Author's Note: Welcome back. Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows. Enjoy!

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xXx

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Date Posted: 11/21/2020

Trigger Warnings: Language

The Way Forward - Chapter 9: Too Sexy for the Catwalk

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Thursday, April 28 (Continued):

Evening, Shino Estate:

I heard the door close and footsteps coming our way.

"Fuyumi, here are the…"

The sound of Haruhi-chan's plate shattering filled the room.

She gasped, "Kyoya-senpai?"

"Shit." His eyes were huge behind his glasses. Sad too.

I jumped up, saying, "Kyoya, I didn't know you were coming."

"I'm sorry." He turned and practically fled the room. I heard him talking to the maid and then the front door close.

Haruhi-chan hadn't moved since she spoke his name. She's still staring at the door to the hall, her mouth slightly open.

"Haruhi-chan?"

The spell broke, and she shook her head. Blinking rapidly, she came back to reality and saw the broken dish.

"I'm so sorry, Fuyumi-san." Before I could stop her, she was on her knees picking up the pieces of china. "Let me pick this up. I'll replace the dish."

"You'll do no such thing." I waved in the maid that had been standing at the back door to the room. "Please let the maid get that, Haruhi-chan. You'll hurt yourself."

"Oh."

Too late. She had a cut on her finger. Tiny, but it still shouldn't have happened.

The maid came in with a dustpan and sweeper. She took the pieces from Haruhi-chan and handed her a cloth for her hands. "Please take this, Fujioka-sama. Should I bring the first-aid kit?"

"I'm not…Well maybe…it's such a small…don't bother." She stammered through her thoughts. The maid and I weren't sure what she wanted. With a deep breath, she got herself under control. "I'll just use your restroom."

Holding the cloth to her hand, she rapidly left the room.

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What was that Haruhi? Are you that afraid of him? You broke Fuyumi's china and acted like an idiot.

Is he gone? Did he leave?

This isn't right. He's the one who ruined everything. Why am I hiding? Why am I scared of his name?

I paced the length of the restroom a few times. Who needs one this big anyway? The cut had stopped bleeding and I found a bandage in one of the vanity drawers.

After splashing cold water on my face, I went back to the lounge.

The broken dish was gone. "Haruhi-chan, I'm so sorry that happened. I didn't know he was coming, and he didn't know you were here. He was dropping off…"

I held up my hands and she stopped rambling. "Don't worry about it. Accidents happen." I picked up my purse. "Thank you for dinner, it was delicious. I'll email you about the charities."

She walked me to the door and had fortunately stopped apologizing. "Thank you for your help. May I email you if I have further questions?"

"Of course. Good night."

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I saw that…person drive up and walk into the house. It happened so fast, I couldn't warn Haruhi-sama. He wasn't in the house but a minute or two before he came back out and practically jumped in his car.

When she came out, I walked up to escort her to the SUV. "Haruhi-sama, are you alright."

"Fine."

She climbed in the back and stared out the window the entire ride home. She was so quiet, I decided to ask her again. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine."

Clearly, she doesn't want to talk about it. We got her home as quickly as we could.

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xXx

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Ootori Limo:

"Shit!"

"Kyoya-sama, what…?"

"Fuck!"

"Kyoya-sama?"

"Shit. Haru was there. I walked in and Haru was there with my sister."

That explains it. He came back out of the house so quickly and told us to drive. I thought he and Fuyumi-sama had another fight.

His elbows are on his knees, and his head in his hands. "Shit."

"We didn't know she would be there. It was a mistake."

The glare he gave me was painful. "Doesn't matter, Tachibana. I want to give her space, not remind her of me." His fingers scrubbed through his hair. "The last time we interacted, I fucking kidnapped her. That was just two months ago, for fuck's sake."

Silence filled the car as he leaned back in his seat looking at the roof. "All I want is for her to forget all about 'us' and move on with her life. I should have called first. I knew Fuyumi was going to contact her. I'm such an idiot."

I hope he doesn't ask for a drink.

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xXx

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Morinozuka Estate:

This estate is huge. I found another part of the gardens I didn't know existed, a meditation garden. Although, I shouldn't be surprised given their traditional background.

I'd been wandering around the gardens since I came home and changed into sweats. With Takashi and Satoshi out of the country, the house is so quiet. Honey-senpai moved back to the Haninozuka estate, and Chika's probably buying or selling a small country on his phone.

The problem is my mind isn't settling. I headed for the koi pond.

How long am I going to let Kyoya-senpai have this much power over me? He hurt me and is still hurting me because I let him. He's not a part of my life anymore. He never will be again.

I tossed a handful of food to the koi and watched them swarm, grabbed a bottle of tea, and sat on the sofa Umeko-san got for me. She's also bought me some ridiculously expensive, hand make stationary. I pulled out a few sheets and wrote a letter to my parents.

Dear Mom and Dad,

You raised me to be a strong, independent person…

I poured out all my insecurities, all my weaknesses, all my misgivings. Then I signed it and put it away in the box.

I'm proud of how I handled myself tonight. Yes, I was shocked and took some time to pull it together, but I didn't cry, I didn't yell, and I didn't shut down.

Maybe I am getting better.

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xXx

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Friday, April 29:

Akira's Personal Office, Morinozuka Estate:

"We received another contract."

My wife settled in her seat and sighed. "That makes five now, correct?"

"Yes."

