Hi guys! Once again, I'd like to apologise for taking absolutely AGES to update. As I've said before, this fic is something I only update when I want to revisit it. Don't expect an uploading schedule, because there's not much chance that I'll make one. Life's still busy, whether that's a good or bad thing, but I do plan to continue this very slowly!

My writing style has changed to some extent so be warned that it may affect how this fic is written. Hopefully that's a positive thing.

One thing I will say is that I'm a little unimpressed with how I went about writing Kyoya in the beginning. Some aspects of his personality were accurate, but I feel as if I made him too stiff. I'll definitely work on that. There's also a good chance that I'll add in a few potentially romantic moments between Sierra and some of the other hosts. This is still a Kyoya x OC fic, however I love a little tension, haha.

Let me reiterate that this is not a story that gets updated regularly. If that stops you from reading, I understand. For those of you who enjoy reading this regardless of my lack of consistency, enjoy this chapter! :)

PS: Happy 2019! Hope you all have an amazing year.


"Sierra, there's a call for you!"

Remaining seated, she didn't flinch. It couldn't have been anything important. At half past nine on a Saturday morning, Sierra was in no mood to rush to the telephone at her sister's words. Besides, the breeze on the balcony seemed far more inviting - and so did the blueberry crepes in front of her.

"Sierra!" Natalia's voice rang out throughout the mansion.

She sighed. If Natalia had to ask twice, the call was likely something that needed her attention. Reluctantly, Sierra stood up and entered her bedroom, shutting the arched doors behind her. She made her way to one of the upstairs hallways.

Natalia greeted her by promptly pushing the telephone into her hand. "You didn't tell me you're friends with Kyoya Ootori!" she whispered.

Sierra's face returned to its common look of irritation in an instant. With a great urge to just hang up, she spoke into the phone. "Kyoya, hello."

"How nice of you to finally join us, Sierra," Kyoya said. She could practically hear the smirk in his voice. "We've planned an event in honor of you joining the Host Club."

"Wonderful," Sierra replied bitterly.

The student on the other end continued, ignoring her sarcasm. "It's a big deal, you see. You're our first female host."

"Could you please just tell me what you want?"

"Be ready in an hour. I'll be waiting."

"Fine," Sierra muttered. "See you then." With that, she hung up.

She turned around to see Natalia still standing there, her curiousity very much showing. It almost annoyed her how pleased her sister looked.

"Why didn't you mention such a reputable friend?"

"He's not a friend," Sierra stated. "Kyoya Ootori is just an intrusive asshole who helps with running the Host Club."

Natalia raised her eyebrows. "He seemed quite polite over the phone. Surely the son of such a well-known businessman is respectable."

"Respectable but infuriating, I suppose," Sierra responded drily. "Either way, I have to be ready in an hour."

"Oh, yes. For that Host Club event he was speaking of. He mentioned that."

"Of course he did. I'd better go prepare," Sierra said, more than a hint of complaint in her voice.

"Have a nice time. I'll be eating breakfast if you need me."

Breakfast. That's what Sierra wanted. After all, from what she'd already seen of the Host Club, she knew a quiet breakfast might be the only peace she would get that day.


As expected, a vehicle was waiting outside the mansion. Its driver opened the door for her with a polite nod and in Sierra stepped.

"Right on time, I see," a certain host observed.

Sierra met Kyoya's gaze. "It pays to be punctual."

"You're quite correct," Kyoya replied as she seated herself directly opposite him.

"Although," Sierra continued, "I hardly enjoy having my Saturday mornings interrupted by activities relating to the Academy."

"Then perhaps you should have read the contract more carefully."

Sierra kept her mouth shut; she couldn't argue with that. Technically, it wasn't even a real contract, but she still chose to sign it.

A hint of triumph in his eyes, Kyoya changed the topic. "We should use this time to discuss your presentation within the Host Club."

"Oh?"

"It's interesting, to say the very least."

"Mm-hm." She took a moment to cover her mouth as she let out a small yawn. The car hummed beneath her, its engine coming to life.

"However, it appears to be working in your favour. Admittedly, your lack of friendliness charmed your first guest."

