A/N: Good news I have surpassed the 50k word goal of NaNo, now I just have to finish the book… XD. If you haven't seen it, I have uploaded the twins' version of what happened to them as a separate story. It is called Twins: Slaves for a Day. Now you can see exactly why everyone stuck around Kyoya's place instead of leaving and why it was so entertaining. Who had the worse end of the stick? Go and check it out. I think you will laugh… I hope. Enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter 28 – Rumors

With the emergence of Monday morning, Haruhi found herself humming (and yes, her dad begged her to stop because she was severely off key, but she ignored him) and was in a really good mood. She wasn't sure why; she had received her normal morning text from her fiancé, she got ready like normal, and it wasn't a special day, so she was at a loss. However, as she was about to leave, her father asked her how Saturday went since he had been gone all weekend and she burst out with laughter, "It was, umm, entertaining. I don't think Hikaru or Kaoru will be trying anything anytime soon." She now realized the reason for her good mood, the twins. Normally she didn't like seeing her friends tortured, she didn't mind dishing it out when necessary (*cough* Tamaki *cough*), but actually torturing her friends… well she honestly had not planned to stick around Kyoya's house all day and she hadn't planned to enjoy herself that much. It was almost as if Karma had finally decided to visit the twins after almost two years of pranks, fights, interference, etc.; and Haruhi couldn't argue. Tamaki had gotten his several times over between her retaliation and Mori beating him soundly time and time again, but the twins had come out of it virtually unscathed… not any longer.

Descending the stairs, Haruhi stopped when she saw a car waiting for her and she sighed. She knew that car and although she didn't have a problem with it, she really would rather they didn't go out of their way. When Mori wanted to pick her up, it was one thing, but them… Walking up to the car window, she knocked and it rolled down, "You're getting better. At least you didn't make the driver get out and open the door for me."

"So are you going to get in? Takashi asked us to pick you up this morning," Chika grumbled. It wasn't that he didn't like his future cousin, he loved her, but he didn't like the reason they were picking her up this morning.

Haruhi narrowed her eyes, "He didn't say anything to me when he texted me this morning."

"Get in and we'll explain," Satoshi leaned across the seat and came almost nose to nose with her.

"Fine," she rolled her eyes and opened the door to get in. As soon as she was settled, she inquired, "So what is all this about?"

"Taka-bro asked us to pick you up. I thought he would have told you, but I guess not. Tamaki-senpai called him last night and asked his permission to pick you up and take you to school because he needed to talk to you about some Host Club business as the future president. He said no because he knew you wouldn't want Tamaki-senpai to drive you," Satoshi explained.

Nodding, Haruhi agreed, "He's right."

Satoshi nodded, "Well this morning, Tamaki-senpai called him again…"

"And that blond idiot president doesn't know how to take 'no' for an answer and asked Takashi again if he could pick you up, take you to breakfast, and then school. He said no again, but he was worried that since the baka called twice and wouldn't accept his answer, that he would attempt to show up anyway," Chika growled.

Haruhi blinked, digesting the information she was given, "I see." She just happen to glance out the window at that time and there was another limo heading in the direction of her apartment and it turned to pull in, "It appears it was a good thing you picked me up. He just showed up."

Wincing, Satoshi asked, "Do you think we should turn around and help him? I know how your dad is with him."

"Nope, serves him right for not listening to Takashi. Anything that needs to be discussed with me would also need to be discussed with you as the future vice president, and it can be discussed before or after club time. Although, not tonight. Takashi promised to help me study for a test I have tomorrow for history," Haruhi declared folding her arms over her chest.

"He remembers. He already told my parents that you would be over for dinner," the younger Morinozuka told her.

Chika chuckled (and no dear reader it wasn't evil, maniacal, or vindictive; it was true amusement), "Should we ask Kyoya-senpai to devise a punishment for Tamaki-senpai the way he did for Hikaru-senpai and Kaoru-senpai?" Everyone in the car laughed with him. Saturday was something they would not be forgetting for a while.

When they arrived at school, they found a small crowd gathering at the front of the school and looked at each other with confusion. Haruhi was the one that spoke up first, "Is something going on today that I don't know about?"

"Not that we know of," Chika stated bewildered. Most of the crowd was made up of customers of the Host Club, but there were a few other people mixed in, and they had no clue why.

As the car pulled to a stop, the three occupants got out and the screaming started, and the closer the trio got to the entrance, the louder the mob was. What was going on here?

"Haruhi, is it true?" Someone shouted.

Confusion marring her face, Haruhi asked loudly, "Is what true?"

"Are you and Tamaki getting married instead of you and Mori-senpai?" Another person cried out.

"WHAT?" Haruhi, Chika, and Satoshi yelled at the same time.

Satoshi stepped in front of Haruhi and addressed everyone, "There is no way that rumor is true. Haruhi is marrying my brother after she graduates and whoever spread that stupid lie is an idiot!"

Haruhi grabbed his arm and pulled him back slightly, "Satoshi is right. I am engaged to Takashi, and he is the only man I am going to marry. I have zero feelings for Tamaki besides friendship and I never have."

Yet another girl called out, "But Tamaki-senpai fought for you hand and we heard the only reason you aren't with him is because he lost to Mori-senpai."

Sweat dropping, Haruhi pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. How is it that the reason for those challenges is just now spreading around the school? It wasn't like it was a big secret and Tamaki was forward enough to declare himself in front of the crowds, so why now?

