Discussion Time
'I would definitely fall for that man if I let myself,' she mused. She knew she couldn't, wouldn't, fall for her host club friends, but there were times when some of them made that edict hard to uphold. She looked at her phone and sighed. Might as well now as ever. Turning on the device, she texted Kasanoda.
'Hey Kasanoda, you know my gender was outed at the festival, right?'
A soft knock alerted her to the arrival of her two co-conspirators. "You guys got here fast," she said as they entered. "How'd Mori-senpai get you two away?"
"He told everyone you were feeling tired. Hikaru and Kaoru assumed that's why you were a little snappy. Nagisa and I took advantage of the situation and snuck away."
"Good thing you did, though he would have told you guys to come anyway. I figured we could talk for a bit before 'Gisa has to go. Maybe plan some kind of meeting schedule that coordinates with all of our agendas. Now that I'm not in debt anymore, I can probably get out of surprise trips. Ritsu, would you run a scan on the room and jam it?"
"Sure thing!" The bubbly girl popped up on her phone and proceeded to focus for a moment. "All done."
"Thanks, Moe Box," Karma said, snickering. Nagisa chuckled behind his hand as Ritsu's face morphed from animated and cheerful to dark and stormy.
"Don't call me that!" She yelled, stamping her foot.
"Why not? It's your nickname," he taunted.
"That you gave me!" she shouted.
"You don't know that for sure. You only think I did." He stuck his tongue out. By now, Nagisa was struggling to keep from laughing and Haruhi was rolling her eyes at the two. It never failed when they started in on each other.
"No, I know it was you. No one else gets as much amusement out of it."
"No one else gets this much of a rise out of you," he retorted.
"I-ughh," she huffed, not having a counter-argument to that one. The red head smirked in victory.
"Ritsu, calm down." Haurhi said, giggling. "Karma, knock it off before you cause Ritsu to break my phone or you're buying me a new one. Can we get down to business?"
"Well, you'll be at Honinozuka's for the next week. There's no way we can plan anything then. But how about the week after? You're going home, right? If you can convince your host friends to have club, that will give us three hours a day to work together before they invade." Nagisa surmised, lowering his voice.
"Have either of you thought about how we'll actually pull this off? How we'll kill him?" Karma asked, mimicking the new voice level. If any were outside the door, none would be able to hear them.
"I figure I could use this Christmas party as a chance to do some recon. Taking my phone with me, Ritsu can scan each room I enter for cameras, mics, schematics, and we can build off that. I know the hosts were talking about how they wanted to spend the New Year at a shrine. Maybe we can make that our deadline? Come up with some reason I can't go with them?" Nagisa and Ritsu both nodded but Karma looked unsure. "What's up Karma?"
"I just don't like the idea of you being that close to the target before it's time to strike. If he catches any wind of what you're up to, the whole operation is a bust and you'll take the fall. Who knows what he'll do to you."
"Karma's right, Haruhi." Nagisa concurred. "This plan of yours is dangerous. One misstep and it's over for you."
"You guys think I don't know that? But what else do we have? We can't do everything remotely. I'm going to have to get close to the target if we stand any chance of getting this done."
"What if you started getting close to Kyouya?" Ritsu suggested. "You know what they say, keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. Believe it or not, you've been laying the groundwork for that this whole time."
"Except I don't want to lead him on and make him think he has a chance with me when he doesn't. Kyouya-senpai deserves better than that and you know it."
Karma shrugged. "It's not a bad idea, Haruhi. Besides, once the target has been eliminated, he will become too busy for a relationship and you can both let it die naturally."
"I can't do that. To him or myself. It's not right."
"It's assassination. None of this is right," Nagisa said, downcast. "But we all just have to grit our teeth and do it anyway."
"But you don't know what this would do with my friendships with the other guys," Haruhi pleaded. "And if they ever found out I only used Kyouya to get to the target, they'll never talk to me again and they could use their influence to make my life a living hell. And that would be nothing compared to the guilt and self-condemnation that would tear me apart. I'm sorry. I just can't do that to him."