Sierra wore her look of disinterest without shame. "I wouldn't consider it a lack of friendliness. When a social situation holds value, I'm able to act accordingly." The albino merely ignored Kyoya's small smile, which was dangerously close to becoming a smirk. At this point, the car slowed to a complete stop, catching her off guard. She hadn't realised how far they'd traveled in that short time.

"We're here."

"Stating the obvious, of course," Sierra muttered under her breath, although she was certain Kyoya still heard.

When the driver opened the door for the two of them, she gave a small thanks and stepped out. But what she saw wasn't what she'd expected.

"It's a high-end clothing store," the girl said in slight confusion.

"Stating the obvious, of course."

As per usual, Sierra ignored him and his infuriating expression.

Hitachiin Fashions. Now that she thought about it, it made sense. After all, Ouran Academy was a prestigious school - it would make sense for the twins to be related to Yuzuha Hitachiin, the CEO of the company.

"Don't just stand there," Kyoya said calmly, "we have business to attend to."

Without question, Sierra continued towards the building. By that point, it was pretty clear that asking things wouldn't be of much use.

"It's about time," the twins immediately remarked upon the entrance of the two students.

"Nice to see you too," Sierra muttered.

"I see the store is still in excellent condition," Kyoya noted, directing his commentary towards the brothers. "From what I've heard, business is doing well."

Suddenly, the other hosts were there too. They seemed to have materialised when Sierra wasn't looking. And, based on what she'd seen of the hosts, that wasn't exactly uncommon. Each host who'd just arrived offered a greeting. Honey, Mori and Haruhi exchanged short but kind greetings, much to Sierra's relief. The same couldn't have been said of Tamaki.

Following his usual routine, the blond ran towards the momentarily stunned albino and gave her a loud, vivacious greeting.

"Sierra! I'm so happy you're here on time," he said with his normal level of enthusiasm. "You did wonderfully on your first day, I'm so proud of you!"

"You sure have a strange definition of the word 'wonderful,'" Hikaru said with a mocking smile.

"Don't listen to him, Sierra, you're great at being a host." Tamaki gave her a few pats on the head. It was meant to be a supportive gesture, but it certainly didn't feel like one to Sierra.

Her face settled into her signature, cold glare as she gripped Tamaki's wrist and removed his hand from her head. What an idiot, she thought. The next thing she knew, the twins each had a tight hold on one of her arms.

"We should really start getting her ready," Kaoru explained.

When Sierra looked to her left to see the boy speaking, he looked back with a hint of sympathy. Although she had no clue which twin it was, she was pretty certain that one of the twins was less of an asshole than the other.

"I'm sure you two will do a good job," Kyoya said.

"We will," Hikaru assured him. "Just make sure the store doesn't get trashed by a certain someone."

Everyone turned accusingly towards Tamaki, who was now rifling through a rack of flashy jackets with a wide grin on his face.

Kyoya nodded. "Understood."

"Come on, Ghost, let's go," Hikaru said.

Grudgingly, Sierra complied. The brothers maintained their firm grasps on her arms as they took her to area closed off by a large, velvety curtain.

Once they were inside, she realised it was a dressing room. Hikaru's menacing grin brought several unsavoury thoughts to Sierra's mind, but just as quickly as she'd let the images pop up, she shoved them aside. Surely the twins weren't that inappropriate.

Just as she was thinking this, Hikaru withdrew a measuring tape from one of his pockets. "Stand still, we're going to take your measurements," he declared as if Sierra wasn't able to figure this out by herself.

"Nice outfit, by the way," Kaoru said, gently wrapping the tape around her waist. "It's classic, but still authentic. You're wearing some good labels too."

"Yeah. You may look strange, but you have a great eye," Hikaru chimed in. As he spoke, he jotted down measurements on a notepad.

At first, Sierra thought the twins were being sarcastic and cruel as usual. When she realised they weren't joking, she bit back a satisfied grin. Instead, she nonchalantly thanked them and let them finish their job. Before she knew it, Hikaru and Kaoru were wheeling in several dresses. But these weren't just any old dresses.

They were intricate gowns designed by Yuzuha Hitachiin herself. Adorned by silken skirts and shining bodices, their sheer extravagance was enough to make Sierra apprehensive. When Kyoya told her the event was a big deal, she didn't think it would be a big deal. Truthfully, she shouldn't have expected any less. After all, Sierra was attending a school full of extremely wealthy, priveleged teenagers.

