Haruhi wasn't really sure what to make of this. Not one little bit.
Since going to Ouran, she'd dealt with enough over-excited rich people randomly grabbing and dragging her into this or that crazy scheme that the novelty had pretty much worn off. Still, she needed a moment to get a good look at her 'visitor' in order to determine that it wasn't a robber or a rapist.
Once she'd done that, it barely took a second for recognition to set it, along with exasperation and dread that this girl's appearance heralded yet another kidnapping by her club's favorite rivals. Haruhi's head darted side to side, her eyes scanning the area for signs of the other two members. This didn't go unnoticed.
"Benibara and Chizuru aren't here," Hinako shook her head. "This isn't club business, it's… personal."
Haruhi furrowed her brow, she had no idea how to answer that.
"What…" she struggled. "What do you-"
"I need you to buy me an Ouran uniform."
Haruhi did a double take, the numerous theories on what a member of the Zuka Club could be doing here alone fizzled out and died. None of them even came close to that anyway. This did nothing to ease Haruhi's speechlessness. At this point she could do nothing but stand there gaping while Hinako went for her purse and started digging through it.
Hinako bit her lip, mumbling something under her breath before pulling a white envelope from the depths of the tiny bag. She proceeded to shove the envelope into the unprepared Haruhi's chest.
"In there is the money and my sizes," Hinako explained in a business-like way, ignoring Haruhi's yelp as the force caused her to stumble back. "I'm not that big so they should have something in storage that'll fit. If not, just take whatever comes closest. Have it for me by tomorrow when your last class lets out. I'll be waiting outside the building, so don't be late."
Hinako turned and began to walk away, not even waiting one second for Haruhi to open her mouth. The brunette just watched her go, her mind a mess of confusion only made worse when the Zuka Club girl suddenly whirled around.
"And one more thing," she sent Haruhi a bone-chilling glare. "Do not tell anyone about this. Especially not your stupid Host Club."
Hinako disappeared into the shadows with that final, vaguely threatening, word. The only evidence that she'd been there being the envelope in Haruhi's hand and the long, white limousine that tore around the corner a few seconds later.
Haruhi stood at the foot of her locker the next morning, examining it's size and width while tapping her fingers against the flat white box she was doing nothing to hide from passing students.
Getting the uniform had been easier than she thought. The woman in charge didn't seem to notice Haruhi's male uniform and gave her the female one with no trouble, accepting Haruhi's story about needing a spare one for a friend who was out sick. All she had to do now was get the thing in her locker and keep quiet about it for the rest of the day. Hopefully, Tamaki or the twins wouldn't find out, or worse…
"Good morning, Haruhi."
The brunette whirled around, clutching the box to her chest tight enough to bend it. Looking into Kyoya-senpai's accusing eyes, she decided it would have been a better idea to hide it behind her back or something. Not that he wouldn't have seen it eventually. Already, her senpai's gray eyes were boring into the box, she wouldn't be surprised if he could actually see through it.
"You've been running some errands today, correct?"
Haruhi blinked, her stupor broken by the uncharacteristic cheerfulness Kyoya spoke with. She frowned, now more than ever on guard.
"Errands, Kyoya-senpai?"
He nodded. "I noticed you leaving the School Store with that rather suspiciously shaped box. The storekeeper informed me that you had a sick friend you needed to buy a uniform for. And a girl's uniform at that."
His smile, ever present the entire time he was speaking, took on a dark vibe. Haruhi stood her ground, determined not to let the Shadow King get the best of her. She breathed in, confident that she could give him an acceptable lie and not have to divulge Hinako's secret. It wasn't like he knew the Zuka Club member had approached her last night.
"I wouldn't really care," the bespectacled boy went on. "But I received an interesting call from your father last night. He was wondering why a girl from St. Lobelia was talking to you outside your apartment last night."
Haruhi felt like melting into the floor, but not before going home and giving her father a stern talking to. At least now she understood why he'd been so tense and nervous when she first walked inside last night.
Kyoya, already taller than Haruhi by a wide margin, loomed over her like a dark shadow, making her feel as if she was shrinking. Haruhi shook her head, coming back to herself and sighing in defeat. No matter which way she sliced it, Kyoya-senpai would get the truth out of her. Stupid, nosy rich people…
"Well, it started like this," Haruhi began.
"And that's about it," Haruhi finished some time later in the club room.
Hikaru and Kaoru, sitting on the couch across from her, had identical grave expressions one who expect to see on hardened, war torn soldiers about to go into another battle.
"So, that Zuka Club is starting something again," the older twin muttered angrily.
"What kind of plan do they have that would require one of our uniforms?" Kaoru wondered aloud.
"Maybe Hina-chan has turned good and wants to come to our school instead of scary Lobelia, right Takashi?"
Hunny and the twins all turned to Mori, who was slouching over the end table in a cloud of depression, as he had been every day since Kazue left. The tallest host said nothing, not even his beloved cousin could bring up his spirits, it seemed.
As it was, neither Hikaru nor Kaoru were willing to put any weight into their senpai's overly idealistic theory.
"Maybe they want it for one of their crazy shows," Kaoru muttered to his brother. "Some kind of Anti-Ouran thing."
Hikaru nodded, beads of sweat beginning to form on his forehead. "If that's it, I don't even want to know what they'd do with it."
The tense, dramatic atmosphere was broken with the scratching of a pen and the sigh of the person holding it.
"May I ask you two not to form silly, baseless ideas," Kyoya all but glared at the redheaded twins. "We really don't need anyone else doing that."
His glass covered eyes moved to the frantic form of Tamaki Suoh, pacing back and forth, pale as a sheet and muttering unintelligibly to himself. Every now and then, he'd stop to yell something at one of the ghosts, then start up again like nothing had happened. Kyoya had never been more happy to let the Host Club have a day off from customers.
"It's some kind of trick," the Host King hissed under his breath. "They're planning something. Something big. Something awful. They're trying to take Haruhi again, lull her away from the club and her friends and me. Use their evil mind games on her, that's how it is…"
Tamaki was completely oblivious to everything that wasn't part of his fantasy world. He didn't even notice that the girl he was so desperately trying to keep safe from the horrors of the Zuka Club had her face in her hand and was groaning at his idiotic behavior.
"How does he get all this from a simple uniform," she thought aloud.
This turned out to be something of a mistake. Her voice, soft as it was, somehow broke through the thick wall of Tamaki's overwhelming fear. He stopped dead in his tracks and his body tensed. The next thing anyone knew, Haruhi was yelping in surprise as Tamaki, having all but teleported across the wide room, pulled her into his arms and brought his face so close to hers that their noses touched.
