Haruhi had always been a levelheaded girl. She had never overreacted when awkward situations presented themselves, and she had never been the typical shoujo-manga heroine. Lately, Haruhi noticed, she'd been a part of more awkward situations than ever before. Actually, there had been countless occurrences that would never have happened to her in the past, but unusual things tended to present themselves ever since the two devilishly handsome twins declared themselves as her "best friends forever."
Monday morning seemed to have rolled around faster than expected (or anticipated), but as the sun rises, so does Haruhi Fujioka. Except, something was off about the girl's early-morning routine. When the two, wide brown eyes finally opened, the unfamiliar area that the owner of the eyes found herself in was completely unexpected.
"Ah," Haruhi finally recalled to herself, hitting a fisted hand against her open palm, all-the-while looking across the vast room with a thoughtful expression.
Having decided that the room she was in was far too vast and far too incredible to be her own, and since she has always been too much of a realist to believe that such a place was a dream, the scholarship student concluded that she was (of course, why didn't she think of it before?) in the Hitachiin mansion.
Or, at least, she hoped she was in the Hitachiin mansion for it'd be highly awkward to wake up inside another rich person's home. Say, perhaps, Kyoya Ootori's?
Shivering at such a thought, Haruhi decided to slide out of the comfortable bed and onto the cool, marble floor, all-the-while wondering as to why rich people didn't bother with carpet. It was so much more convenient in the morning; however, from further examination of the rich people she had encountered thus far (and being at one of the richest schools in Japan, she had met a lot,) Haruhi had decided that rich people didn't believe in "convenience."
Turning back towards the bed, as she had always done at home, the long-haired girl decided to make the bed look just as presentable as it had previously been before she had intruded upon in. Finally, after fluffing the pillows to satisfaction, she gazed around the vast room and fell into thought.
"Now, what am I to do about a uniform?" Haruhi mused to herself as she looked around the room. After all, she did have school today, but she didn't know how to go about requesting transportation back to her apartment.
"Oh," a voice called from the door which Haruhi hadn't even noticed was slightly ajar, "Fujioka-san is up so early."
"Eh?" Haruhi inquired, blinking at the maid that had popped her head through the door before bustling into the room. In her arms, she carried the Ouran uniform: an easy identification due to its unique, pastel color. Haruhi briefly wondered if the Hitachiin Household's employees were equipped with super-powered hearing.
"Hitachiin-sama instructed me to place this in your room, but I had no idea Fujioka-san would wake up so early!" the maid exclaimed, heading for the bed that the girl had woken up in.
"Is Hitachiin-san already awake?" the scholarship student inquired, watching the maid's eyes widen at the already-made bed. The maid shook her head as if she was merely ridding her mind of an illusion before carefully placing the uniform on top of the expensive sheets.
"Hitachiin-sama had to take her leave very early in the morning. There is a photo shoot in Brazil that she must attend today," the woman explained, "and a fashion show in New York that she must be present for tomorrow. Hitachiin-sama should be back after that."
"I see," Haruhi murmured aloud, and then bowed to the room's other occupant, "thank you very much for bringing me the uniform."
The maid blushed at the girl's humbled position, but nodded her head quickly and scrambled out of the room to leave the girl to change.
Haruhi turned back towards the bed, and picked up the neatly-folded uniform. It was brand new; the scent and feel of it practically screamed 'just-delivered.'
Deciding that she might as well wear the uniform even though it wasn't necessarily hers, the girl slipped out of the dress that she had been wearing since the previous night. She was grateful that nobody – especially the twins – had attempted to undress her while she was sleeping. While the girl could deal with the discomfort of wearing a dress to sleep, she doubted that she could suffer through the humiliation that the twins would undoubtedly harass her with for the rest of her life.
The scholarship student could already imagine the situation as she finished dressing herself.
"Haruuuuhi," two voices whined simultaneously from the doorway.
Turning to gaze at the disgruntled twins, she realized that they must have just woken up. After all, she had never seen them with such disheveled appearances before.
"I don't see why my lord didn't just host the dance party on Saturday night," Hikaru groaned, walking over to the bed she had slept in He collapsed on top of it, ruining the already-made bedding.
"Because he's an idiot," Kaoru suggested before joining his brother on the bed, ruining the sheets even more.
