/Chapter 6/

Optimism was bullshit. It didn't work. Now Kyouya was standing in front of Haruhi's apartment with a fully formed plan but no closer to unraveling the complications. Knocking lightly, he clenched his bag. When the door opened he bowed respectfully to Ranka who stepped aside to let him through.

"I'm here to talk to Haruhi-kun about some club matters."

Ranka smiled and fluttered around, grabbing earrings and a necklace. "She'll be out soon. I have to go to work, so just sit down and make yourself comfortable." He gave a wide smile then rushed out of the house in a storm of floral perfume.

Kyouya, a little startled, looked around then settled at the table. As he opened his bag and sorted through the various papers there, he hear a door open. Looking up, his fingers fumbled. She must have just come from the shower. Her shirt was clinging to her torso while she towel dried her hair.

Eyes widening, he looked away and started counting the scratches in the table. There was a tiny gasp when Haruhi noticed him. "Kyouya-senpai. Ah. What are you doing here?"

He cleared his throat before he spoke. "I've come to talk about your debt. It seems we're going to have to change a few things."

"Change?" Raising a brow, she dropped to the floor opposite him.

"Yes. Even though you'd never use it, the Hitachiin fortune would absolve it instantly using just the interest of one account. I already had plans for altering the debt, for after you left the host club. This revelation just brought it up a few years." He lifted a single sheet of paper from the reams in his bag and slid it to her. "This contract will exchange a monetary debt into a collection of favors. It be payable when it becomes relevant."

She pulled it closer to read, so he continued. "The favors would be kept to that of business. If you continue down the path you are on and become a lawyer, they'd be of that nature. I will not draw upon them until after you are in college. Along with a time delay, I have added moral restrictions, so if you feel uncomfortable doing something for whatever reason, you can refuse. Though the favor will not be counted. I extrapolated the number of favors by taking the debt accrued and divided it by the price of a legal consultation. Since you worked off 1,000,000 yen in the Host Club. I divided the remaining. Going by that formula, I figured you'll owe 18 favors. I rounded up, estimating that you may gain more before school is over."

Pursing her lips, she stood and walked to the kitchen. "So they'll work like legal consults?"

Watching her move about, he tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"Say I take you up on this. 5 years down the road you call me up and ask for a favor. And that favor takes a while, do you keep using favors for the entire time for every meeting or do you count multiple meetings under one favor?" Haruhi turned a nob, filling a teapot.

"Well it would've been the latter. Do you propose something different?"

Pulling down a pair of tea cups, she turned and smiled. "Of course. Initial consultation falls under the favor along with one additional week of work. Anything further will be billable at a discounted 50%."

He grinned. "75%."

"60% or I'll forget the deal." She placed the cups on the table along with a plate of sliced apple pieces.

He picked up an apple and thought for a moment. Then nodded. "I am agreeable to your terms."

"I know." After pouring the tea, she sat and pulled out a pen. Scribbling in the new clause, adding her signature, then a quick spin left it to Kyouya's discretion. He took a sip and signed the paper. "The Host Club. My status?"

Setting down his cup, Kyouya met her gaze head on. "I think it'd be a better arrangement for both of us if you stayed. For the Club, we won't have to find a new host. And for you, well, you are going to need clients when you become a lawyer, and all those girls may need one. Plus many may one day have husbands. And of course, the others will never let you leave. So you have a place debt or no debt." He finished his tea then stood. "I'll see you tomorrow."


The moment she stepped through the doors of the school she was bookended by the twins. Sighing softly, she smiled and hugged them both then relinquished herself to being escorted everywhere. After their last class, she stayed seated and shooed them off.

"I have to talk to the teacher about something. I'll catch up." Watching them leave, she let her smile drop as they turned the corner. She leaned forward and rested her chin against the desk.

Her head was confused, thoughts running back and forth playing a mental game of tug-a-war. Go or don't go. Ever since she was first conscripted because of her debt, there had been a voice in the back of her head, urging her on so that she could be free of the club. It had been a background goal and now she achieved it. And had the possibility to be free.

But free of what? Of her friends? Her new family connections? Was it worth it to trade that for what had become only a slight annoyance?

Standing she grabbed her bag, decision made.


Naoki watched her, his wife. She was laying on her side. The same as she had been for two days. Shortly after he had come back from the restaurant he had found her there in their bed and since then she had barely moved. She ate what was put in front of her on a tray and she went to the bathroom but she didn't talk. Hadn't said one word.

He stepped forward and stood at the foot of the bed. "That is enough." His voice was harsh. "We have our daughter back yet you are mourning. Again. And this is enough. You have no right to act like this."

Yuzuha snapped her head and stared. "...no right? You think I have no right?!" She sat up and pounded her fist on the comforter. "SHE WALKED AWAY! I FINALLY GOT HER BACK AND... and..." Her voice broke. "And she walked away."

"And you didn't wait." At her incredulous look he continued. "You didn't wait. She came back. You left the restaurant before she had a chance. She came back and was looking for you, but you. You weren't there for her. So this is enough. We had her and now you are making it so you can still play the grieving victim. So grow up. Now." He said that, then turned slowly and left the room.

Breathing heavily, Yuzuha sat still for a moment as a tear rolled down her cheek, then threw a pillow at the door her husband had shut.


Standing at the doorway, Haruhi smiled as she observed the club ready for their guests. Honey and Tamaki were bouncing around straightening pillows and bothering Mori who was trying to read. The twins where sitting on a couch back to back, Kaoru was working on homework and Hikaru was playing on his hand held. Tilting her head, she kept watching as she spoke.

"This means I can ask for a day off every now and then right?"

Kyouya smiled and stepped up next to her. "Depending on the situation, we can negotiate."

She sighed fondly. "Fine." She shifted her bag then looked at him. "Thanks. For everything." Stretching up on her tiptoes, she kissed him on the cheek.

Before she could fall back to her heels there was a crescendo of sound. Tamaki was screaming about 'mother defiling her daughter', while Honey, Kaoru and Hikaru were 'aww'ing. Her face burned as she scurried away to grab the tea tray stacked with pots for the guests.

The boys followed her battering her with questions and comments, while Kyouya was left standing. He couldn't move. His ears felt hot and his eyes dropped to the ground. Mori walked up in front of him, forcing Kyouya to look at him.

The serious protector was somehow even more so. "She may have gained two new biological brothers, but we will always be her family. You hurt her, and I will help Honey make you disappear. You will never be found. Besides for that, good luck with courting her." Mori smiled lightly and patted him on the shoulder.

Kyouya's eyes widened. Before he could think straight, another label was silently added to her box. 'Mine'.

A.N.: So that no one is extremely shocked, all that is left is an epilogue. Should be up soon. Promise.