Haruhi approached the receptionist's desk, much less tense than the first time she was here. "Good evening, Miss Nagano."

"Good evening, Haruhi," she replied, smiling. "I see you survived your first day of your internship and came back for more punishment."

"I don't consider this punishment." Haruhi laughed. "I've actually learned a lot already. Thank you for your help yesterday. What is on the agenda for tonight?"

Miss Nagano pulled a file folder from the first draw of her desk. "Here. Mr. Naruse would like you to type up this brief. You may not be able to finish it tonight, but don't worry about that. Just take your time."

Haruhi took the file and headed for the file room where the computer had been set up for her use. Tucking her satchel into the corner out of the way, she settled at the computer and opened the file Miss Nagano had given her.

Pulling up the brief template, she began to type in the brief. Haruhi paused when she came to the name of the plaintiff. "Komitsuzawa? Why does that name sound familiar? Maybe I'll think of it later," Haruhi pondered as she typed.

When she reached the body of the brief, it dawned on her why the name was familiar. The case involved libelous statements printed by a newspaper owned by the Komitsuzawa family. Those statements claimed that the Shibasaki's restaurant was using low-grade beef and advertising it on the menu as kobe beef. The false information had caused a substantial decline in business for the restaurant. The Shibasaki family had certificates of authenticity for their beef and they were demanding a retraction of the false information and reimbursement for one month of lost revenue.

"The Newspaper Club at Ouran is run by Akira Komitsuzawa. This must be his family's newspaper and, apparently, he came by his sensationalistic, underhanded tactics to increase readership naturally. I think I need to talk to Mr. Naruse about this case, knowing what I know," Haruhi thought.

Locking the computer, Haruhi left the file room and approached the receptionist's desk. Miss Nagano looked up and asked, "Is there a problem with the brief?"

"Maybe," Haruhi responded. "Is Mr. Naruse available?"

"Let me check." Picking up the phone, she dialed a number and waited for an answer. "Mr. Naruse, Miss Fujioka would like to speak to you regarding the brief that she is typing up for you." After a pause, she continued, "Very well. I will send her right in."

Turning to Haruhi, she said. "He has ten minutes available. Go right in."

"Thank you," Haruhi replied as she headed for the attorney's office door. In response to her knock, she heard, "Please, come in."

Mr. Naruse rose and gestured for Haruhi to take a seat in the chair in front of his desk. "What seems to be the problem? Is there something you don't understand about the brief?"

"Are you or the Shibasaki family aware of the reputation of the Komitsuzawa family?" Haruhi asked.

Pondering for a moment, Mr. Naruse said, "I'm not sure I understand your question."

"I noticed in the brief that the Shibasaki family's demands are almost inconsequential compared to the extent of the harm caused by the Komitsuzawa's newspaper libelous article. This was no misinformation or misunderstanding. Most likely, the article was a sensationalist ploy to increase circulation," Haruhi stated.

"What evidence do you have?"

"The Komitsuzawa heir, Akira, attends Ouran High School. Several months ago, the Newspaper Club, headed by Akira, was going to be shut down because the circulation was down to four. Those four being the members of the Newspaper Club.

"Akira decided that the best way to save his club was to publish an expose about the most popular club, the Host Club. He approached Tamaki Suoh, the president of the Host Club, proposing a tasteful issue, 'A Day in the Host club' that appealed to Tamaki's ego. Akira promised it would be a symbol that his club was shifting from gossip and scandals to human-interest features and real news.

"Tamaki was very trusting, but the other members of the Host Club were much more suspicious of the Newspaper Club, given their experience with Akira and his family's newspaper in the past. In the end, Akira tried to publish an expose on Tamaki, but it was stopped before it went to production."

Mr. Naruse took several minutes to consider the information that Haruhi had presented to him. "So, what you're telling me is that the Komitsuzawas have a reputation for questionable ethics?"

"That has been my experience and that of my friends. If you would like, I could do some research online to gather documentation."

"No. I think I'll do that research myself. I assume you had a reason to see me other than pointing out the culpability of the Komitsuzawa family."

"Actually, I came in to suggest that the Shibasaki family's demands are barely a slap-on-the-wrist for the Komitsuzawa family. A more fitting settlement would be a front-page retraction, written by you and unedited, as well as a full year's revenue. That might—mind you, might—be enough to make them think twice about doing something like this in the future. Most likely in the past they have either been sued for small damages-such as your client is requesting, settled out of court, or the affected party has been too embarrassed to take legal action."

"Hmmm, I'll take that under advisement. You will make a formidable lawyer in the future, given your inclination to get the best possible outcome for your client while also sending the very clear message, 'This behavior will not be tolerated.' I look forward to seeing you shake up the status quo."

Haruhi stood up. "I should get back to work. I'll highlight the settlement section for future edits."

Before she reached the door, Mr. Naruse called, "Wait a moment, I just remembered. I wanted to tell you that the paperwork to establish the Hinan family is ready for signatures. As soon as you can get the three agents here to sign them, I will file them."

Turning, she replied, "That's great. Kyoya is going to pick me up tonight, so Tachibana will be with him. I will text Kyoya to bring Fuyumi and Dad as well, if possible." Matching actions to words, she pulls out her phone and composes a quick text.

At eight-thirty, Kyoya arrived with Tachibana, Fuyumi, and Ryoji. Fuyumi took charge as soon as they stepped through the door.

"Good evening," she said, addressing the receptionist. "Fuyumi Otori-Shido, Ryoji Fujioka, and Seizaburo Tachibana to see Ryo Naruse."

"Yes, he is expecting you," Miss Nagano replied. "Please follow me."

