-Chapter Nine-

- Just The Way You Are -

It was another day at the Host club. Today they were wearing Kimonos made by the mom of the Hitachiin twins. Tamaki was dazzling his hosts, he wore hair extensions, and wore it in a low ponytail.

Over at the Hitachiin table Kaoru and Hikaru were once again doing their act, "Our grandmother was the one that put them on," said a calm Kaoru.

Kagome had just finish changing into her dark blue, red, and gold Kimono. As she entered the room she heard the twins at it again, and was insulted that they would even pretend to treat the elderly in that manor.

Hikaru pulled his brother towards him. He grasp his brother's chin in his hand so that their faces were only centimeters apart. "And of course, it's my duty to take them off, right," asked the older twin. "Kaoru," he added.

"Hikaru," Kaoru looks away, "Saying that in front of everyone makes me embarrassed." As he was looking away he saw the cute Kaname all dressed up. He blushed, and blushed harder as he discovered she was listening to their act.

Kyoya on the other hand was being devious about the money Haruhi was in debt of. The whole time with an innocent smile.

Hunny came in crying, one bare foot, one with a zouri, and walked straight for Kagome. "Kame-chan, Kame-chan, I lost one of my zouri," he cried.

Kagome knew the young boy was a lot smarter than he appeared, but decided to go along anyway. He was just too cute.

Kaname walked up to Hunny and went on her knees. She gently placed a hand on his head, and patted it. "It will be okay Hunny," she smiled to reassure the boy. "Where did you put it last?"

Hunny sniffled as Mori came and put on his foot. The small boy instantly bounced up with joy. He skipped away with Mori by his side.

Haruhi who was observing the scene snuck away. "How does everyone cry so easily?"

"I agree Haruhi," Haruhi looked to her left and saw her childhood friend beside her. "This isn't natural. Something seems... off."

Haruhi then bumped into Hikaru and he dropped his eye drops. The two female Host stared intently at the eye drops. They both muttered together so this is how.

The twins came up behind the two. Kaoru spoke first, "Let me say this, eye drops are common practice in the Host Club."

"Woman are suckers for tearful eyes."

"That's cheap," retorted Haruhi.

"Hey aren't we woman. Who says we like tears," demanded Kagome.

Hikaru wrapped an arm around Haruhi and said, "Don't be so strict."

Kaoru did the same only to Kagome, "Besides you're cross dressing, I don't think you can be considered normal."

"It wasn't my choice," muttered Kagome. Kaoru either didn't hear or ignored her.

"That reminds me," Kaoru reached into his Kimono, and handed Kagome a small sweet.

Kagome was taken back, "You're... given this... to me?"

"Aw how cute."

"Kaname do you like sweets?" Two girls floated to Kagome with hearts in their eyes, and around their heads.

Kagome nodded, I do, but in smaller quantities. I don't like to eat too much, but I was thinking of putting this on Rin's grave. He loved sweets." Kinda like Inuyasha and ramen Kagome thought afterwards.

Kagome's former kouhai asked, "Was that your brother's name?"

The black head shook her head, "iie, his name is Souta. Rin was a special friend I use to travel with. In some ways she was like a sister or a daughter. she had a hard life when she was little. Me and some friends helped her." Kagome couldn't help but smile at the memory.

While many admired her Haruhi was thinking something different. "What have you been doing senpai. From when I last saw you in grade five and now. It is almost like two different people. Something must have happened for you to become like this. Yo try to act the same but something... something seems different," thought the brown hair cross dresser.

Tamaki seeing Kagome's peaceful, happy face intervene wanting some of the glory and attention from the girl in disguise. "Oh how noble of you," the blond appeared before Kagome. He leaned close to her face as he continued, and the other members watch from the side. "That filial piety of yours is wonderful too." Tamaki suddenly started staking more candy in Kagome's hands while keeping his face inches from hers. "Take as many as you want."

"Are those tears fake too" Kagome said leaving the part out where she didn't need that much candy.

"What are you saying? My tears are always true and authentic. A true Host can always shed a tear without resorting to eye drops. What do you think? Impressed? Fall for me again." The other Hosts looked away clearly bored. Haruhi didn't change positions though; she was still lost in thought.

"You can say that all you want, but those tears are still fake. Your eyes don't show the same emotions as you act."

Tamaki was about to say something back when he stopped half way in realization. He then asked something else than he originally planned, "You were looking in my eyes?" Tamaki stepped back blushing. He used a hand to try and hide it but his entire face was red. As he stepped back he slipped on a banana and fell on his butt.

"Of course, where else would I look? Your feet? I mean really?" Kagome stopped when she saw a girl hiding behind a pillar. Everyone else saw and called her out.

The twins, then Tamaki was trying to dazzle the girl. Just before Tamaki grasped her chin Kagome said, "If you get closer, she is going to scream." Apparently she was the only one that either saw or cared for her discomfort.

Tamaki ignored the comment, not believing for it to be true, but as Kagome said the unknown girl screamed. "No don't touch me, you phoney! Yes, you are a phoney!" she said pointing at Tamaki. "I won't believe that you are the prince of this Host Club. A prince does not spread his love so easily. Why do you look so much like a fool? It's just like your a dumb narcissist! Incompetent! Commoner! The Worst!"

"I agree, but wasn't that a bit too harsh?" Kagome rhetorically asked.

Kyoya had his hand on his chin while the other held his waist. "Could you... be?"

Next thing the Club knew was the unknown girl was hugging Kyoya calling his name. Stepping on Tamaki on the way. "I wanted to see you so dearly. The prince just for me." she said calmer.

