4

"No." Mira said firmly as she walked to her locker the next morning.

"But why?" Isabella whined, "You liked it yesterday! And I need you to have something to do if I'm going to go to the host club!"

"Who said you're going back?" Mira said as she reached her locker, putting in the combination to unlock it, "That place is a useless club, anyway. It's full of players wanting to use the women around them to inflate their gigantic egos even more. I don't want you hanging around them."

"Oh, so the host club is a player club now?" Isabella asked sarcastically as her sister opened her locker door.

"Yup." Mira answered shortly, reaching for her books. Isabella sighed and leaned against the wall next to her. Isabella brought her fist up to her mouth as she coughed harshly, the action hurting her throat as she went into a small fit. Mira shot her a worried look and began fishing an inhaler out of her bag. Isabella took it and put the nozzle in her mouth and breathed in as she pushed the button. "You gonna be okay? That sounded pretty bad."

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Isabella waved off as she handed the inhaler back, "Though, it is getting pretty bad. I could barely get out of bed this morning."

"Well, you watch yourself, okay?" Mira said, "You're getting a lot worse a lot more often." Isabella shot her a worried look.

"Mira, this is what I was worried about, you're concerned more about me than yourself, not that I don't appreciate it, but..." Isabella said in a tone that sounded genuinely worried. Mira looked over at her younger sister, "You're already seventeen years old, in your third year, your last year of high school, and you haven't even been with a boy for more than a week yet!" Mira shrugged indifferently as she pulled out a history book, "At this rate, you're going to be alone when you're older, being completely dependant on dad, and I don't want to see that happen to you." She looked at her older sister sadly, "I don't want you to be alone and neither does dad. Maybe, if you actually gave some boys a chance, you wouldn't be." Mira looked at her sister's sad gaze as she silently begged her to give them a chance.

"But they don't even like you back!" Mira said, "All they do is flirt with girls, feeling absolutely nothing towards them at all! They lead you on!"

"That's not true!" Isabella said, "Tamaki is the only one that openly flirts, but none of them make promises! They don't promise to take them out on dates, or meet them somewhere, or be theirs forever. They know what they're doing, and most of the girls know, too!" She sighed, "But I'm not telling you to come to the host club, I'm saying… I want you to be with someone." Mira's eyes saddened at her sister's eyes, "Just… Think about it." She walked away, carrying her books to her next class. Mira sighed as she looked at the inside of her locker. Her eyes narrowed as she felt hatred for herself boil up inside. She let out a grunt as she slammed the door shut, and stalked off to her classroom. Not noticing the two hosts that had seen the whole thing.

Honey looked up at his cousin, both of them looking slightly worried about their new friend.


Honey glanced warily at Mira as she seethed, glaring holes in her pop quiz that the teacher had given her. She scribbled furiously on her paper and flipped it over, showing that she was finished.

I wonder what's wrong? Honey thought to himself, turning back to his own quiz, maybe she needs some cake.


"GRAH!"

"Ouch!"

"That's another point for Marino-san." The referee drawled, the scoreboard was like this: Mira-23 Opponent-02.

Mori noticed this right away, seeing that she was putting a lot of force into her blows. She panted heavily as she stood over the boy she was up against, who was still on the floor.

"Give up?" She asked, the boy nodded, removing his helmet. She didn't help him up and turned around to face the other boys, "Anyone else?" Most boys shook their heads, but Mori stepped forward, pulling his helmet down over his eyes. "Fine." Mira said, getting into the right position.

And again they fought, Mori was surprised by the fury in her thrusts, so he dodged a lot more than he normally would have. He used his best parries, giving his all as she let out her feelings and frustrations on him. He knew that girls have many emotional problems on daily basis, and keeping it in wasn't very healthy, so if she wanted to take it out in kendo, then he'd have the best chance of standing up against her. After three minutes of straight fighting, Mira was breathing harshly and the force in her thrusts was weakening, and he finally managed to get a few points for himself. Finally, he landed a hit to her legs and she held up a hand.

"Okay, okay." She said, "I forfeit. I'm done for now." Mori nodded once and lowered his weapon. She took off her helmet, showing how her sweat had made her hair, including her blue streak, stick to her forehead and how her cheeks had flushed. She wiped away some sweat and collapsed against a bench and he went to sit down next to her, grabbing a bottle of water. He drank some and offered her the bottle, which she took and took grateful gulps. She wiped her mouth, "Thanks." Mori nodded once.

They both sat on the bench, Mori being silent as he looked out the door and saw some of his fans looking at him. They squealed when they realized he was looking at them. Mira noticed it as well and looked up at her fellow third year, "Captain?" She asked, getting his attention, "I know I've only known you for, like, a day, but…" She looked down at her hands, "Do I look like the kind of girl who would date someone?" Mori looked at her, somewhat confused, "I mean, like, anyone. Male or female." Her blue eyes looked into his, begging him to answer. Mori remained silent and she sighed, looking away, "My sister's worried about me. I'm somewhat wary of men and their intentions, especially at our age. God knows what kind of thoughts run through their head when they see anything female, but she says it's not right for me to be a third-year and not ever have a boyfriend, and she thinks I'll get too dependant on my family. I don't have a whole lot of friends, and… is that weird? I mean, that I like my family more than other people?" Mori smiled a little and put his hand on her head. She looked up at him and saw his smile.

"It's not weird." He said, Mira's eyes widened, that was the first time he'd said anything to her at all! "Don't worry so much." The bell rang outside and Mori got up, she followed.

"Hey, mind guarding the shower for me again?" She asked, Mori nodded and Mira smiled.


Mira walked out of the stall, scrubbing at her hair, "Thanks again, you two." She said, looking at them. "I'm going with you to the host club, by the way."