"So then, what if you didn't simply use him? What if you actually fell for him?" Ritsu proposed. "You already hold him in high regard. You respect him intellectually and care for him as a friend. It shouldn't be that hard to transfer those feelings into that of love."
"It's not that easy, Ritsu. I've never thought about him in a romantic light before. How do I even know if there's a spark that could turn into a relationship? Besides, again, what about my other host club friends? It would destroy the dynamics of our group if I started dating one of them over the others."
"Haru, you can't keep worrying about everyone else's feelings forever. As for the spark, well, you won't know until you give it a chance, will you?" While Karma may want her, he wanted this mission to be a success even more and if that meant watching her on the arm of the third son, then so be it. But as she stared at him, he thought he saw her eyes cloud with…was that disappointment? He couldn't be sure because he blinked and it was cleared.
Haruhi sighed. "I'll think about it, okay? In the meantime, how are we going to get together after I go back to school?"
"You know, I was thinking about that," Karma answered. "What if Karasama got me and Nagisa in at Ouran for a semester as exchange students? Whatever we earned in grades would transfer back to our high schools so we won't lose footing there."
"How can we all go on scholarship? We can't all be top of the class. If either of you surpass me, I'm screwed!" Haruhi exclaimed, panicking. "I've worked too damn hard to get in here and I'm not about to give it up, not even for this."
"Woah, woah, woah, calm down, Haruhi. I'm sure Karma didn't mean we all compete against each other, right?" Nagisa patted her good leg in a soothing gesture.
"Of course not. I wouldn't risk your hard-earned education for anything!" The red-head defended. "What I mean is Karasama could act as our sponsor and the government could pay a semester of tuition for us. That way, you don't have to worry about us breaking your streak, we could still earn high marks to keep ourselves in our current place at our own high schools, and come March, everything would go back to normal."
"That would mean the three of us were together all the time. Wouldn't someone get suspicious? The two of you showing up mere months before the Patriarch's demise and then leaving months after it happened?"
"What if only one of you transfer?" Ritsu suggested. "You could use the excuse of 'checking it out to see if it's right for you'. Maybe Mr. Karasama could say he'll only keep sponsoring you as long as you remain among the top 5 spots?"
"That could work," Nagisa said, considering. "Then Haruhi wouldn't have to worry about her top spot being taken. But it does beg the question 'which of us will transfer'."
"Also, how will the other meet with us?" Haruhi expounded.
"That could just be attributed to hanging out." Ritsu answered. "After all, you did say you wanted to do that more now that you didn't have a debt."
"Would the one who transferred look into joining the host club? Since I'll be hosting as a girl now, we could use another guy to fill my spot. 'Gisa, you could be the new natural or Karma, you could be the bad boy." Haruhi winked. "The girls flocked to Shiro's naughty type act during his time at the club before his family moved to Spain."
"Could be fun," Karma smirked. "Toying with the emotions of those innocent, pampered princesses."
"You're the natural type now, aren't you?" Nagisa asked. At her nod he continued, "How do you do it?"
"It's easy to be the natural type actually. I'm just myself. There's no silly act I have to parade my way through like the others. Just talk to the girls about their problems, ask them about their weekend plans, listen to them."
"Sounds like a lot of pressure. If I transferred, I would probably pass on the host club. I'd probably still come and sit with you though, keep an eye on things, especially while you're still healing."
"That'd be nice. I think I'd enjoy the extra security for a bit. The backlash is not going to be pretty." She replied with a false shudder. "Honestly guys, how do you feel about all this?"
"Truthfully?" Nagisa started, "I think I'm more nervous about this than I ever was with Koro-sensei. Yeah, it took me months to stop having nightmares about that night but at least with him, if we failed, the world would be obliterated and we wouldn't have to deal with anything anymore because all of us would be gone. With this, if we fail, it falls squarely on us and you're the one who takes the fall, Haruhi."
"I think I know what you mean," Karma went on. "If you really plan on being the front lines for this attack and it goes wrong, it's your neck on the chopping block. I know you and I know you would never give us up so everything would lie solely on your shoulders. If you die as a result, the three of us would have to live with that in silence for the rest of our lives."
