Eeeee! Everyone loves it already! I'm so excited!

Thank you to CrystallizedSiren, Stolyint, Momochan77, Lady Phantomh1v3, animexchick, Denpa-chu, Sunstar Writer, and four guests for your reviews! I'm so glad you're liking it so much already!

A little note, I forgot that this was supposed to be a Christmas chapter. So… I'm just going to do the same thing as the manga, and completely disregard any reasonable passage of time. So, ignore the fact that the timeline is basically nonexistent. Thanks!

Disclaimer: The Host club boys aren't mine!

*Episode 2*

Fast footsteps bounced off the walls of the Northern Hallway as Haruhi Fujioka ran as fast as her legs could carry her… which actually wasn't that fast. She had never been very athletic.

Damn! I lost track of time while I was studying! I don't even want to think about what they might do if I was late! Her breath came out in little bursts as she passed by window after window, a cold and dreary landscape showing from the area below. It was late December, so the temperature had taken a slight dip, enough to warrant a jacket when someone went outside. However, the lack of sun they'd been graced with lately was much more draining than the chilly weather, washing out the campus buildings until they appeared more grey than pink. Not even Haruhi would even call that an improvement.

She skidded to a stop just outside of Music Room #3, trying to control her breathing so she wouldn't sound super out of shape from just walking up a flight of stairs and running along a couple hallways. I really need to start exercising regularly...

Grabbing the handle, she yanked the door open, an apology on her lips-

And nearly choked on her spit.

It was like her first day of meeting the hosts all over again. The six of them were standing around a chair that Tamaki was lounged over, staring at the door with a varying range of smiles as they welcomed her into the room. The only difference?

Today, most of them were shirtless.

The entire room was filled up with palm trees and tropical flowers. The sweet scent hit Haruhi like a brick in the face, as did the sudden heat wave and heavy air moisture. Suddenly, the brunette understood why five out of the six boys had forgone shirts, her white button down was already starting to stick to her arms inside her sleeves.

Perhaps the only reason Haruhi didn't walk away then and there was because she was already running late and the room was at least twenty degrees warmer than the hallway she was standing in. Walking into the room, she ignored the twins criticizing her tardiness and went straight for the President.

"Okay, what's with all the tropical stuff? It's December."

"Hmph!" Tamaki lightly brushed his bangs to the side, "When it's frigidly cold outside, that means it's the perfect time to invite our beautiful guests to spend a day in their own private paradise inside! And besides, what better way to show off our superb physique to our little kittens? Think of it as a little treat for them being so loyal!"

Loyal… pfft.

"Oh, in addition, this is also a good way to get the girls talking about our big upcoming event: The Host Club's Christmas party!"

"Party?"

*Time Skip*

"Oh, how cruel of you… even with my skin, shiny as ivory, the well-toned muscles it covers, and the outfit that drapes them so well… I am still abjectly humbled before your inestimable radiance!"

Haruhi attempted to swallow the bile in the back of her throat as she moved through the club room, tuning out Tamaki's words as best as she could. How could anyone stand that? She passed by the twins' table, their guests asking questions about the Christmas party and actually being answered, unlike Haruhi's questions twenty minutes ago. Even so, once the redheads had answered a few questions, they went right into their 'brotherly love' act and the girls lost their damn minds.

"Sheesh, the customers are really getting into it today. More so than usual."

"A little heat, a little skin, it's a potent combination." Kyoya crossed his arms across his bare chest and scanned the room, "One of Tamaki's early ideas was having us all dressing up as santas, to play along to the season… but then there was that coffee-table book on the tropics, tactfully placed for ready viewing." He chuckled, "Well, after that it didn't take long for our President to change his mind."

Haruhi slowly backed away, This guy's the club's Shadow King…

"Gawd, you're so cute, Hunny!"

Across the way, the little blond was prancing in a circle within his guests, twirling so his Balinese flower lei swung cheerfully around his neck. Deciding that was a much far safer place to be than anywhere near the Vice President, Haruhi slipped over just as Mori-senpai brought out a pineapple to share with the guests.

"Oh! Takashi! Takashi!" Hunny-senpai took a running leap at the tall boy, landing somewhere around his hip, and quickly scampered up his side, throwing a matching lei around the ravenet's neck, "Look! Now we match!"

The small blond cuddled with his friend, causing one of his guests to faint. That stopped Haruhi dead in her tracks. They're all nuts! And the girls here aren't any better! But those two seem so familiar… what is it?

"Haruhi! Haruhi" Turning around, the brunette saw two girls sitting at a nearby table, waving her over. She recognized them. They came around for her almost every day. Her guests.

Walking over before Kyoya could start making snippy comments about ignoring her duties, Haruhi sat down at the table, "Good afternoon, ladies!"

"Hi, Haruhi! Oh, where's your tropics outfit?"

"Well, I just… couldn't shake off the fact that it's winter outside. Seemed weird."

The girls giggled, "Very sensitive to the seasons, Haruhi? How lovely! When's your favorite time of year?"

