Warning! This may be slightly depressing, but wait until the next couple chapters and you'll see some kick butt action ;) Please review and enjoy this chapter!

(Yuuki's POV)

It was finally the race day and I was a bit confused at what we were wearing. Ryu and I were wearing white cheer outfits, and there weren't exactly easy to move in. Seeing how this was a race, I hardly understood the need for such clothes. But this is the host club we're talking about, so I guess I can get over it.

The girl from the student council began explaining the rules, but I toned her out when I heard Ryu cough. She was really pale and I could hear a slight wheeze in her breath, even though she was trying to hide it.

"Ryu, you okay?"

"I'm fine…"

I was about to question her again, when the race began. The first part was a reflex quiz. Ryu and I just stood back and let Tamaki handle it. We were more interested in thinking of an easy way over the slippery slope. Tamaki and the twins slid down it and one of the football guys quickly passed them. Then, it hit me.

"Hey Mori! Throw Honey to the top!"

He nodded and Honey was quickly launched to the top, and we continued to the next couple stages. The second was math and a hundred chin-ups, left to Honey, Mori, and Kyoya. The third was memorization and tightrope walking, in which Ryu decided to show off and did it blindfolded while walking on her hands. The football team was shocked, but I couldn't help but chuckle.

"My goodness Ryu. Aren't you having fun!"

She smiled slightly, before coughing some more. I had little time to worry though, since I had to do the free throws for the next stage, while the twins matched paintings. Quickly passing, we all ran to the next site. When we reached there, we were in for a shock.

(Ryu's POV)

I was exhausted and most certainly sick. I had been, since a few days ago, but I was really good at hiding it. Today, though, my façade was beginning to slip. It didn't help that Tamaki had us change into thicker clothes when we reached the west gym. My fever was definitely getting worse and being on water made my stomach churn dangerously.

"Hey Suoh! Catch!"

I turned and watched as Kuze threw an orange, which stupid Tamaki jumped out of the boat to catch. Knowing that the thick clothes would be extremely heavy in water, I stripped down to my black muscle shirt and cargo shorts, jumping in and pulling Tamaki back in the boat.

"You okay Ryu?"

It was Kaoru this time, who was asking as I coughed and wheezed with effort. He slowly rubbed my back, trying to get some warmth back into me as Haruhi asked about the last clue.

"What does 'between the holy mother and angel' mean?"

After pitying her, Tamaki went to explain.

"Many famous places have been redone here in the gym. For example, Palazzo Dario, San Marco, Ducale, and Sant'Angelo Santa Maria Della Salute."

I was going to tell them that it seemed too easy, but I had another coughing fit and Haruhi began discussing the letters.

"Kuze said before that he had a connection to the student council. I think he may have asked Mitsuyama for help, then convinced them to remove themselves from the race to make it easier for them to win. Ryu and I saw them yesterday, and I believe that she's in a position where she can't act against Kuze. I think she may have a grudge against him which is why she tried to prevent him from having a face off with us."

I wanted to tell her that she was slightly wrong in her theory, but my lungs were obviously protesting any speaking right now.

"Quite a bold theory, but is there any basis for her grudge?"

"After some research, I discovered that Mitsuyama's family holds the second largest share in Japan for imported produce. Their direct competitors, but their business dropped last year and there are rumors that Kuze is talking about merge deals."

I ignored the rest of their pointless babble, resting as much as I could before I told them that we were headed for a construction zone and NOT where the crown was. When we did reach the site, I stared at them like they were the biggest idiots in the world, which they kinda were.

"I tried to tell you. This area's still under construction."

"Why didn't you…"

"…tell us…"

"…EARLIER?"

I went to explain, when I got extremely dizzy, falling to my knees to try and keep the world from spinning.

"Ryu!"

They surrounded me and began yelling if I was okay, but all it did was make my head hurt. A hand touched my forehead and I looked up to see Kaoru's face scrunched up in concern. I gently pushed his hand away and stood, before running towards the real site. I heard them calling me, but I ignored them, grabbing Haruhi and carrying her to the site. I set her down next to the pool as we caught our breath.