Kyoya remained in the reception area as Miss Nagano led the others to an office in the back. "Things are progressing well in Haruhi's plan, I see. The timing couldn't be better, since the offer on the property is scheduled to be accepted Thursday. With the signatures tonight and the filing tomorrow, everything will be in place for the Hinan family to finalize the purchase." He smiled to himself as her plans and his neatly dovetailed together.

Haruhi walked into the reception area from the file room, oblivious of Kyoya as she examined the documents in the file she was holding. She involuntarily jumped when he cleared his throat.

"Warn a person, would you sempai?" she squawked.

"What the fun in that?" he returned, chuckling teasingly.

She rolled her eyes. "I take it they're all in signing papers right now?" Before Kyoya could answer, Haruhi turned to look at Mr. Naruse's office door as Miss Nagano came out.

Miss Nagano responded, "They will be out in just a few minutes. How did the brief go?"

"Well, it's all typed up. As I told Mr. Naruse, the settlement section is highlighted pending edits." Haruhi handed her the folder.

"I take it that is what you spoke to him about earlier?" Miss Nagano replied, slipping the folder into her desk draw.

Haruhi grinned broadly, "I suggested he look into some facts about the plaintiffs and suggested a much…stiffer penalty for their actions."

Kyoya just stood back and watched the two women talk. "Haruhi is impressive. She's standing there speaking to the firm's receptionist like she were already one of the lawyers, rather than a lowly intern—and one on her second day at that."

Out of the corner of her eye, Haruhi saw Kyoya watching her. "I can't read the expression on his face from this angle. I wonder what he's thinking."

Just as Miss Nagano shut down her computer for the night, the door to Mr. Naruse's office opened. He exited first, followed by Fuyumi, Ryoji, and then Tachibana. He shook each of their hands as they exited his office. "Thank you so much for making time in your busy schedules to come this evening. The paperwork will be filed tomorrow, as soon as the courts open."

Fuyumi gushed, "Thank you for preparing everything so quickly. It's a relief to know that all of the pieces are in place in the event something were to happen."

"It was good to see you again, Ryo," Ryoji said, shaking the lawyer's hand firmly. "It's been too long. We should get together for lunch sometime."

"I'd like that," Ryo responded. "Let me check my calendar and I'll give you a call."

Tachibana just shook the offered hand silently and bowed his head slightly in respect, all the while his eyes checking the room and examining Kyoya for any signs of distress.

Haruhi looked around. "Well, it looks like we're all ready to go. I'll see you on Thursday, Miss Nagano."

"Have a good evening," she called back as she gathered her purse and coat to leave.

Haruhi was sitting on her usual sofa with several designates happily chattering about their summer vacation plans. "Kanako is unusually quiet today. Usually she's talking excitedly about her wedding this summer. Is something wrong between her and Tohru? Maybe I can talk to her alone before she leaves today," she thought.

Kimiko turned to Kanako and asked, "Hey, Kanako, what's wrong? You've been really quiet the past few days. And you haven't talked about the wedding at all. Did something happen between you and Tohru?"

Haruhi had to control herself not to roll her eyes at Kimiko's blunt question. "Well, so much for talking to her alone." To Kanako, she said, "You don't have to answer that if you don't want to. If you want to talk in private after Host Club hours, I'm available."

Kanako waved it off. "Oh, it's nothing like that. Tohru and I are very excited about the wedding and starting our life together." She sighed and then continued, "The problem is the venue. We booked it two years ago. We had to because the gardens are so popular for all kinds of events. I received a call on Monday that the gardens will be unavailable for the next six months.

"Apparently, a soccer team that rented the venue for an awards ceremony did a lot of damage. It will take at least three months to repair the damage and another three to allow the plants to grow out so they look decent again. Where are we going to find a new venue on such short notice?"

An idea popped into Haruhi's head and she glanced over at Kyoya working on his laptop. "I don't want to get her hopes up, but I think the Hinan family might be able to help her out."

The other girls were expressing their sympathies to Kanako when Haruhi said, "I may know of a venue that would be available for your wedding. How about I check into it and get back to you on Monday?"

Kanako's mouth formed a perfect "O" as she leaned over and pulled Haruhi into a hug. The other girls squealed at the sight, drawing attention from around the room. Haruhi blushed as Kanako exclaimed, "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."

Pulling back to disentangle herself from Kanako, Haruhi said, "Mind you, I can't make any promises. But I will try my best so you don't have to worry about it anymore."

During lunch, Kyoya tried to suppress his annoyance. "Why hasn't Fuyumi texted me yet? Surely, the purchase of the property isn't taking this long to finalize. The fraud and embezzlement case wrapped up last week so there shouldn't be any complications." He pushed his plate of half-eaten lunch away.

Tamaki looked up from his lunch to his best friend. He could tell that Kyoya was tense about something, but he didn't dare ask. Experience had made Tamaki wary, because trying to "cheer him up" usually resulted in Kyoya unleashing his caustic wit.

Mitsukuni sat down next to Tamaki and Takashi took the seat across from him, next to Kyoya. Mitsukuni whispered to Tamaki, "He hasn't heard anything about the property yet, huh?"

"Oh," Tamaki exclaimed loudly, and then clapped his hands over his mouth. After re-gaining control, he whispered back, "I forgot that was today. Now I understand." The table lapsed into silence as each contemplated their own thoughts.

Haruhi sat down on the other side of Kyoya and pulled out her bento. "Hey guys. How was your morning?" she asked cheerily.

Brightening at the presence of the Club natural, Tamaki piped up. "It's been good. Classes are mostly just review for exams next week."

"Not much going on for us," Mitsukuni added. "We just have paperwork to fill out for the graduation ceremony next week." Takashi nodded in agreement at his summation.

