Mischief mage: Argh. I am so slack slack slack slack. I'm sorry for the lateness of this update! I'm also sorry for those of you who thought that this subplot was going to be short. It's still just a subplot but it's going to take longer than i originally though. I shall also apologise in advance for some oddness in this chapter but then again some of you should be used to it now hehe

But aside from all that i hope you enjoy! Thank you for all your reviews!

'Hikaru, turn that flashlight off. Can't you see it's disconcerting our guests?'

There was a click as Hikaru grudgingly put the large torch in her hands away. As the unnatural light left the room, a number of dark hooded figures began to edge slowly from the murk of the Dark Magic Club room.

There was a gulp from Tamaki as the figures drew themselves to full height, incongruous in the gleaming room, Friday afternoon light pouring jauntily in through the windows.

'You have a prototype?' Kyouya asked, business like.

'Yes indeed, Kyouya-san' Nekozawa replied, slightly hesitantly, not entirely at ease with the dark haired girl before her. The rest of the Dark Magic Club, while they themselves had not been witness to the terror of the shadowy demon queen of the Host Club, had never seen their club leader so… spooked. They shrunk sideways into his shadow.

'This is our third prototype. It has shown promise in the preliminary stages of testing' Nekozawa went on, holding up a venom green pill.

'Indeed. What were you testing it on?'

'…'

'Out with it.'

'Cats.'

'Ah. I had guessed as much.'

The robed group gazed down at their feet, concealed by the black hems.

'We refuse to try this product without some evidence of safety for human usage. I recommend testing it further before bringing anything to us, perhaps on a human.'

In terms of use of word choice, Kyouya's statement was merely sensible and firm. In terms of her tone of voice, Nekozawa was tempted to throw caution to the winds and take the little green pill himself, just to escape the girl's gaze. Hikaru and Kaoru sighed openly, there went the chance for wearing pants to the next family function.

'Where's Satoshi when you need him? He would have been a willing test subject' Hikaru muttered, 'It was a joke, Takashi' she went on.

The black figures receded back into the darkness whence they came, but not before handing Kyouya one of the green pills.

'Right' Kyouya said handing out sheets of paper, laying the pill next to her laptop to send out for chemical analysis later on. 'Here are your designations.'

Kaoru scanned hers and of course there was Hiroki's name, nestled guiltily, second on the list. She didn't know how she was going to avoid Hikaru today. As expected, Hikaru had an empty slot after their first designation with that fool from the football club.

'Come on, Hikaru' she said, walking past, 'let's go get ready.'

Hikaru groaned but followed nonetheless, 'It's that airhead from the football club again. That guy is far too easy. I'm getting tired of it.'

'It's not so bad, surely? He lasted for quite a while last time considering his standards…'

'Meaning he got a nosebleed twenty minutes into the session rather than ten. Brilliant'

Kaoru thought for a moment.

'How about we liven it up a bit then?'

'Huh?'

'See how far we can push this guy before he breaks.'

'That's a bit cruel don't you think?'

'You have a problem with that?' Kaoru asked, but she knew what the answer was of course.

'Who me? Never. It should be an amusing game, short lived though.'

'Can't have everything I guess.'

As they collected the tea tray for the session, Kaoru spied Tamaki chasing a number of invading girls from Haruhi. The concocting twin looked down to the tray in her hands. Her eyes did another lap from Tamaki to the tea, taking a detour along the way to the little green pill.

'Good Afternoon, Hayato-kun'

The twins sat down on either side of the stocky boy; relatively uncommon as it separated the twins and partially restricted their act. As they did so, they also hitched their skirts to regulation height and straightened their shirts which each had one regulation button undone. This was already a step up from his usual treatment. Normally they played the 'Which one is Hikaru-chan' game for the whole time as it was one of the only activities that didn't give the jock nosebleeds.

The boy grinned chauvinistically but blushed nonetheless. It was bizarre that he kept coming back. Hadn't the humiliation of at least five public nosebleeds taught him anything? But that's hormones for you.

'Afternoon ladies.'