"We've already picked out a couple options for you," Kaoru said, interrupting her existential dread.

"The boys are sure to like these ones," Hikaru said. He grabbed two dresses from the clothing rack, both bright pibk, highly revealing and the complete opposite of Sierra's style. Seeing her shocked expression, the brothers chuckled. "Don't worry, we were only kidding. We have to have fun somehow. All the other dresses are matched to your style."

Sierra nodded absently in response, not sure what to make of the whole situation. What concerned her most was the fact that this was clearly a great ordeal, which meant more useless interactions with her peers.

"Uh, are you okay, Ghost?" Kaoru asked.

"Aren't you gonna say something before we go? Unless, of course, you're waiting for us to help you try the gowns on." Hikaru smirked slyly.

That was more than enough to snap Sierra out of her trance. "With all due respect, I'd rather die," she retorted. "I'll be done soon, just leave please."

"Okay, but let us know if you change your mind!" Hikaru and Kaoru teased, drawing the curtains shut as they left.

Sighing, Sierra turned her attention to the clothing rack. She couldn't lie - the designs were beyond gorgeous. Despite all of the dresses being things she'd wear, there was one in particular that caught her eye. In contrast to the dresses from before, this was completely Sierra's type; its off-shoulder neckline and puffed, flowing skirt were complemented by light blue satin. A piece of clothing so beautiful was enough to momentarily distract her from her negativity.

Once the dress was on, Sierra called out to the twins, who promptly entered the room and began to plan her hair and makeup.

"So how do you usually like your hair for formal events?" Hikaru asked, making notes as he was doing previously.

"Generally, I leave it out and from time to time I style it. Sometimes I have it half up if it suits my outfit."

"Okay, and makeup?" Kaoru asked.

"I don't wear much," Sierra explained with a shrug. "Other thank eyeliner, anything that isn't subtle looks unnatural."

"You're right. Looking like a ghost is kind of your trademark at this point," Hikaru said.

Kaoru nodded. "Agreed. You do look a little strange, but you somehow pull off the whole abnormally pale thing."

Rolling her eyes, Sierrra inwardly laughed at their attempt to say something nice. "I'll just let you two do your thing."

After plenty of fussing from the twins, Sierra's look was done. With two small braids tied back, her remaining white locks cascaded down to perfectly frame her face. She herself rarely disliked her light features, but staring into the mirror, she knew that for once, others wouldn't either.

"Damn, we did a good job," Hikaru remarked, looking highly pleased with himself.

"Your mother certainly passed down her sense of style."

Neither of the brothers replied, but they both shared the same warm smile. Despite their cruel teasing, Sierra couldn't help but smile back. They were genuinely happy, and that proved to her that they were, in fact, capable of being something other than annoying.

"Well then," Hikaru said, "it's time to present our fine work to the others!"

With one twin on each side of Sierra, the curtains were opened to reveal her to the rest of the hosts. "Ta da!" Hikaru and Kaoru yelled, jazz hands accompanying their clear enthusiasm. To indulge them, Sierra joined in with her own playful curtsy.

A silence swept over the room as everyone stared at her. Haruhi was the first to speak. "Wow, Sierra, you look great!"

"I bet you'd look gorgeous in a dress like that, Haruhi!" Tamaki commented. "I'm sure we could arrange a fitting-"

"No way, Senpai. Stop being weird," Haruhi said. Upon being shut down, Tamaki quietly sulked, walking away from the group. Exasperated, Haruhi followed him to try to calm him down.

"You look like an angel, Sera-chan," Honey said from atop Mori's shoulders. "Doesn't she look pretty, Takashi?"

"Mhm," Mori agreed with a nod.

"Thank you both. Luckily, the twins know what they're doing. I've had some horrible stylists in the past, but they did a good job."

"You two have demonstrated your wonderful sense of style once again," Kyoya said, directing his approval towards Hikaru and Kaoru. Turning his focus towards the albino, he commented, "That dress was a good choice. It'll make you stand out when dancing at the ball."

"Oh, lord. There's dancing involved."

Kyoya quirked an eyebrow. "Didn't the twins tell you?"

Kaoru let out a nervous chuckle. "Sorry, we forgot."

"Either way, I'm sure you'll be fine," Kyoya reassured her. "Surely you know how to dance."

