Author's Note: Welcome to the 5th story in the Ouran Soap Opera Series! (What used to be "The Last Straw" trilogy until I just kept going.) If you haven't started at the beginning – "The Last Straw" is the first. Go back and start there.

Drop a review – Dad and I would love to hear from you.

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xXx

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Date Posted: 10/23/2021

Trigger Warnings: Language

The Challenges Ahead - Chapter 1: The Joys of Being Famous

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Saturday, August 13:

Mid-morning, Morinozuka Estate:

Either I'm having a nightmare, or my ears are broken. "What did you say?"

"Tamaki-senpai wants Kyoya-senpai to be his best man." Haruhi-senpai just looked at me with her normal face…like there was nothing completely wrong about that statement. "He's asked for my approval."

"And you said…?"

"That I needed to discuss it with Kyoya-senpai."

"And you're telling me because…?"

"Because you are the most level-headed of the group and the best to give me objective advice." She walked over to my room's seating area and plopped down on the sofa. "I need someone who can be objective, Chika."

Well, that's not me.

But I guess it will have to be.

I joined her and took a deep breath. "Why are you even considering this?" She's not thinking about getting back together with that jerk, is she? That would break Takashi's heart.

"You weren't there at the beginning of the Host Club. I wasn't either, but Kyoya-senpai told me about it. He was resigned to be the third son, to not inherit, to be at his brothers' beck and call for his entire career. Stuck in a picture frame someone else painted. Then Tamaki-senpai came into his life and broke that frame."

She leaned back and rubbed at her eyes. The bags under them told the story of a long, sleepless night.

"Because of Tamaki-senpai, he suddenly had an entirely new perspective on his career. Someone had confidence in him. Someone knew he could surpass his brothers and his father.

"And along the way, Tamaki-senpai got a family."

"I didn't realize Tamaki-senpai played such a pivotal role in his success."

"They were there for each other when they needed it the most. With their positions in society, neither thought they'd ever have a best friend."

"And the wedding?"

"I can let it all go for one day. For Tamaki-senpai."

"Then is sounds like you need to talk to Kyoya-senpai."

"I'll see him in St. Louis."

"You realize I didn't give you any advice."

"You let me talk myself through it without judgement. That's all I needed."

She leaned back and groaned. Came out almost as a snarl. "And now I have to go shopping."

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xXx

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Lunch, Fancypants Restaurant, Tokyo:

"It will be amazing! An artists' co-op with a gallery, store, café, and individual areas for the artists. They can even live there if they have to."

I let my lips curve into a small smile as I watched Tamaki wave his arms around and gush about his newest project. Renge must have helped because it sounds like it will work.

"You'll have to come back and see it, Kyoya. I'm finalizing the purchase Monday and meeting with the architect and designer. An oasis in the middle of the art district just for undiscovered artists. They'll have the time they need to find themselves and spend quality time perfecting their art.

"I can't wait for it to open!"

"Sounds good, Tamaki. I look forward to seeing it."

"And Renge-chan's been amazing. She found the building and approved the architect and contractors." He leaned forward, pointing his fork at me, "She also found the perfect manager to help me with this. She'll be the director of the co-op when it's done."

"What experience does she have?"

"That's the best part. She used to manage a string of youth hostels in Europe. She's perfect."

Those skills should transfer well. "Europe? Is she Japanese?"

"No. German, but her Japanese is excellent."

Even better. "Congratulations. I'm sure it will be a huge success."

Then he gave me that glance. The one where it's like he can see through me. "I haven't given up on you as my best man."

Shit. This again. "I have. It's not appropriate."

"It's practically a necessity. The Suoh and Ootori families have been linked since we met. Renge-chan's and my wedding is a political event. We'll cause rumors if you're not my best man. It could even destabilize our stock."

I definitely wasn't expecting that cogent argument. Did Renge prep him for that?

"Plus, you're my best friend. You have to be there."

"Tamaki, I have months to come up with a perfect business excuse for not being there. I don't even live in this country right now."

"Kyoya, you have months to make yourself available for that date, and you have a private jet."

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He leaned back and took a sip of his wine. I know him so well; I can see the gears moving without a single expression on his face.

"No."

"Fine. I'll let it go for now, but we're not finished with this conversation."

He just stared at me and took another sip of wine.

Haruhi's going to talk to him in St. Louis. She'll fix this.

"Tell me about this new charity the group is starting."

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xXx

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Various Shopping Venues Throughout Tokyo:

"Now that Keiko's had her traditional Japanese lunch, it's time to shop until we drop."

I tilted my head and glared at Renge. "So, if I fall down right now, I'm done?"

"Hell no, Haruhi. I'll just have Kono carry you." Shinobu smirked at me. "He'll even do it piggy-back style if you want." I felt the color drain from my face at the visual.

"Whatever."

"What does everyone need?"

"New luggage. Some of mine got saltwater damage from the island."

"We should all get new cocktail dresses for the celebrations and dates."

"We need Japanese Olympic stuff to cheer with."

"Nothing."

They all stared at me.

Renge put her hands on her hips and gave me what for. "If you don't buy things for the trip with us, I can guarantee Umeko-san will take you shopping tomorrow. Do you really want to go one-on-one with her? Do you think she'll give you the choices we'll give you?"

I took a step back and put my hands up. "Fine. Fine. I'll go and buy some stuff. But one stop must be a bookstore. I need a tourist guide for St. Louis."

"What's a tourist guide?" Cho asked.

I swear sometimes I think they were all raised on the moon. Maybe not Yuki. She wasn't confused.

I held back my sigh and didn't roll my eyes. "It's a book that lists all the attractions, restaurants, hotels, and everything else a tourist needs to know about a city or region. Everything's in one place and should be small enough to carry around."

"Isn't that what assistants are for?"

"We usually hire a personal tour guide or concierge for our vacations."

"Well, this is how the commoners do it, and I'd rather have the control of knowing all my choices and making them for myself."

"Ooo, I should get Honey-kun and me one for Disney World."

"And New York."

"And Los Angeles."

"And Vegas. Guess we'll hit up a bookstore." Shinobu looked around and pointed at a store. "We're here at my favorite leather store. Let's do the luggage first."

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An hour later, we all had new luggage, even Haruhi. I had to twist her arm, but she found a travel briefcase that's bigger than the one she has. "It will be perfect to drag my business papers and homework along."

Once a bookworm…

"Hey, Cho, that pink leather luggage set matches those boots you got a while back. When are you going to wear them?"

"Well," she turned bright pink and glanced around to see if anyone else was listening, "I'm working on a holiday date with Honey-kun. They'll be perfect for that."

"Gonna dress up as Mrs. Claus?" I waggled my eyebrows at her.

She got impossibly redder. "Maybe."

Renge, our unofficial shopping leader, called out, "What's next?"

"Dresses!"

.

