"This. Is. A. House!" The petite brunette stood on the walkway before the offending abode and hurled the comment at the man standing next to her through clenched teeth.

Kyoya adjusted his glasses and had the audacity to smirk at her. The rich, duplicitous, bastard! "As always, Haruhi, your powers of observation are unparalleled," he drawled.

She glared back with all her might. "A house, Kyoya-sempai. Not a nice little two bedroom apartment. A. House!"

"You're welcome?" he offered with a lift of his eyebrow.

"You were in my apartment in Sapporo," she stated while struggling to keep her tone reasonable, "You know that the entirety of my earthly goods consist of a kotatsu, two futons, a TV and stand, four boxes of personal belongings, and a butsudan. I need to pay for food and living expenses out of my salary. I don't have the money to decorate however many rooms are in…" She gestured inarticulately at the unprepossessing two-story building. "…THAT!"

A window on the top floor flew open and a tiny brown-haired head poked out. "Mama! Mama! Come look at my room! I have a bed and a desk and a TV and everything!"

"Did I mention it comes fully furnished?" Kyoya snarked. His face was the usual mask of cool politeness but now she was convinced the light in his eyes was amusement. "And it's four bedrooms plus a kitchen, living room, dining room, and family area."

Haruhi opened her mouth, words like 'controlling,' 'patronizing,' and 'insensitive' poised on her tongue ready to fly. Before she could let loose a single one the front door burst open and the twins walked out with arms piled high with fabric. Her eyes narrowed, was that her favorite sweater on top of the bundle Kaoru was carrying? And her brand new black skirt, the one she'd had to work an entire shift to pay for, underneath?

Just then Honey and Mori emerged from the side of the house after their inspection of the wall surrounding the property. Honey waved up at Daiki and cupped his hands up to his mouth. "Dai-chan, Takashi and I are hungry. Wanna go get some cake?"

Haruhi's breathing wheezed in and out of her nose, so loudly it echoed in her ears, and her fists clenched tightly until she felt her nails biting into her palms. Only Mori seemed to realize what was about to happen next. He took one look at her and gave Honey a gentle push that placed his cousin firmly behind him.

"I. HAVE. HAD. E. NOUGH!" Everyone froze in their spot. The legendary third demon of the Host Club had awoken.

Whirling on Honey, she glared at the former loli-shota quivering behind Mori. Crocodile tears shimmered in his eyes but she was past the point of caring. "Honey-sempai, cake is NOT an acceptable lunch for a child. They need a good meal with rice, protein, vegetables, and maybe some fruit for dessert. You're going to be a father soon. Grow the fuck up!"

Mori's eyes were wide as dinner plates with shock and he ineffectually patted at Honey's shoulders as the smaller man whimpered behind him.

"Hey, wait, does that mean Reiko's pregnant?" Hikaru whispered to his brother. Both twins paled when they realized the comment had attracted the demon's attention.

"You two!" Haruhi pointed her finger straight at them. "What the hell do you think you are doing with my clothes?"

"Ano… we're just… ano…" Hikaru stammered.

Kaoru swallowed and boldly threw himself on the sword. "We thought the movers had mixed in some items you meant to throw out."

"Yeah… we were just trying to be… ano…" Hikaru wilted under her continued glare. "…helpful?"

"Stop messing with other people's stuff! It may be rags to you but I worked hard to earn the money for those AND I actually LIKE them." She pressed her lips into a tight line and growled out, "Put. Them. Back."

"And you!" she exclaimed, whipping around to confront the man who had begun the chain reaction. "You just… just… Shut! Up! The minute you open your mouth you'll be telling me why this was the only option and I won't have any justification to be angry anymore. So right now you will just keep your damn mouth closed and let me be pissed!"

Haruhi's labored pants and thumping heartbeat sounded unnaturally loud in the silence that followed her tirade. Suddenly exhausted, she could only stand there staring at the ground and try to regain control of her temper.

The clang of the front gate jolted her and she swung around to see Reiko standing there with round, wide eyes and a slender hand pressed to her mouth. Slowly, Haruhi became aware of Honey sniffling softly and clutching Mori's shirt, Daiki half-hanging out the window and mouth gaping in a giant 'O', the twins clutching each other in fear, and Kyoya looking at her with his lips pressed together as if holding back a smile.