"Of course I know how to dance, but that doesn't mean I enjoy having a bunch of strangers stepping on my toes," Sierra shot back calmly.

"I finally got Senpai to lighten up." Walking up from behind, Haruhi was clearly relieved. "We should probably leave before Tamaki-senpai starts being dramatic again. You'll get used to his antics, Sierra."

"Haruhi, how could you?" a familiar voice suddenly cried out. "I thought you were my loving little girl."

"Here we go again.."

"Alright," Kyoya said, witnessing Haruhi's frustration, "I'll call the driver."


Unsurprisingly, the ball took place in the Host Club's regular spot. Except this time, there was something distinctly different about Music Room #3. Everything was incredibly pale. From the curtains to the flowers, nothing had more than the slightest tinge of colour.

And that's when Sierra realised that she, in her soft shade of blue, was the only one wearing something that could be considered colourful. "Tamaki?" she said, eyeing the blonde beside her in suspicion.

Clearly unaware of Sierra's desire to avoid being the center of attention, Tamaki simply beamed. "It's genius, isn't it? Now everyone can be pale like you, but you're still the star of the show! I wanted to make sure you felt at home."

Although Sierra's initial feelings of displeasure still remained, something within her shifted. Tamaki may have been clueless at times, but he was well-intentioned and the gesture was sweet. "Thank you, Tamaki-senpai. The hosts are lucky to have a friend like you."

"I knew it was a good idea for you to join the club! You're already using the honorific," he said. For someone so nice, he looked remarkably smug. "Our platonic bond will only grow stronger!"

"Jeez, no need to boost your own ego," Sierra mumbled. People were looking and she regained her composure. Sappy words weren't her thing, so she sure as hell didn't want a whole room listening in aa she said them. "Honorifics are polite, aren't they? Just getting used to them, since you're my mentor now."

"You've acknowledged me as your mentor, which is a start," Tamaki said before immediately getting distracted by the sight of Haruhi, who was chatting to a group of girls across the room. In almost a whisper, he exclaimed, "My little girl is so beautiful!"

"Calm down and turn away. You wouldn't want students to start catching on to Haruhi's identity."

Tamaki took a deep breath. "You're right. If you'll excuse me, I should go speak to some of our enthusiastic guests."

When he walked away, Sierra was left by herself. Formal events like these were normal for her, but none so awkward. She was never one to stand out at events, and regardless of her ability to deal with the countless stares from peers, Sierra was uncomfortably aware of how many people were watching her. Can't people just mind their own business? she asked herself. She wished that the hosts hadn't thrown her a personal ball.

Just then, Kyoya's polite voice sounded throughout the room. "Good afternoon, ladies and gentleman. Today we're gathered here at this fine ball to celebrate the addition of a new host, Sierra Abernathy." Standing upon a white stage that had been placed there specially for the occasion, Kyoya outstretched his arm towards Sierra. His look told her to do her job, and so she smiled and curtseyed as a circle of students formed around her.

"Today is especially important," Kyoya continued, "as we are not only welcoming a new host, but we're also welcoming our first hostess. Would you like to say a few words, Sierra?"

"Of course," Sierra said, accepting the microphone. She turned around to face the crowd. By now, all eyes were on her and she had to be as charismatic as she could, in her own way. Luckily, that was easy for her - years of exposure to the press had prepared her for this. She started off speaking in a sweet tone. "I'd like to begin by saying that I'm thankful for this rare opportunity. To begin with, I wasn't very enthusiastic about the position, but I know that you'll all do your best to make me feel at home within the Host Club." Suddenly, her voice took a apathetic but alluring turn. "Unless your intention is to frustrate me, in which case I'll simply ignore you. As for those of you who are going to be respectful, thank you. I can't wait to fulfil my duties as your first hostess!"

A short moment of silence ensued before the room erupted with applause. Sierra resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She'd barely done anything and yet the male students were utterly captivated, while a fair amount of the girls glared at her in envy. Giving the crowd another smile, Sierra passed the microphone back to Kyoya, who gave her a small nod of approval.

"I think it's time for our first dance. Find a partner and we'll begin."

Amongst the chaos of several boys vying for her attention, Sierra couldn't think clearly. She had no clue who she was meant to dance with. There was no way she could choose one of the guests to her partner - that would cause several arguments as she needed to treat them all equally. Coming to Sierra's rescue, Mori suddenly presented himself before her. He said nothing, but he was clearly asking her to dance.