"Don't be afraid, my beloved!" Tamaki cried, literal tears streaming down his cheeks. "I promise on my honor as your boyfriend and a man, I will not let those awful Zuka Club girls kidnap you and take you into their world of evil! I SWEAR I WON'T LET YOU DOWN!"
"I kind of wish you would," Haruhi muttered, eyeing the tiled floor roughly a foot below her.
Tamaki hugged her close, pressing a kiss onto her lips before setting her back down. Switching into 'leader' mode, the blonde slammed his open palm down on the table, bringing everyone (except Mori) to full attention.
"Alright men, we need a plan for how to deal with this situation," Tamaki commanded.
Hikaru and Kaoru straightened up in their seats, looking not unlike a pair of soldiers before their commanding officer. No one else shared their enthusiasm.
"First, we'll need to find a place to hide while Haruhi is giving the uniform to Ms. Tsuwabuki," Tamaki drew the battle plans out on a chalkboard he pulled out of nowhere. Two crude stick figures likely meant to represent Haruhi and Hinako were drawn beside wavy lines with several more stick figures on the other side. "There are some large bushes in that area, it should serve as a proper-"
"Wait a minute," Haruhi shoot up and snatched the chalk from her boyfriend, setting it down and scowling. "You can't seriously expect me to let you guys spy on my meeting with her!"
"What are you talking about?" Hikaru gave her a disbelieving look. "Of course we are!"
"We need to be there in case they try to abduct you again, Haru-chan," Hunny-senpai jumped into Haruhi's line of sight, Usa-chan ever in his arms.
The brunette sighed, not an uncommon occurrence when dealing with the host club's fanatical desire to protect her from the 'horrendous' threats to her life.
"Look, I know you guys are concerned, but you don't have to be," Haruhi attempted to appease them. "All Hinako-san wants is the uniform, it doesn't matter what she wants it for. You really don't need to follow me."
'I can't believe these idiots followed me.'
Haruhi stood scowling under a large tree in front of the massive main building. Clouds of smoke seemed to hover over the girl's head, metaphors for the intense frustration she was feeling right now. This was augmented by the very obvious sight of Tamaki's blonde hair and Mori-senpai's entire head sticking out of the perfectly manicured bushed not two feet away. While they couldn't be seen, the others made their presence known perfectly well.
"Hunny-senpai, watch my foot!" Hikaru's pathetic attempt at whispering was followed by a rustling of leaves as the oldest host moved away from him.
"Sorry, Hika-chan!"
"Don't raise your voice."
"Oh, sorry- sorry, Takashi."
'Why me?' Haruhi's mind groaned.
The box containing the uniform rested carefully under her arm, the edges gently pushing into the clothed skin enough to be noticeable, but not enough to hurt. She tried to keep her eyes on the crowd of home bound students, in search of the auburn bob cut that was Hinako's. So far, the girl hadn't arrived, meaning Haruhi was stuck listening to the Host Club (minus Kyoya, who'd mysteriously vanished just before they were about to leave) completely fail at being inconspicuous.
"You need to be quiet," Tamaki loudly scolded the twins. "Or do you want to get caught?"
"I don't know, you tell us, boss," the twins replied flatly.
Tamaki shushed them, getting up on tiptoes so he could look over the edge of the shrubbery at the tall, proud tree.
"Oh my!" This time, his voice was deliberately loud, getting awkward stares from passing students. "What a lovely tree, I wish I could climb it! You can probably see everything from those branches!"
There was a pause, then Tamaki shot back into hiding, pulling the other four hosts into a huddle.
"Hoki says he doesn't see her yet," he whispered to them.
"What about Elissa and Naru-chan," asked Kaoru.
"They're not in the tree," Tamaki said, shaking his head. "Elissa didn't want to touch the bark and Naru's scared of heights. They're over by Haruhi and they don't see anything either."
"I doubt any of us will see anything from here," Hikaru remarked, snapping a lose piece of twig off the otherwise perfectly trimmed bush.
"That's not the point," Tamaki glared at the older twin and pulled his hand out of view. "We can't let Hinako see us when she does get here. That was the plan remember?"
Hikaru mumbled something back disinterestedly, but Tamaki was still satisfied with it.
"Don't worry, men," the blonde said, going back into 'leader' mode. "We're invisible as long as we stay in these bushes."
"Ahem."
Tamaki froze first, then he whirled around to see what everyone else had already spotted. Miyako, hands crossed over her chest, shooting a bored look at Tamaki from the wide open space between the bushes and the wall. She eyed the rest of the club and clicked her tongue.
"So Hoki's in a tree and you're in the bushes," she stated matter-of-factly to the stunned Tamaki. "Am I going to regret asking?"
Whatever harried and overdramatic recount of yesterday and today's events Tamaki would have given his fellow medium never happened. At that moment, his attention was stolen by the sound of his 'overhead spy' screaming.
"SHE'S COMING!" Tamaki helpfully translated for the ghost. "Everyone hide!"
With no time to explain and no other known courses of action, Tamaki grabbed Miyako by the waist and pulling her into the bushes with them, clamping a hand over her mouth when she tried to shout at him.
"Please be quiet," Tamaki begged her, drowning out her muffled words. "I promise I'll explain later."
Miyako sent him a glare that made it's own promise: a swift death. Nevertheless, she stopped screaming and Tamaki cautiously removed his hand so he could creep up to the edge of the small branches and get a tiny look at his beloved's face-off with the Zuka Club girl.
Hinako looked like a woman on a mission, that was the first thing Haruhi noticed. She moved with all the grace and poise one would expect of a Zuka Club member, and her eyes were filled with determination. Whatever this was all about, she clearly considered to be of the utmost seriousness.
Several students turned their heads as she passed. It wasn't everyday a student from Lobelia graced their campus, especially not on her own. Hinako paid them no mind, either oblivious to the cares or simply not caring about them. Haruhi shifted the box into two hands as the Zuka Club girl closed in. Hinako grabbed the box as soon as she was within arms reached and opened it, not even sparing a glance at the bewildered Haruhi.
"I managed to get one in your size," Haruhi explained, though she doubted Hinako was really hearing her. "You were right, they had them in stock already so-"
Hinako slammed the box shut, cutting Haruhi off. She turned her head, acknowledging Haruhi for the first time. She gave a nod.
"Thank you, this is just what I needed."
With that, Hinako briskly walked passed the tree, her abruptness leaving Haruhi quite confused. The brunette stumbled a bit in her attempt to turn and watch Hinako go. She could only imagine what Tamaki and the others were thinking right now.
