Okay, so this chapter is really good in my mind!

Something pretty cool happens! And of course... drama xD

Anyways, enjoy!!! You guys rock for reviewing!

YAY! 25 reviews!!! And this is chapter ten! Isn't that like, special or something? xD

~ Chapter Ten ~
~ Realizing and Accepting ~

"…And so that's when we decided to dress you girls up!"

I sweat dropped, and scooted slightly closer to the twins as Haruhi glared at me, now that Tamaki had finished explaining to her why she had suddenly been kidnapped. Seriously, if Hikaru and Kaoru hadn't pulled me in between them (which made me blush just a little bit for some reason, I must not be feeling well today) Haruhi would have probably strangled me.

"Um, guys? I love you to bits, but could you not squeeze so tight?"

"Did you hear that, Kaoru?"

"Yes, I did, Hikaru!"

"Tenshi-chan loves us!" I blushed a little.

"And she loves us to bits no less!" Hikaru added, a devilish smirk on his face. "So does this mean you fell for the Brotherly Love?"

"No. But you guys are my friends…" I was starting to feel really stupid.

"Are we your best friends?" Kaoru asked. "C'mon, you can tell us!"

I sighed in defeat. "Yes. You two and Haruhi are my best friends." How was I getting myself into answering these stupid questions? Gah!

"Yay!" They exclaimed. "We love you too, Tsu-chan!"

I grimaced a little as they started nuzzling me. I knew normally Tamaki would help me, but he was too busy doing the huggle thing to Haruhi while crying because she was best friends with the doppelgangers. I rolled my eyes a little bit. Oh, Tamaki…

"So, how much torture are you going to put me through?" I asked, trying to deny that I actually enjoyed the dress-up. It was out of character for me to enjoy such things, just as much as it was out of character for Haruhi to… well… act like she does in Tamaki's inner mind theatre of oblivious pervertedness. But really, I do enjoy them.

Just don't tell anyone, okay?

Haruhi tried to push Tamaki off, actually calling him 'daddy' to get him off. I smirked as the huge blush creeped onto his cheek.

Poor Tamaki was so oblivious.

I wonder when he's going to realize he loves Haruhi? I asked myself as the twins told me about some of the latest designs their mother had done. All I can say is, if she loves him back, then I cant wait to see the wedding. A Host Club Wedding sounds pretty ideal. I smirked a little at the thought of having all the Host Club at my wedding.

Now that'd be fun.

Finally, we pulled up to the Hitachiin mansion, and I was dragged inside by the twins and Tamaki, as well as Haruhi.

"Its so lovely to meet Tsubasa Suoh!" Yuzuha Hitachiin said happily, winking at me. "I've heard a lot about you from Kaoru and Hikaru! Apparently, you're the new female host!"

"Ah, yes, Hitachiin-san." I bowed, and she patted me on the head.

"It's just Yuzuha to you and Haruhi-chan, Tsu-chan!"

Ah, so my nickname is catching on.

Darn that Hunny. If he wasn't so cute, I'd kill him.

"O-okay, Yuzuha-san." I felt weird for addressing the twins' mom like that, but she asked me to so what else can I do? Sigh.

Suddenly, me and Haruhi were abducted my two maids and the doppelgangers.

Let the fashion torture begin.

[Twenty-Seven Outfits Later]
[Or Maybe It Was Thirty?...]

"Wah, Yuzuha-san, you have such great designs!" I gasped happily as I tried on a cool denim outfit with a tank top and boots that she'd picked out specifically knowing my punk tastes in clothing. Haruhi had died somewhere around the twentieth outfit, but I was actually enjoying myself. Tamaki and the twins kept picking things, as did the twins' mother. Apparently I was the new favorite toy, and Haruhi was completely grateful to me for my willingness.

"You look so cute Tenshi-chan!" Tamaki exclaimed glomping me from behind. I laughed a little, trying to shake him off.

"Oh, Tsu-chan!" Yuzuha exclaimed, holding out a cocktail dress. "Try this one!"

I nodded, and walked back to the dressing room. After I finally managed to put the dress on, I realized my hair was messed up. I sighed, and was about to fix it with my fingers when someone took a brush to my hair.

The twins.

"Allow us, Tsubasa." They said happily in unison. "Mother decided she wanted us to do your hair and makeup, and she wanted to take a picture. She said she wants to see if you're model material."