"They have a point, you know. And if it happened to be a brutal assault before you were killed, we would be listening to that in our heads until we were dead or driven mad, whichever came first." Ritsu had never seemed so vulnerable to her three companions.
As soft brown eyes met steely sapphire, gentle golden, and somber cerulean, Haruhi felt the overwhelming concern and fear from her three closest friends. She knew she had to protect them at all cost. She also wasn't senseless. She had to look out for herself as well. Taking a few moments to consider her experiences and their feelings, the brunette assassin fortified herself. Her eyes turned hard and determined.
"Then we must not slip up. I am confident in your abilities to come to my rescue if I need it. I will strengthen my abilities so that I don't need rescuing. I am convinced we will create air-tight plans and contingencies. We will see this through and we will make it to the other side. I won't promise we will make it through unscathed because that would be foolish. But we will make it through."
This encouraging speech seemed to simmer down her friends' worries, at least for the moment. Her three cohorts looked more relieved and emboldened than they had since the group had begun talking. They would trust their friend and they would trust each other. Karasama was right. Together, they made a very powerful and dangerous team. Karma's eyes turned crimson as he nodded to an icy-eyed Nagisa who nodded to Ritsu whose eyes had become as deep as rubies. She in turn nodded to Haruhi. The four were ready to wage war on one Ootori Yoshio. A slow realization seemed to dawn on the bluenette. The others turned with interest.
"Hey Ritsu, what time is it?"
"It's ten after two."
"Crap! I gotta get home! Mom's gonna have my head if I'm back any later than five! I'll see you guys later! Let me know what Mr. K says about that sponsorship!" He hopped off the bed and flew out the door, hearing his friends chuckle and call out their farewells.
Haruhi leaned back against her pillows with a heavy sigh. Ritsu left to give the two best friends some privacy. She had a hunch that she wanted to verify. Karma laid down with his head propped up on his arm.
"You're not as confident as you said, are you?" He guessed.
"Yes and no. I meant what I said about us coming through to the other side of this. I'm just wondering how. And now you guys want me to start dating Kyouya under false pretenses? I don't know. I was thinking about dating but I didn't want it to be a fellow clubmember. Way too many complications."
"Oh really?" He drawled. The girl's face turned bright red and she frantically waved her hands in denial.
"No…I mean…gah! I shouldn't have told you that!" She buried her face into the elbow of her good arm groaning as Karma started to laugh.
"Alright so if not one of your host club boys who'd kill each other for the chance to date you, then who?" The red head couldn't help but tease her for this slip of the tongue. Haruhi groaned again.
"Promise you won't say anything?"
"Pinky swear. If I break it, you get to break my pinky." He held out his little finger for her to accept.
"Fine. I was thinking of asking Ritsu." Karma looked confused.
"Artificial Intelligence Fixed Artillery Ritsu?"
"No, you big dolt," she said lightly shoving him. "Kasanoda Ritsu. Remember when he tried to ask me out during club time but I couldn't because the whole school thought I was a boy and it would start rumors that would have ruined his reputation? I was going to see if he was still interested in a date. It would make sense if his men were the ones guarding my apartment." Karma laid flat on his back.
"Yeah, I guess it does. But if you do that, then how are you going to work in your date with Ootori? You can't date one person and then turn around and go to a public event like that with another."
"One date does not a couple make and I am sick of people thinking that's how it works."
"Okay, calm down. So in that case, what would make a couple, in your opinion?" He knew he was fishing for disappointment but he had to know.
"You have to find out if you're compatible with the other person for one. Too opposite can lead to disintegration, too similar can lead to boredom, there has to be a decent balance." Karma nodded, agreeing with her so far. "You have to have known the other person for quite a while to build up the trust it takes to let that other person in. To let them know your likes and dislikes, to bare your secrets to and know they'll be safe, to know you can lean on them in times of trouble or stress. I'm not a romantic, I've never believed in fairy tales, but I want that much for myself at least."