"He's too young. Only a second-year."

"Agreed."

"We should turn them down."

Over the last few months, we've received five marriage contracts for Satoshi, although not from the top elite families. Two came from what I would describe as low elite, families whose businesses have been in the family for a few generations. The other three coming from top middle class. It's an odd assortment.

"We should. He's not my heir. I intend to let him choose his wife if he doesn't wish our help." I flipped through the offered contracts again. "Why now? At this point, we've received more for Satoshi than Takashi."

"Well, when Takashi was proclaimed heir, we also said we wouldn't be accepting marriage proposals."

I dropped them on the desk and leaned back with a huff. "It's that club."

"Neon? Possibly."

"No, it is. Definitely. I've had security follow the hashtags. Whenever he goes there are pictures all over Twitter and Instagram." I can feel a headache coming on and pinched my nose. "It's not appropriate. We should ban him from going there."

Watching Umeko's brow rise set my headache off more. "I don't think that's necessary. He enjoys going there and all the pictures I've seen are innocent." Her hands settled in her lap, a further expression of her disagreement. "He's a teenager and deserves to enjoy himself."

"But his reputation is at stake."

When she shook her head, I knew I wasn't going to win this argument. "I've spoken with him. He doesn't see any of the girls outside the club, unless they accidently meet. He's not alone with any of them at the club. He's never kissed them or touched them in an intimate way. He knows how to protect his reputation."

"I still think…"

"Besides, it's Takashi's club. He designed it to be safe for teens. There are cameras, security, and no dark corners."

"That doesn't stop one of these girls from starting a rumor."

"True, but they must know we'd stand behind him and have the resources to crush them."

"Umeko…"

She stood up. The conversation is over. "Turn down the offers. I'll talk to him again, but I don't believe there is cause for concern."

"I hope you're right," I mumbled as she left the room.

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xXx

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Black Onion Squad Headquarters:

I watched Ootori-sama flip through our Friday report with trepidation. He only hired the staff last week, and this project is enormous. My concern over that pales in comparison to his reaction to one of the pages that has been decoded. We only decoded it this morning.

"Nishmori-san?"

My head snapped up, and I heard my neck crack. "Yes?"

"Will this be done on time? Do you need more staff?"

I'd thought about that. There are thousands of pages to be decoded. "The more staff we have to run the decoder, the better."

"Is that the bottleneck?"

"Right now, yes. As more are decoded, the analytics team may need more."

"I'll send over two more that I can trust."

He continued to flip through the stack, finally getting to the decoded pages I thought he should see.

.

What the fuck is this?

I looked up at Nishmori-san, and he'd gone pale. "That's the only one we've decoded so far. It was decoded just before you got here."

"Your priority is to find anything else that relates to this." I reached into my inside jacket pocket and pulled out a card with a number that only a handful of people have. "This is my cell phone. Share it with no one. Call me immediately, regardless of the time, when you find a page on the same subject."

I headed to my private office. "You'll have five more decoders tomorrow."

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xXx

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Saturday, April 30:

Evening, Red Carpet, Fashion Show:

"I don't think I can do this." Her tiny voice filled with dread barely made it to my ears.

I squeezed her hand. "Of course, you can. It's the anticipation that's making you nervous."

"Why are we going last?"

"We're the most important."

It's almost time to walk Haruhi down the red carpet. We'd watched the buyers, other designers, fans that were able to get tickets, and the rest of the audience members go down the carpet. Now the show can really begin.

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"Ready, Mom?"

"Let's go, darling."

Hikaru exited the limo then turned to help me out. Neither of us can count how many times we've done this. We walked with the casualness of old pros.

Stopping every few meters to allow for more pictures, we took questions from the press.

"Yuzuha-san, are you excited for Kaoru-san?"

"My son has worked diligently on this new line, and I am proud of everything he does."

"Who are you wearing?"

I shook my head slightly. I'm the head of Hitachiin fashions. When have I ever worn something that wasn't ours? "Kaoru selected this suit from his line for me." I did a slow turn around. "It fits this well off the rack. No tailoring was needed."

Tamaki and Renge were catching up to us, so Hikaru escorted me to the next stop.

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"When are you getting married?"

"Have you set a date?"

Renge-chan looked at me to answer. "Right after Renge-chan's graduation." I pulled her closer and kissed her cheek. "Neither of us can wait. It will be incredibly romantic and the event of the season."

We turned to move on, but Renge-chan got her foot tangled with mine. I felt her pulling away from me and saw, in gripping slow motion, her begin to fall. Not my fiancée.

Lunging forward, I caught her around the waist and spun so I would land first and break her fall. A gentleman always protects his lady. Before I could even take a breath, my back met the ground, and my Renge-chan landed on top of me.

I knew there were questions being shouted and camera flashes everywhere, but they all disappeared into the distance when I looked up to see her beautiful face right above mine.

"You caught me," she whispered, her warm breath ghosting across my face.

"Always."

Then our lips met, and the rest of the world was no more.

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Watching Tamaki-senpai and Renge fall flat was entertaining enough, but when they kissed right there on the red carpet, we all were shocked. The kiss was not quick but wasn't sloppy either. They finally seemed to realize they were in public, so Tamaki-senpai scooped her up and set her on her feet. We watched them turn a brilliant shade of red and move on down the carpet.