"Renge, how many of those do you need?"

"Well, I figure one for New York, two for DC, and at least two, if not three for Los Angeles."

"You don't have any at home?"

"Tamaki-kun's seen all those, Haruhi. I need new ones." Not sure she'll ever get it. "We could be photographed. If we show up in the press, we'll need to look fresh each time."

"Your life is complicated."

"It's fun too."

I looked over to my right and saw Shinobu in the tightest, shortest, blue sparkly dress I'd ever seen. "Shinobu, you're the only one I know that could pull that off."

"I think Ritsu's gonna be pulling it off," she winked, and I felt my face go hot.

When we all made it to the cashier, I was pleasantly shocked to see Haruhi buying three. A dark cream with chocolate brown trim, a pretty orange and green floral that will go well with her skin tone, and a deep purple that went past her knees. Her personal shopper obviously helped her pick them out.

I walked up and plucked the orange one out of her hand. "You're going to ruin the hem."

"I'm not sure about this one. Orange? Kaoru's never put me in orange."

"It's the perfect summer dress. He'll love it when he sees it on."

With a big sigh, she pulled out her Morinozuka credit card. "Alright. I trust your fashion sense, Renge."

"Darn right."

After this…matching shoes.

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xXx

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Ootori Conglomeration CEO Public Office:

What would happen if I just threw all these proposed marriage contracts out the window? Seriously? What would happen?

My assistant is still turning them all down.

They're easy to ignore in California. I'm thinking about a formal announcement stating that I'm not entertaining any at the moment.

There's too much going on with the conglomeration for me to decide which family would be the best to tie myself to through marriage. There are at least seven different industries that would help, each with at least three families with girls of an appropriate age if I take American companies into consideration.

Marrying for love is out. I must make the best business decision.

I got to the bottom of the pile and stared at the last one. Intriguing.

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Phone call between Kyoya and Yuuichi (Oldest brother):

Yuuichi: What's Kyoya calling for? I haven't heard from him since I left Japan. "Hello?"

Kyoya: "Yuuichi. Kyoya. How's everything in Europe."

Yuuichi: "Fine." He already knows. There's no way he's not having me followed.

Kyoya: "I received an interesting, proposed marriage contract."

Yuuichi: "So?" I don't give a shit who he marries.

Kyoya: "It's for you. Interested?"

Yuuichi: No. "Who?"

Kyoya: "Watanabe Naoko."

Yuuichi: "Wasn't she tied to one of those fashion twins?"

Kyoya: "Not anymore. She's enrolled at Institut Villa Pierrefeu in Switzerland now."

Yuuichi: "Interesting. That's not far from my chalet." Something must have happened between her and that twin. "Protecting her reputation?"

Kyoya: "Something like that."

Yuuichi: "I don't need a wife, Kyoya. I'm having plenty of fun without one."

Kyoya: "I'm well aware."

Yuuichi: "Hey! It's not public. I'm careful."

Kyoya: "Yes, you are, and I thank you for that."

Yuuichi: "No one cares about the son who isn't the heir."

Kyoya: "I'm well aware of that too."

Yuuichi: "Heard Akito's engaged. Your idea?"

Kyoya: "The contract came for me, but he picked her. They spent several months seeing if they're compatible. It was a choice for both of them."

Yuuichi: "Good. A very non-dick move on your part."

Kyoya: "Thanks."

Yuuichi: "Make sure I get an invitation. I wouldn't mind some decent Japanese food."

Kyoya: "I'll make sure."

Yuuichi: "I'm passing on the Watanabe girl. Don't think I'll ever get married. Can't picture myself as a husband and father."

Kyoya: No shit. "Alright. Enjoy Europe."

Yuuichi: "Without a doubt, little brother."

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Still an asshole, but I'm glad he turned Watanabe-san down. I regretted the phone call almost immediately. I wouldn't wish being his wife on my worst enemy.

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xXx

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Various Shopping Venues Throughout Tokyo:

Another text. That has to be at least twenty.

I walked up and spoke quietly, "Is everything alright?"

Shinobu flinched and shoved her phone in her purse. "Yeah. Just Asshole confirming our date tonight and checking on my foot."

I never pictured Kasanoda as that worried. I didn't check on Akito that often after he'd been shot. "How is your foot?"

"Fine. Comes off on Tuesday. Can't fucking wait."

"I'm sure you can't."

"Have to come back out for shoes that evening, but I think I'll bring Ritsu. I haven't tortured him lately."

What a strange couple, but they make it work.

"There are some strange stores here, Shinobu."

"Yeah, but you never know what you're going to find."

We'd made it to the commoner's mall, and Haruhi was leading us around.

"Can I get light-up shoes here, Haruhi?"

I saw her eyelid tick and stepped in before it got worse. "Why light-up shoes, Cho?"

"Honey-kun and I want matching shoes for Disney World. I want princess ones."

"There's a Disney store at the other end of the mall," Haruhi started walking away from us. "Follow me."

"Yea!"

.

I was rear guard and spotted them as soon as they recognized her. "Five Fujioka fans leaving the frozen yogurt place. Headed straight for her."

Eiji'd seen them too. "Confirmed. Rear stay put. Everyone else, close in." I saw him headed towards Haruhi-sama. "She'll want to sign autographs. Some of the others will want to duck out of the group."

Haruhi-sama stopped and nodded at Eiji. Kono lead Shinobu-sama away and into a random store. Cho-sama and Yuki-sama peeled off and continued towards the Disney Store. Renge-sama stayed with Haruhi-sama.

I could hear the fans gushing from here.

"Oh wow! It is you. I thought so."

"Fujioka Haruhi!"

"Can I have your autograph? Please!?"

Eiji handed her the portfolio and she started flipping through the pictures. "Would you like one from the 'Every Woman' line or Petto Chinmi?"

"Ooo, could I have both?"

She signed pictures, posed for selfies, and was about to move on when…

"Could you sign my condom?"

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Her condom? She wants me to sign her condom.

I thought my life was already weird.

A warning sound came from Renge's throat.

"I'm not sure that's appropriate." Their faces fell, smiles instantly disappearing. "But I'll take a selfie with you holding it." Another round of flashes in my eyes.

"Thanks! It's so good to meet you."

"I'm such a big fan. I have one of your suits."

I smiled but couldn't let that go. "Kaoru does all the designing. They're his suits. I just wear them, but I'll let him know you like them."

"It must be so wonderful being around those twins all the time. They're so hot." She leaned forward and dropped her voice, "Do they really have a thing for each other?"

Really?

"They're twin brothers and care for each other deeply, but no, they don't have the type of relationship you're implying. It's an act."

"Oh."

"Yeah, dummy," one of the others elbowed the first, "we told you it was fake."

"Does that mean that Hikaru wasn't committed to a mental institution?"

Time stopped.