I blushed a little. Who wouldn't? Especially when you're as pathetically camera shy as me. "M-model? But!"

"Don't argue, just do it." They ordered, brushing out my short blond hair and making me close my eyes. I felt the usual feelings of makeup being put on, my hair being straightened, curled, and so on. I was feeling a little self-conscious right now. Model… Am I really pretty enough? I mean, I am pretty, but not beautiful. And to be a model, you need to be beautiful right? "We wont need too much blush, you blush enough on your own, Tsubasa."

I opened my eyes and glared at them. "Well you're just making it worse, doppelgangers." I grumbled, closing my eyes again before Hikaru could gouge them out with eyeliner.

A few moments later, someone snapped their fingers. "I'll be right back Kaoru, I think that new hair gel mom created would work great for her."

"Hair gel?!" I squeaked, "Just what are you planning to do up there, Hikaru?"

"Nothing you need to worry about right now, Tsubasa!"

…Why is it that did not comfort me one bit?

I heard Hikaru run out, and then after a few moments of silence (and something being put on my eyelids) I decided to open my eyes and talk to Kaoru.

As soon as I did, I saw that he was putting on lipstick.

And that his face was even closer to mine then it had been this morning when he woke me up. My face heated up, my stomach did some crazy flips, and I noticed for the first time just how pretty his eyes were up close.

Wait, WHAT THE HELL?!

Kaoru moved back a little, a small smile playing on his lips. "You look beautiful, Tsubasa. Once Hikaru puts that gel on your hair, you'll be done, and totally perfect."

I blushed, and my eyes widened. Beautiful? Perfect?

"Hey, Kaoru!" Hikaru called from the other room, "Can you help me out in here?"

"Be right back." Kaoru whispered, and then ran off. I watched him leave, completely frozen. As soon as he was sure he was gone and that nobody was watching me, I took a deep breath, trying to get my heartbeat to go back to normal. My stomach was uneasy. Butterflies in the stomach meant one thing, and maybe…

If at all possible, my eyes got even wider. I covered my mouth with my hand gently, gasping. I looked at myself in the mirror, Kaoru's words before he left rang in my head more like gongs then bells. Something in my chest was burning. What was this feeling?

I blinked, and tried to get my face to go back to a normal color before the twins came back to complete my transformation into an angel of sorts. I gotta say, I looked awesome when they were done. Subtle makeup that made my eyes and lips pop, my short blond hair now went inches above my shoulder since they cut it. It seemed a brighter color, and had lots of volume. I was simple, but beautiful.

Wow. They can work miracles.

"You know, makeup only enhances what you already have, Tsubasa." They sang together, smiles on their faces. "Now lets get you out for mother, Milord, and Haruhi to see! Maybe you can be a good influence on her!"

I flushed as both twins took my hands and dragged me out to the front, where I was tackled by Yuzuha and Tamaki and told how cute I was. The whole time though, I was a little zoned out.

I moved into a different position for Yuzuha-san, blushing a little as my thoughts wandered to Kaoru. He and Hikaru, with Tamaki, were trying to drag Haruhi into the other room to do her makeup, too, and were threatening to get the top Hitachiin bodyguard, Katatsuki, to make her cooperate unless she went willingly.

I laughed a little at the look on Haruhi's face. You'd think she was being taken to the torture chamber or the execution room.

Poor, poor Haruhi. -.-;;

"Tsubasa, help me!" she begged, and I just sighed, walking to the changing room to go back to my usual clothes.

"HEY, DON'T TOUCH ME THERE TAMAKI-SENPAI!!!"

I looked back, my eye twitching. "I… don't even wanna know what that was about."

As I walked back into Suoh Mansion Number Two, I sighed. The calendar on the wall of my bedroom was quite menacing.

Eight days left, I whispered to myself. I was even more scared then I thought I would be.

At least I knew that Tamaki would come with me, and so would Haruhi. Maybe the whole Host Club would travel up to France with me as emotional support.

Or emotional trauma.

Thank god that Haruhi finally got a passport. I was glad that she'd be there to be the blunt, straight-forward, always honest cross-dressing girl I could call one of my best friends. She'd keep me down to earth. Tamaki would be there to just be Tamaki, which after the fight I'd realized I needed him more then I knew. Maybe I'd ask the twins to come along; they could cheer me up when I needed it, and be annoying so that I'd be distracted.

What if I brought the other Host Club guys?