Haruhi was startled to hear what sounded like a growl coming from Kyoya. She turned to look at him and noticed the tightness in his jaw and the stiff way he held his shoulders. "No word from Fuyumi yet, I take it?" she asked.

Kyoya's only response was a curt shake of his head. He tensed but then unconsciously leaned toward Haruhi as she draped her arm over his shoulders. "What is she doing? How will the others react—especially Tamaki and Mitsukuni?" he thought frantically while still relishing her touch.

"Hey, hey, hey, what going on?" Hikaru demanded as he and Kaoru approached the table with their lunches. They jostled one another as both tried to sit in the seat next to Haruhi.

Glaring at them, Haruhi chastised, "No fighting or neither of you gets to sit by me. I told you in the classroom, it's Hikaru's turn to sit next to me. Kaoru, you sit across from me."

Kaoru was about to protest when she eyed him as if to say, "Try me." He subsided and took the seat next to Tamaki, across the table from her.

During the exchange, Haruhi's arm remained wrapped around Kyoya's shoulders. The other five boys exchanged glances but no one was willing to say anything. They were all thinking the same thing, "I wish it was me."

Haruhi turned her attention back to Kyoya. "Hey, don't worry. It's probably just taking a little longer than expected because the Hinan family is new and the property was part of a scandal. They probably have to double-check everything, making it take longer."

She gave him a side hug and then released him. "Let's eat," she said, focusing on her bento.

During Host Club, Haruhi watched Kyoya out of the corner of her eye. To everyone else, he appeared to be simply working on his laptop as usual. However, she could tell by his ramrod-straight back that he was tense.

Kanako was not there but Kimiko and Momoko were gushing about the graduation parties their parents were planning for them. Kimiko took over the discussion. "You should see the gown my mother commissioned for my graduation party. It's from the top Paris designer. Have any of you heard of Gabriel?"

Not to be outdone, Momoko responded, "I've heard of him. But my dress is being designed by Audrey of New York, the Queen of Fashion."

Haruhi just smiled and let her designates debate which designer was best. She was distracted by the low *ding* of a text message notification on Kyoya's phone.

Movement in the corner of her eye drew her attention to Kyoya. He was examining a message on his phone with a look of relief and triumph. "I wonder if he just received a text from Fuyumi?" she thought.

Kyoya's face lit up with a smile briefly, schooling it back to his usual stoic expression before anyone noticed or commented. "I wonder why her text message mentions a follow-up email."

Pulling up his email service, he opened the new message from his sister, ignoring all the previous ones that he suspected contained cute memes or funny anecdotes.

Sorry it took so long to finalize the sale. The judge had A LOT of questions about the Hinan family. He checked the family registry and found no one listed. He suspected a scam (given the scandal surrounding the property, I'm not surprised), so he grilled me about it. I pointed out the establishment date was yesterday. Then I explained that the intended members of the family had not filed their registry paperwork yet, but none of them has any connection to the men convicted of the fraud and embezzlement. When he pressed me for names, I stated that I was not at liberty to disclose that information at this time. I reiterated that the Hinan family is a valid legal entity and I am a duly registered agent for that entity. He had no course but to capitulate.

Kyoya's posture relaxed as he read the email. "Fuyumi really was the best choice for the agent on this. She knows how to handle difficult men, considering how much practice Father gave her." He responded with a brief message.

Thank you for your hard work on this. I owe you dinner. Let me know when and where.

Glancing at his watch, he noted that it was nearly the end of club hours. He shut down his computer and then stood. "Ladies, thank you for joining us today. We will be closed tomorrow as Honey-sempai and Mori-sempai have a graduation meeting and robe fitting. We look forward to seeing you all on Monday. Please enjoy your weekend. Good night."

The Host Club climbed into the Haninozuka limousine, looking forward to their weekend of fun together. Haruhi purposely sat next to Kyoya. Just after the car pulled away from Ouran, she spoke up. "Hey, Kyoya. I was wondering."

"Yes?" he prompted.

"Kanako and Tohru need a venue for their wedding. The one they had arranged is no longer available due to damage caused by another event. Could they rent the Hinansho garden for it?" she asked hopefully.

Kyoya looked puzzled. "I don't see why not. But why are you asking me? It belongs to the Hinan family."

"I know, but you are the one who orchestrated the purchase and you know the most about business," she replied.

For a moment, Kyoya contemplated Haruhi's statement. Finally he responded, "That may very well be true but the Hinan family was your idea. You have just as much say in matters as I do. In fact, since you created it for the Host Club, we should probably all have a say in such matters. Even though no one is officially on the Hinan Family Registry, we are all a part of it."

Haruhi's mouth was a perfect "O." She chuckled nervously and said, "I guess you're right. Since that's the case, what do you guys think?"

The other hosts looked at one another. Finally, Takashi spoke. "I think it's a fine idea. I was going to ask if we could submit the Hinan dojo to the Kendo Tournament Committee as an alternative location for the qualifying tournament scheduled to be held in Chiba. Flooding in that area has damaged the roads and access is tricky, at best."

In unison, Hikaru and Kaoru interjected, "After we described the place to our parents, they wanted us to ask about doing a photoshoot for their new line there."

Haruhi slapped her forehead and looked sheepish. "Here I was worrying last week about being able to afford maintaining Hinansho. The answer is so obvious; I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner."

Everyone looked at her questioningly.

It dawned on Kyoya just what she meant. "Oh, I see. We can rent Hinansho, or at least parts of it, our as a venue for events. If we employ a minimal permanent staff and use temporary workers as needed for events, we would only need to allow select events to generate adequate funds to maintain the property and pay for staffing."