"You deserve it and more." He said so quietly Haruhi almost missed it. In a louder voice, he asked, "so which of us do you want in your class if Karasama can't get both of us in? Me or Nagisa?"
"Well, I'd find more of an academic challenge out of Nagisa." She winked, giggling.
"Oh, you think so, do you?"
"I know so." Haruhi stuck her tongue out at her best friend. "But he doesn't want to be a host. There's no way Kyouya senpai would let him just sit in during club hours without paying a pretty penny. That would mean he wouldn't be able to keep an eye on me like he wants to. So, I guess in that respect, it'd be better to have you along. If you can handle it."
"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked, nudging her.
"Trying to win over spoiled rich girls isn't as easy as I make it seem," she replied with a laugh.
"I seem to have won over your spoiled rich boys fairly easily," he said smugly.
"Oh yeah, you and Tamaki-senpai are best mates aren't you? How many times has he wanted to kill you since you got here? Very buddy-buddy." Haruhi rolled her eyes.
"He likes me. He just doesn't like how much I know you. But he's gonna have to get over it because now that I'm back in your life again, I'm not going anywhere!" The brunette laughed.
"Is that a threat or a promise?" The thought that Karma was around for good made her happy and hopeful. She always felt more at peace when she was around him. The red head was enough of a hot head for the both of them. She wanted to try dating him. He had said he'd wanted to date her back in middle school. Now that they could be at the same school, did that desire remain? Possibly not since he was pushing for this relationship with her senpai. At the same time, she still wasn't sure about giving up her darkest secret to anyone. That was a piece of herself she wanted to take to her grave. Until she felt ready to tell him, or anyone for that matter, she didn't feel like she could fully commit to a relationship. What kind of couple would it be if trust was an issue? She wanted to tell him but she also didn't want him to know. No one knew. She was always taught that no one should know.
Karma watched on as an air of melancholic indecision clouded his Haru's expressive eyes and her limbs stilled. Wherever her mind had taken her, it was not a pleasant place. He wanted to remove the tragic look from her gentle face but he didn't touch her. She wouldn't want it. She would hate to be pulled from her thoughts like that, even if they were dark. It would embarrass her to be caught off guard. He knew he could only watch and worry, knew he wouldn't get any information out of her that she didn't want to share.
She inhaled deeply and shook herself out of her reverie, turning once again to her best friend. "In any case, how about you go and get yourself some lunch. It's nearly three and you haven't eaten since breakfast. I think I might take a nap. These pain medications tend to make me sleepy. Between them and this meeting, I think I'm ready to actually go to sleep instead of just using it as an excuse." Karma laughed, knowing she was still using it as an excuse anyway.
"If you wanted me gone, you could have just said so." He pecked her cheek and darted from the room before she could react, chuckling at the stunned expression on her face.
'Damn him,' she thought laying back. Grabbing her phone, she went to respond to the text from her other flaming red aired friend.
'I wasn't there but I heard about it. Besides, even if I hadn't I'd find out anyway. Ootori senpai's been posting pictures of you as a girl all day advertising you as a hostess. What about it?'
Haruhi deadpanned. 'Of course he has. He wouldn't be Kyouya if he didn't cash in quick.'
'Well, I wanted to ask you a favor. I'm expecting some backlash and I wanted to make sure my apartment was covered if anyone were to follow me home. Would it be too much trouble to ask you to put a couple of your guys around the area when I go back to school in two weeks? They're way better at blending in than anything Kyouya senpai's men can do and I really don't want to be in debt with him again.' She didn't have to wait long for a response.
'Yeah, sure, no problem. But do you really think someone would go that far? And why two weeks? We go back Monday.' She sighed, knowing she'd have to carefully explain a few things without giving everything away. She never thought her two lives would cross but now that they had, maneuvering them was becoming increasingly difficult. It had only been a week!
'I got injured over the break so I'm on bedrest for this week and next. As far as do I think someone would follow me home? I don't know. I would just rather not take the chance unprepared.'
'Woah what happened? Are you alright? Are you safe?' She sighed again.
