Kaoru.
The next day I was going to have my first solo session with Sora.
"Well, what do we do now?"
Hikaru stopped what he was doing to look at me. "What?"
It was after school and we were sitting in the Host Club so that we could figure things out alone before my session at four.
"You know." I tapped my fingers on the armrest of my wooden chair. "Now that Sora is a girl?"
"I'm sorry, I don't think I understand…"
I sighed, standing up suddenly—so fast my wooden chair nearly toppled beneath me, but I paid no mind to it. "Father told us to get Sora involved in the Host Club in order to spend more time with him." I began pacing about the host room, deep in thought. "However, father must not have known that Sora was a girl. But host club isn't for girls—"
"Now hold on, Kaoru." He stopped me in my tracks, pushing his chair out in front of me. "That's not necessarily true."
Shocked, I quickly regained my balance. "Wha…?"
"Sora could join the host club," Hikaru suggested hastily, feeling that he was on to something.
"Why would she do that? How would we get her to dress up like a boy, like Haruhi?"
Hikaru laughed. "No, stupid. Haven't you ever wondered why it's only boys in the host club? We strive to make women happy - however, that only accounts for half of the students here, the other half being the boys that we unknowingly steal the women from. Now, do you think that makes the boys very happy?"
I shook my head, speechless, still oblivious to what he was getting at.
"So how do you think we could make those crotchety males happy again?"
"We give them their women back..." I replied slowly, finally starting to catch on.
"Exactly!" Hikaru threw his arm around my shoulders and embraced me tightly. "That's my boy! Cut from the same cloth, indeed."
I struggled to get air as I pushed out of his embrace. "So you're saying we get Sora to join the Host Club, in order to bring in boys?" Not only was I doubtful that the idea would sell to Tamaki, I was also a little wary about dozens of boys hitting on Sora. Not that I was jealous, don't get me wrong, I just...didn't think she could handle that - she didn't seem like that kinda girl. Of course I didn't tell Hikaru that. "How do you expect to get the rest of the club on this bandwagon?"
"Simple, really." Hikaru released his tight hold on my neck and aloofly waved my question off. "All Kyoya's really out for is the cash, right? So by bringing in male customers, the Host Club receives more money. So, the boys of Ouran are happy, Kyoya's happy, everybody's happy! And we all know how Kyoya ultimately makes the decisions of the club, based on his power to convince Tamaki of anything he wants. And everybody else goes along with it, right?" He looked at me, grinning like he was some sort of mastermind. "So, bada bing, bada boom, Sora is a host, and we fulfill our father's wishes. What do you think, my dear brother?"
"I think you need mental help," I deadpanned. "Besides, how will we know Sora will want to join the Host Club as a female, anyway? She's a human being, Hikaru, remember that. We can't just make these choices for her - she has to want to."
"Ah, ah, ah," Hikaru said playfully, waving a finger in my face. "Do not doubt my well-thought elaborate schemes. Of course, sweet naive Kaoru, you and I are going to seduce the girl."
I froze, mortified. "Hikaru, you sick -"
"Yes, we'll put the moves on her! And simple as that, she'll want to spend more time with us. So we ask her to join the Host Club. Now do you understand that I'm an intellectual genius?"
"I understand that you're an unbelievable dumbass."
Hikaru gasped, feigning offense. "Do you not approve of my devious plan, then? Fine, come up with your own! See if I'm any help to you." He huffed, taking his seat, and resumed his frivolous internet shopping. I took my seat next to him and laid my head upon my folded arms on the table.
"We could trick her into it," I offered, although I wasn't completely up for that idea either. Hikaru, however, perked up.
"Yes, that is our strong suit, after all."
The sadistic expression on his face made me instantly change my mind. "No," I deadpanned, "No tricks."
Even though I had said that, I couldn't be completely sure that he wasn't going to pull something behind my back. Knowing Hikaru, he most likely would.
"You're no fun," Hikaru whined, pushing out his chair and standing dramatically. "If you're not going to help me with a plan, I'll just put my own into action."
"No, you can't, Hika - !" I stood up so fast my chair toppled beneath me, and I tumbled backwards. Stars clouded my vision and I heard Hikaru's loud laughter before he left the room.
It was almost four. I groaned, realizing Hikaru was probably on his way to trick her right now, so that he could get to her before my session started.