Over my right shoulder, I heard Renge gasp softly. My face went hot, and blood pounded in my ears. That article came out nine months ago. We all thought it was forgotten.

Thank all the gods I recovered quickly. "No, he wasn't."

Renge picked it up from there. "Don't believe anything that trash magazine puts out. I think they give bonuses to the writers that fabricate the worst stories."

She looped her arm through mine, "Ladies, if you'll excuse us, we need to catch up with our friends and continue our shopping spree."

They thanked us again, and we moved on to the Disney Store. The rest of them were already there.

"Thanks for the warning, Renge. I almost signed them."

"It's just not the image you're going for. Besides, the ink might soak through and damage the condom, or the pen point could pierce it."

That hadn't crossed my mind. To be responsible for an unwanted pregnancy. I shivered and kept walking.

.

Another text. My hacker is getting close. He says he's coming at them from a different angle, and they don't have a clue. It's going to feel so good seeing them all in jail. Personally, I'd rather castrate them and feed them to some pigs, but I want it public.

"Those are really cute, Cho. Maybe I should get some. We'll be doing a lot of walking on this trip." Yuki was already looking for her size.

"That's not a bad idea."

Everyone turned towards Haruhi to see if she'd been possessed or grew a second head.

"What? I can't think buying something is a good idea?"

"We're just surprised, that's all."

Then she smirked, and I'm even more convinced she's been taken over by aliens. "Picture it. All of us sitting in a row at Chika, Satoshi, and Takashi's competitions, stomping our feet as we cheer. They'll all light up and give them even more energy."

It took a second for us to process, then Renge smiled. "Perfect."

"But I'd prefer to not have Disney princesses." She looked out the store window at the rest of them mall. "There's a Nozuka Supotsu on the next level. They should have them, and we can give Takashi some business."

"Even better."

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xXx

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Morinozuka Dojo:

"Slow down, Taka. You're going to pull something." He's running his drills way to fast. "It's not a race."

After a few deep breaths, he faced me. "You're right, Satoshi. I'm not sure why I'm nervous about the competition, but I am."

"Hey, don't sweat it. No matter what happens, we're bringing Gold and Silver back to Japan."

"Hn."

"Go cool down and get a massage. You need to clear your head."

"Hn."

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Eiji and I, along with about a dozen more security officers, are scheduled for personal protection training at the Black Onion Squad tomorrow.

My concern over Haruhi's safety is getting to me.

Eiji and his team are well prepared. I need to trust them and concentrate on the competition.

But it's more difficult than I thought.

I'll need extra meditation tonight.

When my Twitter alert went off, I saw pictures of fans holding condoms with Haruhi. Their text indicated they were disappointed she wouldn't sign them. This is getting out of hand.

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xXx

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Various Shopping Venues Throughout Tokyo:

It's going to take all our assistants two trips each to carry everything out to the cars. And I bought just as much as the rest of them.

"This was a great idea, Haruhi. They had the shoes, and I didn't realize there was so much Olympic merchandise. We'll be the biggest fans there."

"Definitely."

T-shirts, shorts, sweats, hats, flags, and denim jackets. We each grabbed a bunch of t-shirts. They had St. Louis ones, team Japan, kendo, karate – all in so many styles. Now I don't have to buy any more clothes for the trip.

Renge and Shinobu bought dozens of pins for trading. I bought a couple to wear.

"Renge, you need to practice with those shoes. You don't want to break an ankle and wind up in a boot. Trust me."

"I'll try them out in the ballroom tonight. No worries." Not only did she find light-up shoes, but they have wheels in them. She's the only one brave enough to try them. She also got a pair of shoes that just light-up. Smart choice.

I thought about getting the guys a watch, but Yuki talked me into waiting. There will be so much more in St. Louis to buy.

"Can I have your autograph?"

.

"That was unnerving," I said to Kono as we followed the group to the cars.

"Yes."

"She puts up a brave front, but…"

"Agreed. She's become the most recognizable of you all. Including the twins."

Those twits that wanted their condom signed, tagged her and her location in their feeds. Before we knew it, there were over a dozen girls crowding her in Mori-senpai's store. All wanting autographs.

Then the guys came in. They wanted condoms signed and said some truly disgusting things to her. She'd signed a couple of pictures before Eiji, our teams, and store security escorted them out.

"If that keeps up, she'll stop going out in public."

"I'm concerned about you and Ritsu-sama. You don't need the publicity."

"Fuck, Kono, I can take care of myself. Haruhi doesn't have a damn clue what she's gotten herself into, even after all this time."

"True. Thought she might faint at that one comment about the changing rooms."

"Yeah, that one was the worst."

Who the fuck walks up to someone they don't know, hands them a condom and says, 'Give me a go. I'll fuck your brains out in the back room. You know you want it.' If one of her team hadn't twisted his arm around his back and forced him out of the store, I probably would have ruined his chance to have children. This boot's nice and heavy.

Kono and I were towards the back. The rest of the girls were surrounding Haruhi like a shield with security as a second layer. We only had the bookstore left, but were going to a different one. She said it was better anyway.

She's got some balls; I'll give her that. No tears and her head's held high.

.

We all piled into my limo and pulled away from the curb. Haruhi just stared out the window, her shaking hands giving away her hidden nerves.

I thought she was spending money a little too easily. She pulled out her own credit card for the Olympic stuff. Should I let Mori-senpai know? He could switch the charges from that card to her family card. She's so stubborn and proud about money. At least she didn't for the dresses and luggage.

Yuki leaned over and mumbled in my ear, "That was crazy, Renge."

"I know. That's the worst I've seen it for her."

"Will she be alright?"

"Hope so. One thing's for sure. The trip to America will be just what she needs."

"If they don't recognize her there."

"They better not."

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xXx

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Evening, Morinozuka Estate:

"This is much better than going out to eat."

I looked down at Haruhi and felt gooey. With my arm around her and her head on my shoulder, I can smell her shampoo. Cherry blossoms. I can feel her warm breath on my chest even through my t-shirt. If we were dating, I could reach down and run my fingers over her smooth calf.

"Hn."

Yes, a movie is much better than going out to eat.

Especially after what happened at the commoner's mall. Her tags were all over Instagram and Twitter, so much so the entertainment news picked it up for a short story on TV. Even they were disappointed she wasn't signing the condoms.

After that, there was no way we were leaving the estate tonight.

BOOM!

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Instantly, I was in Takashi's lap, curled in on myself.

"Hold on, Haruhi. We're headed for the special room."

BOOM!

I felt him lift me, then run, then a door shutting cut off more thunder.

BO-

Then we were sitting again, Takashi running his fingers through my hair. "It's alright. You can't hear it. It's over. It's like it's not happening anymore."

I poked my head up from his chest, and stared right into his eyes, our faces just centimeters apart.

I could smell tea on his breath. His eyes were dilated.

Is it my imagination, or is he leaning towards me?