Hinako disappeared around the corner that lead to the back of the building, a place that was completely devoid of human life after school until the sports teams got themselves organized and came outside for practice. Haruhi was still trying to make sense of these odd happening when Hinako stepped back into view. She'd been gone for barely two minutes, and her return appearance made things even more confusing.
The yellow uniform suited well, at least as far as Haruhi knew. It swayed with her as she walked back to Haruhi, the neatly folded Lobelia uniform she'd previously worn clutched in her arms.
"Here," she pushed it into Haruhi's arms and kept walking, heedless of the brunette's questioning gaze. "I'll come get them at your house later. Remember not to tell anyone about this!"
"Wait a minute!" Haruhi called out. 'How did you get changed so fast?'
But Hinako was already out of hearing range. She walked into a crowd of students, blending in so well that Haruhi lost her a couple of times. She could hear the guys talking amongst themselves, mostly about what had just happened (she distinctly heard Kaoru complimenting Hinako's appearance).
"What is she doing?" Tamaki cried. "I just don't get it!"
"Maybe she really does want to transfer to Ouran," Hikaru said with fascination.
"There's got to be a logical explanation for this… everyone keep your eyes on her!"
The group, including Haruhi and even Miyako, followed Tamaki's instructions, watching Hinako as she paced around the curb, her hands refusing to sit still and messing with the fabric of her dress. Haruhi didn't know what to make of it, she'd never seen a member of the Zuka Club this nervous. Hinako kept watching the street as more and more cars pulled up, and a thought struck Haruhi.
"Is she… waiting for someone?"
A car horn beeped. Though the distance made it hard to tell, Hinako seemed to brighten right up as a regular car pulled up in front of her. It was a convertible with the top down, giving Haruhi and the others a perfect view of the young man in the driver's seat. Hinako ran to the car, arms spread out wide.
Right there, in front of almost all the Ouran Host Club, Hinako Tsuwabuki of the Zuka Club threw her arms around the boy.
And kissed him.
A split second later, Tamaki's body plunged out of the bushes in a dead faint.
"It makes no sense… it simply does not make sense."
Haruhi growled, closing the book she'd been trying and failing to read in an effort to ignore the ramblings of Hikaru and Kaoru.
"Would you two knock it off," she admonished them. "This isn't a big deal."
"Isn't a big deal?" Hikaru whirled around, eyes bugging out of their sockets. "Haruhi, don't you realize what just happened? A member of the Zuka Club has a boyfriend! It's like if Kyoya started wearing frilly pink dresses and handing out candy to children, or if Hunny-senpai stopped liking cakes, or if Mori-senpai talked! It goes against the laws of the universe!"
'And I thought wild freak outs were more Tamaki's thing,' her mind deadpanned.
Beside her, Miyako-senpai was in a similar state of boredom and annoyance.
"I'm with Fujioka," the female medium declared. "I may not know much about St. Lobelia's, but I do know they can't all be lesbians. Statistically speaking, it's just not possible."
"Yeah, but this is the Zuka Club we're talking about," Kaoru emphasized for his brother, motioning with his hands as he did so. "Those girl's are Benibara's inner circle and they hate men!"
"They think we're all lesser beings lower than the dirt. They'd never want to even hold a guy's hand let alone kiss him!"
While this was going on, Tamaki stood by the window, oddly silent after he'd been roused from his shock induced fainting spell. He barely heard the voices of his friends, all he could think about was what they'd just witnessed. Hinako Tsuwabuki, a high ranked member of the Zuka Club, in a relationship with a boy.
It was like Hikaru was saying, this was something that seemed to go against the very fabric of reality. Never in a million years could Tamaki have imagined that this would happen. And why did Hinako-san need an Ouran uniform for this? Was she trying to hide it from her boyfriend that she attended Lobelia?
Considering the school's track record for interactions with the opposite sex, this was far from an impossibility.
"I wonder how Hinako-san's date is going," he absently wondered aloud.
What Tamaki realized all too late was that he'd chosen to voice this thought when the last person he wanted to hear it was standing beside him. An enormous grin found it's way on Hoki's face as the ghost grabbed Elissa by the arm and scooped up Naru with the other one.
"Say no more, kid!" He called out. "We'll see you later!"
"Hoki, wait!"
Tamaki tried to run after Hoki, but the ghost easily dragging the shouting Elissa and the amused Naru through the door. Tamaki barely had time to slow down and wound up smacking face first into the hard wood. Hikaru and Kaoru laughed uproariously in the background while Haruhi rushed over to help him.
"Nice job, Suoh," Miyako muttered, sipping a cup of tea.
Haruhi peeled her moaning boyfriend off the door. He sprawled out on the floor, his color slowly but surely returning.
But as if the heavens themselves were enjoying Tamaki's pain, the doors suddenly and completely without warning sprang open. In walked the very person every single member of the club was sure they'd be seeing since this morning.
Flanked by Chizuru and a girl nobody recognized, Benio Amakusa was every inch the graceful yet intimidating lady she always had been. She glanced around at the Host Club, sticking her nose up to them. Hikaru and Kaoru gave her the strongest death glares they could muster, and wished now more than ever that Kyoya hadn't run off to do whatever it was he was doing. Benio sniffed.
"And where is Suoh?" She asked in a deceivingly polite tone.
Instinctively, Hikaru eyed the club president and Haruhi. Benio followed his gave and needed only a split second to take in the scene before springing into action. Tamaki could only watch as his most hated enemy snatched up Haruhi, taking her in her arms and hugging her close.
"Oh, you poor maiden," Benio sounded every bit like a true soap opera star. "I had heard that Suoh'd gotten his grotesque talons into you, but I simply refused to believe it. To think, all this time you've been at the mercy of a demon, but now that I'm here…"
Haruhi fidgeted, clearly trying to remove herself from the taller woman's grasp. The sight was enough to return Tamaki to full health and he sprang to his feet like a jackrabbit.
"OH NO YOU DON'T!"
Tamaki grabbed Haruhi by the waist and pulled as hard as he could without hurting her until she was wrenched free. The brunette gave him a dazed, yet grateful smile once he let her go. Tamaki didn't see it, as he was too busy engaging Benio in a glaring contest.
"And just what are you doing here?" He demanded.
"You're quite spirited today, Suoh," Benio answered mockingly. "I'm merely here because of a rather peculiar note that fell out of my dear Hinagiku's notebook."
She held out a folded piece of lined, white paper between two fingers.
"It mentioned going to pick something out at Ouran, so obviously I had to come and see what Hinagiku is up to."
"Yeah, well she's not here," Hikaru said as he and Kaoru placed themselves on either side of Tamaki, mimicking the set up of Benio's group. "So you can leave now."