Kami! They'd done it to her again. She'd barely been back in Tokyo an hour and her life was already being thrown into chaos due to these aggravating, self-centered, and… and… Her shoulders relaxed and her irritation flew away. And utterly wonderful men. Men who'd taken a day off from work to come help her move. Men who were all taller and stronger than her yet were cowering in fright because they didn't like to make her upset. And the look on their faces... it was priceless! Her next breath came out as a strangled choke, then a cough, and a chortle, and finally a wheezing chuckle that had her doubled over.

"Haru-chan," Honey asked, tremulously moving out of Mori's shadow, "are… are you okay?"

She couldn't answer, just shake with silent mirth while clutching her stomach with one arm and flapped her other in an ineffectual signal that she was okay.

Honey turned wide, fearful eyes on the man next to her who was struggling to hold back his own laughter. "Kyo-chan… did we break her?"

With that, her giggles burst out of her lungs and turned into peals of laughter. When she was able to get a hold of herself, she straightened up. "I'm fine Honey-sempai." She wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes and looked around. Seven pairs of eyes stared back at her as if she'd grown a second head. "It's just… good to be home."

Predictably, that declaration was followed by a chorused "Awww…" and three pairs of arms wrapped around her waist and shoulders. A few seconds later a tiny body slammed into her and equally small arms wound around her knees. She bore the invasion of her personal space as long as she could before shaking them off.

She peered at her most innocent friend with regret and reached up to ruffle his blonde hair. "Honey-sempai, I'm sorry I revealed your secret."

He gave her anther impulsive hug and chirped, "It's alright, Haru-chan, we were going to announce it tonight anyway."

"You can take Dai-chan to lunch," she said and watched his eyes light up, "but only if you get him something healthy and no more than a small piece of cake."

"Do not worry, Haruhi-chan," Reiko replied sonorously and glided up to stand next to her husband. "I will ensure that both of the small ones eat plenty of vegetables and limit their indulgence."

Honey's face fell and his lower lip quivered. "Awww, Rei-chan…"

"Anata, you must practice setting a good example," she admonished, lifting her hand to rub her abdomen lightly in reminder.

Honey grasped both her hands in his and pulled her in close. She tilted her head down and pressed her forehead against his in a familiar, intimate manner. "Would that make my Rei-chan happy?" he purred, lifting one of his hands to cup her cheek.

The black-haired woman blushed bright red and nodded shyly.

"Then I'll eat whatever you want me too." A slow smile spread across her husband's face, adding ten years to his apparent age. "It's my job to keep my little Okaa-chan happy, ne?" He dropped his hand from her face but continued to hold her hand in a firm grip. "C'mon Dai-chan, let's go eat. Afterwards maybe we can find a park!"

Daiki gave a cheer and ran up to grab Honey's other hand. "Don't worry, Haru-chan," Honey called as the three of them plus Mori headed out the front gate, "We'll be back in time for tonight."

Haruhi waved them off and turned to deal with the twins next. They were trying to surreptitiously pick up the clothes they'd dropped on ground after running to hug her earlier. Something niggled at the back of her brain but she couldn't quite put her finger on the source of unease so she set it aside. "Hikaru, Kaoru – put my stuff back where you found it. And clean them off!"

She almost laughed again at the mix of disappointment and disgust on their faces as they headed back towards the door, feet dragging behind them and she called out after them, "But, if you can behave I'll let you help me pick out some clothes to wear for my internship."

Their faces sparkled like two little kids on Christmas day and Kaoru shoved his bundle into Hikaru's arms and leapt to embrace her. "Really? And you won't complain?"

"No promises!" She wiggled out of his grasp. "Nothing weird! And I'm paying for it so we need to stay within my budget."

"I'll take it!" He ran back and pulled some items from his brother's overburdened arms, calling out over his shoulder, "Even on a commoner's budget I can make you the best-dressed intern in the company." The twins disappeared back into the house, heads together and whispering frantically. As the door swung shut behind them she heard words like 'sheath,' 'A-line,' and 'crepe' being passed between them and she shivered.

Distractions cleared, she crossed her arms and fixed the real source of her irritation with a withering glare. The controlling, patronizing, insensitive, rich bastard just lifted one eyebrow at her in response. His eyes glittered behind his glasses with bemusement and her palms itched to slap that look off his face. Instead, she took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before releasing both it and the remaining tension in her shoulders. "Okay, Sempai, go ahead and tell me why I can't be upset about this."