"Are you going to designate us?" Honey asked excitedly, Mira jumped slightly at his sudden eagerness.

"Um… no." She said, "My sister's at the host club, most likely, so I'm going to grab her and go home." Honey's face fell.

"Oh…" He sulked and walked beside his cousin, "Are you sure, Mira-chan? The host club is really fun."

Mira visibly gagged, "You want me to waste my time around a bunch of man-whores? Yeah, right." She stopped when she realized what she had just said, "Uh, no offense or anything."

"Why would we take offense to that?" Honey asked, "Is a man-whore a bad thing?" (Mira does anime fall) She stared at Honey incredulously.

"You seriously don't know what that is?" She asked, Honey shook his head, looking up at her with big, innocent eyes, "Aren't you my age?"

"Yeah." Honey said, Mira grimaced and looked away.

"Ask him what it means later." She jabbed her thumb at Mori as she walked away. "Let's just get out of here." She grabbed her bag and Mori and Honey followed suit.


"Wow Haruhi! This blend is really good!" A girl exclaimed, drinking a tea that Haruhi had given her. "Did you make this yourself?"

"Sure, I prepared a lot of the tea today." She said, "I hope you guys like it." She saw the girls blush when she gave them a smile.

"Oh, absolutely, Haruhi-kun!" Another girl exclaimed, "Your tea is exceptional!"

"I'm so glad to hear that." She replied. The girls blushed again. She looked to see all of the girls designating her at that time had taken all the teacups, and some were empty. "I'd better get some more tea. Do you mind waiting on me?"

"Not at all, Haruhi-kun!"

"It's fine, Haruhi-kun!"

"Take your time, Haruhi-kun!" She gave them one last smile as she picked up the tray and went to get more tea in another room. She passed by Tamaki's table where he was entertaining his guests, one of them was Isabella Marino. Since the incident with her sister yesterday, some rumors had popped up about her. All of them about the relationship with her sister. Some were that her sister was really protective of Isabella's 'purity.' Another said that her sister was abusive and didn't like it when she spent time with other people. Haruhi almost rolled her eyes at the thought, the things these people thought of…

She was so caught up in her thoughts, she didn't notice Mori and Honey come in, with Mirabelle in between them.

"Yo! Iz-zee!" She called, Isabelle turned to see her sister, "Let's get a move on, Izzy-Bizzy-bee!" Isabelle blushed at the nickname.

"I thought I told you not to call me that anymore!" She whined, standing as Mira came over. Mira looked a little bewildered for a moment, but Isabelle knew she was faking it.

"Really? Must've slipped my mind." She said, shrugging nonchalantly. She grabbed her sister's wrist, "Come on, we're outta here."

"Mira, did you think about what I said this morning?" Isabella asked, pulling her wrist back. Mira sent her a dubious look.

"Yeah, what of it?" She asked.

"Well, what did you come up with?" Isabella asked. Mira sighed.

"That I'm happy with who I am and don't give a damn about what anyone thinks." She said, grabbing her wrist again, "Let's go."

"Mira! That's what you said last time we talked about this!" Isabella whined, pulling her wrist back, "I'm serious! I want you to think about it!"

"I did think about it!" Mira argued, "I'm only telling you the outcome of my thoughts whenever you ask me about it!"

"What do you think 'it' is?" One of the girls whispered to their friend at Tamaki's table. Her friend shrugged in the classic 'I dunno' gesture.

"But I want you to actually-!"

"For the love of God, Izzy!" Mira snapped, "I don't think like you! I'm not like you! Or did you get even more air-headed at this freaking school? Just because I don't agree with you and your plastic friends doesn't mean there's something wrong with me!"

"They're not plastic!" Isabella yelled, "They just like to look nice for everyone! Unlike someone I know."

"Annnd it begins!" Mira said, throwing her hands up, "It's always about me not looking like you! You're embarrassed to be around me! That's it, isn't it?"

"I never said that!" Isabella snapped.

"You didn't have to!" Mira snapped, jabbing an accusing finger, "It's written all over your make-up covered face!"

"Uh, girls…" Tamaki said, trying to ease the fighting between the two, but he was ignored.

"It is not!"

"It is too! I'm family, I can tell!"

"You know, sometimes I wish you weren't my family!"

"Oh, believe me, princess. You're not the only one who wants that!"

Isabella let out a loud shriek, stamping her foot, "You're so infuriating! You just make me-!"

"Make you what?"

"You make me so gosh-darn mad!" Mira snorted.

"'Gosh-darn?' That's the best you can come up with?"

"Well, unlike you, I was born with the X-chromosome, so I behave like a lady!" Mira looked at her sister for a second before glaring fiercely at her. "If you were more like me, you wouldn't have to deal with boys thinking you're another boy!"

"At least I actually have the backbone to stand up for myself! Unlike you, I'm not so willing to give away my virginity at freaking fourteen!" There was a collective gasp from the girls around them. "Do you know how much trouble I was in for kicking his ass for you? If you were more like me, you wouldn't have to deal with that crap!" She grabbed her wrist, "We're going. Now!!" She started to drag her to the door, but Isabella pulled back before they went through. Haruhi opened the door just as the sudden backlash from Isabella's release caused Mira's hand to hit the tray of tea. In shock, Haruhi dropped the tray and the tea-filled teacups and teapot. The obviously expensive tea set crashed against the floor, shattering every cup and pot. Mirabella, Isabella, Haruhi and everyone else stared at the broken set in silence, stunned by the sudden event. Kyoya's eyes glinted dangerously behind his glasses when he saw the broken set. Everyone waited with baited breath for someone, anyone to say something to break the tense silence. Mira was the only one to do that and said only a single syllable.

"Shit."