"Haruhi!" Satoshi and Chika burst into the room, letting in the sound of another thunderclap.

BOOM!

"Shut the door," Takashi barked, and I slid off his lap onto the sofa.

"See," Chika smacked Satoshi in the arm, "She's fine."

"Yeah." His cheeks were pink. "Guess I got carried away."

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They ruined the moment. It was perfect and they ruined it. She wasn't waiving me off. I was going to kiss Haruhi!

I didn't even try to stop the growl that came from deep in my chest. "Now that the two of you interrupted us, are you going to stay for the rest of the movie?"

"Sure, what mo…" Chika smacked Satoshi over the head. "Never mind. We have homework."

They both ran out the door and shut it quickly behind them. Smart choice.

Haruhi was sitting next to me on the sofa. One look, and I knew the moment was gone.

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xXx

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Sunday, August 14:

Early Morning, Ootori Private Plane:

"Did you buy out the entire store?" I watched the driver carry three suitcases over to the luggage hold.

"I think we might have between the five of us." That's a sweet smile. "Have to have some 'Team Japan' apparel to wear while cheering the guys on."

"Perhaps I should get some."

"I thought you were bringing a perspective board member."

"I could get a tie."

I smiled as her laugh filled the cabin.

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xXx

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Early Morning, Security Conference Call (security referred to by family name unless specified):

Ishikawa (Haninozuka Head): "I realize with the time difference, some of you should be asleep. Let's stay on track and get through this quickly." Most of those in St. Louis are on just to listen. I paused and cleared my throat. It's a long checklist.

"Here's a quick breakdown of the schedule. Interrupt me if there are changes.

"Tuesday, various assistants and security teams fly commercial to St. Louis.

"Wednesday, both the karate and kendo teams leave on a chartered plane. I'll be traveling with them so I'm already there when the families arrive.

"Thursday, the Morinozuka's, Haninozuka's, Cho-sama, Haruhi-sama, and the Hitachiin twins leave in the Haninozuka plane with the remainder of the security teams. Also, the newly married Suoh's, Tamaki-sama, and Renge-sama leave in the Suoh private jet with their security teams.

"Friday, Kasanoda-sama and Himura-sama leave in a rented jet. Also, Akito-sama and Yuki-sama fly commercial with the balance of their security team.

"Any changes?"

Silence

Thank all the gods.

"Mitsukuni-sama's risk assessment is at 2, as are Cho-sama's, and the parents. Yasuchika's is at 4 because he's competing. "

"Let's go around and discuss any specific security threats. Cho?"

Cho: "None."

Ishikawa (Haninozuka Head): "Oshiro?"

Oshiro (Morinozuka Head): "Takashi-sama is a 4. Satoshi-sama is a 6 – higher because of his on-line profile and his flirting. The risk comes from fans. The parents are at 2."

"I'll be flying over tonight. The hotel is ready for everyone. Security in place with cameras, guards, plainclothes, and armored vehicles. Contracted security company well prepared.

"I'll hand it over to Eiji for Haruhi-sama's assessment."

Eiji (Morinozuka – Haruhi Team Lead): "Fallout from the condom and tampon interview is still a concern, especially with the incident yesterday. We are tracking fourteen persons of interest based on the threat level of their communications. As she is unknown in the United States, we're hoping for an uneventful trip but are ready for anything. Risk level 5, assuming she's not recognized. Six to seven if she is."

Ishikawa (Haninozuka Head): "Suoh?"

Suoh: "I'll be flying with the family. Once the karate competition is over, the newlyweds and I will be leaving for undisclosed locations for their honeymoon and will arrive back in St. Louis the day before the kendo competition. Risk assessment 4."

"Tamaki-sama and Renge-sama are not known in the United States. Risk assessment 2 in St. Louis. Four in New York, Washington DC, and Los Angeles."

Ishikawa (Haninozuka Head): "Let's skip the side trips for now. Those aren't coordinated through the group. Houshakuji?"

Houshakuji: "Suoh covered everything for Renge-sama."

Ishikawa (Haninozuka Head): "Hitachiin?"

Hitachiin: "The twins are known in the US, especially New York. Risk assessment 6 due to fans.

"I'll be flying with Yuzuha-sama. She's going to New York for a week and will not be in St. Louis. The twin's teams will be flying over commercial the morning they leave with the Haninozuka's."

Ishikawa (Haninozuka Head): "Kasanoda and Himura?"

Kasanoda: "I'll speak to both. Risk assessment when at the Games, minimal, around a 3. St. Louis has a low level of organized crime. It's mostly gangs. Their teams are flying over the day before they do with their team leads flying with them."

Ishikawa (Haninozuka Head): "Ootori?"

Ootori: "Akito-sama and Yuki-sama have the lowest profile of the entire group. Risk assessment 2. It's a 1 when on their own. I raised it to 2 simply due to their proximity to the rest of the group. Their teams are flying commercial with them."

Ishikawa (Haninozuka Head): "Other concerns?"

Silence.

"Excellent. Keep the shared site updated, and I'll see most of you in St. Louis. You have my cell number for emergencies."

End call.

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Morinozuka Security Headquarters:

"Eiji, have you shown that newest letter to Takashi-sama?"

"Not yet. Since he's joining us for the Black Onion Squad training this afternoon, I'll show him there."

"Ask if the BOS can do a linguistics check. I want a second opinion. There's something off about the language."

"Yes, sir."

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xXx

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Afternoon, Trafficking Strip Club:

"I didn't realize they'd have it tented off."

"It's an active crime scene."

I barely heard Kono as I stared at the white fabric. A chill ran down my spine despite the heat. It's also a burial ground. "What's the body count up to?" I hadn't asked before this. I didn't want to know.

"Twenty-one."

"That's eight more."

"Some were buried under others."

"Motherfucker."

"Agreed."

"Kono," I turned and looked at him. I'll forever be grateful he made no comment about the tears I'm holding back. "Take me home. I need to shoot some shit up using the big guns."

.

xXx

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Afternoon, Black Onion Squad Headquarters:

"Your training is quite impressive, Kanai-san. Thank you for including me." Takashi-sama bowed, and the BOS personal security expert returned it.

"It was an honor to have you here."

"Kanai-san, before we leave, I'd like to request a favor."

"Of course, Eiji-san. How can the BOS help the Morinozuka's?"

Damn, he's formal.

"Haruhi-sama received a threatening letter, and, according to our experts, the language is off. We'd like a second opinion."

"Do you have a copy?"

I handed it over and waited while he read it.

"Indeed concerning. I'll have our linguistics department review it immediately and email you a report."

"Thank you, Kanai-san. The Morinozuka's are grateful."

.

I waited until we were in the limo before asking, "What letter?"

"I apologize for the delay in showing you, Takashi-sama. I made a judgement call and wanted you clearheaded for the training."

"Let me see it."