The incongruously labeled 'cool' host's shoulders shook slightly with a repressed chuckle, but he didn't let a hint of condescension color his tone, "I did consider your requirements, but believed this would suit your needs better." His amusement faded and he gave a small, almost apologetic smile. "I don't know if you've fully grasped your position now, Haruhi. For the next few days you can luxuriate in your anonymity but school begins Wednesday and by the following week certain sectors of Tokyo society will be buzzing with the news that Daiki-kun is the only grandson of one of the richest men in Japan. Not all of these sectors will react to the news in a civilized manner."

Haruhi's eyes widened as she quickly grasped the implications behind his words. "This is about security."

"An apartment like the one you grew up in, with an external facing entry, is simply too vulnerable to intruders." With one finger he pushed his glasses and tilted his head towards the light from the sky up to shield his eyes, a trick she'd long ago learnt meant he was trying to veil some emotion he'd never admit to. Usually it was anger, but she didn't sense any of that now. "I know it isn't what you wanted, but your and Daiki-kun's safety is simply not something I am willing to put at risk."

"I can understand that, but there are plenty of different types of apartment buildings in Tokyo."

He tilted his head forward and she once again saw grey eyes that appeared to contain nothing but cool assessment. "The only acceptable ones would be those with secured, fully-manned entries - sky rises in busy areas where your neighbors would be trust-fund children and childless couples. And due to the crowds, every time you went outside you'd be exposed, which would mean bodyguards." He turned his head away from her and said quietly, "I grew up surrounded by guards. I didn't think it was something you would wish for. Not with you being used to more freedom and independence."

She could already feel her attitude softening, turning to sympathy as he reminded her of his restrictive upbringing. The realization irritated her. For someone who never seemed to have any emotions he certainly knew how to manipulate hers.

"Under the circumstances, I thought you would prefer something like this." He swept his arm in a half-circle encompassing both the house and the neighborhood. "This neighborhood is mostly single homes for upper-class families, many of whom send their children to Ouran or similar private schools. Here, you can almost live what you'd consider a normal life. There are parks, grocery stores, locally owned restaurants and shops, and an extremely well-trained private police force who keeps a watchful eye on both people and property."

"Private police force?" Haruhi couldn't control her skepticism at how convenient that arrangement was. "It wouldn't happen to have any connection to the Black Onion Squad would it?"

"There may be some ties between the two. My father has assured me that there is absolutely no relation between that and the fact that Fuyumi lives in this neighborhood. " Kyoya's eyes twinkled almost merrily as if inviting her to share a secret joke. "She's only a couple blocks away from here and her eldest son, Takeru-kun, turned five this past September. He and Daiki-kun will both be in Kindergarten class A."

Pinching the bridge of her nose in annoyance, Haruhi let her breath out in a huff. As predicted, his reasoning made it impossible to hold onto her anger. Kami, that was infuriating. "I can understand the choice of neighborhood, Sempai, but really – four bedrooms? I don't need that much space."

"Two for you and Daiki-kun, one you could use as either a guest room or additional play space, and the downstairs one would make a perfect study room. I understand study groups can be a key to success in law school. Meeting at your home would be more convenient for you than at a library late at night."

Of course he had an answer for everything. Always covering all the angles - the closest 'safe' approximation he could find to her middle-class upbringing, a ready-made friend for Daiki in the complicated halls of Ouran, and the ability to spend as much time at home as possible. Haruhi took a mental step back and surveyed her new home with fresh eyes. The exterior wasn't fancy or elaborate, in truth it resembled a typical suburban home you could find anywhere in Japan. Only the location, barely thirty minutes from the hustle and bustle of Shibuya made it anything out of the ordinary.

Well, that and the over six-foot high fence with iron spikes and cameras mounted on the walls.

If you remembered this was the heart of Tokyo then the women pushing designer strollers through the tree-lined streets and the complete lack of skyscrapers or buildings with tiny apartments would also signal that there was something different about this place. But, to be fair, if she needed to live somewhere that was secure for Daiki's sake then she could have done worse.

"Damn it." She shook her head ruefully. "I knew you'd talk your way out of it."

Kyoya started to smile – more of a gloat really, but she held up her hand to stop whatever he would say. "But, I am angry that you decided this on your own. Do you think I'm stupid? Or a child?" Her voice this time was laced with something deeper than the fury she'd let explode earlier and Kyoya's body flinched with each question she hurled at him. "Do you believe I'm irrational? Or someone lacking in common sense? Do you really think for one minute that I wouldn't put my son's safety before my own preferences? This is my child, Kyoya-sempai, my life. I am the one who gets to make these decisions."

