Chapter Ten

Chikako hadn't been to club in weeks. The only times any of the hosts saw her were during class, which only she, Haruhi, and the twins shared, and in the library for tutoring. Haruhi, by request, gave Kyoya a filtered report on how she was doing and why she didn't want to come back to the Host Club.

"She's embarrassed because of what happened at the ball," Haruhi explained as she prepared the club's specialty drink—instant coffee.

"She's so dramatic," Kyoya growled, sounding exhausted. "My father and mother are both equally enraged that I am not taking enough…initiative."

"What do you mean?" Kaoru mumbled, snacking on some crackers while Hikaru sipped his own cup of coffee.

"She isn't speaking with me," Kyoya admitted. He sighed, leaning against the counter and looked around the room. He slowly took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, obviously angry. "She's very… difficult to deal with."

Hikaru snorted. "She's a sixteen year old aristocratic fashion model whose lived all over the world, is an only child, and has recently developed the first rebellious bone in her body."

Kaoru smirked. "Did you expect something less?"

Kyoya stood up straight and straightened his uniform. "Except her rebellion is more like a chronic disease monopolizing her body that she has no cure for."

Haruhi lightly blew on the steam looming over the teacups and pursed her lips. "I don't think she knows what to do yet."

Tamaki, who had been listening from the other room while changing, came out, and adjusted his tie. "What do you mean? She should marry Kyoya and live happily ever after."

Haruhi shook her head. "It isn't that easy for her. Something's holding her back, but she doesn't want to talk about it. Personally, I think she just gets a thrill from making people's lives difficult sometimes." She glanced at the twins from the corner of her eye and grumbled, "Reminds me of two somebodies I know…"

They winked at her, flirtatiously.

"Well, either way, it's a shame she's missing the fun outfits and cosplay!" Honey pouted, hugging Usa-chan, his favorite stuffed rabbit. "She never saw Kyo-chan dressed as a samurai or policeman!"

Hikaru and Kaoru chuckled. "She definitely would have given into the idea of marrying Kyoya-sempai if she had seen that!"

Kyoya narrowed her eyes. "Then I guess it's a blessing she hasn't come, I suppose." He turned to Haruhi and scrutinized her.

She stared back at him, nervously. "What?"

"Chikako has taken a noticeable shine to you, correct?"

It was like he was adding up every stepping stone that would lead to his latest goal: Chikako's acceptance. Not her affection or love, simply her surrender to marriage. "We're friends," Haruhi answered, hiding her defensive tone with an indifferent shrug. She felt an odd sensation of protection toward Chikako.

"No, you're best friends!" Honey exclaimed.

"Could you convince her to come back?" Tamaki wondered aloud.

Haruhi sighed. "I doubt anyone can convince her of anything."

"You don't have to make her do anything she doesn't want to, but tell her I am sincerely sorry and I politely request her presence. Perhaps, if being a client sincerely bothers her, she could assist Renge," Kyoya mused.

The clock chimed signally the start of club. Haruhi nodded as the girls began to file in, all smiles. The hosts turned on the charm and Haruhi leaned toward Kyoya. "I'll tell her, but that's all I can do. Like I said, I can't force her."

He shook his head. "I never asked you to." There was a pause and Kyoya turned toward her and smiled. "Thank you, Haruhi."

The amount of charm in the room was intoxicating. Haruhi rolled her eyes, grabbed the tray of coffees, and retreated to her regular table. She grinned at the girls. "Welcome, ladies."

Chikako waited for Haruhi outside of the club room with her school bag clutched to her chest. Around this time, the boys would have been changing out of their club attire. They were taking longer than usual, though, and Chikako had planned to kidnap Haruhi for a girls night out. Finally, when she couldn't wait any longer, she burst through the door. The music room was empty, just as Chikako had predicted, and she could hear bustling from the room next door. She quietly walked in and blinked at the openness. She had never seen the room this empty and void of its usually extravagance before.