Without boyfriends, the three of us were mostly asked about the clothes. Kaoru and Haruhi hadn't left their limo yet. I'm doing my best to keep a smile on my face. Kaoru should be escorting me. Instead I'm walking with Keiko and Yuki. Everyone will think I'm single.

I'm not in the mood, and Yuki is too shy, so Keiko is doing the talking for our group.

"We're all wearing pieces from the same suit. Five different looks with one suit and different shirts." She pointed to Renge in front of us, and Cho behind us. "Mix and match. Stretches your yen while you still look fantastic and professional."

"Clever," the reporter said. "I love that gray pinstripe. I see a purchase in my future."

We all smiled as more cameras went off in our faces.

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"Isn't my Cho-chan beautiful?"

I was pleasantly shocked when Honey-kun picked me up. He wore a dark gray, almost black, suit with thin pink pinstripes. And no Usa-chan in sight. My father was pleased at Usa-chan's absence.

Before we got out of the limo, he told me that this would be his first red carpet without him. "There's a time and a place, and this is Kao-chan's time and place. Usa-chan and I didn't want to distract from it."

I didn't have the heart to say that not bringing him would be more of a distraction.

After a slow spin for the cameras, we moved to the next group of reporters, and sure enough…

"Haninozuka-sama, where's your bunny?"

"Did you lose him?

The questions continued until he held up his hand to quiet them. "Tonight is about Kao-chan and his 'Every Woman' line." Stepping away from me and gesturing to my clothes, he continued, "Cho-chan is wearing a beautiful suit from the line. This is why we are here. To support Kao-chan."

We didn't take any more questions.

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Pure terror flowed through me as I watched Tamaki-senpai and Renge fall. How could that happen? They're both so graceful. If they could fall, who knows what I could end up doing.

"Ready, Haruhi?"

"You better not let me fall. These heels are ridiculous." They weren't really. No worse than some of the others they've made me wear. I'm just nervous. My stomach won't settle.

"I'll never let you fall, gorgeous. Besides, there's only one fall per red carpet and Tamaki-senpai and Renge beat us to it. Let's go."

Kaoru had waited until Honey-senpai and Cho were almost in the building before getting out. We'll be the focus of the entire red carpet.

You can to this, Haruhi. Mom and Dad are watching over you.

Deep breath and count to ten. And again. I ran over everything Renge told me this afternoon on that desperate call I made.

"Calm down, Haruhi. You'll be fine. If you don't like the question, don't answer it or answer it with something you want to say instead of what they are looking for.

"Keep your head up and walk like a queen because that's what you are tonight, Kaoru's queen. He won't let you trip or say something stupid or get harassed or anything else you think could happen.

"Deep breaths and enjoy yourself as much as you can. Smile and wave to the cameras, sign autographs, and let Kaoru guide you."

I can do this.

Kaoru reached back into the limo to help me out, and my exit was surprisingly graceful. I'll never tell Kaoru, but Eiji and I practiced this afternoon.

The questions came fast and furious, but I let Kaoru handle them.

"Kaoru-san! Do you think your line will be a success?"

"Why did you design for the common woman?"

Kaoru smiled and chatted like we were back in the Host Club. "There's something missing in the world of fashion…high quality, beautiful, professional clothing for most of the population. Every woman deserves to wear clothing that make her feel gorgeous, powerful, and comfortable."

"Does this mean you won't design couture anymore?"

"Right now, I'm focused on the 'Every Woman' line.

We moved on to the next group of reporters, and this time they threw more questions at me.

"Haruhi-san, how does it feel to be the center of attention?"

"How did Kaoru-san find you?"

"Is that a dress from the line?"

Here I go. "Yes, this is one of the amazing suits Kaoru designed." I did the slow turn around the way Renge told me. "Right off the rack, the fit is comfortable and just right."

I looked for Kaoru, but he'd stepped back so they could get pictures of me. My host smile was starting to feel like it belongs on my face. I turned again and someone yelled, "Are you and Kaoru-san dating?"

What the hell?

Then. "No, she's dating that man from the movie theater!"

And. "No, I'm sure she wants to date me."

By this time, Kaoru had come to my side and put an arm around my waist. "Haruhi and I are not romantically involved. She's one of my best friends."

I smiled and said, "I'm not dating anyone right now. School is starting soon, and I don't have the time."

Kaoru pulled me to the next group, but I stopped and walked over to some girls my age. Obviously, fans. "Fujioka-san, please sign my magazine."

Someone handed me a pen and I signed everything that was put in front of me. Pictures torn out of magazines, prints from the internet, and different autograph books. They took some selfies with me and promised they'd be up and tagged right away, like that's what I wanted them to do. This is crazy. Why do they treat me like a star?

Next thing I know, something slammed into my legs and I started to wobble. Kaoru caught me by the arm to steady me.

"Hi." I looked down to see a girl wrapped around my legs, smiling up at me. She couldn't be older than three.

"Hi, Sweetie."

She reached up and I pulled her into my arms. "Are you lost?"

"You're the dog lady."

"Yes, I suppose I am," I laughed and caught the eye of a woman that had to be her mother. She was pushing on the ropes, trying to get through.

I walked her over and handed her back, giving her a kiss on the head. "Thank you. She's begged to see that YouTube video about a hundred times, so I promised we'd come tonight and try to see you."

"I'm glad I got to meet you, Sweetie."

"Thanks, dog lady."