"Hey, why does he get the first dance?" a guy in the crowd yelled out.

"He's a host. It's only fair that he's my partner. I can't be giving any of you special treatment," Sierra said. A few more angry words were thrown about before the students settled down and went to find partners. Once they were out of earshot, Sierra released the breath she'd been holding in. "Thank you, Mori-senpai. I'm not sure how I would've handled that."

"No problem," was Mori's short response. Without speaking, he moved into the dance position and a pleasant song came on.

Those next few minutes were rather peaceful to Sierra. It was nice to be in the company someone who didn't want to say a single word. In the past few days, she'd dealt with too much speaking and quite frankly, she was already tired of it. Once the dance was over, she thanked Mori and moved on to her next partner.

Nearly three hours later, after plenty of boring dances and little time to rest, Sierra finally sat down. Thankfully, she looked so disinterested that nobody dared to strike up a conversation.

"Ahem," Tamaki said dramatically into the microphone. His ebullience was enough to gain everyone's attention, including Sierra's. "A couple of the fine ladies here tonight have persuaded me to play a piece for this momentous occasion. You're all free to dance as I've chosen a waltz."

A couple of girlish giggles could be heard in the background as Tamaki situated himself at the grand piano to the side of the stage. An intense solemnity replaced any of the initial emotion on his face. His hands glided across the keys and soon enough, the waltz was in full swing and the majority of people were dancing. Sierra, however, simply sat there awestruck. It was gorgeous. Tamaki was incredibly skilled. For the first time in years, she sorely regretted quitting piano when she was younger. By playing a chord on the piano, Tamaki was able to strike a chord with others. This was the kind of emotion Sierra wanted to put into her art. Infatuated by the music, she almost didn't notice when Kyoya emerged beside her.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes, it's amazing," Sierra said, her eyes still glued to the host at the piano. "I never would have expected someone as irrepressible as Tamaki to look so serious when playing an instrument."

"He certainly is gifted." Changing the topic, Kyoya raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you be dancing? After all, this is your chance to make an impression."

"Oh, please," Sierra said, returning to her usual, nonchalant self once more. "I think I've made enough of an impression for one day. It's beginning to get late and my ears are sore from listening to the self-absorbed woes of teenagers. Besides, I'd prefer to sit and enjoy the music."

"That argument will suffice. We'll be wrapping this up shortly, so you may as well take a break."

After a little while had passed, the hosts were indeed wrapping it up. Each member wore a polite smile as the guests left - besides Sierra, whose small grin screamed 'good riddance' - but beneath that, it was clear that they were thankful to be alone again. Having so many students to accomodate was certainly an ordeal.

Breaking the restful silence that arose after everyone left, Sierra said, "Alexander should be here right about now, so I'd better get going." She looked at the twins, who were lazily slouched against a wall. "Where did you two put my clothes?"

Suddenly, the twins sprung back to life. "Who's Alexander?" one asked, before the other added, "Is he your boyfriend?" They both made immature kissy noises before a fit of laughter ensued.

"Jeez, thanks for putting that image into my head," Sierra remarked with a look of digust. "He's my driver. Now, my clothes?"

"Just a sec, I'll go get them," Kaoru told her. He left the room to retrieve Sierra's things.

"Don't worry about changing. The dress is yours now," Hikaru said.

Sierra's eyes widened, remembering how much Yuzuha Hitachiin's designs cost. "No, I can't accept this. At least let me pay for it."

By this point, Kaoru was back with her belongings. He handed Sierra the bag containing her clothes. "Mother knows of you through your parents' company. She thinks you'd make a unique model, so she told us to give you something on the condition that you do a photo shoot with her one day."

Modelling was hardly her thing, but Sierra nodded. It was nice to know that such an influential designer found her appearance worthy of her brand. "I'm flattered, really. Please thank her for the gesture on my behalf. I'll be sure to take her up on the offer."

"We will," the twins said.

That being said, Sierra bid a quick goodbye to the twins and the other hosts, who were engrossed in a separate conversation.

Another day at the Host Club had passed for Sierra Abernathy, and despite their impromptu balls and irritating guests, she was yet to realise that she was beginning to enjoy her new role.