"That makes so much sense," Tamaki agreed. "We just need an event coordinator to vet the requests before we vote on which ones to allow."

"How about Renge?" Hikaru piped up.

"NO!" everyone responded, some louder than others.

Holding up his hands defensively, he said, "Just kidding. Please don't kill me."

"Hey, Kyoya, do you think Fuyumi might be interested in being our event coordinator? She could easily work from home so she'd be there with her children. She's very enthusiastic about the property and she's already an agent for the Hinan family so she can initiate the contracts," Haruhi suggested.

"That would be an excellent idea. Let me text her," Kyoya replied, pulling out his phone. Just as he pushed SEND, the car stopped in front of the Haninozuka home.

The next morning, Hikaru was uncharacteristically subdued at breakfast. He listlessly pushed his food around on his plate and supported his chin on his left palm.

Mitsukuni looked worried and asked, "Is something wrong, Hikaru? Are you not having fun this weekend?"

Shaking his head, Hikaru responded, "It's not that. Mom texted this morning that she wants Kaoru and I to do a test shoot at Hinansho so she has an idea of what is available. I don't want to miss any time with you guys, but it looks like we'll have to. She wants the photos by Monday morning."

"I'd hate for you guys to have to leave and miss our last weekend before graduation," Mitsukuni pouted.

Haruhi chimed in, "Why don't we all go to Hinansho? We haven't scheduled anything else, have we?"

Mitsukuni perked up, "Hey, that's true. In fact, Takashi and I were talking about getting pictures taken for a graduation photobook. Kyoya, don't you think the girls would love that?"

Kyoya looked up from his laptop where he had been typing steadily all through breakfast. "I think that would be an excellent idea. In fact, several girls approached me about the possibility of just such a photobook. I've been working all morning on finding a photographer, but having no luck because all the good ones are booked up months in advance."

"Wait," Tamaki interjected. "We could also do photo books for the rest of the hosts. And maybe some cosplay-themed books. We wouldn't have to release them all at once, just the graduation ones for right now. But we would have them already printed and available to sell periodically during the year."

"That's actually a very sensible suggestion," Kyoya allowed.

"Hikaru, how long would it take to get the photography equipment and cosplay outfits to Hinansho?" Haruhi asked. She actually looked excited about the prospect of dressing up and taking pictures. "We could make it a fun day of playing in costumes, just having fun together while also getting the needed photos and exploring the estate."

Kaoru piped in, "I already sent a text to the maids to start packing stuff up to send over. It should arrive there about the same time we do, if we leave within the hour."

"We'd better get going soon," Kyoya stated. "Currently we don't have a caretaker or housekeeper to greet them."

"Hey, that's true," Tamaki responded. "That reminds me of something I wanted to talk to everyone about, but it can wait until the car ride."

"Does everyone have everything they need?" Haruhi asked, looking around for confirming nods.

Takashi was frowning and Mitsukuni looked pensive. "We would like to wear nice suits for our graduation photos but we haven't purchased them yet."

Kaoru interrupted, "Not to worry. Hikaru and I designed suits for you and Mori-sempai as graduation gifts. They will be among the clothing being sent over. We even had a couple cap and gown ensembles in Ouran colors included. You may want to bring your gi and shinai to round out the photo collection."

"We should all bring our uniforms as well so we can get a Host Club picture," Mitsukuni added. "Meet out front in fifteen minutes?"

"Sounds good," Tamaki said.

As Kaoru was about to walk out the door, he felt a large hand on his shoulder. He looked up at Takashi and asked, "Is something wrong, Mori-sempai?"

"No, I just wanted to thank you for the suit and including karate and kendo in the photobook. Most of the time people tend to see me as a one-dimensional, background character. Thank you for including some of my depth." Having made his speech, Takashi nodded to Kaoru and left to collect what he needed for the day.

Kaoru stood there in shock for a minute.

"Didn't know he had a speech like that in him, did you?" Haruhi teased, bumping his shoulder with hers.

"I have to admit I expected the thanks but not the explanation," Kaoru said. "I'm sorry that I was one of those who thought of him as a boring background character. But that started to change after you stumbled into our lives, Haruhi. There's just something about you that has made all of our lives better."

Haruhi blushed at Kaoru's praise but she didn't know how to respond. Luckily, she didn't have to because Tamaki burst into the room. "I saw that you guys were busy talking, so I asked the maid to pack up your uniforms. As soon as the others get here, we can head to the car," he explained, thrusting a garment bag at each of them.

"Thanks, Tono," Kaoru replied, taking the offered bag and slinging it over his shoulder.

"Yeah, thanks, Tamaki," Haruhi added, smiling.

The trio turned to see the other Host Club members enter the room, also carrying garment bags. Takashi had an equipment bag in addition to his garment bag and a small smile on his face.

"Let's go," Mitsukuni shouted, gesturing to the front door.

The group piled into the limousine while the chauffer secured their bags. "Hey, Hikaru," Haruhi called. "Is your day looking up?"

At first, he looked at her in confusion. Then he remembered his morose mood at breakfast. "Yes, it is most definitely looking up."

After they settled in and the car pulled away from the house, Kyoya said, "Tamaki, you said you wanted to talk about something on the way over."

"Yes, that's right," Tamaki replied. "The talk of needing a caretaker or housekeeper reminded me that I wanted to ask if Shima could be hired as the head housekeeper at Hinansho."

"Why don't you want her at the second Suoh mansion anymore?" Kyoya asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"It's not that I don't want her. Grandmother 'retired' her after she gave you the information to stop me from leaving. Even though now Grandmother agrees your stopping me was the right thing to do, she refuses to re-hire Shima."