'Yeah, I'm fine. Sorta. Pretty banged up, hence the bedrest order. But me and Honey-senpai got to fighting and things got a little out of hand. If it helps, I gave as good as I got and he's on bedrest too this week. He won't be back at school until next Monday.'
'WHAT?! What do you mean you got to fighting with Honinozuka-senpai?!' By this point, Haruhi could have filled a balloon with the amount of sighing she'd done.
'I meant what I said. Just because I didn't tell you I was skilled at fighting doesn't mean I'm not. We fought and we both got injured. When I go back to school in two weeks, I will still be injured. I have a plan in place for school and club hours. I need your help with my plan for after school. Do I have it or not?'
'Yeah, I already told you I'd help. I'll come over one night this week and we can work out the details.'
'No good. Honey-senpai wanted me to spend this week on bedrest with him at his house so he wouldn't get too bored. I'll be home next week when he goes back to school though.'
'Alright then, next week. Don't worry about dinner. I'll bring it when I come over.'
'Does that make this a date?' Haruhi thought. 'Depends on if dad's home or not.'
'Sounds good. How's next Tuesday?'
'Works for me. I'll see you then.' She giggled softly to herself. He sounded so much more confident over the phone than he did in person. She heaved a great sigh of exasperation. Now for the more headache-inducing conversation.
'Hey Renge, I have a favor to ask.' Immediately, her phone started ringing and she let out another sigh before accepting the call, thankful she didn't have to deal with the otaku in person.
"Hello Renge."
"OH MY GODS HARUHI IS IT TRUE?! ARE YOU REALLY A GIRL?! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?! WE COULD HAVE BEEN BEST FRIENDS THIS WHOLE TIME! I mean I'm a little upset that my favorite host isn't exactly my type like I thought BUT WE COULD HAVE BEEN BEST FRIENDS! OF COURSE I'LL HELP YOU WITH WHATEVER YOU NEED!" It was a good thing Haruhi had planned on an exuberant response and held the phone away from her ear or she might have suffered permanent damage. But even at this rate she might still suffer some hearing loss.
'I wonder how long she can go on,' the brunette thought to herself as the self-proclaimed manager continued on without pause. 'I wonder what we're going to do about food next week. If I'm on bedrest, I can't cook. Dad can't stay home all week taking care of me, we need the money. Well, we don't really need it, I can dip into my savings if I have to but I'd really rather not if I can avoid it. College is expensive after all and I was hoping to study in Europe, maybe come across Lovro again. He was tough, but I learned a lot. And also how am I supposed to do homework? Honey-senpai messed up my writing hand. I suppose I can learn how to use my other hand but my penmanship is going to be illegible on those first few assignments until I get the hang of it.'
"-So anyway, you're totally going to love Uki Doki Memorial! And you simply MUST see my collection of-"
'Does the girl ever take a breath?' Haruhi lost herself to her thoughts again and let the passionate fellow first year to drone on in the background until she actually started to doze off.
"-and that's why you should never play with cats near an open butcher shop."
'What the hell is she talking about?' "Hey Renge?" Haruhi finally interrupted, "Remember how I asked you for a favor?"
"Oh yeah, I meant to ask you what it was. I'll do anything. Just name it!"
"Okay, so you know how the school knows I'm a girl, right? I'm pretty sure there'll be some backlash and I didn't want to be unprepared. I was wondering if you would come with me whenever I had to use the bathroom at school so that I wouldn't get jump by some jealous girl."
"Of course I will! You don't have to worry about a thing, Haruhi! If you want, I can stick as close to you as a shadow. Always watching. Always ready." The brunette laughed hesitantly.
"I don't think you have to go that far. The other hosts are pretty shadowy enough as it is. But even they can't follow me into the girls' restroom. This is a job only you can take on."
"With pleasure! I'll even use my status as the Host Club manager to ensure your transition goes as smoothly as possible with the other girls. Now why don't you go get some rest or something. You sound really tired."
"Thanks, Renge. I appreciate that a lot and I will." Heartened, Haruhi said her goodbyes and hung up the phone, ready to settle into a nice, long nap.