"We wouldn't want to assault your delicate female senses," Kaoru mocked her, earning a hard glare from all three Zuka Club girls.
Chizuru smirked, an airy laugh escaping her lips.
"You see, Tomimi," she addressed the third Lobelia girl. "The man from Ouran are all sexist pigs driven by their ridiculous male pride. They respect their dogs more than us maidens."
Tomimi, a petite black haired girl with beady brown eyes nodded, grinning a toothy grin that looked very unseemly.
"Oh, I see Lady Chizuru, they're quite disgusting."
The girl's voice registered with Benio, and she brought a hand to her forehead, smiling apologetically.
"How could I have forgotton, you haven't met the Zuka Club's newest member, have you?" Benio snapped her fingers and Tomimi ran forward, looking like she was in heaven when Benio wrapped an arm around her. "This is Tomimi Yoshida, the Lady of the Sunflower. We've been showing her the ropes as they say."
The five club members (Mori was still sulking) crowded together to get a good look at this new member. She glared evily at them, and gave Haruhi a once over, sniffing like she'd just smelt something awful.
"Hmph," she turning away, holding her head high. "I have nothing to say to such animals."
"Now, now, Tomimi," Benio drummed her fingers against the girl's shoulder. "At least be mindful of Haruhi. She's been indoctrinated by the hideous male, but it isn't her fault."
Tamaki grit his teeth. Somehow, Benio wasn't as scary to him as she used to be. Sure, the desire to run and hide was still there, but it was lessening every second, for reasons he didn't fully understand. A swish of yellow caught his attention, the yellow of Miyako's dress as she slowly tip-toed to the door. Unfortunately, he wasn' t the only one to notice. If Miyako had been trying to escape Benio's wicked clutches, she'd failed miserably. Benio grabbed her by the arm and pulled her close, just as she'd done to Haruhi so many times in the past.
"Girls like this come in everyday," she went on, though it wasn't clear if she was still talking solely to Tomimi. "They think the Host Club is there to make them happy, but all these pigs want is to assuage their own ego by taking control of the poor maidens and crushing them under their oppressive thumbs. Men are all wolves in sheep's clothing, never to be trusted."
She pulled Miyako closer, and Tamaki felt long over due fear rise in his stomach when he got a good look at her face.
"Maiden, I wish you weren't brainwashed into this hierarchy. Though you're face is splotched with red, I see that your inner beauty far outshines it…"
Tamaki shrunk back as Miyako's aura flared black. Even her eyes seemed to turn black from the intense anger Benio's words had brought forth. Though he expected an explosion, Miyako was able to control herself and wiggle her way out of Benio's grasp.
"Okay," she said a bit too loudly. "This has been fun, but I have to go."
She gave them a fake grin while her hand blindly searched for the door handle.
"I'll see you later, Suoh and…" Miyako eyeballed Benio, her grin turning to a deep frown and her brow furrowing. "Uh… female version of Suoh."
She all but ran out the door, slamming it shut behind her. Both Tamaki and Benio stared at it in shellshock as the weight of Miyako's words sunk in. Ever so slowly, they turned their heads until they were eye to eye. It was hard to tell who broke first, but the reactions were prompt.
"What? I'm nothing like you!" The screamed and pointed at each other in unison.
Hikaru and Kaoru began to snicker, and both Tamaki and Benio glared at them. Haruhi remained in the corner, wanting to stay as far away from the brewing fight as possible.
Benio kept up the silent argument for what felt like hours, but finally seemed to tire of it and turned up her own head.
"Well, I can see we were wrong and Hinagiku isn't here."
"Of course not," Tomimi eagerly spoke up, placing herself in front of Benio and walking backwards to avoid collision. "Why on earth would she want to spend her time with this filth?"
Benio pulled open the door, unaware of Tamaki burning holes in the back of her head with his eyes. They narrowed slowly, only to widen when Tamaki caught sight of something, or someone, he hadn't noticed before.
An elderly woman stood against the wall across from them. She leaned against it with her eyes closed, opening them when Benio passed her by and standing up straight. The woman stared after Benio, shaking her head in a disapproving manner. She muttered something Tamaki couldn't catch and walked out of sight. Tamaki didn't even bother asking anyone else if they'd seen her, instead, he just wondered if Miyako had.
Tamaki had a hard time studying that night. And when he tried letting his imagination wander, he couldn't it that either. It was very frustrating that all on his mind was the Zuka Club and Benio's smug superiority, and then there was Miyako's little comment.
"I am not like that crazy lady," he muttered angrily. "I treat women with respect. I'm the Prince of the Host Club for goodness sake! I'm a gentlemen and I would never oppress anyone. What does she know?"
Tamaki slammed his fist against the desktop, wincing at the slight pain. He tried to force himself to forget about her and focus on something else, but all that would come to mind was that old woman he'd seen, and what kind of connection she could have with Benio.
Tamaki blew out some air, foreseeing a long, laborious night of fitful sleep in his future.
"Hey, kid!"
The blonde jumped, still not used to Hoki's random drop ins. He spun his desk chair around to face the three ghosts, taking in Hoki's usual manic grin and Elissa's combatively quiet smile.
"You've been gone a while," Tamaki observed. "The date wasn't that long was it?"
"Oh no," Elissa shook her head. "Not at all, we just got a little lost is all. They went to an unfamiliar part of town but they weren't out for too long."
"Sure felt like it though," Hoki snorted as he flopped down on Tamaki's bed. "Those two should get an award: Most Boring Couple Of The Year!"
Elissa pointedly refused to acknowledge that, but Tamaki himself was intrigued.
"What do you mean," he pressed the male ghost. "Just what were they doing?"
Hoki sat up, bringing a finger to his chin in mock thought.
"Oh, well they talked," he explained. "And then they talked, and then they talked, and then they got ice cream, and then they talked, oh and you know what they did after that?"
"Talked!" Naru cheered, raising one hand in the air like she was in a class.
"Bingo!"
"You two…" Elissa groaned.
"Hang on," Tamaki stepped in to prevent another potential fight between the two adult ghosts. "You're saying they sat their for hours and just… just talked?"
Hoki nodded. "Yeah, for two whole hours they just sat there chatting it up. I haven't been that bored since I sat through that back to back showing of Rope. I almost wanted to die a second time it was so bad.
"I mean, you and you're girl are a way better couple than that. At least you guys get some action in!"
Tamaki raised an eyebrow at Hoki.
"…I assume," the ghost quickly amended.
Sighing, Tamaki clapped his hands together and closed his eyes. He now had more on his mind than ever and no way to calm his raging thoughts until possibly tomorrow.
Forget fitful sleep, he'd be wide awake staring at the ceiling for eight whole hours tonight.
