Wow, I can't believe we're on chapter six already! This is much faster than I usually write. I should warn you, I've used up all of my buffers, so this chapter is really all I've written so far. The next update might be a little late, but I hope not too much.

Heheheh….what are Kyouya and I planning, indeed? You will find out in this chapter. Read on, my friends!

Kana entered the classroom cautiously, looking around for Ayanokoji. She saw her standing in a circle of other girls, but when they made eye contact, Ayanokoji looked away. Good. Hopefully she'll leave me alone, now. Sighing in gratitude, Kana found her seat and began to rummage through her bag, which to her relief did not contain any stowaway fox squirrels. She pulled out her notebook. History notes…which are distinctly lacking any actual notes on the subject of history. History textbook…which I haven't even opened. Why does history have to be first period?

"Good morning, Kana-hime!" Tamaki's voice broke through the dark cloud forming over her head. He must be a morning person. How else could anyone possibly be that cheerful this early?

"Good morning, Tamaki," she said, smiling in spite of herself. His presence was comforting, even if Ayanokoji and her cohorts were minding their own business for now. "How are you?"

"I am very well! Nothing like nine hours of sleep and a brisk walk with your dog first thing in the morning to start the day off right!"

"Uh…right." He gets nine hours of sleep? Who gets nine hours of sleep in high school? "You have a dog?"

"Oh, yes! Her name is Antoinette! She is so cute! The best dog a man could ever ask for!" He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. "Do you have any pets, Kana?"

"Well…yes. Our family owns several horses and barn cats…a couple of goats and rabbits…my mother has some lovebirds…and I have a…squirrel…"

Tamaki's eyes widened. "Wow! So many animals! I bet you must know a lot about taking care of them, right?" He leaned forward a little too eagerly.

"Well…I do know some things…Tamaki, is your dog hurt, or something?" She asked, wondering what Tamaki was getting at.

Tamaki's bright smile suddenly turned to a tragic pose of dejection and sorrow. "Thank goodness, no! I don't know what I would do if anything ever happened to my dear Antoinette! No, Kana…it is a dear friend of mine whose pet is suffering. He worries about it night and day. I wonder…since you know something about animals…and since you want to be a veterinarian…if you would possibly consider helping my poor friend by examining his injured rabbit after school today?" He looked at her with huge eyes.

"Um…" Wow. He's good. Who could possibly say no to that face…? "I suppose so, Tamaki…"

Tamaki brightened again and he turned toward Kyouya, who had just walked through the door. "Mom! Kana-hime says she'll come and look at-"

"-our friend's rabbit?" Kyouya interrupted, with a knowing smile. "Excellent. Thank you for your kindness, Miss Kasuga. I'm sure he will be very grateful."

He sat down at his desk next to her, and Tamaki resumed his seat as the teacher walked through the door to begin the lesson. Kyouya eyed her open notebook and pencil. "Do you plan on actually taking notes today?" he whispered.

Kana reddened. "Yes…"

"Good. Because this teacher has a tendency to give pop quizzes."

Kana turned to look at him, eyes wide, panic rising in her throat. "Wha-?"

But there was no more time for questions. The teacher was giving her a sharp look, and she gulped, turning her attention to him as he started the lecture.

After school, Kyouya and Tamaki took Kana to see their friend's injured rabbit. Kana was in an irritable mood, particularly towards Kyouya. "You could have warned me yesterday."

"And what would you have learned from that?"

"Well, I would have spent last night learning about the Meiji era. But I didn't, and now in all likelihood, I have failed the first quiz of the semester."

Kyouya shrugged. "You can make that up."

Tamaki looked at her sympathetically. "They haven't been graded yet. You don't really know if you've failed, so try not to worry about it, okay?"

"It's always been this one stupid subject. I'm really good at everything else: math, chemistry, biology, English, home economics…but I'm terrible at history. I don't know why." Kana groaned. "I have so much to make up already…"

"Well, you'd better work hard, then. If you fail history they will remove you from class A and put you in class B."

"What?"

Kyouya looked at her in surprise. "Didn't you know? Classes are organized by lineage and academics. Your family is only moderately wealthy, so I assume you must have done very well on the entrance exams, correct?"

