"Hikaru, Kouru. Where has Tamaki gotten to? And Haruhi, she's not here either."
"Don't ask us Kyouya, we haven't seen them since when you joined is in the entrance hall."
"Hm. Koshiba-san is missing too..." Kyouya looked across the finely polished table; nine people looked up at him. "Ah well, we may as well continue without them. They can catch up later. Firstly-" and here Kyouya addressed the scissors project. "I would like to officially welcome you to Ouran Academy. What we have planned for tomorrow and Wednesday is simply time for you to become properly acquainted with us, the host club and to practice your skills on a few of our volunteers after school hours. Of course, the girls we have asked to help us are those who cannot join us at the host club on Thursday. As well as this, you shall be staying at Tamaki's second mansion. I am aware that most of you know this; however I thought I should just confirm it none the less. Any questions?"
"Yes, Otori-san." Ochiai nodded. He was sat to the right of Kyouya. "You've told us what we'll be doing after school hours, but what about when the seven of you are attending classes?"
"That, Ochiai-san, is entirely up to you. You can join us in our classes as our guests or you may remain at the mansion or go sightseeing, provided that you return to Ouran in time for club activities." Kyouya said eloquently then turned his head back to his laptop. Ochiai smiled and nodded in agreement, then leant back in his chair. Kyouya Otori had planned absolutely everything. Perhaps this would give Kazuhiko some time to relax?
"Perhaps we should send someone to find our AWOLs?" Kyouya looked up again.
"I'll go." Narumi stood up and walked to the door, saying not another word.
"Hey, Kyo-chan?" Honey asked from behind a large cream filled cake. "Don't you think we should've sent someone who knows their way around a little better?"
*
As Narumi walked though the now deserted school, he absorbed every bit of its architecture. Even the smallest corridors had a sort of elegance to them that he felt he couldn't really express. Sure, he was from a wealthy family, but nothing like this. And even though the Narumi family could afford to send him to a place like this, they certainly didn't flaunt their money about in the way that those that went to Ouran seemed to do. After ten minutes of walking through deserted corridors and up and down empty staircases, Narumi found himself looking out of a window and across the schools extensive grounds. There was a pond and fountain in the gardens beneath where he stood looking out, that moved onto a rose garden with tall maze like bushes and out eventually into open fields.
While he stood gazing, three people walked out of the school and around the pond. One tall and golden haired, one brunette and someone with a red cap... Suddenly Narumi remembered what he was supposed to be doing. He dashed down the stairs, keeping to the back of the school and managed to find his way to the grand doors that lead the way into the grounds. As he neared the doors, Haruhi and Tamaki came through them, chatting contentedly. They jumped at the sight of him.
"Oh! Narumi-san! Is the club waiting for us?" Haruhi asked, blushing. Had Narumi walked in on a private conversation, he wondered.
"Yeh, they're all in the clubroom waiting for the three of you. Where's mussy- I mean, Koshiba?"
"She's just admiring the gardens." Tamaki smiled. "It nice to see how much one rose can liven up another's day."
"huh?" Narumi was clueless to Tamaki's metaphors.
"Never mind, Narumi-san, just carry on down the first path and you'll find her. We'll meet you back at the club room." Narumi thanked them and hurried past them into the sunlight.
Although it was late afternoon, the sun still blazed as hot as it had at midday. Narumi found Kiri lying on the grass to the right of one of the paths leading through the intricate rose garden. She was lying with her arms folded back under her head, her cap was over her eyes. She looked as if she could have been asleep.
"Mussy-head!" No answer. "Hey, mussy-head! We're needed back at the clubroom." Still no answer. Narumi moved closer. "Are you asleep?" He sat beside her, thinking. He should wake her. The others were waiting and they had been for a while. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. He lifted her cap slowly away from her face so he could see her expression. Peaceful. Tranquil. He lifted the cap up to his face, about to try it on for himself, but as it passed his nose, a familiar scent made him stop and breathe in, just that little but deeper. It was a mixture between hairspray, that warm hair-dryer smell and...was it oranges? He held it under his face a little while longer, watching the snoozing Kiri.
"You really are something, huh mussy-head?"