Haruhi swung her legs up and down, gently tapping the metal stairs with her heels in a steady rhythm. She stared out at the street, lit up by the moon and the streetlights, Hinako would be here soon.
She'd gotten a text ten minutes ago saying as much. Once the initial shock of Hinako somehow having her phone number faded, Haruhi gathered the Lobelia uniform and went to wait outside for her. Her father was working late tonight, meaning Kyoya wouldn't be getting anymore phone calls, thank goodness.
Haruhi's ears picked up the now familiar sounds of a motor. They steadily grew louder until a long, sleek black car glided into view and stopped right next to Haruhi, allowing Hinako, still dressed in the Ouran uniform to step out.
She said nothing, merely holding out her hand for the folded clothing. Haruhi hesitated a moment, wondering why Hinako was being so tight-lipped, but handed them over all the same.
Hinako held them to her chest, as if afraid someone was about to run up and try to steal them. She studied Haruhi for a moment, then nodded curtly and made to turn around. Unfortunately for her, Haruhi had other ideas.
"Hinako," she stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, which Hinako shook off. "I just want to talk to you."
"It's none of your business," the Zuka Club girl snapped. "I don't need your help anymore, so you can forget this ever happened."
"I just want to know about your boyfriend," Haruhi explained.
Hinako froze, turned slowly to reveal a pale white face and wide, furious eyes. Haruhi couldn't help the twinge of fear she felt at the sight nor the sudden feeling that she'd just made a grave mistake.
"You saw…" Hinako whispered dangerously.
Haruhi opened her mouth wordlessly. Unable to make a sound, she shrugged her shoulders and tried to smile.
"Well, you did meet with him out in the open," she countered.
Hinako considered that, and slowly her anger started to die away. She still looked ready to run at a moment's notice and Haruhi wasn't sure just what she was trying to do here, but at least they were making progress towards whatever that was.
The Zuka Club girl folded her arms, heedless of the bundle of cloth she held. Haruhi moved her head, trying to lock eyes with her, but Hinako refused to let her and Haruhi had to give up.
"Do you…" Haruhi paused. "Can you tell me about him?"
Hinako glanced at her, but only for a fraction of a second. She inhaled deeply, as if she was using all her willpower just to answer the brunette.
"His name is Touga," she spoke so softly, Haruhi had to strain to listen. "I met him two years ago, but we only… we only started, you know, seeing each other recently."
Haruhi nodded, urging her to continue.
"I don't know how it happened. I mean, I've always known men were oppressive and see women as below them. My own mother has been hurt countless times by men. They don't care about anything except their libidos and they use and abuse any woman foolish enough to fraternize with them. I've always known that and I've never doubted it. But…"
She stopped. Body shaking and lips quivering, Hinako stood before Haruhi, a torn and confused mess of the energetic girl Haruhi knew her to be.
"Touga is different?" The brunette supplied.
Though her shaking made it difficult to tell, Hinako appeared to nod her head at that.
"He listens to me," she wrapped her arms around her waist. "I can talk to him about anything, and he doesn't always agree, but he respects my opinion and doesn't belittle me. He's smart and kind and respectful and he never tries to force me into anything."
She looked up, revealing to Haruhi eyes brimming with unshed tears.
"He treats me like an equal," she was losing control of her emotions. "It's like… he's the exact opposite of everything I've known men to be."
Haruhi looked down, taking in Hinako's words slowly. While she couldn't say much in regards to the other girl's general opinion of men, she found she understood Hinako's plight. She knew firsthand that you can never choose who you fall in love with. Tamaki's face flashed in her eye's and a smile tugged at her lips.
"So you really care about him," Haruhi stated.
Hinako nodded wordlessly.
"Then why are you trying to hide him from the Zuka Club?" The brunette pressed. "Are you ashamed of him?"
"Of course not!" Hinako snapped. She scowled at Haruhi as if the girl had just gravely insulted her boyfriend. "I would never be ashamed of him, I just…"
'Just…?'
"I don't… I don't want him to come around Lobelia. Benibara will find out about him and she won't like it. She might shun me or kick me out of the club."
Haruhi nodded, things were starting to come together now.
"Benibara hates men," Hinako shook her head sadly. "She has ever since she was a child and her late grandmother would tell her stories of the world and the cruelty of men. She'd never accept one of us getting friendly with one no matter what. Benibara and Chizuru are my best friends. I don't want to lose Touga, but I don't want to lose them either."
Tears fell freely down Hinako's cheeks, the first time Haruhi had ever seen such a thing. These weren't the fake tears Haruhi had become so used to seeing either, they were fully genuine as they slid silently to her chin. Haruhi bit her lip, her mind drawing a blank. She tried to figure out something to say, that mental image of Tamaki coming back to the forefront of her thoughts.
'What would Tamaki do?' She wondered. 'Give compliments until she stops… no, I can't do that. Try to sweet talk her… definitely not. Act serious for once…'
Haruhi outright smiled, but stopped when she realized Hinako was still crying and this was not the time for her to be letting her mind wander.
"Hinako…" she tried to get the girl's attention. "I- I realize that you're scared, but don't you think if they were really your friends, they'd be happy for you?"
"Eh?" Hinako looked up, her head tilted to one side.
"I just mean," Haruhi kept going. "You say they're your best friends, and if that's true, they should be willing to accept that Touga makes you happy, no matter how they personally feel about him."
"It's not that simple," Hinako looked away again.
"How do you know?" Haruhi countered. "You can't keep up this charade forever. You need to trust your friends and Touga. You should tell him and Benio the truth."
Hinako bit her lip, and Haruhi sensed more tears on the forefront. She would never know if she was right or not, as Hinako abruptly turned around and walked back to her transport, the Lobelia uniform wrinkling in her hand from the tight grip she held on it.
"You just don't understand," she said evenly.
Haruhi didn't even bother trying to respond. Hinako's limo was driving around the corner by the time she began to formulate a suitable one anyway.
The brunette stood outside for another minute, just quietly watching the fireflies attacking the street light. When she finally turned around to walk back inside, the darkness left her unable to spot the young girl standing around the corner.
Having heard the entire conversation and understanding the implications, Tomimi was trembling with excitement. She took off running back to her own car as Haruhi reentered her house.
"Oooooh," her voice shook with pure joy and accomplishment. "Wait until Lady Benibara hears about this."
The next rose faster than Hinako Tsuwabuki might have liked. Actually, the way she was feeling, it would have been better if nighttime lasted forever so at least she wouldn't have to go to school and pretend everything was normal.