Kyoya could scare the crap out of me as a distraction, Mori could be the silent guardian of a big brother he had become for me, and Hunny could be there for making things sweet. I chuckled at the idea.

Knowing that they all are there for me is a great feeling, I realized. I pictured their smiling faces in my head (although Mori's was as stoic as ever, and Kyoya's was creepy with a capital 'C'), and somehow my mind unintentionally lingered on Kaoru's.

Suddenly, my stomach did a little flip and I felt heat rise to my face…

Wait… what?

Butterflies in the stomach, I mused. Suddenly, my eyes widened in realization.

No.

It wasn't possible.

No way in hell was I starting to get a crush on Kaoru Hitachiin.

I barely knew Kaoru. I met him three weeks ago!

He annoyed the heck out of me with Hikaru, but when he was alone he was kind of sweet actually.

He said nice things, he made me laugh.

He was the first person to know what really happened on the day I found my parents murdered, the day that felt like it happened years ago and not just about two months ago.

He saved me when I was drowning in the ocean.

Some girls could call him a knight in shining armor if they wanted to.

Not that I said things like that.

God, if I did I would sound like Renge.

I am not an obsessive fan girl! I screamed in my head over and over as I listened to a few songs on my iPod, the music blasting into my ears. I smiled a little as the chorus changed, and sighed, trying to get the blush off my face and return my heart-rate to normal.

Do I… do I have feelings for Kaoru? That's… I just met Kaoru three weeks or so ago! How can I already have a crush on him?

No, No! I don't like Kaoru as anything more then a friend!

His face flashed in my mind again, making me jump.

Oh shit.

I got it bad.

I frowned. I doubt he likes me. But I cant worry about liking boys right now.

I have to get my life back together first. At least just a little bit.

Maybe after that is done…

I shook my head.

Maybe another day.

I decided to push the feelings aside, and continue living life as I had been. I didn't think it would be easy, but I would have to forget how I felt until I had put back the pieces of my life. All I had to do was wait for the trial. After that, I'd see how I felt. If I still thought I liked Kaoru, then I would subtly observe my feelings until I was certain. I didn't want to risk making a mistake, or getting hurt.

Also, I wont let the possibility of liking him alter our friendship in any way until I'm certain I like him. I assured myself, sweat dropping a little. These thoughts are not the thoughts of a normal teenaged girl, that's for sure.

…

Whoa. Did I just sound like a Female Kyoya or what?

Creepy thoughts.

[The Next Day]

I plopped down in my seat in class, exhausted.

I had decided after dinner to try and study as a way to raise my math and science grades, but in the end found out that the boredom was driving me insane and putting me to sleep. So I tried watching anime with comedy, but I didn't get half the jokes, and then tried horror movies, which scared the hell out of me since they reminded me of less-fond memories and then I ended up unable to sleep at all. I was so sleepy this morning that for a short time I thought my name was Keiko Amakusa.

Sanity is overrated when you're sleepy.

"Hey there." Haruhi said, obviously very much wanting to kill me for yesterday. I involuntarily scooted away.

"I swear I had nothing to do with that Haruhi-kun! Don't hurt me!" I begged, anime tears falling from eyes. She stared at me, her eyebrows raised.

"Tsubasa, is something wrong?" she asked warily as I pouted on the desk. "You… you're acting incredibly out of character. And there are bags under your eyes."

"Tsubasa got no sleep last night, therefore Tsubasa is reeeaaallllyyyy sleepy!" I moped, talking in third person for reasons I will never know. Suddenly, the twins popped out of nowhere and grabbed me, making me squeal. They stared at me, confused. "The reason Tsubasa didn't sleep was because she watched too many scary movies too!" I pouted, anime tears still falling down my cheeks. "I also skipped breakfast and my blood sugar is loooowwwwwwww….."

Suddenly I noticed that no other students were in the classroom. Isn't it funny how fate works like that?

"Oh my." The twins whistled. Haruhi reached into her bag and pulled out a cookie.

"Would this help?" she asked. My eyes widened, and pink sparkles glittered around me. I nodded, a pleading look on my face. She handed me the cookie, and I bit into it slowly. It was so! Freaking! Good!

The twins exchanged a devious look, before leaning down so that one of their faces were on either side of my head. I glanced between the two from the corner of my eyes. "I am NOT sharing my cookie…" I grumbled, glaring a little. They chuckled.