That little girl calmed me down and pushed the reporters to the back of my mind, but, unfortunately, we still aren't done with this stupid red carpet. I posed for pictures, answered safe questions, and smiled a lot.

By the end, my hands were shaking as the adrenaline wore off. I felt Kaoru take my hand and pull me along. "Thank you, everyone," he called as we walked into the building.

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xXx

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Inside Venue, Fashion Show:

The pounding of the blood in my ears muffled the music as model after model come down the catwalk. Damn. I didn't realize the scope of the line. My baby brother has been working his ass off. When did he have time to design all this? He won't get a hard time from me anymore when he wants to copy my homework.

Can't believe the boss tripped Renge and then caught her. And then kissed her in front of all those cameras. The videos and pictures are already up and tagged. Fortunately, for him they are mostly from girls talking about how sweet it was. His grandmother probably won't be happy either way.

And then Haruhi. As soon as she walked off the carpet and into the venue, she headed straight for the restroom with her guard following. Her nerves got the better of her, and she came out looking better, but still queasy. I took over and escorted both her and Mom to the owner's box.

"I'd seen the catalog but seeing it like this I'm realizing just how much work Kaoru put in," Mom whispered at me. "He must be proud."

"I know. When did he have the time?"

Haruhi gripped my hand and leaned in. "Someone's staring at me."

Silly girl. "Haruhi, you're the face of the line. I'm sure there are more than a dozen people staring at you."

"Gee, thanks." She rolled her eyes and turned back to the endless procession of models.

"Hika-chan, look at this." He handed me his phone with the kendo world cup results pulled up. Both Mori-senpai and Satoshi had made it into the top eight.

"They're doing great." I handed it back. Not sure why it's a big deal. They always take first and second, so making it to the top eight is expected.

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Blue, green, yellow, red, orange, black, brown, pink, purple. Kaoru's clothes have a color for everyone. I knew my emerald earrings would go perfectly with this shirt, but the lighter jade that Kaoru picked works well also.

I'd checked Tamaki-kun's and my hashtags before we were seated in the VIP section, and there was the fall and the kiss tagged like crazy and posted everywhere. And so many shares. We were even called 'the dream couple'. I suppose we are. I couldn't dream up a better fiancé.

Naoko sure is in a pissy mood. She'd drill a hole right in back of Haruhi's head if her eyes were lasers. She can't be jealous. She and Kaoru are all over each other, and they've got to be idiots if they think we don't all know what they're up to. They better be using protection.

At some signal I didn't see, Hikaru escorted Haruhi out of the owner's box and to the backstage area. She's supposed to walk with Kaoru at the end of the show.

I couldn't hold back the laughter when I hung up this afternoon. She can be the most confident person in the world about some things, but she was almost terrified on the phone. What I said obviously helped somewhat. She was perfect on the carpet.

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"Ready?"

"No, but I don't have a choice, right?"

I grabbed her shoulders and looked her dead in the eyes. "You always have a choice. If you're too nervous to walk with me, you don't have to. I have a model in that suit right now as a backup."

The music was getting closer to the cue for us. The backup model was waiting in the wing and looked at me. I shook my head slightly and waited for Haruhi.

"I can do this. Let's just get it over with." I smiled and took her arm. We walked to the stage and right before we turned from behind the curtain she said, "There better be fancy tuna at the after party."

"Of course, my glutton."

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Afterparty, Moyasu (Mori's Exclusive Nightclub):

"Haruhi-san, who are you wearing?"

She's made it through everything gracefully so far, but I can tell it's all wearing on her. I took this one. "It's a Hitachiin Kaoru original. I designed the six dresses my friends are wearing. They're more appropriate for dancing the night away, don't you think?"

I took a deep breath, the ocean smell helping my knotted muscles relax. Haruhi might have thought she was the only one nervous, but I was petrified. The fate of my line rested on tonight.

The weight of Haruhi's hand left my arm, and I turned to make sure she was alright.

"Please, just one more?"

Selfies with fans. She's amazing.

"Kaoru," Naoko said softly, "escort me in." Her arm came around my waist and I put mine around her shoulder.

"But Haruhi…"

"She's fine. Her bodyguard is there at the entrance, and Hikaru is still on the carpet." She pulled me down so she could whisper in my ear. "Let's go find a dark corner. I want you so bad."

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"May I have your autograph too?"

"Of course." Endo-san handed me another picture and I signed it with a flourish. The hard part is over. All I have to do now is eat fancy tuna.

Security had to get more pictures twice before I could break away from the fan girls. Why are they here so late?

"Fujioka-sama, we should go in." I looked at Endo-san and then around the red carpet. I was the last one out here. Did Kaoru just leave me?

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I'd walked in with Keiko, but we got separated in the crowd. I'll probably only stay about thirty minutes before I call the Ootori car to come get me. I don't have a date, and I don't know any of these people.

"May I have this dance?"

Turning him down was on the tip of my tongue when I saw who it was. "Akito-kun."

"Surprise," he whispered in my ear. With his hand on the small of my back, he led me to the dancefloor. I'm surprised he'd want to dance to this music.

"What are you doing here?" His head tilted and he frowned slightly. "Oh, that didn't come out right."

Now his smile is back. "I knew what you meant. Kaoru-kun invited me. He knew I wouldn't find the fashion show interesting, but knew you'd like me here for this."

Thank you, Kaoru.