Kyoya's expression darkened at hearing such callous treatment of such a faithful servant. "I for one would be glad to have her as head housekeeper at Hinansho. What do the rest of you think?"

Haruhi stated, "I think that's a wonderful idea. What better way to reward her for her loyalty to Tamaki, than providing her with a position for which she is so obviously qualified."

"Hear, hear," the remaining hosts responded.

Mitsukuni looked pensive and then said, "That's our first staffing decision—actually second, since we decided on Fuyumi as event coordinator. Why don't we continue in that vein? I have a suggestion for kitchen supervisor. My parents are planning to dismiss Kairi, our pastry chef because they no longer want sweets to be readily available in the house. My family hired him away from a large resort five years ago. He was the head of the kitchen there but also a world-renowned patisserie who created a single, spectacular dessert every day."

"Hmm," Kyoya pondered. "It sounds like he would be an excellent person to have on staff for weddings and other special events. Honey-sempai, as long as everyone else agrees, I suggest extending the offer and see if he would be interested."

A chorus of agreement greeted Kyoya's suggestion.

"Hey, Kyoya?" Haruhi leaned over and touched his sleeve to get his attention.

"Yes?" he responded, looking at in her direction.

"Tachibana would be a good choice for head of security, don't you think?"

Kyoya's quirked an eyebrow. "Why didn't I think of that? Since he is a registered agent for the Hinan family, it makes sense for him to head security. That's a good idea, Haruhi."

"Well, it makes sense with Fuyumi as event coordinator. I don't know if Dad would be interested in a position with the Hinan family apart from agent. He's perfectly happy at the bar where he works now."

"He could be first bartender contacted if an event needs one. That way he won't feel left out," Kaoru suggested. "And I'm sure he wouldn't mind the extra spending money."

Haruhi smiled at him. "Thanks, Kaoru. That's a great idea!"

Takashi spoke up quietly, "I have a suggestion for someone to oversee the garage and be chauffeur, as well as be part of the security staff. He is a former karate and kendo champion that just retired from the rally car circuit. He was a driver for a while, but more recently a mechanic. He's tired of all the travel and wants to settle down."

"Wow," Hikaru said. "He sounds like someone who would be good to have around. What's his name?"

"Atsuhiro," Takashi stated.

"Don't tell me you mean Atsuhiro Hiyama?" Hikaru said excitedly. "He would have made the World Cup rally circuit if that accident hadn't totaled his car. It was the reason he designed that new suspension system."

Haruhi chuckled. "Looks like we have a fanboy here."

Kaoru cut in. "Some of the models we worked with a few years ago insisted on having his races on the monitors in the changing tents. They were practically drooling over him. I have to admit that his races were intensely exciting to watch."

"Hey, it wasn't his looks that got my attention," Hikaru protested. "That guy can drive. And that suspension system was genius. It's practically standard equipment on all cars now."

Takashi patted Hikaru's shoulder. "It's okay, Hikaru. We get it. He's a great guy. Sounds like just the driver to have if you need to avoid paparazzi. That could be very important considering how high profile our families are."

Kyoya interrupted. "To get back on topic, Takashi, please extend an offer of employment on behalf of the Hinan family."

Pulling out his ever-present notebook, Kyoya started jotting down notes from their discussion. "Let's see. Assuming all of our choices accept the offers, we have head housekeeper, Shima. She can decide how many maids and butlers would be appropriate. Kairi as kitchen supervisor will know what's needed there. With Tachibana heading security and Atsuhiro overseeing the garage, we've made some definite progress already."

"That just leaves grounds, gardens, and the pool," Haruhi interjected. "If we use Takashi's suggestion from last week, to choose security personnel with those skills, we can keep the staff—and expenses—to a minimum while covering all the necessary work."

"Hey, Haruhi, when did you start calling Mori-sempai by his first name?" Hikaru asked. "Is there something going on between you two?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Before she had a chance to answer, Mitsukuni piped up, "Last weekend, after our morning workout, Takashi and I asked her to call us by our first names when we're not at school. In fact, all of you can call us by our first names, we're practically family."

Kyoya had to clamp down on the jealousy that flared as Haruhi praised Takashi. "She's not mine and probably never will be. I need to get used to her praising someone else," he thought bitterly.

"I think we have a number of good candidates from several recent groups that completed training," Mitsukuni said. "Not just for the grounds but for the household and kitchen as well."

"That sound like a good idea," Kyoya allowed. "If you'll put a packet together on each of them, Tachibana can take the first look and then pass them along the ones for the household and kitchen to the respective supervisors. They can evaluate the candidates and schedule the interviews."

The car pulled through the gates of Hinansho and Tamaki said, "Wow! We got a lot done on our car ride. Now we have all day to have fun with the costumes and photo shoot."

Five minutes later, the photographer and his assistant arrived in a van with all their equipment and the clothes. "Where should we set up?" he asked Hikaru.

Hikaru gestured to the west. "The gardens where we'll be doing most of the shoot are in that direction."

"Where will the wardrobe changes be done?" the assistant asked.

"We'll be using one of the cottages near the gardens so we won't need the tents," Hikaru replied.

Kaoru stepped forward. "Follow me and I'll help you get settled in."

Before they could go anywhere, Hikaru waved his hands to get everyone's attention. "We should take a tour of the estate before we begin. That way we'll know what backdrops we have to work with."

"Sounds like a good idea. Are you going to take Fuyumi's part this time?" Haruhi teased.

"Ha, ha, very funny," he responded.

Kyoya interjected, "Why don't I lead this time since I looked the property over extensively before its purchase?"