"Oh, wow." Haruhi scratched the back of her head, "I don't really know, to be honest. They all have their own pros and cons. I mean, take winter for example. Right now, it's cold and dreary outside, but if you're at home with a fireplace, snuggled up with a book, snow falling past the window… it's the most relaxing thing in the world."

Her guests gasped softly, clasping their hands close to their faces, "I sure would like it to snow of Christmas, especially during the party…"

"Us… dancing beneath freshly falling snow… like a winter dream!"

Haruhi smiled softly. That seemed like something Jin would like to experience. She'd always loved the seasons more than she hated them, and while the cold winter air made her older sister's nose run every time she set foot outdoors, Jin claimed it was worth it to be able to stare up into the clouds and laugh, snowflakes melting on her lips and cheeks.

"You know, it's a really beautiful thing that you two can weave dreams around cold, grey days."

She almost regretted that sentence the moment she spoke it, her guests blushing a dark red and saying they'd willingly brave a blizzard to be with her. That… was a little much. But other than that, the rest of the time with her guests went by smoothly.

"Excuse me? It's almost time for your next request, isn't it?"

Jumping at the sudden voice, Haruhi smiled politely at the two girl who were getting up to leave before turning to face her next guest, "Oh, I suppose it is. And your name is?" She was surprised to see someone new. The girl had brown hair that stopped just above her shoulders, and a smile that seemed so sad...

"Kanako Kasugazaki, Second year, class B, "A soft hand gently caressed Haruhi's chin as the girl tipped her head up so they'd face each other, "Hmm… you are a pretty one, aren't you. Well then, Haruhi, I think I'll make you my new favorite."

*Time Skip*

Haruhi had no reason to believe anything had gone wrong all day. Other than her most recent confirmations that she was hanging around crazy people, which she was receiving daily now, hosting hours had passed by smoothly.

It wasn't until they started party planning that they realized something was amiss.

"Lord," Hikaru droned, "Will you lay off the Prole ramen and help finalize our party plans?! It's only a week away and we need you to sign off on everything before we can get the funds!"

His brother rolled his eyes, resting his chin on his hand, "Why're you so yanked off that Miss Kanako chose Haruhi? You weren't nearly this upset the last two times it's happened!"

"They're quite right, Tamaki. It's not like her sickness started today," Kyoya added, his eyes still glued to the pages of his journal. Haruhi's head perked up, but the twins seemed to realize her question before she even had to ask it.

"He's referencing to the classic 'fickle female disease'," the two waved their hands dismissively, "Also known as man-switching mania."

"Uh… could you elaborate on that just a little more?"

Kyoya glanced at her from over his journal for a split second before refocusing, "Generally, when the host club gets a new guest they tend to test the waters first with the different host types we have to offer before settling down with a specific host. But Miss Kanako is a special case… in that she switches her favorites every couple weeks. She managed to cycle through all of us at least twice over the course of the last school year."

"Tama-chan's been her most recent choice, and we thought she'd finally settled down since she was his guest for almost two months!"

Haruhi rolled her eyes, once again disappointed with the rest of the students at Ouran, and yet not surprised either, "So he's fine with you guys stealing his customers, but the second the new guy shows up-"

"THAT'S NOT IT! THE FACT IS THAT YOU'RE NOT THE NEW GUY!" The blond huffed a few deep breaths before straightening up, pointing his finger in Haruhi's face, "I've had enough! Haruhi, you'll dress like a female from now on!"

The brunette smacked the offending finger away, a frown tugging at her lips, "Excuse you, where did you get the impression that you can tell me what to do with my body?"

"Haruhi, can't you see how nuts this is? You're a girl, but the girls like you as a boy! How can I, a gentleman, let our customers be deceived in such a way?! Only the host club knows the truth! How long do you expect us to hide it?" He suddenly dove for a trunk that hadn't been sitting there a moment ago, "Daddy wants… Daddy wants… TO SEE YOU AS YOU WERE! LIKE THIS!"

Haruhi's jaw dropped, frantically standing up, "YOU ENLARGED MY OLD SCHOOL PHOTO?! HOW DARE YOU?!"

"Woah! Woah! Calm down!" The twins jumped up in between the two, grabbing the large photograph Tamaki was waving around in Haruhi's face. The blond immediately crumbled to the ground, weeping pitifully into a handkerchief.

The twins looked at the photograph themselves, "But, y'know… I've always wondered…"

"...what possessed you to change your look from this…"

"...to that?"

For a moment, Haruhi was about to question what 'that' was, but quickly figured they were referencing to her look on the day they'd met, "Oh… well, one of the kids in my neighborhood accidentally got gum in my hair a few days before school. He was laughing and kinda spat it out. And since it would've taken forever to try to wash or pull it out, I decided to just snip it off. And in the end… it was a little shorter than I'd originally planned for. And I already told you about the contacts thing."

"Why didn't you just go to a salon… they would've at least cut it properly…"

Haruhi shrugged, "Look, I really don't give a fuck how I look or what gender norms I might be playing towards, but at the moment it's best if I keep to male pronouns to help reach 1000 request quota-"

"WAAAAAH! NO GIRL SHOULD SAY THE 'F' WORD! MOTHER! HARUHI'S GOT A POTTY MOUTH!"