We were swaying to the beat, his hands running up and down my arms. I don't want to leave early anymore. And I can't believe what he's wearing. Black leather pants and a gray button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Did Kaoru help him with that too? I own him another thank you.

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"Excuse me. Are you Hitachiin Yuzuha-sama?"

"Yes."

"I'm Tom, the manager. Morinozuka-sama asked me to oversee the party tonight. Please let me know if you need or want anything. I'm here to make this a success."

"Thank you, Tom-san. Everything is wonderful. I'll let you know if we need something."

He bowed and continued on. Mori-kun is so sweet to take extra good care of us. I'm sure he asked Tom-san to keep an eye on Haruhi specifically. He's not hiding how he feels about her from me.

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Typical afterparty. Lots of liquor, food, and models. Keiko-senpai and I were on the dancefloor doing more looking around than paying attention to each other.

"Good. He found her." I spun Keiko around so she could see. "Kaoru asked Akito here for Yuki."

"They look great together. It's odd the way life pushes us one direction and then another."

I looked her over. Hair up, fake diamond earrings, a deep red sheath dress Kaoru designed, and matching platform heels. She looks great. Her eyes, however, were distant. "Are you alright, Keiko-senpai?"

Her smile was sad as the dance lights passed over her face. "I think so. Interning at my father's company isn't what I thought it'd be. I'd hoped to learn more."

"Tell me about it. When I started interning for my dad, I started at the bottom writing the documentation and doing all the crap work. But dad was right. If you don't start at the bottom and work your way up, they won't respect you. You'll always be the boss's son to them."

"You're right, but it's still not what I thought it would be."

I spun her around and stepped behind her. "It's just a few months. You'll make it," I murmured in her ear. "We can always do something fun if it gets too bad."

She leaned her head back on my shoulder. "I might take you up on that."

My eyes wandered to the other side of the dance floor. "Shit."

"What?" She followed my gaze.

"Kaoru is dancing with Naoko. Do you see Haruhi anywhere? He was going to be escorting her."

"But he can't do that all night. What about Naoko?"

"We're supposed to be trading Haruhi off. She's not used to this type of thing, and she doesn't have it in her to tell someone to get lost if they're messing with her."

"Over there."

"Fuck."

"Who is that?"

"That is one of the best fashion photographers in Tokyo. Must be here just because of the Hitachiin name. He's also one of the scummiest in the business."

They were dancing, and he was too close.

"Go rescue her, Hikaru. I'm fine on my own."

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This little model is sweet. Too sweet to know I've got an excellent view down her dress. I'll lick the sweet off of her real fast.

Hitachiin knows what he's doing. I'll give him that. She's in a slinky dress that flairs at her hips. The dark green sets off her eyes, and with her short hair, there's nothing between my fingers and her bare back. I bet I could rip it off with one hand.

"Is there other modeling you'd like to do?"

"Not really. This started as a favor for Kaoru. I've got an exclusive contract with his line."

"Too bad. I bet you'd cause a scene doing swimwear." It's been a long time since I've been around someone who blushes like that.

"Thank you, but I don't believe Kaoru will be doing a swim line any time soon."

"Maybe a lingerie line then. I'd be perfect to take the pictures."

Shit. Too fast. I felt her pull back slightly. Wanting to get away but not wanting to offend me. She's really not used to any of this. Bet she's still a virgin.

"What is your next project?" she asked, trying to push the subject onto me.

Never hurts to let them know just how great you are. "I've got several to pick from. When you're as in demand as much as I am, everyone wants you."

"Have you worked for the Hitachiin Label long?"

"Several years. I'm one of Yuzuha's favorite photographers."

"Yeah, right. Who told you that?"

"Hikaru?" Her voice was the equivalent of a cry for help. Guess I'm done with her for now.

"We've used your services a few times, but don't fool yourself. You're replaceable." He turned to the girl and smiled gently. "How about some fancy tuna?"

"Yes, please."

Asshole. I looked around and spotted a model I knew. I'm sure that little one wouldn't have been any fun anyway.

.

"What were you doing with that asshole?"

"He asked me to dance. Told me he was a photographer for Hitachiin Fashions. I thought I'd be nice for Kaoru's sake. I don't want his line to fail."

Hikaru pulled me into his arms and hugged me so tight. "Haruhi, you're too good for this business. Believe me when I say you could slap him in the middle of the dance floor and tell him to fuck off and it wouldn't hurt Kaoru or Hitachiin Fashions in the least."

"Really?"

"Yes, really." I pulled away and looked into his eyes. "Don't do anything you aren't comfortable with for Kaoru. His line won't be impacted at all."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." He kissed my forehead and grabbed a plate. "How much fancy tuna do you want?"

"How much is there?"

.

Several of us had gathered at the VIP tables. This party is crazy. The thumping beats, the crazy lights, and the almost see-through dance floor. I'll have to come back when I'm old enough to get in.

Keiko-senpai sighed as she looked out on the dance floor. Honey-senpai and Cho-senpai were out there dancing to some beat no one else could hear. Something twice as fast as the current song. Tamaki-senpai and Renge are off by themselves talking about who knows what.

But the couple Keiko was staring at was Naoko and Kaoru. They were all over each other. Mom's not going to like the pictures of that all over the web. Idiots. That can't wait until the limo ride home?

"How's the tuna, Haruhi?" I smiled when she looked up. Her cheeks stuffed with food and a grain of rice on her lip.