Haruhi half-bowed and swept her hand as if to say "After you."

"Before we begin, we should take our garment bags to the cottage so we don't have to carry them around," Kyoya suggested.

After taking care of that bit of business, Kyoya led them into the main house. They toured the fitness center, the lounge, and the restaurant. Then they looked into a room on each floor to see the general layout for each type. The photographer and assistant followed along, taking pictures unobtrusively.

"Wow, the executive apartments on the third floor are impressive," Tamaki said in awe.

"Yes, I believe they were designed for the co-owners to occupy," Kyoya supplied.

Mitsukuni looked thoughtful. "Hmm. There are ten apartments. There are seven of us and three agents. Wouldn't it make sense for us to each choose one? We could use them as offices when we're here on Hinan family business."

Kaoru spoke up, "That's a great idea. Hikaru and I could take the ones on the west end, overlooking the gardens. That's probably where most of the photo shoots would take place."

Mitsukuni added, "Takashi and I could take the ones on the east end, overlooking the dojo."

"Kyoya should have the one in front in the middle. That one gives the best view of the gates and the entrance so he can see the comings and goings," Tamaki suggested.

"I should have Tachibana on the west side of me and Tamaki on the east side, away from the twins," Kyoya said.

"That leave the three in the back for Fuyumi, Dad and me. My dad would probably prefer it that I be in the middle. He would want to be on the west side, between the twins and me. That leaves the east side for Fuyumi," Haruhi finished.

Hikaru interrupted, "This all sounds good, but we should probably get the tour finished so we can get down to the business of the photo shoot."

The half hour after they finished the tour was a flurry of activity as six racks of clothing were moved from the van to the cottage. Five of the racks held various cosplay outfits in various themes. The sixth rack held just four garment bags.

Kaoru walked over to the sixth rack and checked the tags on the garment bags. Taking two, he handed one to Mitsukuni and the other to Takashi. "Hey, guys, would you change into your suits? I want to check the fit before we get started."

"Ooo, thank you, Kaoru," Mitsukuni enthused, taking the garment bag handed to him.

Takashi nodded his thanks and the cousins claimed one of the bedrooms as their changing room.

"How about everyone else changes into their uniforms?" Tamaki suggested. "That way we can start with some of the individual and small group shots while Kaoru is working with Hon—Mitsukuni and Mo—Takashi. That's going to take a little getting used to."

Using the gazebo as a background, the photographer took individual shots of Haruhi, Kyoya, Tamaki, and Hikaru. He had just finished the first grouping of Tamaki and Kyoya when Kaoru, Mitsukuni, and Takashi joined them.

Haruhi's eyes widened. "WOW! You two look fantastic!"

The photographer's assistant started to fan herself. "Is it me or did the hotness level just rise a couple notches?"

Takashi blushed and Mitsukuni grinned broadly. "The girls might have trouble recognizing us in these suits," Mitsukuni gushed. "Hikaru and Kaoru, you guys outdid yourselves. These are great!"

The photographer said, "Let's get the photos of you two separately and then together in those suits." He smirked, "My assistant won't be of any use until you've changed out of them. Or at least covered them with the graduation robes."

Mitsukuni and Takashi had fun with serious and silly poses, knowing that the best would be chosen for the photobooks and the other would end up in their private collections. They slipped the graduation gowns on over their suits and the photographer took another round of photos.

"We got some great shots," the photographer declared. "You two change into your uniforms while I continue with grouped shots." He gestured for Hikaru and Kaoru to take their place by the gazebo.

By the time the cousins returned, Kaoru's individual photos were done and they had each had their photo taken with Haruhi. "Let's pick up with the full Host Club photo and then finish up the individual and small group shots," the photographer directed.

While Takashi and Mitsukuni were getting their individual photos, the rest of the hosts started discussing which cosplay themes they wanted to have photographed after lunch.

"Speaking of lunch," Haruhi said. "What are we going to do for lunch? The kitchens are bare right now."

"Hmm," Kyoya murmured. He pulled out his phone and sent off a text message. "We should have time for one cosplay shoot before Tachibana is here with lunch. I told him to pick up a wide selection from my favorite sushi restaurant."

"MMM," Haruhi hummed. "Sushi."

Tamaki said, "If we have time for one before lunch, we better decide which one. How about feudal Japan?"

"That sounds good," Kaoru agreed. "I'll pull the costumes and we can start getting changed."

Mitsukuni walked up and asked, "What's next?"

"We're going to do a feudal Japan cosplay shoot before lunch arrives," Tamaki answered.

The photographer and his assistant had fun posing the hosts in different positions and groupings, as well as different backgrounds, including the meditation garden and koi pond. Just as he said, "Done," Tachibana appeared with several large to-go trays.

"Lunch has arrived!" Tamaki shouted.

Everyone sat around the table in the dining room of the cottage, enjoying the sushi and talking about which cosplay to do after lunch.

"Hey, Kaoru, what cosplay themes can we do with what we have?" Haruhi asked.

Finishing his mouthful, he answered, "Well, there's American Wild West, French Revolution, British High Tea, and Fairy Tale."

"How about we just do them in that order after lunch?" Hikaru suggested.

"Don't forget," Haruhi interrupted, "Mitsukuni and Takashi need photos taken at the dojo. I think it would be nice to include photos of them wearing their gi by the koi pond and in the mediation garden."

"Good idea, Haruhi," Takashi said.

Kyoya spoke up. "How about we skip the French Revolution for today? That's the one that takes the most preparation and clean up. We don't have to do everything today."

"That sounds like a plan," Tamaki responded. "Mitsukuni and Takashi will dress in their gi and get those photos taken while the rest of us dress for the American Wild West. They can join us when they're done."