Suddenly, there came a rumbling from under her feet. She jumped. An earthquake? And then, right there in the middle of the music room, a platform rose out of the floor in a spiraling motion with a young girl dressed in the Ouran uniform sat on a chair, sipping something from a tea cup. Her legs were crossed and as she placed her cup back in its saucer, she smiled at Chikako. "I know why you young beautiful girls come here. It's for the same reason as myself, I'm sure: to see these handsome, charming, courageous boys and their homosexual tendencies. You come for the moe, right? Ah! I do too, but the moe hour has struck and is up. Time to turn into a pumpkin! Club is over, young lady, but if you don't want to miss it again, I would suggest you come tomorrow right after school"

Chikako gawked unbelievably at the platform and tried to straighten out her disposition. "I-I'm not here for…" she cleared her throat. "Who are you?"

The girl tossed the cup and its saucer behind her and jumped from the platform, laughing. Chikako swore the laugh was robust enough to be comically maniacal. "I'm Renge, the Lady Manager of the Ouran High School Host Club! My, aren't you pretty, but so unfamiliar! Are you new? I know you from my class, I swear, but I'll be damned if I pay attention! Ah, ha, ha, ha!"

Chikako blinked. "Um, I'm Chikako Akiyoshi." She paused and a charming smile eased its way onto her confused face. "Oh, yes, Renge, I know you. Your father is a business associate to my father's corporation in medical supplies. You and I are in the same class, I think. With the Hitachiin twins and Haruhi, correct?"

Renge gasped, girlishly. "You know Haruhi?"

Chikako grinned and nodded, careful not to associate Haruhi's name with gender-type pronouns, just in case Renge didn't know. "Yes, I do. I've come here before, but Haruhi tutors me after school sometimes. You were right, I am new to the school. I moved here from the United Kingdom around springtime and Haruhi helped me catch up in my Japanese studies."

Renge grinned. "Oh my gosh, I am so jealous!" she squealed as she launched herself onto Chikako in a hug. "I'm a Haruhi fan, myself, and you do not know what I would give to be tutored by him! What any girl would give!"

Him. She doesn't know. Chikako chuckled as she was released from Renge's grip. "You spend every afternoon with him, anyways, right?"

Renge nodded. "True, true, but not one-on-one action like you! Oooh, am I jealous! But, it's all right, I can share," she added, with a wink.

Chikako smiled at her. "Glad to hear it. I haven't met very many people who can."

Renge gasped. "Oh no, have some of the clients been mean to you?"

Chikako smiled, weakly. "Oh no, it isn't that, I just sense some vague hostility sometimes, that's all," she lied.

"Well!" Renge grabbed Chikako's hands and brought them up in front of her face, looking her in the eye with a determined grin. "We'll just have to change that! I'll be your first girl-friend here at Ouran! How 'bout it?"

Chikako blinked in surprise. Why was this girl so nice to her? What did she do to deserve such kindness? Smiling again, she was always smiling it seemed, she said, "I would love a friend."

"Perfect!" Renge giggled. "So, why were you here in the first place?"

"Uh, well, I needed…help on something from Haruhi for school. I knew I could find him in here, so…"

"I got 'cha," Renge answered with a wink. "Well, Haruhi is changing along with the other hosts, but they're taking longer than usual."

"I noticed," Chikako said, looking over toward the changing room door.

"Wait a second…Akiyoshi?" Renge asked, curiously.

Chikako nodded, looking back at her new friend, confused. After all, if this girl didn't know Haruhi's secret, there was no way she knew Chikako's and Kyoya's. "Yes. Perhaps you know the name because of my mother. She's a popular novelist and fashion designer. Mitzu's How-To's?"

Renge gawked. "Oh my god, yes! I love that book! You're the face of Mitzu Designs, aren't you?"

Chikako nodded, politely. "Yes, I'm flattered that you recognize me in that way."

Renge shrugged. "What can I say? I have an eye!" They laughed and Renge continued, "But actually, I recognized your name from Kyoya's notebook."

"His notebook?"

"Yeah. When he's getting changed, he leaves it out in the open and I took a peak yesterday—I mean, I am the club's co-manager! I should know!—Anyhow, I saw your name in there and, here you are! Any idea why your name was in there?" Renge asked, tilting her head slightly with curiosity.

