Disclaimer * I do not own Ouran host Club.

Chapter 4 …And they meet.

The two childhood friends have been attending Ouran University for two years. During the summer both girls are forging ahead in their dream careers. One in fashion and the other in law.

The long haired brunette beauty is perched at her seat behind a somewhat glossy wooden desk as her nimble fingers sort almost identical looking stacks of stapled piles of papers as she works as a paralegal. With the help of her roommate she was ready to conquer any task the busy day could possibly bring. Her old fashioned black phone rested on her desk began to shatter the silence as the large phone shot out a loud ringing noise several times. Kotoko taps the stack of similar looking papers twice on the desk to straighten before placing the stack down. She extends a hand out to swiftly answer the phone.

"Ring" ….".Ring" …

"Fuji and Fuji associates, Kotoko speaking. How may I help you?" Kotoko politely answers the phone.

"Hey Koa, how's my busy best friend this morning?" A voice calls out from the receiver.

"Hi, Yuzu, what's up?" Kotoko lips come together in a small happy smile.

"I wanted to see how that scarf worked out with your suit." A mischievous voice comes over Kotoko's large phone as she twines her finger around the spiral cord of her office's phone. .

"Oh…. the scarf… it works great you were so right about the colors." Kotoko lies through her teeth to her best friend about the forgotten scarf. As the brunet beauty hands fumble to hastily jerk open her top drawer. She traps the polished black phone's receiver between her cheek and shoulder. The college student starts franticly emptying her drawer tossing the contents on the polished desks surface….her purse …..Stapler…..some kind of stress ball and at last the flouncy, colorful scarf.

.

She leaps from her chair with the scarf in hand as she extends a delicate finger to swiftly push the speaker phone on while tossing the receiver back down on the phone. With less than nimble fingers at the moment she starts tangling with the colorful scarf while trying to remember just how her best friend demonstrated to tie the special knot during breakfast .'How the hell did she tie it this again?' .She inwardly panics.

.

She twists then loops the silky material against her neck …with her clumsy fingers but she just could not make it look like anything her best friend had demonstrated. 'What the heck do I do with the long dangly end.'

Yuzuha speaks half offended and half teasing. "You can't lie to me Koa, your trying to tie the scarf right now, aren't you?"

Sighing heavily, knowing she's busted she gives up the fight with the scarf and plops back down in her chair. Resting her head on her bent elbow feeling awful for not just letting down her friend …..But lying to her as well causing her best friend's feelings to be hurt. "I'm sorry Yuzu… I meant to but when I came in this morning I was distracted with a pile of paperwork."

.

Yuzu chuckles as her best friend's one tracked mind. "You so owe me for this it's so much like you, Koa. I should have just tied it this morning. Koa, it is a law office I would think there would be a lot of paper work around. "A shiver went up Kotoko's spine at what kind of favor her best friend would force upon her.

"Yeah, funny…. Ha-Ha."

"Ok, okay, why is there's so much paperwork, today?" Yuzuha tries to control her chuckle that occasionally slips out.

"I get to actually assist with a client and help take a witness statement. I'll tell you more about it when I get home. Kotoko eye's flash while speaking with excitement over the speaker of the phone as she continues to shuffle her practically identical papers.

"Oh speaking of home what do you think about purple?" Yuzuha speaks in a bored tone.

"Well, I like it better than pink ...What's it for?" With her friends question her eyes go wide as she jokingly replies knowing this can't be good when a "Hitachiin" is bored.

Yuzuha speaks with mischief laced in her bored voice. "Purple everywhere…. different shades of purple everywhere."

Kotoko makes a face as she shakes her head. "This isn't like when I came back from class and you decided to use black paint and glow in the dark fluorescent yellow to paint backlight daisies all over the living room walls. I can still close my eyes and see little yellow daises permanently burnt in my vision."

"Ok… ok I will wait until you get home before I let loose the workers…..it was just a thought" Yuzuha pouts.

Kotoko can tell her friend's bored behavior will return if she doesn't distract her. As she begins to speak in a sarcastic tone. "Here's an idea…. how's work?"

Kotoko knows her friend's eyes are shining brightly just talking about fashion. "Work, the upcoming Hitachiin line is coming along nicely and with you as my "Guinea Pig" it's bound to be a hit."

Kotoko rolls her eyes at the "guinea pig" comment but was glad Yuzuha is excited with her progress. "Well, you're so talented, I'm glad I can help with your dream."

"Speaking of my dream I've just finished your dress for the upcoming event". Yuzuha mischievous side slips through once more. At times Kotoko is reminded of her best friend's behavior as a playful orange kitten with bright gold eyes coming out of the darkness. Scampering all over the house looking for trouble or ….in her case someone to toy with.

Noticing the tone Kotoko asks suspiciously. "What upcoming event?"

"Uh ….Suoh's party." Muttering extremely quietly.

"Yuzu! You know I'm not going to that it just seems too awkward...since…" Kotoko hand ran through her hair in bit of frustration.

Yuzuha pouts at her friend's response. "Well, it was worth a shot… it's almost been a year, all our friends our attending and we all think you two were made for each other …I just figured you were second guessing yourself because your father likes him." .

My heart twists at Yuzu's words 'I do miss him… my other best friend …it's just I can't hurt him by giving him hope.'