When Haruhi came out of the bedroom she was using as a changing room, she found Hikaru and Kaoru sorting through the costumes. They rearranged the clothes on the racks, leaving two empty. On one of the empty rack, they hung the costumes for the British High Tea cosplay. On the other, the Fairy Tale costumes.

"Hey, Hikaru?" Haruhi asked.

"What, Haruhi?" he replied.

"Can we do a reverse—well kind of—on the Fairy Tale? Instead of the usual, Tamaki as prince, Kyoya as evil wizard, me as princess, Mitsukuni and Takashi as palace guards, and you two as citizens, let's change things up."

"What do you have on your devious little mind?" Kaoru questioned, with a raised eyebrow.

"Let's make you two the palace guards, Mitsukuni and Takashi farmers, Tamaki the evil wizard, me the prince, and Kyoya the princess," Haruhi smirked.

"Ooo, we like the way you think," the twins said in unison.

Mitsukuni and Takashi entered the cottage just after Haruhi finished outlining her idea to the twins. Hikaru said, "As soon as you two change, we can have a shoot-out. Here are your Wild West costumes."

"I'm going to talk to the photographer for a few minutes. I'll meet you guys out there." Haruhi waved as she walked out the door.

As Haruhi outlined her idea for the Fairy Tale cosplay, the photographer's grin got wider and wider. "That sounds like a great idea. In fact, I think I'll use storytelling for each of the themes to direct each shoot segment. That will probably make it easier for you all to visualize how I want you to pose and interact," he chuckled.

True to his word, the photographer narrated a story for each theme. He started out in the character of the theme and then got silly toward the end. The last photos of the American Wild West had Haruhi carried piggyback by Takashi, Kaoru carried piggyback by Hikaru, and the rest of the hosts chasing them like Haruhi and Kaoru were horse thieves.

By the end of the British High Tea theme, it more closely resembled the Mad Hatter's tea party in Alice in Wonderland. Everyone was laughing and hugging one another.

Haruhi suppressed her smile as she watched Kyoya's face when he saw his costume for the Fairy Tale-themed shoot.

"Tamaki, is this your idea of a joke?" he asked caustically.

"What? No, I had nothing to do with assigning roles. Talk to the twins," he responded, shrinking back slightly.

"Not us," Kaoru said. "Haruhi wanted to do the last one with a twist. She's the one who assigned the parts."

Kyoya turned to look at Haruhi, his eyebrows raised. She just covered her mouth to hide her mirth. "I thought it was only fair. I usually get cast as the damsel in distress."

Rolling his eyes, he said, "Oh, very well. I shall take the part of the princess. Next time, Tamaki, it will be your turn."

The photographer told the story just as Haruhi asked him to. "Okay, we're going to start with the princess and her faithful palace guards." Hikaru and Kaoru took up their positions on either side of Kyoya.

"Now the evil wizard puts a paralysis spell on the guards and steals the princess, dragging her into the forest." Tamaki waved his hand at the twins, gave an evil grin as he grabbed Kyoya's hand, pulling him away from the twins and toward the hedge maze in the formal garden.

"The princess manages to escape and is helped by two farmers." Kyoya pulled away from Tamaki, knocking him down, and ran to Mitsukuni and Takashi.

"But the evil wizard casts a sleeping spell on the princess." Reluctantly, Kyoya collapsed into the grass. Mitsukuni and Takashi take up positions to stand guard over the prone figure of Kyoya.

"Along comes a prince, who spies the sleeping princess." Haruhi steps out of the sakura trees and looks at Kyoya laying on the ground.

"The prince awakens the princess with a kiss." Haruhi kneels by Kyoya and softly kisses him on the lips. His eyes fly open in shock. She pulls back slightly and smirks at him. "Gotcha," she whispers.

"Way to go, Haruhi," the twins shout and then whistle loudly. The others just stand around gaping at Haruhi's bold move and Kyoya's red face.

"And that's a wrap," the photographer shouts, laughing.

Mitsukuni clapped his hands and proclaimed, "That was a lot of fun. But it's getting late, so we should get changed and pack up."

The photographer handed Hikaru a sleeve with several memory cards. "They are marked with each of the shoots. I had a lot of fun with you guys today. So much better than the divas I usually have to deal with. Let me know when you want to do this again. I'll make room in my schedule."

"Thanks, we'll keep that in mind. Good work today," Hikaru replied, shaking his hand firmly.

After everything was packed back into the van, the photographer and his assistant left. The Host Club climbed into the limousine, ready to head back to the Haninozuka estate and dinner.

Holding up the memory cards, Hikaru said, "We can go through the photos tomorrow and decide which photos we want in each photobook."

"We should have them ready to send to the printers by Monday morning at this rate," Kyoya commended. "That means they will be back by Wednesday, just in time for our final Host Club hours of the school year."

"Yay!" Mitsukuni cheered. "Our book will be ready before graduation. That's great!"

Haruhi looked around and thought, "This is what family is supposed to be." She smiled softly to herself.

She didn't notice that she was being watched. Kyoya thought, "Did that kiss mean anything? Or was it just payback for that time I kissed her. I don't care, I really enjoyed it."

The ride home was punctuated by laughter and teasing, remembering all the fun they had and looking forward to sorting through the pictures.

"Hey, Mitsukuni, is there a room with a projector I can hook my laptop to?" Hikaru asked at breakfast Sunday morning. "I figure that would be better than all of us trying to crowd around to look at the pictures from yesterday."

"Sure, we have a conference room with a projector. There's even a printer and photo stock if you want to print out some test pages."