Chikao, lying again, smiled and shrugged, innocently. "No idea, but I'm curious as well."

Suddenly the dressing room door opened and the boys began to file out. At the sight of Chikako, Honey jumped from Mori's shoulders and raced over to her to give her a big hug. "Kako-chan!" he exclaimed.

Chikako giggled. "Hi Honey. Is Haruhi in there?"

Honey nodded. "Uh-huh!"

Renge walked over to her platform again, jumped up, and sat back in her seat. She smiled at Chikako from above. "It was great meeting you and I hope you come to the club more often. I can't wait! We'll be great friends! Good bye Kako-chan!" She yanked a lever and the platform spun down under the floor, Renge laughing robustly again.

Chikako sighed. This place was crazy, she was quite sure. She shook her head, chuckling to herself.

"Are you here for Kyo-chan?" Honey asked, with a big grin on his face.

Chikako looked down at him. "I told you silly, I'm here for Haruhi. We're spending the day together," Chikako said with a smile.

"We are?" Haruhi asked, walking out into the music room with her bag in hand.

Chikako grinned. "Yup! You ready?" She yanked on Haruhi's hand, excitedly.

"Hey, wait, I don't remember ever agreeing to this!" Haruhi exclaimed as Chikako pulled her toward the door. "What if my dad needs-?"

"Oh don't worry about him, we already talked about this. He's great, by the way, and I love his fashion sense! Ugh, so adorable! He and I are going to be terrific friends, I'm sure," Chikako gushed.

Haruhi yanked her hand free and sighed. "You're almost worse than Kyoya, I swear, calling up my dad and becoming his best friend…"

Chikako paused by the door as Haruhi straightened her uniform out. She lowered her voice so only Haruhi could hear her. "I'm sorry to whisk you away like this, but I just…"

"Wanted to escape Kyoya?" Haruhi guessed. She gave her a weak smirk.

Chikako nodded and grinned back. "Now, let's go shopping!"

"Shopping?" the twins echoed in surprise as they wandered out. They frowned at Haruhi. "You never let us take you shopping!"

Chikako smirked, smugly at them. "She probably doesn't like you the way she does me."

The twins gawked in dramatic terror and theatrically tears dripped down their cheeks. "Is that true, Haruhi? Do you hate us? Do you really like Chikako more?"

"When did I ever say that?" Haruhi deadpanned. "Don't be so sensitive.

"Haruhi hates us! Haruhi's so mean!" the twins sobbed.

Haruhi waved hands in the air. "Geez, give it a rest! I don't hate you! When did I-?"

"Let's go, Haruhi-chan," Chikako teased.

"WHY DOES SHE GET TO USE –CHAN?" the twins whined.

"Wha-? Are you for real?" Haruhi sighed, exasperated. "I give up."

Chikako giggled at her friend who had sunk to the ground on her knees.

"Causing trouble again, Chikako?"

She glanced over to see Kyoya with a weak, forced smile on his face, bag slung over his shoulder, casually. Her eyes lingered on the black notebook in his hand, remembering what Renge had said. Chikako was in that book, enough for someone like Renge to notice. She wondered what that meant. Probably that she was becoming the math problem that Kyoya couldn't solve without a calculator. She refused to give him one, though.

Her smile dimmed a bit, sobering her polite expression. "Good afternoon, Kyoya. I'm sorry for the disruption, but Haruhi and I have a previous engagement."

"Shopping," Kyoya said. "Yes I heard. Tell Ranka I said hello, Haruhi."

Haruhi looked up, slowly rising to her feet. "Huh? Oh, uh, yeah sure thing."

Chikako took Haruhi's hand and dragged her out of the clubroom before Kyoya could get another word in. She didn't care if it was rude or inappropriate. She didn't like the feeling that Kyoya always knew more than she did, was always one step ahead of her. She fled the school and practically tossed her friend into the limo, the whole while Haruhi was whining about how she didn't want to go shopping.