"I guarantee that those rumors are false. Haruhi, although the princess of the Host Club, is engaged to Mori-senpai and that is how it will remain. She can be with whomever she wants to be with and she chose Mori-senpai. No one is forcing her to stay with him. Tamaki has no designs on her hand for romantic reasons," Kyoya stepped forward and spoke. What he didn't say was that Tamaki doesn't have plans to win her over now… the past was a different story (but you already know all about that).

Tamaki had pulled up looking a little worse for wear in time to hear the last part of Kyoya's explanation, and applying his princely smile he wooed the crowd, "That is correct my lovely ladies. I am still in search of my forever princess, and I know it will never be Haruhi. Will one of you be it for me?"

Nosebleeds, screams, hearts and stars in eyes, sparkles, etc. increased in that moment. The sound was almost deafening; and if the flames of MOE could really burn, the school would be a pile of ash right now. Girls (and a few guys) fainted at the declaration and other started to hyperventilate.

The hosts moved into the school building with their host smiles in place and careful to step over the bodies that were lying in their path. Once inside, Haruhi turned around, "Ok, so if it wasn't Tamaki-senpai that spread that rumor, then who was it? Surely not Hikaru and Kaoru, they should have learned their lesson this weekend, and I don't see them spreading that one. Renge would have spread it long before now, so I don't think it was her. So who?"

Pushing up his glasses, Kyoya shook his head, "I don't know, but I will find out." The smile he had on his face was enough to make everyone take one giant step backwards.

"Haruhi, did you really think it was me?" Tamaki questioned hurt lacing his voice.

The female host gave him a long hard stare, and stated bluntly, "Yes."

Tamaki felt like an arrow hit him and he flew backwards landing against the wall, "How… Why?"

"You really have to ask?" She declared.

Another arrow hit him and the step he had taken forward made him fall backwards again. When he thought about it, Tamaki might have deserved her assumptions, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. Pulling out the arrows, he reached to the sky and made a proclamation, "I will find out who the fiend is and clear my name!" He ran off without another word.

Everyone dead panned and then Haruhi looked at Kyoya, "He has no clue where to begin, does he?"

Grinning, the Shadow King shook his head, "Probably not."

"Can you…?"

"Don't worry Haruhi, I will look into the matter and 'help' him find the culprit."

"Thank you Kyoya-senpai," Haruhi smiled and then turned to Satoshi and Chika, "I'll see you two later. Thanks for the ride."

"Bye," the two cousins said together.

Kyoya waited until she was gone, "Why did you two give her a ride? I thought she said she didn't want one in the mornings unless the weather was bad."

"Tamaki-senpai tried to convince Taka-bro to let her ride to school with him. He said no, but he wasn't sure if Tamaki-senpai would listen since he called more than once to beg. So Taka sent us to get her," Satoshi explained.

Chika nodded, "It was a good thing he did too. Tamaki-senpai passed us when we were just down the block."

Adjusting his glasses and catching the glare, Kyoya stated, "I see. Satoshi, you might want to give your brother a head's up about this new rumor so that he doesn't hear it from another source. We all know it isn't true and we know that nothing will come of it, but I am curious as to why it is spreading now and not before. It had months to take root while everything was happening, and honestly I am a little surprised it didn't spread like wildfire after the kendo competition. There were whispers, but this is an all-out blaze."

"Will do Kyoya-senpai," Satoshi saluted the vice president.

"Did Tamaki say why he wanted to take Haruhi to school?" Kyoya asked.

Shrugging, the kendo captain said, "He told Taka that he wanted to talk about Host Club business since she would be the president next year."

"That idiot! Anything discussed needs to have all four of us present," the Shadow King declared.

Satoshi and Chika chuckled, and the young Haninozuka explained, "Sorry, Kyoya-senpai, but Haruhi-senpai said the exact same thing."

"I am sure she did. Yasuchika, why do you add and drop the senpai from Haruhi's name? Just curious," Kyoya inquired.

"She told me I could drop it since we are going to be related soon, but I try to keep it while we are at school," Chika answered.

"He doesn't always remember though," Satoshi teased.

Chika turned on his best friend, "I remember more than you do."

"She is going to be my sister," Satoshi argued.

"You are always carping to me about not being a brat and respecting people older than us… calling her senpai is showing her respect. Shouldn't you want to show respect towards your own sister?" Chika retaliated.

Kyoya wasn't sure how a simple question could turn into an argument between the two first years, but he really shouldn't have been surprised. They had a true love/hate relationship between them (well more love than hate, Chika just hated to be hit). Moving in just enough time so that he wouldn't be hit by the shinai Satoshi whipped out, the Shadow King rolled his eyes, "You do realize it is about time for classes to begin."

Both first years looked at him and then at their watches. First period would be starting soon which meant the fight was over… for now. As they moved down the hall, the fight all but forgotten for the time being, they both pondered aloud who would spread such a rumor about Haruhi, Tamaki, and Mori. All of the hosts attending Ouran that day save two were thinking about that exact same thing. One wanted to clear his name, four wanted to know who would spread the lie, and two had no clue what was going on. The twins had been sitting in class actually behaving, still exhausted from their weekend, and had not been a part of the fiasco out front… for once in their lives (and no dear reader, they really had nothing to do with it this time). Someone did though, but whom? Kyoya and Tamaki (ok, Kyoya) was on the case.

A/N2… Who do you think it was? The answer might surprise you and it will be in the next chapter.