A/N: I noticed that I was getting my honorifics messed up, sorry guys! I'll try and work on that. =) Thanks for all the favorites and follows I'm getting! Enjoy the next chapter~ R&R
Question: Who should Akari end up with? (Honestly I have no idea so opinions are needed!)
I do not own anything….damn it is like I'm rubbing that in my own face by continually reminding myself T-T
….
"Can you come over to my house this weekend Yui-chan? I need help with something," I beg, grabbing her sleeve for emphasis. I had the best idea yesterday! I can ask Yui-chan to help me find more friends and Ootori-senpai said that I could advertise using rumors so I could use them to gain more friends. Then I can get out of an arranged marriage!
"I think that should be fine with my parents. We do not have anything planned and none of our other friends invited me over," Yui-chan answers, looking up to think.
I pout and mutter, "Not like they would anymore because I work for the host club."
Yui-chan laughs nervously and says, "I don't think they're avoiding you Ri-chan don't worry."
"Did you see what the host clubs made me do yesterday!? I had to serve the guests! It was horrible!"
She sweat drops and says dryly, "I was there Ri-chan with Honey like always. Maybe not all of them are that bad."
"Speaking of Haninozuka-senpai, he was the one that told everyone my secret! You're right Yui-chan; maybe I should be upset with him." A tick mark appears on my head and I frown angrily. If Haninozuka-senpai had just kept his mouth shut I could have been fine. I slump down slightly and ask, "Why did he even tell them?"
"Well, I thought you would be happier not having to pretend Ri-chan. I didn't mean to make you mad! Will you forgive me?" Haninozuka-senpai says quickly with tears in his eyes. Morinozuka-senpai follows behind and gives me a stern look.
I open my mouth to say something but Yui-chan puts her hand over my mouth and says, "I think you should finish this where no one can hear us, Ri-chan has it hard enough without the girls thinking she is cross with you. I have to go so I'll catch up with you later Ri-chan. See you after school senpais" They both nod and we head out into the field. Yui-chan goes in the opposite direction, probably to a library.
We sit under a tree and both of the third years look at me expectantly. I clear my throat and say, "Well, I am just upset that you told everyone my secret when you said that you would keep it senpais. I trusted you yet you both squandered that."
"You were unhappy," Morinozuka-senpai says and I frown.
"I'm not exactly happy now either Morinozuka-senpai," I point out.
"If you give us a chance Ri-chan you can be happy!" Haninozuka-senpai says, his cute demeanor replaced by one of his age. I jump in surprise at his outburst. I'm sure that I look like a deer in the headlights. They can make me happy? How? The only person that makes me feel somewhat normal is Yui-chan. "You don't have to pretend to be someone you aren't." He storms away, pouting and looking like a cross child.
I look down at my lap and bite my lip. I'm surprised I haven't begun to cry yet. "Mitsukuni is upset because he used to do the same thing you are doing, pretending to be someone you are not because you are ashamed of whom you actually are." With that, Morinozuka-senpai leaves me alone to think things over. Ashamed of whom I am? Who am I then? The old me was someone that was a disgrace to my family. The new me is someone that has the possibility to make them proud, to make up for my past mistakes. Am I just pretending? I… am pretending aren't I? I say it to myself constantly so why couldn't I accept what was right in front of me. There isn't anything wrong with whom I am pretending to be though. I'm fine. There isn't anything wrong with pretending at all. Morinozuka-senpai and Haninozuka-senpai were wrong. I may not be happy yet but I will be as soon as I just get used to whom I am now. The bell brings me out of my though and my stomach protests loudly since I had skipped lunch. I sigh regretfully; maybe I can eat something later.
….
"Hey, mutt-" Kaoru-san begins, leaning on my desk.
"How did-" Hikaru-san continues, leaning on the other side.
"You know which one was which?" they finish together.
I look at both of them and my eyebrows draw together in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"Yesterday, you knew which one of us was which. We want to know how you did it," they say in union.
"Lucky guess," I answer with a shrug, dismissing both of them. I don't want them to know that I have them figured out; it isn't my place to be able to tell them apart. Fujioka-san walks into the classroom and I wave him over. "Fujioaka-san, I have a question on the assignment, can you help me?"