Kaoru's mind accelerated into a sprint, not so much racing as lapping the competition, spurred on by necessity. Talking points…talking points…talking points that would incapacitate a sixteen year old boy in a way that only girls could while remaining within host club guidelines. Renge and Kyouya had been very clear on that. The line between Hostess and…the other thing was like a length of nylon; damn near impossible to see but always there to trip up the unwary. So, removed from their discussion topics were: food stuffs, the night, showers or other cleanliness related activities, pale or white clothes, tools, guns, certain types of machinery, cars, uniforms and certain buildings. It has largely been a hit and miss compilation process as the twins explored multiple spring boards for the twin love act. A blood nose was okay while anything requiring a bucket of ice was sent straight to the 'Dangerous-innuendo' list.

Often the best thing to do was let whoever the guy was talk and then slot something in to whatever it was they seemed to be thinking about the most.

'So what exciting plans have you got lined up for this weekend?' Hikaru asked as usual, crossing one leg over the other.

'Not much. Just a bit of football practice, might go to captain's party or help the servants walk the dogs.'

Unnoticed by Hayato, Hikaru and Kaoru's flawless smiles turned briefly to grimaces. Parties were largely considered off limits as a conversation topic by common sense and the steamy changing room full of male bodies would only have worked in the Y age. That left them with dog walking.

'That's nice of you, helping out with the dogs.' Kaoru remarked sweetly.

'Most of them are mine anyway. I'm getting better at it but I can still only keep control of two or three of them at most.'

'Hmmm' went Hikaru, putting both hands behind her head, 'Kaoru and I have only taken a dog for a walk once and that was Antoinette.'

Kaoru grinned sincerely at the memory. During one of Tamaki's explore-the-commoner-way-of-life moods, he had roped the twins into walking his perpetually hyperactive dog. It was always easier to fabricate something from a real event.

'I remember that' Kaoru said, leaning forward to look across Hayato's lap at Hikaru, 'You were better at it than I was.'

Debatable.

Hikaru laughed.

'Yeah I was. I'll never forget when I gave you the lead and she tied you to the lamp post. It was impressive.'

Yes perhaps that had happened.

Kaoru frowned. 'It wasn't that funny. You didn't help me for ages and even when you did you couldn't untie me for a full ten minutes.'

Untrue.

'It was funny in a way. Besides, I just wanted to watch you squirm for a bit. I wasn't the only one who liked it. The only reason I did even tried to untie you because those random guys were staring.'

False.

Kaoru's eyes widened.

'You were…jealous?'

Hikaru grinned and reached a hand across Hayato's legs, taking Kaoru by the hand. Linked they rested on his lap. The boy gulped.

'Maybe I was' Hikaru conceded, 'But why not? There's something appealing about you when you're tied up. It was just as well as it wasn't windy.'

'It was windy remember? It was so embarrassing, stuck to a pole in the icy wind.'

'But I wiped away your tears didn't I?'

Kaoru grinned bashfully.

'Yes.'

'And I did untie you in the end?'

'Yes.'

'And I was the one tied up when we played again that night didn't I?'

About as real as the Easter Bunny. Don't tell Hunny i said that.

But that did it. It was too much. The twins pushed themselves off his lap but were not fast enough to miss the minor storm of blood issuing from Hayato's nose.

'Eurgh' Hikaru groaned, standing up and holding her blood sodden sleeve at arm's length.

Still bleeding, Hayato took a roll of toilet paper from Haruhi who had rushed to the bathroom as soon as he had seen the crimson seeping across the floor. The wretched boy pushed the whole roll to his nose and tipped his head back.

Suddenly, Kyouya was at their table. 'Hayato-kun, the twins will escort you to the nurse's office.'

She shot the bloody twins an equally blood-thirsty look that clearly said that they had better finish their designation in the nurse's office or else they would find a squadron of armed troops outside their house when they returned home.

'Right.'

Taking Hayato by the arm, Hikaru began to lead him towards the door.

'Coming Kaoru?'

Glancing back, she saw Kaoru rooted to the spot, staring at the blood on the ground.

'Kaoru?'

'I…feel a bit faint.'

Within seconds Hayato was standing alone and Hikaru was holding Kaoru's arm worriedly.

'Want to come and see the nurse?'

'No…it's okay. I'll just take…a lie down in the prep room. We don't have a designation after this so I should be fine…'

Hikaru still looked worried.

'I'll be back soon.'

'Nonono, it's okay. Take your time.'

