"Haruhi, Haruhi! Is it true?" One of her classmates, Hana, burst into their homeroom, disrupting everyone's early free period. Haruhi barely glanced at the paper thrust into her face before she did a double take, grabbing the sheet from the excited girl's hands. As the rest of the students followed Haruhi's example, completely abandoning their desk work, they watched for the host's reaction. The only reaction Haruhi gave was a slight widening of the eyes and a thoughtful, "huh."

Clearly unsatisfied, Hana smacked her hands on the desk before her, accidentally knocking Haruhi's mechanical pencil to the floor. Knowing better than to fight for it, Haruhi sighed as she watched the pencil abruptly disappear, another piece of memorabilia swiped by an excitable club member.

"I just don't see what the big deal is," Haruhi lied, now thumbing through her textbook. If her worksheets were doomed she may as well complete the assigned reading. Her other hand kept a tight hold on the piece of paper. Of all the major changes to be made to the club… and those two made it under everybody's noses!

"The 'big deal'?!" Hana's voice pitched awkwardly around the slang. "Who's ever heard of a girl in the Host Club?"

At Hana's announcement, the rest of the girls in the class demanded to see the sheet of paper. Haruhi easily surrendered it and tried not to laugh at the irony of Hana's statement, and instead watched as the girls had a variety of reactions: some of them were downright perplexed at the role of a female host, while a few others were growing incensed. A few others, Haruhi noticed with interest, were blushing like maidens.

"What makes her so special?" wondered one of the girls out loud.

"Don't be so loud, Marie!" another one hissed, elbowing her. She leaned over to Marie's ear and whispered, "don't you know that she's why Kyoya…"

Awkward. Didn't the rich know how to at least gossip discreetly? From Haruhi's sides came the twins, the movement so natural that it no longer startled her. She was now used to being flanked by them, doubly (no pun intended) around the time Tamaki and Kyoya had… had had their trip.

"What's up, sunshine*?" Hikaru popped his bubble gum right in her ear, just how she hated it. Haruhi leveled Hikaru with a flat look, then answered Kaoru as if he'd been the original speaker.

"Looks like we're meeting up half an hour earlier before the club's usual start," Haruhi informed. "They've just allotted Kagome a hosting spot."

"Nu-uh" Hikaru denied with a scoff, while Kaoru scurried off to get something. "There's no way-"

"It's true!" Kaoru called, coming back with his phone in hand. He clicked a few buttons, then showed his brother the screen. Hikaru, on the other hand, studied the screen carefully.

"Why're you in a girls' group chat?" he asked his brother.

"How do you think I know everything around here?" Kaoru shot back. "Read the attachment, stupid. The picture of the poster that Ayumi sent."

"Ooh, Ayumi," Hikaru mocked, but upon reading the poster gave a surprised, "holy shit."

"What's the big deal?" Haruhi complained. "So we get another member, and she's a girl. Isn't that a good thing? I bet Kyoya-senpai is trying to broaden the customer pool by allowing guys in."

"Uh, Haruhi," Kaoru started. "I don't think you read the entire poster."

"There's still no mention of a male clientele," Hikaru informed, "So I bet Kyoya-senpai isn't focusing on that aspect."

Haruhi stared blankly at the twins, cogs slowly turning in her head. If Kagome was going to be a hostess, and the customer clientele was still the same-

"Oh," she said, her cheeks coloring. "Kagome's going to host other girls?"

A few girls nearby let out quiet squeaks, then turned away from the trio so as to not be caught listening in. Haruhi thought about it a bit longer. These girls were all so sheltered, they had probably never considered being with anyone other than a male heir. If they came face to face with Kagome, who had such a kind demeanor, and was so elegant, and quite pretty… Would Kagome choose the same cheesy lines as Tamaki? Or would she mimic Kyoya's smooth indifference?

"Hey!" Hikaru shouted, pointing at Haruhi and breaking her out of her reverie. "What's with that dopey expression on your face?!"

Haruhi scowled, her cheeks still red. "What expression?!"

The Ouran Academy Host Club is proud to present its newest member:

Higurashi Kagome

Miss Higurashi is an accomplished artist, marksman and athlete. She is trained as a junior instructor at the Taisho Institution of Kendo, the Fukami* school of boxing, and the primary Kyudo consultant of the prestigious Yanai Dojo.

We at the Host Club offer support for all princesses- including those who do not seek a 'prince' charming!

We'll see you at the Third Music Room!

Suoh, Tamaki

[Ordained by Headmaster Suoh Yuzuru]

As she studied the flower in her hand, Kagome twirled the stem between her fingertips. The petals blurred into one, bright color that matched her dress, and she wondered if the school uniform had factored in on the decision. Glancing up, she saw Tamaki watching her with a smile, and so she stuck the rose between her teeth and waggled her eyebrows at him just to hear him laugh. The three of them had woken up decently rested today, which was nice after the night they'd had. Which reminded her of what Kyoya had mentioned that morning about Tamaki's eye giving him trouble. The blond had laughed it off, but Kagome really did need to have another peek at it to make sure there weren't any issues.

