again. How was I so thoughtless? She asked herself, panting. Somehow she knew the hosts would react that way and knew that if she didn't say that it wouldn't happen.

"Haruhi-kun, I was looking for you. Would you please dance with me?" The second year princess, Kasugazaki asked the girl.

"I don't mind…Ah! Suzushima-sempai!" The girl squealed and as a result bumped into a table, plates of food crashing down on the floor. She's such a cutie…

Walking up to her Haruhi looked at the girl, fumbling with the shattered dishes. "I don't think you can use any tactics. Even if you wander around the host club to gain his attention, you look happier when you're looking at the tableware." Knowing that she has been figured out Kasugazaki looked down.

"Suzushima Importing's main business is tableware importing, isn't it?"Haruhi asked.

"...It's okay…he doesn't care about what I do. He decided to study abroad by himself. That's why…" She couldn't finish, a couplet of familiar third years came and hoisted up Haruhi. "Found you, Haru-chan!" They then ran away with her in tow leaving the impression to the girl that her host has been kidnapped.

There, pushing open the doors Haruhi was thrusted behind curtains .

"Ready? The time limit is 20 minutes until the climax of the party. We already sent Mr. Suzushima to the 2-C classroom?" Kyoya spoke up, telling the girl as she was getting dressed in the dress they gave her.

"Please find his true feelings, ok?" Amy smiled next to Honey while Kaoru scratched the back of his head, uncertain about this, "How troublesome, tono suddenly started planning this yesterday." Speaking of him, the king of the host club bust through the doors, about to tell all of them off when he caught sight of a girl. It was Haruhi, all dressed and covered in makeup.

"Our best try! How is it, tono?" the twins grinned, cheesely. "All right!"

"Haruhi, good luck!" Hitomi called out.


Finally making her way into the said classroom with her difficult heels Haruhi found herself looking at Suzushima, clad in his uniform. "Eh…you sent this?" He asked, voice wavering with uncertainty. He handed her a letter, all pink and scented faintly as roses.

It read:

Just thinking about you my heart gets crazier, and I'm so into this love like a hurricane of deep impact! I want to be in love with you. Let's go rendezvous in Noah's Ark.

She groaned, thinking exactly who would do this. Hikaru and Kaoru, of course, I bet Kyoya-sempai too. Before thinking about it anymore the boy spoke up.

"I'm very happy about this letter…but I cannot answer your feelings. I already have somebody in mind, and she's more important to me. Even though she already became disgusted with me. She'll have a gorgeous…high self-esteemed guy." He then looked up from the floor, "Huh…haven't I seen you before?" he asked, now getting a closer look at the girl in front of him.

"NO!" Haruhi immediately exclaimed.

"I want to go change. I'll go see the world…and come back as a more capable guy. Maybe it's a selfish wish, but I hope she waits for me…"

"Yeah, that really is selfish." He slouched. "You didn't even try to tell her your feelings, so there's no way she'll understand it. You've already decided. What's the use of not telling her?"

He looked at her, simply amazed by her analysis. "A person can change, at the moment when the person wishes to change…"

"You…" at that moment the doors opened Kasugazaki peered in. But immediately seeing what's happening she cried and ran.

"Kanako!"

"Kasugazaki-san?!" Haruhi started to run after her and Suzushima but due to her heels tripped and started to fall, only to be caught by someone's arms.

"Are you okay?" She looked up and Tamaki stared down at her, inquiring such.

"Sempai, can't it be…you brought Kasugazaki-san?"

"Let's go by the window. We'll start counting down." Everyone did count down from 10. And when 1 struck the big Christmas tree lit up and before it stood the couple of the night: Kanako Kasugazaki and Toru Suzushima.

"Merry Christmas! May there be blessings over this clumsy couple!"

"This is the last waltz."

I ended up not eating any of the feast food. Thought Haruhi.

After dancing, and horribly failing, with Amy Haruhi stood by a wall. Scanning the crowd Amy told her there was no one else available, "…to dance with, I mean." Haruhi sighed. Not that I'm complaining. I didn't need that garbage anyway.

Dance practice came to naught. The decreasing my debt to half deal is gone too. But well. I feel happy.

"Now, we'll have the last event. This will be given to Miyako-hime, the top point getter. A blessing kiss from the king…"

"Oh, it's my turn." Tamaki said.

"Modified…" the twins continued to announce, to which he stopped in curiosity. "Fujioka Haruhi!"

"HUH?!" they both exclaimed. "Hey!" Tamaki shouted over to the twins. They shrugged. "It's all because Kyoya-sempai said if we have an accident at the end, the party would be more fun. We just did what we were told."

"I have a feeling that's not completely true." Hitomi crossed her arms, suspiciously looking at the twins. On the other side of the room Kyoya whispered to Haruhi, "We'll cut off your debt by 1/3." She immediately walked over, it's not more than ½ but I'll take anything now.

"At least it's on the cheek." She murmured.

"Hold that kiss!" Tamaki exclaimed, determined, and ran forward at top speed. He failed and couldn't stop in time before he caught to the couple. Though light he bumped into Haruhi as she leaned forward, resulting in her kissing Miyako-hime on the lips.

The whole room exploded into fits of cheers for Miyako and Haruhi alike. While Tamaki, Amy, and Hitomi stood there, jaws agape.

This is the real accident.

"He really wanted to give a kiss huh?" one girl asked amongst the shouts, referring to Tamaki. "He's a kissing machine!"

Haruhi, in hearing this, robotically turned to the accused prince with a glare. "I see…kissing machine…."

"I just wanted to protect your first kiss…"

"Yes, thanks to you, now I do have my first kiss. I don't really care but I didn't know you were that greedy a person."

"Haruhi!"

"Or maybe it's a new type of bullying, isn't it?" Tamaki found a corner and decided to sulk in it while Haruhi went to eat cake with Honey.