Kana nodded.

"But if you do not continue to excel in your academics, you will be moved to one of the lower classes."

Kana considered this troubling piece of new information. I'm having a hard enough time making friends as it is. I don't want to have to change classes and start all over again!

"Here we are!" Tamaki announced, indicating the room to their right.

Kana looked up at the sign, which read Music Room 3. "He's keeping the rabbit…in the music room?"

Neither of them answered. They opened the door for her, and each of them gave her a little push from behind, forcing her over the threshold.

"Hey! What was that…for…?" She paused, looking around at the little tables, couches, and tea sets which decorated the room. The red-haired twins were lounging on a couch by the window.

"Hikaru! Kaoru! Look what we brought!" Tamaki announced cheerfully, placing a hand gently but firmly on Kana's shoulder, keeping her from running off.

"Oh, what's this?" Hikaru purred, striding over to them.

"A new toy?" Inquired Kaoru, following his brother.

"You brought me to your host club!" Kana cried, looking at Tamaki accusingly.

"Now, now," Kyouya stepped in between Kana and the twins. "Miss Kasuga is not here as a customer or as your toy. She's here to take a look at Mori's rabbit."

"Awww," the twins sighed in unison, shrugging at each other.

"Kana, I'm sorry we didn't tell you we were bringing you here, but you wouldn't have come otherwise, right?" Tamaki asked gently.

Kana blushed. "Well…probably not."

"Would you be kind enough to forgive us, and see what you can do for Mori's rabbit?" he bent down to her eye level, and clasped one of her hands in his. "Please?"

"I-I…." she stammered, looking away. "All right. But I can't promise that I'll be able to do much."

"We don't expect miracles," Kyouya said, taking out his clipboard and making a few notes. "After all, we aren't paying you."

"Oh." Kana wasn't sure how to respond. Did you expect that I'd want payment?

"Where is Mori, anyway?" Kyouya asked, looking around the room.

"He, Hunny, and Haruhi are checking on the rabbit," Kaoru answered, indicating the door which led into the next room.

"Excellent," Kyouya smiled. "Tamaki, why don't you take Miss Kasuga and introduce her to the others? I'll make sure everything is in order here."

Tamaki nodded, and placed his hand on Kana's back, steering her toward the door.

"I think you've met Haruhi, am I right?" he asked.

"Yes…yesterday. But-"

Tamaki opened the door.

In front of her, crouched around a cardboard box that was filled with hay and cotton balls, were Haruhi, Hunny, and…

"Kana, this is Morinozuka Takashi. We all call him 'Mori'."

Kana stopped breathing for a few moments.

Hunny jumped up. "Kana! It's good to see you again! Tamaki said he was bringing someone to look at Takashi's bunny, but I didn't know it was you!"

Tamaki smiled. "I see you've met Hunny, as well!"

Kana didn't respond.

Haruhi stood. "Thank you for coming, Kana. It's kind of you to do this for Mori."

Mori stayed where he was, crouched next to the box, looking up at Kana.

"Kana?" Tamaki asked her.

Come on, say something! Anything! They're all looking at you!

"Um…"

Okay, anything but that.

"I…"

A polite greeting would be a nice start.

"Good…"

Good? Good what?

"Good…afternoon." She bowed quickly, hiding her face behind a wall of brown hair. Smooth.

Tamaki smiled, and then turned to the others. "Customers are probably arriving. We should go now, and let Mori and Kana take care of the rabbit." He looked over at Kana. "You'll be okay, right?"

Kana straightened, and gave a nervous laugh. No! "Yes, I'll be fine."

"Good." With that, he led Hunny and Haruhi out the door and shut it behind them.

Kana was left alone with Mori and the rabbit.

There were several long seconds of awkward silence. Kana tried to think of some way to address him, but every time she opened her mouth to say something, she found she couldn't. Gosh, I am so pathetic.

"Can you…help him?" Mori asked, startling her by being the first to speak. He was looking down into the cardboard box, his dark eyes narrowed.