"It's just…" Hikaru whispered,

"You have cookie crumbs on your cheek and chin." Kaoru finished.

"Oh god." Haruhi groaned, slapping her forehead in an exhausted way as if saying 'Not again'…

Suddenly, I felt the weirdest feeling.

Hikaru had licked off the cookie crumbs that were on my chin, and Kaoru licked the crumbs off my cheek.

My sleepy brain comprehended what just happened, and my face practically exploded in a furious, full body blush.

Suddenly, sleepiness overtook me and made me fall asleep.

Or, in the eyes of Haruhi and the twins, pass out.

~ Normal POV ~

Haruhi slapped her forehead again as Tsubasa's face turned beat red and she suddenly passed out. "Look what you two did." She growled, glaring at the twins.

Kaoru looked down at Tsubasa who's face was implanted in the desk as she snored softly, her breathing relaxed and her face still incredibly flushed. She wasn't kidding when she said she got no sleep last night, Kaoru mused. Tsubasa muttered something incoherent in her sleep, and everyone chuckled. She was really cute and innocent when she slept. Pretty different then when she was awake. Kaoru felt a slight blush on his cheek. Why am I thinking like that about her?

"You guys," Haruhi sighed, "First period got canceled. Take her to the Music Room, or the infirmary, or something. She was already exhausted, and then you come in and overload her brain." The twins sweat dropped, but nodded.

Each taking one of Tsubasa's arms firmly in theirs, they walked to the Music Room where she'd be better off at.

"I wonder if that's what Tsubasa is really like…" Hikaru thought out loud. "I mean, I wonder if the way she acted today while she was sleepy is how she acts on the inside whenever the Hosts do things. Like she's hiding it or something."

Kaoru shook his head. "I doubt it. Tsubasa seems blunt, like Haruhi; I have a feeling she says what she feels."

Hikaru stared at his twin blankly for a second, and then smirked.

"You like her, don't you, Kaoru?" Hikaru asked, smirking evilly. "Fine with me, just don't forget me."

Kaoru looked at Hikaru. "I don't know if I like her. I mean, I haven't really known her that long."

Hikaru nodded. "Yeah. You're probably right."

Kaoru looked at Tsubasa one last time before turning his attention to the things right in front of him. He didn't know what it was about Tsubasa. But he didn't like to see her so sad. He wondered if she even knew how sad she looked sometimes when she'd stare out the windows in the club room.

Once they got there, they laid her on a couch, and left.

~Tsubasa's POV ~

My eyes snapped open, and I looked around. I remembered falling asleep in class, but then how is it I woke up in the Third Music Room?

I shrugged and looked at my watch. It was lunchtime. I smiled a little, stood up, and looked at my bag which was across the room.

"Wow." Was all I could say.

Someone had gone and torn up my doodle notebooks and my manga, and even went as far as to write 'Stay Away From The Hosts' on the flap of the messenger bag. I cringed involuntarily. I think the writing was supposed to look like blood. I was too absorbed in staring at the mess before me that someone must have made while I was asleep that I didn't hear Haruhi, Tamaki, Kyoya, or the twins come in.

"Tenshi-chan?"

Who did this?

"Tsubasa?"

If I was asleep while they did this… they could have done something to me too…

"Tsu-chan?"

Why would they do this? Surely nobody knows that I have possible feelings for Kaoru, and I'm just Tamaki's cousin…

"Tsubasa-chan?"

This… is really creepy…

"Tsubasa!"

I blinked, and looked at the others. I was slightly oblivious at the moment, I was a little stunned, and my brain had just woken up on top of that. I pointed lazily to my bag. "Somebody did that." I said dumbly. "Weird, huh? I wonder who it was."

I walked to my bag, and began picking up the mess. I didn't notice the others watching me, nor did I notice Tamaki come help me out a little.

"Kyoya, is there are way to find out who did this?" Tamaki asked. Kyoya pushed his glasses up his nose, causing them to glare up in the light.

"Of course." He said simply. "I'll look into it. Of course, there is nothing to really be worried about; it's most likely just a jealous customer."

I blinked as I finally got my stuff together. Kyoya's words surprisingly made me feel a little bit better, but something still bothered me.

Someone really wanted me gone.

And the message written in "blood" was etched into my brain.

Oh my! What's going to happen now?

No Tsubasa facts this time, sorry! I ran out of ideas xD

11