.

Letter to Haruhi:

Fujioka:

How dare you corrupt the youth of Japan! Your open discussion of private things is ruining Japanese propriety.

You have no idea what you've done to our schoolgirls by flaunting your wicked ways like this.

Children are hearing words that should not be used in public. Parents are now having to explain things to both their daughters and their sons at way too early an age.

Young girls are hanging pictures of you in their room and lockers, like you are some sort of role model. It's disgusting. They should never look up to you.

If you don't rescind everything you've said, you'll regret it.

The anger of the parents of this country knows no bounds, and we will extract payment from you.

.

When they said, 'new letter', I assumed it was from the pervert sending pictures of his private parts. This is something else entirely.

"It's not signed."

"That's one of the causes for concern."

On the surface, the letter appears to be written by a crack-pot parent who had to explain sex to their children earlier than they wished, but on a deeper level, there is something off about the language. Are they writing for a group or as an individual? Is the author a man or a woman?

"I assume Haruhi hasn't seen this."

"Correct."

"How was it delivered?"

"Through the mail to Hitachiin Studios." Eiji caught my eyes with his, "Not even your parents have seen this yet. I'm waiting for the BOS report."

"I want to see it."

"As soon as I get it, you'll have it."

.

xXx

.

Monday, August 15:

Late Morning, PR Video Call (Rep referred to by family name unless otherwise indicated):

Hara (Morinozuka Head): Three minutes late, Ando-san finally logged on. Now that the Hitachiin PR head is here, we can begin.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is our last call prior to meeting up in St. Louis. As usual, all families have PR reps except for Kasanoda, Himura, and Cho. Kasanoda and Himura are represented by the heirs' security team leads. Cho is represented by Inamura-san, the Haninozuka rep.

"This is the final meeting prior to travel. I'll make this a quick as possible. Questions?"

The call was quiet. Good.

"The main goal for all of us is to keep our charges out of the public eye as much as possible. Obviously, the athletes will be posting to social media about their competitions and results, although Satoshi-sama more than the others.

"Other than competition related posts, we want it quiet. The best thing for all the families and competitors is to focus only on the competition.

"Has everyone spoken with their charges?"

Nods around.

Ando (Hitachiin Head): "The twins have said they will only post competition related things while in St. Louis but will heavily tweet while in New York." Now if we can only keep them to that.

Tsuzuki (Suoh Head): "Tamaki-sama will be posting to both Twitter and Instagram on his gallery accounts as he finds different artists in St. Louis, New York, Washington, and Los Angeles."

Sawada (Ootori Head): "Yuki-sama will be texting pictures to the group during side trips. No posting to her accounts."

Hara (Morinozuka Head): "Anything else" I paused for a few seconds. "Good. The tricky part will be enforcing this." Lots of agreement. "They are teenagers with the exception of Akito-sama, so you never know what will happen.

"Any specific concerns?"

Endo (Haruhi's Personal PR): "Fujioka-sama's profile has jumped again with the posting and subsequent broadcast of the mall incident. Her security will be doing everything possible to keep her from being recognized.

"If recognized, she will be refusing autographs in any Olympic venue, stating that the focus should be on the competition.

"I'll be in St. Louis and travelling on her side trips but hope to be bored."

That got a few chuckles.

"She'll also be the only one that can control the others."

And more chuckles.

Hara (Morinozuka Head): "Anything else?"

Ando (Hitachiin Head): "Unfortunately, yes. I was late because one of the seamstresses stopped me. Apparently, her daughter had been out last night at a commoner mall and picked this up."

I held up a white, plastic square.

"This is a condom holder." I flipped it around so they could see the other side. "With a chibbie of Fujioka-sama wearing the same suit she wore while giving that infamous interview."

Hara (Morinozuka Head): What next? "Ando-san, I'll have the Morinozuka lawyer call yours. This item was obviously not authorized by either the fashion line or her guardians. We both have legal standing for a lawsuit. Please text me a picture of her image."

Ando (Hitachiin Head): "Will do. I'll let Ota-san know to expect the call. He hasn't seen this yet, but he's my second stop after Yuzuha-sama when this call is over."

Hara (Morinozuka Head): "Alright. We all have each other's numbers. See you in St. Louis. I'm flying out tonight."

.

After Classes, Petto Chinmi:

"That's the last one."

"Whew…" I leaned back in my chair and stared at the ceiling. Salary reviews are tougher than I thought, especially since so much money is tied up in the lawsuit. "I'm glad that's over."

"Yes. We made some hard decisions today." Tanaki-san finished his tea, which I'm sure had long since turned cold, and stood up. "We have twenty minutes before the call with the Seoul firm. I'm going to stretch my legs."

"Good idea. Me too."

I followed him out of my offices but turned left towards the entryway while he turned right, headed for his office. I need some air. Wish I had time for a game of GO.

"Those are samples of the new brochures, Goto-san. I'm sure they're fine."

"Let me open the box, just in case."

I'd stopped at the door and listened to the receptionist and the Morinozuka security guard stationed here. Do they do this every day? Go through my mail like this? Even the business stuff?

"Yup, just brochures."

"The only one I think is odd is this one." She handed him a blue envelope. I'm too far away to read anything on it.

"I'll run that through security."

"That pile is the fan mail. Got about thirty today."

"I'll open them and return the innocent ones. Thanks."

"No problem. We'll do it again tomorrow." She gave him a flirty smile. She does know he's married, right?

He turned towards the door and stopped. "Fujioka-sama, I thought you were in a meeting. Do you need anything?"

"No. I'm walking around before my conference call. Sitting for that long isn't good."

"True."

"Fan mail?" I pointed to the stack. "I get fan mail?"

"Yes. Quite a bit, actually." He's fidgeting a bit. What's he hiding?

"Can I see some?" Most were brightly colored envelopes, with the handwriting of children. Some looked more like business envelopes.

Now he's looking everywhere but at me. "Marketing deals with it, under their PR umbrella. I'm sure Gorou-san can show it to you."

"But not today's?"

"I open them and give them to PR or back to security on the estate." He looked up and caught my eyes. "You shouldn't see them until I've sorted them."

"What percent end up going back to security?"

"Anywhere from five to ten percent, and most of those turn out to be nothing. We're being cautious."

"Alright." I nodded to him. "I'll go see Gorou-san before my conference call."

.

That was close. Eiji-san's orders are very clear. She's to see nothing that hasn't cleared security.

Heading back to my office, I pulled the key from my pocket to unlock the door. There are only three of these keys. This one, the one back at Morinozuka security, and one hidden in the ceiling of the men's restroom. If someone needed to get in and I'm not here, I can direct them to the key. That hasn't happened yet because the building has never caught fire.

Thirty isn't bad for a Monday. Shouldn't take too long.

I sat down at my desk, pulled on some gloves, and started opening them.

.

xXx

.