A quick glance around the room showed that the other hosts had yet to arrive, and Kyoya was still getting ready in the washroom. Mindful of the petticoats, Kagome stood and approached Tamaki. He smiled up at her, and he was beautiful and unmarred. She combed her fingers through his hair, brushing it from his face, and her heart ached as he leaned into the palm of her hand. Thank goodness. Thank goodness that at the time it happened she still had enough power in her to heal him.

Carefully taking his chin in hand, Kagome tilted Tamaki's head back, just a bit, to get the light to reflect off his eyes more. Needing a better look into his eyes, she took another glance around the room and then sprawled over his lap, forcing Tamaki to hold her balance steady.

"K-Kagome-!"

Her eyes were intense with concentration, and not even the door opening broke her stare. Kagome was nearly done with healing the hidden micro trauma when a voice scared her from her thoughts.

"Well, I have to say that I hope this won't be how you treat every customer," came the amused voice, and both she and Tamaki startled, staring at the doorway. Kyoya shut the door behind him and prowled into the room, making his way towards them. When no one spoke, still too embarrassed, Kyoya tilted Tamaki's chin back further, exposing the long column of his neck. The blond didn't take his eyes off of Kyoya, attentive as always, but the brunet noticed his arms still wrapped around Kagome's waist. Curiously, Kyoya wondered if the two of them knew what a picture they made, what a scene they painted. Orpheus and Eurydice. The muse and the nymph.

"Just the pretty ones," Kagome smiled winningly. She tilted Tamaki's head back towards her- he went, slow and drunk off of the attention- and focused on healing him again. It's easier with Kyoya around, as he could act as a look out. An invasive injury like this one wasn't too difficult to heal, but the concentration required left her vulnerable. "Just the slightest scratch on the cornea, but we should be good now. How is your vision now, Tamaki?"

"Hm?" Tamaki blinked up at her, grinning dopily. His pupils were blown from the sudden influx of Kagome's power. "Perfect. You are a perfect vision." Kagome laughed and moved to get off of his lap, but Tamaki grasped her hand and kissed it, his eyes smoldering.

"Oh," Kagome laughs, the sound half breathy and half sheepish. "I didn't think he'd react like that."

"React..?"

"Yes, you know, sometimes when I heal a head injury, the brain gets a large influx of, say, oxytocin-" Kagome was about to further explain, but Tamaki began to nip at her neck. "Eep! Kyoya!"

Oxytocin, otherwise known as the 'cuddle hormone'. Great.

"Kyoya?" Tamaki echoed. His eyelids were lowered, and his stare burned. "Come here?"

Kyoya's breath hitched when the look was turned on him. No one had ever looked at him like that, much less Tamaki. When Kagome turned to look at him, her neck already reddening at certain spots, his resolve weakened.

"The others will be here soon," Kyoya heard himself say. "They'll be here in no less than fifteen minutes."

"Perfect," Tamaki crooned, and pulled the brunet towards Kagome and himself. "That gives us just enough time."

"Y'know," Hikaru said, cleaning one of his ears out with a finger. "I'm pretty sure the girls will notice you're wearing a scarf on your first day."

"I can't take it off," Kagome shrugged. "Let them talk some more."

He frowned at that, having noticed a lot of the gossip, and then tugged her arm towards their dressing rooms. "Here, sit," he said, and shoved her tiny frame into a chair. After a few moments of squabbling over the stupid scarf, Kagome finally sighed and took it off. At the sight of her bruised up neck, Hikaru let out an impressed whistle.

"Oh you are so lucky Kaoru's not the one doing this." A few clinking bottles were heard, and then Kagome suddenly had a handful of concealers and foundations. "So was it Kyoya? Or Tamaki? We've been guessing which one of them has their eyes set on you."

At the lack of answer, Hikaru poked his head up, catching Kagome's upset look in the mirror. Quite frankly, Hikaru was confused- he had been sure that the person who gave Kagome these hickeys was either the boss or the ice king, especially with how close the three of them-

Oh.

The three of them were rather close, weren't they? The way they seamlessly looked after one another. Hell, his own first interaction with Kagome had been the girl distracting them from Kyoya and Tamaki so they could talk to the upperclassmen in peace. The nicknames, the looks they'd toss each other, the way the three of them nearly revolved around one another. Something had either happened between the three of them, or was going to, but Hikaru couldn't quite figure that one out yet.

"I never thanked you for getting them back to us," Hikaru spoke in the quiet that had followed his earlier inquiry. He hadn't meant to upset Kagome, but of course he ended up sticking his foot in his mouth. Gently, Hikaru mixed the correct pigments together and began dotting the concealer on her neck. He let it stick for a few seconds before blending a light layer of foundation over it. "We… we would have been really lost without them. And if-" God, this was embarrassing! "-if it's the both of them, or, er, the three of you guys-" They were both lucky Kaoru wasn't here to witness this, "-then, uh, that's cool with me."

Kagome was laughing at him, thank goodness, and not at all offended. Hikaru could only offer a sheepish grin, relieved he hadn't actually upset her. They ended up chatting for a few more minutes, ending in her complimenting his work. She draped her scarf over his face and lamented that he wore it better, before walking into the club room to meet with everyone else.

Hikaru laughed, pulling the scarf off. Then he blinked.

"Hey! You never answered me!"

Sunshine is a play on Haruhi's name

* Had to edit because I forgot I already gave Kouga an alias haha ! oops