Kana gulped. That's right. I'm here to help his rabbit. I said I'd do it. She took a few steps forward and crouched down across from Mori, peering into the box. Inside lay a little white rabbit, shivering slightly, its right front paw tied up in an awkward bandage. Kana reached in and touched the bandage very gently, so she wouldn't hurt the rabbit. "Did you do this?"

Mori nodded.

She bent forward to pick the rabbit up. "May I?"

He nodded again.

Carefully, she pulled the rabbit out of the box and set it on the floor so she could watch its movements. It had a very pronounced limp, but seemed to be able to put some weight on the injured paw.

"When did this happen?"

Mori averted his eyes. "Yesterday morning. I was training outside the school dojo, and I heard something move in the bushes…I think I might have…" He covered his face with one hand. "…hit it."

Kana looked up at him, concerned. He's really beating himself up about it... She turned her attention back to the rabbit. "I'm going to change the bandage, all right?"

Mori nodded, still avoiding eye contact with her.

"Could you…bring me fresh wrappings?"

He nodded again and jumped up, seeming to be glad of the distraction.

She began unraveling the bandages from around the tiny paw. I'll bet this was difficult…he has such big hands…Kana felt herself blush, and quickly pushed the thought away. No, I'll never be able to focus if I start thinking like that! When the paw was uncovered, she examined it. The rabbit cried a little at her probing, but Kana could feel no broken bones. Pushing aside the fur, she saw some slight discoloration which indicated bruising, but nothing more. I don't think it's broken. She sighed in some relief. That makes things easier.

Mori returned with the fresh bandages, and to her great distraction, sat down right beside her to have a better look at what she was doing.

She took the bandages and set to work re-wrapping the rabbit's paw, trying not to think about how she could hear Mori's quiet breathing beside her. Even sitting down, he was much taller than she was, and his presence seemed to tower over her. She gulped.

"I…don't think it's broken," she said quietly.

"Good."

She heard him exhale, as if he had been holding his breath in anticipation of her prognosis.

"It's bruised pretty badly, a minor sprain a worst, but.." She finished tying the bandage. "I think your bunny will be okay." She picked it up, and handed it to Mori, who took it gingerly into his lap and began stroking its ears. "Give it a week or two," she said, smiling a little at the gentle look on his face. He must really care about animals.

For several long moments, Mori stared at the rabbit, which seemed content to rest peacefully in his arms, and Kana stared at Mori.

"Thank you," he breathed.

Kana started, surprised by the sound of his low voice in the silence. He looked up at her, and she saw him smile for the first time. He's…smiling at me. She felt heat rising in her face again, and looked away, not wanting him to see it.

"Y-you're welcome! I'm glad to do it…really." She stood up quickly, and backed toward the door. "I should probably…get going, now…please excuse me!" She bowed, and then turned and left as fast as she could without appearing to be too un-ladylike. When she shut the door behind her, she was met with a room full of girls who all had their eyes turned towards her.

"Who is that?"

"Was she with Mori?"

"Is she a customer?"

"Are they letting us have 'back room' time, now?"

"I want to go into the back room with Tamaki!"

"Isn't she that new transfer student in 2A?"

All ideas of being ladylike went out the window as Kana bolted out of Music Room 3 and out of the building, looking for the car that would take her home.

Mori emerged from the back room a few moments after Kana left. Several of the customers turned toward him eagerly, hoping for some idea of what went on earlier, but Mori's stoic expression yielded no clues. He glanced around the room, apparently looking for something. One brave girl, a regular customer of Hunny's, walked up to him. The others leaned forward in anticipation. The excitement was almost too much.

"Mori…who was that girl you were with?"

Mori looked down at her briefly, then continued scanning the room. "Kasuga Kana."

"She's that new transfer student, right?"

"Ah."

"What…" she swallowed nervously. "What were you doing in there with her?"

Mori did not respond immediately; before he had the chance, Hunny came bounding out of nowhere and threw his arms around Mori's neck. "Takashiiii! Kana-chan left already. How is your bunny?"

"She said its leg wasn't broken."

"Uwaahh! That's great news!

"Hunny-sempai…" Hunny's customer began tentatively. "Kasuga-san was helping Mori look after his bunny?"