Tamaki's Building, Art District, Tokyo:

"Congratulations, Suoh-sama. You are now the owner of this building."

"Thank you." I smiled at the agent and took the keys. He left right away to file the paperwork.

"It's going to be perfect," Renge-chan linked her arm with mine and kissed my cheek. "This will help so many artists."

I looked down at her rosy cheeks and bright eyes. She's already my partner in life. We only need the marriage to make it official. "It will, Renge-chan. Thank you for finding the perfect building." I bent down to kiss her cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too."

The clearing of a throat brought both of us back to the present. "Ah, yes. My team." Today, we're meeting with the architect, Ozawa-san, the designer, Itsuki-san, and my wonderful manager and new director when it's done, Claudia-san.

"Suoh-sama, if you could walk us through and show us what you have in mind, we can start work tomorrow on the designs."

"Of course. This way, please."

Renge-chan and I headed towards the existing café. "While quaint, this café is not what we need. A modern, sleek design will be best to show off the artwork. Something minimalist. Over here…"

.

xXx

.

Kasanoda Imports, Nagoya Port:

"Everything seems on track. Good work, everyone."

I closed my files and looked around the table. This was an odd group to begin with, but they've come together and formed a well-oiled machine. Kikuchi-san worked out better than I predicted. Never thought I would give him a second chance after he was part of running Haruhi off the road. We were at the conference table in his office, and the picture of his kid on his desk reminds me why. Cute kid.

"Matsuda-san, let's talk."

He followed me out to my SUV, and we both climbed in.

"No bugs, no parabolic mics." He nodded. "So, human trafficking?"

"Nothing current that I've seen or heard. The yakuza here bring some shit in through the port, but nothing alive."

"You're going to back off. I'm bringing in someone to investigate. Someone with no ties to yakuza, me, or the company. You're not going to know who they are. Got it?"

"Yes, Kasanoda-sama."

"If information falls in your lap, report it to me, otherwise keep your head down and only do your job. I'm done risking you and the company."

"Alright."

"Good. I'll see you the next time I'm down here."

Matsuda-san climbed out of the car and headed back to the office. I lowered the privacy screen. "Let's go home. We'll pick up something to eat on the way."

.

xXx

.

Petto Chinmi (Conference Call with Seoul Firm):

Haruhi: "We're not settling with the owners of the factory."

Seoul: "It's not a bad offer, Fujioka-sama. Are you sure?" Not settling shows her inexperience. "It will be a long legal battle if we take them to court."

Haruhi: "I aware, but we're not settling." I'll go into my own trust fund to finance this if I have to. "If we do, that company will wash its hands and dump all the blame on the individuals. Someone else could be in my position in a year or two."

Seoul: Principles. They ruin good lawyers faster than anything. "Alright. We'll let them know."

Haruhi: "Thank you. Keep me updated."

Seoul: "Of course. It's our estimate, the current retainer will last another three weeks."

Haruhi: "Send me an invoice."

.

"It's not my imagination. He really wants me to settle."

"He does, Fujioka-sama. As the company's lawyer, I tend to agree, but understand why you won't."

"I'm concerned about the cost. We just gave out raises to a lot of employees."

I gave Tanaki-san a small smile. "Don't worry about that. I have a funding source that will not hurt the company. They are prepared to wait for the settlement from the court for payback."

Flipping through the newest paperwork from the law office, I decided something. "Sato-san, let's request a detailed invoice. I want to know where all my money's going, down to the last yen."

"I'll send that email as soon as I get back to my office."

"And forward a copy to me when they come in."

This is taking up entirely too much of my time, but I now understand why Kyoya-senpai checks everything himself. Whether you trust your employees or not, you can't say you're sure until you've seen it with your own eyes.

.

xXx

.

Dinner, Haninozuka Estate:

"Thank you for the wonderful dinner, Kumi-san. It was delicious."

"We're honored to have you here, Mie-san. As our children get closer, we should as well."

I let my wife handle the formalities. She's more gracious than I am. I'm still unsure of being here at all.

"Let's go into my office, Daizo-san. We can discuss the contract without interruptions there."

"And let's go to my tea-room Mei-san. We can have a wonderful chat."

.

Men:

"You wanted this meeting, Daizo-san." I gestured to the seating area, and he chose a seat rather than a sofa. "I assume this is about the marriage contract."

"Correct."

I offered him some very old sake, then poured for us both.

"My daughter and your son are leaving for the United States in three days." I started to speak, but he cut me off. "I realize they will be well chaperoned, though it is my understanding their physical relationship is quite innocent."

"My son respects your daughter and would do nothing to jeopardize her reputation. This is most definitely not a fling."

"Nomura feels the same." His sake disappeared. "I believe my daughter when she tells me they are in love. Because of this, I want to start contract negotiations."

.

Women:

"He's asking to start the negotiations. It's so exciting." Mei-san's practically bouncing in her chair. "My daughter has found the love of her life."

"And my son has found his."

Then all her bubbliness faded. "What can we do to help the men with this?"

I took a sip of wine and smirked. "Exactly what I was wondering."

.

Men:

"Takao, her older brother, is my heir. I have no wish to reduce his legacy by merging part of my company with yours and handing it over to Mitsukuni."

"I also have no wish for that. Had I a daughter, I'd do the same thing to protect my heir. Besides, our businesses aren't compatible."

Good. That was my biggest worry, that he'd want a part of the business. "Now that that's settled, my main concern is protecting my daughter."

"And mine is protecting my legacy."

.

Women:

"Yorishia won't ask for part of the business. That's all for your son." Kumi-san refilled our wine glasses. "The rest will be to balance the marriage and make them partners. My husband sees it as protecting his daughter."

"As he should. What do you want included?"

.

xXx

.

Morinozuka Estate:

"Honami-san?" I turned down another hallway. "Honami-san?" These staff offices are a maze. No wonder she always comes to me.

But even the staff offices are beautifully decorated and have everything they need. Thick carpet, wood and leather furniture, expansive desks with the latest computer equipment, and the breakroom I just passed was fully stocked and comfortable.

I went left at the next hallway and found her in a huge storeroom. "Honami-san? There you are. I was afraid I'd gotten lost."

She spun and her hand went to her heart. "Haruhi-sama, I didn't hear you come in." She headed for the door, "Let's go to my office, and you can tell me what you need."

"What is this place?"

She hesitated, but I stood my ground.

With a sigh, she answered, "It's your storage room. These are the gifts you've received from various fans, both of Petto Chinmi and Every Woman."

"Gifts?" Shelves and shelves of boxes, bins, and bags, all tagged. "All these?"

"If we have the sender's name and address, we return the expensive jewelry and other things, but yes, all these."

There was a wall of nothing but plastic bins holding stuffed animals. Another with other toys. Then I looked at the wall behind the door. "Tampons and condoms?"