There was a faint fake-cough from somewhere behind Tamaki, which Haruhi couldn't see since the blond was all up in her face, before Kaoru innocently asked, "Mother?"

"Means me… I suppose." Kyoya sounded so defeated as he spoke, his face blank as Tamaki ran to him for head pats. The twins, however, merely snickered as they cornered Haruhi between them once again.

"Looks like the Lord's gone all idealistic about girls."

"Pathetic… and a little scary."

"Anyways, Haruhi, have you ever done any social dancing? It's required at the party."

Haruhi blinked, tilting her head, "Eh, I know the basics of some dances, but I've never done it in public. Like, I can foxtrot fairly well and I've learned some of the tango… my sister taught me how. She's an amazing dancer. I suppose the only thing I never really liked was the waltz. But I'm not really into going to parties, so if it's not tied to my quota then I'd prefer to be excused-"

"Woah, there!"

She cringed, Oh… great.

"If you're so set on being a guy, I'll be happy to show you what it takes! And social dancing is a must!" Tamaki scowled in her direction, an expression she wasn't quite used to seeing on his face, before pointing at her all dramatic-like, "If you will master the waltz and perform it at the party, I'll declare your debt halved!"

KRA-KA-KOW!

Cue the lightning strikes as Haruhi held in her screams.

I hate this place...

*\/*

"Alright, Haruhi! Let's start!" The brunette groaned as she slowly stood up from her chair. She should've realized that when she'd been told they weren't hosting this afternoon, it didn't mean she'd have an actual break.

Tamaki was standing in the middle of the room, which was now completely cleared of all furniture, waving at her, "Come on, Haruhi! Show some enthusiasm! I'll teach you all I know about-"

"I think not, M'lord!"

"Miss Kanako? You can come in now!"

The doors to the music room opened and, sure enough, Kanako Kasugazaki walked in with a shy smile and a pleasant 'Hello, Haruhi'. Somewhat relieved that Tamaki wouldn't be all over her, Haruhi walked over and started thanking her newest guest for taking the time to help.

"Well, shall we get started? How much do you already know?"

The short-haired brunette shrugged, "Enough. It's just the finer points I need to work over."

"That's great!" Kanako smiled and put the two into position. In her mind, Haruhi thought it didn't feel much different from dancing the 'girl's' part, which is what she had been taught. "Let's begin… right, left… feet together on the second 'right'. Don't forget that the gentleman always leads… so guide your partner."

Suddenly, the dance grew a little… awkward. Not the steps, at least. Those were easy enough and Haruhi was able to lead Kanako around the room in a large circle. She'd only said she didn't like the waltz, not that she couldn't waltz. Except… Kanako was pressed up against Haruhi's entire front, making the dance more intimate than it probably should be in a practice, not to mention how they were almost complete strangers.

Haruhi managed to keep going and not trip up by staring over Kanako's left shoulder. Her gaze appeared close enough to seem like she was keeping eye contact, but in reality she was watching Hunny-senpai lead Mori-senpai in a foxtrot. It was kinda funny… except for the faint recognition that came with their names that was slowly starting to become more irritating than interesting.

"So, Haruhi? I was told that you didn't have much knowledge of social dancing. Where'd you learn, then?"

"Oh," Haruhi smiled softly, allowing herself to meet Kanako's eyes again, "My sister. She had to go to a few fancy parties every once in awhile, and eventually she taught me some of her favorites and some 'need-to-knows'. I even went to one dance with her, but everyone basically ignored me and Nēchan was so busy she didn't have any time to spend with me. Probably why I'm not into these big parties."

Kanako's eyes widened a little, "A sister? I didn't know you had a sister, Haruhi."

"Well, you would've found out sooner or later. Most of the other guests know about her. She's coming back from America in a week or so, and she'll be attending Ouran Academy. Apparently, she even knows a few students here."

"Oh, my," The other girl grinned as Haruhi spun her around, "That must be exciting! I can already tell you love her very much. But tell me, you mentioned that she knew a few students at Ouran? Are they the reason she had to learn social dancing?"

THAT'S IT!

The realization suddenly hit Haruhi upside the head, causing her whole body to freeze. Kanako, however, was still moving, and ended up falling down by tripping over Haruhi's feet. Since their hands were still clasped, Haruhi went down with her, barely managing to catch herself before she squished her dance partner.

"Ah! I'm sorry, Kanako! I just-"

A pair of arms wrapped themselves around her neck, pulling her further down until Haruhi was on her elbows. She could feel Kanako's breath on her face as she laughed, brushing off Haruhi's apology. The tips of their noses bumped before Haruhi remembered how to speak and offered to help the other girl off the dirty floor. Not quite ready to start dancing with the girl again, the brunette weakly offered some tea.

"I'd love some!"