Her conversation with Haruhi last night had been all Hinako could think about. She even heard the girl's voice in her dreams, telling her again and again that she had to confess. She had to tell the girls about Touga and she had to tell Touga about the girls. But there was no way, she kept telling herself. Benio would never accept it, she'd drive Touga away, Hinako just knew it.
It was difficult, because she knew Benio wouldn't mean to hurt her. The Zuka Club president loved all women regardless of their appearance, personality or dreams. That love would never extend to a man and Hinako knew it.
And as if things weren't confusing enough, the new girl, Tomimi, had been giving her weird smiles and giggling in her direction all day. Whenever Hinako would look at her, Tomimi just smirked, her eyes dancing with a spark that made Hinako shiver like something was very wrong.
She prayed with all she had in her that the day would pass by quickly so she could leave and get to Ouran before Touga, but by the time she got there, she felt like fifty years had gone by since this morning. Hinako exited her car and commanded the driver to head home. She stood on the curb, ignoring the funny stares various students were giving her as they passed. She closed her eyes, drowning them out by going over exactly what she was going to say to Touga for the hundredth time.
Haruhi's words had had a stronger effect than she cared to admit, but she knew now what she had to do. At least, she hoped she did.
Hinako's eyes snapped open when a familiar car horn reached her ears. When she saw Touga's car coming, she almost lost her nerve and took off running. Clenching her fists tight, she stood her ground and reminded herself that she had to do this. No self-respecting woman would run away from their problems, she would face them head on.
Touga stopped his car directly in front of her, his typical easy smile fading as he took in Hinako's appearance. His brow furrowed in confusion.
"Weren't you wearing a different uniform yesterday?"
Hinako absently ran her fingers against the familiar red fabric of her Lobelia uniform.
"Can you walk with me?" She asked.
Though still clearly confused, Touga nodded and put his car into park before stepping out. The couple starting across the street, silently moving away from the wandering eyes and ears of Ouran's student body. Hinako saw Touga watching her expectantly out the corner of her eye. This was it, now or never.
'I'm just glad nobody can hear us,' she thought.
"Can you hear them?" Tamaki whispered to Haruhi.
Though the look she responded with gave the clear message of 'we shouldn't be here right now,' it flew completely over the fanatical blonde's head.
"Well, can you?"
"Tamaki, it isn't right to eavesdrop and you know it," Haruhi berated him. "We should leave now and give them their privacy."
"Haruhi," Tamaki sounded appalled. "We are not eavesdropping, we're making sure Hinako-san and her love get their happy ending! It's our job to make every young lady who comes to our club happy, Zuka Club or no."
"But she didn't come to the club," Haruhi flatly reminded him.
"And besides," Tamaki obliviously went on. "It's not like anybody else is watching."
"Can you see anything?"
Hikaru pushed past the stationary Mori-senpai to get a better look. Hinako and her boyfriend were just visible in the distance. Moreso were the boss and Haruhi, doing their own spying from just around the corner. Hikaru wondered to himself how the boss was getting Haruhi to along with it.
"I think… they're talking," Hikaru commented, squinting his eyes in an attempt to see better. "I know she's not wearing the Ouran uniform, she must be telling her… boyfriend the truth."
His choking on the word 'boyfriend' didn't go unnoticed, nor was he the only one who felt that way.
"I still can't believe it," Kaoru muttered, shaking his head.
"It is a strange development," Kyoya agreed.
Hikaru nodded, blinked twice and realized who had just spoken. Whirling around, the older twin pointed an accusing finger at the unflinching Shadow King.
"Where have you been?" The redhead demanded.
Kyoya pulled out his ever present notebook and opened it to a random page, his glasses shining in the sunlight as he perused the page.
"While you were play spy, I took the liberty of doing some research into the situation and background of Ms. Tsuwabuki's male friend."
The Hitachiin twins glanced at each other, neither at all surprised by this.
"So what did you find out?" Kaoru questioned.
"His name is Touga Hisakawa. He comes from a moderately wealthy family but attends public high school in another district. His family and Ms. Tsuwabuki's family have done business together for the last few years which is likely how they met."
He snapped the notebook shut. Hikaru wondered if their was more, but held his tongue and went back to watching the distant scene. He just wished they could hear what Hinako and this Touga guy were saying.
"Lobelia, huh?" Touga said more than asked, a look of thoughtfulness crossing his features.
Hinako fought the urge to look away. "I'm sorry I lied, it had nothing to do with you."
"So what then?"
That urge became overwhelming, and she appeased it by closing her eyes but not moving head. She breathed a shaky breath, her stomach swelling up. This was going well so far, but she had an awful foreboding feeling that kept her from fully calming down.
"Hey, are you alright?"
She felt Touga place a comforting hand on her shoulder. Somehow, this made the massive knot of her nerves loosen. A tiny smile reached her face and she marveled at how after believing for so long that all man were rotten to the core, she would find a real diamond in the rough like Touga. Or maybe that wasn't it, maybe it was her that had been… not wrong, but a bit unfair.
Maybe, just maybe, not all men were-
"Take your filthy hands off her!"
Hinako gasped. Her eyes snapped open and she whirled around to face the fast approaching and clearly enraged Benio, flanked by a frowning Chizuru and an oddly gleeful Tomimi.
'Oh no…'
Benio's face was red as a tomato, and she looked ready to murder Touga as she pulled Hinako away from him and into her arms.
"Just what do you think you're doing to our Hinagiku?"
Touga looked taken aback, his mouth opened in shock. Hinako ground her teeth together, sensing that things were about to go downhill fast. Benio would never back down to a man and Touga was no pushover either.
"Excuse me?" Touga quickly recovered. "I don't know who you are, but I don't recall it being a crime for a guy to have a discussion with his girlfriend."
Hinako felt Benio tense up, and her already awful feeling became even worse. Chizuru and Tomimi even backed up a little, sensing the coming explosion.
"Girlfriend…" Benio repeated dangerously. "Did. You. Say. Girlfriend?"
"Lady Benibara," Hinako pulled herself away from her friend and stood between her and Touga. "I can explain."
"You don't need to," Benio's words made Hinako blink in confusion. "I understand perfectly what's happened and I don't blame you in the slightest, my dear Hinagiku. You're still young, and you have much to learn about the truth of the world. I'm just angry at myself for not realizing what was happening."
Benio's expression softened, though Hinako was by no means comforted.
"Once you've come back to your senses, you can thank Tomimi-chan for alerting me to what was happening."
Hinako gasped and stared at the younger girl, who merely grinned back. She lifted a finger to her neck and slashed it across, her message clear. Hinako felt she could have strangled the girl right there and then.
Tamaki bit back a scream, grabbing Haruhi and pulling her against him as he moved out of view and craned his neck out as far as he could to watch the growing scene.