Holding up a finger, she chewed and swallowed. "Perfect. Want one?"

"Nope. I'm afraid you'd bite my hand off if I touched your plate."

"Hika-chan, look at this!" Honey-senpai handed me his phone again.

"Let me guess. They took first and second again."

"No. Look."

"Satoshi placed third?"

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xXX

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Sunday, May 1:

Dining Room, Hitachiin Estate:

"Kaoru, you realize you left Haruhi on the red carpet alone last night. She was the last one out there. Her security and PR rep. escorted her into the party."

"Shit, Kaoru,"

"Language, Hikaru."

"Not now. Not after that. How could you do that, you asshole?"

"You left her out there too."

Hikaru stood up, sending his chair back at least a meter. "You were escorting her, not me." He threw the newspaper at Kaoru. "I assumed you had her, just like I assumed you weren't a complete dick!"

"Boys calm down. Yelling and throwing things is not going to solve this." They get their fiery temperaments from their mother.

"How can you be so calm, Dad. He left her out there. ON HER OWN!"

"She was signing autographs and taking selfies. Endo-san was out there with her. So was Eiji. So were you, Hika. Haruhi was fine."

His fists hit the table and he leaned across to yell in his brother's face. "That's not the fucking point. You promised her you'd watch out for her, and you broke your promise to Haruhi. To HARUHI! Was screwing Naoko worth that?"

Before Kaoru could respond, Hikaru had come around and pulled him out of his chair by his shirt. "Do you know who I found her dancing with? Do you?" Kaoru was smart enough not to respond. "That photographer. The scummy one that gets into all the models' pants. He was holding her against him, Kaoru. Dammit." He dropped Kaoru back in his chair.

Yuzuha broke in. "Did he do anything to her?" Her voice was quiet but cut through the room like a chainsaw.

"No. I got there in time." He turned back to Kaoru and glared. "When I asked her why she was dancing with that dick, she said she didn't want to hurt your line by being rude to him. She did it for you, you moron."

The situation had finally sunk in, and Kaoru's eyes were huge. "I can't believe she did that."

"It's Haruhi. What else would she do?" Hikaru went back to his seat. "She'll always do what she can for other people. It's Haruhi, Kaoru. Think."

"Shit."

"Yeah, shit."

They sat there staring at each other. Seeing them fight for real was rare. I could count the number of times on one hand, including today.

"How was she the rest of the night," Yuzuha asked.

"I got her away from that dick and told her she didn't have to put up with him for anything. That she could slap him and tell him to fuck off and it wouldn't hurt Kaoru or Hitachiin fashions at all.

"Then I filled her up with fancy tuna."

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xXx

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Haruhi's Room, Morinozuka Estate:

Guess who I saw last night on the red carpet! #FujiokaHaruhi the #HitachiinModel for #HitachiinKaoru newest line #EveryWoman - Looked amazing. I want the suit [picture attached]

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#HitachiinFashions proud to announce #HitachiinKaoru #EveryWoman line fashion show was a complete success [attached press release from Hitachiin Fashions with lots of pictures]

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#FujiokaHaruhi escorted on red carpet by #HitachiinKaoru Are they dating? [picture with her arm around his waist and his arm around her shoulders]

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Darling girl gives hug to dog lady on red carpet last night! #PettoChinmi #FujiokaHaruhi #HitachiinFashions [Picture of girl hugging Haruhi's legs and both smiling at the other]

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#SuohTamaki and fiancée on the red carpet #HitachiinFasions show. Check out that rock! [picture of Renge's engagement ring, picture of the couple.]

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Romance on the red carpet. #SuohTamaki and #HoushakujiRenge trip, but make the most of the opportunity #HitachiinFashtions [picture of the kiss]

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#HaninozukaMitsukuni on #HitachiinFashion red carpet without his bunny! [picture of Honey and Cho, picture of Honey with Usa-chan from previous event]

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#FujiokaHaruhi #HitachiinModel SLUT! Dating both #HitachiinKaoru and this guy. [picture of Kaoru and Haruhi on red carpet, picture of Haruhi and Naoto getting popcorn]

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They called me a slut? Idiots. Didn't they see Kaoru and Naoko dancing at the party? They were all over each other. I'm not dating Kaoru.

I didn't even notice Honey-senpai didn't bring Usa-chan. Good for him.

I'm going to get ready for school tomorrow. Why do I even bother to look at Twitter? There are hundreds from last night. Who has time?

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xXx

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Security Center, Morinozuka Estate:

"Here's another one." Miwa-san handed me a printout of another tweet. We're coordinating with the social media officers, going through all the questionable tweets about Haruhi-sama last night. As the head of her detail, I have the final say if we're opening an investigation.

"Threat against her for dating Kaoru-sama, instead of them." I shook my head in disgust. "These men are delusional."

We identified twenty-four tweets that rose to the level of concern. The social medial officers will do background checks on the senders.

We already have two that we're keeping close tabs on.

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xXx

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Hitachiin Fashions Studio:

I'd promised to apologize to Haruhi tomorrow at school. I wanted to do it in person. Everything Hika said was right. I'd let her down. I'd put her in danger. I am an asshole.

"Kaoru-sama, the orders are flooding in."

Mao handed me her tablet, and I almost dropped it in shock. Overnight we'd broken our estimate for the entire month. "Damn," I whistled. "Have you notified the factory?"