"If you two were just going to wake up to go back to sleep, what was the point of getting up to begin with?" Haruhi asked as she gazed at the two brothers who were already dozing off once more.
"We told the maids to wake us up when you were awake," Kaoru explained.
Hikaru yawned and stretched his long limbs across the sheets, messing up the job that Haruhi had done of making the bed look presentable, "But obviously, that was a bad idea, eh?"
The twins grinned sleepily at her.
"We shouldn't even go to school today," Hikaru said.
"After all, it's not every day we get to have Haruhi all to ourselves," Kaoru added with a sly smirk.
Haruhi narrowed her eyes at them, greatly disagreeing with the younger twin's comment.
"Besides, it's not like we have anything important going on at school today. Just physical examinations."
"Eh, my lord would be greatly displeased if we were to miss that."
"He'd probably be too busy crying over Haruhi's absence to acknowledge our own."
"But Kyoya-senpai..." Hikaru trailed off.
The twins looked at each other and gulped.
Hikaru clapped his hands, and the twin maids that Haruhi had already become familiarized with entered the room with the Ouran uniforms in hand. In the same manner as the woman who had brought the uniform to Haruhi, the maids merely placed the uniforms on the bed next to the brother's sprawled out bodies and left the room without a word.
"You don't mind if we change in here, do you?" Hikaru asked slyly, "we had planned on joining you and all..."
"But you changed too fast," Kaoru finished off, propping himself against his brother.
Haruhi shrugged her shoulders, "Have it your way."
The twins blushed at her comment and quickly waved their hands as if to wave away the conversation, "Ne, Haruhi, we were just kidding."
"What?" Haruhi inquired, "You two don't want to change?"
Their faces turned as dark as Ritsu Kasanoda's hair at her comment.
Kaoru, always the more sensible of the two twins, finally managed to sputter, "We meant that we don't want you to watch us change."
"Why would I want to watch you two change?" Haruhi inquired in a dull tone, "I was just about to leave."
"Oh," the twins blinked at her departing figure.
"I'll be waiting outside," Haruhi concluded before exiting the room and shutting the door behind her.
"Hey!" Hikaru yelled at the door, "what's wrong with watching us change?"
Kaoru shook his head at his brother's antics and slipped off his shirt. Sometimes, he thought he was the only sane one amongst them.
.x.o.x.o.x.
"You know, Haruhi," Hikaru said, slinging his arm across the girl's shoulders as they entered into the north wing's foyer, "we can leave as soon as we're done with the examination. The day is specifically reserved for physical examinations alone."
"What about club activities?" Haruhi asked, "Wouldn't you two have to stay for the Host Club?"
"Well technically," Kaoru explained with a wink, "we'll already be involved in club activities."
"Physical examinations makes Kyoya-senpai's heart go doki-doki," Hikaru teased, sticking his fingers up and rocking side-to-side.
"But everyone knows he loves taking our pictures for our bodies rather than for the profit," the twins chimed confidently as they grinned at the girl who walked between them.
"Ahem."
The three freshmen stopped where they were. Turning to their left, they spotted Kyoya Ootori standing against the wall with the rest of the Host Club members.
Kaoru and Hikaru immediately shut up while Haruhi attempted to ward off the evil aura that the boy in front of them was radiating.
"Hitachiin twins," the raven-haired boy greeted with false cheer, "I'd like to remind you two that I am aware as to where you live, the security restrictions of your mansion, and the hours of which you two are asleep. And, let me tell you now that the club would be deeply saddened if anything ... unfortunate were to happen to its members."
The twins gulped and backed up to cower behind their female companion.
"Ah, Fujioka-san," Kyoya Ootori turned on her with a pleasantly fake smile, "the Host Club would like to extend its thanks to you for your participation in last night's event."
Haruhi couldn't decide as to whether she should go running for the exit or if she should just play along.
"You're welcome," Haruhi replied, having chosen the latter.
"Our profits have increased by three-point-two percent due to the plan's success," Kyoya said with a small glint bouncing across his glasses, "after all, we strive to make the young ladies of this school happy by making their dreams come true."
The girl wondered if he had this memorized.
"For we, the Host Club, a group of handsome men with too much time on our hands, would rather dedicate our time to those young beautiful ladies who also have time," Tamaki interrupted.
"And money," Kyoya contributed.