He blinked rapidly, processing the transformation she'd undergone. Haruhi's typical anger at the Host Club's antics was cute. Almost endearing, really, like watching a small, furry animal scold a group of larger predators. It was why they all enjoyed winding her up so much. Haruhi enraged? That was something else entirely and he felt his heart plummet. He'd crossed a line with her, one he wasn't aware was there. One he had to step back from and set his own boundary around if he ever hoped for her to fully trust him. To care for him.

"You're right," he admitted. He nearly ruined the apology by laughing at her stunned expression. He knew, even if few others did, just how many mistakes he made. But both of them were aware of just how rare it was for him to admit it.

Haruhi could feel her mouth gaping open like a fish as Kyoya bowed his head – stiffly and somewhat awkwardly, but lower than she'd ever seen him do outside of a former greeting. "I'm sorry," he continued. She strained to find any hit of mocking but found nothing but sincerity. "Not consulting you about this was inconsiderate of me and demeaning towards you." He raised unguarded grey eyes to hers, ensnaring her with the brief glimpse of genuine regret. "You can be stubborn and are often heedless of your own safety, but I should have trusted more in your mother's instinct."

Haruhi felt herself reel, slightly dizzy with a sense of disorientation. Kyoya had always been so reserved but she had thought she understood him. Or at least understood him better than most people. She thought she had successfully peered beneath his façade but all it took was a simple apology, a hint of vulnerability, and her certainty was overturned. The man before her had depths and sides to him she doubted anyone had ever seen and it forced her to look at him as if he were a stranger.

"Don't… don't do it again," she stammered.

"I won't." Kyoya snapped back upright and he was once again the person she expected him to be. Nothing in his demeanor suggested that flash of something else, something different, had ever existed. "I never make the same mistake twice."

"I didn't think you made any. Or at least I never thought I'd see the day you admitted it," she teased, trying to lighten the strange mood that had come over her. She couldn't help the disquieting feeling that all along he'd been hiding pieces of himself from everyone. From her.

"People change," he replied in a light, playful tone to match hers. "I never thought I'd see the day you'd agree to let the twins take you shopping."

"Ah… for that you can blame my favorite professor at university. She was amazing – became a lawyer back in the eighties when there were almost no female attorneys." Haruhi threw herself into telling the story in order to overcome her lingering sense of something having changed between them. "Every semester she'd invite all the female law and pre-law students to her house for a get together where she'd mentor us on the things they don't teach you. Her favorite lecture was on the importance of appearance, especially for a woman. She'd say 'you need to look pretty and feminine so the jury will like you, neat and stylish so the judges and partners will respect you, and rich and successful so the clients will trust you.'"

"Pretty, stylish, and rich." Kyoya looked down at her, soaking in the way her eyes sparked with energy. The light spring breeze played with a piece of her hair and his fingers itched to catch it and tuck it back behind her ear. "You're already the first and I can't think of anyone better than the twins to find clothes that suit the second two criteria." His heart warmed at the faint blush that appeared on her cheeks from his compliment. As cute as she was when angry, she was even more appealing when flustered. Involuntarily, his hand began to rise to capture that bewitching lock dancing in the wind.

An upstairs window swished open, halting his movement, and a voice shouted down, "Haruhi, do you honestly like this sweater? Because it is hideous."

Without turning around, Haruhi answered, "Put it back, Kaoru. Every last piece." Over the top of her head, Kyoya locked eyes with a grinning Kaoru. Both of them knew the interruption was intentional. He narrowed his eyes menacingly, but Kaoru's smile only grew wider. With a mental sigh, he made a note to keep a closer watch on them. If the twins were being this aggressive, then Hikaru must have already committed himself to the chase.

"What about the skirt?" Kaoru called, unfazed by her irritation.

Haruhi turned around to see him holding up her new interview skirt. "What's wrong with the skirt? It's from some name brand label and everything!"

"It's at least ten years out of fashion – which is really hard to do considering it's your basic pencil skirt. I swear, only you could manage to mess up in selecting a classic wardrobe staple."

She gritted her teeth and growled, "Back. Everything goes back."

"Fine." Kaoru rolled his eyes and thudded the window shut. Before it closed, Haruhi heard him mutter, "Maybe I can convince Dai-kun to spill something on it."

She glanced at Kyoya out of the corner of her eyes and let out a snort. "I am so going to regret this, aren't I?"

"You have only yourself to blame," Kyoya responded with a small smile that took the sting out of his words and invited her to share in his amusement. Such a simple gesture, but it softened his face and gave an impression of gentleness to his eyes. "But I have every confidence the results will be stunning."