"Yes. Early this morning. They'll speed up production."

I ran to the door as Mom came in. "Look at this. In my wildest dreams I never thought this would happen."

Her hand rested on my cheek. "I knew the line would be a huge success. You couldn't fail. It's a perfect idea and beautiful, functional clothes."

"Thanks, Mom."

Ando-san, the head of Hitachiin PR, came out of her office and walked over to us. "The hashtags went crazy last night. Once again, Fujioka-sama exploded because of a kid. It's working for both us and Petto Chinmi."

"Yeah, the kid called her 'the dog lady'."

"The next set of ads should have her with kids. Like maybe picking them up from school after a long day at work or something."

"That's not a bad idea, Kaoru," Mom said. "You could also add a dog."

"I'm not sure about that. Mixing the advertising ties the companies together in a way I'm not sure we want."

"Ando-san has a point. I don't want to hang Haruhi's future on my success. Yeah, the line's doing great now, but no one's wearing it yet. It still could flop."

"That's not going to happen, but I understand what you're saying. No dogs, but we will add kids to a couple of the ads."

"We've also gotten inquires about the fall and winter lines." Mao was flipping through orders on her tablet. "Also, about an accessory line."

"That's covered. I've contracted with a jewelry designer to do a line under the Hitachiin Every Woman name. He's been designing for commoner stores for a while and knows what the customer wants. For us, his designs will match the clothes in tone and color."

"Can I put that in a press release?"

"No. I want prototypes before we go public. The designer needs to prove himself to me first." I looked around the group and smiled. I couldn't ask for better advisors. "Anything else?"

They all shook their heads. "Alright then. I need to get going on the fall line.

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xXx

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Lounge, Morinozuka Estate:

My two sons came into the house, finally back from Istanbul. "Satoshi, come in here."

"Yes, Father."

They looked at each other, and Takashi shrugged. He knows what this is about.

"Sit."

I let him sit for a minute, seeing if he would talk first. He didn't.

"Explain your result."

"He was faster than me. That's all."

"Faster than you. Why?"

"He had a good day, and I had an off day."

"That club is impacting your practice and performance. You must reassess your priorities."

He hung his head and didn't say anything. Will he decide to stop going on his own, or will I have to do it."

"You're right," his head came up, and his eyes met mine. "I'll stop going as much."

"You should stop going completely, but I'm leaving it up to you. It's your choice if you wish to compete in the Olympics, only to not win a medal."

I left him to think about his choices.

xXx

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As evening came, thoughts were as varied as the people thinking them.

Kaoru:

Last night everyone finally saw the entire new line, and the orders are still coming in. Maybe I should have partnered with one department store, rather than sell to all, but it's too late for that. Mao's looking for another factory as a backup.

Haruhi will be thrilled with the donations we'll be doing.

Haruhi.

I'm an idiot. She didn't want to become the face of the line but did it for me…and for charity. But mostly for me. Anyone else who asked her would have been turned down flat, even with the donations.

Her friendship means so much to me. She helped me when Hika was sick, and I was alone. How many times did I cry on her shoulder? Or over the phone?

I must do better by her. There is absolutely no excuse for leaving her on the carpet like that. Her security shouldn't worry about getting her in the building. They need to worry about threats, not escorting her around. That was my job but walked away from it to spend time with Naoko. Haruhi never did that to me. She was dating Ootori while Hika was sick, and she always had time for me.

I'll never let her down again.

Naoko:

There are dozens of tweets asking if MY Kaoru is dating Haruhi. And they've been shared over and over. He's not dating her. He's dating me. Why aren't there more pictures of us on the dance floor? We were all over each other. I made sure no one would think we weren't together.

Guess I have to make it more obvious.

Yuzuha:

My son debuted his first clothing line last night, and it was fantastic. The clothes, the models, the setup, the professionalism, it was all better than I've seen done by other designers that have been in the business for years. He's made me so proud.

However, that girlfriend of his is getting clingier and clingier. He left Haruhi-chan out on the red carpet because of her. She bears watching. I won't let her impact his career.

Hikaru:

Fucking Kaoru. He better realize just what he did to Haruhi. He broke a promise to her. He left her out there with no buffer. Bastard.

I'll never do that to her. She's like a little sister to me, and I'll protect her. She deserves better.

Keiko surprised me. Yeah, we were dancing kinda close, but what kind of 'fun things' did she mean? I'll take her up on that offer.

It's going to be a trip seeing all the girls tomorrow in the uniform we designed.

Takashi:

Satoshi disappointed father with his result. He went from beating me to losing to that American who has only been competing for a few years.

After my loss to Satoshi, I created an entirely new training schedule. I will not lose again.

Satoshi:

Dammit, Father's right. I lost that match because I haven't been training enough. Too much time at Neon.

So, what are my priorities? My most important goal is silver at the Olympics. Taka will take gold. My beating him was a fluke. A freaking awesome fluke, but a fluke. He's better than me, and I will catch up one day, but this is not the year. I have four more years to get there. Of course, another fluke would be great.

After that, I want to enjoy high school and being a teenager. That means going out to Neon. But just once a week and not on competition weeks. The girls will just have to get by without me.

Honey:

There were tweets about Usa-chan. People actually wondered where he was. Am I defined by him more than by myself? I'm beginning to see why Cho-chan's father is unsure. It wasn't so bad to leave him here. When I went to bed, I told him everything that happened.

