twentynine
Chapter Four
Color
A/N: Hello, darlings! I hope you haven't been waiting too long for this chapter, but I swear I've been really busy with school. Anyway, here is Chapter Four, a magical chapter of romance and sudden twists and turns along the way, and perhaps even a blessing of unicorns if you wish hard enough.
Okay, that was all bullshit. But hey, at least it's a new chapter.
Just a reminder, since the main character doesn't speak Japanese yet, the majority of the dialogue will be in English. If someone is speaking in Japanese, their words will be in [brackets], and Ariel will most likely have no idea what they're saying.
Disclaimer: OHSHC ne m'appartient pas. Even if you don't speak French, you should be able to guess what that means.
Enjoy!
XXIX
"So, okay…" I sigh and massage my temples. "Let me get this straight. You-" I nod to Haruhi. "You are female. With lady parts. And you identify as female."
He - no wait, she nods. "I do, though I don't really have a strong sense of gender like most people. But it's fine for you to think of me as a girl if that's how you see me now."
"Okay. And you dress in the male uniform at school why, exactly?"
Kyoya clears his throat. "Haruhi owes a debt to the Host Club as a result of breaking an expensive vase of ours a while back. She's paying off her debt by hosting as a male."
"Hmm…" I ponder Kyoya's words as I pick at my chirashizushi absently. We're still at Atarashi Haru, all eight of us crowded around two snug little tables that don't really accommodate for 5 fully grown teenagers and two mini-sized ones (Honey and Haruhi, I'm looking at you two). The host club has just finished explaining their situation to me and, well, I'm confused. "But why exactly do you have to host as a guy? Couldn't you just dress like a girl?"
Tamaki and the twins look stricken. "B-But, my precious daughter, if people thought she was a girl, all kinds of nasty men would come after her-"
"Shut up, senpai," Haruhi says calmly. "I dress like a guy because otherwise I wouldn't be able to pay off my debt by having girls request me."
I bite my lip. "No, I get that, just… Okay, so Tamaki started this club 'to make girls happy'. But for the rest of you, it has to be at least a little about networking, right? I mean, the people at this school are your future business partners and competitors. By having this club where you play nice with the girls, you're establishing good relations for the future."
Kyoya looks at me with something like interest. "Perhaps in part."
"Well, if all the hosts are male, you're pretty much only catering to one demographic - girls, and well, I guess guys who are into guys. But Haruhi's pretty cute, right? If she dressed as a girl when she hosted, you'd be able to reach a lot more students."
"You're right, I guess. But would Haruhi…?" says one of the twins (Hikaru? I really can't tell). After a few moments of staring into space, something sparks in the corner of his eye and an evil grin spreads across his handsome features. He pulls his brother close to him and whispers into his ear, and soon that same devious smirk is mirrored onto Kaoru's face.
"You know, Miss Ariel, you're quite right. A female host would really expand the host club's potential," says the one I think is Kaoru.
"But Haruhi's personality is much more suited to flirting with girls than with boys."
"An ideal female host would be beautiful, charming, and strong-willed-"
"-and of course, very wealthy and influential."
"In fact, someone like you, Ariel Amsel, would do very well as a host."
"Whoa, whoa. I see where this is going." I put down my chopsticks and look up at the club's King. "C'mon Tamaki, this is your club. Would you want me as a host?"
He appears to ponder the suggestion. "It could be a good influence to Haruhi if she had a girl around to teach her how to be more feminine; Renge obviously failed at that."
Who's Renge? Wait - that's not the issue here. Do I want to be in the host club? "Well I guess if you're all okay with it, I could try hosting." What did I just get myself into?
"Are you sure?" says Haruhi. "If you get involved with these people, they'll rope you in somehow."
I shrug. "Why not? None of you really seem like the type of people who'd keep doing this club if you didn't like it. Well, aside from you, Haruhi."
"The host club isn't so bad. It's good that I'm in a club so I can look well-rounded on college applications. As long as my grades are fine, I don't mind hosting."
"SO CUTE!" squeal the twins and Tamaki in chorus as they pull her into an unreciprocated group hug.
"Okay then."
I guess I'm a host now.
Why do I always get myself caught in these weird situations?
XXIX
Okay. Hosting. I am a host. For the next hour and a half, I will flirt with guys and serve them mediocre coffee while dressed in an outfit with some weird theme.
I guess I can cross that off my bucket list.