Tamaki glanced at his dark-haired friend and shrugged, "as I was saying – we, the Host Club, exist solely to serve the beautiful young ladies of this campus."
Haruhi stared blankly at the two of them and nodded her head, "I know."
"My lord is boring our toy," Hikaru stated, pulling the girl against his body.
"Anyways, let's get this over with. We want to go have an early lunch date with Haruhi," Kaoru added, walking with his brother and the girl towards the campus' on-site medical facility (a generous contribution made by the Ootori family.)
"What?! I demand an invitation to this 'lunch date'!" Tamaki shouted from behind the three freshmen, but the twins and Haruhi had already tuned out the Host Club president.
Entering into the medical facility, Haruhi decided, felt like entering into the third music room after school.
Maybe it was the unfathomable amount of doctors and nurses lined up against the walls, greeting students like royalty as they made their entrance. Perhaps it was the girls squealing with delight as they caught sight of the Host Club members entering the room. It might have even been the fact that the event did not seem anything like a physical examination, but rather an elaborate prank that someone was pulling on her to prevent her from learning about the human anatomy and the study of the ancient Greeks.
Whatever it was, Haruhi finally realized what the twins had meant by the physical examinations being a part of their club activities. It really was rather difficult to miss the multiple camera men sporting Ootori-labeled vests and the variety of equipment fit for any professional photo shoot.
"Hitachiin-sama," a nurse said to Hikaru, "if you and your brother would follow me this way, you two can undress in separate rooms."
"No need," Hikaru replied, easily slipping into his 'homosexual-for-my-brother' act. He began to remove his shirt, but Kaoru was just as quick to jump into his role.
"Hikaru!" Kaoru scolded, grabbing hold of his twin's hands.
"What's wrong, Kaoru?" Hikaru asked in a husky tone.
"Are you trying to make your dear brother jealous?" Kaoru asked with tear-filled eyes before continuing in an audible whisper that sent the ladies swooning, "I thought you promised that only I would be able to see you undress."
If only Kaoru's words were true, Haruhi thought to herself amidst the sighs and squeals from the girls surrounding the twins. The loud thumps that erupted around the room easily signified a 'moe overdose' as several of the Host Club's fan girls happily fainted to the floor.
Haruhi heaved an exasperated sigh, somewhat used to the scenario. After all, the twins had made her attend practically every club meeting since she met them. They were monopolizing her time and, in the process, isolating her from the rest of their classmates.
Ritsu Kasanoda, the boy who had once eaten lunch with her and had even walked her home (or at least to the store,) had stopped trying to approach her. She wondered how the redhead was doing, and if he had taken any more injured animals into his care.
The girl really did think that the Kasanoda-group heir would make a good veterinarian.
"Excuse me, miss," a nurse said to her, interrupting the scholarship student's inner musings, "will you please follow me?"
Figuring that she might as well get this done with sooner than later, Haruhi followed the woman. The twins were a bit too occupied with the Host Club's fan club and the photographers to notice their toy's departure.
.x.o.x.o.x.
"Sorry for the long wait, miss," the nurse said as they rounded another corner, "there are so many students at this time, but thankfully, there was a private room open."
"It's really no problem," Haruhi assured the woman with a kind smile, "I'm just glad that I was able to escape from the chaotic scene in the main room."
"Oh?" the nurse asked with a delighted chuckle, "those handsome young boys always attract so much attention."
"They do," Haruhi confirmed, hunching her shoulders and looking at the floor in defeat. The club members seemed to plague her very existence; the topic of them even entered into conversations with complete strangers.
.x.o.x.o.x.
"Where's Haruhi?" Kaoru asked his twin as he finished buttoning up his shirt. After the photographers had taken enough pictures to fill a magazine, the twins had decided to put an end to their charade. A bit disappointed, the girls had swept over to gaze upon the Host Club president's well-toned body.
"Huh?" Hikaru inquired, looking around for their brunette-haired friend.
"Now that I mention it, I haven't seen her since we started our act."
"All of those girls were in the way," Hikaru growled, suddenly angry at the swarm of girls that had surrounded both of them only minutes prior to their conversation.
"Well, I guess we should go find her," Kaoru suggested with a smile in an attempt to ease his twin's temper.
"Yeah, but how troublesome," Hikaru said, placing his hands behind his neck and gazing up at the ceiling.
