A/N: I would just like to thank all of you for your continued support, I love reading all the reviews I get and I have to say that it is thanks to all of you that I have been able to find inspiration to continue this story. So with out further ado here is chapter Four.
Hikaru fidgeted at his desk, the teacher continued to lecture as the elder twin stared at the back of the head of the brunette in front of him. It had been a week since she had appeared at the host club and since that day she had said nothing to him or his brother. In fact the elder twin would bet that she was purposefully ignoring him.
Every day he would do any and everything to get any kind of reaction from her, and after every slight she would continue the silent treatment and keep him just out of her eye line. He had even brought the book he had taken and pretended to read it during class and she didn't even respond, he taunted her with it but she acted like she had forgotten it was her's. In truth he didn't know which was worse the way that whenever she challenged him it did nothing but leave him blushing and tongue tied, or the fact that she didn't even acknowledge his existence.
Once again he had brought the book with him today the worn cover of the book showing its age, he had inspected it after the incident in the host club and found that it was a copy of some author from England. The book written in the original language it had been published in. In spite of his disdain for most classical literature or any literature that had nothing to do with fashion in general, he did recognize the author as having some historic value. Looking down at the up turned spine in his bag the name Austen was the only word and even that seemed to be nearly illegible.
Looking back up Hikaru noticed that the teacher had turned and began gathering several binders.
"With midterms nearing it is time to hand out the syllabus for the final project for this class. The project is simple you will be assigned a piece of classical literature written before the beginning of the twentieth century and write a paper on how the piece still applies to society today. This will be a group project," the teacher continued as he handed out the binders to random students throughout the class.
"The groups will consist of two to three people your assigned group is printed on the paper on the front of the binders I am handing out, in addition to the paper you will also need to have a ten minute presentation that summarizes the original piece, identify different aspects of it in other media as in movies, songs, and or artwork; you will also need to theories why each piece is still popular in the modern world and be able to defend you view point," He said as he handed the last binder to Haruhi and began walking back to the front of the class.
"This project is worth fifty percent of your grade and is due a week before the final exam," He spoke as several agonized groans filled the room. "Now I am going to give you the rest of the class to get together with your group, and begin working on the project,"
As the teacher sat back down everyone got up and began looking for their group, the Hitachiin twins looked over at each other and seeing that neither had a binder handed to them they shrugged and sat back in their chairs waiting. Hikaru watched as Haruhi sighed in annoyance as she stood and turned around and began to walk towards them.
"Oh, look the commoner is actually talking to us this week," the elder twin began to speak smirking over at his brother who looked apprehensive.
"Well, Hikaru despite the fact that I am sure I would have more scintillating conversation with a brick wall than with you. I am afraid that speaking to either of you has become unavoidable," she said firmly as she held the binder close to her chest.
"Oh really and why is that?" Kaoru asked as cautiously.
His brother was already unstable when talking to the brunette and he had a feeling that after a week of being ignored Hikaru was about three remarks away from snapping.
"Because it seems that we have been placed in a group together," she said firmly as a look of pure disbelief filled the elder twins face.
"No way!" He growled drawing the attention on the class.
"Yes," the girl smiled triumphantly as she placed the binder on the shared desk.
Both twins looked down at the printed paper that was tucked in to the clear lining of the binder. The sheet read: group four, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Hitachiin Hikaru, Hitachiin Kaoru, and Fujioka Haruhi. Kaoru looked over at his brother and could practically see the smoke pouring out of his ears. Hikaru stared down at the page mouth opening a closing silently as he tried to figure out if he was being tricked or not.
"This is not happening," he growled loudly after several tense minutes as the sounds of whispering student filled the room.
"A problem Mr. Hitachiin?" the teacher asked from his desk as he continued grading papers.
"Yeah, why did you stick us with this commoner?" He shouted standing up.
"Miss. Fujioka is top of the class I would expect that you would be happy to have her in your group," the teacher said as he continued to stare down at the papers on his desk.
"But sensei…" Hikaru began to argue trying to avoid Haruhi's gaze.
"Mr. Hitachiin I could have very easily put you and your brother in spate groups but instead I not only allowed you two to stay together but I even placed you in a group with the smarted person in Class 1A. Now if you continue to argue with me I will make you do this entire project by yourself," the teacher threatened as serval quiet snickers filled the class.
Literature was Hikaru's worse subject and Kaoru knew that his brother was barley passing and if he were forced to do the project on his own he would surly fail.
"Fine!" Hikaru muttered in annoyance. Turing around her looked at the small girl who was leaning against his desk arrogantly.
Gulping he walked towards her stopping when she was within arm's reach.
"You're coming home with us afterschool so that we can work on this project, I want to get it done as fast as possible," the elder twin growled as he tried not steady his rapidly beating heart.
"Sorry can't, I have a previous engagement after school, but I am free on Saturday," Haruhi cooed as she watched the twin in front of her twitch in annoyance.
"Fine," he growled.
The bell rang signaling the end of class, Haruhi walked past Hikaru and went to pick up her bag,
"Hika," she said sweetly. Kaoru could feel the tension between the two rise as Haruhi used the nickname he used for his other brother, "it might be a good idea to go ahead and while you are pretending to read my book to go ahead and actually do, after all it is our assigned story," she cooed as she walked out the door.
"Who does she think she is?" Hikaru shouted as they walked into their home.
After the whole debacle in literature class Haruhi had gone back to actively ignoring his older brother and Kaoru had a hard time not stepping in and at least trying to get them to talk to each other.
"You know you keep asking that question, but I am not the one who can answer it," the younger twin said firmly as he was getting tired of having the same conversation with his twin.
"I am sorry but she is just so… so…." Hikaru stood still trying to find a way to describe the small girl but nothing seemed good enough to say out loud.
"Boys!" the sound of their mother's voice filled the hall where they were as she walked out of the shared work room
"What?" the two said in unison.
"Come here I have a project for you to work on," she said as she motioned for her sons to follow her in to the open room.
Bolts of fabric lay against every wall, mismatched colors and patterns were littered all over the room. Three long tables with several dress forms were set in a circle each in various stages of organized chaos based on their owner's preface.
"Now as heirs to my company it is important that you learn how to work closely with customers, I love you both but you cannot just always bully your way into getting your way all the time," she said firmly as the twins merely shrugged at each other in response.
"So I have devised a little project, I want you to create and entire line, but you have to balance your own style with that of a client I have chosen for you," she spoke as she opened the door to her private study motioning a small girl walked out.
"Kaoru this is Renge Hoshakuji she is going to be your client in this project," Mrs. Hitachiian said as the younger twin walked up taking the girls hand and placing a kiss on the back in true host fashion.
"Pleased to meet you so do you go to Ouran?" he purred politely as the girl blushed slightly.
"No but I am transferring in to the first year class 1A tomorrow," she said sweetly.
The two moved off to the side as they began discussing like and dislikes, as the elder twin waited for his client to walk out of his mother's office.
"Now my little devil I would like you to meet your client…" she began but as the girl stepped out of the room Hikaru had to do everything not to fall apart. "I believe you have already meet Haruhi Fujioka."