Today the theme is Colors. Each of the hosts are in extravagant outfits, each a different color. Tamaki wears a suit in a brilliant white so bright that it almost hurts to look at him (or is that just his personality?). Honey's color is pale yellow, which complements his blue eyes and cheery attitude, while Mori is dressed in deep ivy green. The twins are both dressed in blue, almost exactly the same color, but Hikaru's sport jacket just barely leans toward turquoise, while Kaoru's is closer to ultramarine. They both look equally delicious, but I've finally figured out a way to tell them apart - Kaoru's hair is parted on the right, and Hikaru's hair is parted on the left. As long as they don't change that very often, I hopefully won't call one of them by the wrong name or something.
Kyoya's color is a true, pure lavender: a surprisingly delicate choice, but he makes it look incredible. Still, despite the multitude of hot guys, I have to admit - Haruhi's the star of this show. Her color is deep blood-red, which pops beautifully against her pale skin. It's apparent that some special care went into her outfit, because it works with her petite frame and narrow waist and yet still manages to make her look 'masculine'.
My color is fiery orange-red. Just my luck that on my first day of hosting I have to wear the only color that manages to wash out my warmly-toned skin. The outfit consists of a military style overcoat with shiny gold buttons that flares out at the waist over a casual romper. They even provided shoes, uncomfortable lace-up booties that put me at the same height as Kyoya. I also have to wear a wig; according to the twins, my ruby-red hair is just far enough from the right color that it could ruin the whole ensemble. Since they didn't have any short-notice wigs in the perfect shade, the fashion-obsessed twins had to make do with a long brown wig that confuses me when I look in the mirror.
Well, it may not be my usual style, but it looks good. I look around to make sure no one's watching, and then do a quick twirl in the mirror to make the excess chiffon around my thighs swish through the air of the dressing room. I grin at myself in the mirror and then strike a few poses - first cocking a hip sharply and glaring like a model, and then batting my eyelashes and kicking up one heel like a stereotypical schoolgirl-
"Ahem." A condescending cough brings me back to reality and I spin around to see Kyoya smirking at me from the doorway to the room.
"Hey! You can't just barge into a dressing room like that; what if I was still changing?"
"You weren't, were you?" He pushes his glasses back up onto his face. "Club activities are starting soon."
I can feel my face settle into a scowl as I push past him out of the room, only to be pulled by the twins to the front of the doorway. "You have to be in the front, Ari!" says Hikaru.
"Why?" I whine, 50% about why I have to be in the front even though I have no clue what I'm doing and 50% about that little nickname Hikaru just sprung on me.
"It's your first time as a member of the host club!"
"Besides, it's the first time there's been a female host-"
"-as far as our customers know."
"Fine." I smooth out my skirt and slap my cheeks for confidence as the doors slowly open and a shower of rose petals blows through the entrance.
"Welcome to the host club!"
XXIX
"So what made you decide to become a host?" asks a customer in softly-accented English.
Surprisingly, my customers so far are both male and female, though I suspect the girls are more interested in talking to the weird foreign student than exploring their sexualities or anything.
"It seemed fun." Earlier Tamaki announced that I was going to be marketed as the 'Fiery Type', so I guess I should try to play that up. "I'm always looking for something interesting to do, and I thought it would be cool to try hosting."
"What kinds of things did you do for fun in America?" asks another customer, Nara.
"Uhh, I did all kinds of stuff." Generally, thinking about my life in America brings me down, so it can be difficult to remember my life in L.A. without retreating from the safe place in my mind where I don't have to think about...things.
Nara notices the look of discomfort on my face. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Umm, in America… I went to public school for like four years, so that was an experience."
My customers (especially the girls) lean in closer. "Really? Why? It's not like the Amsels can't afford private school."
That's true enough. The Amsel family crest is probably next to the dictionary definition of 'old money'. "My mother thought I would be more worldly and down-to-earth if I went to public school. She herself grew up going to public school in New York and she made her own fortune. My dad's from a very long line, but he still agreed that I could have many more experiences if I went to public school."
"That's so inspiring!" squeals a girl, her eyes shining. "What kind of experiences did you have in public school?"
"Well, I learned that I liked math and computers, like my mom. And I got to make friends with people from a lot of different of class backgrounds. I think in general there was a lot less pressure to conform to the standards expected of a daughter from a powerful family. Everything was really genuine, y'know? Sure, there was backstabbing and lies and the usual teenage stuff, but nothing was a huge plot or a deception to get in my family's good graces. I think it was pretty great to meet people who actually liked me for… well, who I actually am."
My customers are now staring at me in rapture. "You're so cool, Ariel," breathes Nara.
"Now I wish I knew what it was like to go to public school!" says a dark-haired girl at my left.
"Me too! But wouldn't it be strange to be around so many commoners? Although, if they were all like Haruhi, I don't think I'd have a problem." The two girls giggle to each other.
I tug on my wig and mentally roll my eyes. If only they knew that their dream guy was actually a girl...