With a heavy sigh released pass my lips I speak in a depressed tone. "No, I'm not trying to rebel against my father it's just….I mean he's sweet and any girl would die to have a boyfriend like him … it just doesn't feel right for me. I thought once in high school I felt it …but I was just pushing myself to feel something that is nothing but a friendship. I know my puzzle piece is out there …somewhere but it's just not him."

"Well, I guess". Yuzuha not quite believing me.

With a sadness over whelming my heart for my missing friend. "Hey Yuzu, I need to get back to work, I'll be home soon then we can talk about the "purple idea." Ok. "I let out a sad chuckle trying to hide the oncoming depressed feeling.

I know Yuzu can tell of my current state as she playfully pouts. "Well, ok but your strangling my muse, my designs just might take a hit."

"Bye, Yuzu I'll see ya at home." I quietly speak.

"Yeah, bye Ko." She replies sadly.

The sad brunette slowly extends her hand to click the button to end the phone call. She misses her other close childhood friend. She feels her heart ache with the thought.

'It was absolutely horrible to break his heart …..And it's been an awful year without him. Ripping myself away from him was the hardest thing I've had to face in my life. I just made it through a year by taking it one miserable day after the other. Perhaps …..Yuzu is right maybe I'm subconsciously rebelling against my father's choice. When we were together it was very nice and seeing a life with him isn't completely awful. In fact it could be rather special traveling down life's path with my male best friend locked hand in hand with me …. Maybe I should go to Souh's party….he must be hurting…. Although if I start down that path theirs no looking back, I can't do that to Yuzura again ….well this isn't the time. I'll talk to Yuzu when I get home . I'm sure her dress is amazing…..and it would be nice to see him again …'

And with that one last thought she pushes everything floating in her head about her missing friend up in a purple closet in the back of her mind for later…before continuing with her work .

A couple of hours later.

"Hello, please call me Kotoko-san. Please take a seat so we can get started." The brunet gracefully lifts from her seat while giving a quick tug to her suit jacket. She bends slightly to bow before holding out a hand to motion to a seat. Kotoko raised an eyebrow to the slightly older ginger headed man wearing worn jeans and a freshly washed green button up shirt to a legal appointment.

"Oh, hello my name is Fujioka Ryoji please call me Ryoji." Flashing a dazzling smile after respectfully bowing then shaking Kotoko's hand firmly.

"Ryoji –san shall we begin?"

The ginger head man takes a confident seat as he tilts back in his chair before lacing his fingers up behind his head. Noticing Kotoko with an arched eyebrow. "Where should I begin?"

"How do you know that your place of employment is laundering money?" The brunet's fingers twitched while hovering over the keyboard anxiously to document the ginger's words.

The Ginger headed man winks with a playful grin. "Beautiful and smart…. Well, then straight to the point. Every Thursday a short balding man with a brief case comes in to the bar. He places the briefcase on the bar ….At that time I'm supposed to take the briefcase and hand him a leather bag, then the man leaves."

The brunette speaks bluntly as her fingers fly across the keyboard. "Well, that might be something else. What makes you think your established place of employment is laundering money?"

The Ginger headed man glance around the room before leaning his head in close as his hand blocks one side of his mouth .Taking in a deep breath before nervously speaking. "Except I work the closing shift Wednesdays and that's the same bag I use for nightly deposit. ….and one day my boss was running late. The man came in I handed him the money, I decided to pick the lock and open the case … it was jam packed full of cash."

"That does seem pretty cut and dry. Well, that's all I should need .Will you be able to come in tomorrow to sign the final draft?" Kotoko stands up from her desk to show the ginger headed man the door.

"Now that business is taking care of …How about you and I go out for lunch?" Ryoji stands tall as he runs a hand through his thick ginger hair while flirting with a dazzling smile.

"Ryoji-san is it? Thank you for your invitation but I don't think that it would be wise." Brushing her arms from the microscopic imaginary dust."

"Aww, come on just as friends" He playfully pouts which catches her attention as he acts a little like her friend.

"No, I'm sorry it wouldn't be right. " Lost in a bit of daze she shakes her head.

"I'm just going to keep asking." The ginger begs in a sing song voice with large brown puppy dog eyes.

"Ok…Fine how about we go out for lunch…this one time, I'll treat… I'll make it a working lunch." .Slightly irritated with herself for falling for her one weakness the puppy dog eyes of the ginger headed man.

"Oh good, do you like steak?" The ginger headed man leans in a mischievous face.

"Yeah, I guess." The brunette shrugs her shoulders while answering in a blunt tone as she walks to her desk to open her drawer and retrieve her purse.

The Ginger headed man jumps with glee while clapping his hands together. "Good, I have a buy one get one coupon for a steak dinner just down the block. Shall we? "The irritating ginger offers a bent elbow for the young college student to take.

"Oh, you don't need to do that, I can take care of it all." Inwardly debating whether she should take the man's arm. Rolling her eyes before forcing herself to cautiously take his arm.

"Nonsense, I insist." The ginger headed man waves a gallant arm for her to lead the way.

"Ok, but just this once." With a slight blush warming her cheeks she shakes a finger at the over affectionate man.

It's just one lunch …no big deal then I'll be rid of him and those damn puppy dog eyes. After lunch I can head home and talk about Yuzura's party…..yes, maybe it's time I go visit my old friend and take that step I've been avoiding….Just after this business lunch with this flashy, irritating ginger…..I'll just be professional …after all how much time could the man take up of my life ?"