"There it is!…The crown!"

"I'll get it…you stay here and-"

I swayed slightly and Haruhi kept me from falling.

"Ryu! Are you okay? Ryu!"

"S-Stop shouting…I'll be fine…the crown-"

Just then, the door flew open and two football team members flew towards us.

"Get out of the way!"

They shoved us both in the pool as Tamaki and the rest showed up. Haruhi was still wearing her heavy clothes, so I did my best to push her toward the edge. When Kyoya grabbed her, my body relaxed and my energy was all used up. I heard another splash and felt someone pulling me out of the pool. I opened my eyes and saw a blurry orange head above me, before I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

(Kaoru's POV)

I was really concerned for Ryu when I saw her fall into the pool. I knew she was sick when she collapsed at the construction site, but if she got any worse, I don't know what I'd do. We returned to the music room, to change before heading to the chairman's office. Ryu had been laid on the couch and I had decided to stay behind to watch over her. There was just one thing I had to do first.

SMACK!

Eyes turned to Kyoya and I as soon as I had punched him in the face. Hikaru held me back as Kyoya got up, trying to figure out what had just happened.

"This is all your fault! If you hadn't been working Ryu so hard she wouldn't have ended up like this! Why couldn't you have cared more about the people around you rather than money? You greedy bastard!"

I shrugged off my brother's arms and made my way back over to Ryu. Her face was scrunched up and I gently ran my fingers through her short auburn hair, before Kyoya walked up to me.

"I apologize. I should not have worked her as hard as I did, but she never complained and I didn't begin to notice her symptoms until she began coughing in the gondola. She does an exemplarily job at hiding what she is feeling. I will be more than willing to pay for anything she needs until she is in good health."

He bowed slightly and headed out the door with the rest of the host club, Yuuki patting my shoulder on his way out. I changed the cloth on her forehead and heard her mumbling in her sleep. I got closer and began to understand what she was saying.

"I miss you, Tou-san…mmhm…Kaoru…"

When she said my name, I felt my heat skip a few beats as I stroked her cheek.

"I'm right here, Ryu. Don't worry, you'll be better in no time. I promise."

(Ryu's POV)

The next day, I somehow made it out of bed and was able to make it to the school festival. I knew it was really important for me to be there as a host club member, and I couldn't stay behind since mother was apparently going as well. Yuuki and I were quickly changed and out assisting the different parents, when I heard a small commotion. I saw the twins drag Haruhi off towards a very good looking woman, before Kaoru spotted me.

"Come here Ryu! I want you to meet my parents!"

I hadn't seen his parents when I was at the twin's house over the summer, because they had both gone on a business trip. So this was my first time meeting them.

"Mom, this is Ryu!"

"She's Kaoru's girlfriend!"

Kaoru and I blushed slightly (luckily no one had heard the outburst) until the woman began looking at me up and down.

"Hm…so you're the girl Kaoru's been talking about…"

"Yes ma'am. It's nice to meet you."

She walked around me, nodding every so often, before getting really close to my face.

"You have great posture and amazing skin, and it seems Kaoru took the measurements perfectly, but you should get your hair trimmed a bit…"

She trailed off and put her hand to her chin.

"You…I've seen you somewhere before, I'm sure of it…"

"Oh, well it may have been in a movie or you may have seen my brother and I during a shoot. Our father is Hito Takamura. I'm sure you've met before."

She hit her fist onto her palm finally connecting the dots.

"Ah! That makes sense. I visited one of your shoots before! Back when you two were only 7 or 8. Where is your brother?"

"He's still helping our with the roulette wheel. Is this you husband, Miss Hitachiin?"

She turned to the man beside her and smiled affectionately.

"Oh yes! And please, call me Yuzu! After all, you're practically part of the family now."

She smiled sweetly at me as her and her husband walked out. I felt someone's hand touch my cheek and turned to see Kaoru.

