"You're getting married?!" Yuriko has always been very melodramatic.

I had been so busy taking care of Noel -even with the maids helping me it was hard to teach him to use the sand box and not leave me little presents under my bed—and hacking my Dad's computer I really hadn't had time to tell my friends about everything.

"To Kyoya Ootori ?" Chikako was competing with excitement with her sister, I could almost hear my wedding ceremony playing out in her head.

Although, strangely enough, my Dad hadn't been talking with the head of the Ootori, in fact, the last e-mail had been the day after the art auction where Mr. Ootori wrote: "Let's give them some time to know each other better."

That guy was so creepy.

Anyway, there I was, innocently sending messages to my Dad's secretary (we had a deal where he would pretend he didn't know I was using my father's e-mail and I would pretend I'd misplaced the video of him doing the hula dance on one of the company's parties) with Izumi calmly eating away my favorite snacks (she's THE petite supermodel of the decade, according to Vogue, anyway. But her parents wouldn't let her have things like Doritos or Sneakers at her own house, so she was always visiting my fridge). And cute little Noel was playing Catch the Mouse on my iPad.

-When the Suzuki sisters burst in my bedroom and demanded to know from me (and I assume my neighbors with the volume they used), if what she heard that Kyoya Ootori and I were engaged was actually true.

"Have you met him?" Izumi could try to fool me all she wanted pretending she couldn't care less, but she'd forgotten to keep eating my bag of Doritos.

"Yes to all of the above." I said and continued to write an e-mail. "And what do you mean 'Kyoya Ootori'?"

We were in my bedroom. Like I said, it was pretty big, not counting my walk-in closet, it was divided into two stories, the top, where my bed and books were, and the bottom where the sofa, TV and desk were.

Chika came from behind me and grabbed my arms, Riko snapped my computer shut and shoved it under the sofa.

"Hey-!"

"Why didn't you tell us?" Riko looked at me, her beautiful blue eyes watering, both she and Chika had blonde hair and blue eyes, with only a year apart, you could almost say they were twins. Except Riko kept her hair long and straight, always with a colorful accessory, like a headband and Chika cut it short with blue highlights and always stylishly messy.

"It doesn't matter!" I shouted, I struggled against Chika's iron hold, "What difference does it make?"

"We're your friends, Risa." Chika said next to my ear, obviously barely noticing my efforts.

Izumi pushed the bag of Doritos away, and glared at me, "We're not supposed to hear this kind of thing second-hand."

I sighed, they were right. I hung my head, letting my black hair cover my eyes. "I'm sorry. But my father only told me five days ago, I was just as surprised as you are. I've been working non-stop since then. That's why I haven't been calling you guys."

Chika let go of my arms and hugged me, then Riko joined her and I suddenly felt that this was how I was going to die. I think Izumi patted my head.

"It's so rare for Risa-chan to share her feelings!"

"Can't… breathe…"

Finally they released me.

"This is so cool! We can double date!" Riko said, her eyes shining with excitement.

"No, we can't." I told her, my eyes hard.

I could have slapped her in the face and she wouldn't have looked so hurt. It had been three months of hell while Riko tried to set me up with someone so she could have a double date with her new boyfriend and me.

"Why not?" she asked in a small voice.

"Because-" I said, leaning down to retrieve my notebook, also to avoid her stare, "the less I see Ootori, the better. Now, if you'll excuse me-" I finally managed to get it from under the sofa, I opened it, "I am trying to see if I can get myself out of this nightmare."

"But-" Chika started, then seemed to rephrase what she was going to say in her head. It made me a little sad how often I caught my friends doing this. "But wouldn't it be good for your father's company if you did marry him?"

I grit my teeth, "I'm a Kotoku, too. It's my company, too." I said in a low voice, "I'm just checking my options. Of course just marrying him will be easier…" Grams' advice had gotten to me, "But then I need to know everything I can about him and I can't!" I slammed my fingers against the keys with frustration, it had been days of background checking, and nothing! "This stupid bastard is perfect! Always at the top of his class, athletic—I mean, REALLY! He was even in a club?!" This time I shut the notebook myself.

Obviously I needed a break.

My friends laughed at my outburst. "Yeah, Risa, how can you even compete?" Chika said.

"You sound like a woman in lo-o-ove." Sang Izumi.

"Yay! Are you free next Saturday? Takashi and I are going to the Amusement Park." Riko said.

I glared at them. Then stole my bag of Doritos back from Izumi and started munching. I really should start watching out so as to not become like my father.

"Actually, Risa, we could find out more about Ootori for you." Said Chika, her tone less joking. "He goes to OuranAcademy, like us." She indicated her sister.

"Yeah!" Riko said, "Oh, my gosh, of course! He's friends with Takashi!"

I swallowed, still glaring. "You're telling me this now?"

"Hey, Izumi!" Riko called, ignoring me, "Didn't you go to Ouran High? Ootori went there, didn't he? Do you remember him?"

Izumi, who had been suspiciously quiet, turned beet red and continued playing with Noel with her shoelace.

Before I could push her to tell me anything that would resemble a fault in that snotty, pompous (though, admittedly very handsome) Kyoya, my phone rang. I glanced at the screen: K. Ootori. Crap. Did we have something today?

We had cancelled with each other three times since the art auction. Mostly me, though.

All right, I couldn't stand to see him after the whole "Extension Incident", I was very embarrassed. Although, he'd been very nice about the whole thing not mentioning it for one thing, and I was starting to think that Kyoya saw me just as I saw him: a business contract.

If he was interested in altering a few clauses I had yet to find out.

"Eek! It's him!" Izumi said, her brown-haired head looking over my shoulder.

"Shh!" I ordered. They huddled in front of me stifling their giggles, I did feel a little bad for disappointing them, they thought that I was finally having my first real romance, when, in fact, I was ending the possibility of ever having one.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Kotoku-chan? This is Ootori."

"Hi, Ootori-kun. How are you?" I can't remember when we started using such friendly honorifics, but as long as we didn't have to send smiley-filled text-messages, it was fine by me.

"I'm outside your house, are you ready?"

Say what?

"Oh, never mind, your security spotted me. I suppose it's all right if I wait for you inside. -Sir, could you please identify yourself?" He hung up.

I stared at my phone as if it had bitten me. That imposing bastard, what was he thinking? It's half past noon, I'm still in my pajamas! My friends immediately started laughing and making faces at me.

"Ooh, Ootori-kun, do I look pretty today?"

"Ootori-kun, where should we spend our honeymoon?"

"Ootori-kun, I made you a packed lunch, it's got heart-shaped rice balls."

The last one had them rolling on the floor.

The house phone rang, informing me that a Mr. Kyoya Ootori was in the main hall to see me.

A/N: Now you know Risa's version of the Host Club. The sisters Yuriko and Chikako Suzuki and Izumi Kai are the only people Risa can be herself with. Also, Risa is very torn, should she choose love? And if so, how can she do that and still make a deal?

P.S.: I do not own an iPad, so I don't know if the game Catch the Mouse actually has that name. =]

P.P.S.: Cool! Tenth chapter! I know they're awful short, but it helps me organize it better. Thank you to all my reviewers! I LOVE the reviews! Special thanks to Extented Experience who took the time to explain to me some fanfiction terms that I had no idea what they meant!