"This is bad, this is very bad, very very bad," he kept repeating.
He saw Benio grab Hinako and pull her away from Touga. The young man protested, leading to an all out shouting match between the two while poor Hinako was at a loss, flinching under the glare of Chizuru.
"We have to do something," Tamaki loudly whispered in his girlfriend's ear.
"Like what," she whispered back.
Tamaki was about to answer, when someone else caught his eye, someone nobody but him was paying any attention to.
"It's her," he murmured to himself, watching the elderly woman stare at Benio like she was trying to mentally tear the woman's head off.
Tamaki's focus switched to her, and what Benio could have done to make the ghostly woman so angry that she would follow her all over the place while glaring at her like this.
The woman's head snapped to the side, hard grey eyes burning into Tamaki's violet. His insides froze, but he found he couldn't look away, not even when the woman started towards him with a speed her frail body likely couldn't have managed in life.
"You can see me," she said as if Tamaki needed to be told that. "I need your help."
"I still think we should get closer," Hikaru muttered. "We can't hear anything they're saying!"
"I hope they don't start fighting," Hunny-senpai remarked nervously.
"They're already fighting," answered Kaoru. "And what is the boss doing?"
He pointed out Tamaki, who appeared to be talking to the air while Haruhi stood to the side watching.
"He must be talking to Hoki or Elissa," Hikaru answered. "That or he's finally snapped for real, could be either or."
"Oh!"
Hunny-senpai followed his sudden cry by running out of the club's hiding place amid both twin's protests. He ran into the crowd and pulled out a young girl they immediately recognized as Miyako. While mentally questioning how their cake loving senpai had been able to pick her out among the barrage of students, Hunny-senpai dragged Miyako over to them, shouting the entire way.
"Miya-chan, you have to tell us who Tama-chan is talking to!"
He let her go once they'd reached their destination, and Miyako needed a minute to steady herself from the sudden 'attack'.
"What ghost is he talking to, Miya-chan?" Hunny-senpai asked again.
Miyako stared at him as if she'd never seen anything him, then incredulously turned to Hikaru.
"Did Haninozuka just call me 'Miya-chan?'"
Hikaru just rolled his eyes and pointed at Tamaki, silently asking the female medium to do as they asked. Sighing in annoyance, Miyako turned her head and leaned forward to see better.
"It's not Hoki, Elissa, or Naru-chan," she informed them first. "It's an old woman, but I've never seen her before. Looks like she's asking him something and he doesn't want to do it… he's pointing at the school I guess because whatever she wants can be found here… and now she's yelling at him and he's cowering… okay, I think he's going to do whatever she's asking… he's turning around and… she's putting her hand on his back- oh no, he is not."
She trailed off, which didn't go over well with the others present.
"Not what?" Hikaru demanded.
His question was answered when Tamaki's body suddenly jerked forward.
Haruhi yelped, involuntarily falling to the hard ground. She knew Tamaki had been talking to a ghost just now and he'd told her exactly what the ghost wanted. She'd been unsure if it was really a good idea to go along with what the old woman wanted and Tamaki outright didn't want to do it. She wore him down eventually, it seemed, and now Haruhi had to watch her boyfriend gasp and jerk around like he was having a seizure. Even though she knew what was really happening, it didn't make the sight any less scary.
Then Tamaki relaxed and let out a breath. Or rather, the old woman let out a breath. Standing up straight, she narrowed her (Tamaki's?) eyes and openly snarled in Benio's direction. Haruhi struggled to her feet, lost for words. The woman stormed away, honing in on Benio like a missile. Haruhi moved into view and watched her possessed boyfriend walk right up to Benio, heedless of the confused Hinako, Touga, Chizuru and Tomimi.
Benio herself was clearly surprised by Tamaki's bold appearance, but gave him a superior smile all the same.
"And what do you want?" She rudely asked. "This doesn't concern you, Su-"
SMACK
Haruhi's jaw dropped. No matter how hard she tried, she would never be able to accurately describe how Benio, or any of the present Zuka Club for that matter, must have felt at that moment when 'Tamaki' drew back 'his' hand and slapped Benio as hard as 'he' could.
The Zuka Club president stumbled back. She stared at 'Tamaki,' bugged eyed and jaw hanging open. Haruhi didn't think she'd ever seen the older young woman quite so uncomposed.
"You…" Benio couldn't even form a sentence. "You… HOW DARE-"
"SHUT UP!" Tamaki's voice was the same, but had a shriek to it Haruhi was sure hadn't been there before. "Shut your damn mouth, you stupid little twit! Don't you remember me teaching you to keep quiet when your elders are talking?"
"Excuse me?" Benio shoot to her feet. "Who do you think you are, Suoh?"
'Tamaki' raised 'his' hand again. "Don't make me give you another one, Little Blossom. You just keep your mouth shut and listen to me. I've waited far too long to say this and you will not talk over me, young lady!"
Benio let out a gasp, her hand going to her heart as pure horror dawned across her features.
"Little Blossom… how do you know that name? Nobody ever called me that except…"
If Haruhi didn't know any better, she'd think Benio had tears in her eyes. The Zuka Club president bravely leaned forward, looking Tamaki right in the eye and taking deeply shaking breaths. A single word passed her lips, and it didn't surprise Haruhi in the slightest.
"Grandmother…?"
Benio's grandmother sniffed, moving away from the young woman's outreached arms.
"Look at you," she spat. "You think I haven't been watching? I may be dead, but I'm always around, Little Blossom. And I am extremely disappointed in your behavior, young lady."
"But…" Benio stammered. Around her, Hinako and Touga were completely at a loss while Chizuru looked close to fainting. Tomimi just stood there awkwardly. "But Grandmother, I'm doing what you sa-"
"What I said?" The old woman finished for her, sounding deeply offended. "I told you to be a strong woman and never let anymore oppress you or try to make you feel less than you are worth. I told you to beware of men who would think you inferior and show them your strength and drive. I NEVER told you to hate all men, that's just your immature over-superiority talking.
"Now you listen and you listen good. You are going to apologize to your friend Tsuwabuki and her beau. Not to mention you are going to stop trying to drag Ms. Fujioka into your club. She does not want to join, get over it! Finally, you're going to end this misandry of yours and accept that you are no better than anyone else just because you're a woman, that is NOT FEMINISM. And for that matter, stop flirting with every damn girl you see. ARE YOU A TRAMP?"
"No! No!" Benio cried and shook her head, cowering before the possessed Tamaki.
"You'd better not be," her grandmother shouted back. "Your mother and father did not work their asses off to give you a good life just so you could go cavorting with a bunch of random women like a damn playboy!"