"This is going to be so much fun," Tamaki enthused. "We'll get to see all the photos and decide how to put the photo books together."

Haruhi spoke up, "With a printer, we could even create a brochure and print copies for Kanako, the Kendo Tournament Committee, and the Hitachiins so they don't have to wait until we get the order back from the printers."

Kyoya walked into the dining room, a scowl on his face because it was only seven o'clock in the morning. "Must we begin so early on a Sunday?" he growled.

"We were going to let you sleep, but I guess Tamaki running up and down the halls wanting to see the photos from yesterday ended that," Haruhi replied.

He walked straight to the coffee pot on the sideboard and poured himself a cup. After taking a gulp, he turned to face the dining room. "Very well, let's go through the photos."

Mitsukuni stood up and said, "I've finished breakfast. Hikaru, do you want to come with me to get things set up in the conference room?"

"Sure, show me where it is and then I'll go grab my laptop and the memory cards," Hikaru responded as he followed Mitsukuni.

Kyoya sat down at the table next to Haruhi. "Have I missed anything of importance this morning?" he murmured.

"No, the photos are all we've talked about. Mitsukuni mentioned that the conference room has a printer with photo stock. I suggested making brochures from Kanako, the Kendo Tournament Committee, and the Hitachiins."

Haruhi was quiet for a few minutes, lost in thought. "You know," she began, "if we're going to use events to fund the running of Hinansho, we'll need a brochure for any interested parties. It would have the contact information and available venues. I think it would be better to leave the prices off the brochure. That way, if we decide to charge one person a particular rate, not everyone will expect that same rate.

"For instance, because Kanako is a friend and client of the Host Club, what we quote her for the garden venue would most likely be less than what we would quote for, say, a cousin of a business partner contracting for the same use."

Kyoya looked at her and said, "That's a very astute business practice. I suggest that we get a separate phone and drop box set up for Fuyumi to use as event coordinator. That will keep things separate and easy to manage."

"I hadn't thought of that but it makes perfect sense," Haruhi agreed.

Kaoru finished his breakfast and went to find Hikaru and Mitsukuni. Takashi brought Kyoya a small plate with a piece of toast and small rolled omelet.

As the plate was set in front of him, Kyoya looked up, surprised.

Haruhi grinned, "Thank you, Takashi. He does need more than coffee for breakfast."

"That's right, mon ami," Tamaki agreed, poking Kyoya's shoulder.

Takashi smiled and said, "Welcome."

Ten minutes later, Mitsukuni popped his head through the dining room door. He called, "Hey, are you guys going to take all morning? Hikaru has the laptop set up. The pictures will be pulled up by the time we get there."

Everyone followed Mitsukuni to the conference room. As everyone seated themselves around the table, Haruhi asked, "How are we going to create the brochure if we don't have the phone number or drop box yet?"

"I can text Tachibana to pick up a phone and arrange for a drop box. It shouldn't take very long, not even on a Sunday," Kyoya replied, taking out his phone and starting to type even before he finished his sentence.

They spent the next two hours sorting the photos into folders, one for each photo book they planned, one for the brochure, and one for the extra photos. Halfway through, Tachibana arrived with the phone and paperwork for the drop box.

Much to Kyoya's chagrin, the reverse fairy tale was getting its own photo book rather than being mixed into the cosplay book. "I will never be able to live down being the damsel in distress," he muttered to himself.

"There," Hikaru said with a satisfied grin. "They are all ready to go to the printer tomorrow. We'll mark the Mitsukuni, Takashi, and Graduate books 'RUSH' so they'll be available to sell on Wednesday at Host Club."

Haruhi spoke up, "Hey, Hikaru."

"Yeah?"

"Could you print three copies of the brochure? I want to give one to Kanako tomorrow, you'll have one to give to your parents, and Takashi can drop one off at the Kendo Tournament Committee office."

"No problem, it'll just take a minute."

As the printer hummed quietly, Kyoya stood up to get everyone's attention. "Earlier this weekend, we identified four people to whom the Hinan family wants to extend job offers. We need to decide their pay and benefits. We also need to give them a budget to hire the necessary personnel to round out the staff here at Hinansho."

Haruhi got up as well and stood next to him. "We also need to decide a price range for each venue. That way we'll know how many events will need to be approved to support the household, in addition to the staff. Fuyumi will also need a range to quote from when potential clients contact her."

"We should make pricing specific to the venues used. If someone wants to have a wedding in the garden, but they also want the wedding party to stay in the cottages and have meals provided in the restaurant, they should know they are paying for three venues, not just one," Tamaki interjected.

"Good thinking. And the contracts should spell out exactly what is and is not included in each venue," Kaoru added.

Mitsukuni piped up, "We may want to talk to Kairi about specialty desserts and catering as well as the restaurant and lounge. I've heard him mention a few times that he started out with a caterer and really enjoyed it."

"Hmm," Kyoya intoned. "I think we need to ask Shima, Kairi, Atsuhiro, Tachibana, Fuyumi, and Ryoji to join us here for dinner on Wednesday. We can outline what we're thinking and they can give us feedback. Is everyone available?"

A chorus of affirmative responses rang out.

"Tamaki, you will invite Shima. Mitsukuni, you will invite Kairi. Takashi, you will invite Atsuhiro. Haruhi, you will invite your dad. I will invite Tachibana and Fuyumi. Let me know as soon as possible if Wednesday doesn't work for anyone.

"I'll make arrangements for the dinner and we can all come together right after Host Club," Kyoya said.

"Could we stop and pick up my dad?" Haruhi asked.

"Of course. It would only be a little out of our way, so it should be no problem."

Mitsukuni piped up, "Now that all of the business is out of the way, let's go have fun!"