"Yes, all those since the interview and more in separate storage."

"And these all just sit here?"

"We send thank you notes and an autographed picture to acknowledge the gift."

"But after that they just sit here."

"Yes, Haruhi-sama."

Unacceptable. Think of all the waste when there are people that can benefit from this stuff.

"Is there an inventory?"

"Yes. I can print it for you."

"Please."

.

I took her back to my office and sent the list to the printer.

"Do all the Morinozuka's have a storeroom like that?"

"The young masters do. They receive quite a few gifts from kendo fans. There's also a family storeroom where business and personal gifts are stored. Just the ones that custom says don't have to be displayed."

The printer finished, and I handed her the list. "Stuffed animals, condoms, tampons, costume jewelry…Suits?"

"Yes, you receive some business suits. Those are stored over at Hitachiin Studios."

"Why would anyone send me a suit when I wear Kaoru's line?"

"Some are samples from other designers, asking you to you model them. Others are from well-meaning fans only wanting to give you a gift."

She scanned more of the list. "Flowers and candy?"

"You receive several bouquets of flowers weekly. They obviously aren't stored."

She snorted out a frustrated sigh. "And the candy?"

"Much less than the flowers. We don't store them either." She raised her brow, and I answered her silent question. "Both the flowers and the candy are discarded. The flowers are given to the gardeners for compost and the candy is thrown out."

Her hands clenched. What she said came out as a growl. "Not anymore. We're going to think of something to do with everything that comes in for me." She shook her head, and I heard her mumble something about a waste and rich bastards. I'm sure I wasn't supposed to hear that.

.

xXx

.

Parent's Bedroom, Haninozuka Estate:

"Did you have a productive meeting?"

"We agreed about not merging the businesses. He'll keep all his for his son and heir."

"Good. Anything else?"

"We're each going to talk to our lawyers then have them meet and hash through things. There's no rush, is there?"

"Other than they are in love and want to be married, no. No pregnancy or anything of the like. Our son is respectful and responsible."

"Then we'll take our time and do it right."

"But don't be slow on purpose, Yorishia. Our son is in love."

.

Parent's Bedroom, Cho Estate:

"He doesn't want part of the business, so Takao's inheritance is secure."

"I was expecting that."

"Now we must protect our daughter."

"But not so much that it costs her this marriage."

"What would you have me do, Mie? She's my daughter."

"She's my daughter too, and I want her protected, but not so much that the Haninozuka's turn her down. It would break her heart."

"Well, the lawyers are going to write the first draft. I'll make sure ours knows what I expect."

.

xXx

.

Tuesday, August 16:

Breakfast, Morinozuka Estate:

Haruhi-chan shocked us all when she slammed down her pen and growled. She's been taking notes on some printouts. Her hand shook and she lifted her teacup.

"Haruhi?" Takashi spoke quietly. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes." The teacup clattered slightly in the saucer. Something's definitely wrong. "Did you know I have a storage room in the staff office area that's full of gifts people send me?"

The tips of his ears turned red. "Yes. We all do."

"Did you know that all that stuff just sits there?"

"Yes." He met her eyes, but his ears stayed red.

"Did you know that there are literally thousands of people in this country that could make good use of all that stuff?"

Ah, now I understand.

Takashi wasn't responding quick enough, so I stepped in. "What are you suggesting, Haruhi-chan?"

She took a deep breath and turned to me. "I apologize for my outburst, Umeko-san. I was shocked to find out about all this last night and have been turning it over and over in my mind." Her hand had stopped shaking as she reached out for the papers. "I'm suggesting giving all this away to people who can use it."

"Do you have specific ideas?"

I was surprised at the many she had. "Flowers to low-income hospitals or nursing homes. Tampons to homeless shelters. Condoms to free clinics. Stuffed animals and toys to Living Dreams and other child friendly organizations. I'm not sure about the candy, as it's not healthy, but it could also be donated to Second Harvest. Even those struggling with food deserve a treat sometimes."

"Some noble ideas."

"I also thought," her face blushed, "that estate staff might like to look through and pick things for their homes or their children. I noticed a tea set when I was in there. It's not necessarily the best thing to donate, but one of the staff could make good use of it. Also, the toys and stuffed animals would be good as presents for their children."

I'd never thought of such a thing. I glanced at the clock and realized they'd need to leave to get to school. "I think those are wonderful ideas. Let's talk more about them when you get home tonight."

"Thank you, Umeko-san." She stood, bowed, and rushed out the door.

.

xXx

.

Breakfast, Houshakuji Estate:

"This was just delivered for you, Renge-sama."

"Thank you." A small box wrapped in gold with a red ribbon was placed before me on a silver tray.

I opened the card first…

.

My Dearest Love,

While I love you every day, I wanted to commemorate today with a gift.

Happy True Love Forever Day.

With all my heart,

Tamaki

.

That overly romantic fiancé of mine. I lifted the lid and found a beautiful, heart shaped ruby ring in stunning gold. It fit perfectly.

.

xXx

.

Breakfast, Cho Estate:

"These were just delivered for you, Nomura-sama."

A huge bouquet of pink roses was set to my side, along with a box wrapped in pink with a white bow.

I read the card first…

.

Dear Cho-chan,

Today is True Love Forever Day, and I wanted to tell you how much I love you.

I hope you like it. And I hope you wear it for me.

Honey

.

I smelled the roses and opened the lid.

Nestled in pink velvet was a beautiful bracelet with pink and white diamonds all around.

"That's beautiful, Nomura."

"It's from Honey-kun. Today is True Love Forever Day, and he wanted to commemorate it."

I saw mother and father glance at each other before I turned back the bracelet and put it on.

.

xXx

.

Breakfast, Ootori Estate:

I grabbed my breakfast bento from the dining room and ran for the garage. I'm going to be late because I hit the snooze twice. Stayed up too late last night studying for that test.

"Akito-sama, this arrived for you."

I spun around to face our butler. He held a small box wrapped in white with a red bow. "I'll take it with me." I grabbed it and ran.

.

xXx

.

Homeroom, Ouran:

"Good morning students, faculty, and staff. As I'm sure none of you need reminding, tomorrow is the last day of classes until September 14.

"I know that each and every one of us will be cheering on Morinozuka Takashi, Morinozuka Satoshi, and Haninozuka Yasuchika while they compete in St. Louis. Their plane leaves tomorrow, so wish them well today."

.

xXx

.

Lunch, Ouran Sports Complex:

"All the materials will be delivered Thursday, including the wood, soil, and brick."

"Mushroom brick?"

"Definitely, Kasanoda-sama."

"Bricks made of mushrooms?" I'd never heard of such a thing.

"Yes, Suoh-sama. Completely natural."

"Don't they decompose?"

"They do, Chairwoman Watase." Kasanoda-san pulled up some pictures on his tablet. "Our plan has them surrounding different planting beds. They'll last about twenty years, so long enough for the trees and bushes to take root and flourish. After that, we won't need them."