"Of course you would ask her." Hikaru-san mutters and Kaoru-san nods in agreement before freezing.
"Her?" I ask, putting my finger on my chin. "I know Fujioka-san can look girly most of the time but that is kind of rude don't you think?" It is true though. Fujioka-san is very girly.
They both nervously laugh and I narrow my eyes at them, they are hiding something. "Sure Oita-san what do you need help on?" Fujioka-san interrupts my thoughts and I look at him. He really does…. look like a girl.
I push that train of thought to the back of my head to stew over later and say sheepishly, "Uh… haha all of it." Fujioka-san hangs his head in a hopeless fashion and the twins laugh at me.
"I thought you were towards the top of the class Oita-san?" he asks, obviously trying to find a way out of helping me on the whole thing.
"I had other things to do. I didn't have any time to do the assignment," I say, remembering having to deal with my…. Interesting staff.
"Other things?" Hikaru-san asks.
"What other things could someone like you have to do?" Kaoru-san asks.
I look at them in irritation, what the hell was that supposed to mean? "Is it that surprising that I have a social life? No, actually I do not need you two to answer that," I amend quickly as they both raised their hands. "Anyways, Fujioka-san you do not have to help me if you wouldn't like to, I can probably finish it soon." Fujioka-san nods gratefully and hurriedly walks away with the twins following behind. I sweat drop at how lazy he can be and look around the class room. No one is outright hostile towards me so that means I can always take a chance and create ties like my father wants me to.
"Um… Ito-san, do you think you could help me on a few problems on yesterday's assignment? I did not have the time to finish it," I ask the guy in front of me. If I remember correctly, he has just above average grades and can help me on a few. I should be able to finish the rest before Hara-sensei has us turn in the assignment. He has average connections to the art industry so that could be helpful. He was handsome, not host club handsome but he wouldn't have a problem getting a girlfriend. His black hair is cut close to his head but is still long enough to be spiky. He has green eyes and a muscled build.
He smiles kindly at me and says, "Of course Oita-san. What do you need help with?" He then smirks and adds, "Besides all of the fan girls on your case."
I chuckle and say, "The last few." He begins to explain it to me and I listen closely. He is friendly and funny, in a dorky way. Hey, I have to start somewhere right?
…
I serve the guests some more instant coffee, listening to the idle conversation partly while thinking over what Hikaru-san and Kaoru-san said earlier. They reacted pretty weird to calling Fujioka-san a girl, especially since they were the ones that said it. I wonder what they are hiding. I look over at them and see them performing their usual game, 'Which one is Hikaru-kun?' The girls are all simpering over who is who and Fujioka-san walks by saying, "What a ridiculous game."
"Huh? Something you don't like about it?" they counter, mimicking each other in an eerie way. I walk closer and smile; I know where this is going to go.
"It's not just that. I can't quite figure out why you two are so popular," Fujioka-san comments and my smile grows into a smirk. Bingo.
"That's telling us." They say dryly before sliding over to her side.
"Apparently, Haruhi doesn't…." Kaoru-san begins.
"…understand the merits of having twins in the Host Club." Hikaru-san finishes.
"Listen here. Just having a couple of good-looking homosexuals earns plenty of high points. And making a show of teetering between that and friendship is also desirable," Kaoru-san states. They begin going through dramatic poses that make the girls in front of me go crazy. I move right behind one, they are probably going to end up here.
"But in our case being twins, we get to use this most forbidden taboo as a weapon," Hikaru-san explains before they move to either side of the girl I'm standing behind. "On top of that, there is the scenario of having two people, who have such deep ties to each other, loving you at the same time," he continues, sliding hid hand under her chin.
Kaoru-san follows suit and says smugly, "It's the ultimate young woman's young romance, right?"
The girl blushes fiercely and says, "Uh... I... I can't bear it anymore!" They strike a final pose, smiling smugly. She fan girls along with the other girls and I make myself known to perform my act. This will set up my new plan well.