XXIX
After the club is finally over, Tamaki pulls me away from the table where I'm helping Haruhi clean up the tea sets. "So how was it? Did you like the club?"
"Sure, it was fun." The beginning was kind of rocky, but I after a while I got the hang of flirting with the customers and I started having fun discussing their high-profile lives. All the ballrooms and arranged marriages these people had made them seem like they were living between the covers of a fairytale.
"I'm glad to hear it!" Tamaki wipes his brow free of some imaginary sweat or something. "Now sit down, princess. I have something to give you on behalf of the whole host club."
Before I can make a single move, Hikaru pulls out a chair and Kaoru gently ushers me down into it. They both wear the same identical expression - not a smirk, but a soft, true smile - the kind of look that could make your heart skip a beat if you saw it too often. For the first time since I've met the two of them, I really and truly believe that they could both be gentlemen if they actually wanted to.
I turn away before either one can catch me staring. Nope, not staring. Observing. Just observing my two gorgeous classmates.
Mori makes his way over with Honey on his shoulders, while Kyoya and Haruhi come closer to stand on either side of Tamaki. When everyone is settled in front of me, Tamaki pulls something out from behind his back (wait, what? he wasn't holding anything a second ago, where did it come from?): a huge bouquet of long-stemmed roses. With an angelic smile that I recognize as his 'hosting expression', he picks one out and offers it to me carefully, so that the thorns stay clear of my hands.
"This is called a 'Dream Come True' rose. It is famous for its multicolored petals and large, flawless blossoms. We believe this rose suits you as a host."
The rose is indeed beautiful, a soft yellow color that darkens to ruby-red at its tips. Do they really think this rose represents me? If I could blush, I'd be the color of my hair right now.
Tamaki hands me the bouquet. "Th-Thanks," I stutter.
Kyoya pushes up his glasses once again. "Now that you've received your rose, you are officially a member of the host club. No slacking off or coming late." I'm still vaguely annoyed at him for catching me making a fool out of myself, but I nod anyway.
"Hear that, Kaoru? We get another doll to play with."
"I can't wait to mess with her." Did I really just think these two little devils were gentlemen?
"I think it's going to be fun to have Ari-chan around! What do you think, Takashi?"
"Hn."
"Let's get through this together, okay Ariel?" Haruhi asks, giving me a slender white hand.
I don't even have to hesitate before I take it.
XXIX
Kyoya
STUDENT RECORDS
NAME: ARIEL THERESE AMSEL
BIRTH DATE: SEPTEMBER 21, 1998
AGE: 16
HEIGHT: 167.6 CM
WEIGHT: 58 KG
EYES: BLUE
HAIR: RED
ADDRESS: -ACCESS DENIED-
What? Access denied? Since when can access be denied to an Ootori?
I scroll down the record sheet on my computer to find more information on the newest member of the host club.
ARREST RECORD: -ACCESS DENIED-
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: -ACCESS DENIED-
FAMILY: -ACCESS DENIED-
STUDENT REGISTRATION NUMBER: -ACCESS DENIED-
CLASS SCHEDULE: -ACCESS DENIED-
RELATIONSHIP STATUS: -ACCESS DENIED-
Annoyed, I quickly skim through the next few pages of text, only to find that any information of use has been blocked from my view. So far, my various searches on Ariel have been fruitless. The Ootori family may have an extensive information network, but evidently the Amsels have the resources to keep their secrets well hidden. Despite literal hours of searching, I still remain in the dark about almost everything I want to find.
Ariel's sister, Aurora, was a famous actress and fashion icon, but there is a suspicious lack of news coverage of her death. Apart from many articles detailing her accomplishments, there is precious little information whatsoever of the actual circumstances of her demise. I still have no idea why Ariel moved to Japan six months after her sister's death, or even how Aurora died in the first place.
Would Akito tell me anything? There's no doubt he knows how his wife died and why he brought his sister-in-law here, but he's been fairly protective of her since she arrived… It's not likely that he would tell me anything.
I sigh and lean back in my chair. There's nothing to do but keep looking.
XXIX
A/N: Fourth chapter is finished! I feel like this one went kind of slowly and it's a lot shorter than the last one, but that's how it goes. Next chapter will be up soon, and it's going to be a good one (hopefully). I have it planned out, and I was wondering if any of you wanted a summary, unless you think that would spoil the surprise?
Fun Fact #4: I figure since I did Patronus last time, why not do Hogwarts house? Ariel's Hogwarts house is Gryffindor.
About the Author: My Hogwarts house is Slytherin, lol. BTW, I got both of these results from an online quiz. I'm actually surprised that I'm not a Ravenclaw, but that I got into Slytherin isn't so surprising.
Please review, favorite and follow! Every review is a little push to keep writing!