Hunny nodded. "Yep! And it looks like it'll be okay!"

"Ohhhhh…." The other girls chorused. Some of them were a bit disappointed that there wasn't something more scandalous going on, but most began gathering around Hunny and Mori, congratulating them on the happy news. Several promised to bring carrots as get well presents.

Kyouya watched all of these events with a small smile. "Excellent. Happy customers increase profits." He made a small check on his clipboard, and went to refresh the beverages of some of his own customers.

After dinner that evening, Kana found her parents busily packing for their trip to Europe. Or rather, her mother was busily packing while her father watched a kendo match on television. Kana sat down on the couch beside him.

"Don't you have any packing to do?"

Kyon grinned. "Nope! All done. I'm faster than your mother, because I don't need to pack all the different outfits, shoes, and other girly-"

WHACK! A hairbrush came flying out of the bathroom and hit him in the side of the head.

"Ow! Nice shot, dear!" He grinned at Kana sheepishly. "How was your day? I'm sorry about the town car breaking down. We have a new one for you to use this week while it's in the shop, so you won't have to worry about it while we're gone."

"Oh…" Kana had almost forgotten about the car breaking down. So many other things had happened, most of which she did not want to mention to her father. "One of my classmates asked me to come and look at his friend's pet rabbit. It has a hurt paw. I'm not sure I did much for it, but…" she blushed a little, "…he seemed grateful."

Kyon smiled. "It sounds like you're making some friends."

"Yeah…I guess."

They sat in silence for awhile, watching the television.

"You know, I tried kendo when I was younger," her father said, gesturing to the match they were watching.

"Really?"

"But I got to the point where I just couldn't advance any farther. It takes a tremendous amount of strength, discipline, and patience to master any martial art. It's a mind game, just as much as it is a physical one. I greatly admire anyone who does it at a competitive level."

Kana blinked at the two men on television. They circled each other constantly, sizing each other up, and intermittently testing one another with quick, well-placed blows. Kendo wasn't something she really thought about very much, but she could see why her father admired these professionals.

"Ouran has one of the world's top kendo champions on the high school team, did you know that?"

Kana shook her head. "No, I didn't."

"I think there might be a tournament tomorrow night. You should go. It could be interesting."

"Maybe I will."

Anna poked her head into the room. "Hate to interrupt, but I could really use some help packing, dear…"

"When do you leave?" Kana asked.

"Our plane leaves at 4:30am, so we'll be leaving late tonight, while you're asleep." Anna paused at the look on her daughter's face. "We'll only be gone for a week, Kana!"

"Last time you said that, you were gone for a month."

Kyon put a hand on her shoulder. "I know. And I'm sorry for that, but you know how work is. We're doing something very important. I promise to keep it as close to one week as possible." He hugged her, and so did her mother.

"Get some rest, okay?" Anna said, ruffling Kana's hair. "We'll call."

"All right."

Kana went back to her room, and began getting ready for bed. Flick was already there, sound asleep on her pillow. Tomorrow I'll come home to an empty house again. She sighed, and sat down on her bed, stroking Flick's back. He roused a little, and rolled over so she could scratch his belly. "Flick, I think I should look for a club to join, starting tomorrow."

"Chee!" he trilled, snuggling up against her hand.

She smiled. "I'm glad you agree."

END OF CHAPTER.

Okay! We finally got her through the door! She wasn't technically there as a customer, but it's probably the best we can hope for right now. It may be a bit difficult to get her to go back, though. Hmmm….

Kyouya: Oh, that's already been taken care of.

It has?

Kyouya. Yes. I knew by the third chapter how to get her to come back.

You did?

Kyouya: Do you doubt me?

No, of course not, Kyouya. I'd never doubt you.

Kyouya: Thank you.

Maybe I'll make an OC for you next time.

Kyouya: *wicked smile* The hell you will. *walks away*

*Laughs nervously* He's so sweet. No, really, he is. I swear! In an evil sort of way…

Please review! I love reading your thoughts on the story, Kana's character, and how I'm portraying our beloved host club. It really does make a difference!

Until next time…