Kaoru's sister blinked, confused.

'Go'

Hikaru stood up and, with one last look at Kaoru, she returned to Hayato, wondering how Kaoru could have developed a fear of blood when she had never had one before. She mentally noted it.

As the door closed, Kaoru stepped closer to Kyouya.

'If she comes back while I'm with Hiroki, could you stall her?' she asked quietly.

If anything, Kaoru was relieved, her original plan of spiking his drink with the prototype pill would have been messy…well…more messy. A fear of blood didn't take a very large stretch of imagination so she had only needed to lie about having a free slot.

However Kyouya looked at her and said very shortly, 'No.'

Kaoru felt a prick of fear, if Hikaru came back just as she was starting her designation…

'Why not?' she asked quietly.

Sighing Kyouya pushed her glasses up the ridge of her nose.

'Not that I care much about what happens between you and your sister, but you're walking a precarious line. If you fail in concealing this issue from your sister, we won't be able to market your sibling love act and thus we will lose customers. Also,' the dark haired girl's glasses flashed, 'I refuse to play any part in this pantomime and I advise you to end this drama quickly as the longer you spin it out the more tangled it will become and the more people that will be hurt. Would you like to be the sole reason for the dissolution of the Host Club?'

It felt as though a weight had been hung about Kaoru's neck.

'No…' she whispered.

Kyouya clicked her pen, 'Incidentally, your next customer is due soon. I recommend that you start your designation early and take your customer out of the room should your sister return.'

'…right'

Hanging her head, Kaoru turned from Kyouya and wandered over to where Haruhi was cleaning up the blood.

'Hey Haruhi,' she said sadly, sitting down on one of the chairs.

'Kaoru…'

They were silent for a moment.

'Kaoru, what are you playing at?'

'Oh, you overheard?'

Haruhi nodded.

Briefly, Kaoru outlined her dilemma, starting from Suda Hiroki's apparent infatuation and finishing with her most recent plot to put Hikaru out of harm's way. Haruhi looked up from what he was doing while she spoke, eyes widening. When she had finished, he opened his mouth to speak but Kaoru cut him off.

'Haruhi I know what you're thinking, that I should tell Hikaru. But please, she's my sister and I don't want to hurt her. Just let me work this out on my own. I won't ask you to lie for me, but just don't tell her…okay?'

The boy looked dubious, but nodded silently.

'Thanks.'

After changing her bloody shirt in the prep room, Kaoru wandered over in the direction of the music room door. She could drag Suda away to finish the designation elsewhere. It wasn't unheard of; Takashi's designations often took place outside. Her path was intercepted by one concerned Hunny.

'Kao-chan! Are you alright?'

Kaoru smiled meekly. She shouldn't be surprised. Hunny always seemed to know what was going on underneath. She shared that knack with Haruhi and Kyouya.

'I'm fine Hunny-senpai, I can sort this out.'

'But why do you need to do it alone?'

'The situation would already be hurtful to Hikaru as it is. To involve the rest of the club while keeping her out of the loop would be truly spiteful. My best option is to sort it out without her knowing.'

'Is it really that bad?' Hunny asked quietly.

Kaoru was silent for a moment. The senior could probably guess most of it but she didn't want to tell her exactly how bit this thing was. There was the jealousy, the panic Hikaru would feel that someone wholly unknown to her had invaded their world. And besides all that, Kaoru knew how Hikaru possessed Haruhi, she didn't want to know how her sister would react if it seemed like she, her twin, were straying from her grasp into that of Suda Hiroki, even if it were on a purely Hostess-customer basis.

So instead, she just said:

'Can you imagine how Hikaru would react if she found out that I was preferred over her?'

Hunny's eyes of the same named colour saddened. Perhaps it was from disappointment that Kaoru hadn't been entirely open with her.

'It's all for Hika again?'

Hunny's insight had succeeded again. Kaoru nodded.

'Did you ever think that maybe Hika-chan would rather that trusted her to understand what you're going through?'

Kaoru didn't answer. Instead, after a brief pause, she asked:

'Hunny-senpai, if Hikaru comes back, can you keep her from looking for me?'

Sighing, the small girl nodded.

'Thank you.' Kaoru began to continue to walk towards the door. Even without turning her head, she knew that Hunny was watching her go.