I tut loudly and waltz forward to the girls, making everyone's attention be on me. "My dear girls, I'm sorry to say that they are far too shy to admit the real reason they are so popular." I walk between the black and brown haired girl before leaning down to whisper loudly in their ear. "Their devilish personalities are appealing yes? Is it not every girls dream to turn someone who does bad deed good just for their sake? You should have seen them this one time, planning a new prank before remembering you three. They had to forgo their mischievous ways in the fear that you would reject them and they would be left with only each other. As much as they love each other the holes in their hearts cannot be filled without your presence." I turn to look at the twins with a smirk and mock them by saying, "It's the ultimate young woman's romance, right?" The three of them squeal that they will visit more and buy more merchandise before fainting. Score. I look over to Ootori-senpai and he nods at me.
No one can respond before Suoh-senpai storms over with a laptop in his hand. "Hikaru! Kaoru!" he yells angrily, man is he pissed. "I let you have control of the club's homepage on the condition that you would take it seriously!" he rants as they turn to look at him.
"And we are taking it seriously," Hikaru-san says plainly.
"We were up until dawn last night working on it," Kaoru-san says. It? What the hell have they done now? I walk next to Fujioka-san and raise my eyebrows at the scene they are making.
"And this is the scene that you made?!" Suoh-senpai yells back, brandishing the computer like it was a death sentence. My mouth drops open at the picture of Fujioka-san without a shirt on. I can't believe he agreed to that? I look at him in surprise and see him with a look of pure horror. Did he not know that they were taking pictures of him? How is that possible!?
Haninozuka-senpai pops in with and awe filled look, "Haru-chan you look great!" I look at the picture along with the girls and Ootori-senpai.
"I didn't think that Fujioka-san would do this sort of thing," I comment, looking at Ootori-senpai for an explanation.
"It's photo shopped," he says and I nod in understanding. "I didn't think that you would go about 'advertising' like that Miss Oita."
"I know, quite the job I can do right?" I say smugly. The girls should start asking me for more details and I can make them tolerate me, while at the same time forming ties with them.
I turn to look at Suoh-senpai once the noise dies down a little bit and see him presenting a book to the twins. What is he doing? I can't hear what they are saying but he glides over to Fujioka-san with a girly dress. Is he into that sort of thing? No… that isn't like Suoh-senpai. Why does he want Fujioka-san to wear a dress like a girl? My mouth drops open at my sudden realization…. Fujioka-san is a girl. No, that can't be true! Why would she (he?) have to hide her (his?) gender? Well…. She (he) does have a debt of a lot of money so the easiest way to pay it off would be to be a host. Holy shit… Fujioka-san is a chick! The girls start dreaming about Fujioka-san in a dress, saying that he would look cute. How do they not find out he is a she!? Then again the only thing that made me think about it was the twins.
My thought process is interrupted when Fujioka-san asks the twins, "Just what do you take other people to be?"
They smirk at each other and say, "Isn't it obvious? Toys." I stop walking at the familiar phrase.
"What am I to you _-sama?" I ask, shifting on the arm of the chair uneasily.
A smirk is on his lips as he replies, "Isn't it obvious? You're just a toy to me Akari-chan. You better not bore me… or else."
"Miss Oita?" Suoh-senpai asks and I turn to look at his worried face. That probably wasn't the first time that he had said that. "Are you okay?"
"N-….I'm fine S-Suoh-senpai," I answer shakily, my hands becoming clammy. I can't think about that anymore, it is all behind me. Do not think about it. That happened to someone else, that girls isn't you anymore.
"You look sick Miss Oita," Suoh-senpai continues, putting his hand to my forehead.
I shake it off and ask, "Can I leave early Suoh-senpai, club is ending soon anyways, and I will make it up somehow." I don't wait for his reply before grabbing my things and hurrying out of the room. I run out of the building and jump into the limo. "Drive around town for a little bit, I need time to pull myself together Oikanawa." He glances at me in the mirror but doesn't say anything. My hands shake as I pull my knees closer to myself and close my eyes tight. That was someone else. That was someone else. That isn't me. That isn't me…. Not anymore. A tear slides down my cheek and soon enough sobs are escaping me, creating a mess of myself. The whole time Oikanawa says nothing, but that did not surprise me much. It wasn't like this was the first time he has seen this happen and it definitely wasn't the worse.