"Oh, and I'm sorry the twins roped you into this, Miss Kanako…"

"I don't mind, Haruhi… with the host club closed while you practice, I get to monopolize your time this way." Swallowing, the brunette poured a cup of tea for her guests. The drink was steaming in it's porcelain cup, and Haruhi was secretly relieved that it would be a while before Kanako could drink it. The girl took one glance down at her tea cup and grinned, "My, my… these are brand-new Jinori tea sets! They just came out last week, didn't they?"

Kyoya approached from the other end of the room and continued the conversation in place of Haruhi, who had no idea what they were talking about. His journal was resting on his shoulder by his head in what the brunette assumed was meant to be a handsome pose… but really she thought he just looked dumb. Honestly, what kind of girl does he think he'll win over doing things like that?

"So… you seem to know quite a bit about-"

Clack!

"Wh-what?! No, I don't! Not a bit!"

Haruhi jumped a bit at the violent denial, but quickly reached for her guest when Kanako winced, her finger covered with hot tea and growing redder by the second, "L-let's get you to the nurse!"

The girl nodded meekly and followed Haruhi out the doors. Thankfully, the closest nurse's station was just down the hallway. Haruhi pushed open the door and called out for the nurse, Kanako whimpering softly behind her.

There was a boy standing in the middle of the room, and he turned to look at the two in alarm, "The nurse is out bu- wait, is that a burn?" He quickly rushed across the room and reached out for Kanako like Haruhi had earlier, "Let me see-"

"No!" Kanako smacked the boy's hand aside before draping herself over Haruhi's shoulders, "I'm already well taken care of, right, Haruhi?"

The brunette looked between the two other students. She knew she couldn't have just imagined the look of pain that flashed across both of their faces when Kanako had smacked the boy's hand away… and she didn't think it was because their hands had hit. What's going on between these two?

"Well, if the nurse is out, then we should have a nurse's aide…" she looked sideways at the boy and raised an eyebrow in question. He shook his head, a sad smile on his lips.

"Hahaha! Oh, Haruhi! Well, I suppose I'm not surprised! He looks nothing like the scion of a major corporate family, does he?" The other brunette winced a little at the coldness behind the laughter, and shot a sympathetic glance at the boy, who merely smiled a little wider and started heading towards the door.

"I've finished my rounds in here... I suppose… I'll see ya later."

Choonk

Haruhi and Kanako were alone.

The girl sighed, her eyes losing their cheerful tint and dropping to the floor. She cradled her burnt finger within her other hand.

Clearing her throat, Haruhi attempted to breach the subject… only to receive another violent denial. Kanako was now rubbing at her right hip, which had slammed right into the long desk that ran in the middle of the front room, where a nurse should've been standing by. In the back of her mind, Haruhi had to admit it was a little ironic to hurt oneself in a nurse's office, but she only voiced concern when her guest tried to run out of the room, her face beet red.

The key word here being: tried.

SLAM!

Mori stopped in the middle of the doorway, chest heaving a little in testimony to how fast he'd probably run to get there. Hunny was on the tall boy's back, draped across his shoulders with a scrape on his right arm.

"He's… hurt…"

He's not the only one, Haruhi added in her head. Kanako was kneeling, cradling her head in her hands from the place the door had smacked into her. And then there was the door itself, hanging off one of its hinges and cracked along the top. Of course, before Haruhi could say anything, Kanako was staggering to her feet and stumbling out the door, calling out a shaky 'see ya' before disappearing from view. The short-haired brunette hoped her guest wouldn't fall down a flight of stairs on her way out of the school.

"Uh… okay. Mori-senpai, how about you fix the door while I clean up Hunny-senpai?"

The older boy didn't look too happy about it, but he did set the small blond down on a stool and went to find a hammer and nails as Haruhi began rummaging around the nurse's desk. Since no one was there, what was the harm?

Thankfully, she found bandages and antibacterial cream in only a short period of time, which was enough for now, "What happened?"

The small boy sniffled, "Takashi accidentally stepped on me. I tripped in front of him… he couldn't stop."

"Wow… sounds grisly, alright." She rolled up his sleeve a little more and got a good look at the scrape, "Aww, it's not so bad."

She began pressing the cream into the cut as Hunny looked up at her with weepy eyes, "So… I'll mend?"

"Yeah, you'll be fine."

The boy grinned, "Thank you, Haru-chan! Hey, did you meet Toru-chan? We saw him come out before Takashi almost broke the door!"

Haruhi glanced at the tall boy, who had finished hammering the door back in place before turning back to the blond in front of her, "The boy who was in here earlier? I never caught his name."

"Second year, Class C, Toru Suzushima! He's Kanako-chan's fiancé!"

"Woah… really?"

Hunny nodded, "He's really nice, too! I wonder why Kanako-chan didn't tell you… oh, I have a question, Haru-chan! What made you and Kanako-chan fall down earlier? You were both doing so good…"

"Oh, right!" Haruhi pressed the bandage to the small boy's arm and grabbed his hands, "She said something that helped me remember! I know who you two are!"

The boys exchanged a glance, "You… do?"

"Of course! You know my older sister!"

More confused looks.

"Jin Fujioka!"