In other words, I was screwed.
oOoOo
You never really realize how crowded the Ouran halls can get until you're in a life-threatening hurry.
Okay, maybe not life-threatening. But something like that.
It was 3:56 by the time I arrived at the library, bursting through the doors. I nearly flattened some girl that had the poor luck to be standing in the doorway at that time. I apologized haphazardly and scanned the library for any sign of the boy who was uncannily identical to me. No sign of him whatsoever. Great, that was good news. But what wasn't such great news was the sight of Sora, sitting all alone, with her nose buried in her book, paying no attention whatsoever to her surroundings. Like some sort of prey about to be stalked by a predator. AKA Hikaru.
Upon seeing her so vulnerable, I marched towards her table at top speed, slamming my palms on the tabletop.
She made a startled noise. "Yes, Kaoru?"
"I, um - " I realized I hadn't thought this through at all, and felt the heat rise to my face. "I was so excited to get started, I came early. Four minutes early."
A smile pulled at the corners of her mouth. "Oh, I uh...see."
It was silent for a moment, and she cleared her throat. "Take a seat." She gestured to the chair across from her. Awkwardly, I did as was told, and sat. I couldn't keep my mind off of Hikaru. At any second he would come bursting through the doors. Or climbing through the window...or falling through the ceiling.
Sora, however, was taking a painstakingly long ass time finding my paper.
"I have mine from yesterday," I said hastily, digging through my pockets. Finally I found it and pulled it out, unfolding it quickly and smoothing it out. It was slightly crinkled and stained because I'm afraid I'm not very dependable in terms of keeping things looking nice.
"Great," she said, although her tone of voice told me she felt otherwise. My embarrassment was short-lived though, cut off by the dings of my cell phone chiming in my pocket. I fished it out and flipped it open, and my expression darkened upon reading the text I had just recieved from none other than Hikaru.
"On my way to her right now.(;" the text message read. Horrified, I slammed my phone shut and turned back to Sora, who appeared to be searching through the first year Language Arts textbook for something to start my lesson with. I had to get her out of here before he arrived. I drummed my fingers on the tabletop, not sure what to do, and fearing that my nerves were getting the best of me.
Say something, a voice in the back of my head hissed. "Um - I - "
Something smart, dumbass.
Ouch.
"It's really loud in here, isn't it?" I blurted, before I even knew what was coming out of my mouth. I almost facepalmed afterwards. Welp, looks like the voice in the back of my head had a better plan than I did.
I saw that "almost-smile" on her face again. "Always is," she replied, without even looking up from the textbook.
I tugged at my shirt collar nervously. "W - what do you say we...go somewhere quieter?"
She looked up at me from under her dark lashes, meeting my gaze. "If this is your attempt to get me alone and bust a move, it's pathetic."
Not knowing what else to do, I burst out laughing. "That's Hikaru, not me."
Lifting her attention from her textbook, she studied me. "So you two really aren't exactly alike, inside and out?"
"Not exactly." Remembering the conflict at present, my stomach knotted. "But we really should go somewhere else unless you want Hikaru 'busting a move' on you..."
"That sounds horrid." She brisquely stood up, and began to gather her books and papers up in her arms. I joined her, grabbing as much as I could, then led the way out of the library. We made it down the hallway and around the corner when my phone blew up in my pocket again. I dropped a pile of junk in my attempt to get to it quickly.
"She's not at the library. Did you get to her first? I'll find you!" I rolled my eyes at Hikaru's text message before stuffing my phone back in my pocket and stooping down to scoop up the things that I dropped.
"Here," Sora offered, holding her opened bag in my direction.
"Gee, that would have been helpful earlier." I dumped my pile into her bag graciously.
"We were in a hurry," she quipped, slinging her bag back over her shoulder.
"We still are." Without thinking, I grabbed her arm and dashed down the hallway. She sprinted to keep up with me, otherwise she would have been dragged. Where to go, where to go? the voice in the back of my head demanded. My feet took me wherever this ominous voice told them to go. We flew through the corridors of Ouran Academy, like outlaws on the run. Round one corner, round another, until finally, we came to our destination.
We screeched to a stop in front of Music Room #3.
This was definitely my favorite chapter to write so far.
Thanks for the reads and the reviews everyone, please keep it up, it makes my day! -sends hearts-