Because it was just the two of us, I focused exclusively on Cho-chan last night. All my energy was spent making her happy. We danced, watched the show, ate cake (Kao-chan had lots), and talked about anything and everything.

Do I take Usa-chan to classes with me tomorrow? Cho-chan won't be there.

Cho:

Tomorrow is my first day of university! Mother and I shopped like crazy the last few weeks getting my university wardrobe together. And we found a new school bag for me…pink leather. Honey-kun warned me that students there dress more casually than I'm used to, so I'm wearing jeans and a pink shirt tomorrow. Of course, I'll have pink ribbons in my hair.

It will be so much fun…

Chika:

I've got my uniform and bag ready. I'm going to bed. I must be up and alert for five o'clock training.

Keiko:

Another day working for father's company tomorrow. I realize I need to start at the bottom, but it seems like such a waste of time. I'm not learning much except how to file and organize meetings.

Hikaru was fun last night.

Tamaki:

My first day of university tomorrow, starting at eight with marketing. I've got my clothes, books and notebooks, and father gave me a gold pen to use. And I'll see Cho at one for English.

The most exciting news is Father said I can learn how to drive now.

Suoh Yuzuru:

Klutzy kids. But Tamaki does know how to take advantage of a situation.

Suoh Shizue:

The boy starts university tomorrow. Perhaps he won't embarrass me doing that. He's fortunate that the press regarding his incident on the red carpet has been positive and, dare I say it, sweet.

There aren't many ways out of that marriage contract but damaging the reputation of the Suoh name is one of them.

Renge:

I'm going to have to trip and fall more often…

Yuki:

This new uniform is so much more comfortable than that hideous yellow dress. I decided to wear the pencil skirt on my first day to show off my legs.

Akito-kun is coming over for dinner tomorrow. I had no idea he was going to show up last night. We danced and talked until the end of the party.

I think I am falling in love with him.

Akito:

My first class is at seven, so I've got to get some sleep.

Dinner with Yuki-chan tomorrow night. I should buy her a gift.

Kyoya:

What the fuck was Yoshio thinking? Bastard. He thought he could get away with anything. Well, I proved him wrong.

But now I have to clean up his mess without rolling around in the dirt. Shit.

Tachibana:

Kyoya-sama showed me the decoded papers and warned me about what's to come. I'll be coordinating with the Black Onion Squad officers on the background checks and including this new information into my team's security protocols.

Never a dull moment.

Kasanoda:

I can't believe Bu took me shoe shopping again. That means there's only one more date that she can torture me with. Crazy chick. I showed her. I bought a couple pairs for myself.

Shinobu:

I really don't want to go back to school tomorrow. There's nothing there that I'll need to know as the head of a yakuza syndicate.

I guess the English and government could be helpful, but biology? When am I ever going to use that? Gee, that's cell division over there. And that's a tree over there. That animal in the water is a fish. Yuck.

All I have to do is pass. That's it.

Sota:

I'm starting Ouran tomorrow! I'm starting Ouran tomorrow! Yuki-chan's riding with me in the limo.

I can't wait to tell Uncle Kyoya and Uncle Akito about it tomorrow night.

"Sota-kun, if you don't go to sleep, you won't be able to go to school tomorrow."

"Yes, Mother."

I'm starting Ouran tomorrow. I'm starting Ouran tomorrow.

Fuyumi:

That child. He didn't have any sugar today, and his father played with him outside all afternoon to wear him out. And he's still not asleep.

Well, this little one is telling me more chocolate before I go to sleep. At least it's not pickles.

Haruhi:

Uniform, school bag, suit for work, wallet, phone, notebook. I think that's everything. I'm wearing the girl's uniform for the first time, and it has slacks. The black shoes will double for work shoes. Hikaru and Kaoru did a great job.

I emailed Honami-san a list of things I need before I leave for Seoul Thursday. Having a personal assistant does have its pluses. However, it still is weird. I had to force myself to find her things to do at first, but now, we've fallen into a routine.

Look at all these crazy tabloids. Kaoru had them delivered so I could see the press for the fashion show. Everything has been positive, and I'm thrilled for him. That doesn't mean I'm not glad the show is over. I am. Now I get to forget about the modeling part of my life for a short while.

If pressed, I'd admit it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The fancy tuna was delicious. Bringing some home for breakfast today was a good idea.

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xXx

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Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Ouran High School Host Club. I do, however, own any original characters and the plot of this story. I also do not own, nor am I making any money from, the following: Olympics, Lego, Duplo, any real restaurant, business, food product, or really anything else that exists.

Author's Note:

Seems Haruhi is getting better about Kyoya. Any input? Dad doesn't like this arc and is glad to see it starting to end. But is it?

Satoshi's in a bit of hot water. Marriage contracts, placing 3rd, and limiting his Neon time.

So, what is Yoshio in to? What did they find in that document? We'll get there.

Had fun writing the fashion show, but it did have its challenges. Hope I got the balance right of the fluff and the worry. What about what Kaoru did? Is Hika right to be so angry?

Drop me a review and let me know what you think about where I'm going with this.

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Next Chapter:

First day of school and trouble for Kaoru.

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By the way: I've been getting into Harry Potter FanFic lately and reading a ton. Does anyone else picture Hikaru and Kaoru when they read Fred and George?

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