At the name, the hammer Mori had been holding fell to the floor, Hunny's eyes going wide.

*Time Skip*

"Everyone! Line up and relate the details of Miss Kanako and Mister Suzushima's relationship! Stat!"

Haruhi sat back in astonishment as the twins started talking about their history, including how they'd met and how they ended up being betrothed to each other. Oddly enough, none of the others thought it was a weird -and somewhat archaic- word to be throwing around. And then Kyoya stood up and gave his report on 'Mister Suzushima'. Of course, as soon as the ravenet mentioned how the boy was in Class C, the amusement and dryness in his tone became apparent. Haruhi's eyes narrowed. Oh… that's what those girls meant by 'The Invincible Class A'. Buncha snots… they don't cut a guy much slack.

"Well… I suppose we have it."

"Have what?"

Kyoya smirked, readjusting his glasses, "Why, the cause of Miss Kanako's 'sickness', of course. 'A future with that man in an unwelcome prospect.'"

What?

"'I want to fool around for a little while.' That sums up her view of the matter."

I'd beg to differ.

As Tamaki started grilling both Kyoya and Hunny-senpai for knowing about the difficulties between the couple and not telling anyone beforehand, the twins slipped up near Haruhi.

"Hey, what's with the long face?"

"Were you hoping you'd get more time to practice before the dance?"

"Nah, I'm all set. However, I don't think you're all quite right when it comes to the tension between Miss Kanako and Mister Suzushima."

"Oh?" They leaned in close, "And would that be because of what pops up on an internet search of 'Suzushima'?"

Haruhi was blinking into space even after the twins slunk off to rile their 'lord' up even more.

*\/*

It's time to open the doors…

"Welcome, one and all, to the Ouran Host Club Christmas Party!"

Instantaneously, the hall burst into light. It was huge! Silver and gold garland hung from the crystal chandeliers, casting little flecks of color onto the tiled floor. The huge bay windows were draped with heavy white curtains tied back with golden cords, revealing a moon-lit and snowy landscape that stretched off into the night. Girls in dresses all the way across the color spectrum were spinning around, trying to take in the sight with their wide eyes, gasping in awe and a few laughing in sheer amazement. An orchestra started off a soft song, sitting on one side of the hall while a large spread of different treats and drinks lined the other. Dangling from the ceiling in between the many chandeliers were colorful bulbs that glowed from the inside, really helping to show off the 'Christmas'-ness of the party.

Tamaki stood on the balcony, offering a hand towards the guests still bedazzled by the aesthetics. Beneath him stood Kyoya, Mori, Hunny, and Haruhi, all smiling at the guests kindly. The twins were there too, hair spiked up rather than laying flat on their heads like usual, but they were standing further off to the side to help draw attention to the miniature casino that had been set up at the end of the dance hall.

"Heigh-ho! Who's up for a game of cards, ladies?"

The entire ballroom let out a unanimous giggle as the brothers continued to explain what 'winning' would mean. The top point-earners would be awarded the last dances with the Host Club members, and the ultimate winner would receive a kiss from Tamaki. Haruhi rolled her eyes, I suppose that explains why they were so adamant that I know how to dance…

"Hey, Haruhi, why are you so tense? Couldn't you at least smile for the guests? Everyone here is excited but you!"

The girl shrugged at Tamaki's comment, "Well… it's my first Christmas without Nēchan. Last year she managed to stay until the day afterwards, so it's a little hard. I miss her a lot…" Ignoring how the twins were fake crying, she saw the bittersweet smiles the 3rd years were giving her. At least they somewhat understood. "And besides, this is a vastly different way to celebrate the holidays to what I'm used to. Usually, Christmas amounts to me, Nēchan, and Dad exchanging a few gifts and watching Christmas specials. Let's see… last year I got an MP3 and we made some fruitcake..."

"Tch," Hikaru shook his head, "Then no wonder the fabulousness of this party is lost on you."

"Pearls before swine…" his brother agreed.

Kyoya hummed, "You mentioned before that you've been to one of these parties before, Haruhi?"

"Yeah. Name escapes me at the moment, but I mostly just watched the dancers and ate. The food was really good…"

"Well, then, help yourself. We have quite a spread."

The girl tilted her head, "You know… I think I might. My favorite was the giant tuna-"

It was like she'd opened the gate to Hell.

"WAAAAAAH!"

"I WANT GIANT TUNA HERE, STAT!"

"How modest!"

"How unassuming!"

"We have Tupperware, Haru-chan! Take some home!"

"Hello? We'd like ten orders of giant tuna. Yep, rush it!"

"We have roast beef!"

"Where's the caviar?"

Haruhi quickly slipped away, trying to hide her embarrassment. Me and my big mouth… I should've just gone without saying anything. Trying to slink around the edge of the dance floor wasn't working either. She kept on being stopped for dances or hints about being the person's choice should they win one of the end-of-the-night dances. The brunette managed to get halfway between her crazy club members and her target when another voice sounded above the crowd.

"Ah, Haruhi! You're here!"

The girl looked over and saw, "Kanako."