"Alright, let's go check-"
Kaoru was interrupted by a girl's shriek, "EEEEK! PERVERT!"
"What's going on over there?" the twins inquired aloud before running over to the source of the commotion.
When they turned the corner to see a girl cowered against the wall with a nurse trying to help her up, the brothers looked on with confused expression.
"Th – there was a m – ma – man," the girl said in a shaky voice, "I thought he was a doctor, but he grabbed me! I thought he was going to do something lewd. I was so scared!"
The girl collapsed into a helpless mess, but not before pointing down the hall, "I saw him run down towards the private rooms."
Hikaru and Kaoru immediately sprung into action. If Haruhi was in one of the private rooms, the sexual predator might locate her. Even if she wasn't in one of the rooms, ignoring the issue was not a chance that the brothers wished to take.
"Haruhi!" the twins shouted as they split up, kicking down doors in an attempt to locate their misplaced toy.
.x.o.x.o.x.
"Thank you," Haruhi bowed to the woman in front of her with a kind smile. The doctor smiled at her before flipping through her notebook.
"Have a nice day, Fujioka-san."
The girl nodded her head in agreement before taking leave of the room. The woman, Dr. Jun, had been surprisingly kind. Haruhi, having never needed to visit the infirmary before, had never even seen the woman on the vast campus, but she was glad that she finally had.
Before she had even completely closed the door to the private room behind her, a pair of arms had already engulfed her figure, causing the girl's eyes to widen in surprise.
"Haruhi!" Hikaru cried out in relief as he let his head rest on her shoulder. She gazed at him from the corner of her eye, wondering what was going on.
"Kaoru and I," Hikaru panted, "thought the pervert got you."
"What pervert?" Haruhi asked curiously, turning around to face the tall boy, "I just had my physical examination."
"Oh," Hikaru said, "so you didn't know that there was a pervert on campus?"
"No."
"He attacked some girl," Hikaru explained, "so when Kaoru and I couldn't find you..."
Haruhi shook her head and smiled at him, "It's alright, I'm fine."
Hikaru blushed at her expression and quickly turned around so his back was facing her.
"Kaoru!" Hikaru called out, "I found Haruhi!"
A few moments later, the younger twin popped his head out of the doorway from across the hall and a few doors down. He waved both his brother and the girl over.
"What's going on?" Hikaru asked, sticking his hands into his pockets.
"Kyoya-senpai located the pervert after checking the surveillance cameras, but my lord discovered that the guy wasn't really a pervert. He was just looking for his daughter. She doesn't even go to this school," Kaoru said with a laugh, "she goes to some public high school."
From what Kaoru had just said, Haruhi concluded that the man didn't sound like a very good father.
"Whatever," Hikaru stated grumpily, "let's just go get something to eat."
"Yeah," Kaoru nodded in agreement, "how about we go eat at that Italian restaurant?"
"The one in Sicily?" Hikaru asked.
"Nah, the one in San Fransisco," Kaoru replied, "you know, the one with the really good spaghetti?"
"By the time you reach either of those locations," Haruhi said, "lunchtime would be long gone."
"Aw," the twins complained, "Haruhi's such a mood-killer."
"And after we went through all of that hassle to rescue her from the pervert," Hikaru joked.
Haruhi rolled her eyes, but the twins wrapped their arms around her small frame, effectively trapping her between them.
"How about Haruhi cooks for us?"
"Yeah," Hikaru said with a grin, "I like that idea."
"No thanks," Haruhi said dully, "besides, I need to go home."
"You could cook for us since you're going home anyways," Kaoru contributed.
"Why do you need to go home?" Hikaru asked.
"I haven't taken a shower since yesterday, and neither have you two," Haruhi said, even though neither of the brothers possessed an offensive odor. On the contrary, the twins smelled rather nice.
"Can we join?" the twins asked slyly.
"No," Haruhi deadpanned.
"Fine," the twins added with pouts.
"How about pizza?" the twins amended.
Contemplating the idea, Haruhi finally gave in, "But neither of you can come within two feet of the bathroom while I'm taking a shower."
"Fine," the twins conceded.
"And you can't go into my closet either," she added as an afterthought.
"So unfair!" the twins groaned.
I did the worse proof-reading job on this. Sorry if you spot more mistakes than usual. Happy New Year!