"Ryu, you okay? Why are you crying?"

I looked shocked and realized that I had indeed shed a tear. I let Kaoru wipe it for me, before answering him.

"I guess I've never felt what it was like to have an actual mother…the way she smiled at me makes me wonder if my own mother would ever do the same."

I walked away, heading to where our mother would most certainly be making her entrance at and making sure Yuuki and Kaoru didn't follow.

In the central salon, I over heard Kyoya's father saying something about him possibly becoming the heir and silently congratulated him. My brother and I were dragged off and forced to change before my mother showed up, and I just hoped that she didn't show up before we got back. The different hosts took turns touring parents and students alike around the campus in a carriage.

It continued like this for a while, but soon the student activities were over and there was still no sign of mother. We were all resting in the club room as the dance party was being held and I was fidgeting impatiently, as Haruhi looked like she was going to hurl. I jumped when a man opened the door and ushered Tamaki out. Turns out, Tamaki had a run in with his grandmother and the whole story behind their confrontation began.

"It's easy to sympathize, but I'm glad Tamaki is who he is."

My brother and I looked around and saw just how genuinely all the hosts felt about that, before we all headed out to the dance party. The twins had somehow made Haruhi wear a dress and she was now Haruhi's cousin, Natsumi. I was going to ask her to dance, to keep my mind off my mother, when I spotted Tamaki, gentle shoving him towards her and distracting the adults he was once speaking with.

The annoying adults asked many questions, before they all went quiet at how Haruhi was acting. I was silently hoping for a way to get them both out of this mess, when Tamaki fixed it all on his own.

Looks like Nii-san lost any chance. Tamaki just won her over.

Just then, I spotted a long brown hair and a flash of grey. It seems that mother had finally made it and was none to pleased about having no one welcome her in. I looked for Yuuki and quickly noticed that he was on the far side of the room, before heading towards the woman I hated most.

"Good evening mother. You've made it just in time for the dance party."

SMACK!

Every eye in the room turned to me as my cheek began to turn red, my mother glaring at me.

"You stupid child. I get here and it took you this long to greet me? Useless piece of trash."

I covered up my scowl with a small smile and bowed before leading her to the dance floor. I felt the host club's eyes on me and spotted Yuuki being held back as I got in position to dance with my mother. She had my hand in a death grip and I could already feel her bruising my side with the way she held it tightly. I held in a grimace and continued to dance elegantly with her until the song was over.

I bowed and linked arms with her and lead her towards where I knew some possible business partners waited, one of them being Mr. Ootori. She began conversing with them all and I tuned out, silently standing behind her until I heard insults.

"Yes, he would have been a great man if not for what happened. I was certain he wouldn't want his business to be taken over by any useless trash. So I quickly took up the task and have been raising my two simpleton children as well. I'm thinking about selling the business too. This child is obviously incapable of handling such a task."

I grit my teeth in frustration, not because she so blatantly insulted me, but because she was even considering selling my father's company. I glared pointedly at her and she noticed, turning around and hitting me with the same hand that held multiple rings. I felt warm liquid drip down the side of my face, but ignored it as my mother yelled at me.

"You dare glare at me, you adolescent fool? You should be lucky I even consider you my child after what you've done! You are in no position to take over your father's company when all you do is play around in your stupid club! I'm leaving and I'd better not see you while I'm there!"

She turned around and left, before the room turned back to me. I bowed to the adults and calmly apologized.

"I apologize for the trouble my mother has caused. I hope this changes nothing as far as my father's business goes, and humbly wish that you will all consider any future business propositions without having this outburst in mind. Please enjoy the rest of you evening, Mr. Ootori, Mr. Sato, Miss Yamada, and Mr. and Mrs. Inoue."

I bowed and, after hearing their satisfaction, headed out of the room and down the hall to the music room.

Thanks ever so much mother. I've always wanted to be slapped in front of potential business partners. B****. You even try and sell father's company, and you'll regret far more than having me as a child.