She received a giggle, "Could I ask for a dance?" The other brunette smiled, her eyes closing in an endearing fashion, missing how Haruhi's eyes suddenly danced with mischievousness.

"Of course, but… hey, is that Toru?"

"WHAT?!"

Kanako had another violent reaction, rushing straight into a waiter and knocking his platter down. The man and student apologized profusely to one another, and while Haruhi hadn't planned on making such a mess, she thought it was kind of cute the way Kanako was staring at the mess she'd made, a red blush on her cheeks.

"I may not know many things about tea sets," Kanako peered up at her host from the floor, "but I can definitely tell when someone else does. It doesn't look like you're really suited to play these games… especially if you're still struggling to hide it after a full year. Besides… Suzushima Commerce imports high-end tea sets and other dishware. I have a feeling that if you're still able to look and appreciate the teacups we have at the club, the thought of the family that trades with them isn't a negative one."

The other girl is still on the ground, her hands shaking a little, "Oh… so you figured it out. It's… it's true, what you say. I'm glad to be marrying Toru, I do love him. But I don't think he feels the same way. It's like… he's been avoiding me since we got to high school. I try to capture his attention by throwing myself at the host club, but that's just driven the rift deeper. And then…" a single tear dripped down the left side of her face, "He put in for that transfer without even telling me. He's going to England. So it's-"

"Haru-chan!"

All of the air was forced out of the brunette's lungs as a shoulder dug itself into her stomach. Haruhi's legs were lifted into the air before she felt herself being carried out of the dance hall at top speed. The colors of dresses and dangling bulbs blurred up until she and her kidnappers made it out of the dance hall. It wasn't until they got to the main floor's prep room that she could suck in enough air to speak.

"Hey, what's the big idea?!"

Mori set her down just in time for the twins to shove a package into her arms, telling her to change. Before she could even ask what they were talking about, she was behind a changing room curtain. As she pulled the pink dress from the packaging they'd given her, the boys explained… somewhat.

"His lordliness sprang this on us yesterday, so it wasn't easy getting prepared on such short notice, but we're going to get the truth out of Mister Suzushima about how he feels for Miss Kanako. So, you're going undercover."

Oh… he doesn't know I'm a girl…

Slipping into her new get-up and walking out of the changing room, Haruhi was quickly pushed down into a chair, the twins holding different types of makeup in their hands. Decided to just take it, she remained as still as she could while the brushes started dancing across her cheeks.

"It's 20 minutes until the climax of the party… that's your time limit. We've already called Mister Suzushima over to room 2-C. You ready?"

Sighing, she grabbed the proffered wig and pulled it over her head, Honey stepping forward to help tuck in the extra strands, "You look so cute, Haru-chan!"

"Eh, I'll take your word for it. The wig's a bit heavy, though."

"Hey! What's going on in here?! We have guests to enter-"

Tamaki's shouting was cut short when Haruhi turned towards him. And while she didn't show it on the outside, it was very satisfying to shock the boy into silence. The girl/gender neutral/boy thing really messed with his head, clearly. But there wasn't any time to keep poking fun at him, despite the 'what, you've never seen a girl before' literally on the tip of her tongue.

She heard encouraging words all the way out the door and down the hall. Thankfully, by the time she got to classroom 2-C, the noises had died down. Unfortunately, that gave her enough brain space to think about what she was about to do. What if he recognized her? Then what would happen to her secret? Would Toru even listen to her? Would he just brush off Kanako's apparent feelings?

So many reasons the meeting could go wrong were crowding her brain space, Haruhi almost didn't realize she was opening the door until she met Toru's eyes from across the dark room. He didn't look very happy to be there.

"Oh… you must be the one who wrote this letter."

Letter?

The boy sighed and handed the paper to her, curling her fingers around it, "I'm so sorry, Miss, but you and I… it's not possible. There's only one girl I truly care for, and while she doesn't feel the same about me, there's no way for me to let her go. Not now... not ever."

Folding the letter up to hold onto until she could read it later, Haruhi scuffed her shoes on the ground, "She sounds like a real beauty."

"Yeah," Toru managed a smile as his eyes took on a far-away look, "She's… glamorous. There's no other way to put it. She deserves to have a man brimming with confidence. It's selfish, but as much as I know she could find someone else like that with ease, I want that to be me. So, I've decided to become that man by going out to see the world. I just hope she'll wait for me…"

"Hmph. That's quite selfish, actually." The boy stared at her in shock, but Haruhi pressed her fists to her hips. Channeling her inner 'Jin Fujioka', she let it loose, "Look, you clearly know how you feel about the girl, but by traveling around the world without her and without telling her why is only going to drive you two apart. How do you think she'll feel if she sees you running off without an explanation? You say you want to change? Good, you've taken the first step into your transformation. But if you want to show her confidence? Then confess."

Clank

There was a soft gasp from the doorway and the two whipped their heads around. They caught the barest glance of big brown eyes leaking huge tears before Kanako spun around and began running, her cries echoing down the hallway. Toru tore out of the room after her, shouting her name.