Benio was outright sobbing now, but luckily for her, her grandmother's anger was spent. Breathing deeply the woman closed 'her' eyes and opened them again.
"By the way," her voice softened, making Benio cautiously look up. "Your last performance was very good. Though you shouldn't overact so much. Your singing has improved as well."
A funny sound came out of Benio's throat, but no words. Her grandmother nodded, maintaining a frown that suddenly had no bite to it.
"I'm always watching, Little Blossom," she said. "I'm with you."
Tamaki's body then jerked forward again, and both Haruhi and Benio ran to him.
"Grandmother?" Benio desperately called out. "Grandmother, are you there?"
Tamaki grit his teeth and groaned as his body stilled. He took in deep breath after deep breath and looked at Benio.
"Sorry," he gasped out. "She left."
Benio stared at him, looking torn between screaming and crying. Rather than that, she stood up and took off in a dead sprint. Chizuru and Tomimi where quick to follow, both shouting after their leader, demanding to know what was going on.
Hinako and Touga lingered, both staring at Tamaki's crouched over form, utterly stunned.
"That… hurts… a lot," Tamaki stuttered.
Haruhi took out a handkerchief and wiping the excess sweat off her love's forehead.
"I can see… why… Miyako… doesn't like it."
"Stop talking," Haruhi scolded him lightly. "Don't strain yourself."
Tamaki managed a nod, and Haruhi remembered then that they were still being watched, and their witnesses had absolutely no idea what was going on. Haruhi looked at them and smiled weakly.
"What the hell was that?" Touga asked.
Haruhi and Tamaki glanced at each other, and the latter shrugged.
"A family reunion?"
The sun was setting when Hinako got back to the large academy. It looked imposing today, or maybe that was just Hinako.
Touga's car was park behind her, Touga himself awaiting her return. He'd been weary of returning to the school this soon since Benio found out about them, but Hinako convinced him that she needed to talk to her club president and best friend as soon as possible. Benio always stayed late at school, so Hinako was pretty sure this was where she'd gone when she ran off earlier.
As expected, the first thing Hinako saw when she entered the main club room was Benio, silhouetted against the setting sun as she stood, arms crossed, at the window. Gulping, Hinako stepped forward, her echoing footsteps making her presence known. Benio didn't react, but Hinako kept moving closer, ignoring the little voice in her head urging her to run.
"He drove you here."
Benio's voice made Hinako jump, but she quickly recovered.
"It was his turn," she explained. "We rotate who drives who and today is his day."
Benio exhaled deeply, yet still didn't turn around.
"Benibara," Hinako bravely began. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I didn't want you to be mad at me. I love Touga, I really do and I don't want to lose him, but I don't want to lose you and Chizuru either. You guys are my best friends and I… I want you to be okay with me and Touga."
She stopped before she could ramble any further, Benio didn't appear to be listening to her anyway. Hinako wondered if her senpai was still in shock over what happened before. All things considered, Hinako wouldn't blame her if she was. Then Benio shocked her once again by turning around and looking down at the shorter girl with an oddly solemn face.
"Hinako," she put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Does he treat you right?"
"Of course," Hinako breathed. "You know I wouldn't stay with him if he didn't!"
At this, Benio almost smiled. Nodding her head, she squeezed Hinako's shoulder before pulling her into a hug. Hinako stiffened, but didn't try to pull away. Benio bent down, her mouth coming to Hinako's ear.
"As long as you're happy," she said softly. "Then so am I."
And suddenly, all the weight that had rested on Hinako's stomach faded away. Tears forming, she hugged Benio back with more enthusiasm than she'd been able to show in days.
'I guess you were right, Haruhi.'
The next day dawned over Ouran Academy. It found Haruhi Fujioka walked from the train station to the school and yawning loudly. She was regretting her idea to stay up late and study more and more with each step.
Though she still felt a bit drowsy, she came to abrupt attention upon recognizing a tall woman in a Lobelia uniform walking towards Tamaki, who was just arriving. Haruhi stood rigid for a moment, then broke into a run, fearing that a massive altercation was on the horizon.
To her surprise, she found nothing of the sort. Benio was standing before Tamaki looking quite anxious and not at all happy to be there. She only spared Haruhi a passing glance as the petite girl stopped in front of her.
"I came to apologize," she said to Tamaki, who was very clearly on guard. "For everything. I know I've been wrong and I'm sorry."
Tamaki eyed Haruhi, as if searching her for an opinion on how to deal with this. She gave her boyfriend a tiny gesture, urging him to talk to Benio. The blonde nodded and looked back at the woman.
"Thank you, I accept your apology," he held out a hand that Benio almost jerked away from.
She stopped herself in time and tentatively reached for it. With Haruhi and a hundred random students as witness, the presidents of the Host Club and the Zuka Club shook hands, seemingly ending the rivalry between them forever.
"I don't really know what happened yesterday," she went on once they let go. "And I don't care to."
She added this last part when Tamaki opened his mouth, likely to explain exactly what had happened.
"I'd rather just put it behind me and move forward, alright?"
"Fine," Tamaki agreed.
Haruhi gave a sigh of relief, catching both club presidents' attention.
"Well, I'm glad you were able to settle things peacefully," she said with a smile. "It's nice to there will be no more fighting."
"But of course," Benio answered with a much more devious looking smile. Though she probably didn't mean anything by it, it was enough for Tamaki to misinterpret and subsequently began enraged over.
"Hey," Tamaki shouted while pulling Haruhi to him possessively. "Don't look at her like that!"
Benio blinked and raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"
"Like that!" Tamaki shoot back. "You were trying to flirt with her, don't deny it!"
"I did no such thing, and you're sure one to talk, Suoh."
"I'm her boyfriend, I'm allowed to flirt with Haruhi all I want!"
"Oh, is that how you see your relationship? Just like those girls you play games with in your club, huh? I guess I should have know you'd never change you rotten manchild!"
"HOW DARE YOU!"
As the argument got more heated, students moved as far away as they could from the screaming Tamaki and Benio. Haruhi could only sigh and roll her eyes.
'I guess I should've known it wouldn't last,' she thought to herself.
With the area around them clear, it was easy for any students at the large front door's threshold to watch the shouting match. One of them was Miyako, who gripped the handle of her bag tightly and shook her head.
"Those two are so alike, it's scary."
A/N: Anyway, I really enjoyed this chapter because the Zuka Club and their feminazi ways have always pissed me off, and I wondered what would happen if one of them, particularly one of Benio's inner circle, actually fell in love with a man.
So that's where this chapter came from. I hope you enjoyed it and look forward to the next one, some fun stuff is going to go down. :D