Kagome walked over to Tamaki and offered him a hand. He gladly accepted it, and she helped him to his feet.

Later after the guests have left they were all gathered in an area with the girl.

"Fiancée? Kyoya's?"

"Yes, my name is Renge Houshakuji. I shall be transferring to class 1-A tomorrow."

Meanwhile Tamaki was hugging his legs as he was once again facing a wall away from everyone. He was upset that Mommy his a secret from Daddy.

Kagome was being the sympathetic one and went over to his corner. "Come on Tamaki. 'Mommy' didn't really lie to you. He doesn't have a fiancée, and isn't looking for one. He is too caught up in his company." Tamaki jumped up asking really? Over and over again.

"And how may I ask, do yo know that?"

"Well you just did ask..." that made the twins snicked and Kyoya slightly irritated. "... and because Sir trickser took the liberty of looking into the background of each one of my friends."

Tamaki went down on his knees and started crying, "So you really do think of us as your friends? Daddy is so happy!"

"Of course we are."

As Renge gave her explanation, most freaked that she was an otaku.

Kyoya was sitting solely on the couch analyzing the events. He was not surprised to Renge's actions but is irritated with Kagome. Kyoya also finds it to be one of the reasons that he is attracted to her although he would never admit it. Kyoya doesn't like to be left in the dark when it comes to knowledge. A fact Kagome is well aware of but keeps to herself. She already had Shippoe to snoop into her everything. She doesn't need another.

"As Kaname said," remember Renge was there, "I am not her fiancée. Actually this is the first time I am even meeting her.

Renge was now sitting next to her 'love' as she says, "According to my report, Kyoya-sama, you manage every aspect of this club right? The boss, that is so fitting for you. My dream has always been to be the mascot girl for a store. I have decided, I will become the Host Club's manager.

Renge left and came back later with hand made cookies. She wouldn't let Tamaki have one though. "They got burnt a little but I knew what you would say: Anything that you made must be delicious. Oh that's so nice of you."

When Hunny insulted the cookies Renge turned Medusa and chased after him.

Kagome and Haruhi both decided to try one.

"Not too bad."

"If they weren't slightly burnt they would be really good."

The twins glanced at each other and had mishevious grins. Hikaru went to Haruhi and bit the cookie in her mouth so that he would get half. Tamaki rose with anger and irritation. When Kaoru got to Kagome she had already finished the cookie but had a crumb on her cheek. He decided to lick it off. Tamaki then blew up. The pointed at the twins with anger, but he couldn't spit anything out of his mouth.

Kagome wondered if Tamaki will ever learn that they do things purposely to tease him, and that they weren't really bad people. It reminded her of Shippo's and Inuyasha's interactions.

Once everyone was paying attention to Tamaki, Kaoru suddenly froze and his body was completely blushing as he thought of what he just did. He shook it off before anyone could see. That is except Kyoya who was now either interested or furious.

"Not good enough," said Renge who had been oddly quiet for a while. Other than Kyoya-sama, and I guess Kaname-kun, your characters are all not good enough. The rest of you lack a shadowy side. As the manager I will set anew set of characters."

Mitsukuni is suppose to have a vicious fiend inside.

Takashi is an underling and a childhood friend.

The twins are basketball players that close themselves off in their own world.

Haruhi is a bookworm but is also being bullied.

Tamaki has a complex and is lonely.

Kaname is kind, can be blunt, but can be harsh when the situation calls for it. Honorable, but doesn't tell others much about his personal life, and in that aspect mysterious because of it. These are the reasons Renge doesn't want her to change. She doesn't know what to change.

Kyoya was told he was already perfect.

Tamaki decided he liked it, and wanted to get in role. Because of Tamaki and Kyoya everyone ended up acting while Renge hired people to record.

Kagome was watching from the side in anger. She was making her friends look like fools. They were being used.

As they had a cut Tamaki ran over to Kagome and asked, "How was my acting?" He fixed his tie. He had taken off his jacket earlier and was now just wearing the white shirt beneath.

"It was amazing actually. You really got into it."

"I simply discovered a new side of me. It might not be a bad idea to go this path." Tamaki started to dry his hair with a towel.

"That is the one thing I don't want to hear Tamaki. You are fine just the way you are, all of you are. You don't need to change." Kagome turned to face the side.

Tamaki looked down a bit so that the towel covered his eyes. Beneath, Tamaki's eyes had soften and lightly flushed across his cheeks. He kept poking his index fingers together. In Tamaki's mind "She says I am great the way I am, I don't need to change. Aww, she is soo Kawaii!"

Kagome was however thinking, "It is dumb to change yourself. They might be energetic and far out sometimes, but that is who they are. That is why they are good for Haruhi and me to be around. They just make you forget about everything else."

All of the sudden Tamaki and Kagome heard a scream. As they followed the scream they saw Haruhi holding onto herself of the ground.

"Haruhi" Kagome didn't waste a moment as she arrived by her friend's side. Kagome moved a hand up and down her back. Haruhi slightly twitched, but that was all. Kagome sighed in relief. "You hit whatever pretty hard. It may bruise, but nothing more. It isn't serious."

Haruhi was curious as to how she knew but let it be.

Meanwhile Tamaki had taken control and scared the two male students that were there off.

Kyoya rejected Renge. He made videos for their guest minus the fighting scenes. Sold them to guest, and Renge came attached to Haruhi.

In the club room Kagome was smiling as she looked at everyone.

"Yes, this could be good for us. Maybe they will be my cure."

Kagome goes to join the others.