"No! Kanako, it's not what you think!" Haruhi yanked her wig off and took a step out of the room when an arm cut in front of her and stopped her from giving chase. Tamaki smiled down at her, even when she started fighting against his hold. "What are you doing? Did you bring her here? Are you trying to make things worse for them?"

"Of course not."

"Then what-"

"He went after her."

... Oh…

"Come on, to the window. The countdown's begun."

The two walked over to a window overlooking a courtyard. They got there just as a huge Christmas tree standing in the middle lit up, revealing Kanako and Toru. While the girl was caught off guard by the sudden light show, the brunet grabbed at her hand. Just then, Tamaki threw the window open and shouted down to the surprised couple.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS! And blessings on our two stubborn mules!"

Haruhi's head was held close to his chest, makeup covered face hidden from view but still able to hear the clock tower toll out twelve chimes. Midnight… it's officially Christmas. That was the countdown...

The couple in the courtyard looked at each other in shock before Toru smiled. They couldn't hear what he told his fianceé, but the watery smile she gave him spoke volumes. Haruhi and Tamaki watched as they started dancing by themselves in the freshly falling snow before Haruhi realized she still had to get cleaned up before the final dancers were announced. It took only five minutes for her to shed the dress and pull on her tuxedo, and since the makeup was scrubbed off with a vengeance she was ready in record time. They walked into the ballroom just as the winners were being called out.

"Miss Ai has won the final dance with Mitsukuni Haninozuka!" A relatively short girl squealed and ran up to her host, who was also bouncing with joy at the prospect of another dance where he was twirled around the dance floor.

"And the winner of the final dance with Haruhi Fujioka…"

Hikaru trailed off when the doors at the very end of the dance hall opened up. The whole party looked over in surprise. Who could that be? It couldn't be another guest, could it? The party was almost over!

A person walked in, wearing a black wool coat and matching black hat and gloves. There was also a yellow and black striped scarf wrapped around their neck, masking the bottom half of the person's face. The hosts were too far away to see the newcomer clearly, not to mention the large crowd between them, but the girls at the back gasped and parted, letting the stranger through.

The hat and gloves were pulled off first, revealing long brown hair and thin fingers. Next was the coat, showing off a strange fashion sense. A black t-shirt with an Ironman Arc Reactor in the middle and a white long-sleeve beneath it. But the shirt went oddly well with the dark blue jeans and black combat boots. The scarf was the last to be pulled off, showing off the red headphones that were resting perfectly around the girl's neck and a pair of dangling eighth-note earrings.

The girl stopped at the front of the group and smiled, her coat and other winter accessories hanging over her left arm, "Hey, Haru. Merry Christmas."

"NĒCHAN!"

The room erupted into cheers as Haruhi launched herself at her sister, happy tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. Most of the guests had heard of Haruhi's older sister one way or another, but as they had never really been given a description of the girl, they had be unprepared for how pretty she was!

However, the matching hair color and eyes between Jin and Haruhi were dead giveaways to their relation, enough for the girls to figure it out.

Jin grinned wider and hugged her sibling tight, her coat and other winter apparel having fallen to the floor as soon as the hug started, "So, was this a good enough Christmas present?"

"Yes! Yes, it is Nēchan! It's perfect!"

The two parted, Jin gently combing Haruhi's hair back into place with her fingers, striking up an 'awww' from the surrounding crowd, "I'm sorry I burst in on you all like this. I thought the party ended at midnight, and I wanted to surprise Haru. I didn't mean to interrupt…"

"Oh! We should let Haruhi dance with his sister!"

"Yeah!"

"That would be so cute!"

"They haven't seen each other in a year!"

The Fujioka siblings smiled sheepishly at the hosts, most of whom were still staring at Jin in surprise. She looked sort of... like the photograph Tamaki had shown them all earlier, except for a few major differences. Jin was, of course, much older than Haruhi had been, and she looked more mature and feminine. Her shape was that of an hourglass, and her face balloon-ish shaped with high cheekbones and a pointy chin. The only ones who didn't looked completely floored were Hunny and Mori, who both looked like they'd been given a perfect Christmas gift as well.

After the indecisiveness had lasted long enough, Haruhi sighed and walked closer to the President and Vice President, "I won't ask for you to cut my debt in half. Please, just let me have this dance with Nēchan?"

Kyoya raised an eyebrow and eyed the taller brunette once more. She was giving him a smile, asking politely with her eyes to be granted permission. The ravenet looked over at Tamaki, who slowly nodded his head, and the whole room burst into applause.

Haruhi and Jin quickly fell into step with the rest of the hosts as the music started. Most eyes were on them, considering how happy they looked and how flawlessly Haruhi's older sister moved to the music. Despite her lack of a dress, she didn't appear to be out of place at all. And the girls found it really cute when Jin would spin her brother around, considering he was a full head shorter than she was. The siblings talked quietly with each other throughout the dance. Some of the guests and hosts tried to move closer to catch a sentence or two of them catching up, but when Jin threw her head back and laughed long and loud, her brown hair cascading down her back like a chocolate waterfall, the congregation stopped trying to listen in and just enjoyed the cute moment.