Haruhi's throat felt weirdly dry and she gulped. She'd never noticed how the color grey could be so changeable - switching from icy steel to warm pewter with just a smile. Her pulse beat a nervous tattoo against the hollow of her neck, surely a legacy from her earlier outburst, and she turned away and pretended to study the house while tamping down on the disconcerting feelings roiling like an undercurrent in her breast.

Kyoya's voice interjected itself into her thoughts. "While you are selecting a work wardrobe, might I suggest you allow them to pick out a cocktail dress for you as well?"

The cool, dry, and tone soothed her agitation, which only increased again when she realized he'd had that effect. She shoved the thought aside, choosing not to look to deeply into the reason behind it. Curious about his suggestion, she glanced back at him in silent inquiry.

"My mother is hosting a charity fundraiser next Saturday," he elaborated.

Her brows knit together, wondering what one thing had to do with the other.

"I see I'm being too indirect again." Kyoya's smirk came back full force and annoyance drove any lingering troublesome thoughts and feelings far away from her. "These events can be tedious, but my presence is expected. I'd appreciate knowing that there will be at least one person there whose conversation won't bore me to tears. Would you do me the honor of accompanying me?"

She hesitated. A society fundraiser was not high on her list of things she'd enjoy, but Kyoya had done a great deal for her lately. She looked over at the house and then back to him. A simple favor like this was probably the least she owed him.

As if catching her reluctance, he pressed harder. "I'm sure your mentor must have mentioned the importance of networking. In business, who you know is almost as important as hard work and competence. There will be many people attending who you will want to have a good relationship with - both as a lawyer and as Daiki-kun's mother." His lips twitched slightly. "Also, my mother always lays in excellent food."

"Do you really think I'm that easy to bribe?" she snorted. In truth, her mouth was already watering. "I'd be happy to go with you, Kyoya-sempai."

He put on the charming face she'd come to think of as his 'host' persona. "I'll pick you up at seven." She nodded out of habit, too confused by the thought that she liked his smaller, more sincere smiles better than the one he had on now. What did it matter how he smiled?

Covering her befuddlement, she began walking towards the front door. "If I'm going to live here, I should probably see what it's like." As she reached the threshold, the uneasiness that had been bothering her since Honey and Mori's departure crystalized into a thought and pushed itself to the forefront of her mind. She turned back, confusion written in the lines on her brows. "Wait a second, what did Honey-sempai mean about making sure Dai-chan got home 'in time' for tonight?"

"Didn't I mention it? Everyone wanted to throw you a housewarming party. Don't worry," he assured her as her fists once again clenched into tight little balls. "I've already arranged for caterers, decorators, and a cleaning staff." His polite smile grew wider and his eyes crinkled shut, giving him the illusion of an oni from a children's story. "I'm sure I can arrange for you to pay me back somehow."

Damn it, she should have stayed in Hokkaido.

A/N: I was going to apologize for the shorter chapter, then I realized I'd hit 4K words. Originally this and the 'housewarming' chapter were going to be one but I got long-winded and decided to err on the side of faster updates.

Apropos of nothing – my ad-feed has gotten strange since I started writing. Currently I get ads for orthopedic supports, designer dresses, Ryokans in Kyoto, flights to Seoul, dance conventions, and lab equipment. Guess which one has anything to do with my actual life.

Big thank yous to all the new favoriters, followers, and especially to anyone who has left a review. I've run out of 'cute' ways to say how much it means to know somebody reads and likes (or even dislikes) what I'm putting out there so just – thank you.

A few selected review responses:

AusllyBeliever – Kyoya being sneaky is the one thing you can always count on.

Adriana – I am trying to return to a twice-monthly cadence now that summer is over.

TaylorNReed – I could never figure out if she was just dense or modest but Haruhi does need to be hit over the head with things. I can't imagine that changing much. As for the rest…. Spoilers!

xxxSerinaxxx – prim and proper, yes. Also I think he would have been trained to view relationships as only important for the economic and social alliances they form.

Jenny – You'll be meeting Stefan next chapter. As for Kaoru's alleged crush – there's a point during the sports festival where he finds a side of Kyoya cute and another during the 'investigation into how to free Tamaki from his grandmother' where Kyoya does something he finds cool enough to make him blush. Around such things are wild fan theories born ;)

And thanks to AnimeGirl, and LadyKaelas for the feedback. I hope you continue to enjoy.