"Interesting."

When I agreed to let Kasanoda-san's company use the sports complex as a flagship remodeled green building, I wasn't expecting to be this impressed. Starting at the top, Kasanoda-san knows the entire project. His team and even the landscapers understand the overall goals, not just their part in it.

All the major remodeling will take place over the next month when Ouran is closed. We're having one last meeting to make sure he has what he needs from Ouran and to catch our new Chairwoman up.

"These cisterns," She pointed to the blueprints, "are for catching rainwater?"

"Yes, but they're also part of the water reclamation from the sports complex itself. Water from the showers and sinks will be reclaimed and used to fill the toilets and it will be cleaned and used for watering the foliage."

Watase-san's impressed. "What other environmental aspects are being built-in?"

He described a fern that cleans carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, algae lamps that fluoresce and use up to twice as much carbon dioxide as trees, small turbines in the water pipes to generate clean energy, specific planting areas for bees and other insects, solar panels, and a garden on the roof.

"This will be quite the flagship, Kasanoda-san."

"Indeed, Suoh-sama. I'm honored you allowed me to redesign your sports complex."

.

After Suoh and Watase left, I had the last in-person meeting with my staff.

"I'll want daily updates, Okazoe-san. An email with pictures and a couple sentences is fine."

"Yes, Ritsu-sama."

"Don't hesitate to call anytime with questions or concerns. The only time I won't answer my phone is during the kendo and karate competitions. Don't worry about the time difference."

She nodded. "We've already scheduled our video calls. I'll let you know if they need to change."

"That works. The major remodeling must be done before classes start again."

"We're on schedule for that."

"Good." I'm standing here, realizing I'm about to turn this project over completely to Okazoe-san. She's extremely capable, or Pops wouldn't have given her that scholarship, but this company and this project rest on my shoulders. It must go perfectly, or I'm fucked.

"Shit, that's the bell." I gave her my boss glare one last time. "It's all yours Okazoe-san."

She lowered her voice so only I could hear. "Don't worry. I won't fuck it up."

.

xXx

.

After Classes, Houshakuji Limo:

I can't believe I'm doing this. Will Tamaki-kun be shocked? Will he want to take that step if he knows I did this? Will this push us?

We won't want children right away, so I'm being responsible to start birth control now so it's effective when we get married.

That's a justification. It only takes a month or two for it to be effective.

Bottom line – this doesn't have to change our physical relationship, but we'll be ready when we want to change it.

The limo pulled up to the doctor's office. I took a deep breath and walked in.

.

xXx

.

Morinozuka Security Offices:

"What did the BOS report say about that letter."

"They're concerned it's a group and suggest stronger monitoring of her social media and mail, increasing her guards when out in large numbers of people, and making her aware of it."

"I don't agree with that last one."

"I don't either, Takashi-sama. Showing her that letter might have the opposite effect we're hoping for. She could become more outspoken or less security conscious."

"Hn." Exactly what I was thinking.

"The social medial security has been notified, and her guard will be increased, but around the perimeter allowing for more overall assessment."

"Hn."

"We're fully prepared for St. Louis and the side trips." He leaned forward in a reassuring manner. "You concentrate on your competition. I'll take care of Haruhi-sama."

"Thank you, Eiji. I trust you but ask for updates."

"I'll send them via texts."

.

xXx

.

After Classes, Haninozuka Estate:

"Mother! Mother!"

The yells were getting closer, coming down the hall towards my lounge.

"Mother!"

Mitsukuni slid into the room and hopped towards me. The smile on his face went ear to ear.

"Mother! I grew 5 centimeters [~2 inches]!"

"That's wonderful, Mitsukuni!" I enveloped him in a huge hug and restrained myself from telling him 'I told you so'. If he'd eaten more vegetables and protein instead of so much cake, this would have happened sooner.

It's too late for that, but it's happening now. And his father and I have Cho-chan to thank.

"Oh, no." He leaned back and pouted in my face. "I can't wear my clothes to St. Louis."

"Oh, Silly," I ruffled his hair, "that's easy to fix. Let's go shopping now, and I'll call the tailor in the morning so they can fix what's possible from your current clothes."

"Yea! Can we get some cake while we're out?"

.

xXx

.

After Dinner, Rich Bastard Shopping Mall:

"Keep up, Asshole. We've only been in three shoe stores so far. We're not even close to done."

How the fuck did I get pulled into this? I swore I'd never go shoe shopping with this crazy chick again. I'm an idiot.

And how is she walking so fast? That damn boot just came off this afternoon.

And how many pairs does she need? She's bought five already.

"What do you think of these?"

What do I think? I think they look like the last twelve pairs of black killer heels she's shown me. Wish she'd just fucking pick one.

"Badass."

"Maybe I should get one with a buckle? Then I wouldn't have to worry about my ankle rolling if my foot came out of it."

Shit. She's walking down another aisle.

"Ooo, or maybe a lightweight summer boot. Then I'd have ankle support built in."

"Boots? It's gonna be hot in St. Louis, you crazy chick."

"Yeah but look at these."

"You gotta be kidding." OK, yeah, they were boots, but the heels were spikes that could chip ice, they only came up to just cover her ankle and that part was this see-through material. And her toes popped out. "Where's the support for your ankle?"

"Never mind. You've got no fashion sense."

"Is that why you're wearing all my jewelry?" Including that badass bracelet that becomes a sword.

She turned and put her hands on her hips. She's so fucking kissable that way. "I'll admit you're good with the sparklies, but definitely not with shoes."

She picked up a heavy, leather pair with a chunky sole and shorter heel. "I'm going to try these on."

"And how much longer are you going to torture me?"

"The rest of your life."

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xXx

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

Author's Note:

Welcome back! A long chapter to start. While there's some funny in here (and some fluff), it's mainly setting up for the rest of this 5th story. There's also a lot about their businesses in here, but they are all taking the Olympics off, so it will be full of shenanigans, fluff, funny, crazy, and over-the-top nonsense that we've all gotten used to from our Host Club Group.

Let's all hope Haruhi gets some unrecognized time in the US. They're coming at her from every direction in Japan.

And that almost kiss between Haruhi and Mori…I'm such a tease.

Security and PR calls were quick and so I don't have to dish out that info throughout the fun stuff. Hope they weren't boring, but you need to know some of that stuff for later.

If you don't know what a chibbie is, google it and Ouran or Avengers. It's the little 'cute' versions of the characters.

Got to thinking about all the gifts celebrities get and what they do with them. That's what inspired Haruhi and her gift storage room. You probably won't hear much more about it. Just another thing to cement her personality.

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Next Chapter:

Everyone heads to St. Louis and enjoy some of the sites. Opening Ceremonies. Lots of fluff and fun and big news for Shinobu.

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