The dance ended with loud applause and another tight hug between the siblings.

"And now… the main event!" The twins were back at the front of the hall, microphones in hand as they held up a pair of note cards in their hands, still casting glances at the older Fujioka as they did so, however. They, along with most of the other boys, didn't quite know what to make of the new girl just yet. Why hadn't she already called Haruhi 'she' or 'little sister'? Was she aware of Haruhi's situation?

"Tonight's big winner: Miss Miyako!"

The room burst into applause as a blonde girl blushed hard, grinning as she stepped into the middle of the room.

"Miss Miyako was to receive a blessed kiss from our King!"

"However, that will now be awarded by Haruhi Fujioka!"

Jin pressed her fingertips to her lips, attempting to hide a smile as Haruhi and Tamaki both made loud and confused noises. The brunette looked to her sister for help, but received only a shrug.

What do you expect me to do? I just got here?

There was the sound of footsteps from behind the siblings as someone approached, "I figured a twist ending would set off the evening just right." Kyoya smirked and leaned down to whisper in Haruhi's ear, "Do this, in lieu of a dance with your guests, and I'll cut your debt by a third."

Swallowing, the short-haired brunette started walking towards the blonde who was blushing harder now. Her sister stayed back, looking at the boy beside her with a calculating glance, "So… I assume you're Kyoya Ohtori? Haru's told me a bit about you boys..."

"Has he? And yes, I am." The ravenet bowed to the girl a little, "At your service, Miss Jin Fujioka."

"I certainly hope so."

He blinked, "Do you, now?"

"You're the one who holds Haru's debt, are you not? I have a proposition for you."

Kyoya cocked an eyebrow.

"Let me help my little… brother, pay off what he owes." Jin smiled, "Let me join the Host Club."

Whatever Kyoya had been expecting, it hadn't been that. He opened his mouth, but was interrupted by a large gasp circulating the room as Tamaki accidentally pushed Haruhi towards Miss Miyako, forcing their lips to connect. The ravenet smirked as the guests started screaming louder, congratulating the red faced girl and shouting 'Kiss-a-holic' at Tamaki.

"Twist ending, indeed." Jin was watching the scene unfold with a cautious expression before turning back to the ravenet, "You were about to say?"

"Yes. As noble as your request is, Miss Jin, I'm afraid I'll have to decline. I don't believe having a female host would work in the way you might expect. Unless you were referencing to catering male guests..."

"Except I wasn't asking to be a host. Make me your waitress. Haru told me all about how you boys have to fetch your own tea and snacks for your guests, so I'm offering to be a middleman. I'll cater to the tables around the host club, and you can use my labor to help trim down Haru's debt with you."

Kyoya raised a hand to his face, lightly holding his chin between his thumb and forefinger. Not even here for a full ten minutes, and she's already striking deals with me for her sister's benefit. Well thought out deals, too. Her intelligence is certainly non-refutable. She'll most certainly be an interesting classmate... "It sounds… like an interesting prospect. But what of a uniform? We can provide one to you, but it will add onto your debt. Any increase in said debt will be on both of your shoulders. You'll also have to abide by our rules, go along with our outings and other activities-"

"Done." Jin smiled, "But I can pay for my own uniform."

The ravenet paused, "You can? It's very expensive."

"I know, but I've saved up quite a bit of money. I had two jobs while I was in America, and their school tuition was free. Not to mention that I have a scholarship from Ouran. I can pay for it."

He paused, intrigued, "Fascinating."

"What?"

"I'd heard that commoners worked often and for long hours to buy the simplest of things... but I never expected them to start to young."

Jin's smile froze, "What did you just call me?"

Kyoya blinked, "Did I say something wrong?"

"Come on, Nēchan!" Haruhi called out from a few feet away, holding most of Jin's winter clothes she had left of the floor, "Let's go home! I'm sure you're still jet lagged!"

Kyoya was given an absolutely poisonous glare before the brunette turned around, "Coming, Haru!" He watched as the Fujiokas quickly left the room, Jin frowning and talking to Haruhi in harsh undertones. The shorter brunette listened before casting a glance over her shoulder at the club's Vice President. She bit her lower lip and spoke to her sister again, but it didn't do much to the girl's mood.

"Hey, Kyoya-senpai?"

"What did you say to Jin-senpai to make her all mad at you?"

The twins laughed incredulously, "Did you really become her enemy after knowing her for less than 20 minutes?"

"That was not my intention, I assure you," Kyoya frowned at the doorway, "But if she wishes to be emotional and petty, then by all means, I say we let her."

Ahhhhh... I brought Jin in a lot earlier! And I had her already knowing about the debt and after that I had no idea how to make her and Kyoya hate each other...

I just hope I did okay. In case you were wondering, Haruhi had told Jin about everything the boys had done and/or said to her... except the 'commoners' thing. That was new. And the stuck-up way you know Kyoya said it definitely rubbed her the wrong way, like he was better than her or something. Eh, I tried.

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See you next chapter!