The twins looked at each other, then the mirror before looking at each other again.

"Wait–I–don't–what?" Kaoru spluttered out, his wide eyes blinking. He gnawed on his bottom lip cutely. "I um… look like Hikaru?" Tamaki stared at him incredulously. Kaoru suddenly felt very naked without his glasses on and unknowingly began to hyperventilate.

Hikaru – who was just as stunned – seemed to notice the change in his doppelganger's breathing. He put a hand lightly on Kaoru's back,

"Are you okay?" Kaoru let out a heartbreaking whimper and clawed at his face, trying to make sure no one saw his eyes.

"Glasses…" Kaoru sobbed out, "get me my glasses… Please!" Hikaru snatched the glasses off the table and shoved them into Kaoru's hands. Kaoru quickly put them on, his breathing slowly returning back to normal. His eyes were moist from his episode and his cheeks were tinted red from embarrassment. In all of the excitement he had forgotten why he had decided to wear fake glasses in the first place: He didn't want people looking into his soul.

Kaoru believed in the saying 'the eyes are the windows to your soul' which was why he didn't let people look into his eyes without glasses on. He didn't want them to see how broken and empty his soul was.

"Sorry…" He mumbled, refusing to make eye contact with any of the other hosts. He was too busy mentally scolding himself for showing weaknesses, so he didn't notice Tamaki tackle-hugging him.

Well… Until he actually did it.

"Awwww! You're so cute!" Tamaki gushed, his eyes sparkled and the other hosts could almost see him placing possessive 'daddy' rights over Kaoru.

Which he did.


Kaoru cocked his head to the side and furrowed his eyebrows together, "So you don't… hate me?" The hosts replied so quickly the responses seemed to blend together.

"Of cour-"

"No way!"

"How could-"

"-se not!"

"Are you-"

"-you even"

"-so stupid-"

"-think that?"

"-that you think we'd hate you for something like that?"

Kaoru's eyes lit up as he smiled a timid smile before once again biting on his lip.

"So… you'll be... my friends?" Eyes full of hope stared at the hosts and Tamaki once again started to ramble about how cute Kaoru was and how he would always be his friend and how loyalty was in his 'royal' 'blue' blood and he would take care of Kaoru for all of eternity and–

Kyoya placed a hand over Tamaki's mouth, effectively muffling the sound of his ranting. As Honey looked at Kaoru and beamed,

"Of course we'll be your friends!"

Hikaru only watched from the side, a sense of familiarity washing over him.


'Ne… Hika-nii…"

"What is it, Kao-chan?"

"You're my friend right?" Kaoru looked at his older brother with wide eyes. Hikaru cocked his head to the side,

"But Kao-chan… I'm your Nii-san…" Kaoru's bottom lip began to quiver, and tears sprang to his eyes.

"So…you're not my friend?" Hikaru's eyes went wide as he tried to stop his twin from crying.

"Kao-chan… A Nii-san is like a friend, but better. Because I'm your Nii-san, I can be with you at all times! If I was just a friend, I might rarely ever get to see my Kao-chan!" Kaoru seemed to calm down at this comment. He plopped himself down on the bed next to Hikaru and snuggled into his warmth.

"Ne… Hika-nii…" Hikaru sighed, before turning to face his younger brother. He gave him a kiss on the forehead like how their Okaa-san did when they were upset.

"What?" Kaoru wrapped his arms around Hikaru tighter, trying to seek comfort from the older twin.

"Will I ever have a friend?"


Kaoru collapsed on the run-down bed with torn bedding. He knew he only had 10 minutes to get dressed and go to the small, 24-hour café he worked at. The government had agreed to pay his rent and his tuition until he turned 18. The cost of food and other life necessities was all on him.

He ran a hand through his hair and reluctantly sat up on the bed. He pulled on the white button-up shirt and black slacks before shoving his feet into his 'formal' shoes. The outfit fit him perfectly, emphasizing his slim body. He wasn't too skinny, nor was he too pudgy, but perfectly slim. Holding his bow tie between his teeth, he grabbed his cell phone and his wallet from the coffee table and ran out of the apartment, skipping steps as he ran down the staircase. Once Kaoru's wallet and cell phone were safely in his pocket, he began to tie his bow tie, walking as fast as he could without running, until he reached the café. He signed in and grabbed his apron, tray, pad, and pen before immediately walking around to take orders. Kaoru was well aware of the fact that jobs were prohibited while attending Ouran Academy, but if he didn't have a job he wouldn't be able to survive so he figured that he could be the exception.


Kaoru was exhausted. Between school, homework, and his job, there was barely any time for him to rest. He had to wake up at 6, and he finished work at 11. If he had enough time in school to finish his work, he got about 6 hours of sleep a night. Not to mention that he was a scholarship student at Ouran. If he wasn't in the top 5, he would be kicked out of the school. And he had come dangerously close to coming in 6th last test. There were just mounds and mounds of pressure.

…So the Host club decided to help out.

How?

By stalking him of course!

And he was lucky that they did.


Okie! Author's Note time!

So... should Hikaru and Kaoru get together? Or should they be just brothers? Vote for which one you want!

Kay~

Silver Lucifer

P.S. Another Update should be coming in about... 10 minutes ^^